Awaken (REVIEW)

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Awaken

Sleeping Beauty Retold

Author: Demelza Carlton
Category: Fairytale, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Medieval, Historical Romance

Suitable for: 17+

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 204

Description: This is a Medieval Romance, a twist on a Fairy-Tale based on Sleeping Beauty. It features royal living, medieval tournaments, magic, conspiracy, and of course passion and romance. The story follows sleeping beauty, Princess Rosamond, who goes from being a carefree young lady to a woman on a mission when a magical curse changes her life and her kingdom forever. Read it to see how she gets her fairy tale Prince and happy ending.

In Short: This book has potential and I think there are many readers who would love it but for me it had some issues. If you like sweet medieval romances and fairy tales retold you should check this series out, as long as you don't mind some plot holes. Overall, I thought it was entertaining and I was completely sucked into the story and the characters until the end.

Pros: This is a cute story and overall the book was fun to read. I really enjoyed the beginning of the story it was action packed and exciting and drew me in right away. I was able to easily devour it in one sitting. There was some good depth to this book and the plot takes some surprising twists and turns. I enjoyed the Princess's powers. The way she could heal people and control plants was very interesting and well implemented. For the most part I actually really liked the protagonist's character. She is a princess and a spoiled one but also a very strong and admirable character. She consistently acts with arrogance and entitlement but she also manages to be a very sympathetic character who can be incredibly caring and she proves she is willing to sacrifice herself for others.    

Cons: There are some grammar and spelling errors that could be corrected with basic copyediting, it wasn't too distracting. There were some holes in this story and in the characters I'll try to describe them without spoilers. For example Rosamond claims she never wants to get married and then suddenly she wants to marry someone, and she's demanding sex and disrobing all willy-nilly. I could not suspend disbelief at the very unlikely sex scene. I didn't really care for the ending. I didn't think the coronations were fair as far as gender equality is concerned. The king received a grand reception and the queen - not so much. But maybe she created that situation for herself. And I didn't understand why the matter that needed to be taken care of as soon as she became queen was OK to put off for a year. I also still have no idea exactly who created the curse, who the target of it was, and why. Missed opportunity for a more powerful story because the ending was just too confusing. I also didn't like that there were so many mentions of how the Princess could barely eat anything. I thought it was borderline glamorizing eating disorders and wasn't a good influence to young ladies.   

Parent's Guide: Sex and innuendo (not very graphic).

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New Release Princess Dracula

Recently Released, Kindle Scout Selected Novella:

Princess Dracula

by John Patrick Kennedy

Retelling of Classic Dracula Lore

All power comes at a price…

Ruxandra learned everything she knows while growing up in a convent. Training to be the perfect nobleman’s wife, she relishes the prospect of a simple life. But everything changes when her father, Vlad Dracula, retrieves her on her eighteenth birthday. Securing her a marriage is the last thing he has in mind…

After he performs a mysterious ritual over her, Ruxandra gains uncontrollable supernatural powers. Alone, terrified, and faced with an unknown future, she is left to forge a new life for herself. There’s only one thing she knows: if she doesn’t learn to control her unnatural instincts, she’ll destroy every last shred of her humanity.

Princess Dracula is the first book in a dark fantasy horror series. If you like crisp writing, emotional gravitas, and intriguing retellings of classic tales, then you’ll love John Patrick Kennedy’s new twist on vampire lore.

Links:

Princess Dracula on Amazon

John Patrick Kennedy Official Site

John Patrick Kennedy on Twitter

Little Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood (REVIEW)

Free Story - Little Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood

Newfangled Fairy Tales 

Author: Timothy Tocher

Editor: Bruce Lansky
Category: Children's Book (Non-Illustrated)

Suitable for: All ages

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 20

Description: Hilarious twist on a old tale. The Big Bad Wolf has conned his way into a food stealing scheme. In this tale Red doesn't need a huntsmen to save her, only her phone and a quick call to the authorities. Worry not, no grandmas are eaten.

In Short: This book is a quick fun read that I think children will really enjoy reading. It also makes a good bedtime story for younger kids. At only 20 pages it a very fast read and a good length to entertain. For anyone of any age who likes fairy tales and a good short story this is a great book to pick up, for free!

Pros: This book is very fun and enjoyable to read. I laughed out loud when reading the note Grandma left for Red. I think both parents and children will enjoy reading this book together. I loved all the characters, the heroes and the villains alike. I actually grew quite attached to the wolves and was a little disappointed that their elaborate scam wasn't paying off in the end! This book even though it is so short it manages some great morals for children. It teaches that crime doesn't pay, don't talk to strangers, don't steal and don't scam people!

Cons: I have no issues with this book.

Parent's Guide: This book contains no horror, no eating of old ladies and no violence. Safe for all ages.

Free on Amazon.

The Ivy and the Walnut: A Faerie Tale (REVIEW)

 

The Ivy and the Walnut: A Faerie Tale

You can get this book for free ONLY by subscribing to Jeff Chapman's mailing list. And let me tell you, it is well worth it. He sends out very few mailers but many of them include links to freebies. You get 2 free fairy tales with your subscription so you can sample Jeff Chapman's writing. 

 

Author:  Jeff Chapman

Category: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Fairy Tale, Short Story

Suitable for: Teens+

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: Roughly 20 pages, short story.

Description: Mircalla envies her sister, Carmilla when Carmilla manages to steal away the object of her unrequited love. Her jealously drives her mad and her devious schemes take a dark magical twist.

In Short: This is a fun and quick read and an absolutely crazy story. It incorporates a mix of genres including historical fiction, horror, and fantasy.

Pros: This book is well written and very entertaining. Like many of Jeff Chapman's stories you know something crazy is bound to happen in the end but you never know what exactly. The plot takes surprising twists, I loved the story! Mircalla is so desperate to get the man she wants despite his lack of interest in her and his nuptials with her sister. Her desperation and creativity lead her to do outrageous things all with the goal of making him her husband.

Cons: I have no issues with this book.

Parent's Guide: Overall clean book.

You can win a book by Jeff Chapman along with a ton of other great prizes in 
A Bookish Halloween Giveaway Contest. (Closed)

View my other reviews of Jeff Chapman's books

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Released Today - Rain by India R Adams

Rain

(Stranger in the Woods book 1)

by India R Adams

Description off Amazon: 

What if you knew you had just met the other part of your soul—the one who could take away all the pain and loneliness—but no one believes you because the rugged stranger from the woods is nowhere to be found? Would you search for him? Would you be strong enough to believe he exist somewhere out in the darkness where you he found you? And if you were to finally find the stranger from the woods and learn he is like no other tale that has ever been told… would you still have the courage to love him?

Rose has no time for romance because her father has passed away from an illness plaguing her small town, and now her mother has also contracted the illness, leaving Rose’s two younger siblings to be her responsibility. But when her best friend forces her to be young for a night and celebrate her twentieth birthday with a bonfire and friends, Rose meets a stranger from the woods, and Rose soon learns he is no stranger at all. In fact, this magical being is trying to keep her… alive.

 

Two bloods of one will bring down the shadows, to cast, no more...

I got my copy! Get your copy here and let's talk about the book! I'll be reading it for review soon.

My reviews of other books by India R Adams:
Steal Me
My Wolf and Me
Blue Waters

My interview with India R Adams

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