OF MIST AND MURDER by Chanda Hahn

“‘A captured sorceress. A prince without a throne. Balancing on the edge of good and evil.’ Captured by an evil sorcerer, I'm forced to become his apprentice and learn forbidden magic. Teetering on the edge between good and evil, I trade my soul for power. Allemar wants to control me, but little does he know the shifter he's caged--is not easily tamed. My training draws me closer to Aspen, the forsaken prince, wanted for treason against the crown. My sisters have always feared him, but I can see the man beneath the cloak of hate. For I am Maeve, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville. I hunt the truth, seeking the one who murders my shifter friends. But what will I do when all evidence points to Aspen and the dark magic he wields? Unleash the beast within.”

What is the book about?

After falling and ending up alone in the woods, Maeve, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville, is found by Allemar and his followers and taken captive. When she realises that no one is coming to save her, she is forced to become his apprentice and learn forbidden magic or risk losing her life. Now Maeve struggles to keep good and evil separate as she learns magic that her mother and sisters always deemed dark and evil. However, Maeve is more than just a trapped sorceress, she is also a shifter, able to shapeshift into different forms, and she is not easily caged, especially as she is one of the most reckless, brave and stubborn of her sisters. Despite being Allemar’s apprentice, Maeve is also bound to Aspen, the dark prince, and as he teaches her more about her new magic, she begins to learn more about him and the man he really is behind the mask. She sees the truth about him, not the monster her sisters fear and begins to feel more than hatred towards him. When Aspen takes her back to his kingdom, they both enter the palace, along with some other shifters that Maeve didn’t even know existed. But there is someone after the shifters, killing them in a dark and magical way. All evidence points to Aspen and Allemar, but Maeve struggles between what she knows in her heart and in her head. However, no matter what Maeve will find a way to save her shifter friends and save the kingdom, even if it means unleashing the beast within and losing control once again. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

Of Thorn and Thread ended on a shocking cliff-hanger about Maeve and left me with so many unanswered questions, so, as soon as I finished reading it, I grabbed Of Mist and Murder, desperate to start reading to find out what happened to Maeve. Initially, before even looking at the book, I knew I would love Of Mist and Murder, particularly because of how much I liked Maeve every time she appeared in one of the previous books. I was also really excited because this book was different to all of the others as Maeve didn’t choose to leave home and go on her own adventure; she was taken and forced into it. After reading the blurb, I was even more excited to read this book as I wanted to find out more about the shifters and about Maeve and Aspen. Soon I had started to read and I found the book so easy to read from the very beginning. I had initially thought I would enjoy the book and I was glad to see that I was right once again. It was so easy to read that I was soon reaching the end of the book in only a couple of days, after only being able to put it down a few times. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character was definitely Maeve because of her bravery, strength and confidence. She reminded me a lot of Rosalie, who I had loved in the first book; however she was more reckless and less calm and calculating. I loved how, even though Maeve was trapped and forced into using a type of magic that her mother had always forbidden her, she didn’t let that change her and she continued to be the rebellious, young girl I always encountered in the other books. Her sister always saw her as out of control and reckless, however, for me, Maeve was brave and strong and, although she didn’t always think before she acted and used her magic, she did so because she wanted to help and cared too much for her family and friends, which proved correct time and time again. She was also stubborn and confident and knew her worth, which often got her into trouble as she would never back down from a fight, even against one of the most powerful and feared sorcerers around. Where everyone else saw recklessness, I saw bravery, however her rash decisions did come back to bite her at the end of the book and she realised that it was time for her to change a bit, but I know that she will never fully give up her rebellious side. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book was when Maeve learnt the truth about who, or what, she was. She always believe her rare circumstances were because she was a shifter, as well as a sorceress, however she was soon let in on the secret that her mother had kept from her all these years and she realised that she was different. I also loved this part because she quickly took in what she learnt and embraced her magic and took the form of a creature she had always felt a connection with. She used that power to help everyone and defeat the sorcerer who had plagued each of her sisters, proving once again her strength, bravery and recklessness came from her need to help her sisters and others she cared for. I loved how quickly Maeve was able to adapt to the information she was given and the fact that she did that made me love her even more and choose her as my favourite character and this as my favourite part. In this part, Maeve also looked past her grief and the loss of someone she cared for and was able to see past it all in order to help those she could still save. This showed me more of her strength and made me love this part even more, especially seeing as I still had hope that not everyone was lost.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I really enjoyed Of Mist and Murder, however, although there was a lot I enjoyed, there was also some things that I did think could be better. One thing that I really enjoyed was how fast-paced the book was. I know now that all of Chanda Hahn’s books are incredibly well written and so easy to devour in one sitting as they are ridiculously addictive and easy to read. There are some books that I have read and found hard to get into, but that has not happened with one of these books and I am not expecting it to happen in any of the next books. Another thing I really liked about the book was the romance. I have a huge thing for enemies to lovers, mainly because of how much I enjoy the fact that these people hated each other and only saw the flaws they each had, and yet somehow they fell in love with those differences and the characteristics that they should hate about each other. I also love how it really illustrates that there is a fine line between love and hate and that it is easy to see past the things you hated about a person when you are in love with them. I also love the stress and tension it brings, especially for me, as a reader, because I can see clearly that they are falling for each other, but they are blinded by their supposed hatred and are unable to see their true feelings (it really does get annoying, but I love it). Maeve and Aspen’s feelings for each other were strong, however they not only had their hate blocking them, but Maeve also had to cope with the fact that her sisters hated Aspen and she didn’t know if they would forgive her for falling for the villain of the story. One last thing I wanted to mention was the ending of the book. I absolutely loved it and loved that Maeve got the ending she deserved, a certain character got the second chance that he deserved and another was finally punished and destroyed. Although I really liked the ending and it was exactly what I wanted, I did think that it was a little unbelievable and it might not have been what the book needed. Sometimes death of those you love is necessary in order to make a story better, and it is especially important in a story where there is magic and a lot of fighting because in real life not everyone survives. However, I also understand that in romance stories the couples are supposed to get their happy ending, so the ending sort of made sense. Also, the fact that a certain villain was defeated seemed ridiculous because of how easy it seemed. How can the villain that appeared in every story so far be defeated this easily? It may not be real and there is a chance he comes back, however if he doesn’t then it shows that he wasn’t a good enough villain and he was far too weak. Of Mist and Murder was a great book and I just can’t wait to read the next book, Of Gold and Greed. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I would absolutely recommend reading this book, but after reading the previous 5 books in the series. Of Mist and Murder is the perfect book for over 14s with a love for adventure, romance and fantasy. It is also particularly important that you enjoy fairy tale retellings. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

