Book Review--Five Magic Spindles

 

 Through My Window 

 

 

THIS. This is the fairytale collection I've been waiting for from Rooglewood Press. I certainly did not expect it, since Sleeping Beauty isn't a story of much interest for me, but each and every story in here STUNNED me with brilliant originality, gorgeous, unique writing, and perfectly crafted, paced, and concluded plot.

The Man on the Buckskin Horse: The first is a Western, and while I *may* not have recognized it as a Sleeping Beauty story without being told, each important aspect of the tale is nevertheless represented. Our POV, a midwife instead of a good fairy, has the cheekiest voice that never fails to amuse (especially while she's noting that gunman's looks!)

Guardian of Our Beauty: We travel far back in time and to a foreign yet familiar land set in a time of ziggurats and leviathans and pagan gods. Our heroine is determined to fulfill a prophecy and save her land, but she wishes it required more than just sleeping for hundred years. As it happens, the prophecy will require much more, as her special gifts and bright determination will need to help guide an unlikely hero to save her land.

The Ghost of Briardale: Delightfully wonky and so creative. Elves, dwarves, swamp-beasts, and yes, even true heroes a thing of the past. Believe in them or anything else strange (like say, a ghost) and you get declared insane and toted off the asylum in the dense, dangerous swamp. But as that ghost won't keep harassing our poor hapless hero, he might just need to listen up to her pleas and save the elf kingdom concealed in the asylum, wake the sleeping princess, and overthrow the vengeful witch...Really cute characters, surprising twists!

Spindle Cursed: Following a more classic old fantasy feel, we are deeply acquainted with the valiant prince (girls, he's a legit knight in shining armor without wearing...the armor...), his faithful 2nd-hand man, the princess frustrated by the lack of true love in all previous kisses she's received, her kooky fairy guardian, and the cunning Lady Regent whose chance has finally come to claim control of the kingdom--after all, when one has a dragon, who tells you no? Oh, that's right--knights in shining armor. And 2nd-hand mans, princesses, and kooky faeries might just want in on some of that action too...

Out of the Tomb: Okay, the first thing I did was zip to this final story because I've been wanting to read that ever since seeing its summary.

JUST WOW

THIS is my type of girl and guy story....

When embittered survivalist, tomb raider Tanza, accidentally wakes a missing prince from his 100 year stasis sleep, she discovers she's not so heartless as to abandon him, especially since his last memories were of tortured near death at the hands of the rebels that went on to destroy his entire kingdom and family. Things have changed since then. Their world has been taken over the alien human empire, bringing in new technologies, corruptions, and conveniences. While the prince's royal roots may have been rotten, he himself took on the responsibility of the 14 virtue names given him that were supposed to guide him through life. Of course, Tanza's difficult life has no room for virtue and Prince Auren will just have to learn the hard way...

Every aspect of this story is flawless and gripping! Yes, its sci-fi, but a world just coming out of a post-revolution and regicide era, where old cars are still sputtering about, and vengeful terrorists strike without mercy. Our heroes struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs are truly something to cheer.

Many Sights Out the Window

Good morning, dear readers of mine! (If um, any of you are still around after my prolonged absence.) I hope all of you have been well and blessed in your life and endeavors!

So many wonderful things are in motion right now, and I thought I might share some of my favorites in case you hadn't heard of them...

First of all, some of you may know I am a BIG fan of The Wingfeather Saga. Like big. If you haven't read my review, here you are....So imagine how THRILLED I am when I hear it is being turned into an animated series! This isn't just a happy little dream, Andrew Peterson has some truly talented people on this team who can make it happen. But of course they need support, which is why they have the project on Kickstarter for funding. If any of you wish there was more quality animated series around, this is a great project to get behind! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/478789344/bring-the-wingfeather-saga-to-the-screen


Now I'm sure most of you have heard this....but the tragic parting from Goldstone Wood is not so terrible long as we thought! Anne Elisabeth is starting a new spin-off series this MAY!!! BUT---if you sign up for her newsletter, you will have a chance to buy the ebook version for $.99 this March 18-20. Which is CRAZY!!!!  So um, yes. All is well with the world for the Imps.

The winners for Five Magic Spindles were announced, and oh, they sound so interesting!

Also, The Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest is open for entries this month and it is being hosted over at Dame Imraldera's Library, so go over there for the rules and details...! Please enter, I love seeing all the art and creativity! 

So there you have it, dear readers! Some of my favorite exciting new things! Anything that has you bouncing up and down this month? Do share! :)

Five Enchanted Roses Review

     Beauty and the Beast…my personal favorite fairytale, at least among those well known. So I was most thrilled to be able to read and review this second of the fairytale collections from the excellent Rooglewood Press. Every story was beautifully written and astonishingly unique. If you love fairytales or need convincing that a retelling can still surprise you, then this is an anthology you will not want to miss! :)

     The collection opens on the treacherous seas. I never would have thought of a Beauty and the Beast retelling in a Davy Jones-esque setting, but it was actually quite apt. Vivid description brought everything to life (even if the most of the characters were deadish). Though so unique a tale, one could sometime pause and see a scene very similar to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which always brought a chuckle simply because it was in such a different setting.
     Our Beast here is certainly a clever fellow, with a wit sharp enough to win any reader’s admiration. As to be expected with a pirate crew, the girl faces a number of violent threats, including rape, but there is no scene where this is close to being fulfilled. At first, I was a little concerned at how smoothly the love story was going (for whilst the captain is charming, he could hardly yet be considered a worthy husband), but the author did address this.
     Although I enjoyed the story, I did feel it ended far too abruptly, leaving at least two glaring questions unanswered. But I understand the difficulty of writing an epic tale in a limited word count, so she wove her high seas romance well.
 
     The second story is also an eerie tale in a land where ghouls and wraiths are spilling from the Netherworld, threatening the existence of humanity. However, despite the occasional creepiness, I wouldn’t call this a horror story, for it focused mainly on the uneasy friendship of our Beauty and the Beast and their mission to save the world.
     To be sure, at the fourth chapter I mistakenly interpreted that our hero-to-be was sucking blood from our unconscious heroine, presumably from her neck. As it turned out, I should have read more carefully for he was only withdrawing poison from her arm. He had no blood-thirsty tendencies whatsoever and found that idea most disgusting.
     The truth of our hero’s identity took me by surprise and interest. He was very likable, though I didn’t entirely agree with his reasoning on keeping secret the truth behind the Abby he lived at.
Though not a story I would have expected to like, it was very interesting, and the mysterious little side plot alluded to by the author is certainly meant for another book and one I shall probably go read.

     I was quite delighted that in the third story our Belle is already part of the cursed kingdom, being a lady-in-waiting. I’d never thought of that twist, and it seemed very likely and endearing. The writing style was good, and the plot had more than a few surprises, but it didn’t develop to my hopes. For one, we had the climax from the perspective of a side character who I never felt the need for, even if he was fun. Another, I wasn’t convinced by the arc of our enchantress. But our heroine was very sweet, and the story was enjoyable.

     The fourth undoubtedly has the most unexpected setting of all, an Amazon-esque jungle, with our Belle being a spirited young tribal woman in search of freedom from the threats of her brutal people. It was quite cool for our Beast to be such a different creature as is usually portrayed in retellings, and his attitude was awesome.
     However, there was quite a bit of brutality in this story, the sort that makes my stomach turn. For one, our heroine is repeatedly threatened (and is beaten) by an evil man of the village who would force her to be his wife which is quite all right with the villages standards (though not all right with her family). Also, this man is said to beat his wives, and one of the wives is later found violently murdered (It was meant to look like an animal kill, but it was her husband).
     I was rather irritated by some of the heroine’s decisions, which I found very foolish. Also, the supernatural system and the people’s response to it struck me as unhealthy. So yeah. I didn’t care for this one.

     Happily, the collection ends with my very favorite of them all! :) This tale is very similar to the original Beauty and the Beast, but OH…with such a beautiful and heart-tugging twist that I never once considered for a retelling. And this time, our setting is Gaelic/Scotland 1750's, with a very authentic feel of accents and time period. I think this heroine might have been my favorite, with just the right balance of sweetness and pluck. And the dear, dear noble Beast! His plight is most moving. It was also wonderful to see the warmth and love of family here, and the small second Beauty and the Beast plot enchanted me!

      Overall, it’s not a collection of fairytales for children. But then, the very original fairytales aren’t either. Any lover of fairytales of a mature teen age and up will no doubt be astounded by this excellent collection, full of such incredibly different retellings.

Five Glass Slippers Blog Tour--Stephanie Ricker

ONE BELOVED STORY,  FIVE EXCITING WRITERS
A COLLECTION TO CHERISH

What happens when Cinderella is so painfully shy that she cannot bear the idea of attending the royal ball? Or when the slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl? What happens when Cinderella is determined to oust an imposter prince from her rightful throne? Or when she is a cendrillon miner working from a space station orbiting a cthonian planet? What happens when Cinderella, a humble housemaid, is sent with a message for a prisoner trapped in a frightening fairy circus?

Here is Cinderella as you have never met her before, wearing glass slippers and off on unforgettable adventures!

Available now in paperback and Kindle formats!

“A Cinder’s Tale” by Stephanie Ricker

It’s a dangerous life, yet Elsa wouldn’t trade this opportunity to work at Tremaine Station, mining cendrillon from the seething surface of planet Aschen. Nevertheless, when a famous deep space explorer and his handsome son dock their starcraft at the space station, Elsa finds herself dreaming of far galaxies beyond Aschen's blistering heat. There is no time for dreaming, however, when danger threatens the space station, and Elsa and her fellow miners are tested to the limits of their courage.

