Good evening, and hello there, bibliophiles! I apologize for my slight delay in reviewing, but it’s been a hectic and eventful holiday weekend. I have office life looming just a few hours ahead of me, but I insisted on getting this latest review to you first. I just finished reading Before She Wakes: Forbidden Fairy Tales by Sharon Lynn Fisher and I’m still buzzing with excitement!
I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley and I’m thrilled that I did! Beware, this is a bit of a dark and taboo read of sorts, so if you’re easily offended by certain material, do not read this one. These six stories are filled with fantasy and sensual adventure!
I was intrigued by the fact that the concept here was fairy tales for adults. Rather than have one story, I got several shorts, and got to meet several characters and experience different plots, all within the same novel. Some took place in the past, some in the future, and some involved creatures of myth and whimsy, which made for interesting (and steamy) journeys.
In The Garden Rules, I met a nymph in training who must complete multiple tasks before she is allowed to please the demanding faun who has been in charge of her.
The Dragonmaid’s Secret brought me to a village about to be ransacked by a rogue individual. When he comes upon Isabeau, the defender of the town, fire courses through his veins that he didn’t know existed, and new talents are born of passion.
Raven Takes A Pearl is about a captive who discovers her unbridled desire for her captor, a man of numerous talents, who causes her to become curious of new things and submit to him willingly.
I met Merlin himself in The Kelpie’s Prize. A woman named Vivi is brought beneath a fairy pool via a mechanical horse, and finds herself in the clutches of the powerful alchemist. In order to gain her freedom, she must learn and master the art of seduction.
Willa The Wisp is about the darkness of New Orleans, and the girl named Willa who uses light to keep her safe. When a light in her possession becomes one of the most beautiful men she’s ever seen, the glow she knew turns to fire.
In order to maintain an alliance, a virgin bride gives an oath to her new husband in The Dragonfly Prince. While the couple have made their vows, and staked their claim on one another, a rival threatens to tear the pair apart. When the new bride proposes something wild to the men in competition, passions are heightened to unheard of levels.
If you’re looking for something new, or stories you’ve never quite encountered before, give this batch a go. Just keep an open mind, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy this selection!
This book will be available on July 19th of 2016, so go add it to your TBR!
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