An enemies to lovers love story with dark magic, sacrifices and thrilling twists. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

OF THORN AND THREAD by Chanda Hahn

“‘Save the kingdom. Break the curse. Become the villain.’ Born an empath, I have the power – and burden – of hearing thoughts and feeling emotions of others. Retreating from the world, my only refuge is an ancient tower, but my haven is shattered when an injured man arrives with a plea to save the kingdom. Liam is the perfect knight, yet one attribute makes me hesitate. He is immune to my powers. His thoughts are a mystery, his heart an enigma. And while I fear the unknown, I cannot resist the desire to unravel his secrets. For I am Aura, one of the adopted daughters of Lady Eville. I have joined Liam in his quest to destroy a magical blight that ushers in darkness and poisonous thorns. The closer I get to the source, the more I sense threads of destiny weaving a deadly cage, and at the end of the journey lies a fate worse than death. Eternal slumber.”

What is the book about?

Aurora Eville is an empath, which means she carries the burden of hearing the thoughts and feeling the emotions of others around her, even when she doesn’t want to. To most it seems like a strong power, a gift even, but she is plagued by thoughts and feelings that she doesn’t want to hear and she is unable to shield herself from them. Her only safe haven is the tower where she, her mother and her sisters live, where all she hears are the thoughts of those women, which are usually easy enough to handle. However, one day an injured man arrives and after helping him she discovers that he came all this way in order to get Lady Eville’s help with his kingdom. Liam is the perfect knight, who claims he will protect Aura at every turn, however there is something that makes her hesitate – Liam is immune to her powers. His thoughts and feelings are a mystery to her, but somehow she can tell that she is telling the truth, so she decides to help him destroy the magical blight that plagues the kingdom of Rya. But the closer Aura gets to the source, the more she feels the dark magic that created this destruction and she knows that at the end lies a fate worse than death: eternal slumber. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

