Tag Archives: fairytale

Review: The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2)
Stephanie Garber
Flatiron Books
Published September 13, 2022

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About The Ballad of Never After

Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can…

My Review

Evangeline embarks on another wild adventure, determined to break the curse over her husband, Prince Apollo. I couldn’t decide if I liked Apollo or not. I think we just don’t get enough time with him on scene and without the interference of a spell of some kind for me to figure out what kind of person he is.

Jacks, however, gets a lot of time on scene, and he’s definitely got the brooding, tortured soul thing going. I like that he and Evangeline play off one another and work well together.

This book builds a lot of sexual tension between those two. I liked that the story doesn’t stay too long in the land of miscommunication or depend too entirely on Jacks and Evangeline not saying what they mean. There are other forces at play that impact what she feels for Jacks and what she thinks he feels as well. There’s also a fair amount of back and forth between Evangeline and Apollo. She feels guilty for the bad things that have happened to him and wants to break the curses binding them together. But the longer time goes on, the more confused she is about her feelings for him.

The Ballad of Never After offers more details and lore from the lush fantasy landscape introduced in the first book in the series. We start to see how the different pieces of fairytale stories that Evangeline grew up with fit together and the connections between the people around her, all of whom need her for something. As soon as I finished this book, I started reading the series finale.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and some strong sexual tension between two characters. At one point, a girl has injuries to her back, and someone bandages her while she is topless.

Spiritual Content
Lots of curses and a bit of fairytale magic. A few characters are vampires.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Vampires feed on or threaten to feed on humans in a few scenes. Someone continually hunts another person, intending to kill them. Two people are cursed with a mirror curse, meaning that when one is injured, the same injury appears on the other person. In one scene, someone scratches a message on their skin with a knife tip. Someone answers the message in a similar fashion. Someone stabs a girl in the chest, killing her.

Drug Content
Evangeline drinks champagne at an evening party.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Calella

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Liar’s Kingdom
Christine Calella
Page Street YA
Published January 14, 2025

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About Liar’s Kingdom

Ell has spent years slaving away for her cruel stepfamily. So when Prince Bayard—who seems to have difficulty recognizing faces—shows up at her door with a glass slipper, Ell allows him to believe she danced with him at the ball. There’s just one problem: Ell didn’t attend the ball and she’s never met the prince before in her life. But if it’s a choice between moving to the royal palace or staying home, Ell is willing to say anything to escape.

However, Ell finds that being royalty comes with its own problems. Bayard’s sister, the princess, has gone missing. The king is preparing for war against the fae. And Maxim, Bayard’s treacherous (and handsome) best friend, appears to know Ell is lying.

If Ell wants to keep this life she’s stolen, she’s going to have to roll up her sleeves and rescue herself.

My Review

This reimagining of the popular fairytale places Cinderella at the center of the action. Instead of a passive girl whose goodness magically opens a path to royalty, the lead character drives her story forward.

Though at first Ell thinks of nothing beyond her escape from imprisonment in an abusive home, she soon forms a deep friendship and cares for the prince with face blindness. She cares for the girl who becomes her first lady-in-waiting and her maid, wanting to know their true feelings and thoughts and to protect them from a volatile king.

I like that Ell makes choices that change the course of the story and that she still has the internal goodness that Cinderella is so classically known for. I also liked how the prince’s face blindness is handled throughout the story. There were moments when the narrative could have erased this part of his character and instead chose a different path forward. I appreciated that.

The pacing of the book was a little bit uneven for me. The first half of the book sets up a lot of dominoes that fall in the second half of the book. I like the idea of that, but there were things in the second half of the story that felt like they happened fast. I felt like I was supposed to have put together all the clues from the first half of the story and then been expecting some of the things in the second half. The romance, in particular, seemed to happen quickly. I would have liked to see a little more development there.

Overall, though, Liar’s Kingdom is a fresh, inspired reimagining of the story of Cinderella. I loved how the author transformed some of the story elements and preserved the heart of the classic tale.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some limited use of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are fairies and have some ability to do magic. Other fantastical and dangerous creatures exist in the book, such as ogres and giant spiders.

Violent Content
Ell’s stepmother is violent and abusive toward her. Her stepsisters also participated in abusing her. Ell has violent urges in which she wants to strike out at someone but stops herself. A few scenes contain brief battle violence in which someone uses a sword or crossbow to injure or kill someone.

Drug Content
References to alcohol. Some characters appear under a spell and are unable to control their bodies or voices.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3)
Stephanie Garber
Flatiron Books
Published October 24, 2023

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About A Curse for True Love

Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.

My Review

After reading the first two books in the series, I wanted to know how Evangeline and Jacks would navigate the obstacles standing between them and whether they could craft their own happily ever after.

I wasn’t expecting some of the directions the series takes. There was a character who seemed like a pretty decent person, perhaps a bit spoiled, but who was beginning to make better choices. Then he took a hard right into serious evil, and I had to recalibrate how I thought about him. Which is okay—it just came as a bit of a surprise.

I can’t decide if I’m starting to outgrow the Bad Boy stories where someone has a pretty long list of wrongs and callous actions to their name, but somehow, I’m still rooting for the heroine to find a way to be with this person. I like Jacks, but I sometimes cringed at the way he treated other people. Reading certain scenes definitely required some willing suspension of disbelief as Evangeline, whose lost memories left her incredibly vulnerable and who knew someone was trying to kill her, didn’t question the reckless stranger who kept appearing out of nowhere.

I did appreciate the romantic tension between them and the continued themes about curses and true love in the fairytale-esque world Garber created. I love the way that the magic works, especially with regard to curses taking a life of their own and stories continually changing with each telling or reading.

All in all, I am glad to have stuck with the series all the way to the end. It was fun reading something so swoony and romantic. I think romantasy fans will like the sweeping fairytale magic of the story world and Evangeline’s starry-eyed commitment to find her happily ever after.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Main characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. In one scene, a boy and girl begin to undress one another. They fall asleep before getting fully undressed.

Spiritual Content
A group of immortal Fates have limited special abilities. The story also contains vampires. Some humans have the ability to perform spells or curses, which require magic to be broken.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Evangeline hears about a wolf attack that leaves a boy horribly scarred. A boy dies, apparently from some kind of poison. Someone poisons a girl. A large number of vampires bite people. Someone ties up another person and threatens to torture or kill them. A person starts a fire, endangering others’ lives. Someone punches a man repeatedly, breaking his nose and bruising his face.

Drug Content
Evangeline drinks wine at a social event.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

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Sleep Like Death
Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury YA
Published June 25, 2024

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About Sleep Like Death

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate—and foolish—seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this firsthand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

My Review

Wow. I wasn’t sure in the first couple chapters of this book how closely it would resemble the fairytale about Snow White, but as the story continued to unfold, so many things fell into place in familiar yet really imaginative, fresh ways.

I was just talking with a group of bloggers about how many stories, especially fairytales, include an evil mom or stepmom, and I want to rush back to the group waving this book. In Sleep Like Death, instead of the usual bad mom, we celebrate motherhood and a community of women who mentor and care for Princess Eve. I love that there are several women Eve feels close to, and each one contributes different things to her life. Her relationship with her mom is especially sweet.

There’s a hint of romance in the story as well, and I liked the way that played out. It’s present but not forefront to the tale. This book is Eve’s adventure from start to finish, and she takes an active role at every step of the way. I love that.

I think Kalynn Bayron has become one of my favorite writers to watch because she constantly amazes me. Reimagined fairytales with fierce women at the center? Yep, she can do that. Quirky, fabulous middle grade? Uh-huh. She’s got that, too. Wild slasher novel that somehow also makes fun of itself? You bet. A reimagined classic set in 1885 London? Check!

She’s amazing, y’all. Truly.

Anyway, this might be my favorite version of Snow White that I’ve ever read. I think it’s a hard story to tell, and this version does it absolutely beautifully. If you like fairytales, definitely don’t miss this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The main character is Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Eve has two moms. A woman confesses to Eve that she is in love with another woman.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Eve can create magic from nature. For example, she pulls the night sky down and wraps a piece around her like a cloak. A mysterious Knight grants wishes for a price.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Eve and another character hunt and kill a deer. Eve and her allies battle against foes.

Drug Content
References to someone drinking too much while grieving over the loss of a child.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Plain Jane and the Mermaid
Vera Brosgol
First Second
Published May 7, 2024

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About Plain Jane and the Mermaid

From Eisner Award winner Vera Brosgol comes an instant classic about courage, confidence, and inner beauty.
Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter, who might just say yes to get away from his father. It’s a good plan!

Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid.

With her last shot at happiness lost in the deep blue sea, Jane must venture to the underwater world to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

From Vera Brosgol, the author of Anya’s Ghost and Be Prepared, comes an instant classic that flips every fairy tale you know, and shows one girl’s crusade for the only thing that matters—her own independence.

My Review

Oh my gosh, this book is absolutely brilliant! It takes some familiar fairytale tropes and flips them on their heads in a way that makes them both funny and thoughtful. The illustrations show such a broad range of expressions. I loved the seal’s faces! He’s got these dark eyebrows and grumpy expressions that hint at so much underneath.

I love that Jane is not the pretty girl. More stories where the heroine isn’t a bombshell babe, please. Jane knows she’s not classically beautiful, but she wants so much to believe that she has more value than how she looks, even when she keeps getting the opposite message from even the well-meaning people in her life. This is one of those stories that doesn’t feel immediately female-centered, but it really is. I liked the way that the story developed or used its female relationships to show how toxic relationships harm one another, but loving (nonromantic, in this case) relationships strengthen and empower us.

It also models loving relationships that protect one another without infringing on one another’s autonomy. I liked that the story didn’t depend on tropes about the handsome prince but left room for there to be more to that character, as well.

PLAIN JANE AND THE MERMAID takes all those great elements and puts them together in this magical way that allows it to become more than the sum of its parts. I loved the way it integrates modern and classic fairytale elements to create something utterly engrossing and not preachy about its message.

I’m trying to limit my graphic novel purchases this year because of space constraints, but this is one I really need to have on my shelf.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Jane is a plus-sized girl. She visits a village of brown-skinned people.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A mermaid and her sisters prepare for a wedding.

Spiritual Content
The story contains mythical creatures such as mermaids and a water demon.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Jane endures and remembers fatphobic comments and cruel words about her appearance. One scene hints at someone getting killed by lobsters. In another scene, a giant, sharp-toothed eel-like creature chases Jane and her allies. Someone learns that their captors plan to eat them.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

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The Goose Girl (Books of Bayern #1)
Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published December 1, 2008

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About The Goose Girl

She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.

Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada.

From the Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for a really long time. I loved THE BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS by Shannon Hale, which I read years ago and was also based on a Grimm brothers fairytale. I’d heard of this book, too, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it until I joined the Beat the Backlist reading challenge. One of the prompts is to read a fairy/folktale you haven’t heard of before. Though I knew about this book for a long time, it’s the only place I’ve heard the story of the Goose Girl mentioned, so I am counting it for the prompt.

I went into the book thinking it was going to be a middle grade book, but I’m not sure why. Maybe because of the cover? I actually think this one would make a great book for middle school readers who are not quite ready to transition to YA, but have largely aged out of middle grade books. There’s a teeny bit of romance, but it’s not the focus of the story. Largely, this is about a girl who is figuring out who she is and learning to have confidence in herself.

I really liked Ani’s character. She’s sweet and humble, and awkward, especially at the beginning. But when she becomes a goose girl and pretty much has to learn to get along with others and begins to form friendships and relationships, she discovers her courage, too.

She has a couple of good women mentors. First, her aunt, who teaches her to speak with birds. Then, a woman in the forest who helps her recover when she’s lost and malnourished. Later, her supervisor, a woman in the town where she works as a goose girl, helps her when she gets injured and needs help. Ani also makes good friends, and those relationships become super important as she faces down her past.

Conclusion

This was a sweet story with a few intense moments. Ani must hide from soldiers who intend to kill her. She sees a horse that’s been killed. She witnesses battles.

But most of the story focuses on her and how she uses her abilities to protect others and bring people together and listen to them. I had a lot of fun reading it, and I’m glad I can finally share my review.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man stands threateningly over Ani and makes a suggestive comment. It scares her.

A girl tells of how the tradition of women going to war with their husbands began. At one point, they bare their chests to the men, reminding them of what’s at stake if they lose the war, namely that the women will become the property of the conquering army.

A man makes reference to the fact that the princess will share a bed with the prince when they are wed.

Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Ani has the ability to speak to some animals. Her aunt tells her there are those who have the ability to “people speak,” which allows them to convince others to do as they say and the ability to speak to elements of nature, such as the trees, fire, or wind.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man stands over Ani threateningly and makes a suggestive comment. Ani remembers fairytales about a mother’s blood saving her daughter in a moment of fear and doubt. She witnesses someone stabbed through the chest with a sword from behind.

Ani hears a horse has been killed and sees its dismembered leg, and later sees its head mounted like a trophy.

A man attacks Ani, chasing her and cutting her with a knife.

Battle scenes show fights with swords, javelins, and daggers. Some fatalities.

Drug Content
None.

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