Andrea Cefalo

Downloaded for free during an Amazon promotion, The Countess' Captive is the second novel in the Fairytale Keeper series by Andrea Cefalo.

I read and reviewed the first in the series (The Fairytale Keeper) and I was keen to find out what would happen when Adelaide was forced to leave her home town together with her father, and move in with her new step-mother.

An historical fairytale re-telling of sorts, The Countess' Captive was a very pleasant and entertaining read, and although there was no more shoe-making (boo!) I was instead held captive by Adelaide's reluctant adjustment to her elevated position and new surroundings.

Suitable for YA readers and those who enjoy fairytale re-tellings or just a well-written historical fiction novel. (And don't you just love the font on the cover?)… (altro)

Avenging the Queen is book one in the new series by Andrea Cefalo. At first I thought it would only be a retelling of the classic Snow White, but the more I read, the more Grimm characters started to pop up. I don’t want to give away which character is who, but I will say that there are appearances by Snow White (obviously), Cinderella, the Shoemaker from The Elves and the Shoemaker, and a few others. They are woven so well into the story and I loved when new backgrounds were introduced.

But anyways, on to the actual book. Adelaide, nicknamed ‘Snow White’ by her mother due to her snowy complexion, dark hair and bright red lips, must bury her mother after she passes away from the fever that has upset their home in Cologne. Thousands more have been taken, but few are given the Last Rites they deserve which is why Adelaide’s father must bribe the local parish priest to make sure his wife has a proper burial. However, the ceremony goes horribly wrong which prompts thoughts of revenge in Adelaide’s mind. She gets herself and the people she loves into quite a bit of trouble as the story progresses. The beginning was a little slow for me and it took a while to get into the story, but by the middle I couldn’t seem to put the book down!

Adelaide has to deal with things normal 15 year olds wouldn’t even dream of and she handles it all extremely well. Considering the time period, she is also very outspoken and refuses to bow down to what people tell her to do when she knows they are wrong. She was smart, clever and very brave which I liked a lot. Ivo, her best friend and love interest, was also a great character. He was so sweet and caring that I couldn’t stop myself from constantly going “awww”. Both had their own set of problems, but together seemed to strengthen each other.

I love the cover of the book, it would have definitely caught my attention had I seen it on the shelves of my local bookstore. And the fact that it was designed by the author herself just makes it that much better!

I am very excited for the second book in the series. I can’t wait to see what happens next to Adelaide and what prompts her to become the Snow White we know and love today.… (altro)

Book 2 in The Fairy Tale Keepers Series, The Countess' Captive continues the story of Adelaide, her father, and Galadriel (once known as Cinderella). Adelaide, who also has the nickname Snow White, given to her by her mother as Adelaide's hair is black as a raven's and her skin is fair as can be, is leaving Cologne with her father and Galadriel against her wishes and heading to Bitsch, Galadriel's home, where Galadriel is a countess.

With her husband dead less than a year, Galadriel weds Adelaide's father Ansel who has been widowed barely a month. Adelaide despises Galadriel for this. All Adelaide wants to do is be back in Cologne with her betrothed, Ivo.

I enjoyed this mix of Cinderella and Snow White. Many other fairy tales were told along the way which made this novel even more interesting as I had not heard all of them before.

I also appreciated the mix of historical and fairytale genres. There were no magical fairy godmothers, although there were some very helpful birds.

There were lots of twists in the plot that kept the story fresh and interesting. The pace was moderately fast. This book should hold the interest of fairytale lovers of young adult and older. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-countess-captive-blog-t...… (altro)

The Countess' Captive picks up right after The Fairytale Keeper leaves off. Adelaide, her father and her mother's cousin, Galadriel are abandoning their home in Cologne after their home was destroyed. Adelaide would much rather stay in Cologne with her betrothed, Ivo and become a hard working like her father. Instead, the trio just barely escapes town on their way to Galadriel’s castle in Bitsch. With her life turned upside down, Addy must now pretend that she is the daughter of a rich merchant and refer to Galadriel as ‘my lady.’ Meanwhile, Galadriel has successfully installed herself as her father’s mistress less than one month after the death of Addy’s mother. With a baby on the way and a wedding she is unable to stop, Addy finds comfort in the stories that her mother once told her, she also creates a new story to tell about her new step-mother.

Thoughtful, imaginative and fast-paced, I loved learning more of Adelaide’s story and a look into Medieval life for a Countess and her household. Even though I knew where her and Galadriel’s relationship was heading, I was still surprised at how their relationship formed. Carved out as the wicked step-mother character, I really couldn’t decide on my feelings for Galadriel. However, I still did love Adeline as she grew and learned to deal with her lot in life with the help of Father Hannes. Just as in The Fairytale Keeper, several fairytales are woven together artfully, and so that it doesn’t feel like a retelling, but more of actual events that could be construed into a fairy tale as time passes. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Adelaide in the The Baseborn Lady.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (altro)