After reading Of Sea and Song I was beyond excited to read this book because of the introduction to Aura’s character and the shocking ending. I love how as each book in this series nears its end and the main character starts to struggle another sister comes to her aid and that sister is the one who then leads the adventure in the next book. So when Aura appeared to help Meri in the previous book, I knew that Of Thorn and Thread would be her story, which made me really excited because I loved Aura after only a couple chapters in Of Sea and Song so I could only begin to imagine how much I would grow to like her in this book. When I finished Of Sea and Song I immediately read the blurb of this book and found myself even more intrigued as I was desperate to learn more about this mysterious Liam and what was happening to his kingdom. I soon began to read Of Thorn and Thread and I’m not joking when I say that I finished it in one night and one morning as I was unable to put it down. Initially I had thought this book was going to be amazing and was so sure there would be twists in the story just like the other books I had read from the Daughters of Eville series and as soon as I started to read I knew I was correct. Of Thorn and Thread was such an easy read from the very beginning and I loved reading it. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would definitely have to be Aura. I know some people probably saw her exactly as all her sisters saw her, as the weakest one, as a fragile girl who can barely handle to be around others. However, for me Aura was the strongest one because she went on this adventure knowing that she would probably come back in pieces because of her powers as an empath, but she kept going because of how much she wanted to help Liam and his people. I loved how kind Aura was and how self-sacrificing she was because that’s what I think a true hero should be like. She is someone who is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for that of others and I know that she chooses this path of selflessness because of the fact that she knows that most empaths don’t make it past 20 because they either take their own life or go mad and she wanted to use what little time she had left to help others.  Even at the end of the book, when she thought that maybe she and Liam could have a future together she chose to sacrifice that so Liam could live a better life because it wouldn’t be right to make him shield her forever. I liked the way the book ended and how Aura proved that she wasn’t fragile and she had the strength to do what needed to be done, but she is still an empath and of course she would never kill someone (unless they really deserved it).

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book is 100% the ending of the book because Aura finally got exactly what she always thought she would never get. As an empath, she always thought she was destined for a life alone, or a life of madness, or an early death, and none of those options seemed appealing. However, when she met Liam she thought there was maybe a chance at happiness. When she chose to leave him to give him the best life possible and once again let her self-sacrificing nature win over, she thought she had lost that life she dreamed of. However, Liam once promised he would always find her and he was not about to break that promise, even after what Aura did to him. So when he did exactly what he promised and did his own sacrificing in order to make Aura happy, she finally got exactly what she deserved and I am so glad for that because no one should have to suffer in the way that she would have had to without this perfect ending. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Of Thorn and Thread was an amazing book overall and there were a lot of things that I liked about it. One of the things that I loved was how this book wasn’t really a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It was obvious that this was what the story was based on (especially since the main character is literally Aurora and there is talk of eternal sleep), however this is one of the most twisted fairy tale retellings yet and I am very grateful for that. In the Disney tale I am familiar with it is the prince who is the hero and he is the one that wakes Aurora from sleep. In fact the fairy tale I grew up with was probably one of my least favourite princess tales, so I was glad to see how different this book was from the original and that Aura was the hero of the story, not the one who falls asleep for hundreds of years. This made the book so much better and made me love Aura even more as she took control of her own adventure and took the role pf protector, hero and villain. Another thing that I liked about the book was the fast pace. After reading so many books by Chanda Hahn I now know that she is the queen of fast-paced fantasy, fairy tale books. I literally devoured this book in less than a day and I was unable to put it down. I think the main reason for the easy read is the fact that so much happens in such a small amount of pages so it feels like time has flown (but it may also have to do with the fact I read the books on my kindle). One last thing that I enjoyed was the ending of the book. A few of the books previous to this one had left me on a cliff-hanger ending, however this book was slightly different because it was not only the end of Of Thorn and Thread, but it was also the beginning of Of Mist and Murder and left me with so many questions. It was such a shocking ending, especially after what the characters and I had thought had happened at the end, and it left me desperate to read the next book. Of Thorn and Thread was amazing and I can’t wait to read the next book in the story.

Would you recommend this book?  

I absolutely recommend reading Of Thorn and Thread and I think it is perfect for those over 15 (due to some of the difficult topics discussed in the book) who love to read fantasy, romance and adventure books, and who specifically adore fairy tale retellings. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A magical and emotional read with so many new twists and secrets revealed and some very impactful messages. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

OF SEA AND SONG by Chanda Hahn

“‘A treasure stolen. A kingdom teetering on ruin. And the silence of a sea witch’s curse.’ I killed a man to protect my sisters, and now I am a fugitive. With bounty hunters hot on my trail – willing to take me dead or alive – I’m forced to disguise myself as a cabin boy on the Bella Donna. I should have been safe at sea, but I cannot escape the dangerous feelings evoked by the ship's handsome captain. For I am Merisol, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville, and to escape my past and save my friends I will make an uncertain bargain with a shady sea witch. The deal sounds too good to be true. What could possibly go wrong?”

What is the book about?

Merisol Eville is one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville and she cares about nothing more than her family. So, when one of her sisters is in trouble, she doesn’t hesitate to help and accidentally kills a man in order to protect her. Now she is on the run and is a wanted murderer, hunted by people who will find her, eventually. After a strange encounter with a mysterious man, she finds her way out of a tricky situation and manages to escape him and the bounty hunters. In order to keep hidden, Meri disguises herself as a cabin boy on the Bella Donna, thinking she will be safe at sea, but she can’t escape both the bounty hunters and the feelings she has for the ship’s captain. And after an encounter with a sea witch, she makes a deal with her, a deal which will change everything, a deal which seems too good to be true. So what could possibly go wrong?

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I really enjoyed reading both Of Beast and Beauty and Of Glass and Glamour, the two books in the Daughters of Eville series previous to Of Sea and Song, so I came into this book with high expectations. My initial thoughts on Of Sea and Song were that it was going to be a great read and I knew I was going to enjoy it.  I was so excited for another great story based on a fairy tale and after reading the blurb I was even more interested in reading this book. Once I started to read I was immediately sucked into the world of the book and knew that my initial thoughts were correct, especially at the shocking start and the way that everything was so interesting from the beginning – this book was amazing, from the very beginning. I finished the book just as quickly as all the others and loved reading it, from start to finish.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

Even though I really liked Merisol, I think I would have to say in this book my favourite character would have to be her sister Aura. Merisol was amazing and I really admired how strong and determined she was and how she did everything she could to protect her sisters, however at the end of the book she was transformed and she was willing to lose everything because she couldn’t see past her anger and pain. So she needed her sister Aura to help her and at that moment I knew she had to be my favourite character. The main reason for this was because of her power and the fact that that made her who she was and gave her the perfect personality. The fact that she could read minds and feelings made her a sensitive girl who always knew what everyone needed. But instead of people seeing her as strong, her sisters saw her as fragile because she was so sensitive to those emotions and it sometimes put her in a lot of pain and it also meant that she was unwilling to hurt others. And she wasn’t going to have people seeing her that way and when Meri thought that she immediately struck her down because she was just as determined, strong and willing to do anything to protect her sisters as the others and in that moment I  knew that I was going to love her. I just can’t wait for her story in the next book, Of Thorn and Thread. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book would probably have to be when the captain appeared at the start of the story because in that moment I knew exactly what was going to unfold and I was so excited. The start of the book had been a series of twists and turns and I initially had no idea what was going to happen, who the love interest was and anything about the sea witch mentioned in the blurb. However, when the captain appeared and I realised his true identity and Meri realised who he was, I knew exactly what was going to happen and was immediately rooting for a couple that had shown little to no interest in each other. It gave me a sense of certainty that I needed and reassured me that this book would have a romance that would (hopefully) end happily. It gave me hope for a fantasy, romance book that would be exactly like I wanted: the boy and girl defeat every obstacle in their way and get together in the end. There were so many moments when I was dreading the ending, thinking that I wouldn’t get the happily ever after I wanted because of all the twists and uncertainty, however in this moment I was oblivious to all of that and was just rooting for this couple that had met so unexpectedly after a strange twist of fate. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Of Sea and Song and there were so many things I loved about it. One thing I liked about the book was the mix of twists and predictability. At the beginning of the book and the end of the book, there were so many twists and turns in the story and the element of not knowing what would come next in the story. It gave a much needed sense of uncertainty to a fairy tale story I had been familiar with as a child. But now after reading 3 of the 7 Daughter of Eville stories I know that these are not regular fairy tale retellings and there is a magic and link between them that I have never seen before. Despite the moments of surprise in the story, there was a lot of predictability, particularly with the romance. There was nothing wrong with this of course and I loved it because who doesn’t love the predictable, cringey love story most romantic novels and books have. And it was more than just that, this romance story was deeper than that and I just loved every moment of it, which brings me onto the second thing I loved about the book – the romance. It brings such happiness to me when I root for the couple who gets together in the series, but for this book it was more than just that because of the fact that the couple spent the majority of the book pretending that neither of them knew the truth about how they had come to know each other, when in reality they both immediately recognised each other and couldn’t stop thinking about each other. This couple had so many more obstacles than either of the other from the two previous books and it made the book so much more interesting. One last thing I would like to mention was the fact that, even though this book was nothing like The Little Mermaid, it still had the main message of the story, just like all the other books before this one. Meri made a deal with a sea witch, just like Ariel did, and she chose to give up the thing that meant the most to her, all for love, which was the most special thing ever. I literally just noticed this and I noticed that the other books also had this. In Of Beast and Beauty, the couple fell in love, despite the darkness that they each had within them and the fact that they may have both been seen as beasts by others, which was very similar to the story of Beauty and the Beast. And in Of Glass and Glamour the prince went after the girl when he lost her because he knew he loved her, just like in Cinderella. I loved this so much and I will definitely look out for it in the other books because those fairy tales are stories that I grew up with, stories that I fantasised about and the fact that the author kept the main romance makes these books so special.

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading Of Sea and Song, but definitely read the first two books (Of Beast and Beauty and Of Glass and Glamour) before this one as there are some things that you need to know to make complete sense of it. It is the perfect book for those over 24 who love fantasy, romance and fairy tale retellings. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

The perfect romance wrapped in a magical story full of sacrifice, adventure and secrets.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

OF GLASS AND GLAMOUR by Chanda Hahn

“‘Get the guy. Get the shoes. Get revenge.’ Born under a hunter’s moon, abandoned as a child, I was raised to be a powerful sorceress—okay, a mediocre sorceress. All right, I’m good at glamour and can make things sparkle, if my spells don’t backfire. It was foretold long ago that I was a child of prophecy that would unite the fae and humans of Candor. The only problem, no one told me, and now the king wants me dead. For I am Eden, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville, and I have to attend the royal masquerade ball—not to win a prince, but to avenge my parents. Even if it means pretending to be a fairy godmother and wreaking a little havoc.”

What is the book about?

Eden Eville was born under a hunter’s moon, the brightest full moon in the month of Nochtember, and, when she was abandoned as a child, Lady Eville took her in and raised her to become a powerful sorceress. However, despite Eden’s attempts to strengthen her powers, she has always just been a mediocre sorceress, not yet able to form many spells without making some mistakes and having them backfire on her. But there is one thing that she excels at – glamour. Despite Eden’s lack of skill and power, somehow she was chosen by her mother to go to the kingdom of Candor and try her hand at getting chosen to marry the prince, however the reason for her being chosen had nothing to do with ability and everything to do with her parents and the prophecy that was told about a girl born in Nochtember who would use her powers to unite the fae and humans of Candor, kill the prince and become queen. And everyone knows of the prophecy, including the king, who will do anything in his power to keep his son safe. So now, while evading being killed by the king, Eden must find out the truth of what happened to her parents and get revenge for herself, her adoptive mother and her real parents, and the way to do that is to go to a ball and try to catch herself a prince. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

