July/ Aug Wrap Up

Hey everyone!

Last month was intense for me personally with the move from Japan back to the UK. I thought all the stress would be actually leaving the country and I would come back to 10 days in isolation for non stop reading, I was so wrong. It’s literally been non stop chaos since I arrived home with one thing after another taking priority. The books I did manage to read, I literally crammed where I could and I had no time to review them so I decided to skip July wrap up altogether and mix it with this month. A cop out I know, but I wasn’t happy with a half fast post so here we are.

August was a much better reading month for me where things settled down more at home. I wasn’t able to catch up with my goodreads challenge, I’m still a few books behind but I’m determined to hit it this year no matter what!

As a positive, I do have to say, it’s been so nice to be able to walk into English bookshops again, even if they have no hardcover books on the shelves. Damn you UK printing. I’m still sticking to my kindle for now for my instagram and blog posts as I feel I’ve got a good routine with it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t buy as many books as possible for my shelves! Hello birthday presents!
I think I’m going to do another instagram challenge next month to get me back into it again. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would last time I did it in June, let’s see how far I get with it this time around!

So here we go. A list of books I’ve read in July/ August, it wont take you long, it’s not an impressive list for a two-monther!

1. The Little Paris Patisserie
2. Mercurial
3. Beast of Shadow & Light
4. The Greek Escape
5. The Hazel Wood
6. Hell on Earth

The Little Paris Patisserie

First up, I give you The Little Paris Patisserie by Julie Caplin

This is the first I’ve read of Julie Caplin and I’m sure it won’t be the last. This book hit all the sweet spots for me in all the right places and I didn’t hesitate to put it on my favourite shelf. I mean the title and cover says it all. I must admit, I do pick up books simply if they are based in Paris because I know instantly I will love the setting no matter the plot. This book didn’t disappoint in the least when I was in the mood for a good romcom.
Nina is a 30 year old in a rut, surrounded by a big family who all have their lives figured out, always pushing her to do something one way or another, she can’t help but need distance away from them. When the opportunity comes up for her to help run a patisserie course in Paris, she can’t help but take up the opportunity to explore her next endeavour without her family breathing down her neck, even if it does mean working with Sebastian. Her brother’s arrogant best friend and biggest crush.
I absolutely adored this book and couldn’t get enough of it, it just made me want to book the next flight to Paris, or get in the kitchen and start baking. I would recommend it to all who sometimes need a good romance to curl up with for an evening.

Mercurial

Second on my list, I give you Mercurial by Naomi Hughes

One of my never ending NetGalley books that has been sitting in my TBR shelf for many months, I’m glad I picked this one up. Mercurial was a fantastic book that I’m sorry it took me so long to read. Whilst it didn’t blow me away or have me craving more, I really came to love the story and the unique magical aspects of it. It was unpredictable, fast paced and told from three perspectives, Princess Eloide (The Destroyer), Tal her bodyguard and Nyx, Tal’s sister, that each had strong character building to really pull you in through their individual actions and flashbacks throughout the story.
The Destroyer is feared by all, her blood filled with mercury, she is a weapon of pure destruction used by her sister, the Iron Empress, to do her bidding. When a stranger shows up offering to protect her through a metal oath, she can’t help but feel intrigued by him knowing he is the only person she can actually trust to keep her safe. After another assassination attempt, she wakes up with no memory or magic, she looks to Tal to discover the truth.
Tal is a silver smith, silver ran through his blood like a curse giving him the divine gift of foresight into the future, visions through the Unforged God himself. When a vision pushes him to become a protector for the Destroyer, the princess weaponised by the Iron Empress, Tal does not hesitate to follow his new path, believing his part will eventually save the empire. He soon becomes lost in the darkness that surrounds the Destroyer, unable to escape, unable to understand his path that is consuming more of his humanity through each kill to protect her. When the opportunity suddenly presents itself to finally be rid of the oath, Tal instead finds himself questioning everything he ever knew and the real person behind it all.
Check out my full review here.

Beast of Shadow & Light

Next up, I give you Beast of Shadow & Light by Stephany Wallace

Part of my reading challenge, I thought it was time I read one of my kindle unlimited downloads. While I didn’t like the writing style at times, it was very much aimed at young adults with typical slang language and cliches, I did actually enjoy the book. It isn’t every day I pick up a werewolf fantasy, it felt like a nice change for me. I guess this is me stepping away from all things fairytale (although this did have many red riding hood qualities about it). And yes, I did download it based on the cover, it’s so pretty 😻
Set in a small town in Alaska, two sisters Lucy and Ellie couldn’t be any more different but were best friends through thick and thin. Rich but down to earth, popular but weren’t afraid to be who they wanted to be, and both dating the admired hot twins at university. Even with the old supernatural rumours still going around about a Beast in the forest, life couldn’t be better. When a stranger shows up at the abandoned cabin down the road, Lucy can’t help but feel frustrated that the newcomer isn’t interested in being friendly in their quiet close community. No matter how many advances she makes to try to be friends, he’s determined to push her away at every turn. Bodies start showing up around town, ripped to shreds by an animal, she soon finds herself suddenly facing the very rumour that has haunted the forest for years.
It’s a good pace with an exciting plot, it had it’s unpredictable moments that pushed the story forward. It was confusing and sometimes rushed at times and clouded with mystery all of which ended on a cliffhanger, but it dragged me in enough that I’m tempted to find out what happens next. I may or may not write a full review for this one, keep an eye out I guess! I haven’t made up my mind yet!

The Greek Escape

Next up, I give you The Greek Escape by Karen Swan

I was looking forward to this one after reading The Paris Secret (one of my favourite books by Swan). Whilst I can say I really liked the story, I didn’t expect the first half to be so slow. Really slow. I appreciate this helped the character and world building, but most of it felt unnecessary for the most part and just dragged. I’m honestly surprised I was able to push past it and finish the book. I’m glad I did because it was worth it in the end, even if the story conclusion was given like a story around a campfire to fill in the blanks.
Chloe left her old life behind in London to start fresh in New York after a heartbreak tore her life apart. Working at a luxury concierge company, she assists in making powerful clients wishes come true by any means, no matter how crazy they sound. Penguins needed at a black and white event held on a glacier in Alaska? Done. Taking down the scaffolding set up for cleaning the Taj Mahal just so her client can take the perfect photograph? Done. When a terrible accident forces Chloe to step up close and personal with the companies most elite clients, she has no choice but to take the lead, even if it means taking on a new client that showed up on their doorstep who is looking for a private home on the Greek Islands. When her ex suddenly shows up out of the blue, Chloe jumps at the chance to help her new client Joe inspect the Greek homes in person, only to discover more mystery behind his motives and the connections they have with her other clients and the mysterious disappearance of one of their wives.

The Hazel Wood

Next up, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

This fantasy took me by surprise, but I haven’t quite decided if it’s in a good way or a bad way yet. There was so much going on, literally a world through into wonderland. It was quirky, it was confusing, it was dark but colourful and filled with horrific creatures and characters. I’m sure this one book you either love or hate which I can totally respect. There were parts of it that I really did enjoy that were creepy and delightfully twisted, but there were times I had no idea what was going on and where the characters were with the world-between-worlds element.
Alice is a seventeen year old who is always moving around with her mum Ella, trying to escape the bad luck that seems to follow them everywhere they go. The key seems to be connected to her grandmother, her reclusive hidden mansion ‘The Hazel Wood’ and the dark fairytales she wrote that Alice isn’t allowed to read. A letter arrives for them one day telling them her grandmother has passed away, Ella is relieved and believes their luck will finally change and gives them a chance to settle down somewhere permanently for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately their bad luck only gets worse when Ella is kidnapped by characters from her grandmother’s stories, Alice has no choice but to follow the trail to The Hazel Wood and unlock the secrets her family has been keeping all these years.
I loved the premise behind it, the dark fairytales told within the story were definitely the highlight. I would recommend this book just to see how you all feel about it and get your opinions!

Hell on Earth

Finally, we have Hell on Earth by Brenda K. Davies

As rare as it is, I do come across books I’m unable to finish from time to time. Sometimes I just hate the writing style so much I can’t continue, occasionally the plot just falls too flat and I can’t seem to finish after picking up to for the 10th time. This was one where I just lost interest and knew it wasn’t something for me. Perhaps it was just the wrong book at the wrong time. I just wasn’t enjoying it, it was as simple as that, so I have little to say about it. I’ll give you the quick low down, maybe some of you might pick this one up and think differently.
It’s told from duel perspectives, Wren; a human wilder and Corson; a demon straight from hell. Fourteen years ago, the government were involved in a project that ended up opening a gateway to hell, releasing evil and corruption onto the earth. The wilders are a group of humans who track down and kill the creatures roaming the earth with the help of the angels, but with the gateway always open, it’s a never ending battle. The high level demons make a truce with the humans that they will join together to close the gateway and get rid of the creatures together as they want it closed as much as they do.
I’m even struggling to write this short review because of how tacky and silly it sounds, I’m just surprised so many people highly rated this book. I’m curious as to what you all think! Let me know!

So there you have it, my July/ August wrap up!
Let’s hope I can stay on top of my goodreads reading challenge next month, time shall tell!

Thanks for reading 🙃

See you next month!

Unlocked

Title: Unlocked
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale Retelling
Source: Author Recommendation
Rating: 3/5

Favourite Quote: ‘The stench of the dead got worse the farther I went. It was time to leave. Forget more food or my herbs, I needed to depart this place immediately. I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt, but when I reached the bottom of the staircase, my knees wobbled and the muscles of my legs trembled violently. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead and my stomach began to sour. The coppery tang of blood filled my mouth.
No.
~ The truth slapped me hard in the face. This plague wasn’t sent for the humans; they were merely collateral damage because they got between me and the dark fae. It was sent to eradicate me. A cold chill pebbled my skin. My knees buckled. I was too weak. I fell to the floor. Pain clawed its way out of my middle and prickles of blackness darkened by vision.
Raya. She would be so scared when I didn’t come back. And no one was left for me to tell where to find her. Everyone was dead, and soon, I would be, too.‘

It’s been 10 years since Princess Raya of Paruth was abandoned on her own in her lighthouse on a tiny deserted in the middle of the sea of bones.
She’s been forgotten by time, living by means of an enchantment on the lighthouse that provides her with food and warmth but little else to pass the endless days besides an albatross as a friend. It wasn’t until a stranger washes up on her little beach during a storm that she begins to feel a small piece of hope that things will finally change, even simply by sharing her space with another.

Prince Trevor of Galder left his father and kingdom behind to travel north in search of a wife. It was time to settle down and forget Ella Carina, the woman who chose to love a peasant and follow her heart instead of choosing Trevor and fulfilling her duty to her people. He didn’t heed the warnings about the North Sea in winter, and his ship, crew, and captain paid the price.

Raya and Trevor find themselves working together to return to the mainland, something Raya gave up on many years ago. With Trevor full of determination, it was hard to not get swept up on the idea that they would finally be free of the lighthouse as they push through many obstacles to fight their way through the sea of bones.

‘”This is almost all I’ve ever known. This is my home. I have no idea what to expect in Galder, and everyone and everything I loved before is dead. The life I was supposed to lead isn’t here now. I’m scared, Trevor.”‘

After reading Brutal Curse, an Alice in Wonderland meets Beauty and the Beast retelling, I have had Casey L. Bond in my sights for her other books – which brings me to Unlocked – a rapunzel retelling. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me for so many reasons and I can’t help but feel disappointed. I’ve read a few of Casey’s books now and this is honestly the worse one for me so far. Sorry Casey. It had so much potential at the start! I was so caught up in the beginning, it was so fast paced and exciting with an amazing plot lined up.. and then it suddenly slowed down and became a will they/wont they romance instead with a typical fairytale happily ever after.

Tell me this doesn’t sound epic to you – The Fae are at war with each other, pure blood Fae are determined to wipe out half-bloods for their magic and will stop at nothing to kill every last one of them. The queen saves the life of a half-blood fae who washes up on her beach. They quickly become fast friends and Hildegard ends up living with the royal family. We are quickly introduced to a deathly plague that is wiping out the kingdom caused by the dark fae who have managed to track Hildegard down. The queen, already feeling the effects of the plague, uses her dying wish for Hildegard to save her daughter Raya by taking her far away from the kingdom. Hildegard takes the princess to a light house in the middle of the sea of bones, enchants it with her magic before going back to save any remaining family but never making the journey back to tell anyone where she hid the princess. So cool, right? I was instantly hooked.

And then there was silence. What felt like silence. A ’10 years later’ chapter brings us to the main story which doesn’t mention the Fae ever again, the plague was just a thing of the past and the princess, who has spent all this time on her own in an enchanted tower, is completely normal. She isn’t mentally scarred for being abandoned and isolated on her own for so long, she’s completely coherent and well mannered without any education or human interaction for 10 years. It just didn’t sit right with me. Yeah it’s a fairytale, but a retelling is supposed to bring a little something more to the story, a twist to make it unique. I wasn’t expecting a princess gone mad, but a little something abnormal would have made me like her more.

Saying that, Raya was a good character overall, she is kindhearted and lights up the room with her warm personality. I liked how even though she was happy to finally have company away from the sea of bones, she couldn’t help but crave the isolation of the royal lighthouse and made it a place of her own where she felt at peace with herself. You could easily forgive her emotions towards Trevor since he made it clear he was still looking for a wife and she had nothing to offer but a title to a haunted kingdom. She was willing to put distance between them in order to make him and the king happy, a self sacrifice that I appreciated, even if it was completely unnecessary. She kept a level head throughout it all, which even though it was unexpected, she adapted to her new life to suit her.

I actually quite liked Trevor, a prince with many faults. A heartbroken mess of a character looking for hope, he ends up being the one who needed saving all along. He’s always pushing through any challenge and his strong will and determination will be enough to win your heart over, even if he can appear naive and frustrating at times. He’s immediately over-protective of Raya, especially when they get off the island and he can’t help but look for her when entering a room. He’s got that annoying – ‘she’ll never love me, so I won’t try’ insecure attitude which drags on for wayyy too long in the book which ended up being their only villain to their love story.

‘”How we are here is not how we’ll be expected to behave out there,” I responded pointedly, looking out at the sea. “If we are rescued, everything will change.”
“When we are rescued, it might change a little, but I’ll see that it doesn’t change in the ways that matter.”
That was silly. “You know we won’t be able to be close, much less friends. Your wife wouldn’t appreciate our friendship.”
“Nor will your husband,” he bit back. I thought he meant to sound playful, but it came out as bitter as I felt.
“No, I imagine he wouldn’t.”‘

There you have it for Unlocked. It’s got all the pieces but sadly doesn’t bring them together for the fantasy fairytale retelling I was hoping for.
Just a whole lot of ‘will they/ won’t they’ romance without any real obstacles in their way of ‘happily ever after’ which is why it ended with me feeling disappointed. Don’t create a dark powerful enemy straight off the bat, then ignore it for the rest of the entire book.

Goodreads Blurb:

Princess Raya of Paruth lived alone on a deserted island in a towering lighthouse, forgotten by time. With only a loyal albatross as a friend, she had little hope or joy in her life until he washed up on her shore in the middle of a raging winter storm.

Prince Trevor of Galder left his father and kingdom behind to travel north in search of a wife. It was time to settle down and forget Ella Carina, the woman who chose to love a peasant and follow her heart instead of choosing Trevor and fulfilling her duty to her people. He didn’t heed the warnings about the North Sea in winter, and his ship, crew, and captain paid the price.

Raya and Trevor must work together to find a way off the island, or risk being trapped there for the rest of their lives. But sometimes the simplest lessons are the hardest, and each will have to learn that the only thing that can truly set you free is love.

June Wrap Up

Hey everyone! 😺

Hope you’re all having a better book month than me!
I’ve got to be honest, I’ve been very distracted this month with everything going on, we are officially moving back to the UK from Japan and it’s been super stressful. I haven’t been able to concentrate on my reviews so I haven’t got much to add this month. I wasn’t able to finish most of my reviews with everything going on, I have three of them still waiting in my draft folder 😞

It hasn’t stopped me from downloading more books on my kindle though 🙄 ..or keeping up with my goodreads 2021 challenge! Even if the books I have read are meh at best with them mostly being 3 stars..

I have managed to keep up with my bookstagram challenge though which went well! I’ve also gotten back into painting again as a means to relax which has taken up a lot of my time. (If you like, you can check out my art instagram @whitevenice.art)
I’m positive next month is just going to get worse with the big move but I’ll manage. I always find a way to sneak a book in here and there – just think, I’ll have a 21 hour flight and 10 days in isolated lockdown to look forward too for my endless reading list. Yay! Wish me luck next month will be better for my reviews!

So here we go. A list of books I’ve read in June 🙂

1. To Kill a Kingdom
2. The Echo of Broken Dreams
3. Diamonds in the Rough (#2)
4. The Damned (#2)
5. The Secret Girl (Complete)
6. Unlocked
7. The King’s 100

To Kill a Kingdom

First up! I give you To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

This was a new one for me because it was the first time I decided to listen to the audiobook instead of reading. I wanted to spend my day off painting but I knew I should try and keep up with my reading challenge – sooo.. audiobook! Thanks YouTube 🧡 It definitely helped that the voice of the main protagonist absolutely nailed her part. I was so caught up in her reading that 7 hours barely registered as time gone by – plus I finished my painting, so win win!
If you like The Little Mermaid, then this book is definitely for you! Except, we have sirens who steal the hearts of men instead of a teenage mermaid looking for love on the surface. Lira is the heir to the tyrant Sea Queen, ruler of the sea who is feared by all. It’s almost time to take over her mother’s rein and prove herself by being the siren her mother wants her to be. She already has a name for herself as the Prince’s Bane – all of her 17 hearts for her 17 years have all been that of a prince. Only they are worthy. When she takes a heart too soon before her birthday, her punishment will ruin everything she’s spent her life building. Only the prince with heart of gold will redeem her. Or so she thought. Going behind her mother’s back proved to be worse than death when she finds herself in the middle of the ocean with legs, and her saviour being non other than her prince with the heart of gold. The siren killer. The only way back to the life she craves most is to kill him as a human, but humans also come with emotions, feelings Lira can’t seem to ignore as she gets close to the one who can change her fate forever.
I adored this book, I ended up re-reading most of it on my kindle until like 3am just to get lost in the story even more. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves sirens, pirates and magic in this fantasy fairytale retelling!
You can check out my full review here.

The Echo of Broken Dreams

Next up, I give you The Echo of Broken Dreams by C.J. Archer

The second book of The Rift series. I hate to say it, but I feel like the series is already going a bit flat for me. The first book seemed to be so full of potential, the plot was slow but felt things were happening when it came to the secrets behind the lost memories and you felt more emotionally invested when *spoilers* Josies’ father dies, the romance was slow but you could see something forming between her and the Captain, and whilst the characters were unique and mysterious, you knew who to love and hate. The second book feels like it’s dragging the story along and I felt no closer to finding out what is going on in the story than when I finished the first book. Just another inserted mini incident as a means to keep it interesting by introducing new characters around the palace that are also looking for the truth for their own gains. I needed more, more push of the potential romance, more mystery in the main plot, more of.. something. It just felt blah. It was just the ‘filler’ book of the series. Honestly, I’m not sure I want to continue if this is as slow as the rest of the six books in The Rift. Even the blurb of the third book sounds too similar as to what has already happened – poison, secrets, enemies, slow romance and a sense of urgency to discover the truth which doesn’t really feel like urgency. I’m sorry, I was hoping to have a more positive outlook since it’s C.J. Archer, but I just can’t. I’ve still reviewed it at 3 stars because it still has the potential and it could get so much better as the series goes on.. maybe I’ll just leave it up to you to decide this time.

Diamonds in the Rough

Next, I give you – Diamonds in the Rough by Michelle Madow (The Secret Diamond Sisters #2)

The second instalment of The Secret Diamond Sisters. I have to say I started enjoying the series more in this book. The characters starting becoming more believable and you actually became more invested in their individual stories, especially Madisons when she finds out a big secret her family have been keeping from her. Her entire character changes throughout this book and you can’t help but want to see her come through to the other side. Savannah is becoming a famous YouTube sensation, Peyton is realising that high school isn’t all that bad and pushes things with Jackson her bodyguard, and Courtney is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to finding out the truth about her past and running away from her feelings about Brett who would do just about anything to convince her to be with him – step siblings or not, it’s easy to see the connection between them is real. It’s fun, interesting, and I found myself enjoying it more than I thought!

The Damned

Next up! The Damned by Renee Ahdieh (The Beautiful #2)

As I predicted, this book became significantly more interesting than the first one. You get to really explore the supernatural world the author has built up in The Beautiful. Bastien comes to terms with his new life and there the lack of it, knowing things will never be the same with his new immortality. Whilst he’s finally come to accept his feelings for Celine were real and true, she sacrificed her memories of him to keep him ‘alive’, so clearly she wanted a fresh start away from all things supernatural. But when Celine’s memories start coming back, she can’t help but push her way into Bastien’s life whether he likes it or not. You still have the attempted love triangle with Michael, but it just makes you cringe as we all know who she will end up with no matter how much they try to fight it. The overall plot intrigued me more and more as we discover there is more to Celine and her connection to the supernatural than any of them realised. The truth about her mother emerges and creates a fantastic world expansion that you wouldn’t have predicted in the first book. Whilst I would have loved to have had more Celine and Bastien romance, the book had enough action going on to keep you interested and perspectives from various characters to create a new depth into the story that wasn’t there previously. At times the author overcomplicated the supernatural world she built up and occasionally it felt like everything was moving too fast which is why my review still stands at 3 stars.

The Secret Girl

Next up, I give you The Secret Girl series by C.M. Stunich

You know what, I quite liked this one, it had it’s moments and I couldn’t help but read the entire series in one go.
A high-school bully romance where the girl (Charlotte) is actually enlisted at an all boys school as her father is the new headmaster. She dresses up as a boy with a nickname ‘Chuck’ to get through the year away from her mother who went into rehab for drug addiction and will do anything to make sure she remains the isolated outcast in fear that someone will find out her secret. It’s bad enough that she’s allowed her own room (of course) and is allowed to skip P.E. so she isn’t in the same changing room as the boys as much as possible, but when she deliberately fights against the members of the Student Council – the five richest most powerful guys in the entire academy, her life becomes a whole lot more complicated. Not only that, but the last time the school tried letting a girl in, she ended up murdered, hanging from a tree in the forest with a note to make it look like suicide. When someone starts stalking her around campus, she doesn’t know who to trust, her unemotional father who avoids the topic of the murdered girl, the shady teachers who seem to know more than what they are letting on, or the five boys in the Student Council who are determined to make her life miserable.
It’s fun, absorbing and actually a really good read, there was a lot there to keep it interesting that I didn’t want to put it down. *spoilers* It’s got a reverse harem thing going on where she finds herself in a relationship with all the guys which felt very messy to me, but the author made it work. It was better than a love triangle – or a love pentagon – however you want to look at it. 🧐

Unlocked

Almost there! Next, we have Unlocked by Casey L. Bond

A fantasy fairytale retelling of Rapunzel. I haven’t read a lot of Rapunzel retellings, but I have to say I’m quite disappointed in this one. I’ve read a few of Casey’s books now and this is honestly the worse one for me so far. It had so much potential, it started off so interesting – a half-blood fae who lives with the royal family after the queen saved her life who is being hunted by the dark fae, they track her down and use their powers to spread a plague across the kingdom killing everyone in it’s path – she managed to escape with princess Raya as the one last plead from the queen, she leaves the princess in a lighthouse in the middle of the sea of bones using magic to keep her safe before going back and dying of the plague herself before telling anyone where she left Raya.
Years later, the story begins with our princess still living in the lighthouse who saves a prince who’s ship was destroyed in the sea of bones. Together they find a way off the tiny island.
It’s got all the pieces but sadly doesn’t bring them together for the fantasy adventure I was hoping for. We don’t hear any more of the fae, we don’t hear any more about the kingdom or the plague, we don’t even have a mentally scarred princess for being isolated on her own for so long. She’s totally normal and coherent without an education or human interaction for over 10 years. After that it’s a lot of ‘will they, won’t they’ romance when the prince continues his search of a wife. Besides the opening scene of the dark fae, there aren’t any real obstacles in their way of ‘happily ever after’ which is why it ended with me feeling disappointed. Don’t create a dark powerful enemy straight off the bat, then ignore it for the rest of the entire book. Like I said, so much potential. Keep an eye out for my full review soon!

The King’s 100

Finally, I give you The King’s 100 by Karin Biggs

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to think with this book. I loved the idea behind the plot, but the overall setting took a lot to get into – futuristic technology combined with a fantasy fairytale kingdom setting.. whilst it was overall unique, it felt out of place at times even if it was designed with a purpose to create a distinction between the kingdoms and the people within.
The kingdoms of Capalon and Mondaira are at war with one another and have sworn to kill the enemy on sight, creating a border between them that most remain guarded at all times. The unemotional robot-like Capalons who focus on technology and facts over emotions vs. the romantic and passionate Mondarians who are more laid back and live life to the fullest through their desires. It was a pleasing contrast to see our main protagonist Piper, Princess of Capalon, feeling like she doesn’t belong amongst her people as she lets her emotions get the better of her and can’t help but find joy in singing. A trait her mother passed onto her before she died, compassion and love is shown as a weakness that must be focused out of a person. Piper remains a disappointment to her people after her parents died, including her sister – the new Queen of Capalon, who demands facts, order and a strong belief in matching based on intelligence within the kingdom. She has little time for her emotional little sister. When Piper discovers a note that her mother is still alive and being held captive by the Mondarian royal family, she decides to risk it all to bring her back on her own under a disguise. What she finds instead is a life she couldn’t have imagined amongst the Mondarian people filled with life, colour, music and love.
It’s wonderfully sweet and filled with hope, friendship and a first love romance you know will end happily ever after. Whilst the book didn’t blow me away, I really enjoyed it and I’m keen to discover what happens next.

So there you have it, my June wrap up!
Let me know if there is anything you would recommend for July! I’m always up for new recommendations for my reading list!

Thanks for reading 🙃

See you next month!

To Kill a Kingdom

Title: To Kill a Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo
Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale Retelling
Source: Goodreads Recommendation
Rating: 5/5

Favourite Quote: ‘In the pits of our souls – if I amuse myself with the notion that I have a soul – Elian and I aren’t so different. Two kingdoms that have come with responsibilities we each have trouble bearing. Him, the shackles of being pinned to one land and one life. Me, trapped in the confines of my mother’s murderous legacy. And the ocean, calling out to us both. A song of freedom and longing.’

Lira is the siren princess, heir to the tyrant Sea Queen, ruler of the sea and feared by all. It’s almost time to take over her mother’s rein over the ocean and prove herself for being the unemotional siren her mother wants her to be. She already has a name for herself as the Prince’s Bane – all of her 17 hearts for her 17 years have all been that of a prince. Only they are worthy. When she takes a heart too soon before her birthday, her punishment will ruin everything she’s spent her life building. Only the prince with the heart of gold will redeem her. Or so she thought. Going behind her mother’s back proved to be worse than death when she finds herself in the middle of the ocean with legs, and her saviour being non other than her prince with the heart of gold. The siren killer. The only way back to the life she craves most is to kill him as a human. Unfortunately for her, humans also come with emotions, feelings that Lira can’t seem to ignore as she spends more time on the surface with the one who will can change her fate forever.

‘She doesn’t want to punish me. She wants to humiliate me. Show a kingdom whose fear and loyalty I’ve earned that I’m no different from them. That I don’t stand out. That I’m not worthy to take her crown. I’ve spent my life trying to be just what my mother wanted – the worst of us all – in an effort to show I’m worthy of the trident. I became the Princes’ Bane, a title that defines me throughout the world. For the kingdom – for my mother – I am ruthless. Now my mother wants to take that from me. Not just my name, but the faith of the ocean. If I’m not the Princes’ Bane, then I am nothing. Just a princess inheriting a crown instead of earning it.’

I absolutely adored this book. I listened to the audiobook in one day and then re-read most of the book again on my kindle afterwards falling hard for the story. If you like The Little Mermaid then you’ll love this fairytale retelling! The characters are fantastic, the plot will keep you in suspense, the scenery is wonderfully written and the romance is slow burning and innocent. It’s magical, it’s murderous and it’s full of lies and uncertainty as two opposing royals fight the odds to end the rule of the Sea Queen. The story itself is told from duel perspectives which brings more depth to the characters and their own stories as they share the same quest to find the eye at the highest peak of the world.

Lira was a great protagonist, she’s a strong willed character who will do anything to please her mother in order to become the next Sea Queen of the ocean, even if that means murdering the ones she loves. Her upbringing was a harsh one, and although she has been through so much, she still has kindness in her heart and will do her best to show mercy when she can or take the brunt of her mother’s wraith to save another. Yeah she’s a siren and a human killer, but that’s what she was raised to do, princess or not, it’s just who she is. It gave Lira’s character even more strength as a powerful royal in the ocean. Even when she wakes up to discover she has legs, she continues to fight through her new weakness with a purpose and plan to take over her mother’s cruel reign. I loved her actions around prince Elian, even when she was a siren, she couldn’t help but feel curious about him and spared him. When she was human and had to rely on him, she felt drawn to him over the others. It was sweet and innocent when she started to explore what love was as a human and her emotions for Elian as they grew closer on their adventure. Lira was determined to rule the sea, but mostly to stop her mother which was a great aspect of her character that I loved. She wasn’t naive, she did what she had to do to survive and become the ruler they all needed her to be.

‘”As long as the queen has it, every monster in the sea is hers. And if she finds the other eye, she’ll use it to enslave humans in the same way.” ~
“What do you mean, enslave humans in the same way?” I ask.
Lira released her grip on the table and turns her stony eyes from Kye. “Sirens are not a free species,” she says.
“Are you trying to tell me that they’re just misunderstood? No, wait, let me guess: They actually love humans and want to be one of us but the Sea Queen has them under mind control?”
Lira doesn’t blink at my sarcasm. “Better to be a loyal warrior than a treacherous prisoner,” she says.”‘

Elian’s character was very well written and played his part perfectly. A prince who wanted nothing more than to walk away from his duty as prince to the kingdom and live on the ocean as a siren killer. You could feel his desire to be on his ship with his crew and the person he truly is as captain compared to the tense out of place prince he is in his own castle. Living life as a pirate can be ruthless and deadly which gives him the thrill and adventure he craves, killing sirens and getting revenge for the deaths of so many allowed him to give it a purpose away from his family. He’s strong, clever and knows how to get what his wants with his royal upbringing, giving his pirate crew opportunities and experiences they could only have dreamed of. Elian would do anything to get rid of the Sea Queen and the Princes’ Bane, even if it means sacrificing everything he has for it. Even as a pirate, royal treasures mean very little to him as he as so much of it, I liked how down to earth his was and how his most prized possession is a single black pocket watch with a compass that splits the liars from the loyal. North for truth, South for lies. It brought a bit more subtle magic to the story which the author did well in placing here and there. His reactions around Lira were cute, he knows there is more to her than meets the eye and for that he can’t help but keep an eye on her at all times. He can’t help but feel the need to be near her on their adventure and feel protective of her even when she can hold her own.

‘”It’s you.”
My eyes shoot upward. The Prince of Midas stares down at us, horrified and awestricken. His lips tilt a little to the left.
“Look at you,” he whispers. “My monster, come to find me.
I regard him with as much curiosity as he regards me.’

The additional characters were great, they really helped build the story along and made the world feel bigger with the various kingdoms and their part in their adventure. Whilst you didn’t get to spend much time getting to know them personally with their limited character build up, each one was unique and easy to follow with their strong personalities whether they were part of Elian’s crew, a pirate enemy, a creature of the sea or another royal family member from another kingdom. You knew who to trust even without Elian’s pocket watch.

I loved the world building in the story, you knew where you were without much description; the underwater world felt dark and suppressed by power and misshapen sea creatures, the ship felt freeing and dangerous, the town’s they visited felt busy and carefree, the royal castle felt smothering and artificial and the high cloud mountains felt cold and isolated. You felt all that and more as you became lost in their mission to remove the Sea Queen from her reign of terror. It was magical and if you haven’t already picked up from my review so far, I loved it and I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough for anyone who enjoyed a good fantasy fairytale retelling.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Goodreads Blurb:

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all.

With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most – a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavoury hobby – it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of siren kind for good.

But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

A Curse so Dark and lonely

Title: A Curse so Dark and Lonely
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale Retelling/ Fantasy
Source: Goodreads Recommendation
Rating: 5/5

Favourite Quote: ‘”They need me. Can’t you understand that? That they need me? Can you?”
I press my forehead against the door. Her pain reaches me through the wood, tightening my own chest and dredging memories of my family. “Yes. I can.”
“No!” Her voice is fierce, her rage pure. “You can’t!”
“I can,” I say softly.
“How?”
“Because I need you.”‘

Harper hasn’t had it easy, her father ran away after he got involved with a group he owed money too, leaving the debt and danger to her family and her brother left doing the dirty work for those who threaten them. Her mother is now bedridden with cancer and Harper herself left feeling weak with her cerebral palsy in her leg, her role is to be a look out for her brother and nothing more. When she sees a girl being kidnapped by a man whilst on a job, she can’t help but get involved and throws herself at the man with her crowbar even if it does little to stop him. The next thing she knows, she’s transported to a world outside DC, a castle in summer surrounded by winter, musical instruments that play themselves, and a prince that claims to need her help. No matter how many times she tries to escape, she quickly realises that she’s stuck as the last hope for a curse that threatens to destroy the entire kingdom around her.

He stops, but his sword remains in his hand and he doesn’t take his eyes off the girl. “Do not think,” he tells her, his voice fierce, “that this means I will allow you to attack me again.”
“Don’t worry,” she snaps. “I’m sure I’ll get another chance.”
“She attacked you?” My eyebrows rise. “Grey. She is half your size.”
“She makes up for it in temperament. She most assuredly was not my first choice.”
“Where am I?” The girl’s eyes keep flicking from me to him to the sword in his hand. Her knuckles are white where they grip the bar. “What did you do?”‘

This was one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I’ve read and I don’t say that lightly – I’ve read a lot of them. I adored the characters, the magic, the curse, the monster – the original fairytale was all there but it was just so wonderfully unique that it was one of it’s own. Part of me doesn’t even want to call it a fairytale retelling because the story was so individually different.

The story was told from both perspectives of Harper and Prince Rhen which brought the story to life through both their eyes.
Harper was a fantastically well written main character with a believable backstory, physical flaws that she won’t allow to get the best of her, a brave instinct that often gets her in trouble although she never regrets her actions. The build up of her character is delightful, she knows her own strengths and weaknesses and pushes through both to help a strange Prince in a land that’s unfamiliar laced with a curse, a lie and a monster just so she can ensure the people around her are safe and looked after. She’s passionate, kind and doesn’t back down from a fight, whether it’s against armed soldiers, scary Grey or an argument with a cursed Prince. She hits my top favourite heroines list without a doubt.

‘He doesn’t act like a man who’s trying to fall in love. He plays this whole thing like a game, where underneath his pretty words is a man full of cunning and guile. He acts like a tethered animal that’s learned the limits of its chain – but knows how to lure prey to its death. That’s why I don’t trust him. After the showdown in the snow, I realise he doesn’t trust me, either. Somehow, despite the fact that he trapped me in Emberfall, his distrust seems to run deeper.‘

Prince Rhen was an interesting character which we get to see inside and out. It’s easy to see why he thinks the way he does seeing everything as a strategy being raised as a Prince to rule a kingdom, why his personality is completely pessimistic and why he’s suddenly so caught off guard around Harper. Even as an isolated Prince with only Grey to keep him company, he still holds his authority well around others, and expects the same from her, only to have her argue against him at every turn. It’s confusing, frustrating and frankly just refreshing for him to have someone challenge him after so long, it’s not difficult to understand why Harper brings a new sense of hope to him where there was none previously. Even when it’s clear she will not feel for him the way he needs her too in order to lift the curse.

I really liked Grey, the last remaining person to survive the monster attack that stands by Prince Rhen’s side no matter what. His loyalty shows no bounds and his sweet interactions with children and simply just the way he is around Harper is endearing for a lonely soldier who has lost everything for so long. It’s the small moments with Grey that make you like him all the more, from playing cards in front of the fire, teaching Harper how to throw knives, his need to feel productive in his role and the way you can just simply trust him brings so much meaning to his character.

‘Grey stares after him. “I had almost forgotten what this was like.”
“Having someone to order around?” I say.
“No.” Rhen looks past me at his guard commander. “Being part of something bigger.”
Grey nods. “Yes. That exactly.”‘

I loved the plot, the scheme Rhen and Harper come up with to show the neighbouring countries that their kingdom has not been abandoned by their royalty. It brings more than just a Beauty and the Beast romance to the story and is entirely captivating, I couldn’t put the book down. You really get to see the characters change around each other as the go from focusing on the curse in an empty secluded castle to a being part of something greater as a kingdom united with its people to fight in a war for power.
The additional characters that join them along the way are all individually unique and flawed in their own way they are easy to follow along and help build up the story. I loved how Freya became a strong mother figure that Harper needed and a comfort she gave herself into. I loved how their new lieutenant had a missing hand to show that flaws are not a sign of weakness and I loved that Zo was a woman who wanted to be a soldier and so became a solider because Harper showed them that any woman can be just as strong as a man, no matter what her size. Each character had meaning, a purpose and a goal to fulfil without it being too complicated or overcrowded as the people of the kingdom joined together around them.

As you can tell, I absolutely adored this book and I couldn’t recommend it enough for anyone who loves a great fairytale retelling.

Goodreads Blurb:
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Damnation (Tales of Cinder #3)

Title: Damnation (Tales of Cinder #3)
Author: M.J. Haag
Genre: Fiction/ Romance/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘Too much sarcasm laced my words, and her resulting smile should have struck fear in me.
I was too blindly angry, though.
“You test me?”
Glancing at her, I snorted. “What will you do? Gouge out my eyes? Drain me of my essence? Walk me naked through the streets? Have men use me and touch me? Cut the hair from my head?” My voice rose with each question. “Do it all! I care not. You’ve already killed me; my body is only too stupid to die.”‘

 

Eloise finally feels like she has the upper hand now that she has been given protection from Rose, Maeve and her daughters can no longer cause her physical harm, not that that will stop them from trying or using others against her. Knowing she has successfully broken the magic mirror, Eloise can at least finally keep her sister safe from her evil stepmother from afar as well as the rest of the Kingdom who stands in her way. With the Prince officially announcing his return with plans on holding a ball in pursuit of a bride, the guests have no idea that it is also a means to lure out the evil that is threatening the Kingdom. With Kaven bringing Eloise’s attention to the Prince, Maeve uses the opportunity to place herself in the centre of it all with her dark intentions now out in the open. Eloise just needs to decide whether to follow her heart or her duty and protect the Prince and the Kingdom from Maeve once and for all.

‘I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and saw his determination and stubbornness. Both would get him killed. I know then that I needed to let him go. But how?
His expression softened. 
“Don’t,” he said softly.
“Don’t what?”
“Find a reason to push me away.”
My brows rose in surprise. 
“I can read you better than you realise, Eloise. When you feel threatened, you don’t run, you fight back.”‘

 

Eloise has broken the magic mirror, Kellen has eaten the cursed apple, the town is still recovering from the illness Maeve threw at it, the Prince has returned and Maeve’s entire plan has now come out in the open. Eloise’s revenge comes back with a passion when she discovers the truth about why her parents died. She knows she’s a pawn in Maeve’s plan, but Eloise needs to decide how far she is willing to go to push the boundaries of her safety and those around her in order to stop Maeve, Cecilia and Porcia from their plan in taking over the Kingdom. Haag continues to draw you into the dark and horrifyingly twisted Cinderella retelling that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Be warned, it’s just as dark as the previous book and doesn’t hold back on the details of the horrors Maeve inflicts on her victims.

Eloise continues to impress me as the story goes on, whilst she sometimes struggles to continue the fight, she finds the willpower and determination to overcome it all again. She’s been through so much in such a sort time, it’s understandable why she goes through each decision the way she does, once again picking her battles. She loses a few in this book and suffers the consequences but it isn’t all about her and her sister anymore, it’s about the Kingdom and the Prince who has become a target for Maeve and her daughters. If she fails, the Kingdom will suffer. Even though she has lost everyone she has ever loved, she was still willing to sacrifice her love for Kaven for the good of the Kingdom. She’s her own hero in her own fairytale and I love her for it.

‘”I would give a piece of myself to you so you would always remember the love I bear for you, no matter what direction life takes me.” 
“You are the most stubborn -“
Lifting my mouth to his, I silenced his protest.’

I liked Kaven, I really did, but from being a brazen carefree curious but witty man in the woods in book one, to a frustrating – just open your eyes and look at what’s happening to the poor girl – ignorance who seems to always be waiting around for her in book two, to suddenly being an increasingly needy immature pining man who doesn’t know the meaning of patience in book three was really the wrong direction for our knight in shining armour. If you could even call him that. Which I shouldn’t. Because he didn’t do anything to deserve that title except show up. Again and again and again. Even I had enough of his cluelessness but it was that very thing that kept him alive so I guess it helped the story along. I just wanted to slap him sometimes and tell him to open his bloody eyes. It was only when the whole truth came out at the end that I really started to like him again – but I won’t spoil it for you… anymore than I probably have. You really shouldn’t be reading this review unless you’ve committed to the first books let’s be honest.

Of course it’s a retelling of Cinderella so of course you won’t be surprised by it’s happy ending, even if it took a while to get there. All the pieces of the story come together after its emotional rollercoaster of pain, heartbreak and devastation to a great conclusion that will make it all worth it. I love the author’s writing style and the way she is able to hold you captive right up until the very end.

I was glad to see more of Rose the enchantress. She played a large part of the Beastly Tales which is another series written by Haag – one of my favourites, a guilty pleasure that I keep going back too. Rose was portrayed as the villain in that tale, but I’m glad she’s been given a different approach with Tales of Cinder which has me wanting to read Beastly Tales all over again. I love how the author has been able to combine characters from both stories, giving the whole setting a bigger perspective that what it was in each series. I’m keen to see what else Haag brings to the universe! We get a further glimpse into Kellen’s Snow White story at the end and I’m keen to find out more!

(also the author has done a spin off story about Margaret – Eloise and Kellen’s mother – in Disowned Tales of Cinder #0.5 if you crave more of their story – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45318968-disowned)

 

 

Goodreads Review:
With the reason behind her mother’s death revealed, it’s a race for Eloise to exact her revenge and prevent her stepsisters from marrying the prince. However, amidst the glittering jewels and colorful ball gowns, the royal court holds secrets of its own that will devastate Eloise and strike a final blow to her plans. Betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust, Eloise questions how far she’s willing to go for revenge.

After all, in the game of kingdoms, everyone is a pawn.

Distain (Tales of Cinder #2)

Title: Distain (Tales of Cinder #2)
Author: M.J. Haag
Genre: Fiction/ Romance/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘”Fate can be fickle and cruel,” she said softly. “But it’s up to you whether to fight or accept what it hands you.” 
I thought of what it had handed me. Death. Brutality. Captivity. I refused to accept that would be the remainder of my life.’

 

 

Eloise and Kellen’s lives have turned upside down in the span of a few weeks. With their mother dead, their father potentially dead in the dark forest, Anne and Judith’s life drained from them, Hugh under a magical influence and the very person who they welcomed into their home for comfort was the very reason for all their destruction. Maeve was now using Kellen as a means to control Eloise who now lives chained up in the kitchen, and using the maids to pleasure the men of the town in their home in order to get her way and feed her magic through their pleasure. Maeve has a plan, and for her plan to succeed she needs both twins alive and keeping appearances, but why? The only way to find out is to remove the control, which means Kellen must find a way to escape no matter what.

‘”You need to leave,” I said. “Find a way to run.”
“No. She promised she would -” Kellen winced and rubbed her throat. 
“I don’t think she will,” I said, understanding what she couldn’t say. “Maeve has had the opportunity and hasn’t done anything. Instead she’s used my safety to control you. And yours to control me. Why, Kellen? Why would she want to control someone she intends -?” I winced when my throat clenched. 
“She wouldn’t.” Kellen frowned. “Why does she need us controlled?”‘ 

 

This book is not for the kind hearted, whilst the first book took us in with a slow start and not much action, the second book is disturbing, abusive and a real dark twist to the happy ever after you would expect from a fairytale retelling. This book does include attempted rape and beatings for anyone who wishes to avoid this subject. You will witness the full abuse ‘Cinderella’ goes through as she is magically bound to her stepmother, unable to tell anyone the truth, unable to stop the deaths surrounding her and unable to be with her sister who has managed to escape to the dark forest. It’s cringeworthy, dire and horrific, it’s hard to see how the story could end with a happy ever after with the amount of suffering we see her go through.

Maeve’s darkness only deepens when she arranges for her daughters Cecilia and Porcia to come to the house, a trio of magic that will do anything for power. No amount of blood will stop them from their goal of getting more information about the royal family’s whereabouts. The sisters are as cruel and sinister as you could imagine. They will kill, dismember, send plagues and control the people through their magic to get what they want and Eloise is in the middle of it all, unable to help, unable to stop it.

Eloise is still fighting against her evil stepmother and her new stepsisters in her own way. Now that Kellen has escaped, she will do anything to keep her safe, even if that means taking the beatings and keeping up false appearances even if it breaks her. Maeve wants her to be obedient and follow the rules she has set, even if those rules change in an instant depending on her mood.  The only way to push through is to pretend that Maeve is in control and find out as much as she can about her plans and how she and Kellen are part of that plan. She’s strong, defiant and resilient which speaks highly of her character. She’s tough but knows when she’s beaten, she’s smart enough to pick her own battles. It’s endearing to see that she allows herself a small measure of hope when it comes to Kaven and what they could be even with the horrors that surround her.

‘She didn’t need to ask if I understood, but I nodded automatically as if she had. Her smile widened further, and in that moment, I truly did understand. My place was under her thumb. Under her control. And, she was starting to believe she had me there. She turned and left the room, and I stared after her, keeping my expression impassive. I’d let her think she was training me. My goal hadn’t changed. I would find a way to stop her.’

Kaven annoyed me a bit in this book, he appears whenever Eloise is allowed time outside but then tells her he’s busy – like he wasn’t just waiting in the woods all day for her to appear for gods sake! What can only be described as a stalker in the real world, yet he can’t seem to see anything that goes on in her life to make her constantly hurt or changes in her attitude or appearance. So she went from having a cut on her head to a black eye and then a bad back, to warning him to stay away and never come to the house or talk about bewitchment? Come on man, open your eyes – you can’t be that oblivious when you’re one of the kings guards looking for magic. Not that he didn’t have his good moments, I still love their banter when they are together – it’s the only joyful moments you’ll get in this book which makes their interactions all the more pleasing.

‘”Fine. You may -” He scooped me up into his arms and started walking toward the house. I stared at him in astonishment. He caught the look and grinned in another flash of lightning.
“I’m feeling a bit of surprise, too. I’m not sure if it’s you or the dress, but you’re heavier than I expected.”
I spluttered. “I am not heavy.”
“If you’d like to remove the dress when we reach the Retreat, I’d be happy to try again.”
I smacked the back of his head.
“Walk in silence, manservant.”

I really liked how we get to see more of Snow White’s tale through out this story as Maeve is reunited with her magic mirror who can show her anything she wishes to see – that is except the prince who is magically hidden from her sight no matter how often she tries. We are introduced to the tracker, our very own woodsman who is sent into the dark forest to collect Kellen by any means necessary, and discovers her location amongst the dwarves. I’m really enjoying the joint fairytale in this story, even if it’s in pieces. I’m looking forward to reading M.J. Haag’s Snow White perspective!

‘”Before returning, check the ribbon in the box. If the ribbon is whole, bring the girl to me alive.”
“And if the ribbon does not stay whole?” he asked. 
Maeve’s lips curled into a smile that made my insides shiver. 
“If the ribbon withers and fades into dust, cut the girl’s heart out of her breast and place it in the box. Do you understand?”
“Yes, My lady.” He bowed his head and left the room. 
Maeve came to me, bending down so we were level. The pendant swung freely, now a dull green. 
“I control whether the ribbon remains whole or turns to dust. If you cause trouble, the tracker will kill your sister. Do you understand, Eloise?”‘ 

As the second book of a dark trilogy of course it’s going to have a cliffhanger, we’ve come to discover Maeve’s true intentions and uncovered a dark secret that has given Eloise the strength she needed and the determination to see things through no matter what the cost.
Check out the final book in the Tales of Cinder trilogy Damnation!

 

 

Goodreads Review:
Eloise knows the name of her mother’s murderer, but she cannot speak it. A curse keeps her silent and locked in the tattered remains of her once charming life. Though magic holds her tongue, it doesn’t quell the smoldering spark of her anger or her need to learn the reason behind her mother’s death.
However, games of magic have dire consequences. Desperate to keep those she loves safe from the repercussions of her actions, Eloise must make a bold gamble with her safety that could win her everything or destroy her forever.
Two lives hang in the balance. For, if Cinder fails, Snow will fall, too.

Defiant (Tales of Cinder #1)

Title: Defiant
Author: M.J. Haag
Genre: Fiction/ Romance/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘“You have a viper’s tongue.”
“And you have the slow wit of a codfish. Lacking any decency, you’ve proven yourself to be beneath me.”
“Beneath you?”
“Please do try to keep up with this conversation. Or must I speak slower?”
Pink invaded his cheeks, and I knew I’d won this battle.
“You are most fortunate I’m a decent man, or I would see you beaten.”
I snorted. “Any decent man would introduce himself. You started this by yelling in my face and tossing accusations about.”
His nostrils flared in his anger, but then, to my surprise, he bowed low.
“The name’s Kaven,” he said.’

 

 

Eloise ‘Cinder’ and her twin sister Kellen ‘Snow’ couldn’t be any more different, Eloise with her light blonde hair, bronze skin and the inability to hide her true feelings from the world, whereas Kellen has dark ebony hair, a pale complexion and is able to hide from the world behind her serious temperament. One thing for is that they have a connected understanding that can even surprise them at times. When their mother dies after putting on a necklace sent by their father, Eloise can’t help but feel like magic was the cause of death. Magic that is forbidden. It’s dangerous to even speak of magic, but Eloise can’t rest until she knows for sure. Life for the twins suddenly gets worse when their father decides to suddenly venture into the dark forest and enrols a new guardian to take over their estate on the kings land with no warning. Whilst Maeve has been nothing but kind and caring towards them, they can’t ignore the coincidences that keep piling up since their mother died; their father venturing into the forest when they needed him the most, the obnoxious Kaven who keeps showing up out of nowhere, Maeve appearing suddenly, an old woman who speaks openly of magic, as well as their staff vanishing into thin air. Eloise and Kellen both take a different approach to figure out what is going on once and for all and how it is all connected.

‘The moment my fingers touched the cold green stone, a bolt of heat seared my fingers. I gasped and released the jewel. The colour swirled as it settled back on Mother’s skin. I stared in horror and understanding. The glint I’d witnessed when Kellen put the necklace on Mother hadn’t been a play of light. It’d been magic. A sickening feeling settled into my stomach as I removed the necklace, avoiding the stone. Stepping in front of him, I held up the necklace and struggled not to cry. 
“Why did you send this, Father? Why now?”
His gaze held mine for a long moment before going back to the trees behind me. 
“I did not send it to your mother.”‘

 

I was excited to pick up another fairytale retelling by M.J. Haag, since I fell in love with her Beastly Tales years ago. I have to say, as much as I preferred her Beauty and the Beast series, I was not disappointed in her Cinderella retelling at all, not to mention it includes a Snow White mix which makes it all the more appealing. I loved the idea that they were both sisters but experiencing a different fairytale story that continues throughout the trilogy.

The story begins as you would predict any Cinderella retelling, with a death of a parent and a new guardian suddenly stepping into a parental role. What I enjoyed the most was that you didn’t know who was playing the hero or villain role until the end of the first book. You had all the predictable fairytale characters, a handsome stranger, a magical old woman and a new ‘stepmother’ all with a new twist to each one that will make you question who to trust based on everything you knew about the original Cinderella tale. It was hard to hate their new ‘stepmother’ Maeve who only wanted to help the sisters when their father abandoned them by taking on so much as their new guardian without complaint. It was easy to suspect the old woman Rose who spoke so carefree of magic and punishment, as well as be suspicious of Kaven, a guard to the crown who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when required and would suddenly appear out of nowhere in the woods.

Eloise was a great protagonist. Whilst all other Cinderella’s I’ve read all stand by the same morels of ‘be kind and grateful for what you have and kindness will follow’, Eloise wasn’t taking any crap from anybody. She stood up for what she thought was right, even if it meant hitting one of the local boys with a frying pan to stop them from bullying her and her sister. She was relatable and easy to sympathise with. Eloise wasn’t afraid to show emotion, especially after the death of her mother and the disappearance of her father. She cried, she expressed her anger, she was honest and that spoke so much more of her character than anything else and I loved it. Her exchanges with her twin Kellen were sweet and well written, it gave them a wonderful connection that didn’t need a lot of spoken words between them but was still able to build up their characters around each other. Their short interaction with their mother made me crave more of what their life had been like before she died, but I guess that was the point to make you emotionally invested in finding the true murderer behind the magical necklace.

‘”A fire can easily destroy what it took a lifetime to build.”
“Or the face of a shopkeeper’s son,” Kellen added. 
Mother made a pained expression. “Oh, Eloise, what did you do?”
“I tested the sturdiness of the blacksmith’s newest frying pan. I’m happy to report the smith was quite pleased with the results.”
“You hit a boy with a frying pan?”
“Well, if you must put it so brashly… yes.”
Mother stared at me for a moment before taking her tea from Kellen and drinking it down in several long swallows. She handed back the cup and closed her eyes.
“I’m ready for the full adventurous tale, my darlings.”
Kellen and I shared a smile and launched into a recounting of our market visit from the day before.’ 

I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between Eloise and Kaven, no matter what he did whether it was watching her struggle in the mud, intimidating her until she physically defended herself or throwing her off her horse, you knew a part of him could be trusted since he didn’t exactly drag her off into the woods as he continuously found her alone but another part questioned everything about him. I loved how they didn’t hold back from their expressive comebacks, insulting or physical manhandling to prove a point. It gave them both a refreshing moment of freedom they craved more than they realised, even if they both suspected each other of something else. It wasn’t exactly clear who he was or his role since he was always alone in the woods wearing a royal crest but at this point of the story it didn’t matter, he made the story interesting and brought a spark to the tale before Cinderella even became Cinderella.

‘”Are you hurt?” he asked. 
Turning to him with an incredulous gaze, I punched him square in the nose. 
“Of course I’m hurt, you ass! You knocked me off my damn horse!” 
He pinched the bridge of his nose, sniffed and blinked at me. 
“You have no idea how grateful I am that you do not hit as hard as you knee.”
“Please, allow me to try once more.”‘

The story was unique, interesting and honestly I struggled to put it down. I needed to see more of the banter between Kaven and Eloise, I wanted to see more of the sisterly connection and how they both saw their situation through different eyes, even if the book was entirely in Eloise’s perspective.
Whilst not much actually happened in this first book with the twins suspecting magic and a lot of walking around trying to come up with answers to the mystery that surrounds them, you come to see why it’s a Cinderella retelling at the very end which will only have you wanting more. I have read the full trilogy and I can assure you it it gets dark, gruesome, and you will struggle to see how it could ever have a happy ending. It will be well worth the time you invest in this trilogy so pick up the next Tales of Cinder book Disdain to find out what happens next!

 

 

Goodreads Review:
Magic can have deadly consequences.
When the sudden and suspicious death of Eloise’s mother points to forbidden magic, Eloise is determined to bring her mother’s murderer to justice. She will stop at nothing to find the killer…even if the clues lead right to the palace gates and the prince’s manservant, Kaven. He is irrational, volatile, and prone to knocking women off horses. Given his personality, it should be easy to find the proof she needs to place him in irons.
However, when dark magic is used, nothing is as simple as it seems, and Eloise is about to learn that nightmares often hide behind fairy tale lives.

Mad as a Hatter

Title: Mad as a Hatter (Sons of Wonderland Book 1)
Author: Kendra Moreno
Genre: Fiction/ Romance/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytales
Source: Goodreads Recommendation
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘”Where are they going?” I ask White as I lean to the side to try and get a better look.
“The Hatter’s tea party is the last stop before the Hereafter,” White answers, sadness on his face. “Hatter sits with them all.”
“Those people were dead?” Surprise catches me off guard. I had been sitting with dead people, and I hadn’t even known it.
“They look more alive than when they were living.” He meets my stare. “We shed our misery when we die. And the Hatter,” he pauses, his eyes haunted. “The Hatter sees us in both skins.”‘

 

Clara can’t help but feel overjoyed at winning her latest court case, she can’t resist taking on the difficult underdog cases that for most would seem impossible, it just means that the success is even more victorious. Unfortunately she doesn’t have time to relax when a strange character shows up in her office with rabbit ears and a story about a queen who has to be removed from the thrown. She’s used to her clients exaggerating with difficult management and CEO’s abusing their power, but this is definitely a first. It doesn’t mean that she will treat this case any differently, that is, until her new client drags her into a portal into a dark and twisted forest. Clara finds herself literally following the white rabbit through Wonderland, but it isn’t anything like the stories she has read about.
Bugs that are drawn to blood, flowers that eat raw meat, and poisonous food and drink to keep her on her toes. She quickly finds herself standing in front of Hatter, the madness radiating off him as well as an attraction she can’t seem to suppress. Discovering that her fate has been destined to fulfil a role in a prophecy to take down the queen is one thing, discovering that she is also destined to be with Hatter, the first Son of Wonderland, is something else entirely. What choice does she have?

‘I watch him, weirdly enthralled. “What was in the tea?”
He smiles wickedly. “Poison.”
I feel the blood drain from my face. Had I been tricked? “What?”
“The anti-venom for the Beezle,” he says. “It’s made with its poison.” He looks at me thoughtfully. “Clara Bee will live to see another day to spend with me.” Singing, again. I’m beginning to see a pattern.
“So, you saved me?” I ask softly, a small smile curling my lips. I’m already softening towards the lunatic.
“Yes,” he replies, that grin still on his face. He leans closer, entering my space, but I don’t pull away. I don’t even think too. “Nothing is free in Wonderland.”

Wow. That was so cool. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one when I picked it up, but I wasn’t expecting that. There were so many aspects that I really liked about this story that brought a new perspective on Wonderland that was new and exciting, even as a ‘horror’ spin off. I can honestly say that I struggled to put it down, the prologue drew me in instantly. The storyline was interesting, the characters were wonderfully flawed and twisted from the original Alice and Wonderland story and the scenes were dark and fascinating. The only thing I didn’t like about it was how rushed it all felt which is why I couldn’t bring myself to give it 5 stars. Everything happened so quickly for such a prophesied event in Wonderland, it was so focused on the story that it failed to allow the build up with and between the characters.

Obviously the main focus was on Hatter, his link to the world as one of the Sons of Wonderland was really interesting, his life force was connected to Wonderland so he could only die if the world did. As Wonderland crumbled, so did his mind, increasing his madness by the day. Unfortunately all his ‘madness’ was shown as occasional rhyming and some emotional scenes which was slightly disappointing for a character who we were told was insane and couldn’t be trusted.
He’s actually a sweet caring character who has the whole world on his shoulders and can’t handle the pressure of Wonderland going dark around him. He’s lost and looking for hope that things will get better. Don’t get me wrong, he’s definitely swoon-worthy and bold in his behaviour around Clara, but it was more that he accepted she was the one from the prophecy rather than actually getting to know her for who she was. The connection felt rushed and lost the excitement I was hoping for between them.

‘I glance at Hatters face. He wears the same amusement, like he wants to join March in the giggles on the floor, but when his eyes focus on me, he gains control over the impulse. 
“How are you here?” I ask softly, turning on his lap to face him straight on. 
“I am neither here nor there,” he replies. “I am everywhere.” 
“I grasp the sides of his face seriously, urging him to focus on me alone. March’s laughter fades into background noise as I stare deeply into his eyes. 
“I saw you die.” My voice cracks on the last word. “I saw you die twice.” 
He studies me intently. 
“As long as Wonderland lives, so, too, do I. Remember, Clara Bee?”‘

Clara was a great character, she was strong in her morals and put everything in to her work since she had nothing else. I felt when she was pulled into Wonderland, she kept a level head with everything except Hatter where she suddenly turned into a teenager with her emotions going crazy. It was slightly annoying at times, get some perspective girl! You’re in Wonderland where 90% of the world around you wants to kill you and all you can focus on is your outfits and being rejected when drunk on dangerous magical food.
I was expecting more of her lawyer side to have more of an impact in Wonderland since that was her entire life backstory. It sometimes begged the question of ‘why her?’ But maybe that’s just me. I still liked her attitude though, accepting that Wonderland was her new reality and that she was going to try and help no matter what.

The additional characters were fantastically written, the additional Sons of Wonderland, White (the white rabbit) and the Cheshire cat were as you would expect but with a darkness surrounding them and a cynical attitude with the broken world around them and the prophecy that they can’t quite put faith into after so much heartache.
I really enjoyed how the author was able to bring original characters along for the journey such as the Dormouse, a zombified version of the March Hare who is madder than Hatter, the White Queen, the Knave of Hearts, the Caterpillar, and especially Tweedledum and Tweedledee who are described as something literally pulled out of hell with their frightful appearance.
I guess the author just assumed we knew these characters and failed to give us any insight which let the story down, especially in this retelling where they are more dark and disturbing. I would have loved to have had more time with them and experiencing their own little backstories.

‘I fight the shiver that passes through my body as the twins focus on us. They’re beautiful and terrifying all wrapped up together.
“Is that who I think it is?” Dum asks, his voice echoing with agony long forgotten. 
“It isn’t who you think it’s not,” Dee replies. They both tilt their head to the side at the exact same time. 
“What is it that you see, Tweedledum and Tweedledee?” Hatter’s voice is dripping with menace. I’m glad he never uses that voice with me. 
“We don’t know if it is.” Dee. 
“But it definitely isn’t.” Dum. 
“It must be Clara Bee,” Dee finishes. This is too much. Goosebumps rise along my arms. I’m not prepared when their full attention turns to me at the same time.”‘

Overall it was something I would recommend to anyone who likes a good Disney retelling with a dark twist, and I’m keen to read the other two books which focus on the other Sons of Wonderland, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. Especially the Cheshire Cat, he’s intrigued me!

 

Goodreads Review:
Descend into Madness…
Clara spent her whole life fighting in courtrooms for the downtrodden, the strange ones, the abused. It’s only natural that when a man with rabbit ears on his head comes to see her, she doesn’t blink an eye…
…until he opens a portal and drags her to Wonderland.
But this isn’t the world she’s read about at home. This world has been twisted, poisoned by none other than the Red Queen.
There’s a prophecy, the only chance Wonderland has of survival. Clara is foretold to defeat the Knave and claim the Hatter’s heart. But there’s a problem. The Hatter is insane and Wonderland is full of unspeakable horrors. Death waits behind every tree. If the Beezles don’t get you, the Bandersnatch will.
Can Clara embrace the madness and her destiny, or will the reign of the Red Queen continue?
This isn’t the Wonderland you know…

Beast of the Night

Title: Beast of the Night
Author: E.E. Rawls
Genre: Fiction/ YA/ Fantasy/ Fairytale Retelling
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 3/5

Favourite Quote: ‘”This wound will kill you,” the man told him. “But I have something that can freeze the wound in place so that you will live. If that is what you want?”
He nodded slightly.
The man pulled something out from his robes: a band of silver with a ruby in the shape of a rose, and clicked it around Varick’s neck.”This mage artifact can keep you alive, but only under one condition: you must never fall in love. If you do, the spell will break.”‘

Rosenrot can’t stop the nightmares of what she saw in the clearing 6 years ago. Nachzehrer. The Beast of the Night. When she first moved to the small hidden town of Freudendorf for her drunken father to escape the debt collectors, the villagers talked about a forbidden castle, a cursed forest, and a beast that dwelled in it. Curious to see for herself, she hiked through the forest until she came across the castle, and the very beast everyone warned her about. The shock gave away her position in the bushes and the second she locked onto the silver eyes of the beast, she ran away faster than she had ever done in her life and swore she would never travel too far into the forest again.

When her father’s debt collectors finally find them, Rosenrot discovers a farewell note from her missing father and her life is suddenly sold for 15 years of accumulated debt. Accompanied by a zombie like butler, she finds herself following the same broken trail through the forest from 6 years ago that leads straight to the forbidden castle. Her new employer is none other than Lord Varick, the Beast of the Night.

‘Castle… she didn’t know of any inhabited castle in the western foothills. A sea of red soon lined either side of the path. Twigs clawed down toward her from their bleeding canopy. The memory rushed back: the path she had wandered as a too-curious girl. The wailing of a creature wrapped in black. Twin glowing silver eyes.
“The forbidden castle? Surely that isn’t the one you’re taking me too, is it?”
“Forbidden? Hm.. ja, it has been… a long time since… a human visited.”

I was craving another Beauty and the Beast retelling when this book popped up on my kindle recommendations. I fell in love with the cover, the colours drawing me in instantly. The book itself isn’t very long, in fact I think it only took me a couple of hours to finish. It has all the key elements of Beauty and the Beast that you’ll expect; beauty, a beast, enchanted creatures, a small town, a curse and a magical being that sets everything in motion who is never too far away observing the chaos they created. But it has its own unique twist that had me drawn in. Even when I knew how it would end, I was still questioning how it could turn out when we discovered the truth behind the rose necklace around Lord Varick’s neck.

I do have to say, was disappointed in how rushed it all felt. The author didn’t give us enough time for our characters to get to know each other and for the romance to fully bloom into something special. It felt like the whole experience between them took days which wasn’t enough to build up the characters or the connection between them. A few small ‘adventures’ outside the castle collecting mushrooms, exploring the salt mines and a disguised visit to the village festival was all it took which felt lacking. It needed more of a spark but I did enjoy the innocent gestures between them when they finally accepted each other’s friendship. You could feel the trust growing and the changes in Lord Varick’s character when he began to accept that he was more lonely than he realised without Rosenrot around.

As much as you didn’t have a lot of time to get to know the characters, I did like the how they were uniquely different from all other Beauty and the Beast spin offs I’ve read. As much as I didn’t like her name, Rosenrot liked being different even with one missing arm. She preferred having short lavender hair when all the other girls had long natural colours, she was content in being on her own and knew what she wanted which was to get lost in a library and not marry unless it was for love. Her acceptance that she will have to pay off her fathers drunken debts didn’t affect her overall character or attitude, even when she found herself in the service of a cursed lord in a forbidden castle on her own.
I did feel like her arm disfigurement was unnecessary for the most part, there was no backstory to it or why, it just was. It’s like the author wanted to create a heroine with flaws that allowed her to stand out but failed to make us emotionally invested in it.

I actually liked how our very own Beast was a vampire. Or rather ‘Vempar’. Not the typical blood sucking, swoon worthy, invincible, immortal teenage vampire. But rather a lonely isolated ill-mannered lord with added strength and healing abilities. Not undead, but rather another race of the Altered. Whatever that means. It made a refreshing new ‘beast’ from the typical werewolf type creature we’ve come to accept and his Vempar aspect didn’t completely overpower the story. So much so, I honestly wouldn’t put it in the same category as a vampire romance at all.
He has lived on his own surrounded by servants since he was nine years old, hidden from the town and the horrors surrounding the death of his family. Varick’s obnoxious cruel behaviour comes from the reclusive privileged upbringing that he soon adapts around Rosenrot and the kindness she brings to the castle. I liked how he went out of his way to keep reminders of his family around him, and chose to embrace the memories he had with them rather than hide away from it. It was the one part of his character that really stood out to me.

‘Rosenrot placed a handful of maple leaves on a table and twirled to face him, the fabric of her gold and white dress turning with her. She spread her arms wide, “With this! You can’t celebrate the Autumn Festival without a festive house.” 
Varick stared about the dining room. Colourful centrepieces decorated the mantles and the long dining table: gourds of autumn greens, yellows, and oranges forming fantastical shapes between rings of bright leaves. A memory flashed back of that day long ago: he and his family celebrating the festival in this room, the castle filled with colour and life and cheer.. 
“Do you not like it?” Rosenrot said when he didn’t speak. 
“Oh.” He shook himself back to the present. “It’s beautiful. The most beautiful this place has looked in a long time.” He meant it, in more ways than one, watching the firelight play on the gold leaves about her dress.”‘

One thing I did love was the world building. The author was able to bring the scene to life and fill it with beautiful colours that made it always feel like autumn, whether it was the pumpkins that were always present in everything they ate, the autumn decorations around the castle that his family had enjoyed on their last day together, the walks through the forest under the colourful leaves, the village festival that was bright and cheerful with it’s autumn costumes or sitting in front of the fireplace creating a warm cosy atmosphere. I adore autumn which made me love this aspect of the story even more.

‘Each footstep crunched through layers of autumn leaves. Birches stood white against the cacophony of orange and gold smothering the forest canopy. The sky was a sea of clouds, trapped by the mountaintops surrounding the valley, and growing darker by the minute, the fading light casting a strange glow and turning the autumn forest almost eerie.’ 

I would have liked to have had more history surrounding the whole Altered and the rest of the supernatural beings that made an appearance. It was a bit confusing and messy in places. The Nymiads for example were the ‘enchanted beings’ around the castle, but we weren’t really told anything about them, only that they worked for Lord Varick. For some reason. I just needed more. What are they, who are they and where did they come from? They were their own mystery that didn’t quite add up but were just there and nothing to do with any curse or magic surrounding the story.

Overall I liked this fairytale spinoff, it had some great features that I would recommend to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast retellings as much as I do just to experience a new perspective on the tale. It wasn’t the best version I’ve read by any means, but I still enjoyed it!

 

 

Goodreads Review:
A one-armed girl. A lord hiding a curse. A dark secret with the town’s fate hanging in the balance.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling with an Austrian twist and a new type of curse.
When Rosen moves to Freudendorf—a secluded town in the Alps—she does odd jobs to earn a living. That is, until her dad suddenly vanishes and the debt collectors come to call: taking her into slave labor.
But just when all her hopes and dreams are shattered, a frail zombie-like butler purchases her: taking her to serve Lord Varick, who currently resides in the forbidden castle near the salt mines, where the Beast of the Night is said to roam…
Varick is handsome, with an attitude that’s the exact opposite. The servants aren’t human, and the castle itself is an ugly wreck. But if Rosen cannot solve the dark secret beneath Freudendorf, and the curse holding Varick’s cold heart, then both they and the town will fall prey to a waiting evil—and worse, have no memory of it.

Brutal Curse

Title: Brutal Curse
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Fiction/ Romance/ YA/ Fantasy/ Fairytale Retelling
Source: Kindle Recommendation
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘“They will be specifically designed for the pair of you.”
“Then why bet on me? Or on us?”
“On you,” he clarified with a grin. “Only you. And, because there is a flame within your heart. I can feel it licking at me even now.”‘

Goodreads Synopsis:
Prince Carden of Tierney lost his home, family, and claim to the throne in one fell swoop when he rebelled against his father for a cause he knew was right. Instead of wallowing in despair, he embarks on a new journey, starting a new life on the Southern Isle. When he finds himself caught in a web woven by the famously ruthless fae queen, Coeur, he insults her and she vows to teach him the most difficult and heart-breaking lesson he will ever learn: that humans are incapable of love, and that hearts are beastly things.

Arabella wasn’t really living, she was existing and surviving as best she could. A chance encounter with Carden changes everything for her, but the deadly game he’s dragged her into might cost her life. Still, she agrees to play. The rules the fae queen gives them are vague, and it’s obvious there are things Queen Coeur isn’t telling them. She’s sure of it. But what she does know is that together, she and Carden must pass a series of tests and trials. If they fail, game over. But if they succeed, she just might be able to restore her family and carve out the life she’s always envisioned.

‘She smiled, her crimson lips widening. “I want you to know that during this game, I will make sure you know intimately what it feels like to be a beast.” 
There was a ruthless, calculating cruelty in her eyes. They say that a person with no soul has a hollowness about them; that even in the depths of their eyes, there’s nothing but emptiness. Queen Coeur was not empty. She was filled with a terrifying evil I had no comprehension of, and I’d unwittingly turned all her wicked ire upon myself with one sentence.
She began to chuckle. “You are going to be so fun to break.”‘

Beauty and the Beast meets Alice in Wonderland?! Of course I didn’t hesitate to pick this one up! And I’m so glad I did! A fantastically well thought out retelling with a dark twist, it had all the right enchanting pieces of both fairytales thrown into a mix of magical fae that just worked.
Each character represented a fairytale one in a unique way from the fae Queen of Hearts ruling her own little kingdom with an obsession of colour, a runaway Prince she curses to become a Beast, our main protagonist who had a lovely balance of both Belle and Alice who followed the White Rabbit to the castle, as well as the Mad Hatter, the enchanted cursed servants in the castle, a version of Gaston that you couldn’t hate as well as our very own panther ‘Cheshire Cat’, also known as the dark and seductive fae Prince of Hearts.

The storyline was gruesomely thrilling, Arabella and Carden are both captured by the feared fae Queen Coeur to be partnered up and compete in her messed up mind games for all the kingdom to watch and enjoy. If they survive the five days together; they get to live, if they fail; they both die. Each trial tests them on their inner demons and guilty secrets, making them come to face the real reason they were both running away to start fresh from their own unbearable lives.

‘”What is that on your neck?” she asked, eyes transfixed on Arabella’s shard of glass.
“A remnant of my past,” Arabella answered elusively.
The Queen clucked her tongue. “The past is important, you know. Most humans prefer to forget it entirely. Why do you wear yours so boldly?”
“Because I want a different future.”‘

I really enjoyed the connections between the main characters, the tethers that bonded them together in one way or another, some being stronger than others creating a heartmate tether. Things became really interesting when the dark and brutal fae Prince Rule also shared a tether with our main protagonist creating an exciting love triangle. Of course we knew Carden was her heartmate from the start, but when his beast form started creating a wedge between them you didn’t know who was going to win Arabella’s heart in the end.

‘”Can you help her?”
“Of course, I can,” he answered. His enormous front paws stopped on a piece of pale tile. “The question is, will I help her?” 
“It’s why you came here, isn’t it? Why you helped yesterday… You want her to win.” 
The cat yawned, showing his incisors. “I want her to live.”
“Why?”
“Because life has become much more interesting with her in it,” he replied.
The panther stared quietly, not moving a muscle. There was only one person I knew who watched her so feverishly, and suddenly I realised who he was. “Rule?”
The panther bared its teeth at me and jumped into the mirror, the surface rippling like water in a still pond before settling and hardening.’

The author did a brilliant job at building the fantasy world that combined the dark mysterious castle hidden within an enchanted forest of sorts, protected by fae who did the bidding of the evil fae queen. The colourful castle itself was quirky and you definitely felt the Alice in Wonderland effect with each room and confusing corridor. I liked the little details in the story, like how each trial began by sending them down a dark hole to end up somewhere magically personally disturbing for the characters in order to drive them mad. The scenes themselves weren’t overly detailed, but they didn’t need to be, it just worked.

I did feel like a lot of the book felt rushed in areas, particularly during the trial games as well as the romantic connection between Arabella and Carden. You knew the queen wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty for the pettiest of reasons, so overall I felt the trials were really tame in comparison, you never felt any urgency in their situation and the fact that each game started at dawn and finish when the sun set, they felt unusually quick and uneventful at times and more like a trip down memory lane.
There was absolutely no romantic build up between Arabella and Carden which actually had me rooting for Rule since he was the mysterious anti-hero that kept intervening in order to help Arabella. Enough to make him go up against his own mother. The way he stared at her across the room, the way he took the appearance of Carden just for the chance to dance with her as well as his ability to save her from her own mind during the games was all so endearing, I couldn’t help but feel like their connection was so much stronger which made the ending slightly less impacting.  I think this is why I couldn’t bring myself to give the book 5 stars. I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fairytale retellings!

 

 

Goodreads Review:
Brutal Curse is a fairy tale retelling where Alice in Wonderland meets Beauty and the Beast.
Prince Carden of Tierney lost his home, family, and claim to the throne in one fell swoop when he rebelled against his father for a cause he knew was right. Instead of wallowing in despair, he embarks on a new journey, starting a new life on the Southern Isle. When he finds himself caught in a web woven by the famously ruthless fae queen, Coeur, he insults her and she vows to teach him the most difficult and heart-breaking lesson he will ever learn: that humans are incapable of love, and that hearts are beastly things.
Arabella wasn’t really living, she was existing and surviving as best she could. A chance encounter with Carden changes everything for her, but the deadly game he’s dragged her into might cost her life. Still, she agrees to play. The rules the fae queen gives them are vague, and it’s obvious there are things Queen Coeur isn’t telling them. She’s sure of it. But what she does know is that together, she and Carden must pass a series of tests and trials. If they fail, game over. But if they succeed, she just might be able to restore her family and carve out the life she’s always envisioned.

Northern Lights, Southern Stars

Title: Northern Lights, Southern Stars
Author: C.S. Johnson
Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy/ YA/ Fairytale
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4/5

Favourite Quote: ‘I see the starlight in his eyes, and I wonder if he sees the Northern Lights in mine’

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.*

Ebony, the dark-skinned princess from the kingdom of Marula, has been living in her stepmother’s kingdom of Pommier for half her life, but it was only when her father died four years ago that she was gradually forced into royal servitude by the queen in the only place she could call home. Determined to keep her head held high with close friends by her side, Ebony can’t help but feel relief when her childhood friend prince Rion returns home once again. Even with the amount of time that has passed, she cannot deny the feelings she has for him were just as strong since they last saw each other.

Rion has been living in the kingdom of Marula for the past four years as regent, helping to cleanse the war with the surrounding countries whilst becoming accustom to the kingdom that will one day be his. He is determined to travel back home to Pommier where he plans to ask princess Ebony to marry him, knowing his feelings for her have only become all the more clear over the years. When he finds that his own mother has taken it upon herself to make Ebony a lowly maid, as well as reduce the Maruli people of their status, he is determined to bring peace back to the kingdom with his future bride by his side, even if it means going against the queen herself.

If you haven’t already figured out from a majority of my reviews, I have a guilty pleasure for fairytale retellings. This is the first one I picked up for Snow White, but also I saw much of Cinderella in this one to make it an interesting blend. I also fell in love with the title for this one, based on small aspects of the story.
The story was great, you had all the elements to bring a fairytale to life; a princess who has been pushed into a maid’s position within her royal home after her father died, an evil stepmother who dabbles in dark magic and a desire to rule her kingdom with lies and deceit, a prince who is desperate to help our princess become who she is supposed to be as well as some wonderful friends to support her along the way. A typical Disney story.

There was a lot of interesting factors to the story that draw me in, you get to see ‘Snow White’s’ backstory and how Ebony was brought to her stepmother’s kingdom of Pommier from her home in Marula through an alliance to bring the north and south together. She grew up with the queen’s son, prince Rion who knew her better than anyone, their close connection allowing them to fall in love. That was one thing that I found slightly disturbing in the story – how Ebony’s prince was in fact her step-brother. But whatever. It was nice to see their love was strong and with a long history from the start to focus more on the story.

There was a lot of racial elements within the book that were sometimes uncomfortable, the people of Marula were dark-skinned, weren’t welcome within the kingdom after the death of the king and the majority were sold as slaves or sent back to Malura where the kingdom was at war with it’s neighbouring countries. Pommier’s people were white and were often reminded of being the stronger, more powerful country. They made sure the Maruli were separated in society as well as status within Pommier, which made it all the more inspiring when the prince chose Ebony as his princess against the queen’s wishes. 

The characters were well told throughout the story, even with little build up. After her father died, the queen pushed at Ebony’s princess status little by little until she was reduced to a maid’s role within the castle out of spite and cruelty. Her spirit was crushed along with any hope to see her home kingdom again, the queen being a constant reminder that her princess status was simply a titled name and nothing more. Her temperament didn’t change much throughout the story but I quite liked that, she didn’t need to change too much for the story to work. She was strong in her own way, taking the insults from the queen and still able to sing her way through life. Ebony knew her feelings for Rion were real but she also wasn’t blind to her new position and reality of what could be between them.

‘I’ve never known what it was like to have true power. 
To me, the idea of power was as elusive as catching starlight. 
I can hold my hand up to the night sky, watching as the darkness turns my skin into its full shadow. My fingers curl around the bright burning lights high in the sky, but as I try to pull it toward me, the warmth in my palm diminishes, and the last of my self-indulgent mirage disappears.’

Rion was a lovely addition, especially since we had his point of view throughout the story alongside of Ebonys. You get to see his strength in running the kingdom of Malura as regent, his desire to help the kingdom and stop the war with the neighbouring countries is pleasing. His love for Ebony is apparent instantly which is sweet and endearing when you can see when he gets nervous and excited to see her. His inability to see through his mother’s schemes was disappointing at times but it put further truth to his character that he was able to see kindness in everyone.
The additional characters are great and all individually unique from Viola, Ebony’s speciavo magically trapped in a mirror, Damaris another maid within the castle that Ebony befriends, the Bonpette family who take her in when she needs a place to hide from the queen, not to mention the queen herself with her dark insecurities. You almost feel sorry for her knowing how lonely and isolated she is in her position. Even her own husband didn’t want her. It’s no question as to why she became the person she did with the little things she had left to make her happy. It was interesting to see her own point of view throughout the story too.

Goodreads Review:
Known as the dark-skinned princess from the Southern Colonies—formerly the kingdom of Marula—Ebony is no stranger to hardship and loneliness.
Forced into royal servitude after the death of her father, Ebony resolved to keep her head held high despite her sorrow—no matter how much vitriol she endured from her stepmother, Varyes, Queen of Pommier.
As the Queen’s son, Prince Rion, helps to piece her broken heart back together with his love and kindness, Ebony begins to hope she will one day find a new home for herself. But when Queen Varyes loses the Southern Colonies to its warring neighbors, she strikes out for vengeance—and Ebony is her first target.
Can Ebony escape the savage wrath of her stepmother—even if her freedom means losing Prince Rion forever?