Me---A Cinder’s’ Tale has a cast of characters that feel real enough to meet in real life (even the fay). Which actors do you think best fit their appearance? 

Stephanie---Hi, Hannah!  This is a hard question for me since I’m about a decade behind on my movie-watching (hey, the books are usually better anyway), and I’m the worst at recognizing actors.  But I took a stab at it! (See attached photos.)

• Elsa—a shorter Hayley Atwell.  I like her no-nonsense expressions, and she looks like a real person, unlike some actresses.
  
  

  

  
  
  

  Bruno—a taller Sean Penn.  He’s got the hang-dog look down pat.

• 
  

   
    Marraine—a silver-haired Dichen Lachman.  She already has a slightly alien-looking beauty.

• 
            
   Jaq—a goofier Gaspard Ulliel.  He’s French, and I enjoy his unusual appearance

• 
  

   

•    Gus—a chubbier Dan Stevens.  He has an innocent-looking visage.
  
    Karl—a shorter Garrett Hedlund.  He simultaneously looks like a puppy and like someone who knows what he’s doing.

These are a such wonderful fits, Stephanie! Sorry it was hard, but you came up with great results! I can easily see the characters looking like this! Thank you!

About Stephanie Ricker

Stephanie Ricker is a writer, editor, and tree-climber. She adores the cold and the snow but lives in North Carolina anyway, where she enjoys archery, hiking, canoeing, and exploring with friends. 

Stephanie’s fiction has been published in Bull-Spec, a magazine of speculative fiction, and in four consecutive editions of The Lyricist, Campbell University’s annual literary magazine. She was the editor of the 2009 edition of The Lyricist, which won first place in the American Scholastic Press Association Contest. Stephanie’s non-fiction has been published in an assortment of medical magazines and newsletters, and her senior thesis on Tolkien was published in the 2009 issue of Explorations: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity for the State of North Carolina.

You can find out more about Stephanie and her writing on her blog: www.QuoththeGirl.wordpress.com.

 

Kindle eBook Sale!

The Five Glass Slippers collection will be on sale for only $.99 in Kindle format for the duration of the blog tour (June 23-28)! 

Giveaway!

Here’s your chance to be Cinderella of the ball! One lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of Five Glass Slippers, several Cinderella-themed items (including a bookmark crafted by Belle on a Budget, a journal, and a DVD copy of the Disney movie), as well as special gifts handpicked by a few of the collection’s authors (a glass slipper cookie cutter with recipe, freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, and an Apple Tree Inn cup and saucer). This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 23^rd | Cinderella of the Day: Elisabeth Brown

·         Blooming with Books

·         Books, Cats, and Whimsy

·         Fictionally

·         Historical Heartbeats

·         i blog 4 books

·         J.L. Mbewe

·         Not All By My Lonesome

·         Rina’s Reading

·         The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls + Review

·         To Be A Person + Review

Tuesday, June 24^th | Cinderella of the Day: Emma Clifton

·         A Curious Thrill

·         A Writer’s Heart

·         Fictionally

·         Flowers of Quiet Happiness

·         Jaye L. Knight

·         Jenelle Schmidt

·         Not All By My Lonesome

·         Tales of Goldstone Wood

·         The Wonderings of One Person

·         The Writer’s Window + Review

Wednesday, June 25^th | Cinderella of the Day: Rachel Heffington

·         A Writer’s Heart

·         Blooming with Books

·         Flowers of Quiet Happiness

·         i blog 4 books

·         Jaye L. Knight

·         Jenelle Schmidt

·         Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima

·         Rina’s Reading

·         The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls

·         Tialla’s Tellings

·         Vonnie’s Reading Corner + Review

Thursday, June 26^th | Cinderella of the Day: Stephanie Ricker

·         Books, Cats, and Whimsy + Review

·         Home of the Shabby Elf

·         Rina’s Reading

·         Scribbles of Catholic Sisters

·         The Lore-Mistress

·         The Wonderings of One Person

·         The Writer’s Window

·         Tialla’s Tellings

·         Vonnie’s Reading Corner

·         Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections

Friday, June 27^th | Cinderella of the Day: Clara Diane Thompson

·         A Curious Thrill

·         Blooming with Books

·         Fictionally

·         Flowers of Quiet Happiness + Review

·         Jenelle Schmidt

·         Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

·         Tales of Goldstone Wood

·         The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls

·         The Wonderings of One Person

·         Vonnie’s Reading Corner

Saturday, June 28^th | Giveaway Winner Announced at Seasons of Humility

*Blog Tour Home: http://seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/p/five-glass-slippers-blog-tour.html  This is where you can keep up-to-date on the blog tour happenings, view the schedule with links, grab the tour button, etc.