A Mirror Mended is the next installment in USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s Fractured Fables series.
Zinnia Gray, professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, is over rescuing snoring princesses. Once you’ve rescued a dozen damsels and burned fifty spindles, once you’ve gotten drunk with twenty good fairies and made out with one too many members of the royal family, you start to wish some of these girls would just get a grip and try solving their own narrative issues.
Just when Zinnia’s beginning to think she can’t handle one more princess, she glances into a mirror and sees another face looking back at her: the shockingly gorgeous face of evil, asking for her help. Because there’s more than one person trapped in a story they didn’t choose. Snow White’s Evil Queen has found out how her story ends, and she’s desperate for a better ending. She wants Zinnia to help her before it’s too late for everyone. Will Zinnia accept the Queen’s poisonous request and save them both from the hot-iron shoes that wait for them, or will she try another path?
Friends in my book club raved about the first book in this series, so I immediately requested the second when I saw it on NetGalley. I mistakenly thought each book was a standalone focusing on a different fairy tale. Teaches me to read the fine print first.
I’ve got such a weakness for snarky characters, which is why I immediately connected with Zinnia. As a long time professional fairy tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, she’s more than ready for damsels and princesses to start taking control of their own narratives. When she sees Snow White’s Evil Queen staring back at her in a mirror, Zinnia is pulled into an alternate world fairy tale (think Spiderverse). Sparks fly between them, and not in a good way at first, but it not surprisingly turns into an enemies to lovers kind of relationship. It’s also a nice reminder of how people shouldn’t let labels (or the parts they play in fairy tales) define them. You can be the hero of your own story.
Although backstory from the first book is sprinkled throughout this followup, I never felt like I completely understood what happened or much about Zin’s disease. I’d recommend reading A SpindleSplintered first. At novella length, these books can easily be read in a couple hours or so.
If you enjoy snarky, self-deprecating main characters, twists on traditional fairy tales, and clever writing, this is a fun way to spend a few hours.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Together they choose the students for the School for Good and Evil.
Together they train them, teach them, prepare them for their fate.
Then, something happens.
Something unexpected.
Something powerful.
Something that will change everything and everyone.
Who will survive?
Who will rule the School?
The journey starts here. Every step is filled with magic, surprises, and daring deeds that test courage, loyalty, and who you really are. But they only lead you to the very beginning of the adventures that are THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL.
When I requested this from NetGalley, I didn’t realize there were seven books in the series and this is a prequel. Technically I guess it could be read as a standalone, but I’d have preferred to read the other books first to fully understand this world. Other reviews I’ve seen also recommend it.
Twin brothers Rafal and Rhian are headmasters for evil and good sections respectively at a prestigious boarding school where heroes and vilains are trained and taught. They also watch over the Endless Woods. As long as the twins love each other, good and evil are in balance. Previous students of the school are recognizable names – Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White – but this prequel features Aladdin and Captain Hook (James). The school masters are certain Aladdin is destined for Rafal’s school of evil, but when he’s dropped off at Rhian’s school of good, their world goes askew and the adventure begins.
The brothers’ relationship is challenged when feelings of betrayal, jealousy, and mistrust enter the equation. Add in a competition, pirates, and a bungled genie-granted wish, and you have a fun MG read. Although I enjoyed this book, I know I’d have appreciated it more if I’d read the others in the series, and it looks like a Netflix movie is coming. I know I’ll be watching.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Merida goes on an all-new, life-changing adventure in this original YA novel set several years after the close of Brave!
What if you had one year to save everything you loved?
ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love.
TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences.
THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself?
FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.
If you’re wondering if this is Princess Merida from the Disney movie, you’d be correct. I requested this book from NetGalley because Stiefvater is one of my favorite authors – I’d never seen the movie Brave. Knowing I needed the gist of the story before starting the novel, I spent an entertaining couple of hours laughing and snorting my way through the movie. I adored these characters and couldn’t wait to dive into this new story.
I’ve never been one for many fairy tales, but Merida is my kind of princess – mainly because she’s pretty much the opposite of what you’d expect from someone with that title. She can best nearly any opponent in archery, she informed her parents being married off and producing heirs isn’t something she’ll be forced into, and she’s constantly reminded of royal etiquette by her mother, the queen. How can you not love this girl? This story is set several years later when not much has changed – Merida is still adventurous and stubborn, the King Fergus boisterous, the Queen Elinor very royal, and the triplets still mischievous at ten years old.
