Member Reviews
The cover is what drew me in but the words inside are what held be captivated! I was so engrossed by this book that I couldn’t put it down! It’s one of my top reads this year!
It was a nice take on sleeping beauty. Whoever I struggled to get through the first half of the book. The pace was too slow and I felt there were some construction issues with the plot. It's nice but I won't tell my sister to read it.
Her Dark Enchantment by Rosalyn Briar is an absolute gem! From the moment I started reading, I was completely enthralled by the beautiful and sensual story that unfolded before me. This book effortlessly combines romance and fantasy, creating a world that is both captivating and alluring. And it was exciting to read a book about the evil fairy from Sleeping Beauty, I usually see the retellings based around Aurora instead of the evil fairy so this was refreshing.
Briar's storytelling is spellbinding, and I found myself easily immersed in the lives of the intriguing characters she brought to life. The intense relationships and forbidden desires that unfold throughout the pages are beautifully portrayed, evoking a range of emotions that kept me hooked until the very end.
What I loved most about Her Dark Enchantment was its seamless blend of sensuality and a well-crafted plot which is not something I see very often in smutty books. The passionate romance and the characters trauma added an extra layer of depth to the story, while the fantasy elements created a rich and immersive setting. It was an absolute delight to lose myself in this enchanting world.
This book was an absolute breeze to read, with its smooth pacing and engaging prose.
I give Her Dark Enchantment 4 stars out of 5. It held me captive from start to finish, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a blend of steamy romance and fantasy.
Her dark enchantments is a retelling of the Melificents story which adds a rich backstory and complexity to the character.
Whilst i found the romance element of the book quite cliche with a fainting female a strong hero to whisk her away and there were some truly cringeworthy lines in the love scenes I enjoyed the fantasy elements of the story.
The story was fast paced enough go make it a compelling read and overall I found this a fun enjoyable read.
I finally stuck it out and finished this book. I loved the blurb for this book and was so excited to read it. But it just never really hit with me.
er Dark Enchantments by Rosalyn Briar is a mesmerizing tale that delves into the backstory of the infamous villain from Sleeping Beauty. Set in a world where magic intertwines with the destinies of its characters, this book takes readers on a captivating journey through love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of redemption.
The protagonist, Myravelle Spinner, is a complex and relatable character whose yearning for belonging and love drives the narrative forward. From her secluded life in a tower to her unexpected role as the healer in the king's Sleepy Wood Company, Myravelle's transformation is both compelling and heart-wrenching. As she navigates a world filled with betrayal and danger, her path intersects with Byzarien Dumont, a man harboring deep resentment towards fairies. Their evolving relationship, fraught with mistrust and conflicting backgrounds, adds an engaging layer of tension to the story.
Briar's storytelling shines in the vividly depicted world she creates, incorporating elements from multiple fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, and Rapunzel. The blending of these familiar narratives offers a refreshing twist, keeping readers on their toes as they navigate unexpected plot twists and character developments. While some reviewers have mentioned pacing issues, I found myself immersed in the imaginative world and the dark, twisted retribution that unfolds. Briar's exploration of good and evil is nuanced, reminding us that the path to villainy is often paved with tragedy and heartbreak.
Overall, Her Dark Enchantments is a must-read for fans of adult fairy tale retellings. Briar weaves a mesmerizing tale filled with intricate relationships, captivating world-building, and a powerful exploration of the forces that shape our choices. Though the book may not be without its flaws, its unique premise and compelling characters left a lasting impression on me. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a darker, more complex take on well-known fairy tales.
I am really starting to see a pattern with some of these books. The covers are gorgeous and the plot sounds wonderful. But once you start reading the book it lacks what you are looking for. This is another one of those that was lacking in something to really keep you on your toes. This one I was looking for something for older audiences and this one was just super boring. And the characters were far from being well developed.
This breathtaking origin story captivated me with its retelling of a well-known tale. Myravelle, a complex character, yearns for belonging and is willing to sacrifice to protect her loved ones. Her healing gift draws her towards Byzarien, despite their conflicting backgrounds. As their love blooms, betrayals and dangers push them into an unknown world, testing their trust and instincts. This story broke my heart while delivering twisted retribution. With intertwined stories and nuanced portrayals of good and evil, this book is a must-read. I wholeheartedly loved it.
Thanks you Quill and Crow Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
This is a Maleficent meets Rumpelstiltskin.
I couldn’t put this down.
The mistress of evil. I have a book crush on her honestly.
You could tell from the beginning she didn’t want to be evil or wicked.
The king used her and turned her into the monster she became. But she began just a sweet girl who loved spiders and was trapped in a tower. Forced to use her magic in ways she never wanted to.
Her canvas becomes her soulmate and their love isn’t instant but it’s so beautiful. I wish they had a forever love. I was heartbroken when he was killed.
The bliss they shared, their journey to get her to safety. I wish we got more or Myravelle before Byz became her canvas, so we can see why she so badly wants a soulmate.
I do wish their love was slower, so it didn’t seem so much like the spell and him becoming her canvas was the reason his feelings changed quickly.
This was an Enemies to lovers, Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent specific, dark fairy tale retelling. I really enjoyed the way the relationship between the main characters grew and their journey in the story. I liked that it wove bits of other fairytales into the story as well. The Romance was endearing, but do not confuse this with a graphic Dark Romance Spicey novel. Myravelle's magic grew with her character. That coupled with some plot twist and betrayals turned Myravelle into the Wicked Queen we all know and love today.
Thank you to Rosalyn Briar, Quill and Crow Publishing House, and NetGalley for a digital copy of Her Dark Enchantments.
I enjoy fairytale retellings where we get the villains origin story, in this case we have the wicked fairy from Sleeping Beauty. This is another book where the premise and story have a lot of potential, but I wish the characters were fleshed out a bit more. I think this would be enjoyed by a younger (YA) audience, but if this is going to be a series, maybe the author will find their groove with subsequent books.
Have you ever felt sorry for the evil witch who enchants Sleeping Beauty in the fairytale? No? Me neither before reading this amazing origin story. It shows how a prolonged lifetime of disappointment, lost love and torture turns a woman blessed with magical powers but enslaved by men willing to use her to their advantage in order to breach the magical wall of thorns turns in desperation and despair at the last to evil because it is the only way she can ever prevail against the cycle of abuse she suffers. A very well told and compelling narrative that leaves you wanting more at the end because you still hope she will find some happiness.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quill and Crow Publishing House and Rosalyn Briar for giving me access to an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Her Dark Enchantments is an adult retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin. It focuses on the life of Myravelle Spinner and how she came to be the wicked witch.
There were parts of this book I really enjoyed but overall the plot was really disjointed and the pace was a little off. I found the first half of the book really slow and quite repetitive, but the second half felt almost too rushed. I also found the writing style to be more similar to a lot of middle grade fiction, however there was a lot of content not suitable for younger readers so this is definitely an adult book.
What I did really like was the mixed elements of the retelling. If you know a book is based on a certain fairytale, the reader almost spends their time trying to work out who each character is and knowing what will happen next without really enjoying the story. However, with their being a mixture of the two, the plot was unpredictable to a certain extent and there were plenty of unexpected characters throughout.
Her Dark Enchantments by Rosalyn Briar
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I originally requested this book as I thought the premise had a lot of promise. However, I was sadly disappointed after reading it.
Unfortunately, I found the writing style and language to be rather juvenile. The beginning of the book was too slow-paced and included a lot of unnecessary repetition. Then, the second half of the book felt rushed, which was odd considering this was where most of the interesting action occured. I felt that the author could have cut a lot of the pages towards the start and instead used this time to fully describe the events that happen towards the end. I found myself being confused by certain parts of the plot, as it felt like the author skipped over the important parts and instead focused on unnecessary small details, such as the character's clothing. The story seems to jump all over the place and the reader is left to fill in the gaps as best as they can. An example of this is when we are told that the volcano has cause the unending winter, but no further explanation is given as to how or why.
Furthermore, the characters were not particularly likeable. Myravelle was a good character in certain parts of this book, but at others she came across unhinged and the reasonings behind her volatile behaviour was not explained in enough detail. Therefore, I was left confused by her character and the violence she carried out seemed unproportional. I ended up viewing her as an equal villain in this story, which I don't think is what the author was aiming to portray. Byzarian was okay as a character, and there were certain parts of his storyline that I found to be well-thought out and interesting. Yet, I felt that his change in feelings towards Myravelle was too sudden, so I was left wondering whether these were true feelings or were due to the canvas spell.
Overall, I think the author attempted to do too much in too little of a page count. The premise of the sleeping beauty retelling was interesting, but it all got a bit mixed up with parts of the Rumpelstiltskin story as well as a bit of a maleficent vibe. If the author had chosen one of these storylines and stuck to it, this may have made the book more coherent. There were certain parts of this that I did really like, but unfortunately the bad parts overshadowed the overall story.
Perhaps a younger audience would be better suited for this book, but I personally did not enjoy it.
2 out of 5 stars
I wish I could have enjoyed this one more but there have been recent re tellings that I gelled with better. The story took too long for me to get into which made me lose interest. I’m a little gutted as the cover and idea both drew me in and got me very excited
A great fantasy with lots of elements from fairytales we all know and love.
I enjoyed the World building. It was descriptive and imaginative. I also enjoyed the dark and twisted side to the story and loved the plot twist at the end!
The pacing was a little confusing going from slow to very sudden and I wish the main characters had a little more chemistry but it was still cute all the same.
Overall I did enjoy this and have recommended this to many book friends already
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was very excited about the cover and the premise for this one! I'm still reeling after the last sleeping beauty retelling (Malice). Unfortunately I did not like this one at all. I guess I was looking for something similar to Heather Walters.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. In no way does this sway my personal opinion of the book.
Although I didn’t finish this book in time. I would definitely recommend if you want a fast paced quick fantasy read with romance. The concept is fairly intriguing. The character may not have the most personality but still bring a good story to the table.
All readers have opinions and this is just mine. 🤍
I felt like this has such a good premise but it just fell sort of flat compared to other similar retellings! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book.
3.5 stars
Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were parts that were better than others, and there were parts that dragged. I liked the plot itself, however, I couldn't see it as the backstory for the character I knew from Sleeping beauty, I didn't really enjoy the ending, especially because of all the differerences to the original story I knew.