Veiled Rose (Tales of Goldstone Wood #2)

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Veiled Rose (Tales of Goldstone Wood #2)

by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 228 ratings · 53 reviews

Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.
Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, ru...more

Paperback, 375 pages

Published July 1st 2011 by Bethany House Publishers

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Sep 22, 2011 Faye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Veiled Rose is an intricately woven book, full of fresh fantasy with a classic feel. The story follows two complex main characters, Rose Red, a mysterious girl who covers her secret with veils, and Leo, a young prince who is always ready for adventure.

Veiled Rose reads like a timeless classic, a bit slow going at times but well worth reading. Ms. Stengl weaves an ethereal spell throughout the book, with complicated plotlines laid down ever so subtly. It is a rich, engaging and all together enjoy...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Elevetha Houre rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, magic-and-other-magical-substances, the-series-of-awesome-quest, the-dragon-was-reluctant-at-first, too-many-questions, 2012

The cover is...pretty but I'm not sure that that is a good representation of Rose Red. Maybe in the Dragon's mind?

On the one hand, this book felt too long. Too many unimportant things going on making me bored.

On the other hand.....I liked having the information that we got from Leo and Rose Red's childhood. Seeing them grow up. And then, obviously, Leo's running off when we would have met him in Heartless.

50/50, I guess.

Again, I feel that the Christian themes are nice but are very clumsily tie...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled with rags, shunning the company of all to save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.

Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Headstrong Leo startles everyone by befriending Rose Red, and together they begin searching for the monster rumored to be stalking these lands.

But the hunt, which began as a game, holds greater risk than either imagines. Soon...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, dragons, family, friendship, fiction, monsters

Veiled Rose
Tales of Goldstone Wood 2
By Anne Elisabeth Stengl

This the second book in the series. Book 1 Heartless had a few scenes with Leonard - Prince Lionheart of the Southlands. Veiled Rose is Leo's story and it is the story of Red Rose.

Leo and Red Rose develop a friendship when Leo spends a summer with his cousin in a remote area. Rosie is a young girl whose true appearance is hidden from view by the layers of veils she forever wears. Her only companions are her old father, Beana - nanny go...more
Veiled Rose
Tales of Goldstone Wood 2
By Anne Elisabeth Stengl

This the second book in the series. Book 1 Heartless had a few scenes with Leonard - Prince Lionheart of the Southlands. Veiled Rose is Leo's story and it is the story of Red Rose.

Leo and Red Rose develop a friendship when Leo spends a summer with his cousin in a remote area. Rosie is a young girl whose true appearance is hidden from view by the layers of veils she forever wears. Her only companions are her old father, Beana - nanny goat, her imaginary friend who is a songbird, and the one who haunts her dreams and taunts her. When Leo and Rosie meet their lives are forever altered.

But the town folk who live below the mountain where Rosie lives believe she is the monster of the legends and that she will bring doom upon them all. When Leo's cousin Foxglove sees Leo with Rosie he declares that Leo has been bewitched by the mountain monster. But Leo cannot see the monster that everyone declares Rosie to be.

But as he grows older Leo's mother is determined to see Leo marry whom she desires and the lady of her choice is the Lady Daylily. But Daylily is not as she is expected to be - she is not afraid of anything and she is determined to win Leo and the throne. But Leo's friendship with Rosie is a threat to Daylily's plans.

But when a dragon invades their country and takes the capital and royal family captive Daylily and Rosie save Price Lionheart and together the two young women return to the castle to care for his family while Leo goes search of something that will aid him in quest to defeat the dragon.

But soon Daylily and the rest of the royal family succumb to the noxious fumes of the dragon while Leo continues his quest. Forbidden to leave the castle upon threat of death, Rosie is soon tested in her resolve to protect Leo's family.

As time slowly passes Leo's quest takes him far from home. When he is directed to find a ring to draw the dragon from his homeland, Leo finds himself playing Jester in the court of King Fidel of Parumvir. But Leo is soon tricked into betraying Princess Una though he is at first unwilling to betray her and must be persuaded.

But when the dragon leaves the Southlands can anyone truly be free of the dragon's power and at what cost was their freedom bought?(less)

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Dec 10, 2011 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I had not read the first book in this series. This means I will now need to do that. It is not necessary to understand this story, it just makes for a well rounded tale. I loved the way we are taken on a journey where the reader is expecting one thing to happen and it doesn’t turn out the way expected. I love when books surprise me in this way. Leo sets off for adventure and finds Rose Red and her goat. They become the best of friends. His goal is to seek out the monster he has heard about. Rose...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

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This is a perfect novel for a long airplane or train ride, it has the ability to distract the reader and take him/her into the novel's fantasy world. Leo is a young boy who desires adventure, as young boys are prone to do. He is slightly impulsive, caring, and daring. Whilst on his version of an adventure, Leo runs into Rose Red. At first, he is scared-especially by her goat. Soon her realizes that she is kind and they become fast friends. Leo wonders abou...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, supense-thriller-fiction, christian-suspense-fiction, christian-science-fiction, christian-fantasy-fiction

In fairy tales not all of them end with a happily ever after. Sometimes there are parts of the story we never really get to know. There are people that seem like the supporting character in the story, but once we learn their part of the story, it really does change how we view the story.

Leo at only eleven had been told what to do, when to do it and how it should be done. Yet what a boy at eleven really wanted was adventure. Adventure the was best lived outside the fairie tales of books, once tha...more In fairy tales not all of them end with a happily ever after. Sometimes there are parts of the story we never really get to know. There are people that seem like the supporting character in the story, but once we learn their part of the story, it really does change how we view the story.

Leo at only eleven had been told what to do, when to do it and how it should be done. Yet what a boy at eleven really wanted was adventure. Adventure the was best lived outside the fairie tales of books, once that existed in the real world. When he learned that a monster lived in the deepest, darkest woods just outside his home in Hill House, he began in earnest to seek out its secrets despite his overwhelming fear.

Armed with a beanpole as a sword given to him by the old gardener on the property and a warning that what he seeks isn't always what it appears, he tries to hold on to bravery as he searches for a path in the darkness of the forest. What he finds there is just an old nanny goat, who scares him more than any monster would. But the goat isn't alone, it belongs to Rose Red, a girl cloaked in rags from head to toe and veils that show only her kindest eyes.

Seeking true friendship for both is what unites them and keeps them company during the long, hot days of the summer, until the day Leo mentions hunting the monster once more. When she leads him to the cave where the monster dwells it will lead them both on an unforgettable journey into the lands of legends and fairie tales.

In the sequel to the Tales of Goldstone Woods series, Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, picks up as a prequel of sorts to Heartless. You won't figure it all out until the end, and just when you think you have uncovered the secrets that lay hidden in the darkness, you'll be surprised once more. For those that love fantasy in dealing with dragons, dreams and mythical creatures, like Lord of The Rings Trilogy or the Chronicles of Narnia, then this one is perfect for you. Set amid the hope of romance and love, some things will never be the way we want them to be and for this reason, I loved this book. It's unpredictable in so many ways and thus rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review.(less)

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Sep 27, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

All I can say is wow. After reading the first book, I thought this one would be awful, but I loved it!
Plot: Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely. Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Headstrong young Leo startles everyone by befriending Rose Red, and together they begin searching for the monster rumored...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Nikole Hahn rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you loved Grimm's Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Anderson, this book will win your heart immediately. The moment I opened the book, it was like I strayed into a dream. A strange dream with so many details that a second reading would bring more information to light.

