Snow White's Mirror

Fairy-tale Inheritance #3

by Shonna Slayton

Old family secrets will not stay hidden...Billie's uncle is convinced the stories his sister tells about the Bergmann family history are true.A magic mirror.A family of dwarfs.And he'll do anything to command the mirror, even if it means using unsuspecting Billie.Socialite Billie likes a treasure hunt as much as the next girl, so she follows her uncle to an out-of-the-way mining town in Arizona where she meets an odd array of characters, including one rugged boy unlike any she's met before. More than anything, Billie hopes the magic mirror holds a cure to her mother's mysterious illness. But after making a critical mistake, Billie risks walking away from this baffling town with nothing. It's up to her to solve the problem that has been plaguing her family for centuries, or lose it all... including the boy who stole her heart.Set in an early 1900s mining boomtown, it's Edwardian era meets the Wild West.If you like fairy tales and YA romance, read Snow White's Mirror today.

The Fairy-tale Inheritance series of books can be read in any order. Aside from the Cinderella books, they are all stand-alone novels. But if you'd like a reading order, you can follow this

Cinderella's DressCinderella's ShoesCinderella's LegacySnow White's MirrorBeauty's Rose

Genres: Retellings, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Romance, Audiobook, Young Adult, Historical Fiction

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2018

About the author

SHONNA SLAYTON is the author of the Fairy-Tale Inheritance Series of young adult novels, beginning with Cinderella’s Dress.

She edited curriculum for an education company before homeschooling her own children using literature-based whole book learning. She’s taught writing using fairy tales in school classrooms and workshops, as well as in public libraries as a writer in residence. Instead of seeing her in person, you can get the Lessons from Grimm Series which includes a writer’s guide and workbooks for writers to learn fiction techniques through fairy tales.

Join her email list and receive a free story as a welcome gift. Be the first to learn of new books and get behind-the-scenes info you can't read anywhere else. Sign up on her website Shonna Slayton

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay for me. As for a retelling it is not. Yes, there was a witch, a dwarf and a magic mirror but that was it with the similarities. I did like the last third more. The set-up seemed too long and tedious. I also liked the MC and her cousin. So for this, I added a star.

The romance made no sense to me. It felt more like a recipe: add a boy and a girl and sprinkle with a dusting of Insta-Love and stir...no baking required. Then ta-da. There you have it.

I didn't enjoy this one like I wanted to....so 2 stars is all I have.

[Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️🙌

[Valeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid. This was a cute story to integrate the magic mirror into “real life”. Wrapped up nicely and aside from the whole magic mirror part, it really wasn’t even that far fetched

[Laura Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️- DNF
⭐️⭐️ - finished, but don't recommend
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - enjoyed it; recommend, but it has no staying power
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - enjoyed it, it has staying power, and I recommend you read it
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - pinnacle of books

[Sal Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

This book was not for me. I really didn't like anything about it. The storyline was just lame and the characters were not very interesting. I couldn't even finish it. Guess I picked the wrong book for my taste.

[Lynndell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow White’s Mirror by Shonna Slayton is another wonderful fairytale creation! Shonna Slayton perfects historical fiction. Now she’s combining historical fiction with fantasy to create fun and intelligent fairytale stories. Billie has traveled with her uncle to secure her inheritance after her father’s death due to heart failure. She believes that her uncle is keeping things from her as well as gambling away her father’s estate. They stop at a mining town and meet cousin Lou. She oversees a mine with beautiful turquoise veins running through and she does all of the work by herself. Uncle Dale tells Billie that he’s searching for a special mirror that will grant wishes. Billie wants to help her ailing mother, so she wants to find the mirror also. The character pool grows to include Winn, an interesting local young man; Matron, a kind but questionable local businesswoman and Fremont, a relative with dwarfism that has also been missing for a while. Billie discovers more about cousin Lou and stumbles upon an odd window that seems somewhat like a mirror inside Lou's shack. Billie's life grows much more complicated than she ever thought it could. I love this book and highly recommend it to fairytale and historical fiction readers, 5 stars!

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant continuation of a fairy tale by the masterful Shonna Slayton. One of her best talents is taking a fairy tale and finding its original roots (ie Cinderlla's Dress/Shoes from Poland), and not only using those original stories but then taking it one step further by immersing the reader in an older time. In this case we're given the story not of the princess, but the magic mirror and what happened to it after the princess's happily ever after, all from the perspective of our heroine who is descended from the line of mystical mining dwarves. The whole setting takes place in the old west, right after the gold rush when it was a *bit* less lawless, all of the narrative from the character's perspective is flawlessly in the tone of her time's, and you are never pulled out of the story by modern slang.

If you're a fan of classic fairy tale's, and want to know more about them beyond Disney or Hans Christian Anderson, weaved into the perspective of a female protagonist who's flawed but fierce, then this is a story for you.

[Ashlee Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly unique and exciting take on Snow White's story. Not exactly a retelling of the original, this is a story that centers around a girl whose history if bound with Snow White's tale. Historical fiction and fantasy are two of my all-time favorite genres, and this book has BOTH! As the story progresses, the intrigues develop and the cast of characters grows. The author uses language that keeps us firmly in the historical setting while at the same time deftly hinting at the fantastical elements of not only the Snow White tale, but fairy-tales in general. Snow White's Mirror is a well-told story with a heroin who knows just what she wants and does her best to get it. Recommend!!

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give this a good 3 1/2 stars. The beginning of the book was hard to get through, I almost didn’t want to continue, but I not a quitter. As time went on I found myself enjoying this book. I enjoyed the characters and the different take in Snow White, without it actually being a Snow White retelling. I did go on to the read the epilogue on the authors website and I was not okay. I needed more, they way she ended it made me crave more. Being someone who doesn’t enjoy Snow White at all this was a good read, and very enjoyable. It was an audio book version and it made my commute to work go by.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this book 3.5 stars. I got more into the story the more I read, but it started off a little slow for my taste. I like that Slayton doesn’t do a classic re-telling of the fairy tales and that she focuses on using real historical facts to add more detail to the books. I’m not sure if I will continue the series, but I know they are there in case I wish to return to it.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a medium-paced, adventurous, and mysterious read!

[Staci Overbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read in the series. I felt this one dragged a bit at the beginning, but I still ended up loving it. The author does such a great job mixing the fairy tale into the story that it just makes sense. Again, as with this genre, there were times you had to suspend belief, but that is what makes these so great to me. They still invoke my imagination and take me away from my real world problems and dramas.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d probably give this book 4.75 stars because it was really good, but the first 1/4 of the book was kind of a drag.

I was so annoyed with Billie at first and just couldn’t get behind all of her feelings, but as the story grew so did my love for her.

The big “aha” moment was so fun and I giggled at the revelation, even while screaming “duh!”

This entire series is such a fun adventure, cannot recommend them enough!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

this story was SO much more satisfying than the prior two books! the setting was relevant to the story, there was more character development, and the writing felt like it had matured since the prior two books. this was an engaging take on what happens to the mirror after the Snow White story ends and what potential havoc could be caused by an unwary user. quite enjoyable.

[Sarah Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series

This book was a great book, a bit slower for me to get into, but that's not the books fault at all. I was just not a big fan of Snow White growing up. Make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you can read the epilogue, although I just ended up saying "That's not long enough!!!!" Great book in a wonderful series

[Jessica Welflin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I try not to do 5 star reviews because nothing is perfect, but this book was pretty close. I stayed up late reading it and continued to read it when I woke up until I was done. Didn't love the epilogue, but seeing as I got to add my own Uncle Dale into the story, it works out to 5 stars in my book!

[Cheryl Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this entire series of books, so creative and fun to read. The fairy tales you know given a new story in a differnt part of history. Well researched, draws you into the story and the lives of the characters as they are unraveling a fairy tale that appears to be real.

[Billy]

A retelling of Snow White with a healthy dose of mirror shenanigans. It was interesting only because of the unique angle the author took on the story. I don't really like this authors writing style. It is very middle school esque.

[AnnieKin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was pretty good too. I liked the romance and the character development, though the protagonist was a little annoying at first. I do think that it wrapped up kind of suddenly, but it was good overall.

[Chloe’ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book. I really enjoyed the setting and the time period. I really enjoyed the details of everything. I also really enjoyed how the book related back to one of the original versions or multiple versions of the original Snow White fairytale.

[Kamryn Ranazzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. This book was dryer than toast. The first half was so slow and boring that I couldn’t get into it. The main character is also a “poor little rich girl” which is another thing that turned me off.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-written retelling that fit nicely into the chosen time period. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Cheri Pickslay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning more history about the early 1900's. I also enjoyed watching the character's personalities emerge, be challenged and transformed.

[Sparrowapril · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snow white does not figure in this story, it was a fun read.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be my favorite so far! Loved reading it. Once I started, I couldn't put it down to I finished. About to go find and read the epilogue now.

[Kelly Peterson-Cupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Mary Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two books in this group are much better, but this was worth the read. A little slower pace and not as much fun. A bit boring really.

[Elisabeth M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Clara Weinberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story even though it was based on fairy tale. Was a great tale by itself. I have read the first two of series and will continue.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this mixture of history and fantasy.

[Jessica Dudenhofer Beery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one of my favs by this author. I never “missed it” when I set the book down for something else. But I appreciated a clean fairytale twist read.