What do you think?
Rate this book
Reality Ever After
Rosalie can't remember much about her life before she was ill. Her life in the Gorgon Hotel is the same every day. But lately, Rosalie has started to dream, and the things she sees in her dreams are starting to make her think there is something very wrong at the Gorgon Hotel.
342 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 12, 2020
Loved this book, a fantasy, featuring a poorly princess in peril; a wicked witch; a dubious Doc who arrives by coach and four every Wednesday to prescribe cold baths, cold porridge, lukewarm tea and coloured concoctions which reduce recovery; a queen stuck in Queer Street; and a magician masquerading as a moggie with no hands. Only a sweet servant offers a modicum of kindness that must remain hidden lest the Landlady "turns her off", a solution with more affinity to The Sopranos than a rocker switch.
Our heroine is Rosalie (”Rosie”), a sickly orphan age 9 left alone in the guardianship of an uncaring and cruel hotel landlady at an isolated hostelry with few comings and goings. Sickly Rosie has little energy beyond simply existing, but in her dreams she builds up an alternative fantasy world where she is a lively teenage princess about to enter adulthood, with a king and queen as her parents, servants, tutors, companions and comfort. The hotel servant, Rosie recalls from echoes of her dreams, also resides in her dream world as a noble companion, an honorary aunt.
The tragedy of her dream world is that her father is dead, her mother struck down by illness, a regent sits upon the throne and the beautiful Princess Rosie is in a coma. However, in the hotel, her life is even worse.
As her dreams develop, Rosie could almost believe that the dream world, with its 10-day week, efficient servants, guards and physicians, is the real world and the hell she is living in is an illusion, in a plot to snatch the fairy tale monarchy By the Regent, and deny Rosie her inheritance.
The story is well told, the mysteries of her position in two opposite realms, and past gradually emerge through her new experiences and memories return. However, she needs to find the Key which will unlock and break this spell, knowing that the clock is ticking and she will be trapped in one of the realms.
An entertaining read with engaging characters, a mystery to solve and danger every waking moment in whatever world she wakes up in.
Our heroine is Rosalie (”Rosie”), a sickly orphan age 9 left alone in the guardianship of an uncaring and cruel hotel landlady at an isolated hostelry with few comings and goings. Sickly Rosie has little energy beyond simply existing, but in her dreams she builds up an alternative fantasy world where she is a lively teenage princess about to enter adulthood, with a king and queen as her parents, servants, tutors, companions and comfort. The hotel servant, Rosie recalls from echoes of her dreams, also resides in her dream world as a noble companion, an honorary aunt.
The tragedy of her dream world is that her father is dead, her mother struck down by illness, a regent sits upon the throne and the beautiful Princess Rosie is in a coma. However, in the hotel, her life is even worse.
As her dreams develop, Rosie could almost believe that the dream world, with its 10-day week, efficient servants, guards and physicians, is the real world and the hell she is living in is an illusion, in a plot to snatch the fairy tale monarchy By the Regent, and deny Rosie her inheritance.
The story is well told, the mysteries of her position in two opposite realms, and past gradually emerge through her new experiences and memories return. However, she needs to find the Key which will unlock and break this spell, knowing that the clock is ticking and she will be trapped in one of the realms.
An entertaining read with engaging characters, a mystery to solve and danger every waking moment in whatever world she wakes up in.
September 26, 2020
This was an awesome story. It read like a fairytale but the mystery was the real story. A cast of delightful (and not so delightful) characters and a talking cat take us on a journey seen through the eyes of Rosalie, a girl who is not all she appears to be. Secrets, intrigue and a twisty reveal make for a truly entertaining story. Highly recommended.
December 17, 2020
It was really wonderful to read this story, where I was able to sympathize with the protagonist, who was a young girl, with a bursting curiosity about her true origin. I love the various elements of fantasy, especially the talking cat! I was really captivated by the mystery of Rosalie's identity, and constantly surprised by the numerous revelations. Overall, Reality Ever After was an enchanting read, entangled in Rosalie's magical adventure. I highly recommend it for lovers of magic and fantasy :)
August 1, 2020
This is an amazing book about a poor trapped girl, her evil guardian, her only friend and her talking cat. It is an emotional and captivating adventure that I could not stop reading. I have read a huge range of books, and this story is one of the few that fits perfectly into my love of adventure, magic, plot twist and humour. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this book.
Read
July 11, 2020OMG I just loved this book! Made me laugh and cry, it had everything!!!!! I am going to recommend to my Library Director! Thank you so much!!!
July 2, 2020
This book was such a wonderful pleasure to read. Reality Ever After was a wonderful fantasy story about a young girl named Rosalie who appears to be sheltered by her guardian because of her presumed illness., but in reality nothing was as it appeared to be. This story held me in suspense as the author began to unfold two alternate realities for this young girl. This story had all the great treasures of an intriguing fairy tale with kings, queens, wizards and a real princess. The story was packed with humor as only Tabitha Ormiston-Smith can do, but the plot kept you wanting to read more and more. If you are looking for a great book that will tickle the imagination, Reality Ever After is a great choice.
June 30, 2020
I had to carefully pace myself reading this book, I didn't want it to end too soon. I love Rosalie, she's the quiet, unassuming hero I love. Tabitha takes all the tropes of a magical fantasy tale and turns them on their heads, buries them under a layer of Dickens style waif tale and flips the pair like two sides of the same seamless coin. Absolute brilliance
July 12, 2020
Reality Ever After is a story of enchantment, double lives, magical shape-shifting, and travel across the boundaries of space, time and species. The pace never slackens as the principal character and her ally, a talking cat, work together to defeat the terrifyingly evil antagonist. A most exciting story with a very satisfying ending. (No spoilers!)
November 14, 2020
This is a fun fantasy and mystery about a girl named Rosalie who is confined to a hotel room by the mysterious Mrs. Moberly and a doctor with a terrible bedside manner. Things are not what they seem, and Rosalie has to solve the mystery of how she got here and what's going on. The characters are well-written and the plot moves quickly. Definitely a good read.
July 27, 2020
Another fabulous novel from the talented author Tabitha Ormiston-Smith. A fantasy story with humour - a fairytale story with alternate realities. A fabulous mystery woven throughout that keeps you guessing until the end. Loved the talking cat! Thoroughly recommended for all readers - enjoy!!
November 12, 2020
Sleeping Beauty meets Hermione Granger
As an author of Fairy Tales, I can attest to the fact that writing one is not an easy feat. Here, the author combines the magic of fairy tales with the adventure of literary heroines in a uniquely, creative story line.
Author Shirl Knobloch
As an author of Fairy Tales, I can attest to the fact that writing one is not an easy feat. Here, the author combines the magic of fairy tales with the adventure of literary heroines in a uniquely, creative story line.
Author Shirl Knobloch
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews