What do you think?
Rate this book
Accidental Enchantments #2
The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf
Book two in Accidental Enchantments.
Prince Richard is cursed. Enslaved to a magic mirror, he must truthfully answer the evil queen when she uses it to call on him. To keep from betraying innocents, Richard wanders the countryside and avoids people.
All her life, Gretchen has been teased for being small. When she hears of a hidden farm populated by little people like her, she sets out to find it—and is welcomed by the mostly male inhabitants. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle kindness and quiet strength.
Danger looms when Gretchen meets a runaway princess and offers her shelter at the Little Farm. Wandering nearby, Richard instantly falls in love with the beautiful princess, and is later compelled to tell the queen that she is not the fairest of them all. Enraged, the queen vows to find them and destroy them.
If either Gretchen or Richard are to have their happy endings, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all…
For another fairy tale retelling from Tia Nevitt, check out The Sevenfold Spell, available now!
43,000 words
Prince Richard is cursed. Enslaved to a magic mirror, he must truthfully answer the evil queen when she uses it to call on him. To keep from betraying innocents, Richard wanders the countryside and avoids people.
All her life, Gretchen has been teased for being small. When she hears of a hidden farm populated by little people like her, she sets out to find it—and is welcomed by the mostly male inhabitants. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle kindness and quiet strength.
Danger looms when Gretchen meets a runaway princess and offers her shelter at the Little Farm. Wandering nearby, Richard instantly falls in love with the beautiful princess, and is later compelled to tell the queen that she is not the fairest of them all. Enraged, the queen vows to find them and destroy them.
If either Gretchen or Richard are to have their happy endings, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all…
For another fairy tale retelling from Tia Nevitt, check out The Sevenfold Spell, available now!
43,000 words
250 pages, ebook
First published February 18, 2013
About the author
Tia Nevitt
5 books36 followersNot even a stint in the military as an aircraft mechanic could erase Tia Nevitt’s love of fairy tales. To this day, she loves to read (and write) books that take her to another place, or another time, or both. Tia has also worked on an assembly line, as a computer programmer, a technical writer and a business analyst. Over the years, she has suffered from TMI (too many interests) syndrome, and under its influence she also dabbles in calligraphy, violin, piano and songwriting. All these activities occasionally distract her from her true calling, the writing of fiction, but she always comes home. She lives in the southeast with her husband and daughter.
Tia’s novella, The Sevenfold Spell, won the 2012 EPIC ebook award for Fantasy.
Tia’s novella, The Sevenfold Spell, won the 2012 EPIC ebook award for Fantasy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 25, 2013
4 STARS
This is a retelling of Snow White and the seventh Dwarfs. I liked it. Had a lot of same characters but different.
Evil step-mother who was the fairest, she has taken the princess thrown till she comes of age if she lives that long. The Queen has a magic mirror that can not lie to her. She can ask three questions only morning and night.
The tattered Princess wears ill fitted clothes that the Queen makes her wear. She is kind and tries to help her people behind her step-mothers back.
The 5 dwarfs that live together and farm. It is run by a Dwarf couple. a minstral goes around telling tales of the dwarfs and thier farm.
Lars used to be a court jester has come now to work the farm and be with others of his kind.
Gretchen heres about the farm and she gets the minstral to take her thier. She wants to find a husband. She travels in disguise of a boy. No one knows her a women till Lars points that out at first meeting.
Magic Mirror is Prince Richard he can't refuse to tell the queen the truth but he tries to give her the least amount of good knowledge as he can. He travels around lost tries not to learn anything useful for the queen to find out.
I enjoyed reading The Magic Mirror and seeing the story in a whole new way. This is a very clean story and fast to read. Any age could enjoy it.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
Description taken off Netgalley
Book two in Accidental Enchantments.
Prince Richard is cursed. Enslaved to a magic mirror, he must truthfully answer the evil queen when she uses it to call on him. To keep from betraying innocents, Richard wanders the countryside and avoids people.
All her life, Gretchen has been teased for being small. When she hears of a hidden farm populated by little people like her, she sets out to find it—and is welcomed by the mostly male inhabitants. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle kindness and quiet strength.
Danger looms when Gretchen meets a runaway princess and offers her shelter at the Little Farm. Wandering nearby, Richard instantly falls in love with the beautiful princess, and is later compelled to tell the queen that she is not the fairest of them all. Enraged, the queen vows to find them and destroy them.
If either Gretchen or Richard are to have their happy endings, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all…
For another fairy tale retelling from Tia Nevitt, check out The Sevenfold Spell, available now!
43,000 words
02/15/2012 PUB Carina Press 250 pages ISBN: 9781426895104
This is a retelling of Snow White and the seventh Dwarfs. I liked it. Had a lot of same characters but different.
Evil step-mother who was the fairest, she has taken the princess thrown till she comes of age if she lives that long. The Queen has a magic mirror that can not lie to her. She can ask three questions only morning and night.
The tattered Princess wears ill fitted clothes that the Queen makes her wear. She is kind and tries to help her people behind her step-mothers back.
The 5 dwarfs that live together and farm. It is run by a Dwarf couple. a minstral goes around telling tales of the dwarfs and thier farm.
Lars used to be a court jester has come now to work the farm and be with others of his kind.
Gretchen heres about the farm and she gets the minstral to take her thier. She wants to find a husband. She travels in disguise of a boy. No one knows her a women till Lars points that out at first meeting.
Magic Mirror is Prince Richard he can't refuse to tell the queen the truth but he tries to give her the least amount of good knowledge as he can. He travels around lost tries not to learn anything useful for the queen to find out.
I enjoyed reading The Magic Mirror and seeing the story in a whole new way. This is a very clean story and fast to read. Any age could enjoy it.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
Description taken off Netgalley
Book two in Accidental Enchantments.
Prince Richard is cursed. Enslaved to a magic mirror, he must truthfully answer the evil queen when she uses it to call on him. To keep from betraying innocents, Richard wanders the countryside and avoids people.
All her life, Gretchen has been teased for being small. When she hears of a hidden farm populated by little people like her, she sets out to find it—and is welcomed by the mostly male inhabitants. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle kindness and quiet strength.
Danger looms when Gretchen meets a runaway princess and offers her shelter at the Little Farm. Wandering nearby, Richard instantly falls in love with the beautiful princess, and is later compelled to tell the queen that she is not the fairest of them all. Enraged, the queen vows to find them and destroy them.
If either Gretchen or Richard are to have their happy endings, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all…
For another fairy tale retelling from Tia Nevitt, check out The Sevenfold Spell, available now!
43,000 words
02/15/2012 PUB Carina Press 250 pages ISBN: 9781426895104
February 14, 2013
Accepting yourself is a powerful thing.
This is truly beautiful story that I absolutely loved. This is the first time I have tried a book by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last. The story has characters that are different and because of this are treated horribly by their peers. Through hardships and unexpected friendships they find that what they needed more than anything was to be able to accept themselves.
There was quite a bit of adventure in this book as well. The characters had to work for their happy ending. Seeing them outsmart the wicked queen was one of the funniest parts of the whole book! The romance between the characters was very real and so sweet. I could definitely see them all having very long and happy relationships.
Gretchen is a brave young woman that I would love to be friends with. She is treated pretty badly throughout the book, but even so she always holds her head high and doesn’t stoop to their level. This is a very hard thing to do and I respected her a lot for being able to do it. She isn’t perfect, however and mistrusts the people she refers to as “normals”. I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her grow and finally accept herself and realize that not everyone is as cruel as her peers were.
Another character we get to know is Richard who also has a lot to learn. He was cursed after falling for a woman with a beautiful face and ice cold heart. He comes to find that true beauty is what’s in someone’s heart not in the fairness of their face. Richard is really interesting and I liked this new take on the magic mirror from “Sleeping Beauty” it was unique.