Merida’s Christmas Eve doesn’t go as expected when she finds herself in the company of two gods – one of creation, Cailleach, and one of destruction, Feradach. The Kingdom of DunBroch has become sluggish and stagnant and is high on Feradach’s list of places to demolish. Naturally, Merida is distraught but, because she’s Merida and very clever, refuses to accept this. Instead, she makes a bargain with Cailleach – if she can get her family to change over the next year, DunBroch will be spared. If she fails, she’ll lose her home and family. Talk about high stakes and pressure.
Don’t expect this to be a cookie cutter Disney story. Bravely is darker and focuses on growth, survival, and reflection, along with epic journeys and and some grisly scenes. Merida learns life is about balance and realizes what’s most important – it’s a kind of coming of age story for her. Not everything is serious – I also laughed out loud several times over the antics of the triplets, Merida’s unfiltered comments, and the lively family dynamics.
After watching Brave, Merida immediately became my favorite Disney princess, and I fell in love with her family. Catching up with them in this novel set several years later was a real treat.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sometimes bitter rivalries can brew something sweet.
Theo Mori wants to escape. Leaving Vermont for college means getting away from working at his parents’ Asian American café and dealing with their archrivals’ hopeless son Gabi who’s lost the soccer team more games than Theo can count.
Gabi Moreno is miserably stuck in the closet. Forced to play soccer to hide his love for dance and iced out by Theo, the only openly gay guy at school, Gabi’s only reprieve is his parents’ Puerto Rican bakery and his plans to take over after graduation.
But the town’s new fusion café changes everything. Between the Mori’s struggling shop and the Moreno’s plan to sell their bakery in the face of the competition, both boys find their dreams in jeopardy. Then Theo has an idea—sell photo-worthy food covertly at school to offset their losses. When he sprains his wrist and Gabi gets roped in to help, they realize they need to work together to save their parents’ shops but will the new feelings rising between them be enough to send their future plans up in smoke?
A light enemies to lovers story – but with scrumptious food. The description of competing restaurants – and boys – lured me in. And look at that cover!
The chapters alternate POVs between Theo and Gabi, both with very different and distinct personalities. Theo is openly gay, self confident, and a natural athlete. Gabi is closeted, lacks self esteeem, and is far more talented on the dance floor than a soccer field. Theo can’t stand to be near Gabi, and while Gabi admires Theo, he’s also a little intimidated by him. Their parents’ restaurants are long time competitors, which causes further conflict. When a new fusion café moves into town and steals customers, joining forces happens kind of accidentally and everything changes.
In the first several chapters, Theo isn’t very likeable. He carries anger around like a boulder weighing him down and lashes out at his family, Gabi, and anyone else who gets in his way. It soon becomes clear why, and his self realizations and the changes that result from them are admirable. Gabi has spent his life trying to make his parents proud of him and fulfill their expectations, all while hiding his love of dancing and his sexuality. His parents (especially his father) make several derogatory comments about being gay, and he’s terrified of what might happen if he comes out. His character arc is just as uplifting as Theo’s.
Every character in this novel is flawed, some more than others, and it’s an honest portrayal of just how messy humans and their relationships can be. There are also very poignant, honest conversations about difficult topics between some characters that are done so well, and I hope they inspire readers who might be dealing with similar issues in their lives.
Besides the serious moments, this story also contains plenty of humor, delicious descriptions of food, strong friendships, and a sweet enemies to lovers romance. The ending comes about a little quickly and wraps up loose ends in a tidy bow, but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.
There’s no way I can skip commenting on this cover – it would be a disservice to the designer. It’s a work of art and perfect for the story.
Before learning this novel is based on a fairy tale I’m unfamiliar with, I was thinking how it reads just like a fairy tale. Shiori could easily be a future Disney princess. She’s strong, curious, loyal, and determined not to let anyone else define her. Having six older brothers, she easily holds her own with them and is probably the most mischevious of the bunch. She’s also hiding her forbidden magic. After learning her stepmother possesses dark magic of her own, Shiori is banished and her brothers turned into cranes. Even worse, if she speaks to anyone, one of her brothers will die for every word she utters. I needed to know how this princess would survive and overcome the odds.
The sibling bonds are strong in this story, and I liked how protective Shiori’s brothers are of her even though she doesn’t always need it. Takkan is honorable and astute from the beginning, and I loved that he crafts stories for his little sister (who’s pretty feisty herself). Encouraging people to look beyond appearances or misunderstood actions is an important theme this book brings to the forefront.
The first quarter of this book had me riveted. I was angry with Shiori’s stepmother and the people that treated Shiori so badly when she was only trying to survive and anxious for her to find her brothers. She knew her mission and was fixated on it. Then things took a turn. The next half of the book mainly focused on the romance, and Shiori’s urgency to undo the curse wasn’t the driving force I’d expected. Toward the end of the story I didn’t see how plot lines could fall into place for some kind of resolution, but over the span of a few pages, several reveals come to light. Some are easy to predict, but others come out of left field and left me scratching my head because of the lack of hints along the way.
I’m a reader who doesn’t mind romance in a book as long as it’s not the primary focus, but this novel spotlighted it more than I’d expected from the description. That’s just a personal preference and in reading other reviews, I’m definitely in the minority on this. Fans of fairy tales, magic, and romance will be thrilled with Six Crimson Cranes, and while I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t exactly what I’d anticipated.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom. But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious imposter takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince.
After barely escaping the imposter’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison. The only way to gain an audience with the king — and reveal Javan’s identity — is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament. But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena, but also a band of prisoners allied against him, and even the warden herself.
The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check. Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive — but she has dangerous secrets.
Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight the deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoners intent on killing Javan. If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both.
The category for my book club this month was to read a re-telling. I’ve had this book in my TBR pile for two years, so this was a perfect opportunity to bump it to the top.
This is the third book I’ve read in the Ravenspire series. Each has taken me on exciting adventures, introduced me to both loveable and loathsome characters, and occasionally ripped my heart out. Redwine is known for killing off some of her more popular characters. The Traitor Prince is based on an Arabian tale entitled The False Prince. I’m not familiar with that story, but this one grabbed me from the first page. I was so angry at the injustice of Javan’s and Sajda’s situations – his at being thrown into prison while someone else takes his place on the throne, and hers at being enslaved from a young age and discriminated against for a reason I won’t reveal (no spoilers). By the end of the book, I was so anxious for them to have their revenge and set things right. And speaking of the ending – it was perfect.
Although part of the same series, each of these books can be read as a standalone. I also have to comment on the stunning maps included in each novel – beautiful! The Traitor Prince is a story about fighting against inequity even when things look grim, endearing friendships, undying loyalty, and selfless sacrifice.
Dash and Lillian are in love, but her wealthy father won’t permit them to be married because Dash is not a suitable match. He is nothing but the son of the family’s gardener. To be rid of the young man, Lillian’s father claims that the only way Dash could ever earn Lillian’s hand in marriage is to find his fortune in the time it takes a basket of fresh tomatoes to rot. Naturally, Sir Barrymore isn’t serious about this challenge, but Dash sees it as his only chance to win the hand of the woman he loves. He leaves immediately on a quest to find a way to complete this impossible task. Meanwhile, Lillian is doing her best to make her parents postpone her engagement to someone else in order to give Dash time to return. It is a whirlwind fairy tale adventure full of danger, cunning, magic, true love, and tomatoes.
Although I’ve never been a huge fairy tale fan, I’ve enjoyed the original stories in this series. The Tomato Quest can be easily read in an hour or so, and I finished it in an afternoon over Christmas. It’s a sweet tale containing star-crossed lovers who are determined to be together despite the objections of their parents and the expectations of society. After being handed a near impossible challenge, Dash doesn’t have a clear-cut plan for success. He encounters one roadblock after another, yet he shoulders on, and you have to admire his tenacity. In the beginning, I wasn’t completely convinced Lillian was all in, but she proved me wrong. Her actions in defying her parents gave me some chuckles.
If you’re a fairy tale fan or a fan of sweet romances, I recommend giving this series a try. I somehow missed this novella when it was first published, and the author was gracious enough to provide me a copy for review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Colleeda is a beautiful but wickedly vain young woman. Of all her assets, the one she prizes most is the sound of her voice. Her favorite game is to attract young men and then leave them heartbroken. It’s all fun until she chooses to lure one man away from his fiancée—and that woman is rumored to be a witch bent on revenge. Colleeda is cursed to never speak or sing again, except for a couple minutes in the wee hours of the morning when no one can possibly hear her.
For years, Colleeda mourns the loss of her voice, believing she is no longer beautiful or desirable. She lives in solitude as her house falls into disrepair around her.
Is there any way to break the curse? Does she deserve to have it broken?
After reading several D.G. Driver books, I know to expect an entertaining read with meticulously developed characters. I read the first book in this fairy tale series, The Royal Deal, but somehow missed the second, so I was thrilled to come across the newest addition.
