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Accidental Enchantments #1
The Sevenfold Spell
Have you ever wondered what happens to the other people in the fairy tale?Things look grim for Talia and her mother. By royal proclamation, the constables and those annoying "good" fairies have taken away their livelihood by confiscating their spinning wheel. Something to do with a curse on the princess, they said.Not every young lady has a fairy godmother rushing to her rescue.Without the promise of an income from spinning, Talia's prospects for marriage disappear, and she and her mother face destitution. Past caring about breaking an arbitrary and cruel law, rebellious Talia determines to build a new spinning wheel, the only one in the nation--which plays right into the evil fairy's diabolical plan. Talia discovers that finding a happy ending requires sacrifice. But is it a sacrifice she's willing to make?
97 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2010
2 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
About the author
Tia Nevitt
5 books40 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 22, 2010
Original post at One More Page
Out of all the Disney princesses, I find Princess Aurora a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty the prettiest. Maybe I'm biased because I like them blonde, and she seemed like the most poised, most elegant of them all. But that maybe because she slept for a hundred years, and it must be hard to move after lying down for so long. I mean, I find my back and bones stiff after I sleep for more than ten hours, what more hundred years.
Tia Nevitt's retelling is by far the most unique one I've encountered of all retellings I've read so far. Instead of focusing on the main character, the author shifts the focus to the people we readers rarely focus on in a story, to some random person in the town. The usual faceless and nameless people in the crowds are put into spotlight in The Sevenfold Spell, putting quite a unique twist in the story of Sleeping Beauty.
This is a quick read, more of a novella than a novel. However, the first part of the book felt long for me. Terribly long, mostly because of all the sex. I wasn't expecting that, really, but I was surprised to read that Talia would resort to that to cure her of her loneliness. Mind you, she didn't really become a whore so she could earn money -- she did it out of loneliness.
I can't really question the motivations of the characters, given Talia's situation. Reading this told me that I am pretty conservative with what I read, and I could only stand to read so much sex in one book before I feel sick of reading it. I'm not saying that they were pointless in the book -- I got the point. It had some kind of bearing in the story that made the character grow, which was good. I liked how Talia eventually outgrew her need for physical intimacy, and instead focused on other more important things, like patching things up with her mother. I just didn't like reading about how Talia did it with Willard and how Talia seduced an old man to do it with her. Just not my thing.
Fortunately, the story picked up by the second half, and there was a surprising twist. The resolution felt a bit too easy, and too clean cut for my taste. I guess that's where the author really meant to go, to a happily ever after ending. It is a fairy tale, after all.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book. It's just not for me, I guess. If I want another retelling, I think I'll stick with Gail Carson-Levine and similar authors.
The Sevenfold Spell will be out on September 2010. Much thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy ebook!
Out of all the Disney princesses, I find Princess Aurora a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty the prettiest. Maybe I'm biased because I like them blonde, and she seemed like the most poised, most elegant of them all. But that maybe because she slept for a hundred years, and it must be hard to move after lying down for so long. I mean, I find my back and bones stiff after I sleep for more than ten hours, what more hundred years.
Tia Nevitt's retelling is by far the most unique one I've encountered of all retellings I've read so far. Instead of focusing on the main character, the author shifts the focus to the people we readers rarely focus on in a story, to some random person in the town. The usual faceless and nameless people in the crowds are put into spotlight in The Sevenfold Spell, putting quite a unique twist in the story of Sleeping Beauty.
This is a quick read, more of a novella than a novel. However, the first part of the book felt long for me. Terribly long, mostly because of all the sex. I wasn't expecting that, really, but I was surprised to read that Talia would resort to that to cure her of her loneliness. Mind you, she didn't really become a whore so she could earn money -- she did it out of loneliness.
I can't really question the motivations of the characters, given Talia's situation. Reading this told me that I am pretty conservative with what I read, and I could only stand to read so much sex in one book before I feel sick of reading it. I'm not saying that they were pointless in the book -- I got the point. It had some kind of bearing in the story that made the character grow, which was good. I liked how Talia eventually outgrew her need for physical intimacy, and instead focused on other more important things, like patching things up with her mother. I just didn't like reading about how Talia did it with Willard and how Talia seduced an old man to do it with her. Just not my thing.
Fortunately, the story picked up by the second half, and there was a surprising twist. The resolution felt a bit too easy, and too clean cut for my taste. I guess that's where the author really meant to go, to a happily ever after ending. It is a fairy tale, after all.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book. It's just not for me, I guess. If I want another retelling, I think I'll stick with Gail Carson-Levine and similar authors.
The Sevenfold Spell will be out on September 2010. Much thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy ebook!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2010
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Most readers who follow the fantasy blogs will recognize Tia Nevitt’s name — she’s been running her own debut blog for years and is a regular contributor at the website I contribute to. She also happens to be a personal friend; she lives in my city and we like to trade books.
I suppose that’s why she didn’t send me a review copy of her own debut novella, The Sevenfold Spell. She probably figured I’d feel obligated to say something nice. Well I don’t (I’m not as nice as she thinks I am), but I also don’t like to critique my friends, so I quietly downloaded The Sevenfold Spell onto my Kindle and didn’t tell her I was reading it.
In Tia’s take on the Sleeping Beauty story, Talia and her mother’s livelihood and prospects are devastated when spinning wheels are banned. Talia, who has not been blessed with a pretty face, is forced to use other charms and skills (that’s the polite way to say it) to make ends meet.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, I must have liked The Sevenfold Spell, or else I wouldn’t be writing this. This short novella (I read it in an evening), which was published by Harlequin’s new e-book imprint, Carina Press, is definitely a romance and contains more seduction and sex scenes than I thought were possible to fit into such a short space, so it’s not my usual fantasy fare, but I enjoyed this little diversion. It was well-written, humorous, the characterization was impressive (especially for such a short book), and the story was sweet.
I liked Tia’s focus on a minor character in her re-imagined fairy tale. I understand that she has more of these in mind for the future. I’ll be quietly downloading the next one, too.
Most readers who follow the fantasy blogs will recognize Tia Nevitt’s name — she’s been running her own debut blog for years and is a regular contributor at the website I contribute to. She also happens to be a personal friend; she lives in my city and we like to trade books.
I suppose that’s why she didn’t send me a review copy of her own debut novella, The Sevenfold Spell. She probably figured I’d feel obligated to say something nice. Well I don’t (I’m not as nice as she thinks I am), but I also don’t like to critique my friends, so I quietly downloaded The Sevenfold Spell onto my Kindle and didn’t tell her I was reading it.
In Tia’s take on the Sleeping Beauty story, Talia and her mother’s livelihood and prospects are devastated when spinning wheels are banned. Talia, who has not been blessed with a pretty face, is forced to use other charms and skills (that’s the polite way to say it) to make ends meet.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, I must have liked The Sevenfold Spell, or else I wouldn’t be writing this. This short novella (I read it in an evening), which was published by Harlequin’s new e-book imprint, Carina Press, is definitely a romance and contains more seduction and sex scenes than I thought were possible to fit into such a short space, so it’s not my usual fantasy fare, but I enjoyed this little diversion. It was well-written, humorous, the characterization was impressive (especially for such a short book), and the story was sweet.
I liked Tia’s focus on a minor character in her re-imagined fairy tale. I understand that she has more of these in mind for the future. I’ll be quietly downloading the next one, too.
September 21, 2012
Let me start by saying that there is some adult content in this book, though it is predominantly a fantasy. It contains a strong romantic subplot, but doesn't follow the normal pattern of romances at all. Even so, whether you're a fantasy fan or a romance fan -- and especially if you're a fan of fairy tales, you should read The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt.
I'm an avid fan of fairy tales. This book (The Sevenfold Spell) strongly appeals to me because of its fairytale-like theme.
Of course, this is where Nevitt takes a good concept and makes it into a great book. The Sevenfold Spell is based around Sleeping Beauty. Told in first person from the perspective of a former spinner, the tale shows how her life changes drastically when all the spindles in the land are ordered to be destroyed. Rose/Aurora is a girl who didn't get all of the spell she was supposed to -- when the fairies were supposed to cast for beauty, song, grace, etc., the evil fairy interrupted to lay a curse, which meant that the last fairy had to counter it instead of giving Rose/Aurora her gift -- intelligence. This naturally forms another complication, as Rose/Aurora is something of a dimwit with a childish outlook even as she grows.
But the story isn't about her. It's about Talia and her journey from girl into woman. Losing the man she didn't think she loved but actually did, she embarks on a path of self-discovery, struggling to make ends meet with her mother as she simultaneously tries to fill the void Willard left. What was humbling about this book was that it didn't dance around her sexuality. Talia told her story for exactly what it was. The end was fulfilling and her voice was so captivating it held me along for the ride.
And I'm a notoriously picky a reader. In the past week, I've read a half dozen stories. Two I didn't finish -- I disliked them that much. Another three I read to the end and enjoyed enough, but won't be buying from that author again. The last I liked enough that I will buy the next book in this series but none outside of the series that the author has to offer.
And then there was Tia Nevitt. I'm off to check her website now to see if she has any other delightful books that I can buy.
I'm an avid fan of fairy tales. This book (The Sevenfold Spell) strongly appeals to me because of its fairytale-like theme.
Of course, this is where Nevitt takes a good concept and makes it into a great book. The Sevenfold Spell is based around Sleeping Beauty. Told in first person from the perspective of a former spinner, the tale shows how her life changes drastically when all the spindles in the land are ordered to be destroyed. Rose/Aurora is a girl who didn't get all of the spell she was supposed to -- when the fairies were supposed to cast for beauty, song, grace, etc., the evil fairy interrupted to lay a curse, which meant that the last fairy had to counter it instead of giving Rose/Aurora her gift -- intelligence. This naturally forms another complication, as Rose/Aurora is something of a dimwit with a childish outlook even as she grows.
But the story isn't about her. It's about Talia and her journey from girl into woman. Losing the man she didn't think she loved but actually did, she embarks on a path of self-discovery, struggling to make ends meet with her mother as she simultaneously tries to fill the void Willard left. What was humbling about this book was that it didn't dance around her sexuality. Talia told her story for exactly what it was. The end was fulfilling and her voice was so captivating it held me along for the ride.
And I'm a notoriously picky a reader. In the past week, I've read a half dozen stories. Two I didn't finish -- I disliked them that much. Another three I read to the end and enjoyed enough, but won't be buying from that author again. The last I liked enough that I will buy the next book in this series but none outside of the series that the author has to offer.
And then there was Tia Nevitt. I'm off to check her website now to see if she has any other delightful books that I can buy.
Read
May 19, 2023A quick read, and a clever one, that hooked me with its promise to tell the story, not of the Sleeping Beauty, but of the spinster who owned that one remaining spinning wheel. (Warning to those who care: hot stuff.)
October 29, 2010
If you're a fan of fairy tales or even if you're not, you've more than likely heard the tale of Sleeping Beauty or seen one of the many different film versions of it. You know the princess, the good fairies, the evil fairy who conspires to commit murder by spinning wheel, as well as the prince who eventually breaks the spell & wins the girl. But what about the other people, the ones who are hurt by the destruction of the kingdom's spinning wheels?
Nevitt gives us her own interpretation of this well loved fairytale, choosing to focus on a plain young spinner-in-training rather than on the princess Aurora. Our heroine of the tale is Talia, a hopelessly plain girl with a face full of warts who has no prospective suitors... save for one boy. When the ban on spinning wheels ruins her already slim chances of getting his father's approval, Talia sees her young friend being sent away to a monastery & decides to give him the only thing she has left: her maidenhood. From that moment on the tale of Sleeping Beauty begins to take its toll on all of the kingdom's inhabitants, pushing Talia ever closer to that inevitable moment where both her future & the Princess Auroras are entwined.
Fans of fairy tales will be excited to read this new interpretation because it's always fun to see how people can re-imagine these tales. All will be drawn into Nevitt's energetic & intriguing storytelling abilities. Many readers will love that the focus falls on a heroine who isn't perfection itself & that doesn't decide to sit & pine away for one person. Talia's actions aren't always the best but she doesn't sit & mope or wait for someone to sweep her off her feet. Nevitt also tackles the story with a sense of humor that many (myself included) will appreciate & find themselves laughing out loud at.
The only real complaint some might find is that while the ending is a satisfying one, it felt a little out of joint with the tone the story had been having until that point in time. This might be due to the story's length- it's only about 70 pages long, so the tale does progress very quickly. It's still a fun story overall & well worth the purchase so you can read & re-read this incredibly addictive story. With Nevitt promising more stories in this series I can only hope that I'll enjoy them as much as I did this one.
(ARC provided by Netgalley)
Nevitt gives us her own interpretation of this well loved fairytale, choosing to focus on a plain young spinner-in-training rather than on the princess Aurora. Our heroine of the tale is Talia, a hopelessly plain girl with a face full of warts who has no prospective suitors... save for one boy. When the ban on spinning wheels ruins her already slim chances of getting his father's approval, Talia sees her young friend being sent away to a monastery & decides to give him the only thing she has left: her maidenhood. From that moment on the tale of Sleeping Beauty begins to take its toll on all of the kingdom's inhabitants, pushing Talia ever closer to that inevitable moment where both her future & the Princess Auroras are entwined.
Fans of fairy tales will be excited to read this new interpretation because it's always fun to see how people can re-imagine these tales. All will be drawn into Nevitt's energetic & intriguing storytelling abilities. Many readers will love that the focus falls on a heroine who isn't perfection itself & that doesn't decide to sit & pine away for one person. Talia's actions aren't always the best but she doesn't sit & mope or wait for someone to sweep her off her feet. Nevitt also tackles the story with a sense of humor that many (myself included) will appreciate & find themselves laughing out loud at.
The only real complaint some might find is that while the ending is a satisfying one, it felt a little out of joint with the tone the story had been having until that point in time. This might be due to the story's length- it's only about 70 pages long, so the tale does progress very quickly. It's still a fun story overall & well worth the purchase so you can read & re-read this incredibly addictive story. With Nevitt promising more stories in this series I can only hope that I'll enjoy them as much as I did this one.
(ARC provided by Netgalley)
February 21, 2016
I admit this up front, the cover to this novella is gorgeous. I'll also admit that the raciness of the novella had me fighting a blush while I read it. I wouldn't say this is an explicit story, but Talia definitely is an experienced woman by the end of it.
I think the important part is that Nevitt didn't exploit or judge Talia's actions. Her first time is with the only guy who has ever shown an interest in her, who enjoys her company and if not because of an awful father, would have been her husband. There is obvious affection between the two, but like any other young girl Talia doesn't recognize the difference between real love and fairy tale love.
She continues because a) it helps save her and her mother from starving to death, b) she carefully chooses men who can help 'better' her (teach her usable skills) and c) she gives a certain amount of confidence and companionship to men who would otherwise be overlooked. Oh and she enjoys it too of course.
I thought the way it weaved into the plot of Sleeping Beauty was gracefully done. The resolution was also tastefully done and had a certain ring of Talia thumbing her nose at those people who had treated her so cruelly. Talia was a strong character, resourceful and pragmatic. What use was her virginity if the only man she wanted to marry was to become a monk? Why be the mistress to wealthy men who leave you cold and dry, instead of men who can teach you skills to survive?
By the end I was rooting for Talia to have her happy ending. She had a lot of disappointments in her life, made a lot of sacrifices, but any regrets she had were mostly centered around not marrying Willard and not having children. Its what she wanted most and had been denied it for a stupid reason of a petty man.
This is the first in Nevitt's planned 'Accidental Enchantments' series of retold fairy tales. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment!
I think the important part is that Nevitt didn't exploit or judge Talia's actions. Her first time is with the only guy who has ever shown an interest in her, who enjoys her company and if not because of an awful father, would have been her husband. There is obvious affection between the two, but like any other young girl Talia doesn't recognize the difference between real love and fairy tale love.
She continues because a) it helps save her and her mother from starving to death, b) she carefully chooses men who can help 'better' her (teach her usable skills) and c) she gives a certain amount of confidence and companionship to men who would otherwise be overlooked. Oh and she enjoys it too of course.
I thought the way it weaved into the plot of Sleeping Beauty was gracefully done. The resolution was also tastefully done and had a certain ring of Talia thumbing her nose at those people who had treated her so cruelly. Talia was a strong character, resourceful and pragmatic. What use was her virginity if the only man she wanted to marry was to become a monk? Why be the mistress to wealthy men who leave you cold and dry, instead of men who can teach you skills to survive?
By the end I was rooting for Talia to have her happy ending. She had a lot of disappointments in her life, made a lot of sacrifices, but any regrets she had were mostly centered around not marrying Willard and not having children. Its what she wanted most and had been denied it for a stupid reason of a petty man.
This is the first in Nevitt's planned 'Accidental Enchantments' series of retold fairy tales. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2012
Unfortunately this one is more along a 1,5 stars. And i say unfortunately because the story did sound promising.
A retelling of sleeping beauty told by a young woman, Talia, who sees her life being altered due to a royal decree: All spinning wheels in the kingdom must be destroyed, in order to protect the life of princess Aurora fom her sleeping beauty curse.
The beginning, let me tell you, that it was very interesting. Those first pages really took me by surprise, and i was really looking forward to a different and interesting retelling.
Unfortunately things didn't worked out, because after that, nothing really interesting happens, and the book takes an overly sexual characterization. An a strange one, because i honestly don't see what was the point. Basically Talia gets involved with the young man with whom she was to be married.
And i say to whom, because after she and her mother loose their way of survival and of income, his father decides to send him to a monastery. The thing is, one doesn't feel any kind of romance, because Talia is a very distanced character. And her sudden interest in Willard, just seems strange...
In the following pages there's more despictions of her sexual encounters with other guys, while she goes on with her life. The situation doesn't become thrashy, because the narrative just feels empty of almost any known feeling. It ends up being a void book...
Some new characters enter the scene, namely a young girl named Rose, to whom Talia will get attached. Then Talia's mother will decide to ignore the royal decree, and in hiding, they will decide to built the only spinning wheel in the kingdom.
Time passes by, and Talia finally realizes that what she felt for Willard was love after all...
The last pages, much like the first ones, were okay, i guess, but beyond that, i'm afraid that it was a pretty forggetable tale, i'm sorry to say.
A retelling of sleeping beauty told by a young woman, Talia, who sees her life being altered due to a royal decree: All spinning wheels in the kingdom must be destroyed, in order to protect the life of princess Aurora fom her sleeping beauty curse.
The beginning, let me tell you, that it was very interesting. Those first pages really took me by surprise, and i was really looking forward to a different and interesting retelling.
Unfortunately things didn't worked out, because after that, nothing really interesting happens, and the book takes an overly sexual characterization. An a strange one, because i honestly don't see what was the point. Basically Talia gets involved with the young man with whom she was to be married.
And i say to whom, because after she and her mother loose their way of survival and of income, his father decides to send him to a monastery. The thing is, one doesn't feel any kind of romance, because Talia is a very distanced character. And her sudden interest in Willard, just seems strange...
In the following pages there's more despictions of her sexual encounters with other guys, while she goes on with her life. The situation doesn't become thrashy, because the narrative just feels empty of almost any known feeling. It ends up being a void book...
Some new characters enter the scene, namely a young girl named Rose, to whom Talia will get attached. Then Talia's mother will decide to ignore the royal decree, and in hiding, they will decide to built the only spinning wheel in the kingdom.
Time passes by, and Talia finally realizes that what she felt for Willard was love after all...
The last pages, much like the first ones, were okay, i guess, but beyond that, i'm afraid that it was a pretty forggetable tale, i'm sorry to say.
October 19, 2010
I decided to pick up an ARC of this because I love fairy tales, and this was a retelling of one of my favorites, Sleeping Beauty. The beautiful cover helped too with its vibrant colors and neat wavy title. I like it when designers do things with the title than have it in some standard straight text.
There were many areas where I thought things could have been fleshed out; characterizations, elapsing of time, and transitions into new conflicts, but seeing as how this is a novella I think I can excuse it, but can I really? Now that's the question. For it being a retelling, it took quite a while until the actual retelling part of it kicks in but when it does, I thought it was great. This is the biggest strength of the story. The way she plays with the original fairy tale is tricky and unexpected. You totally expect the main character to be Sleeping Beauty, but then she's not, and then somehow she is, without you realizing it.
I'm not sure if Talia really thought she was ugly by the way she actively seeks out and seduces men. And don't give me this whole men will sleep with anything if they're horny deal. They'd have to somewhat attracted to her to make this happen, so I doubt the character believes she's all that hideous. There's a lot of sex in this book, but they were pretty steamy, which they should be seeing how this is a romance. So it totally hits the mark there. Not too sure about the romances. They seemed to be lacking in connection and chemistry.
This novella is a quick read. You could finish it in an hour or an hour and a half without any problem. The writing isn't overwrought or boringly simple either. I'd say it falls in the nice middle.
Sex scenes and fun twist on the original fairy tale are the shining highlights of this story.
There were many areas where I thought things could have been fleshed out; characterizations, elapsing of time, and transitions into new conflicts, but seeing as how this is a novella I think I can excuse it, but can I really? Now that's the question. For it being a retelling, it took quite a while until the actual retelling part of it kicks in but when it does, I thought it was great. This is the biggest strength of the story. The way she plays with the original fairy tale is tricky and unexpected. You totally expect the main character to be Sleeping Beauty, but then she's not, and then somehow she is, without you realizing it.
I'm not sure if Talia really thought she was ugly by the way she actively seeks out and seduces men. And don't give me this whole men will sleep with anything if they're horny deal. They'd have to somewhat attracted to her to make this happen, so I doubt the character believes she's all that hideous. There's a lot of sex in this book, but they were pretty steamy, which they should be seeing how this is a romance. So it totally hits the mark there. Not too sure about the romances. They seemed to be lacking in connection and chemistry.
This novella is a quick read. You could finish it in an hour or an hour and a half without any problem. The writing isn't overwrought or boringly simple either. I'd say it falls in the nice middle.
Sex scenes and fun twist on the original fairy tale are the shining highlights of this story.
March 20, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. More than my last four choices combined. It was a the perfect bite sized adventure for me. I'm posting my review from my review blog: http://elsielovesfiction.blogspot.com
A Fairy Tale of a Book,That Deserves a Storybook Review
(Finally, a review!)
A month ago I downloaded a novella from Carina Press. For those that haven't been there, it is a nice little site. A subsidiary of Harlequin, they publish solely in ebook format & every Tuesday(? I think?) they post selected titles at a discounted rate. On the particular Tuesday in question, they had a novella...for FREE. Now, we all know I'm not one to pass up a free book. I snatched it up, put in on my Kindle, & forgot about it--until yesterday.
The Sevenfold Spell, by Tia Nevitt is Sleeping Beauty told from the perspective of the spinning wheel spinster, Talia. It sounds unusual, but I assure you, it is one fantastic read. I liked it better than the last three books I've read by famous, not to be named here, authors. It was one hundred pages of great fun (I gobbled it all up in one day). Ms. Nevitt's writing is full of grace & beauty (pun intended. I do that--sorry!) that will make you yearn for more. It has humor, romance, and some steamy love scenes. Not erotica, just steam. It is part of her Enchanted Miniseries...so get ready to fall in love, repeatedly!
Kudos to you Ms. Nevitt. You wrote one heck of a fairy tale for the young at heart that require a more adult version of life. I give it five solid stars and a swish with my magic wand.
It is no longer free; but at a mere $2.69 for the download, it is still a steal.
That's all I have for now folks. Enjoy the spring weather. Take your reading to the park & get lost in adventure!
A Fairy Tale of a Book,That Deserves a Storybook Review
(Finally, a review!)
A month ago I downloaded a novella from Carina Press. For those that haven't been there, it is a nice little site. A subsidiary of Harlequin, they publish solely in ebook format & every Tuesday(? I think?) they post selected titles at a discounted rate. On the particular Tuesday in question, they had a novella...for FREE. Now, we all know I'm not one to pass up a free book. I snatched it up, put in on my Kindle, & forgot about it--until yesterday.
The Sevenfold Spell, by Tia Nevitt is Sleeping Beauty told from the perspective of the spinning wheel spinster, Talia. It sounds unusual, but I assure you, it is one fantastic read. I liked it better than the last three books I've read by famous, not to be named here, authors. It was one hundred pages of great fun (I gobbled it all up in one day). Ms. Nevitt's writing is full of grace & beauty (pun intended. I do that--sorry!) that will make you yearn for more. It has humor, romance, and some steamy love scenes. Not erotica, just steam. It is part of her Enchanted Miniseries...so get ready to fall in love, repeatedly!
Kudos to you Ms. Nevitt. You wrote one heck of a fairy tale for the young at heart that require a more adult version of life. I give it five solid stars and a swish with my magic wand.
It is no longer free; but at a mere $2.69 for the download, it is still a steal.
That's all I have for now folks. Enjoy the spring weather. Take your reading to the park & get lost in adventure!
July 2, 2011
In The Sevenfold Spell Tia Nevitt presents charming alternate view of "The Sleeping Beauty".I never thought about the economic ramifications of a kingdom-wide ban on spinning wheels, or the inevitable development of a financially lucrative black market in domestic thread. I never thought about all the spinsters whose livelihood would have disappeared when their craft was outlawed. The cool thing about The Sevenfold Spell is that Nevitt did think about those things. She followed all the little loose threads (pun intended) of the original story to their logical conclusions, with entertaining results.
I also enjoyed Talia, the heroine and narrator of the tale. I liked that she was like an anti-fairy tale heroine. She was unattractive, stubborn, not always nice, and not particularly virtuous. She was refreshingly real. I loved that her Happily Ever After came about as the result of her actions and her choices rather than the traditional "princess" route of being rescued by a handsome prince.
There's a lot to like in The Sevenfold Spell but all those wonderful details and deft twists of the traditional tale just left me wanting more. The reason this review is a 3.5-4 for me and not a 5 is that I cannot escape the feeling that the story should have been longer. A lot of the action and character development is told, not shown, and I found myself really longing to see more of the relationship between Talia and Willard, to see Talia's relationship with Rose start and grow, to see Talia's reaction to the onset of her illness.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sevenfold Spell (the scene near the end with the broom still has me smiling) and recommend it to anyone with an interest in fairy tale retellings and/or atypical heroines.
I also enjoyed Talia, the heroine and narrator of the tale. I liked that she was like an anti-fairy tale heroine. She was unattractive, stubborn, not always nice, and not particularly virtuous. She was refreshingly real. I loved that her Happily Ever After came about as the result of her actions and her choices rather than the traditional "princess" route of being rescued by a handsome prince.
There's a lot to like in The Sevenfold Spell but all those wonderful details and deft twists of the traditional tale just left me wanting more. The reason this review is a 3.5-4 for me and not a 5 is that I cannot escape the feeling that the story should have been longer. A lot of the action and character development is told, not shown, and I found myself really longing to see more of the relationship between Talia and Willard, to see Talia's relationship with Rose start and grow, to see Talia's reaction to the onset of her illness.
Overall, I enjoyed The Sevenfold Spell (the scene near the end with the broom still has me smiling) and recommend it to anyone with an interest in fairy tale retellings and/or atypical heroines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2010
Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, but what about the other characters? What happened to them when all of the spinning wheels were destroyed? In this book we meet Talia, a homely girl with only one real prospect at marriage, a boy named Willard. When their spinning wheel was destroyed and Talia and her mother have no way to make an income, Willard's father refuses to allow them to marry. When his father announces he will be sending Willard to a Monestary in three weeks, Talia gives Willard the only thing she can, her maidenhood. After he leaves, and the money slowly runs out, Talia decides to become the carpenter's mistress in exchange for helping making a spinning wheel in secret. As the years go on, the pattern continues as she trades herself for assistance in different things. All the while she is still pining for her lost love Willard.
I enjoyed this story. It was short, but there really was a lot jammed pack into it. It was a nice new point of view on the Sleeping Beauty tale. Talia is such a strong person despite all the heartache she went through. She never once let any of it get the best of her. It had some twists and turns that I really didn't see coming. Willard's growth from beginning to end was probably the biggest surprise. Who would have known him to have so much potential. The ending is more than satisfying, and will leave you with a smile on your face. All in all, this a book definitely worth checking out.
I enjoyed this story. It was short, but there really was a lot jammed pack into it. It was a nice new point of view on the Sleeping Beauty tale. Talia is such a strong person despite all the heartache she went through. She never once let any of it get the best of her. It had some twists and turns that I really didn't see coming. Willard's growth from beginning to end was probably the biggest surprise. Who would have known him to have so much potential. The ending is more than satisfying, and will leave you with a smile on your face. All in all, this a book definitely worth checking out.
January 14, 2013
I am wavering hard on a 2-star or a 3-star.
This novella is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I think the blurb does a terrible job and misleads the audience into thinking that the main character somehow replaces Sleeping Beauty. You go into the novella thinking that's what's going to happen. It doesn't happen that way.
This book was really well written and it does a credible job of having you feel sorry for the main character. But honestly, she was written to be so grotesque that it was a bit hard to like her or be able to step into her shoes. Also, she was kind of slutty. All right, she missed having relations and no one wanted to marry her, etc. But honestly, I feel that the low rating probably is due to this fact -- that she kept picking out these bottom of the barrel people to sleep with, just because she had "needs." Also, she propositioned the smithy even when he was fine with having delayed monetary payment. So, yeah, she kind of came off as being easy.
I think the book wavers between an "adult" book and a YA book, and that's why the rating is sort of low -- there's no specific audience this book can be written for. It's not erotic enough to be erotica. It was well-written, but the main character was not likable enough to win over on its own merits.
But it was well-written, and the plot was interesting. It's too bad that I really found the heroine and the love interest sort of bland and uninteresting.
This novella is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I think the blurb does a terrible job and misleads the audience into thinking that the main character somehow replaces Sleeping Beauty. You go into the novella thinking that's what's going to happen. It doesn't happen that way.
This book was really well written and it does a credible job of having you feel sorry for the main character. But honestly, she was written to be so grotesque that it was a bit hard to like her or be able to step into her shoes. Also, she was kind of slutty. All right, she missed having relations and no one wanted to marry her, etc. But honestly, I feel that the low rating probably is due to this fact -- that she kept picking out these bottom of the barrel people to sleep with, just because she had "needs." Also, she propositioned the smithy even when he was fine with having delayed monetary payment. So, yeah, she kind of came off as being easy.
I think the book wavers between an "adult" book and a YA book, and that's why the rating is sort of low -- there's no specific audience this book can be written for. It's not erotic enough to be erotica. It was well-written, but the main character was not likable enough to win over on its own merits.
But it was well-written, and the plot was interesting. It's too bad that I really found the heroine and the love interest sort of bland and uninteresting.
February 27, 2013
When it is decreed that all spinning wheels in the country need to be destroyed (you recognize Sleeping Beauty here, right?), Talia and her mother lose their only source of income. But Talia loses a bit more. They are forced to use her dowry to fund the purchase of a loom as well as food for the pair of them. With her dowry depleted, her chance for marriage disappears.
Willard, a local farm boy, had agreed to marry Talia. But being a younger son and no longer having her dowry, the pair would not be able to survive. Willard's father sends him to join the Church. Talia decides he shouldn't leave without knowing a woman's touch and the two engage in a three week affair that gives the town gossips something to talk about.
Failing to make a go of their weaving business, Talia and her mother craft an illegal spinning wheel. Then it is simply a matter of time before the curse comes to call. Can Talia change the course of the curse?
I don't know that I would label this as a romance. While love does develop between Talia and Willard, it becomes more of a back story as Talia has many other affairs. Most of the story is about Talia's place in the course of Princess Aurora's curse and how Talia's actions affect the outcome of the fairy tale.
Willard, a local farm boy, had agreed to marry Talia. But being a younger son and no longer having her dowry, the pair would not be able to survive. Willard's father sends him to join the Church. Talia decides he shouldn't leave without knowing a woman's touch and the two engage in a three week affair that gives the town gossips something to talk about.
Failing to make a go of their weaving business, Talia and her mother craft an illegal spinning wheel. Then it is simply a matter of time before the curse comes to call. Can Talia change the course of the curse?
I don't know that I would label this as a romance. While love does develop between Talia and Willard, it becomes more of a back story as Talia has many other affairs. Most of the story is about Talia's place in the course of Princess Aurora's curse and how Talia's actions affect the outcome of the fairy tale.
December 18, 2010
This book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought this book would show the characters of the Sleeping Beauty story in a new light and add more details and side stories. Instead, this seemed to be the story of self-discovery for Talia, the town harlot, with the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale woven loosely throughout it.
Once I adjusted my expectations, this story was enjoyable. Talia had a clear voice throughout the story, and it was interesting to see how certain events fit within the original fairy tale. The writing style was very consistent, and it was easy to believe that I was back in the "once upon a time" of fairy tales. Once the first couple of chapters were over and there weren't "steamy" scenes every other page, it was nice to be able to share in Talia's growth. The events leading up to the end were surprising and inventive. Because we all expect a happily-ever-after ending to fairy tales, it's always nice when there's an imaginative way to get there.
Overall, this novelette was a quick, enjoyable read. I'll be interested to read this author's upcoming fairy-tale retellings!
Once I adjusted my expectations, this story was enjoyable. Talia had a clear voice throughout the story, and it was interesting to see how certain events fit within the original fairy tale. The writing style was very consistent, and it was easy to believe that I was back in the "once upon a time" of fairy tales. Once the first couple of chapters were over and there weren't "steamy" scenes every other page, it was nice to be able to share in Talia's growth. The events leading up to the end were surprising and inventive. Because we all expect a happily-ever-after ending to fairy tales, it's always nice when there's an imaginative way to get there.
Overall, this novelette was a quick, enjoyable read. I'll be interested to read this author's upcoming fairy-tale retellings!
September 17, 2010
The Sevenfold Spell is an original but very adult take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. It may seem a bit confusing at first but everything is explained and revealed as you go. Although this is a "re-telling" it still fits within the constraints of what makes a "fairy tale". This is not a novel or a full length story so please don't judge it as one.
I will warn that this book contains a lot of sex but it doesn't diminish the story. It's part of the tragedy that is Talia's life. I couldn't help but think of her as the Ugly Duckling even though this wasn't based on that story. I constantly felt sympathy for her situation and her loneliness. I'm pleased to say that this book was as good as it's beautiful cover. I loved the twists on the original story and the way the tale ends with the usual but much deserved happily ever after.
I will warn that this book contains a lot of sex but it doesn't diminish the story. It's part of the tragedy that is Talia's life. I couldn't help but think of her as the Ugly Duckling even though this wasn't based on that story. I constantly felt sympathy for her situation and her loneliness. I'm pleased to say that this book was as good as it's beautiful cover. I loved the twists on the original story and the way the tale ends with the usual but much deserved happily ever after.
April 26, 2011
I wasn't sure whether this short story was a romance, which is what I normally read from publisher Carina, or if it was a fairytale retelling, which I also enjoy. So, I figured I'd be good either way. I did enjoy the story. I'd describe it as a fairytale with a happy ending. The one thing I wasn't expecting was the heroine having on the page sex with men other than the hero. I know that could be a deal breaker for some. I thought it was a good story that I'll probably read again.
Though the story was fairly serious, it's worth noting that the heroine's mother has a seriously laugh out loud and cheer line near the end of the story. Almost worth reading just to get to that punchline.
Though the story was fairly serious, it's worth noting that the heroine's mother has a seriously laugh out loud and cheer line near the end of the story. Almost worth reading just to get to that punchline.
November 5, 2010
I actually bought this one — the premise intrigued me, and I simply love fairy tales and their various retellings. The book didn't disappoint me, and for the price, I thought it was a very good buy; the story had a lot of meat, and I liked the heroine, homeliness and all. Probably the only thing that put me off was the number of sexual partners the hero and heroine ended up having, but I don't think the story would have worked as well any other way, considering that the heroine had only her body as an asset. Beautiful ending, very nicely played out.
Finished reading October 13, 2010.
Finished reading October 13, 2010.
June 30, 2011
I have to say The Sevenfold Spell is the fairy tale retelling I have read which is the most original and which deviates the most from the classic fairy tale. I loved Tia Nevitt's unique perception of what really happened in the Sleeping Beauty tale. There are two main arcs where The Sevenfold Spell differs from the original Sleeping Beauty: the arc regarding the heroine Talia and the other one concerning the princess.
Let me first start with Talia's story.
The story grips the reader right from the start and sucks you in, making you curious to learn more about this alternate universe and version of Sleeping Beauty. The story starts with magistrates walking the town and destroying all spinning wheels due to a royal decree, which tries to circumvent the princess' curse this way. However, we never saw before how such an act could affect other people, and here we are on the side of the others: Talia and her mother as well as their neighbours have lost their living, their despair and uncertainty at the future was jarring.
We get our very first shock at the beginning when it is revealed that the heroine is a poor and ugly young woman who has warts! *gasp* Yes, not the usual beginning we are used to where the heroine's spellbinding beauty and musical laughter are described. Oh no, Talia, our heroine is a realist and she is her own most severe critic: men only deem her plain, but it is her own view that she is ugly. But she has accepted that fact since a long time. She has resigned herself to her fate, and knows she has not much chance at matrimony, and at love none whatsoever.
Besides the physique of the heroine her attitude towards love and romance was also unusual. When a young man who she considers a friend of her mentions they should get married it is not a passionate proposal and speech of undying love, oh couldn't be further from that:
On one such day, shortly before I turned eighteen, he interrupted his own description of the birth of a calf to say, “We should get married, you know.” I gawked at him.
“Why?”
He shrugged, and then blushed to the tips of his ears. “We get on well. You don’t seem like a henpecker, and I’m not likely to be an adulterer.”
I understood what he was trying to say. I was plain and he was homely. Neither of us was likely to find anyone else.
And her reason for accepting him? Not butterflies and damp palms either:
He was plain, certainly, but he had other things in his favor. At the top of the list was his interest in me.
But this lack of passion and love at first sight wasn't enough for Tia Nevitt, no, she still had to jumble it up a bit more :-) Unfortunately it seemed Talia would not get her happy ending and marriage and her own cottage and children all became a distant dream. And seeing so much hopelessness, resignation and unhappy endings in a fairy tale was shocking to say at least. But Talia is a strong and determined heroine, different from the usual simpering princesses who just wait for their princes to come and save them. Talia is independent and takes matters into her own hand, she tries to take charge of her own destiny.
The other element which I found stunning since it deviated so much from the usual fairy tale canons was that the heroine had needs, sexual needs. And she wasn't sorry or ashamed of them. She even risked being called a tramp and being shunned by society for the short moments of companionship she could get this way.
My infrequent confessions went something like this: “I have not been chaste, as a maiden ought,” I would say to the priest.
“With whom have you not been chaste?”
“A butcher. A baker. A candlestick maker.”
The Sevenfold Spell is a steamy story with hot sex scenes that you most certainly wouldn't find in your usual fairy tale :-p
Then let me tell you how this story deviates from the original when it comes to the princess:
Her curse was sevenfold:
"The spell awaits the seventh part, still. It goes like this: “Beloved by all, with Beauty the most perfect, Elegance the most graceful, Temperament the most amiable, Judgment the most sensible, Music the most lyric, And wit the most keen."
And since it was interrupted by the evil fairy before the seventh and last part could be announced, the princess was simple! She had the maturity and intellectual of a child even when she became 16! (but have no fear it is a fairy tale, so all is well, which ends well... ;-)
The ending nicely ties off all the loose ends and satisfies all fairy tale fans. The light and happiness really came through and I was happy to see that Talia after so much suffering and bleak years got to be happy.
Tia Nevitt finished The Sevenfold Spell with the perfect humourous ending:
“Talia shall indeed have all the things you have granted her,” she said. “Love, marriage, children, wealth, health and long years. However, she will never—” Swat! A broom smacked her out of the air and dashed her to the marble floor, senseless. “—be troubled by fairies again,” Mother concluded as she leaned on a broom. All of the fairies, including the stunned evil fairy, vanished from sight. Mother turned to me. “Gawd! I’ve wanted to do that for seventeen years.”
Verdict: The Sevenfold Spell was a unique and completely original spin on the classic fairy tale. Tia Nevitt created an interesting alternate universe and the unexpected twists and turns will definitely keep you guessing (and hoping) until the end.
I usually dislike novellas because I always find the story rushed and deem it would have served the author, the reader and the story better if it were longer. However, it wasn't the case with The Sevenfold Spell. It was well developed, the ending was lovely, and all fairy tale lovers could sit back with a sigh that all the characters got their happy ending :-)
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
Let me first start with Talia's story.
The story grips the reader right from the start and sucks you in, making you curious to learn more about this alternate universe and version of Sleeping Beauty. The story starts with magistrates walking the town and destroying all spinning wheels due to a royal decree, which tries to circumvent the princess' curse this way. However, we never saw before how such an act could affect other people, and here we are on the side of the others: Talia and her mother as well as their neighbours have lost their living, their despair and uncertainty at the future was jarring.
We get our very first shock at the beginning when it is revealed that the heroine is a poor and ugly young woman who has warts! *gasp* Yes, not the usual beginning we are used to where the heroine's spellbinding beauty and musical laughter are described. Oh no, Talia, our heroine is a realist and she is her own most severe critic: men only deem her plain, but it is her own view that she is ugly. But she has accepted that fact since a long time. She has resigned herself to her fate, and knows she has not much chance at matrimony, and at love none whatsoever.
Besides the physique of the heroine her attitude towards love and romance was also unusual. When a young man who she considers a friend of her mentions they should get married it is not a passionate proposal and speech of undying love, oh couldn't be further from that:
On one such day, shortly before I turned eighteen, he interrupted his own description of the birth of a calf to say, “We should get married, you know.” I gawked at him.
“Why?”
He shrugged, and then blushed to the tips of his ears. “We get on well. You don’t seem like a henpecker, and I’m not likely to be an adulterer.”
I understood what he was trying to say. I was plain and he was homely. Neither of us was likely to find anyone else.
And her reason for accepting him? Not butterflies and damp palms either:
He was plain, certainly, but he had other things in his favor. At the top of the list was his interest in me.
But this lack of passion and love at first sight wasn't enough for Tia Nevitt, no, she still had to jumble it up a bit more :-) Unfortunately it seemed Talia would not get her happy ending and marriage and her own cottage and children all became a distant dream. And seeing so much hopelessness, resignation and unhappy endings in a fairy tale was shocking to say at least. But Talia is a strong and determined heroine, different from the usual simpering princesses who just wait for their princes to come and save them. Talia is independent and takes matters into her own hand, she tries to take charge of her own destiny.
The other element which I found stunning since it deviated so much from the usual fairy tale canons was that the heroine had needs, sexual needs. And she wasn't sorry or ashamed of them. She even risked being called a tramp and being shunned by society for the short moments of companionship she could get this way.
My infrequent confessions went something like this: “I have not been chaste, as a maiden ought,” I would say to the priest.
“With whom have you not been chaste?”
“A butcher. A baker. A candlestick maker.”
The Sevenfold Spell is a steamy story with hot sex scenes that you most certainly wouldn't find in your usual fairy tale :-p
Then let me tell you how this story deviates from the original when it comes to the princess:
Her curse was sevenfold:
"The spell awaits the seventh part, still. It goes like this: “Beloved by all, with Beauty the most perfect, Elegance the most graceful, Temperament the most amiable, Judgment the most sensible, Music the most lyric, And wit the most keen."
And since it was interrupted by the evil fairy before the seventh and last part could be announced, the princess was simple! She had the maturity and intellectual of a child even when she became 16! (but have no fear it is a fairy tale, so all is well, which ends well... ;-)
The ending nicely ties off all the loose ends and satisfies all fairy tale fans. The light and happiness really came through and I was happy to see that Talia after so much suffering and bleak years got to be happy.
Tia Nevitt finished The Sevenfold Spell with the perfect humourous ending:
“Talia shall indeed have all the things you have granted her,” she said. “Love, marriage, children, wealth, health and long years. However, she will never—” Swat! A broom smacked her out of the air and dashed her to the marble floor, senseless. “—be troubled by fairies again,” Mother concluded as she leaned on a broom. All of the fairies, including the stunned evil fairy, vanished from sight. Mother turned to me. “Gawd! I’ve wanted to do that for seventeen years.”
Verdict: The Sevenfold Spell was a unique and completely original spin on the classic fairy tale. Tia Nevitt created an interesting alternate universe and the unexpected twists and turns will definitely keep you guessing (and hoping) until the end.
I usually dislike novellas because I always find the story rushed and deem it would have served the author, the reader and the story better if it were longer. However, it wasn't the case with The Sevenfold Spell. It was well developed, the ending was lovely, and all fairy tale lovers could sit back with a sigh that all the characters got their happy ending :-)
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
Writing: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
July 8, 2011
Review from my book blog (wordpress / livejournal)
There was some buzz about this novella a few months ago, so I requested an eARC for review from Carina Press through Netgalley.
The Premise: This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, told from the point of view of a young woman and spinner who is affected by the curse. Talia is a plain, not very attractive girl, with limited prospects, but she has a nice relationship with Willard, a farmer's son, and she hopes to marry him one day. These simple dreams are shattered when the princess of the land is cursed by an evil fairy, and all spinning wheels are ordered destroyed, including Talia and her mother's. This is the end of their livelihood and, with their reduced circumstances, Willard's father uses the opportunity to renege on his promise to let his son marry Talia. Instead, Willard is destined for the monastery.
My Thoughts: I really liked the premise of this one - an ordinary girl who doesn't seem much, with her simple desire to marry the not-so-attractive himself Willard has her life turned upside down because of how the Royal family's life affects the everyday people. Talia's anger and grief over what her life has been reduced to is a palpable thing, and when she has almost no income, and she's lost Willard, she grasps at what she can get. So before Willard leaves for the monastery, she gives herself to him, in the hope that at least she will have a child.
It is around here where the story goes from a regular fantasy tale into more erotic/steamy territory. Several trysts are recounted in detail, with Talia uncaring of Willard's brother's overhearing them, or of the village knowing. The creative ways they've found to be together are described. I don't know if this is my prudish side coming out or just not being a fan of this much explicit sex in my stories, but this is where I sort of got bored and stopped reading. I guess I wasn't expecting this ebook to have this level of sex in it because it was labeled as being in the "Fae, Fantasy, Legends & Mythology" category. I understood that Talia was trying to hold on to Willard in some way, but after the first couple of encounters, I got the idea and recounting all the sex didn't seem to add much to the story.
A few months later I figured I would pick up the novella again, and once Willard has left to join the order, the sex continues. Talia is looking for a connection similar to that she had with Willard, and she enjoys having sex, so she uses her body to pay for favors from their next door neighbor, and describes getting a reputation and gives us a general idea of her numerous trysts. What kept me going was that outside of all this, there are hints of the Sleeping Beauty tale. Characters familiar to that story appear, and I wondered where it was going and how Talia fit into the story. I'm glad I kept reading because just when the story seemed to be getting darker, suddenly something happens which manages to propel the story forward into a happy ending with a twist. It all ends on a sweet note.
Overall: Not a bad way to pass the time, and at 97 pages, this is a short read and it has a unique spin on a well-known fairy tale, but it's heavy on the sexual content, which almost kept me from finishing this short piece. I'm glad I pushed on because of the last part of this story, which had a nice twist on the happy ever after.
There was some buzz about this novella a few months ago, so I requested an eARC for review from Carina Press through Netgalley.
The Premise: This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, told from the point of view of a young woman and spinner who is affected by the curse. Talia is a plain, not very attractive girl, with limited prospects, but she has a nice relationship with Willard, a farmer's son, and she hopes to marry him one day. These simple dreams are shattered when the princess of the land is cursed by an evil fairy, and all spinning wheels are ordered destroyed, including Talia and her mother's. This is the end of their livelihood and, with their reduced circumstances, Willard's father uses the opportunity to renege on his promise to let his son marry Talia. Instead, Willard is destined for the monastery.
My Thoughts: I really liked the premise of this one - an ordinary girl who doesn't seem much, with her simple desire to marry the not-so-attractive himself Willard has her life turned upside down because of how the Royal family's life affects the everyday people. Talia's anger and grief over what her life has been reduced to is a palpable thing, and when she has almost no income, and she's lost Willard, she grasps at what she can get. So before Willard leaves for the monastery, she gives herself to him, in the hope that at least she will have a child.
It is around here where the story goes from a regular fantasy tale into more erotic/steamy territory. Several trysts are recounted in detail, with Talia uncaring of Willard's brother's overhearing them, or of the village knowing. The creative ways they've found to be together are described. I don't know if this is my prudish side coming out or just not being a fan of this much explicit sex in my stories, but this is where I sort of got bored and stopped reading. I guess I wasn't expecting this ebook to have this level of sex in it because it was labeled as being in the "Fae, Fantasy, Legends & Mythology" category. I understood that Talia was trying to hold on to Willard in some way, but after the first couple of encounters, I got the idea and recounting all the sex didn't seem to add much to the story.
A few months later I figured I would pick up the novella again, and once Willard has left to join the order, the sex continues. Talia is looking for a connection similar to that she had with Willard, and she enjoys having sex, so she uses her body to pay for favors from their next door neighbor, and describes getting a reputation and gives us a general idea of her numerous trysts. What kept me going was that outside of all this, there are hints of the Sleeping Beauty tale. Characters familiar to that story appear, and I wondered where it was going and how Talia fit into the story. I'm glad I kept reading because just when the story seemed to be getting darker, suddenly something happens which manages to propel the story forward into a happy ending with a twist. It all ends on a sweet note.
Overall: Not a bad way to pass the time, and at 97 pages, this is a short read and it has a unique spin on a well-known fairy tale, but it's heavy on the sexual content, which almost kept me from finishing this short piece. I'm glad I pushed on because of the last part of this story, which had a nice twist on the happy ever after.
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.
January 10, 2011
http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-seve...
I don’t usually read novellas, nor do I read ebooks. But the premise of The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt was too good to ignore. The first story in the Accidental Enchantments series, this is a retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty and it’s a retelling in a way that has never been done before.
Sleeping Beauty retold
The Sevenfold Spell tells the story of Talia, a regular girl living in the city when Aurora, the princess of Sleeping Beauty, is born. Talia, however, spins wool for a living. And I think we all know what happened to spinning wheels in Sleeping Beauty – they were banned. This one act, so simple in the original fairy tale, changes Talia’s life forever as she and her mother are suddenly without income, eventually leading to the breaking off of her engagement.
An explicit story
We follow Talia’s life story from the first person point of view as she grows up lonely, shunned, poor, and without any hope for a better life. The Sevenfold Spell is a story of love, passion and hope. At times, this is an enormously cute story. At other times, however, this is a lewd story.
While I realize it may be a matter of taste, I usually don’t like books with a lot of sexual content. I don’t mind sex in a story, especially if it is used for story purposes, which is in fact the case in this novella. However, I like it to be mentioned, after which the story “fades out”, and that isn’t the case here. Some of these scenes are rather explicit and to be honest, if I want explicit, I’d much rather read something other than fantasy.
Creative and mature
Fortunately for me, the sexual content is restricted to the first quarter of the book. After this, it soon becomes a very touching, romantic and cute story. The characters were written very well, and the prose is amazing, especially for a debut novella. What I liked most, however, was the creative way this story was retold. At first, I felt this would just be the life story of one girl living in the setting of Sleeping Beauty. However, the reader will soon realize The Sevenfold Spell is more than that. The classic fairy tale was completely rewritten and has grown into something more mature.
Though it wasn’t mentioned often, I appreciated the way magic was used in the story. After all, the novella is named after the spell cast over Aurora in the fairy tale. The way Nevitt expanded on this spell and created a basic magic system around it intrigued me.
Why should you read this novella?
If you don’t mind the sexual content and are looking for a creative but short read, this 97 page novella is the book for you. This is definitely an interesting read, and I look forward to more in the Accidental Enchantment series. I just hope future installments get rid of the R-rating.
I don’t usually read novellas, nor do I read ebooks. But the premise of The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt was too good to ignore. The first story in the Accidental Enchantments series, this is a retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty and it’s a retelling in a way that has never been done before.
Sleeping Beauty retold
The Sevenfold Spell tells the story of Talia, a regular girl living in the city when Aurora, the princess of Sleeping Beauty, is born. Talia, however, spins wool for a living. And I think we all know what happened to spinning wheels in Sleeping Beauty – they were banned. This one act, so simple in the original fairy tale, changes Talia’s life forever as she and her mother are suddenly without income, eventually leading to the breaking off of her engagement.
An explicit story
We follow Talia’s life story from the first person point of view as she grows up lonely, shunned, poor, and without any hope for a better life. The Sevenfold Spell is a story of love, passion and hope. At times, this is an enormously cute story. At other times, however, this is a lewd story.
While I realize it may be a matter of taste, I usually don’t like books with a lot of sexual content. I don’t mind sex in a story, especially if it is used for story purposes, which is in fact the case in this novella. However, I like it to be mentioned, after which the story “fades out”, and that isn’t the case here. Some of these scenes are rather explicit and to be honest, if I want explicit, I’d much rather read something other than fantasy.
Creative and mature
Fortunately for me, the sexual content is restricted to the first quarter of the book. After this, it soon becomes a very touching, romantic and cute story. The characters were written very well, and the prose is amazing, especially for a debut novella. What I liked most, however, was the creative way this story was retold. At first, I felt this would just be the life story of one girl living in the setting of Sleeping Beauty. However, the reader will soon realize The Sevenfold Spell is more than that. The classic fairy tale was completely rewritten and has grown into something more mature.
Though it wasn’t mentioned often, I appreciated the way magic was used in the story. After all, the novella is named after the spell cast over Aurora in the fairy tale. The way Nevitt expanded on this spell and created a basic magic system around it intrigued me.
Why should you read this novella?
If you don’t mind the sexual content and are looking for a creative but short read, this 97 page novella is the book for you. This is definitely an interesting read, and I look forward to more in the Accidental Enchantment series. I just hope future installments get rid of the R-rating.
January 24, 2011
The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The Sevenfold spell is a spin on the sleeping beauty fairytale. You have a princess that has an evil spell placed on her, prince charming that is supposed to break the spell, and fairy godmothers to try and protect the princess.
Talia and her mother don't know what they are going to do now that they had to give up their spinning wheel like everyone else because of the evil curse on the princess. She was upset that she and Willard were no longer able to get married. You see, she was a plain girl with warts on her face. Willard was the only one that saw the true beauty within her. She knew her prospects for marriage were few and far between so she resigned herself to be a spinster and alone the rest of her life. She tried to have a baby with Willard before he joined the monastery but was devastated to learn she was barren.
Talia and her mother dealt with many trials and tribulations. She became friends with the tavern owner ,Widow Harla and had affairs with several men in town, including the wainwright, Master Caleb. She couldn't have any children of her own but was allowed to help care for a neighbors goddaughter. Rose was taken away abruptly and Talia didn't see her again until many years later, which devastated her. Later, she became very ill with consumption. She always wondered what had become of Willard and never forgot him.
Talia was rewarded for the choices she made that fateful day. She was overwhelmed with the wishes the fairy godmother's granted her. She was determined that she would find Willard and buy his freedom from the monastery. In the end, Talia used her good fortune to pay if forward to help others. Oh yeah, the other story, the prince and princess lived happily ever after, or did they?
Talia had to deal with so much heartache but I think that was what made her such a strong person. She was determined not to let her situation get the best of her. She was ahead of her time when it came to how she viewed her relationship with the men. It was frowned upon during her time for an unmarried woman to have an affair with a man.
I didn't really like Willard's character at the beginning but wow, what a man he turned into. Who wouldn't want a man that is willing to give up everything and everyone just for you. Talia is a very strong, independent woman and she definitely needed for her man to be just as strong. I think in the end they are well matched. The story flowed very nicely with the passage of time without having too much or too little information. The twist to the fairy tale was a very nice surprise, I've grown up watching all the Disney movies and Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my favorites.
Overall I give The Sevenfold Spell 3 1/2 Flaming Hearts.
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The Sevenfold spell is a spin on the sleeping beauty fairytale. You have a princess that has an evil spell placed on her, prince charming that is supposed to break the spell, and fairy godmothers to try and protect the princess.
Talia and her mother don't know what they are going to do now that they had to give up their spinning wheel like everyone else because of the evil curse on the princess. She was upset that she and Willard were no longer able to get married. You see, she was a plain girl with warts on her face. Willard was the only one that saw the true beauty within her. She knew her prospects for marriage were few and far between so she resigned herself to be a spinster and alone the rest of her life. She tried to have a baby with Willard before he joined the monastery but was devastated to learn she was barren.
Talia and her mother dealt with many trials and tribulations. She became friends with the tavern owner ,Widow Harla and had affairs with several men in town, including the wainwright, Master Caleb. She couldn't have any children of her own but was allowed to help care for a neighbors goddaughter. Rose was taken away abruptly and Talia didn't see her again until many years later, which devastated her. Later, she became very ill with consumption. She always wondered what had become of Willard and never forgot him.
Talia was rewarded for the choices she made that fateful day. She was overwhelmed with the wishes the fairy godmother's granted her. She was determined that she would find Willard and buy his freedom from the monastery. In the end, Talia used her good fortune to pay if forward to help others. Oh yeah, the other story, the prince and princess lived happily ever after, or did they?
Talia had to deal with so much heartache but I think that was what made her such a strong person. She was determined not to let her situation get the best of her. She was ahead of her time when it came to how she viewed her relationship with the men. It was frowned upon during her time for an unmarried woman to have an affair with a man.
I didn't really like Willard's character at the beginning but wow, what a man he turned into. Who wouldn't want a man that is willing to give up everything and everyone just for you. Talia is a very strong, independent woman and she definitely needed for her man to be just as strong. I think in the end they are well matched. The story flowed very nicely with the passage of time without having too much or too little information. The twist to the fairy tale was a very nice surprise, I've grown up watching all the Disney movies and Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my favorites.
Overall I give The Sevenfold Spell 3 1/2 Flaming Hearts.
October 17, 2010
I grew up watching Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, falling in love with the delightful fairies and the beautiful princess every time I watched it. But there was another side to the story that I had never considered, and author Tia Nevitt has brought it to life.
A royal decree declared that every spinning wheel in the land should be destroyed. But what would become of those in the town who depended on their spinning wheels to earn their wages? Talia, the town’s most plain looking woman, loses her only prospect for marriage after her mother’s spinning wheel is taken and destroyed. Her betrothed is destined now for the monastery, but before he goes, Talia seduces him. After he is gone, there is a gaping hole in her heart which she tries to fill by having her share of lovers over the years--including a carpenter who helps her build a new spinning wheel from memory.
Though Talia is not without flaws, she has a kind heart. Her womb is barren, but she deeply loves children. A young girl named Rose, raised by her two aunts, is the child that Talia has always longed for. Talia does not know that the spinning wheel she keeps a secret from the royal kingdom and that the child she wishes she could call her own are linked by a dark curse. Will Talia’s love for Rose end this wicked curse once and for all?
I first heard about The Sevenfold Curse on The Book Smuggler and was very eager to read it. Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley.com, I was able to spend a delightful few hours getting lost in Nevitt’s reimagined fairy tale. I was a bit shocked when I started reading it and came across some sexual situations. Though the review I had read mentioned sex, I had entirely forgotten about it and had pictured I was in for something along the lines of Ella Enchanted or Princess of the Midnight Ball. Once I got used to the idea that this was more of an adult fairy tale, I was fine with the story as Nevitt told it. I wouldn’t recommend this for teenagers, though if I’d come across it at that age I would certainly have wanted to read it based on the plot summary alone.
The Sevenfold CurseThe Sevenfold Curse appears to be the first in a series, and I’m really excited to see what fairy tale Nevitt will tell from a new perspective next.
A royal decree declared that every spinning wheel in the land should be destroyed. But what would become of those in the town who depended on their spinning wheels to earn their wages? Talia, the town’s most plain looking woman, loses her only prospect for marriage after her mother’s spinning wheel is taken and destroyed. Her betrothed is destined now for the monastery, but before he goes, Talia seduces him. After he is gone, there is a gaping hole in her heart which she tries to fill by having her share of lovers over the years--including a carpenter who helps her build a new spinning wheel from memory.
Though Talia is not without flaws, she has a kind heart. Her womb is barren, but she deeply loves children. A young girl named Rose, raised by her two aunts, is the child that Talia has always longed for. Talia does not know that the spinning wheel she keeps a secret from the royal kingdom and that the child she wishes she could call her own are linked by a dark curse. Will Talia’s love for Rose end this wicked curse once and for all?
I first heard about The Sevenfold Curse on The Book Smuggler and was very eager to read it. Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley.com, I was able to spend a delightful few hours getting lost in Nevitt’s reimagined fairy tale. I was a bit shocked when I started reading it and came across some sexual situations. Though the review I had read mentioned sex, I had entirely forgotten about it and had pictured I was in for something along the lines of Ella Enchanted or Princess of the Midnight Ball. Once I got used to the idea that this was more of an adult fairy tale, I was fine with the story as Nevitt told it. I wouldn’t recommend this for teenagers, though if I’d come across it at that age I would certainly have wanted to read it based on the plot summary alone.
The Sevenfold CurseThe Sevenfold Curse appears to be the first in a series, and I’m really excited to see what fairy tale Nevitt will tell from a new perspective next.
Read
October 31, 2013Everyone enjoys a true Happily Ever After tale, but what happens to the people living in the kingdom who are also effected by the hero/heroine's curse? The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt, the first in her Accidental Enchantments series, centers around Talia, a spinner whose spinning when is taken away after a curse is laid upon the princess destined to become Sleeping Beauty.
Talia's story is heartbreakingly sad. She is a very plain girl with few marriage prospects. She spins to make a living along with her mother and has been saving all of her earnings for her dowry. When the family's spinning wheel is taken and destroyed, Talia must dip into her dowry in order for them to survive. Sadly, this means that even the one man willing to marry her, Willard, is no longer able to do so. His father sends him to a monastery. Talia's life soon takes a dark turn. She's forced down the unsavory path of pleasing men in order to make money and stay alive. At times, her tale takes a graphic turn, which took me by surprise. I like the reason Nevitt took this path, however. In an upcoming interview with the author, she stated, "One of the ideas I had from the start is that Sleeping Beauty would actually be Sleeping Ugly. Therefore, I made Talia to be Aurora’s opposite. Where Aurora is beautiful, privileged, dreamy and pure, Talia is unattractive, poor, pragmatic—and sensual."
As the novella picks up in speed and takes on the familiar tale of Sleeping Beauty, Nevitt's creativeness really begins to shine through. I love the concept of the Sevenfold Spell, which Nevitt was inspired to write after reading Perrault's rendition. In her world, seven fairies work together to create this spell, which can only be complete when each individual blessing has been bestowed. Something goes horribly wrong when blessing the baby princess, and the final part of the spell is skipped when the fairy in charge of casting it must instead counter the curse. This results in an unexpected deformity that haunts the princess. I adored seeing the addition of this flaw and the way Nevitt worked her way through the fallout.
The heart of The Sevenfold Spell is still a fairy tale. The path to get to a happily ever after is long, gritty, and full of unexpected turns, but still worth the journey to get there. I was entranced by the novella's unique perspective and seeing the way the curse destroyed the livelihood of normal everyday people. This is truly a version of Sleeping Beauty that will stick with me, and I'm excited to read more of Nevitt's Accidental Enchantments series, which will all be centered around such perspectives, albeit with new fairy tale renderings. For a sneak peek of upcoming books in the series, watch out for an upcoming interview with the author!
Talia's story is heartbreakingly sad. She is a very plain girl with few marriage prospects. She spins to make a living along with her mother and has been saving all of her earnings for her dowry. When the family's spinning wheel is taken and destroyed, Talia must dip into her dowry in order for them to survive. Sadly, this means that even the one man willing to marry her, Willard, is no longer able to do so. His father sends him to a monastery. Talia's life soon takes a dark turn. She's forced down the unsavory path of pleasing men in order to make money and stay alive. At times, her tale takes a graphic turn, which took me by surprise. I like the reason Nevitt took this path, however. In an upcoming interview with the author, she stated, "One of the ideas I had from the start is that Sleeping Beauty would actually be Sleeping Ugly. Therefore, I made Talia to be Aurora’s opposite. Where Aurora is beautiful, privileged, dreamy and pure, Talia is unattractive, poor, pragmatic—and sensual."
As the novella picks up in speed and takes on the familiar tale of Sleeping Beauty, Nevitt's creativeness really begins to shine through. I love the concept of the Sevenfold Spell, which Nevitt was inspired to write after reading Perrault's rendition. In her world, seven fairies work together to create this spell, which can only be complete when each individual blessing has been bestowed. Something goes horribly wrong when blessing the baby princess, and the final part of the spell is skipped when the fairy in charge of casting it must instead counter the curse. This results in an unexpected deformity that haunts the princess. I adored seeing the addition of this flaw and the way Nevitt worked her way through the fallout.
The heart of The Sevenfold Spell is still a fairy tale. The path to get to a happily ever after is long, gritty, and full of unexpected turns, but still worth the journey to get there. I was entranced by the novella's unique perspective and seeing the way the curse destroyed the livelihood of normal everyday people. This is truly a version of Sleeping Beauty that will stick with me, and I'm excited to read more of Nevitt's Accidental Enchantments series, which will all be centered around such perspectives, albeit with new fairy tale renderings. For a sneak peek of upcoming books in the series, watch out for an upcoming interview with the author!
September 13, 2010
I have to admit, growing up I was never one to question what happened to the other people in fairy tales. However, ever since I read A Happily Ever After of Her Own by Nadia Lee and seeing the musical Wicked, my curiosity in this area has grown. So when I was on Netgalley the other day looking for the Winter Passage by Julie Kawaga and saw this novella, I knew I had to give it a try.
The Sevenfold Spell is spin off of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Ever since Princess Aurora had a curse put on her by fairies, spinning wheels have be outlawed in the realm. That is very bad news for Talia and her mother, because they make their living from their spinning wheel. With no one to rescue to her, Talia takes matters into her own hands. She realizes that her prospects are dim now that she and her mother have no income. The one boy who she thought might marry her, is a third son and is being forced to become a monk by his family. So Talia does the unthinkable and ruins herself. While others don't understand her motives, she knows that this was her only chance for happiness and takes it. Problems still persist with her and her mom because of their lack of income. Talia isn't one to admit defeat. The government might not allow spinning wheels, but what's to stop her from making her own? How would they find out about one little spinning wheel?
Talia and her mom make their spinning wheel, and are finally able to make a living from it...but this goes right along with the curse that said that the princess would prick her finger on a spinning wheel. Will Talia be able to stop the curse from coming true? Or will it all happen as planned? Will she be able to have a fairy tale ending of her own? Or will her life continue as it has been?
What I liked best about this book was that Talia was no woe is me type of heroine. She was strong, tough and independent. Others might have tried to put her down, but she would not have it. She knew that she worth something, and wouldn't let anyone tell her otherwise. I also liked it because she didn't fall apart every step of the way, and stayed true to her own morals-even if they weren't everyone elses morals. If you are expecting a light hearted romance-think again. This is one story that tells it like it is, and it somehow works. There are also some sex scenes thrown in, and while I thought they weren't really necessary, it brought home the reality of the day. If you are looking for something a bit different, then this book is for you. I look forward to reading more by this author!
December 16, 2010
Full disclosure: Tia is one of my online friends. She runs the Debuts & Reviews blog and was nice enough to send me a copy of her e-book, The Sevenfold Spell.
After a kingdom-wise ban on spinning wheels in order to protect the princess from a vicious curse, Talia and her mother don't know how they're going to survive since spinning is all they know. To add insult to injury, the boy that Talia was supposed to marry is sent off by his father to become a monk. Talia considers herself to be rather plain, but she finally decides to enjoy what she can of her dreary life by taking a series of lovers. As the years pass, though, Talia once again finds herself in possession of a spinning wheel -- something that just might lead to her doom ...
I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings, and this is a take on the old Sleeping Beauty story. Nevitt definitely puts her own spin on things, so to speak. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) Talia is a likable character, and I really enjoyed how she decided to do what she wanted to with whomever she wanted to, despite the vicious town gossip and everyone looking down their noses at her. Talia's heart gets broken and her dreams get shattered, but she still soldiers on.
Talia definitely made the story for me. It was nice to see such a strong character, especially in a fairy tale. As much as I like fairy tales, let's face it -- most of the female characters in the traditional stories are only there to be kissed/rescued.
My only little quibble is that I would have liked a little more world-building -- specifically, I would have liked to have known more about the fairies and how their powers/curses worked. But this is a short e-book (not quite 100 pages), and I know there's not room for everything.
However, there's a lot of steam in this story, despite the short length. So if you like a little spice with your fairy tales, you should definitely check this one out.
After a kingdom-wise ban on spinning wheels in order to protect the princess from a vicious curse, Talia and her mother don't know how they're going to survive since spinning is all they know. To add insult to injury, the boy that Talia was supposed to marry is sent off by his father to become a monk. Talia considers herself to be rather plain, but she finally decides to enjoy what she can of her dreary life by taking a series of lovers. As the years pass, though, Talia once again finds herself in possession of a spinning wheel -- something that just might lead to her doom ...
I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings, and this is a take on the old Sleeping Beauty story. Nevitt definitely puts her own spin on things, so to speak. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) Talia is a likable character, and I really enjoyed how she decided to do what she wanted to with whomever she wanted to, despite the vicious town gossip and everyone looking down their noses at her. Talia's heart gets broken and her dreams get shattered, but she still soldiers on.
Talia definitely made the story for me. It was nice to see such a strong character, especially in a fairy tale. As much as I like fairy tales, let's face it -- most of the female characters in the traditional stories are only there to be kissed/rescued.
My only little quibble is that I would have liked a little more world-building -- specifically, I would have liked to have known more about the fairies and how their powers/curses worked. But this is a short e-book (not quite 100 pages), and I know there's not room for everything.
However, there's a lot of steam in this story, despite the short length. So if you like a little spice with your fairy tales, you should definitely check this one out.
March 13, 2013
Also on http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com
This book was so different than I expected. After really enjoying part two I decided to pick this one up. You can see that I was disappointed by this story.
The first thing that really surprised me is the amount of sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind it, but I didn’t expect them in a fairytale retelling. They felt very out of place and this book lost all it’s magical charm. Most of the time, our MC can be found in the bed of several men in an attempt to forget her real love William. He is send away to a monastery, because his father isn’t able to take care of William and his two sisters. Tia is a “plain, dull” looking girl, as her mother likes to describe her. William is the only one who gives her the attention she longs for. They are making love two weeks long before he leaves and they start to fall in love. Tia is now a pariah and that is when she throws herself at any available man. I think she feels flattered when she seduces them, but she lost her dignity in my eyes.
I did admire Tia’s strength. She stood up for herself and she doesn’t care about other people’s opinion. That is the only good thing I can say about her, though. I didn’t care for William. I never felt a connection with these characters – and that is not only because of the shortness of this story. The writing-style made them feel very distant.
There is still a moment when we get a glimpse of a fairytale. When a little girl Rose comes in their town with her two aunties. It appears that Rose is simple, but she is in fact princess Aurora. When the evil fairy cast her curse, the last good faerie couldn’t complete the Sevenfold spell. Rose is doomed to stay this way until she sleeps for a hundred years. I did like the twist towards the ending, although I saw it coming.
It’s a shame.. I’m very glad that I read the second book first, otherwise I wouldn’t have picked it up after reading this one. Just skip it.
This book was so different than I expected. After really enjoying part two I decided to pick this one up. You can see that I was disappointed by this story.
The first thing that really surprised me is the amount of sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind it, but I didn’t expect them in a fairytale retelling. They felt very out of place and this book lost all it’s magical charm. Most of the time, our MC can be found in the bed of several men in an attempt to forget her real love William. He is send away to a monastery, because his father isn’t able to take care of William and his two sisters. Tia is a “plain, dull” looking girl, as her mother likes to describe her. William is the only one who gives her the attention she longs for. They are making love two weeks long before he leaves and they start to fall in love. Tia is now a pariah and that is when she throws herself at any available man. I think she feels flattered when she seduces them, but she lost her dignity in my eyes.
I did admire Tia’s strength. She stood up for herself and she doesn’t care about other people’s opinion. That is the only good thing I can say about her, though. I didn’t care for William. I never felt a connection with these characters – and that is not only because of the shortness of this story. The writing-style made them feel very distant.
There is still a moment when we get a glimpse of a fairytale. When a little girl Rose comes in their town with her two aunties. It appears that Rose is simple, but she is in fact princess Aurora. When the evil fairy cast her curse, the last good faerie couldn’t complete the Sevenfold spell. Rose is doomed to stay this way until she sleeps for a hundred years. I did like the twist towards the ending, although I saw it coming.
It’s a shame.. I’m very glad that I read the second book first, otherwise I wouldn’t have picked it up after reading this one. Just skip it.
January 9, 2011
This review was originally posted on my review blog : http://fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com
I've always been a huge fan of a good fairy tale retelling, and when I read the synopsis of this book on NetGalley I had to read it. Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my favorites, and I wanted to read what Nevitt's take on this story would be. I was surprised at the approach, but still intrigued.
Normally, the princess is the main character, but not in this retelling. A young maiden from a tiny village, named Talia, is our main character in this situation. She isn't remarkably beautiful as most would assume. In fact, she's quite the opposite. Talia is described as being ugly, with warts, and most definitely not a looker. She has even been forced to settle with one young man as her only chance at marriage, because of her ugly features.
When Talia and her mother are forced to give up their spinning wheel, the only source to their livelihood, Talia is forced to use her dowry to keep them alive. Without that money to offer to her future husband, Talia loses the chance at becoming a wife as well.
I found this part of the Sleeping Beauty tale to be most distressing. I'm glad the author gave us insight into the lives of the people we had never before seen. I didn't particularly like Talia's character, but she was good for this part. There was a lot of sexual content in this story, and at times it felt like it was not necessary. I just wanted to skip over most of these parts, and get to the real story.
Nevitt's take on Sleeping Beauty was in fact different, but I can still only say that I only enjoyed it a little bit. I felt like she could have given us a little more magic, and romance, rather than just flat out sexual content. I would love to give more of her work a chance in the future, because I feel she has great potential.
I've always been a huge fan of a good fairy tale retelling, and when I read the synopsis of this book on NetGalley I had to read it. Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my favorites, and I wanted to read what Nevitt's take on this story would be. I was surprised at the approach, but still intrigued.
Normally, the princess is the main character, but not in this retelling. A young maiden from a tiny village, named Talia, is our main character in this situation. She isn't remarkably beautiful as most would assume. In fact, she's quite the opposite. Talia is described as being ugly, with warts, and most definitely not a looker. She has even been forced to settle with one young man as her only chance at marriage, because of her ugly features.
When Talia and her mother are forced to give up their spinning wheel, the only source to their livelihood, Talia is forced to use her dowry to keep them alive. Without that money to offer to her future husband, Talia loses the chance at becoming a wife as well.
I found this part of the Sleeping Beauty tale to be most distressing. I'm glad the author gave us insight into the lives of the people we had never before seen. I didn't particularly like Talia's character, but she was good for this part. There was a lot of sexual content in this story, and at times it felt like it was not necessary. I just wanted to skip over most of these parts, and get to the real story.
Nevitt's take on Sleeping Beauty was in fact different, but I can still only say that I only enjoyed it a little bit. I felt like she could have given us a little more magic, and romance, rather than just flat out sexual content. I would love to give more of her work a chance in the future, because I feel she has great potential.
November 18, 2010
Going into The Sevenfold Spell I had certain expectations, since it was a retelling of a fairy tale. As a reader who has fallen in love with these types of stories, I am always excited to see how the author takes the characters and puts them in new situations. My high expectations for this story may have been why I was a little taken aback when I first began reading. Part of me knew that this book was more about other characters, and less about the main characters, but I was still a little disappointed.
What I liked about Tia Nevitt's retelling was that it dealt with those characters that usually get ignored. Rarely ever in fairy tales do you learn about what happens to the "little people" as the story progresses. Of course the townspeople would have their livelihood affected by a ban on spinning wheels! It was interesting to see how they coped and worked together to make it by. I was also intrigued by how the original characters were slowly brought into the story, one a time, and sometimes in a way I completely wasn't expecting.
On the flip side, what I disliked about this story were the flat characters. Talia was a sweet girl, and I didn't even fault her for the decisions that she had to make to stay alive. Instead I was a bit upset that we never got to see farther into what she was thinking, or how her mother was affected. If you check the page count, this book is very short. It's a mere 97 pages where other books are much longer. I think that if the author had spent a few more pages on character development, I would have loved the book that much more.
Overall I can say that I did enjoy reading The Sevenfold Spell! It was a quick and interesting read for me. Give it a try if you're into fairy tales and their retellings!
What I liked about Tia Nevitt's retelling was that it dealt with those characters that usually get ignored. Rarely ever in fairy tales do you learn about what happens to the "little people" as the story progresses. Of course the townspeople would have their livelihood affected by a ban on spinning wheels! It was interesting to see how they coped and worked together to make it by. I was also intrigued by how the original characters were slowly brought into the story, one a time, and sometimes in a way I completely wasn't expecting.
On the flip side, what I disliked about this story were the flat characters. Talia was a sweet girl, and I didn't even fault her for the decisions that she had to make to stay alive. Instead I was a bit upset that we never got to see farther into what she was thinking, or how her mother was affected. If you check the page count, this book is very short. It's a mere 97 pages where other books are much longer. I think that if the author had spent a few more pages on character development, I would have loved the book that much more.
Overall I can say that I did enjoy reading The Sevenfold Spell! It was a quick and interesting read for me. Give it a try if you're into fairy tales and their retellings!
December 1, 2010
The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt
Carina Press, 2010
70 pages
Fairy Tale; Adult
4/5 stars
Source: Netgalley
Summary: When Princess Aurora had a curse placed on her, all of the spinning wheels in the land were destroyed. What happens to the women dependent on them for their living? For Talia, a very plain girl, a new future is self-created no matter the whispers and rumors and begets the legend of the Sleeping Beauty.
Thoughts: I love fairy-tale retellings so requesting this was a no brainer. I was a bit shocked at the romantic aspects that occur almost from the start. When Talia is unable to marry her betrothed due to the loss of her income, she invites him in to her bed. Continually. And when he goes off to a monastery, she meets many other men who become her lovers. I still think of fairy-tales as more meant for children so the descriptions were shocking to me. They made up a larger portion of the narrative, I felt, and that detracted from the quality. After all there are only seventy pages, so you have to make them count.
But I soon got past it, eager to see how Nevitt would twist the Sleeping Beauty story. It seems as if the curse is compelling certain events to occur, such as the creation of a spinning wheel and the introduction of Rose, unlike in the Disney film. I liked all of those changes and I sped through the story. And of course there's a happy ending!
Overall: Quick-moving, for the mature lover of fairy tales.
Cover: I think the cover is lovely, capturing several of the ideas of the book.
Carina Press, 2010
70 pages
Fairy Tale; Adult
4/5 stars
Source: Netgalley
Summary: When Princess Aurora had a curse placed on her, all of the spinning wheels in the land were destroyed. What happens to the women dependent on them for their living? For Talia, a very plain girl, a new future is self-created no matter the whispers and rumors and begets the legend of the Sleeping Beauty.
Thoughts: I love fairy-tale retellings so requesting this was a no brainer. I was a bit shocked at the romantic aspects that occur almost from the start. When Talia is unable to marry her betrothed due to the loss of her income, she invites him in to her bed. Continually. And when he goes off to a monastery, she meets many other men who become her lovers. I still think of fairy-tales as more meant for children so the descriptions were shocking to me. They made up a larger portion of the narrative, I felt, and that detracted from the quality. After all there are only seventy pages, so you have to make them count.
But I soon got past it, eager to see how Nevitt would twist the Sleeping Beauty story. It seems as if the curse is compelling certain events to occur, such as the creation of a spinning wheel and the introduction of Rose, unlike in the Disney film. I liked all of those changes and I sped through the story. And of course there's a happy ending!
Overall: Quick-moving, for the mature lover of fairy tales.
Cover: I think the cover is lovely, capturing several of the ideas of the book.
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