The only downside is that I wish that it was a bit longer. I look forward to seeing more characters from this series in later books!
A unique new take on and old classic that fairytale fans are sure to love!
This is truly beautiful story that I absolutely loved. This is the first time I have tried a book by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last. The story has characters that are different and because of this are treated horribly by their peers. Through hardships and unexpected friendships they find that what they needed more than anything was to be able to accept themselves.
There was quite a bit of adventure in this book as well. The characters had to work for their happy ending. Seeing them outsmart the wicked queen was one of the funniest parts of the whole book! The romance between the characters was very real and so sweet. I could definitely see them all having very long and happy relationships.
Gretchen is a brave young woman that I would love to be friends with. She is treated pretty badly throughout the book, but even so she always holds her head high and doesn’t stoop to their level. This is a very hard thing to do and I respected her a lot for being able to do it. She isn’t perfect, however and mistrusts the people she refers to as “normals”. I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her grow and finally accept herself and realize that not everyone is as cruel as her peers were.
Another character we get to know is Richard who also has a lot to learn. He was cursed after falling for a woman with a beautiful face and ice cold heart. He comes to find that true beauty is what’s in someone’s heart not in the fairness of their face. Richard is really interesting and I liked this new take on the magic mirror from “Sleeping Beauty” it was unique.
The only downside is that I wish that it was a bit longer. I look forward to seeing more characters from this series in later books!
A unique new take on and old classic that fairytale fans are sure to love!
February 10, 2013
As a child, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of my least favorite fairy tales. Yet Tia Nevitt re-told this story in such a clever fashion that I have been converted.
Whereas the traditional story has very flat, undynamic characters, Nevitt creates protagonists with depth. Gretchen and Lars seek out the Klein farm to meet others like them and they discover acceptance. Princess Angelika is not the traditional Snow White, but the Tattered Princess who bravely follows in her stepmother's wake to distribute coins to the people of her land, in defiance of her stepmother's wrath. The characters all experience shame and doubt, but overcome these emotions through their friendships and growing love. Perhaps the greatest twist is that you learn early on that Prince Charming is, in fact, the Magic Mirror.
Although the reader knows the end of the story, Nevitt takes us on an unexpected journey to that end. She keeps us wondering how the characters will make it to that happy ending.
Whereas the traditional story has very flat, undynamic characters, Nevitt creates protagonists with depth. Gretchen and Lars seek out the Klein farm to meet others like them and they discover acceptance. Princess Angelika is not the traditional Snow White, but the Tattered Princess who bravely follows in her stepmother's wake to distribute coins to the people of her land, in defiance of her stepmother's wrath. The characters all experience shame and doubt, but overcome these emotions through their friendships and growing love. Perhaps the greatest twist is that you learn early on that Prince Charming is, in fact, the Magic Mirror.
Although the reader knows the end of the story, Nevitt takes us on an unexpected journey to that end. She keeps us wondering how the characters will make it to that happy ending.
August 23, 2018
Rated 3.5 stars
June 19, 2013
3.5 stars
Originally posted at FanLit:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
I rarely read fairytale retellings, but I picked up The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf because its author, Tia Nevitt, is a friend of mine. She’s a former fellow SFF blogger and she lives just a few minutes away from me, so we chat occasionally and have gotten together a few times. Also, I enjoyed her first published novel, the first in her ACCIDENTAL ENCHANTMENTS series, The Sevenfold Spell, a re-telling of Sleeping Beauty which focuses on the minor characters in the story. I read it without telling her I was reading it, just so I wouldn’t have to admit I didn’t like it if it failed to please. (Fortunately, I did like it!)
The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf has a similar set-up. In this case, Tia delightfully mangles the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. In Tia’s version the evil queen has cursed a former lover, Prince Richard, with the magic mirror — he must truthfully answer three questions for her every morning and evening. She uses Richard’s knowledge to rule her land tyrannically and to assure herself that she is still “the fairest of them all.” The seventh dwarf of the title is a young woman named Gretchen who is teased for being short and misshapen. When she hears about a farm where dwarves live, she goes there to try to find a husband. Soon she meets Angelika, the beautiful princess who is seeking shelter from her evil stepmother, the queen. When Prince Richard happens along and sees the princess, he must tell the truth: the evil queen is no longer the fairest of them all. This, as you might expect, causes all sorts of problems for everybody.
Tia’s ACCIDENTAL ENCHANTMENTS stories, published by Harlequin’s ebook imprint, are definitely romances. I don’t usually like romance novels, but what sets Tia’s stories apart is her in-depth characterization of minor characters and the way she uses their troubles to explore real human emotions. In this story, I truly felt for Gretchen who sees herself as an outsider who can never fit in. She wants to be a good person, but the bullying she experiences and her jealousy of “normal” girls threatens to negatively affect her personality. When she decides to escape, she goes to the farm hoping simply to find people like her and a decent partner who can help her share the burdens of life. Based on her past experiences in life, she doesn’t dare to hope for anything more, especially not for love.
Richard and Angelika likewise, have been shaped by their experiences. Richard used to be a pampered playboy prince until the queen cursed him, and Angelika would have been a beautiful pampered princess if not for her jealous stepmother. Their own suffering at the evil queen’s hand has made them aware of the misery of others in her realm. When Gretchen, Prince Richard, and Angelika meet, they all learn a lot about beauty, vanity, and love. The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf is definitely a romance novel, but Tia’s attention to each character’s psychological growth and the formation of healthy romantic relationships distinguishes her work from the types of romance novels that I hate.
The audio version of The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf which I listened to is just over 4½ hours long. I wasn’t crazy about narrator Angela Park’s voice — it tends to get high and squeaky at points and sometimes she over-enunciates as if she’s reading to a child (but this is definitely not a book for children). Once I got over this, I was able to enjoy the story, but I’d suggest trying the audio sample before investing in that version ($4.95). If you don’t like it, buy the Kindle version instead. It’s currently selling for only $1.99.
Originally posted at FanLit:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
I rarely read fairytale retellings, but I picked up The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf because its author, Tia Nevitt, is a friend of mine. She’s a former fellow SFF blogger and she lives just a few minutes away from me, so we chat occasionally and have gotten together a few times. Also, I enjoyed her first published novel, the first in her ACCIDENTAL ENCHANTMENTS series, The Sevenfold Spell, a re-telling of Sleeping Beauty which focuses on the minor characters in the story. I read it without telling her I was reading it, just so I wouldn’t have to admit I didn’t like it if it failed to please. (Fortunately, I did like it!)
The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf has a similar set-up. In this case, Tia delightfully mangles the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. In Tia’s version the evil queen has cursed a former lover, Prince Richard, with the magic mirror — he must truthfully answer three questions for her every morning and evening. She uses Richard’s knowledge to rule her land tyrannically and to assure herself that she is still “the fairest of them all.” The seventh dwarf of the title is a young woman named Gretchen who is teased for being short and misshapen. When she hears about a farm where dwarves live, she goes there to try to find a husband. Soon she meets Angelika, the beautiful princess who is seeking shelter from her evil stepmother, the queen. When Prince Richard happens along and sees the princess, he must tell the truth: the evil queen is no longer the fairest of them all. This, as you might expect, causes all sorts of problems for everybody.
Tia’s ACCIDENTAL ENCHANTMENTS stories, published by Harlequin’s ebook imprint, are definitely romances. I don’t usually like romance novels, but what sets Tia’s stories apart is her in-depth characterization of minor characters and the way she uses their troubles to explore real human emotions. In this story, I truly felt for Gretchen who sees herself as an outsider who can never fit in. She wants to be a good person, but the bullying she experiences and her jealousy of “normal” girls threatens to negatively affect her personality. When she decides to escape, she goes to the farm hoping simply to find people like her and a decent partner who can help her share the burdens of life. Based on her past experiences in life, she doesn’t dare to hope for anything more, especially not for love.
Richard and Angelika likewise, have been shaped by their experiences. Richard used to be a pampered playboy prince until the queen cursed him, and Angelika would have been a beautiful pampered princess if not for her jealous stepmother. Their own suffering at the evil queen’s hand has made them aware of the misery of others in her realm. When Gretchen, Prince Richard, and Angelika meet, they all learn a lot about beauty, vanity, and love. The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf is definitely a romance novel, but Tia’s attention to each character’s psychological growth and the formation of healthy romantic relationships distinguishes her work from the types of romance novels that I hate.
The audio version of The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf which I listened to is just over 4½ hours long. I wasn’t crazy about narrator Angela Park’s voice — it tends to get high and squeaky at points and sometimes she over-enunciates as if she’s reading to a child (but this is definitely not a book for children). Once I got over this, I was able to enjoy the story, but I’d suggest trying the audio sample before investing in that version ($4.95). If you don’t like it, buy the Kindle version instead. It’s currently selling for only $1.99.
January 25, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! It'a very clever retelling of the Snow White story from the point of view of the man enspelled to the mirror and the seventh dwarf. It's got two romance story lines in it and I really enjoyed them both!
March 15, 2013
It's hard to talk about the things I loved about this novella without giving away important developments. So I'll make a general comment. Nice writing, a strong interrogation of the original fairytale, insightful character development and solid world building.
October 31, 2017
Link: https://holedupinabook.blogspot.com/2...
I thought both of these books were highly entertaining as they discussed the other people in classic fairytales. As much I enjoy the classics, there were times when I was definitely curious to know more about the other “secondary” characters. That’s why I enjoy spinoffs or background books or shows like Once Upon A Time where other characters came come into light. So I was quite excited to see what these books were about.
Both of these books are definitely more geared towards an older crowd as they deal with a more explicit situation and there were definitely scenes in the first book that was almost erotica in a way. Not quite there but almost. I actually felt more connected with the characters because of the similar age range – they weren’t your typical teenage protagonist but were more late 20s/early 30s which is pretty much my age range so it was easy for me to relate to them a bit more.
For both books, I think I enjoyed them equally. They both had plot twists that made things comical and side characters that really brought some extra layer to the overall storyline. Both books were also quite short which was nice because they were honestly meant to be more like a novella type, I suppose.
The first book was about Sleeping Beauty and the other side of it. Not only was the book about a side character, it also brought surprising elements and factors into an otherwise known classic. So I definitely enjoyed the twists to the story and thought it was quite fascinating.
The second book was about Snow White and while this book stuck more with the classic plot, it really went into the story of a side character and discussed her side of things. I also like the element of the mirror as well since I thought it was a particularly interesting aspect especially since I was recently watching Once Upon a Time and they introduced the mirror guy as well. So I thought that was just a nice coincidence.
Overall, I thought that these books were interesting and would recommend it to those who like to see a different side of fairytales.
I thought both of these books were highly entertaining as they discussed the other people in classic fairytales. As much I enjoy the classics, there were times when I was definitely curious to know more about the other “secondary” characters. That’s why I enjoy spinoffs or background books or shows like Once Upon A Time where other characters came come into light. So I was quite excited to see what these books were about.
Both of these books are definitely more geared towards an older crowd as they deal with a more explicit situation and there were definitely scenes in the first book that was almost erotica in a way. Not quite there but almost. I actually felt more connected with the characters because of the similar age range – they weren’t your typical teenage protagonist but were more late 20s/early 30s which is pretty much my age range so it was easy for me to relate to them a bit more.
For both books, I think I enjoyed them equally. They both had plot twists that made things comical and side characters that really brought some extra layer to the overall storyline. Both books were also quite short which was nice because they were honestly meant to be more like a novella type, I suppose.
The first book was about Sleeping Beauty and the other side of it. Not only was the book about a side character, it also brought surprising elements and factors into an otherwise known classic. So I definitely enjoyed the twists to the story and thought it was quite fascinating.
The second book was about Snow White and while this book stuck more with the classic plot, it really went into the story of a side character and discussed her side of things. I also like the element of the mirror as well since I thought it was a particularly interesting aspect especially since I was recently watching Once Upon a Time and they introduced the mirror guy as well. So I thought that was just a nice coincidence.
Overall, I thought that these books were interesting and would recommend it to those who like to see a different side of fairytales.
March 13, 2013
Ohhhhh, what a lovely story! :D
also on http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com
This book was very entertaining and can be read as a stand-alone. I’m definitely going to check out the first book, The Sevenfold spell.
It all starts with two separate stories. Richard is connected to the mirror from The Evil Queen of Snow White (whose name is Ange here). She can ask him three questions every day and he must answer them with the truth. He is very clever in giving useless answers. I liked the way he tricked her into wasting her questions. Richard wants to slip into the castle to break the mirror, so he is free from the curse. That is how he sees Ange, a girl he met somewhere in the past. When the Queen wants to kill her, Richard warns the girl and Ange flees to a place she visits often; a dwarf farm.
This brings us to the other story. Gretchen has been teased all her life for being small. I respected her for the way she deals with the bad treatment. When she hears the story of a farm populated by little people, she decides to go there to find a husband. Lars is the lucky one. I was so happy that there was no instant-love. They are attracted to each other, but their feelings got enough time to feel realistic. Lars is a sweetheart and he makes Gretchen feel pretty. Her character development was great and it was good to see that she starts to realize that she is beautiful the way she is. Another good aspect was her family. Gretchen is 27 and she lives with her parents. They are very supportive and caring. They accept and love her for who she is.
I liked the way these two stories came together. The plot was interesting and there is a constant pace. Everything happened in the right time and I was never bored. The writing-style was quick, easy and had that old fairytalish feeling. The only thing that made this book a bit harsh is the fact that a character is trying to rape Gretchen. I think that this book is a mix between YA and Adult. If you are looking for something new when it comes to fairytales, this is the book you want to pick up.
also on http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com
This book was very entertaining and can be read as a stand-alone. I’m definitely going to check out the first book, The Sevenfold spell.
It all starts with two separate stories. Richard is connected to the mirror from The Evil Queen of Snow White (whose name is Ange here). She can ask him three questions every day and he must answer them with the truth. He is very clever in giving useless answers. I liked the way he tricked her into wasting her questions. Richard wants to slip into the castle to break the mirror, so he is free from the curse. That is how he sees Ange, a girl he met somewhere in the past. When the Queen wants to kill her, Richard warns the girl and Ange flees to a place she visits often; a dwarf farm.
This brings us to the other story. Gretchen has been teased all her life for being small. I respected her for the way she deals with the bad treatment. When she hears the story of a farm populated by little people, she decides to go there to find a husband. Lars is the lucky one. I was so happy that there was no instant-love. They are attracted to each other, but their feelings got enough time to feel realistic. Lars is a sweetheart and he makes Gretchen feel pretty. Her character development was great and it was good to see that she starts to realize that she is beautiful the way she is. Another good aspect was her family. Gretchen is 27 and she lives with her parents. They are very supportive and caring. They accept and love her for who she is.
I liked the way these two stories came together. The plot was interesting and there is a constant pace. Everything happened in the right time and I was never bored. The writing-style was quick, easy and had that old fairytalish feeling. The only thing that made this book a bit harsh is the fact that a character is trying to rape Gretchen. I think that this book is a mix between YA and Adult. If you are looking for something new when it comes to fairytales, this is the book you want to pick up.
August 21, 2013
This is the second book in a week I wish I had more time to think about. The book is released today though, so no such luck.
(There���s something that a textual review cannot adequately convey here, and that���s how long I spent starring at the blinking cursor in word with my hands pressed together and held against my lips��� as if that pose would somehow unlock my feelings on this title.)
(They didn���t.)
(True Story.)
Okay, this is the worst possible way to start a book review, but it���s the one solid thought I have in my brain so I���m writing it down and may the literary gods take mercy on my soul. At one point, towards the end of the title, I honestly said ���huh, that���s how you���re going to play this? Okay, not how I would���ve done it.���
And it wasn���t.
But that���s okay, because it all worked out in the end. Everyone learned a valuable lesson. Both boys got both girls (or did both girls get both boys��� meh���) The villains got their comeuppance. The people rejoiced. And I enjoyed the journey. Which is what really matters.
I���ve got to admit, it was a fun little read with a totally different take on a fairytale. Actually, it was a totally different take on different takes of fairytales. In what could be an oversaturated market, this was a good time.
3.5 stars. There are little people, magic mirrors, renegade princesses, and accessible life lessons not so blatant that they hit you over the head without being so obtuse that you have to Wikipedia what the fuck it all meant.
(plus I never get to read books with shorter than average heroes, so these two ruled the school. If you will.)
(There���s something that a textual review cannot adequately convey here, and that���s how long I spent starring at the blinking cursor in word with my hands pressed together and held against my lips��� as if that pose would somehow unlock my feelings on this title.)
(They didn���t.)
(True Story.)
Okay, this is the worst possible way to start a book review, but it���s the one solid thought I have in my brain so I���m writing it down and may the literary gods take mercy on my soul. At one point, towards the end of the title, I honestly said ���huh, that���s how you���re going to play this? Okay, not how I would���ve done it.���
And it wasn���t.
But that���s okay, because it all worked out in the end. Everyone learned a valuable lesson. Both boys got both girls (or did both girls get both boys��� meh���) The villains got their comeuppance. The people rejoiced. And I enjoyed the journey. Which is what really matters.
I���ve got to admit, it was a fun little read with a totally different take on a fairytale. Actually, it was a totally different take on different takes of fairytales. In what could be an oversaturated market, this was a good time.
3.5 stars. There are little people, magic mirrors, renegade princesses, and accessible life lessons not so blatant that they hit you over the head without being so obtuse that you have to Wikipedia what the fuck it all meant.
(plus I never get to read books with shorter than average heroes, so these two ruled the school. If you will.)
March 1, 2013
I loved the twin concepts for this faerie tale twist: that Snow White's prince is ALSO the magic mirror, and that the seventh dwarf is a woman. The ins and outs of the mirror magic curse and how Prince Richard fought against them were very interesting. I enjoyed Gretchen and Lars' romance.
Quibble: in such a short novella it was hard to get equally invested in both romances.
Quibble: in such a short novella it was hard to get equally invested in both romances.
March 9, 2013
I enjoyed this one a lot.
June 1, 2013
Not as good as Sevenfold Spell, but still entertaining.
April 2, 2017
Prince Richard of Schwarzberg is a cursed man. Having initially accepted willing guardianship of the magic mirror that has been in his family for generations, Richard soon finds himself enslaved to both the mirror and to the whims of the cunning enchantress queen of Weissland. Twice a day for almost a decade - whenever the Lady Sybelle calls upon the spirit of the mirror - Richard is compelled to answer her three questions truthfully. Determined to discover a way to free himself from the Lady Sybelle's thrall - and desperate to protect other innocents from her evil sorcery - Richard leaves his father's realm and soon becomes 'The Lost Prince of Schwarzberg'.
All her life Gretchen has been teased for being small. Although she has learned to ignore the various cruelties of the townspeople - the taunts and comments, the pointing and outright stares - she secretly wishes that she could find a place to call her own. When she hears a minstrel's tale of a hidden farm populated by little people such as herself, Gretchen is cautiously optimistic. Could there possibly be a place out in the world where she would be seen as a person and not just as an oddity?
Determined to find this wonderful place, Gretchen sets out on her journey - and is eventually welcomed into their home by the mostly male inhabitants. The Klein family: Frau Marta, her husband Herr Dieter, and their sixteen-year-old son; and their four farmhands: Gunther, Klaus, Rudolph and Lars all act most appropriately towards Gretchen and are happy to meet her. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle and kindhearted nature and his quiet strength.
Delighted to have finally found acceptance among people who look like her, Gretchen soon settles into a peaceful routine at the farm. However, danger looms on the horizon when Gretchen meets a troubled young woman one morning, while on her way to market. After hearing the young lady's desperate story, she offers the runaway princess - Angelika of Weissland - shelter at the Little Farm.
Although Ange is safe for a few weeks, she soon feels compelled to return to her stepmother's castle. Determined to protect her late father's subjects from Lady Sybelle's cruelty, she resolves to provide as much assistance as she can in secret - in the guise of 'The Tattered Princess'. Wandering somewhere nearby, Richard initially finds himself admiring Ange's forthright manner and compassionate nature. However, as his feelings grow stronger, Richard soon finds himself falling in love with the beautiful princess.
When he is eventually compelled to tell the queen that she is no longer the fairest one of the realm, she is enraged by Richard's revelation. She vows to find Princess Angelika and destroy her, as well as anyone who might try to help the young woman. It soon becomes apparent that if either Gretchen or Richard are to have their own happily ever afters, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all...
I have always enjoyed reading fairytale retellings, and this one was just as entertaining. I was intrigued by the plot of this story and avidly wanted to know how it would develop. I would give this novella a definite A! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
All her life Gretchen has been teased for being small. Although she has learned to ignore the various cruelties of the townspeople - the taunts and comments, the pointing and outright stares - she secretly wishes that she could find a place to call her own. When she hears a minstrel's tale of a hidden farm populated by little people such as herself, Gretchen is cautiously optimistic. Could there possibly be a place out in the world where she would be seen as a person and not just as an oddity?
Determined to find this wonderful place, Gretchen sets out on her journey - and is eventually welcomed into their home by the mostly male inhabitants. The Klein family: Frau Marta, her husband Herr Dieter, and their sixteen-year-old son; and their four farmhands: Gunther, Klaus, Rudolph and Lars all act most appropriately towards Gretchen and are happy to meet her. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle and kindhearted nature and his quiet strength.
Delighted to have finally found acceptance among people who look like her, Gretchen soon settles into a peaceful routine at the farm. However, danger looms on the horizon when Gretchen meets a troubled young woman one morning, while on her way to market. After hearing the young lady's desperate story, she offers the runaway princess - Angelika of Weissland - shelter at the Little Farm.
Although Ange is safe for a few weeks, she soon feels compelled to return to her stepmother's castle. Determined to protect her late father's subjects from Lady Sybelle's cruelty, she resolves to provide as much assistance as she can in secret - in the guise of 'The Tattered Princess'. Wandering somewhere nearby, Richard initially finds himself admiring Ange's forthright manner and compassionate nature. However, as his feelings grow stronger, Richard soon finds himself falling in love with the beautiful princess.
When he is eventually compelled to tell the queen that she is no longer the fairest one of the realm, she is enraged by Richard's revelation. She vows to find Princess Angelika and destroy her, as well as anyone who might try to help the young woman. It soon becomes apparent that if either Gretchen or Richard are to have their own happily ever afters, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all...
I have always enjoyed reading fairytale retellings, and this one was just as entertaining. I was intrigued by the plot of this story and avidly wanted to know how it would develop. I would give this novella a definite A! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews