Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Just a perfect classic fairy tale. Gave me chills at the end. Left me with questions I don’t HAVE to have answers to. A blend of twelve dancing princesses meets the princess and the frog meets Dracula. Read it as a child, bought it for the cover art, gobbled it up these past few days. Felt like a reunion with a long lost friend. Really beautifully done.
After finishing the first chapter I was struggling to be interested in this fairy tale retelling. First of all, the 12 Dancing Princesses isn't my favorite and I've read that story retold before and been unimpressed. So I checked Goodreads to see if I should persevere. Luckily for me, I have a trusted friend who had high praise for this book despite not being a fantasy lover. I pressed on into the second chapter and it wasn't too long before I was completely engrossed.
Although I figured out what had happened to the cousins right away it didn't lessen my enjoyment of this read at all. In fact, I think it heightened it. Jena was so unaware of what was going on and Cezar was so maddening! I haven't been this emotional over a fictional story in a while and it was a pleasure. I liked all of the sisters except for Tati. I don't have a lot of patience with girls who waste away for love- but I see why the story was better for it in the end. I could have done without that side story anyway- although it was kind of great to see the differences between the two romances. The main draw for this one was Jena, Gogu & Cezar- they, along with the fabulous setting, were what made this book for me.
Although I figured out what had happened to the cousins right away it didn't lessen my enjoyment of this read at all. In fact, I think it heightened it. Jena was so unaware of what was going on and Cezar was so maddening! I haven't been this emotional over a fictional story in a while and it was a pleasure. I liked all of the sisters except for Tati. I don't have a lot of patience with girls who waste away for love- but I see why the story was better for it in the end. I could have done without that side story anyway- although it was kind of great to see the differences between the two romances. The main draw for this one was Jena, Gogu & Cezar- they, along with the fabulous setting, were what made this book for me.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At first it was simply charming , then it picked up and I could not put it down, one of my most favorite fairy tales I have read so far
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This is a story about True Love. A beautifully written fairy-tale about 5 dancing sisters, a frog who may be more than he seems, and a portal to another realm, inhabited by magical beings. Set in Romania. Lovely!
This is a striking book inspired by Transylvanian mythology and fairy tales. Following five sisters, the book opens with the girls preparing to enter a portal that will take them to the Other Kingdom, a kingdom of fairies and goblins and other creatures who are not of our world, yet exist in a parallel version. Every month on the night of the Full Moon, the sisters cross the lake by their castle and dance the night away in a magical glade with their forest friends. They have to return before dawn or the portal will be closed and they will be trapped in between the two worlds.
When mysterious Night People appear at the Dancing Glade, and Tati, the oldest sister, begins to fall in love with one of them, a tall, quiet, pale young man, the rules the girls have in place to keep themselves safe teeter on the edge of breaking. To make matters worse, their father goes away for his health, and their overbearing, domineering cousin Cezar has decided that it is he who will be master of their home and handle business affairs, rather than Jena, the second eldest sister and the one who helps her father's merchant business.
With their secret at risk of exposure, and their world falling apart, Jena and her sisters have to decide how much they can sacrifice, and how much love, faith, and trust is really worth.
This is truly a magical and alluring book. I could empathize with the sisters and their troubles, hate Cezar, wonder at the Other Kingdom, and the story truly had me on edge because I could not figure out how it was going to wrap up. I do wish there had been a little more world-building and descriptions of the Other Kingdom, and I also did not care for Tati and how she responded to being in love, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am tempted to pick up the companion novel one day.
When mysterious Night People appear at the Dancing Glade, and Tati, the oldest sister, begins to fall in love with one of them, a tall, quiet, pale young man, the rules the girls have in place to keep themselves safe teeter on the edge of breaking. To make matters worse, their father goes away for his health, and their overbearing, domineering cousin Cezar has decided that it is he who will be master of their home and handle business affairs, rather than Jena, the second eldest sister and the one who helps her father's merchant business.
With their secret at risk of exposure, and their world falling apart, Jena and her sisters have to decide how much they can sacrifice, and how much love, faith, and trust is really worth.
This is truly a magical and alluring book. I could empathize with the sisters and their troubles, hate Cezar, wonder at the Other Kingdom, and the story truly had me on edge because I could not figure out how it was going to wrap up. I do wish there had been a little more world-building and descriptions of the Other Kingdom, and I also did not care for Tati and how she responded to being in love, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am tempted to pick up the companion novel one day.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced