First Light

If you enjoy a new twist on fairy tales, then you'll really enjoy First Light (Forever After Series).

Summary (via Goodreads): Seventeen-year-old Adrielle doesn’t believe in magic; she merely possesses it, though no one has ever mentioned that her unusual gifts—exceptional speed, a flair for fire, and an intimate knowledge of flora—aren’t things she was born with. When Adrielle starts a fire that burns down the family home, she must deal with both her grief and her siblings’ hurtful rejection. 

While journeying to far away Tallinyne, in search of her older, estranged sister—the only relative who might take her in—Adrielle is separated from her escort when the carriage is beset by thieves. Alone, she is thrust into a dangerous and unfamiliar world where she encounters fairies and gypsies, a wild boar, a drunk cook, and an evil queen whose curse is sweeping death across the land. Adrielle also finds love, falling hard for a kind, funny, handsome—and completely unavailable prince.

From the glowing pearls tucked beneath her mattress and keeping her awake at night, to Queen Nadamaris’s curse that seems to thwart Adrielle’s every effort, Adrielle struggles to navigate a world of magic she never imagined, where people she knows and loves are not always what they appear to be. With the glowing pearls—and her fondest desire—within her grasp, she is forced to make a choice no girl should ever have to—satisfying her own heart or saving the kingdom. 

Source

Review: This is a super fun book that is excellently written. I read it while on holiday and was surprised that I didn’t want to put it down.

The author manages to easily mix historical fiction with just enough fantasy to create a wonderful land of magic inhabited by interesting characters that all comes together in an imaginative story that is anything but your classic fairy tale.

I liked the way that the characters evolved. Adrielle, the main character, develops from a typical slightly rebellious young girl to a strong, self-confident woman by the end of the book. Even her love interest has an awakening and begins to see the world around him in a whole new light. 

I also liked the fact that the hero in the book is not the clichéd knight in shining armour and that the princess doesn’t just sit around waiting for him to find her and give her a kiss. She’s the person who is solving the problems and making things happen. She is the hero in every way.

This is a fun and easy read for anyone who loves historical fiction and/or fantasy. There are no uncomfortable intimate scenes so I'd say this would be good for young readers as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am so happy that there is a sequel to follow. I’ll definitely be looking up this author to see if she can whisk me away to other magical lands of the past.

Take THIS quiz over at playbuzz.com to find out what role you would play in your own fairy tale.  It turns out I'd be a royal....

I'd just like to know where the heck that prince is?!?!

Do you like updated fairy tales or do you prefer that the classics be left alone?  Leave a comment below! (And don't forget to tell us what your quiz results are.)