Colleeda is despicable, narcissistic, rude – I could go on, but no doubt you get the picture. She believes the world and everyone in it exist for her pleasure. Kudos to the author for making her so unlikable. You’ll spend most of the book yearning for her to get knocked off the pedestal she’s placed herself on. From the book description, rest assured, it’s a pretty rough fall. And then, you’ll miraculously find yourself feeling a bit sorry for her.
Although fairly sure I knew how this tale would end, it came as a surprise to me. The author’s unpredictable path added just a little more oomph to an already compelling read.
If you’re a fan of fairy tales or retellings, D.G. Driver’s delightful, and occasionally dark series checks those boxes quite well, and can be easily read in one sitting.
I received a copy of this novel from the author through Rosie’s Book Review Team.
The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.
To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.
The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea’s and the Witch’s paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?
With a description that reads nearly like a fairy tale and a magical cover, do I really need to explain why I wanted to read this book?
The writing is lush, beautiful, and velvety, with imagery that will transport you to another place. Some lines I re-read several times because of the way the author weaves words together. There are basically three stories in this book, and the chapters alternate. Somewhere around the middle or so, it’s revealed how they’re connected. Rhea and her family are adorable and quirky, and the Darkness in the attic is spine-tingling and alluring. It’s a nice touch.
With the first half of the book, I was all in and just wanted to find a secluded corner with no interruptions. And then I got to the second half, and it lost me. It has the feel of a fairy tale, but I felt untethered, and unsure of what was real in the story. Even the dialogue was off, sounding more juvenile, and I found myself skimming the pages instead of savoring them as I had in the first half of the book.
Many other reviewers loved the dreamy, storybook feel of this novel, but I need to feel more grounded in my reading, with a better grasp of the plot. Even though it turned out not to be for me, I’d still recommend this book because of the extraordinary writing, and I wouldn’t hesitate to read another novel by this author in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.
Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.
So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.
But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, Bishe’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.
This series is based on re-tellings of fairy tales, but can be read as stand alones. The The Wish Granter is an adaption of Rumpelstiltskin – which I had to look up, as the original tale is a distant memory.
I fell hard for Ari. With her undying loyalty, steadfast determination, cunning negotiation skills, and love of pie – I just adore her. And she always carries snacks in her handbag – a necessity in life. Sebastian’s backstory is nothing short of heartbreaking, and he maintains his distance with people – but not for long after meeting Ari.
No doubt you’ve heard that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. There’s another – the death of a beloved character in any of this author’s novels. I’ve read several of her books now, and it’s a given. No spoilers here – you’ll just have to read it yourself.
I read this for a book club (the theme for the month was re-tellings) and it was the perfect selection – exciting action, a sweet romance, an instantly lovable princess, and a loathsome villain (if karma ever needed to make a visit, it’s to this guy). If you enjoy twists on old fairy tales, I highly recommend this series.
A pampered princess is told she must marry a prince she doesn’t like, let alone love, on her nineteenth birthday. Desperate to find a way to stop this arranged marriage, she makes a bargain with her father. If she can survive for three months in the forest with no help of any kind and return healthy and unharmed, then she can choose the man she will marry. The King accepts the wager, knowing he can’t possibly lose. Princess Faith knows she must win this deal, but once she ventures into the forest, she has no idea how she can possibly succeed. – Goodreads.com
D.G. Driver’s books have always captivated me, and The Royal Deal is no exception. I generally prefer darker fairy tales, but I liked the sound of Princess Faith. Although headstrong, determined, and spontaneous, she just wants a chance to control her own life. Ill-prepared to survive in the forest, perhaps she should have thought things through a little better before striking a deal with her father, the King, but whatever the case, you have to admire her chutzpah.
With the appearance of the hermit, I wondered if this would take a turn toward Beauty and the Beast, but I was glad to see that it didn’t. Not that I have anything against Beauty and the Beast, but I was hoping for more originality than ‘they lived happily ever after’ – and that’s what the author delivered. I felt the ending was abrupt, but satisfying.
This isn’t a sparkly fairy tale with the prince rescuing the princess – it possesses a more modern spin, with the princess learning independence and building self-esteem. The Royal Deal is a charming tale that takes only a couple of hours to read at the most, and I’d recommend it to both fans of traditional fairy tales and those who are looking for a different take on the standard stories.
I received a digital copy of this book through Rosie’s Book Review Team.
Books and Such 