Released on April
Source- ARC for review from publisher
4.5 stars- I really enjoyed it!
"Azalea and her younger sisters dance in the mysterious silver forever every night, escaping from the sadness of the palace and their father's grief. What they don't understand-although as time passes they being to get an inkling of the danger they are in- is that the mysterious and dashing Keeper is tightening his snare with deadly purpose. Lush, romantic, and compelling, this debut novel by Heather Dixon will thrill fans." (quoted from the back of the ARC).
I absolutely love a well written retelling of a classic fairy tale, and Heather Dixon has done a wonderful job with her retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Entwined isn't just a book with a lust worthy cover (I would love to try that dress on), it's a clean cut intriguing story with bits of romance, action and a charming mystery.
Entwined has a cast of wonderful characters, and I really liked how close Azalea and her sisters are. I adored the King. Though he's often times viewed as rough around the edges, though I can't blame him after what he's just dwelt with, I loved the fact he wanted to make sure his girls were able to fall in love with someone of their choosing. Azalea is a wonderful character. Given the charge to care for her eleven younger sisters, she also has to learn to become the next Queen. When tragedy strikes her family, she really steps up to the plate. What I admired most about her character is she doesn't stand by and wait for her "prince charming" to come. When things start happening in the castle, she takes matters into her own hands, which allows her to grow more as a character. She's someone who learns from her mistakes and that makes her a stronger person and allows her to become the heroine in the story. I loved how fiercely protective of her sisters she is, even standing up to the King a few times.
No fairy tale is complete with out a villain and Entwined has a fabulously twisted one. Not only is he charming, intriguing and handsome in his own right, his magical powers make him intriguing and by the time Azalea figures out what he is, it's too late. What was engaging about this story and the villain is the history of the castle and the King's family. It wasn't hard to fall in love with the world and time period the Entwined takes place in. There's not only pretty girls and dashing young suitors, but a lot of dancing and alluring magic.
I really enjoyed Entwined. The book has a lot of wonderful elements to it that I enjoy, along with some great characters. Entwined's fairy tale message isn't the normal "and they lived happily ever after". Don't get me wrong, there's a wonderful romance entwined into the story, but the real message of love is that of family. Yes, there are a few surprising twists with the romance and in the end a sigh worthy scene happens. I think fans of Shannon Hale will fall in love with Heather's writing. This is a fabulous debut and one I recommend picking up. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Heather's books.
Entwined is our Debut Book of the month. You can join our discussions about it
here.