Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
308 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon
Synopsis from inside front cover
"It isn't easy being Sunday's child, not when you're the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday's only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes as a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an echanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night, Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland -- and a man Sunday's family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction to this prince she barely knows? and what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past -- and hers?"
First I must say that I simply adore fairy tales and the only thing better is retelling fairy tales and Alethea Kontis most definitely has the gift. From the synopsis you'd think it was a simple Frog Prince story, but oh no, this story is so much more. Into the love story of Sunday Woodcutter and her handsome frog turned prince, she weaves subtle hints and flavorings of many other tales including
Cinderella, Princess and the Pea, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Warrior Princess, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. She does this so seemlessly throughout the book that you don't even notice at first -- it's just part of the story. This technique gives it depth and richness.
"Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace.
Wednesday's child is full of woe.
Thursday's child hsa far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving.
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is blithe and bonny and good and gay."
I loved this verse and how the meanings were slowly revealed as the story progressed. I found myself going back and re-reading the lines when certain sisters were highlighted. The two meddling fairy godmothers good and evil were aptly named as Joy and Sorrow. All the threads are brought together in the end making this a wondrous, romatic and ethereal fantasy.I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to more from this author. Perfect for fans of Jessica Day George.
There
are so many books based on The Twelve Dancing Princesses
it's hard to imagine the uniqueness of another version but Heather Dixon pulls
it off superbly. Azalea is the oldest of the twelve daughters and heir to the
throne. When their mother dies, the household is plunged into a strict mourning
period where dancing is definitely not allowed. Azalea is the one who, after
months of mourning and insurmountable boredom, discovers a secret passageway to
an enchanted pavilion where she and her sisters dance each night away. While
the darkly mysterious and alluring Keeper makes all the magic possible, his
motives are not entirely honorable especially where Azalea is concerned. As the
secrets and lies from the past are revealed, Azalea realizes what true evil
they are facing. The story turns dark and wonderfully gothic with unexpected
twists and turns taking Grimm's classic tale to a new and suspenseful level. The
characters are rich and well formed. The darker tone of this version will
appeal to fans of Hunter's Moon
by O.R. Melling and Wicked Lovely by
Melissa Marr. 