After reading Of Beast and Beauty (the first book in the Daughters of Eville series), I was really interested in reading Of Glass and Glamour and discovering what adventures the other sisters would get up to. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and so by default I believed I would also enjoy this book, and, though I was right about that, I fully understand now that the books have barely anything to do with each other as they are about different sisters with different adventures and romance, so it’s kind of like a series of standalones. Because of this I know that I can’t assume I will enjoy a book and I will also not be choosing a favourite book in the series or saying which I liked best because I don’t think I should compare such different stories. Anyways, after reading the blurb of this book I was even more invested in reading it as I wanted to get answers to the many questions spiked by the blurb. Once I stared to read, I started to really enjoy it and got into it a lot quicker than I thought I would and I was soon reaching the end. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character in this book would probably have to be Eden Eville. I know it’s unsurprising as she is the main character of the book, however I really did like her. The biggest reason for my choice was because of her personality. She didn’t have much self-confidence and often doubted herself and her powers, comparing herself to her much more talented sisters and believing herself to be inferior just because she took longer with spells. However, my favourite thing about her was how she never let those feelings show to anyone other than those she felt safe around (her sisters). The reason I liked this was because she didn’t let anyone step all over her, as they probably would if she had shown her lack of confidence and self-worth. Instead she let herself act like her older sister, Rosalie – who I had gotten familiar with in the previous book – and she made sure everyone knew to fear her and that she was a sorceress who shouldn’t be messed with as she was strong, even though she didn’t feel that way. I liked how she gained confidence throughout the book and just admired the fact that she didn’t let what she thought about herself stop her from fighting. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book is definitely the main battle scene because of the way that Eden changed and showed her strength and power. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone who hasn’t read it, however I do want to explain what I liked about this part. During this part of the book, Eden was trying her hardest to fight for her safety and the safety of someone she loved and she was also trying out a plan to avoid what she was being forced into doing. In order to do this, she had to use a lot of her own magic and she had to step out of her shell and believe in herself, and she actually did it. She always knew deep down that it was up to her and she was going to have to fight by herself, without any help, but she never wanted to believe it because of her lack of confidence. She thought she couldn’t do it herself, however at this point of the book she pushed down those feelings and used her powers to fight and I was just so impressed and loved this part.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Of Glass and Glamour was a really good book and I enjoyed (nearly) every part of it. One thing that I really liked about the book was how different it was from the real Cinderella tale; however the main parts of the tale were still there. This book literally kept me on my toes the whole time as I never knew what was going to happen next and there were so many new twists and secrets discovered. I think that this will probably happen with a lot more book in this series due to the fact that these girls are all adopted so they know nothing about their real families and have so much to discover, so it gives the books deeper secrets to being up and a more different retelling of the fairy tales. I was never once bored reading Of Glass and Glamour and I just loved this. Another thing I really enjoyed about the book was the fact that the villain and the hero (or prince) weren’t who Eden and I initially thought them to be. I loved this because it made the story much more interesting and meant that the ending was exactly what I wanted and not what I thought would happen. I also really liked how Eden fell for their act like me because it showed me how realistic the book was and showed me that even the most powerful people can fall for the promise of love and safety for it is something that everyone wants deep down. One last thing I enjoyed about the book was how fast-paced and easy to read the book was. I found reading this book so easy because of the fact that it moved so quickly and there wasn’t a single moment where I was bored – there was always something happening. I have no doubt that the book was fast-paced, however I have a strange suspicion that the fact that I am reading the book on my kindle may be affecting the speed I’m reading the book at. I think that because I don’t see how thick the book is and all I see is how long I will take to finish the chapter and what percentage of the way through I am I find myself reading it quicker. This is because the size doesn’t deter me and the percentage makes me want to end up over 50% quicker. Either way I loved this and it made the book much more enjoyable (I may have to move to being a kindle reader, but I don’t know if I can give up my physical book buying addiction). Of Glass and Glamour was a great read and I can’t wait to read the next sister’s adventure. 

Would you recommend this book?  

Of Glass and Glamour is a perfect book for any reader that loves romance, adventure, fantasy and fairy tale retellings, and I do recommend it, specifically to those over 14. I also recommend reading the first book in the series (Of Beast and Beauty) first, as there are a couple spoilers. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A very magical, twisted retelling of Cinderella that will keep you on edge through new secrets and twists. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

OF BEAST AND BEAUTY by Chanda Hahn

“‘Something evil this way comes. 7 vengeful sisters. 7 fairytale kingdoms. 7 daughters of Eville.’ Everyone dreams of marrying a prince – except for me. I am nothing more than a pawn in my adoptive mother’s diabolical plot against the seven kingdoms. I was the chosen tool, her sharpened blade that would cut the deepest into the heart of the Kingdom of Baist. But like all deadly weapons, my wedding is two-edged sword that could cost me my soul. For I am Rosalie, one of the adopted daughters of Lady Eville, and it is my duty to enter into a loveless and hate-filled marriage with the narcissistic Crown Prince of Baist. My choices and heart are not my own to give. Yet even in the thick of dire situations, beastly vengeance can give way to beautiful attraction.”

What is the book about?

