Bonded
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Published: November 2012
Hardcover: 365 pages
ISBN13: 9781936850648
FTC FYI: I received an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed by Mindy
Goodreads Summary
What happened after Cinderella married her prince? How did the evil sorceress in Sleeping Beauty turn evil in the first place? Discover these stories and a world filled with magic, forbidden love, elves, sprites, dragons, and the most powerful creatures of all— the fairies —in Bonded, a collection of three fairy tale inspired novellas.
CINDERS: A Cinderella sequel. Money can’t buy love, but magic isn’t a sure bet either. Cinderella, now officially a princess, finds royal life is not what she once dreamed. When a mysterious elf from her past stirs up long-suppressed passion, Cinderella begins to wonder if there really is love beneath the spell that captured her husband’s heart. But undoing magic can be harder than casting the initial spell, and the results are even less predictable.
THIRDS: A retelling of the Grimm’s fairy tale, One-Eye, Two-Eyes, Three-Eyes. Issina is surrounded by magic, yet none of it belongs to her. Despised and abused by her mother and sisters, she finds comfort when she meets the beautiful elves living in the nearby woods. The elves want to help her discover her own magic, but it’s not the kind of power she hoped for, and she learns there is more to magic than getting what you want.
SCALES: A Sleeping Beauty prequel. The sun never sets in the realm of the fairies. When the young fairy Serina looks into her sister’s eyes, she sees darkness for the first time. After her mother is murdered, Serina defies fairy law to follow her sister to the human realm. There she discovers the strength of a bond, the weight of a promise, and the darkness in her own heart.
My Review
I really enjoyed these three novellas by Michelle Davidson Argyle. Each were very well-written and I was taken into the different story immediately. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated with fairytales. I would spend hours in my room reading. Aurora from Sleeping Beauty is my all-time favorite, and so I was excited to read Scales. But, if I had to pick a favorite (and it was really hard) it would be Cinders. Cinderella’s (Christina’s) story was fascinating to me. What if happily ever after isn’t enough? The guilt of using magic to win her prince really weighed on Cinderella’s heart. Did her prince really love her? How Cinderella finds the truth, and the events that take place are actually heart breaking, but I really liked where Michelle took the story, and teaches that not all stories have a happy ending.
4 out of 5 stars. I want to thank Michelle for the chance to read and review these amazing stories. The settings and characters immediately draw you in. Once you start Bonded, you won’t stop until you’re done. Michelle is also the author of The Breakaway, which is on my review list. The sequel Pieces just came out! Check out all of Michelle’s titles, including Monarch.
Author Links
Website / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase Links
Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Rhemalda