Friends in my book club raved about the first book in this series, so I immediately requested the second when I saw it on NetGalley. I mistakenly thought each book was a standalone focusing on a different fairy tale. Teaches me to read the fine print first.

I’ve got such a weakness for snarky characters, which is why I immediately connected with Zinnia. As a long time professional fairy tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty, she’s more than ready for damsels and princesses to start taking control of their own narratives. When she sees Snow White’s Evil Queen staring back at her in a mirror, she’s pulled into an alternate world fairy tale (think Spiderverse). Sparks fly between them, and not in a good way at first, but it not surprisingly turns into an enemies to lovers kind of relationship. It’s also a nice reminder of how people shouldn’t let labels (or the parts they play in fairy tales) define them. You can be the hero of your own story.

Although backstory from the first book is sprinkled throughout this followup, I never felt like I completely understood what happened or much about Zin’s disease. I’d recommend reading A Spindle Splintered first. At novella length, these books can easily be read in a couple hours or so.

If you enjoy snarky, self-deprecating main characters, twists on traditional fairy tales, and clever writing, this is a fun way to spend a few hours.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you made it through A Spindle Splintered, expect more of the same in A Mirror Mended. A dying girl (who can barely go a few pages without reminding the reader that she’s still dying) goes through unfortunate lengths to seem relatable to the modern reader. With mentions of pop culture references (some of which will be outdated before publication date) Zinnia attempts to tell the reader everything she knows about the “multiverse” on her journey to rescue other iterations of Sleeping Beauty to be rescued from their fates. If you’re expecting this to be like any of Harrow’s other works, prepare to be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a light hearted short story retelling Sleeping Beauty, then this might be just what you’re looking for.

The novella length feels a little awkward for this series - enough time to introduce concepts or characters, but not enough to go into satisfying depth. That said, anything by Alix Harrow is a pleasure to read, and I love the exploration of villain as anti hero. I wish this series had been explored as short stories cut down for maximum impact or expanded to longer stories.

What a wonderful fantastical ending to a fun and thought provoking read. I really enjoyed the story of Zinnia and the changing from the fairy tale of Sleeping beauty to the fairy tale of Snow White. The multiverse of the stories and the characters she meets and saves.

This is the second in the series and I luckily had read the first. Which is important to really enjoy the characters and their back stories.

I listened to this one, and love the concept! Fairy tales with a contemporary twist are my jam! This was awesome until she falls back too many times. It dragged on and then ended a little too simply for all the work to get her there. Great concept and hoping for other twisted tales! #AMirrorMended Thank you #NetGalley for the eARC.

Don't do what I did and assume this is like an anthology. It's a continuation of book one, a direct sequel. I assumed this was a separate standalone. Whoops. However, I think there is enough context there for you to enjoy this book if you are simply not interested in book one. The plot centers on the Main Character, Zinnia going to different fairytale universes to save them or break them and I found that tidbit super fun. I would definitely recommend it and I will probably go back a reread book one just to see what I missed. Give it a shot or definitely continue with the series if you liked book 1.

First and foremost, Mirror has lost none of the spark we saw in Spindle. Zinnia is a snarky and sullen narrator who never fails to make me laugh. Whether it’s poignant pop culture references or her penchant for lampshading her own fairy tale, she’s always got the perfect comeback ready on the tip of her razor-sharp tongue and a healthy dose of nihilism to wash it down.

I love that this book focuses on a villain’s story. The Evil Queen doesn’t have a name or a backstory in Snow White’s tale, and none of us (or, at least, very few) have ever questioned that. She might not be a hero, but why exactly is she a villain? Harrow tackles this question in more than one way, from the Evil Queen’s childhood traumas and choice to marry Snow White’s father, to what kind of marriage she had and the decision to put Snow White under a sleeping spell.

Much as it did in Spindle, Mirror plays around with the idea of choice and agency, but this time it’s from the other end of the spectrum. We’re not necessarily here to paint villains as victims, but Zinnia finds out how important it is to know the whole story. At the end of the day, you have to own your actions and choose to be a better version of yourself.

I’ve seen some complaints lately about how the enemies-to-lovers trope is getting too soft, that it’s more like frenemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers. Suffice it to say that when the Evil Queen and Zinnia first meet, the former is more than ready to harm or even kill the latter to get what she wants. The way that dynamic evolves in 150 pages is truly spectacular to witness. Somehow, Harrow fit an action-packed plot, multiple character arcs, and a beautiful romance into a bite-sized package, and I never once felt like something was missing.

Then again, I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t want more. A Mirror Mended feels like the end of a journey, and although I’m quite satisfied with where it leaves off, I’ll be sad to see Zinnia go if this really is the final chapter. With so many more fairy tales to explore, Harrow has a rather blank canvas in front of her, and I have all the time in the world to explore the farthest edges of this universe.

This was a wonderful follow up to the A Spindle Splintered! Short and sweet, and picking up five years after the last book left off, it is a magical slightly twisted tale still rooted in reality. I loved the lack of a Happily Ever After, anything else would have felt disingenuous.

This is book 2 in the Fractured Fables series, the first book is called A Spindle Splintered. They are short novellas that give a modern twist to fairytales so while the first book centered on Sleeping Beauty, this one is giving light to The Evil Queen. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as much as I did book one. It was funny and creative so I’m looking forward to see what Alix E Harrow does next. Book two does take a lot from the first book, following the same characters to an extent so totally recommend you read them in order but these books are very short. Very fast reads so if you are into some new retellings, ones that definitely give like the more Disney vibe, check these out.

Ahhh, I really liked this novella! You know I love fairy tale stories about trying to break fairytales (gestures to my OWN novel about sleeping beauty and the evil fairy trying to escape their own story), and this is a delightful one.

You don't actually have to have read the first book -- I didn't -- to get everything out of it. It's powerful, it's about endings and agency and sympathizing with the villain because they also didn't get to choose their story. (it's also about a terminally ill young woman falling in love with a powerful milf.)

I loved the way stories were slipping, and I loved how stubborn Zinnia was in such an understandable, human way. Of course she's afraid of course she's running. She's hurt some people doing it, yeah, but that's realistic too. The enemies to love interest arc was good and -- I mean. I know that it too is in a narrative corner for now but. I want the best for them.

Anyway, loved this, looking forward to going back and reading it entirely in the wrong order by moving onto Fractured Fables #1 later.

This book was 10x better than the first! I loved it. I liked the switch up with the evil queen becoming good and finding love with our protagonist, and both coming to realize that just living happily is just as good as getting a happily ever after! I’ve never looked into the other versions of snow white’s story, so it was really nice to get some of that and to see how dark they actually are. I don’t know if there will be a third but I do hope the evil queen and Zinnia find their way back to each other.

A Mirror Mended is the second novel in the Fractured Fairy Tales series, which follows Zinna Gray, who was diagnosed with a terminal condition while living in her hometown in Ohio with events that led her to wake up in the Sleeping Beauty story in the first novel. This story follows Zinna fives years later where she is continuing her quest to rescue Sleeping Beauties, and it is getting monotonous. There is a sudden change where Zinnia no longer finds herself with the Sleeping Beauty story as she now entered the world of Snow White. As the two books in this series feature the same main character in a continuous timeline, it is best if the reader completes the stories in order.

While Zinna has been focusing on helping princesses, the Evil Queen, Eva, from Snow White wishes to escape her fate and seeks out Zinna to assist. The two become reluctantly connected as Eva is determined to find a new ending for herself. The two characters nicely balance each other even though they initially seem on opposite ends with Zinna, the hero, and Eva, the villain; however, they find similarities in their feelings and goals. The more the two spend time together, the more they begin to connect with some romantic tension brewing between them. As the story is on the shorter side, everything moves at a faster pace, but it did not feel rushed. There is enough time for the reader to recall the characters/events from the first story while establishing the new ones without feeling like they are missing a lot of information.

While there is the escapism in the fairy tale side of the story, there is also a heavier emotional side as Zinnia tries to figure out approaching her illness. Using this multiverse of stories to escape helps her forget about it for a short time, but she is trying to figure out if continuing that path is best or if she should be focusing on those that she will be sad to leave behind. Zinna is a lot more jaded in this story compared to the previous, but her mindset is easy to understand and the reader can sympathize with her and her situation. The ending ties itself up in a way where this could be a satisfying fit to the duology, but the world of fairy tales is endless where there could be more added in some shape or form, whether there are some characters in the continuation or if it is just the same universe. Overall, this was a very fun fairy tale with a twist. There are interesting and heartful themes that are explored in a thoughtful manner. While it looks like this is set up as a duology, I hope that the author expands it in some way as I would love to read more!

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tordotcom, for a review copy of this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Pros:
- I enjoy the twists on the fairytales and seeing them through different lenses
- I like our main characters attitude and determination

Cons:
- Bland.
- Unmemorable
- Seems a bit unnecessary when a spindle splintered wrapped up.
- Forced romance

Unfortunately this one just didn't really work for me. I'm struggling to remember it and I only read it a month ago. I feel like these short stories would have worked better as individual narratives instead of a continued story arc.

A Mirror Mended is the second installment to Alix E. Harrow's fairy tale-based novella series, Fractured Fables. The first in the series, A Spindle Splintered, was such a delightful surprise for me when I picked it up last fall.

In that story we meet our protagonist, Zinnia Gray, who due to an industrial accident is left with a rare fatal condition. She's told she won't live to see her 22nd-birthday. In spite of this, or maybe because of this, Zinnia tries to live her life to the fullest.

Her best friend Charm, knowing this about her, decides on her 21st-birthday to throw Zinnia a Sleeping Beauty-themed party. It's at that party, at the stroke of midnight, that Zinnia pierces her finger on a spinning wheel and first gets transported into another world. It happens to be the world in which the real Briar Rose lives and the two women work together to try to halt their doomed fates.

In this installment, we find Zinnia still fixing fairly tales. She has traveled throughout the fairy tale multiverse always seeming to find herself in her comfort zone; Sleeping Beauty. That's why Zinnia is beyond shocked when she looks into the mirror one day and sees a face looking back at her. A beautiful, slightly evil face. It seems Zinnia may be on to a whole new story, which just so happens to be one of my favorites, Snow White.

The Evil Queen has come seeking Zinnia's help. She's found out how her story ends and she is desperate for a better ending. Zinnia's intrigued. Not only is the Evil Queen beautiful, but as Zinnia gets to know her, she feels like maybe the Queen is a bit misunderstood. Zinnia wants to help, but will she be able too before the story ends for them both?

This installment was just as much fun as the first. I forgot how incredibly smart and witty the writing is. It hooked me in from the start. I'm seriously obsessed with this series. I'm not sure exactly how long this series is slated to be, but I am hoping for many, many more. Zinnia Gray is life.

I would definitely recommend the audiobook format as well. The narrator really brings spirit to the story and breaths life into Zinnia. It's completely immersive and fun.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I can't wait for whatever comes next!!

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow is the second novella in the Fractured Fables series. It continues the tale of Zinnia as she jumps from one dimension to another, only now she was fallen out of the sleeping beauty tale and into snow white. The story is so great and funny and I found myself really enjoying every moment of this book. The writing is on point. I highly recommend!

Zinnia Gray has been verse-hopping for a while and seen pretty much every version of Sleeping Beauty you can think of. Futurisitci sci-fi – check. Steampunk – check. Gender-flipped – check. All possible variations of LGBTQIA+ pairings – check. One gets the feeling Zinnia is getting a little bit bored with living through the same storybeats over and over again, albeit in slight variations. Sure, helping other sleeping beauties break out of their story, forge their own path, and defy fairy tale norms is fun, but how long does that novelty last, really?
There’s also something that happened between Zinnia and her best friend Charm which has led to them not speaking for six months! It’s clearly weighing on Zinnia, but she’d rather jump around fairy tales than face her real-world problems, especially when she catches a glimpse of a different tale, one involving a mirror and an apple, and promptly gets sucked in to it.

So in this volume, Zinnia finds herself in Snow White, (accidentally) summoned by none other than the Evil Queen. Whom Zinnia has an immediate crush on. Unfortunately, that part bothered me a lot because, sure, you can feel lust for someone you’ve only seen once, but this book is about something a little more growing between these two women and I was sad that it felt a little like insta-love and yet, at the same time, like only a fling. Eva – as the Evil Queen will be named soon – is a super intriguing character, in that she is pretty evil, yeah, but as with so many villain origin stories or falling in love with the villain tales, we get to see a different version of the well-known fariy tale and it puts Eva’s action into perspective. Killing your stepdauhter is still not the greatest pastime, mind you, but Eva’s reasoning is at least somewhat understandable here. She also undergoes a lovely bit of character growth which made me like her more than Zinnia in this book.

The plot is pretty weak, I’m sad to say. It starts with the fact that there’s almost no stakes to begin with. The only hook that’s there from the start is the mysterious fight between Zinnia and Charm and we only learn more details about that much later in the novella. The first half of it was – and I’m sorry to have to use that word – boring. Zinnia and Evil Queen meet, have some rather predictable chat, threatening each other and so on, and only later do they actually stumble into their own adventure. The second half of the novella is where things get interesting. There’s some more world-hopping, jumping around Snow White this time, dangerous situations and difficult decisions to make. As lackluster as I found the beginning, the later bits made up for a lot of it.

That fight between Zinnia and Charm also gets adressed and while I’m not going to spoil anything here, it was about something that will have consequences for later books in this series – if it is meant to continue, that is. The ending was well-rounded but gave the novella a highly episodic feel and thus detracted a bit from the relationship between Eva and Zinnia. I don’t know if the series will go on, and if yes, how exactly that might look after the things we’ve learned in A Mirror Mended. I’d like more adventures through differente fairy tales but I was already missing the wit and clever references and especially the spark that made the first book so exciting.

But if Alix Harrow decides to write more, I will absolutely read more of her fractured fables. Even if they’re “only” good, they are still a great addition to any fairy tale lover’s library. If you’re looking for easy to digest diverse takes on fairy tales, you’ll be quite happy with these novellas.

MY RATING: 6/10 – Good

Thank you Tor Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I swear, little fantasy novellas always hit the spot! A Mirror Mended is a fractured, sapphic Snow White retelling. Except this time Zinnia, our professional fairytale fixer is working with the evil queen to save her from her own fate all the while Zinnia is simultaneously trying to prevent the ending to her own story.

I loved A Mirror Mended even more than the first installment of this series, A Spindle Splintered. Zinnia Gray is a fun heroine to read about. She's snarky, hilarious, and self-deprecating. All qualities I love in a main character. I enjoyed how Harrow incorporated how gender politics weave themselves into fairytales. For example, how older women are often portrayed as the villains.

The audiobook narrator, Amy Landon did an excellent job bringing the snarky and hilarious Zinnia
gray to life. I am eagerly awaiting book 3 in the Fractured Fables novellas!

A Mirror Mended is a very innovative and sarcastic take on fairy tale tropes. I loved Zinnia's sarcasm and feminist takes on fairy tale themes. The retelling and time-jumping was really unique that I haven't seen in other books. I don't think you need to read #1 in this series to get this one. I also appreciated the queer inclusion. I am certainly. going to seek out more of Alix Harrow's writings when I want something fantasy, entertaining, and smart.

Every time I review an Alix E. Harrow book, I feel the need to preface it with the fact that Ten Thousand Doors of January was the first physical ARC I ever received at BookCon in 2019. I've been a fan of Alix's work since reading her debut and will always be a fan.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, A Spindle Splintered. Fairytales are often coupled with the idea of a "happily ever after" and "a perfect ending" and I loved that Alix E. Harrow's Fractured Fabled series doesn't comply with those traditions in the best ways.

A Mirror Mended stars a few months after the events of A Spindle Splintered and during that gap in time, Zinnia and Charm have had a falling out. Zinnia is bouncing from story to story helping other versions of herself but also avoiding her own problems. I loved the way contemporary issues were rooted into a fantasy story. Zinnia often nearly breaks the fourth wall to tell the reader how messed up her current situations are and I love her monologues.

I also love that this series is illustrated. Definitely read this one in physical format if you can because the artwork is really lovely.

All in all, this was a short read from a series that I would definitely continue with that also showcases all kinds of amazing representation from sassy and sweet queer characters to representation about adoption, mental health, and disabilities. Alix E. Harrow handles all of these different representations with care and respect and I''ll definitely keep reading books by this auth0r.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fairytale are sad reminders that we are stuck in the patriarchy for centuries. Alix E. Harrow's second Fractured Fable takes on Snow White. Zinnia lands in her world after trying to avoid Charm and Prim whose happiness and love stands in stark contrast to her fatal condition.

As they say in Hamilton,
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?
Who has agency in their story? How does one change the outcome?

The story is poignant, irreverent, inclusive, and pro-feminist. I feel Zinnia's story is nearing the end, but she must have a few chapters.


Definitely recommending for high school library purchase

4.4/5