You don't know who the bad guy or good guy is in this book. You are lost in the confusion in a good way. I loved the details and the descriptions. I could see this land, that mountain, and the cave. I can follow Rose Red's movement...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Margaret Metz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-young-adult

Okay, I'll admit it. I didn't like Prince Lionheart when I read Heartless, the first book in this series. I thought he was selfish and a coward. I only knew that he lied about who he was and felt that he used Princess Una in a horrible way. I grew to think of him just as Leo in this book and I loved him. I guess that shows you how important knowing a person's back story can be. lol I think I liked this book overall even better than the first. Maybe it's the series effect (growing to love the cha...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The most delightful fantasy I've read in a while, every bit as good as its predecessor. It balances the ethereal, magical elements - the dreams, the Netherworld, the Paths - with the real world - Hill House, the mountain woods, the streets of the Eastern empires - perfectly. I never felt lose as I have with some similar books. I also love the way the themes are unclear until near the end. I wasn't sure what to expect when the climax got over and what I had thought was the main plot didn't really...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Venus rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I hadn't read it directly after Heartless; the injected idea of this allegorical series is, overall, too much the same. Even still, I very much enjoyed this book. The middle had some dragging, awkward and extremely vague points in the story. (Though they did enhance its fantastic element.) For example, when Rose Red wanders the Netherworld. The beautiful fog of Stengl's writing was too thick; at times, distracting, and a fog deeper than could hold m...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, review-copy

Rose Red hides her face and body behind veils. She hasn't revealed herself to but a few trusted individuals: the gardener she calls father and her over-protective Nanny Goat, Beana. The only other friends she has on her solitary mountain is her "imaginary" friend the wood thrush and the nightmare friend who invades and tortures her dreams. Her seclusion comes to an end as a young boy named Leo, who hikes up the mountains during his summer stay with his aunt searching for the town's legendary mon...more Rose Red hides her face and body behind veils. She hasn't revealed herself to but a few trusted individuals: the gardener she calls father and her over-protective Nanny Goat, Beana. The only other friends she has on her solitary mountain is her "imaginary" friend the wood thrush and the nightmare friend who invades and tortures her dreams. Her seclusion comes to an end as a young boy named Leo, who hikes up the mountains during his summer stay with his aunt searching for the town's legendary monster, befriends Rose. Both Leo and Rose desperately needed the friendship each provides. Little did they realize just how much they would need each other as the real danger upon the mountain reveals itself.

Below is a quote I loved from the book, though there are more. This comes after Leo, who loves to entertain, tells his new friend Rose a fairy tale in which the ending is very sad. Rose asks Leo what good there is in a story that doesn't have a happy ending, his response is that "Maybe it does have a happy ending. At least, when it's actually complete. I mean, this part of it is sad. But maybe something good will come of it still? I suppose you have to read all the legends together to know for sure, but I don't know all of them. This one is sad, but there might be a story out there somewhere to make it happy." (p. 40) Little did young Leo know how true this would become in his own life story. I love it! There are slight undertones, which may reveal themselves more in the future, to Christian teachings, but this story is in no way cheesy. Stengl is building a very large story here with dragons, unicorns, good and evil, paupers, Princes, Goblins and beauties. I think the stories from the Goldstone Wood series will only get better as the larger plot unfolds.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Veiled Rose, which is the second book in the tales of the Goldstone Wood series by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Even though I have not read the first book, I was able to follow the story easily, though I am sure it would have had more depth if I had started in the sequential order. In fact, the author has said that she has at least 6 books planned, which means the scale of this world is obviously much larger than I had realized. Thankfully, this book can almost stand alone. Almost, but not quite. This single adventure does wrap up so the reader isn't left hanging and it leaves the reader with the understanding that more is happening than just this single story of events. Book Three: Moonblood will be released in April 2012. I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Here is a link if you would like to read an excerpt from the book: http://www.bethanyhouse.com/ME2/Audie...(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy, young-adult

MUCH darker than the first book in the trilogy, and surprisingly I enjoyed it even more than "Heartless" (I usually like the first book of a trilogy better, since it's where I have the fun of discovering a new world). Stengl covers the same time period as "Heartless", with many of the same characters, and yet tells a completely different story that stands on its own. A lot of that is due to the title character, who was NEVER what I expected her to be.

A favorite quote of mine from Neil Gaiman's "...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Angelc rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've seen many great reviews of this series, but I have to be honest and say that I just didn't "get it." I think it hindered my reading that I didn't read the first book, but the story was just way too cryptic for my tastes. I felt like I wandered through the book in a fog that made no sense. I wanted at least one straight answer to my many questions.

I liked Leo's character and his growth. I especially liked that the author started to call him by his full name, "Lionheart", when he really becam...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Last year I had the privilege of reviewing the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I fell in-love with the fantasy world Stengl created. When the second book in the series, Veiled Rose, was released I knew right away that I wanted to read it.
Veiled Rose is an epic fantasy where dragons are feared, beauty is praised and things are not what they appear to be. This story is centered around two main characters. Leo made an appearance in Heartless. In...more Last year I had the privilege of reviewing the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I fell in-love with the fantasy world Stengl created. When the second book in the series, Veiled Rose, was released I knew right away that I wanted to read it.
Veiled Rose is an epic fantasy where dragons are feared, beauty is praised and things are not what they appear to be. This story is centered around two main characters. Leo made an appearance in Heartless. In this book we learn all about Leo's history from the time that he's a boy. He's a precocious lad ready to take on the world despite his fears. While visiting his cousin for the summer he vows to slay the monster that lives in the mountains. While traipsing through the woods he meets a young girl, Rose Red. Rose Red is covered from head to toe. She is a mystery. However these two become fast friends and share many adventures together.
I liked learning more about Leo. In Veiled Rose Stengl gives more of an insight into his character. I felt that I understood his motivations a lot more in this novel. Leo has some really good qualities but he also has some really annoying qualities as well. I like the relationship between Leo and Rose a lot. It seemed that the only time his character was authentic was when he was with her. Rose was the one who wore the physical veil but Leo is the one hiding behind a metaphorical veil. I really liked the mystery behind Rose Red. Her appearance is a complete mystery. Her only friends are a goat, the man she calls father and her imaginary prince until she meets Leo. You can tell from the beginning that Rose Red is no ordinary girl. She possesses strength, courage and inner beauty.
Rose Red is plagued my nightmares. She dreams of a mysterious man that claims to be her friend. He desires just one kiss from her. He uses everything in his power to persuade her. He is the protagonist in this novel and is cunningly evil. As he sets out to get what he wants, he destroys everything in his path. Stengl has created a truly deplorable character. Evil is just a game to him.
The story line in this novel is good. It has a religious undertone with many poignant themes. The adventure that Rose Red and Leo have to embark on help shape their characters. I love seeing the character growth with these two characters. Veiled Rose is a fast paced, well written novel. It had me hooked from beginning to end. I can't wait for the next book to come out.(less)

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Oct 11, 2011 Cheryl Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bethany-house-reviews

Ah, escaping to a different land, a different time and a different everything- isn’t that a major reason to read a book? In the words of C.S Lewis “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again”. Well I guess I am there with Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s newest book in her Tales of Goldstone Wood series Veiled Rose. (Or rather in my case, I don’t think I ever stopped reading them). If you are a fantasy fan that loves to read of princes and princesses, dragons and the netherworld t...more Ah, escaping to a different land, a different time and a different everything- isn’t that a major reason to read a book? In the words of C.S Lewis “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again”. Well I guess I am there with Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s newest book in her Tales of Goldstone Wood series Veiled Rose. (Or rather in my case, I don’t think I ever stopped reading them). If you are a fantasy fan that loves to read of princes and princesses, dragons and the netherworld then this book is for you.

Our 2 main characters are both intriguing and complex with regards to what they are looking for in this life. Our heroine Rose red has a secret that is hidden behind her special veils- all designed to hide who she really is. She has lived a lonely existence in the forest and hills above Hill House- a mansion housing young Leo who is visiting his relatives for the summer. And Leo is our little boy longing for adventure and looking to defeat the Monster of the hills. He finds adventure all right, but more prominently he finds a fast and true friendship with Rose Red that grows in importance as they do in age throughout the book. As young Leo is the crowned prince of the Southlands or ”Prince Lionheart” as he is known later in the novel, the pressures of his title irk him ,as all he would really like to be is a jester who entertains all those around them with juggling and a song (sung out of tune mind you, but never mind that). Unfortunately both Rose Red and Lionheart have to take separate journeys to try and save the kingdom from the wrath of the Dragon (enter villain), who is absolutely hell-bent on having Rose Red as his very own.

This story is full of adventure, excitement and quite allegorical. The struggles each character goes through in the end show what each is really made of, in how it manifests in their choices. I honestly did not guess Rose Red’s secret until it was revealed to me in the end and I love that when an author can pull that off, it’s pretty rare for me. I will not give that secret away in this review- read it for yourself and find out! The pull of evil in our lives is strong and this book illustrated it beautifully while also showing the great hope and love that the light offers. A great read and one I really recommend. I had not read Heartless before I read this book and did just fine, so now I will have to backtrack and read it.
4 stars.

I was graciously provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

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May 03, 2013 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-owned, first-reads, tbr-2013-challenge, 2013-reads, fantasy

I received my free copy of Veiled Rose from the Author through Goodreads First Reads. I was not obligated to write a positive review; this is my full and honest opinion.

Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Even though the girl looks nothing like Rose Red, I do like the cover. You really see the character impersonator's face, and I like how her image is in a mirror, held (clearly) by the Dragon.

Characters: Rose Red is a much better protagonist than Una in Heartless. She may not be able to do much about her si...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Jennette Mbewe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Leo's story. If you've read Heartless, then you will know the main character of this book. It is his side of the story, and we do see bits and pieces of Una, the main character in Heartless.

First, I must apologize to Leo, Prince Lionheart. I had a bit of a grudge against him for his behavior in Heartless, but now we know why. Reason don't excuse a person's choices, behavior, but it does help to understand where they are coming from, and it helps us give grace. Something that I find true in my o...more

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May 16, 2013 Becky B rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, inspirational-fiction, young-adult

There seems to be this unwritten rule of the literary universe: if an author's first work was amazing and brilliant, usually their second work is only ok, but if their first work is only ok, they just continually get better the more they write. Stengl falls in the latter. Her first book was good, but you can tell that she grew through the experience of writing that because this is even better. Her voice is more consistent throughout the book and she does a better job of giving the reader a sense...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, fantasy, from-library, read-2012

Fantasy was my first love as a reader, so I always end up coming back to that for comfort and for the love of the genre. Veiled Rose definitely hit all of the marks that I love about fantasy. The allegory wasn't as clear to me in this story as it was in the first book, Heartless, but it was still present.

I enjoyed Heartless, but I enjoyed Veiled Rose even more. The main characters were more likable to me. Rose Red, though she had her secrets, was endearing, and her struggles felt genuine. Prince...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Mk rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites-top-30, long-time-favorites, 2012-books

I am absolutely enthralled by the Tales of Goldstone Wood. The thing I loved most about this book was being able to see all of Leo's story and seeing how this book tied into Heartless.

By the end of Heartless I hated Leo and thought he was a really big jerk. But this book made me see his reasoning : he wanted his kingdom back and he was greatly influenced in his decisions by the Lady of Dreams Realized. She pushed him to do things that he felt conflicted about : he didn't want to hurt Una but the...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction

I am always a fan of fairy re-tellings, even if it is for a fairy tale I am not actually familiar with, as that of Rose Red. It took me awhile, but I also gathered that the book is a kind of Christian allegory, and parts remind me of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.
Rose Red is by far the most intriguing character, as her birth is shrouded in mystery, her friends are animals with voices, and she cloaks herself in veils and layers to hide even the smallest scrap of skin from any prying eyes - in...more I am always a fan of fairy re-tellings, even if it is for a fairy tale I am not actually familiar with, as that of Rose Red. It took me awhile, but I also gathered that the book is a kind of Christian allegory, and parts remind me of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.
Rose Red is by far the most intriguing character, as her birth is shrouded in mystery, her friends are animals with voices, and she cloaks herself in veils and layers to hide even the smallest scrap of skin from any prying eyes - including her own. The shame she bears for her own appearance is so great that her very existence is surrounded by grand tales of monsters and demons told by all of the local villagers, yet she bears a strength much greater than she appears to possess and she has a kind of magic that allows her to walk the secret Paths and face down death in all its forms. Even at the end of the book, I could not fully grasp who or what she is.
Leo manages to find and befriend Rose Red in boyhood, but he has a burden of his own as Prince Lionheart of Southlands, destined to become King. Leo knows his responsibilities, but he secretly just wants a friend and to make people laugh as a court jester. These polar opposites manage to pull him across the world again and again as he struggles with the simple question, "What do you want?"
Many other characters litter the pages of the book, which was at times confusing as I attempted to deduce which creature or character was on the side of good or evil, such as the Dragon - which became apparent at its occupation of Southlands. As an allegory for Christianity, some characters were clear - such as the Prince, but others were murkier, such as the Lady.
The structure of the book itself was off-putting for me. The book is divided into five parts, with chapters in each part, but in between each part a vague sense of time has passed, so that the reader cannot pick up where the last chapter left off. At each break, I would get the feeling that the plot was picking up, only to be let down that the climactic moments have been glossed over. I also really disliked the ending. Certain things are expected of classic fairy tales, and none of this was included in the ending of this book. Perhaps the author was aiming for something more "realistic" or to simply get the reader to continue the series, but loose endings this big make me feel like I wasted my time reading the book, only to get no satisfaction at the finale.(less)

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Dec 08, 2012 Madame Butterfly rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very nice sequel to 'Heartless'. 'Heartless' is still the best but this was really great and very well written. At first I had a really hard time getting into the story, the epilouge is just a tad confusing but then again epilouges tend to be like that. I felt sorta rushed whenever I was reading it, I wasn't giving my full attention to the story but then at part four I really started paying more attention!

The plot is very intersting, the whole time I just wanted to know what was under...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Rina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star, fantasy-fairytale, favorites, romance

I loved this book. It’s fantastic! So much adventure and mystery, a myriad of strange and powerful creatures, happenings in the seen and unseen world, and plenty of love, hate, loyalty and betrayal. The plot is intricate, the characters interesting and the author has an amazing imagination!

This is book two in the series and I’d encourage you to read the first book, Heartless, before reading Veiled Rose as the stories overlap and share a few characters. It’s not essential but helps fill in the st...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

Veiled Rose begins unassumingly enough, with little magic in evidence as young Leo explores the mountains above Hill House, where he has been sent for the summer. He'd heard rumors of a monster in the mountains, but all he has found is a little girl wearing layers of veils, named Rose Red. The two become friends, and even though he leaves for several years, their bond remains when he returns to Hill House several years later. When he learns that her father has died, he asks her to return with hi...more Veiled Rose begins unassumingly enough, with little magic in evidence as young Leo explores the mountains above Hill House, where he has been sent for the summer. He'd heard rumors of a monster in the mountains, but all he has found is a little girl wearing layers of veils, named Rose Red. The two become friends, and even though he leaves for several years, their bond remains when he returns to Hill House several years later. When he learns that her father has died, he asks her to return with him to his home so he can make sure she is taken care of. But Rose Red is clearly hiding a secret, and the magical elements that had previously seemed limited to dreams build up to a crescendo with the arrival of a dragon on Leo's doorstep. What follows is a quest by Leo to free Southlands of the dragon and by Rose Red to free Leo's betrothed from the clutches of the dragon.

I liked this book, though I feel like I didn't truly understand what was going on and why certain characters were being manipulated by certain beings through dreams. It is the second book in a series, and I wonder whether I would have had a better grasp on the events and the characters if I had read the first book. Even several weeks after finishing this book and trying to digest it well enough for a review, I still think I don't completely understand what was going on. I'm definitely not entirely clear on some of the details, and I'm hoping that maybe that will be cleared up by reading the other books in the series. So even though I had moments of confusion, I liked this story well enough that I'm willing to continue with the series. I'm especially curious about where the relationship between Leo and Rose Red will lead after Leo gets married, and what will happen when the dragon returns.

Although this book is published by Bethany House, which is known for Christian fiction, the religious aspects of this story are allegorical. I think even readers who dislike Christian fiction would not find the subtle nature of the Christian allegory in this tale to be off-putting, though I can only speak for this book in the series. I'll have to read the other books to see if this holds true for the rest of the series.

(I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.)(less)

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Nov 06, 2011 Dawn rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

ummary from the back of the book
Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely. Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, rumor says, stalks these lands. But the hunt which began as a game holds greater risk than Leo...more ummary from the back of the book
Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely. Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, rumor says, stalks these lands. But the hunt which began as a game holds greater risk than Leo supposes. Rose Red can scarcely guess at the consequences should he insist on continuing his search. Dare she trust him with her secret? Or tell him what dwells at the top of the mountain in the cave only she can find? Above all, when Leo asks Rose Red to leave the mountain and follow him to the low country, dare she agree and risk the wrath of a Monster that is all too real?

My thoughts
I am a huge fan of fantasy. I've read things from Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, to CS Lewis and Kathy Tyers. When I first saw this book, I was intrigued by the back cover summary as well as by the beautiful cover. As I started to read it, I grew more and more disappointed and frustrated. Maybe it's because this is book two in a series and I hadn't read the first one. Maybe it's because I couldn't get a good sense of what was really going on. I don't know. I just know that I struggled to read and to complete the book. I would read a couple of pages and then promptly fall asleep - even when I wasn't tired. It got to the point that I took the book with me to work to read on my lunch breaks, and that did help me to finish it.

I really liked Rose Red's character. She was fun and a free spirit. But she was in bondage and felt that her secret was dangerous. Prince Leo, I found him to be arrogant and rather spoiled. It seemed to me that he was determined to find this monster no matter the cost to him, Rose Red, or to his kingdom. I admit that the monster is supposed to show our own sinful natures and that each person must come to the recognition that they have a sinful nature. But I found it to be very disjointed in the plot.

I will give the author credit. She took her time in developing the characters and the story. Though she was a bit too descriptive and wordy for my tastes, she did a good job in writing her book.

As much as I adore fantasy novels and know how hard it is to find quality fantasy novels in the Christian fiction market, I'm sorry to say that I will not be reading anything else that Anne Elisabeth Stengl writes because I honestly did not like the book. Typically if I don't like a book by about the 4th or 5th chapter, I won't finish it. But I did force myself to finish the book so that I could leave an honest review.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to like the book. My thoughts and opinions are my own. (less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Valerie Comer rated it 4 of 5 stars

A young boy, Leo, is sent to visit his aunt and cousin every summer. When he’s 11, he hears rumors of a monster living on the mountain behind the manor house and decides to go hunting it. After all, being in the house and garden is boring and his cousin is insufferable. Leo is shocked to meet a little girl named Rose Red swathed in veils up on the mountain. Though Rosie has some strange talents, like disappearing in the blink of an eye, the two become friends and spend the summer building dams,...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Bluerose's Heart rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, clean, fantasy, little-no-romance, favorites, young-adult-12-and-up

It took me a little while to get into this book. It moves quite slowly, but once it did grab my attention, it kept it. It's under 400 pages, but it seemed long. It felt like I had to read forever to get to the end. That's not necessarily bad, though. I was just so incredibly curious what was hidden under Rose Red's veil that I couldn't get to the end quick enough.

I felt like I was missing details. At times I was really confused, and didn't know who characters were suppose to be. I had to go bac...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Erica Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, christian-fiction, 2013-reading-list, dragons, scifi-fantasy, favorites

I was hoping that this second book would pick up the pace better than the first book did. But I was a bit disappointed. I did enjoy how the book started with Leo and Rosie as children and gave us an entire history of the two of them. She definitely painted Leo in a different light which kind of changes the way you thought about him from the first book. But while it was an interesting and enjoyable way to start, once again the entire first half of the book felt slow...then it picked up around the...more

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About Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MO...more

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