Once Upon a Twist on an Old Fairy Tale

A while back I challenged myself to read Swan Lake retellings in honor of my late Grandmother who was a dance critic and had introduced me to the ballet Swan Lake. The tragic story of an Odette a princess cursed to be a swan by day and her love prince Seigfreid whose unintentional betrayal leads them to an unhappy fate is a classic among ballet lovers. In recent years Swan Lake has been the inspiration of several books and movies proving its popularity beyond the ballet world. Unfortunately, not all retellings reach the same level of enjoyment. Sadly, A Captive of Wing and Feathers was somewhat disappointing.  Princess Adelaide has been running from her past for a long time. Even after hearing the curse that was placed on her kingdom and brother King Dominic is broken and he is a changed man she refuses to believe it. How could she when he once abandoned her when she needed him most? Having found a home in the kingdom of Talinos she works at the Haven a place where the elderly and ...

After the previous novel in the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series A Crown of Snow and Ice left off on a small cliffhanger, I was eager to continue on to the next book A Dream of Ebony and White a Snow-White Retelling. Titular character Princess Snow made a previous appearance in A Dance of Silver and Shadow as one the visiting princesses forced to compete in the Princess Tourney. She was worried about her dying father and fearful of her stepmother's guard Randolf who was accompanying her. By the end of A Crown of Snow and Ice Snow's father is revealed to have died and fearing for her friend's safety Princess Celine sent the huntsman Alexander (Snow's childhood friend) back to his kingdom to protect her from a dangerous criminal who was on the loose. With all that story build up I was eager to find out how the timid and quiet princess Snow rose up to become the strong leader her people needed. The story opens with Snow mourning the loss of her father and feeling betrayed b...