It is every girl’s dream to marry a prince – except for Rosalie, the first adoptive daughter of Lady Eville; for she knows that her arranged marriage to the crown prince of the Kingdom of Baist is just part of her plan to get vengeance on the 7 kingdoms. Rosalie was her chosen tool to take control of Baist, the strongest of her 7 daughters and the one she believed would be able to get revenge and would be able to thrive in Baist, the only kingdom that had not yet embraced magic. But this was not Rosalie’s choice, as she didn’t want to give her heart away to a man who would never want anything to do with her. However, there is a thin line between love and hate, and even the most horrible relationships can give way to a romance unlike any other. But soon Rosalie realises that there is more to her mother’s decision than she thought and she must learn the truth about her family if she is ever going to understand and help the people she will grow to care for. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

When I first started reading the An Unfortunate Fairy Tale series many years ago, I really enjoyed the few books I managed to read during that first summer, so I soon decided that I wanted to try other books by Chanda Hahn. As a result, I discovered the Daughters of Eville series and immediately downloaded all available books in the series onto my kindle as I thought I would enjoy them. I have a huge thing for fairy tale retellings as I love the magical feeling and the mix of the predictability as well as the twists that the author has introduced to keep the story from being the same as the original fairy tale, so when I realised that these books were going to be retellings I knew I would like them, but I did keep them unread in my kindle for quite a while. My initial thoughts on this particular book (Of Beast and Beauty) were similar to that of the whole series when I first got it and reading the blurb left me even more interested in the book as I had so many questions about Lady Eville and was also so excited for the suggested enemy to lovers romance, which is one of my favourite types of romances. When I started to read, it took me a little while to get used to the story and the fact that it was told from a first person perspective, however, after a few chapters, I started to really enjoy the book and was soon reaching the end in less than a couple days. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character was probably Rosalie, not just because she was the main character and the one person whose mind I was able to see into but also because I really liked her personality and the way she handled things. I really liked the fact that, even though she was treated terribly just because she had powers and magic that the people of Baist were unfamiliar with and terrified of, Rosalie didn’t let that stop her and she tried her hardest to ignore them. I liked how stubborn, intelligent and strong she was and the way that she used all of these qualities to go against the wishes of the people who tried to keep her shut away and she never once let herself be controlled because she knew her own strength and wasn’t going to be treated like she was less than what she was, even by the crown prince. I also really liked the way that Rosalie never gave up, even when she was so scared and tired, and she kept fighting back and trying to find her own way, but she also knew when she needed help and was ready to ask for it. She was a great character and I liked that she was the daughter to start this series. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

This was a really hard decision to make because there wasn’t really any part of the book that stood out to me, however after much consideration I would probably say that my favourite part of the book was when the prince realised who Rosalie really was and didn’t shy away from her. I had initially really liked the way that Rosalie used the prince’s own decision to never look at his wife to her advantage and she managed to manipulate her way into doing many things; however the biggest reason why I liked this was because the prince was able to get to know her without ever knowing the truth. So then, when he found out, he couldn’t actually bring himself to hate her like he had initially done because he had grown to know her in ways he never would have. I really liked this and I enjoyed that he finally understood the truth as I was getting a little annoyed at how stupid he was being and how he couldn’t see the signs.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I quite enjoyed Of Beast and Beauty; however it wasn’t one of the best books I have read. One thing that I did enjoy about the book was the plot and the amount of twists that were incorporated in the story. Fairy tale retellings always have a certain element of predictability as they are based on stories that we have grown up reading and watching however, although there were some things that I already knew (like the fact that the prince was a beast), somehow this book managed to keep me on my toes and leave me shocked after secrets were revealed and twists in the plot occurred. I loved the fact that there was no way I could’ve seen those things coming and I loved the way that it linked different kingdoms together. Another thing that I liked was the romance. I really liked how it was different to the original story; however it also grew in a similar way to it. It may not have been the most amazing romance, but I did like it and I liked the way the book ended for the main characters. However, there were a few things that I didn’t love about the book. One of those was the fact that it was told from only one point of view, and it was told from the first person. I have really come to enjoy third person over first person, though it was the other way when I was younger, so it did take me a while to get used to it. I did grow to like it a bit, but I know that I would have probably liked the book better if it had been from the third person perspective or if it had more points of view, as I would have liked to see through others eyes. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I recommend reading Of Beast and Beauty, especially if you are over 14 and love fantasy, adventure, romance and fairy tale retellings, but you need to be ready to stick with it as there is more to it than meets the eye and you learn a lot near the end. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A dark, magical version of Beauty and the Beast, full of secrets, twists and turns that you could never have seen coming. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego