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Seasons of Music and Magic #1
Spring of Sparkling Song
A missing princess. A magic flute. An adventure retold.
Prince Tamric Madeus was expecting nothing more than a routine tour of the Spring Court. When an encounter with a dragon disrupts all of his carefully laid plans, his mysterious rescuers tell him the tale of a captive princess held by a powerful enchanter. As a second-born prince with a penchant for scholarship rather than physical prowess, Tamric leaps at the chance to become the hero that he’s always wanted to be.
After running away from home, Princess Mina finds herself in a bit of a bind. Her search for the mysterious Shield of the Sun has led her to nothing but a dead end, her steps are dogged by a dark and looming figure, and the help she was hoping to enlist is nowhere to be found.
With the aid of his flute, a bird-brained companion, and a little bit of magic, will Tamric be able to rescue the princess? Or is there more to the story than first meets the eye?
Seasons of Music and Magic is a series of four retellings of fairy tales found in classic operas and ballets, each featuring a unique cast of endearing characters, sweet romance, humor, and a happily-ever-after. The stories stand alone and can be read in any order, so experience the music and magic of Faerie at any time.
*Chapters 1-6 are previously published on Kindle Vella.
Prince Tamric Madeus was expecting nothing more than a routine tour of the Spring Court. When an encounter with a dragon disrupts all of his carefully laid plans, his mysterious rescuers tell him the tale of a captive princess held by a powerful enchanter. As a second-born prince with a penchant for scholarship rather than physical prowess, Tamric leaps at the chance to become the hero that he’s always wanted to be.
After running away from home, Princess Mina finds herself in a bit of a bind. Her search for the mysterious Shield of the Sun has led her to nothing but a dead end, her steps are dogged by a dark and looming figure, and the help she was hoping to enlist is nowhere to be found.
With the aid of his flute, a bird-brained companion, and a little bit of magic, will Tamric be able to rescue the princess? Or is there more to the story than first meets the eye?
Seasons of Music and Magic is a series of four retellings of fairy tales found in classic operas and ballets, each featuring a unique cast of endearing characters, sweet romance, humor, and a happily-ever-after. The stories stand alone and can be read in any order, so experience the music and magic of Faerie at any time.
*Chapters 1-6 are previously published on Kindle Vella.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2023
About the author
Sarah Beran
32 books216 followersSarah lives in sunny southern California with her husband, two small children, and dog Pippin. An elementary music teacher by day, when she is not writing or devouring books she spends her free time running, making music, or playing make believe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 6, 2025
4 stars ✨ Clean Fiction - (obscure) Fairytale Retelling - Light Faith Content
I’ve been so excited to read this book after reading and enjoying many books by this author—including one I didn’t realize was connected to this series (“To Crack a Solider”). I’m so glad that this first book lived up to my expectations! It felt like a nostalgic YA book for some reason and I mean that as a positive.
I’m not familiar with any of the original stories this series covers and while I would typically read a synopsis of them before reading, I decided not to and just enjoy these books as I read them with their very unique plots. It made this book feel like it’s own fantasy story and I wasn’t sure what to expect with what would happen next, which was fun.
I really like the idea of a land being divided up by seasons (I blame the Pixie Hollow influence on how I view faeries) and how the magic system is connected to music. The latter is different from another series I recently read featuring music for magic (“The Singer Tales” by Deborah Grace White) and I liked seeing how this one worked and learning about it.
I wasn’t sure about them as a couple at first because Mina jumps to conclusions about Tamric, but as they let down their defenses, they started to realize how alike they are and that was when I started to see them as a future couple. She’s very brash and he’s very nerdy, but they were able to balance each other out well and I can imagine he keeping her out of trouble for the rest of their lives. 😉 Super cute overall if a bit rushed, but I really liked the ending. I would have been thrilled if this was closer to 300 pages and that would probably be my only complaint—it was too short, but very binge-able!
Main Content-
Set in the Faerie realm & both Tamric and Mina are elves and there are many different types of fae (Woodland fae are called dryads, gnomes, fauns, and sirens); All fae can learn to harness Natural magic through music, but elves are able to use their ability to use Creative magic and create new things; Tamric is unable to use magic, however, and others tell him that he needs to not worry about the song being technically perfect and play from the heart.
Magic is said to be a gift from the Almighty and there is also a legend item that is said to have been bestowed on a ruler that the Almighty has blessed; Visiting a Chapel that was made to the Almighty (said to have pews and an altar); When magic is used, there is a light over the item or person it is being casted on; Using magic to heal someone and create protection barriers; Seeing items made into magical items/spelled items by someone singing over them; Waypoints are gate-like structures that can take you from one place to another in the Faerie realm if you know the right song to play when going through it; Spells that control the mind and body of someone else are forbidden.
There is a powerful wizard that is knowing for talking about being faithful to the Almighty; A few talks about the Almighty & gifts from Him; 'H’s are capital when referring to the Almighty; In an important moment, it said that a knife is thrown and “guided [as if] by an an unseen hand”.
Mentions of the Almighty; Mentions of prayers & thanking the Almighty; Mentions of a Chapel to the Almighty; Mentions of wizards; Mentions of firebirds and their feathers being used to grant wishes; A couple mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of mediation (including that Mina never had the patience for meditation); A mention of a woman who could live for another hundred years because of her magic.
No major language, instead Mina exclaims “for the love of the Almighty”, “craters”, “stardust and moonshine”, and “what in the depths of the night”; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Tamric feels like a disappointment to his father and older brother because he is unable to do magic like they expect him to; Mina’s mother has been vocal about her being ill-equipped and has told her often that she isn’t enough, which has caused Mina to pull up walls to protect herself (many mentions of this as well as her mother’s demanding and manipulative ways).
Almost drowning, Doing CPR on someone, Being attacked & threatened, Being attacked by creatures/animals, Stabbing a sea monster (self-defense), Being in a fire, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mina’s mother told her to kill Sortarius by stabbing him in the heart & threatens that she will take everything away from her if she doesn’t; A man comments that he will enjoy killing an annoying man and has murderous intent (the other man is not harmed).
Mentions of murderers, someone being said to be a murderer, & assassins; Mentions of deaths, poisons/someone being poisoned, & grief; Mentions of pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of a theft & stolen item; Mentions of manipulation (from a parent, Mina’s mother towards her); Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of treason; A few mentions of attempted abductions/kidnappings; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of hunting; A mention of the “vengeance of the Realm of the Dead” being in someone’s heart.
1 fingers-to-lips touch,
1 hair kiss,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences (but having little details on the actions).
Touches, Embraces (mostly for comfort), Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Blushes & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, up to a few sentences but more awareness than sexually attracted or lusting).
Mina thinks that if more of her tutors looked like Tamric, she might have payed more attention in class; Mina kicks a man in his groin when he tries to grab her;
Tamric is shirtless for a bit and feels self-conscious about it because he is with others (not sexual at all, just noting it).
Mentions of flirting, batting eyelashes, & blushes; A few mentions of kisses; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a forbidden romance.
I’ve been so excited to read this book after reading and enjoying many books by this author—including one I didn’t realize was connected to this series (“To Crack a Solider”). I’m so glad that this first book lived up to my expectations! It felt like a nostalgic YA book for some reason and I mean that as a positive.
I’m not familiar with any of the original stories this series covers and while I would typically read a synopsis of them before reading, I decided not to and just enjoy these books as I read them with their very unique plots. It made this book feel like it’s own fantasy story and I wasn’t sure what to expect with what would happen next, which was fun.
I really like the idea of a land being divided up by seasons (I blame the Pixie Hollow influence on how I view faeries) and how the magic system is connected to music. The latter is different from another series I recently read featuring music for magic (“The Singer Tales” by Deborah Grace White) and I liked seeing how this one worked and learning about it.
I wasn’t sure about them as a couple at first because Mina jumps to conclusions about Tamric, but as they let down their defenses, they started to realize how alike they are and that was when I started to see them as a future couple. She’s very brash and he’s very nerdy, but they were able to balance each other out well and I can imagine he keeping her out of trouble for the rest of their lives. 😉 Super cute overall if a bit rushed, but I really liked the ending. I would have been thrilled if this was closer to 300 pages and that would probably be my only complaint—it was too short, but very binge-able!
Main Content-
Set in the Faerie realm & both Tamric and Mina are elves and there are many different types of fae (Woodland fae are called dryads, gnomes, fauns, and sirens); All fae can learn to harness Natural magic through music, but elves are able to use their ability to use Creative magic and create new things; Tamric is unable to use magic, however, and others tell him that he needs to not worry about the song being technically perfect and play from the heart.
Magic is said to be a gift from the Almighty and there is also a legend item that is said to have been bestowed on a ruler that the Almighty has blessed; Visiting a Chapel that was made to the Almighty (said to have pews and an altar); When magic is used, there is a light over the item or person it is being casted on; Using magic to heal someone and create protection barriers; Seeing items made into magical items/spelled items by someone singing over them; Waypoints are gate-like structures that can take you from one place to another in the Faerie realm if you know the right song to play when going through it; Spells that control the mind and body of someone else are forbidden.
There is a powerful wizard that is knowing for talking about being faithful to the Almighty; A few talks about the Almighty & gifts from Him; 'H’s are capital when referring to the Almighty; In an important moment, it said that a knife is thrown and “guided [as if] by an an unseen hand”.
Mentions of the Almighty; Mentions of prayers & thanking the Almighty; Mentions of a Chapel to the Almighty; Mentions of wizards; Mentions of firebirds and their feathers being used to grant wishes; A couple mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of mediation (including that Mina never had the patience for meditation); A mention of a woman who could live for another hundred years because of her magic.
No major language, instead Mina exclaims “for the love of the Almighty”, “craters”, “stardust and moonshine”, and “what in the depths of the night”; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Tamric feels like a disappointment to his father and older brother because he is unable to do magic like they expect him to; Mina’s mother has been vocal about her being ill-equipped and has told her often that she isn’t enough, which has caused Mina to pull up walls to protect herself (many mentions of this as well as her mother’s demanding and manipulative ways).
Almost drowning, Doing CPR on someone, Being attacked & threatened, Being attacked by creatures/animals, Stabbing a sea monster (self-defense), Being in a fire, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mina’s mother told her to kill Sortarius by stabbing him in the heart & threatens that she will take everything away from her if she doesn’t; A man comments that he will enjoy killing an annoying man and has murderous intent (the other man is not harmed).
Mentions of murderers, someone being said to be a murderer, & assassins; Mentions of deaths, poisons/someone being poisoned, & grief; Mentions of pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of a theft & stolen item; Mentions of manipulation (from a parent, Mina’s mother towards her); Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of treason; A few mentions of attempted abductions/kidnappings; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of hunting; A mention of the “vengeance of the Realm of the Dead” being in someone’s heart.
1 fingers-to-lips touch,
1 hair kiss,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences (but having little details on the actions).
Touches, Embraces (mostly for comfort), Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to a few sentences); Blushes & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, up to a few sentences but more awareness than sexually attracted or lusting).
Mina thinks that if more of her tutors looked like Tamric, she might have payed more attention in class; Mina kicks a man in his groin when he tries to grab her;
Tamric is shirtless for a bit and feels self-conscious about it because he is with others (not sexual at all, just noting it).
Mentions of flirting, batting eyelashes, & blushes; A few mentions of kisses; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a forbidden romance.
August 16, 2025
I’m very glad I read Summer of the Summoned Sword first rather then this one as it probably would have taken me forever to continue the series otherwise. There was nothing particularly wrong with this one, I just didn’t like it nor could I connect with the characters one bit, which is so disappointing as I was really looking forward to reading a Magic Flute retelling. Sadly this is the second one I’ve tried and disliked so maybe I’m screwed…
Tamric was super prideful and annoying in a way that I couldn’t care less if he got character development or not, lol, and Mina’s a spoiled brat who I didn’t like or care about any better. It’s sad because based on their backstories I know I could have at least sympathized with them and been happy with their growth, but for some reason I just couldn’t like them enough to get there. Avi was just plain annoying and I agreed with everyone who thought so, lol. Characters like this walk a fine line between charming and irritating and unfortunately for me he tipped waaayyy to far into irritating, so I was happy he wasn’t in the story much.
The plot was fine but since I didn’t like the characters it just ended up being mediocre; it needed me to like the characters in order for it to be engaging and exciting and I just didn’t. And the villain was so obvious I’m surprised the characters didn’t catch on right then and there, the dumb-dumbs. 😂
Not bad but prideful, whiny, annoying characters and a just fine plot took it down for me.
‼️Content‼️
Language: craters
Violence: a dragon nearly lights characters on fire; a character falls in a ditch; fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a sea monster attacks and nearly drowns characters; a character’s nearly burned by fire
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: in the past a character’s father was poisoned and died from it
Other: magic; magical objects/places; fae/elves/other magical races/creatures; past death and grief
Tamric was super prideful and annoying in a way that I couldn’t care less if he got character development or not, lol, and Mina’s a spoiled brat who I didn’t like or care about any better. It’s sad because based on their backstories I know I could have at least sympathized with them and been happy with their growth, but for some reason I just couldn’t like them enough to get there. Avi was just plain annoying and I agreed with everyone who thought so, lol. Characters like this walk a fine line between charming and irritating and unfortunately for me he tipped waaayyy to far into irritating, so I was happy he wasn’t in the story much.
The plot was fine but since I didn’t like the characters it just ended up being mediocre; it needed me to like the characters in order for it to be engaging and exciting and I just didn’t. And the villain was so obvious I’m surprised the characters didn’t catch on right then and there, the dumb-dumbs. 😂
Not bad but prideful, whiny, annoying characters and a just fine plot took it down for me.
‼️Content‼️
Language: craters
Violence: a dragon nearly lights characters on fire; a character falls in a ditch; fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a sea monster attacks and nearly drowns characters; a character’s nearly burned by fire
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Alcohol/Drugs: in the past a character’s father was poisoned and died from it
Other: magic; magical objects/places; fae/elves/other magical races/creatures; past death and grief
July 31, 2023
Spring of Sparkling Song is a delightful fairy tale retelling that will captivate you from the opening scene.
The plot was the perfect pace, the faith element was perfect, and the romance was too cute. Likewise, I found the main characters to be utterly charming---Tamric was adorably arrogant yet unsure and Mina was a multi-faceted spitfire who caused me to laugh on more than on occasion.
I've found Beran possesses a hilarious sense of dry, witty, and sarcastic humor that she weaves into her books. If you don't laugh at least twenty times while reading a Beran book, you aren't really reading it.
To summarize, Spring of Sparkling Song contains a unique plot and entrancing characters that will pull you in from the start. I believe this is a book every fairy tale retelling lover should read.
The plot was the perfect pace, the faith element was perfect, and the romance was too cute. Likewise, I found the main characters to be utterly charming---Tamric was adorably arrogant yet unsure and Mina was a multi-faceted spitfire who caused me to laugh on more than on occasion.
I've found Beran possesses a hilarious sense of dry, witty, and sarcastic humor that she weaves into her books. If you don't laugh at least twenty times while reading a Beran book, you aren't really reading it.
To summarize, Spring of Sparkling Song contains a unique plot and entrancing characters that will pull you in from the start. I believe this is a book every fairy tale retelling lover should read.
May 23, 2023
4.5 stars!!!
This story was really different, but in a good way. I loved the adventure in this one, plus a little romance, too. This was my first book by Sarah Beran, and I was pleasantly surprised! I recommend!!!
Fae Prince/princess
Adventure
Cute side character
Slow burn romance
Betrayal
Magical music
This story was really different, but in a good way. I loved the adventure in this one, plus a little romance, too. This was my first book by Sarah Beran, and I was pleasantly surprised! I recommend!!!
Fae Prince/princess
Adventure
Cute side character
Slow burn romance
Betrayal
Magical music
March 15, 2025
Oof...
Maybe I just had high expectations for this book... But it fell quite harshly short. Only near the final 40% of it did I actually manage to enjoy some of it. Mina was... Infuriating. She's very childish, and while that's meant to be her personality, it gets her into constant trouble that she's never sorry for. T-T
Tamric wasn't bad, but I wish we'd have gotten a lot more "show" and not "tell" with his story. For everything in the book, we were always being told that the characters felt this way or that way, but we were rarely SHOWN it.
Avi was enjoyable, at times... But the first half of the book was 100 pages of painfully slow and unnecessary stuff happening for what seemed to be nothing other than filler. The rest of the story was half-baked at best, and all-in-all, the plot just wasn't great. There was never any real danger, never anything actually happening.
Maybe I'm being too harsh about this review, as lots of reviewers I tend to trust gave this book very positive reviews, but man... This one just wasn't it for me. XP
Maybe I just had high expectations for this book... But it fell quite harshly short. Only near the final 40% of it did I actually manage to enjoy some of it. Mina was... Infuriating. She's very childish, and while that's meant to be her personality, it gets her into constant trouble that she's never sorry for. T-T
Tamric wasn't bad, but I wish we'd have gotten a lot more "show" and not "tell" with his story. For everything in the book, we were always being told that the characters felt this way or that way, but we were rarely SHOWN it.
Avi was enjoyable, at times... But the first half of the book was 100 pages of painfully slow and unnecessary stuff happening for what seemed to be nothing other than filler. The rest of the story was half-baked at best, and all-in-all, the plot just wasn't great. There was never any real danger, never anything actually happening.
Maybe I'm being too harsh about this review, as lots of reviewers I tend to trust gave this book very positive reviews, but man... This one just wasn't it for me. XP
June 2, 2026
Content:
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. There are cuts, bruises, near drowning, burns, poisoning, and death threats throughout, but all are mildly stated and not graphically described or dwelt upon.
Sexual: Mild. There are moments where the female character notices broad shoulders, and well-fitting clothes, lithe muscles and the like. There are a few G-rated touches and kissing.
Triggers: Betrayal of family member. Self worth issues explored.
It was harder to get into this one (partly because I got sick right after I started) because I had difficulty with the way the two main characters were interacting. I couldn't figure out how the author was going to bring them together since they were so different in how they approached life. Seeing them accidentally poke at each others' deepest wounds made me internally wince, and I didn't like it. Thankfully that didn't happen much before their understanding of each other deepened and they backed off once they knew.
Not having a clue about the story of The Magic Flute, I was basically flying blind with the story. The only thing I recognized was Drosselmeyer's name. I enjoyed the set up of having a fae realm with elves ruling since they were able to do creative magic through music. I look forward to the rest of the series to see what interesting world-building tidbits get added.
This is a road-trip kind of story, where our two mains have to take a journey to find a vital realm-saving object, and really end up discovering themselves and each other along the way. It's a classic story line and it's well done in this rendition. Tamric is the nerd who wants to be a hero, and Mina is the impulse driven passionate protector. They both have inferiority complexes though, and seeing them come together was sweet as they saw themselves in one another and healed a lot together.
The side character Avi Papageno was probably my favorite. He was so wonderfully weird. I would read another book just about him.
The book really shone in the way it helped the two main characters find their own self worth and come together with their individual strengths. The author did a fantastic job at using psychology to progress their character growth.
And I spent a good hour after finishing listening to opera. It was surprisingly fun! I found that I knew a lot more songs than I thought I did. The Magic Flute Overture is beautiful.
On to book 2 with Lohengrin!
AUDIOBOOK
Tawnya Rollingson is more versatile that I thought at first. She did a good job at voicing all the characters in a way that didn't make me confused (having listened to a few by her now) on what book I was listening to. She did an especially fun job on Avi's voice. She uses a sort of British accent for most of the Night Court fae, including Mina, which helped get my brain to not conflate this book with others she's narrated. Solid audio!
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. There are cuts, bruises, near drowning, burns, poisoning, and death threats throughout, but all are mildly stated and not graphically described or dwelt upon.
Sexual: Mild. There are moments where the female character notices broad shoulders, and well-fitting clothes, lithe muscles and the like. There are a few G-rated touches and kissing.
Triggers: Betrayal of family member. Self worth issues explored.
It was harder to get into this one (partly because I got sick right after I started) because I had difficulty with the way the two main characters were interacting. I couldn't figure out how the author was going to bring them together since they were so different in how they approached life. Seeing them accidentally poke at each others' deepest wounds made me internally wince, and I didn't like it. Thankfully that didn't happen much before their understanding of each other deepened and they backed off once they knew.
Not having a clue about the story of The Magic Flute, I was basically flying blind with the story. The only thing I recognized was Drosselmeyer's name. I enjoyed the set up of having a fae realm with elves ruling since they were able to do creative magic through music. I look forward to the rest of the series to see what interesting world-building tidbits get added.
This is a road-trip kind of story, where our two mains have to take a journey to find a vital realm-saving object, and really end up discovering themselves and each other along the way. It's a classic story line and it's well done in this rendition. Tamric is the nerd who wants to be a hero, and Mina is the impulse driven passionate protector. They both have inferiority complexes though, and seeing them come together was sweet as they saw themselves in one another and healed a lot together.
The side character Avi Papageno was probably my favorite. He was so wonderfully weird. I would read another book just about him.
The book really shone in the way it helped the two main characters find their own self worth and come together with their individual strengths. The author did a fantastic job at using psychology to progress their character growth.
And I spent a good hour after finishing listening to opera. It was surprisingly fun! I found that I knew a lot more songs than I thought I did. The Magic Flute Overture is beautiful.
On to book 2 with Lohengrin!
AUDIOBOOK
Tawnya Rollingson is more versatile that I thought at first. She did a good job at voicing all the characters in a way that didn't make me confused (having listened to a few by her now) on what book I was listening to. She did an especially fun job on Avi's voice. She uses a sort of British accent for most of the Night Court fae, including Mina, which helped get my brain to not conflate this book with others she's narrated. Solid audio!
October 9, 2024
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one. I found it slow and unengaging. The writing seemed rather novice, the relationships forced, and the characters underdeveloped. I came close DNFing it several times, but did push through to the end. I won’t be continuing on with the series.
Content:
There is no foul language, sex, or violence. The romance is limited to a couple chaste kisses. There is magic. There are several references to The Almighty and serving Him.
Content:
There is no foul language, sex, or violence. The romance is limited to a couple chaste kisses. There is magic. There are several references to The Almighty and serving Him.
May 25, 2025
This was super fun and nostalgic as I accompanied a few Magic Flute scenes when I was in college. The representation of Papageno was so good and brought back fond memories. It's too bad he's not in the whole thing.
The characters had many internal dialogues that were a little weird for me. Although something was necessary since operas tend to lack the nuance we like in our characters. Also, it needed another proofread - lots of typos 🫣
The characters had many internal dialogues that were a little weird for me. Although something was necessary since operas tend to lack the nuance we like in our characters. Also, it needed another proofread - lots of typos 🫣
May 23, 2025
It wasn't my favorite. It seemed like everything was happening too fast, but it is shorter than most of the books I am used to reading. I am not a fan of the enemies to lovers trope either. Ava was a bit too flirty for me. However I did love Avi's character and I appreciated that the kissing wasn't detailed and that it was only a couple times.
July 2, 2024
2.5 stars. Quite young. The characters are on the shallow side, none of them had much background or personality beyond one defining trait. Mina is 'fiery' so she just leaps headlong into everything much like a child would and bickers a lot. Tamarin is 'studious' so he just plans everything to bits and can't do magic because he doesn't feel enough. The phenomenal cosmic powerful wizard is a side character whose real objective is matchmaking teenagers together? Avi just is along for comic relief and serves no actual role in the plot.
August 17, 2024
Cute and sweet and utterly enjoyable. Exactly what I want when I want a light fairytale retelling. This was a retelling of The Magic Flute.
I liked the characters. The plot was somewhat predictable, but still fun to read.
I liked the characters. The plot was somewhat predictable, but still fun to read.
August 4, 2025
4⭐️
I liked it: the characters and romance were cute. The writing, however, could have used a lot of work. There was lots of faulty grammar, to start. The whole plot also felt unnecessary convoluted for what it was, but if there was a little more backstory and the story itself was longer, that might have made up for it. The ending was pretty anticlimactic as well. But I did finish it in 2 days, which attests to how much I enjoyed it despite these things!
I liked it: the characters and romance were cute. The writing, however, could have used a lot of work. There was lots of faulty grammar, to start. The whole plot also felt unnecessary convoluted for what it was, but if there was a little more backstory and the story itself was longer, that might have made up for it. The ending was pretty anticlimactic as well. But I did finish it in 2 days, which attests to how much I enjoyed it despite these things!
March 1, 2026
One’s own worth. What or who decides it? There are plenty of voices that want to have a say in that and equal number that give their “opinion” in what our value is. Perhaps the loudest whisper that speaks and we listen to is surprisingly – our own. Yes, we can be our worst critic it’s been said and unfortunately it rings true. We have lofty expectations for ourselves; a list of shoulds for ourselves. It’s one created and shaped by a world that demands the impossible most of the time, but we find ourselves trying to measure up to it. And when we unconsciously tie our worth to it, we have embarked on a miserable path.
Prince Tamric knows what that looks like. As the second son of the court, there are expectations for him. And despite all the training put in him, he has failed to fulfill the role that the “royal handbook” says he’s supposed to fit. He sees the disappointment in his father’s and his elder brother’s eyes because of that one ability that seems somewhat obtainable yet alludes him. It vociferously taunts him, pestering him on why he can’t simply “Get it.” He has given his all into one thing, and he comes up empty. So, he pours his all into something else to feel he measures up to his position, that he has something worth contributing. Yet each time he finds himself coming up short, whether it’s by comparing himself to his brother or a stranger he’s just met. They all have more to offer for the situation than what he does, at least in his estimation. Especially when saving a lost princess. He wonders now what could have possibly possessed him to think he could rescue a princess. His view of himself is a harsh one and a completely unmerited one as we get to know the prince.
“Do you know what it’s like to be told day after day that who you are is not enough?” The whispered words were raw in her throat. Her eyes watered with tears. “To be told that there’s something wrong with you and if you only worked harder and cared more you could change it?”
And the prince finds that Princess Mina listens to the same whispers that tear at her spirit a bit each day. Her mother conveys an image of the princess as “though sweet and lovely, has sadly never quite had the brains to match her beauty,” and an impulsive, naive young woman that is easily taken in by a smooth story. And when her mother nonchalantly promises her in a marriage package to the prince if he finds her, we and the prince sadly see further exactly the value her mother places on her. She’s nothing more than a pawn in a game that her mother wants to win. Her mother’s concern goes only as far as it serves that endgame. It’s a sobering realization for Mina, and we soon see she does not share her mother’s “cutthroat” rules of royalty. So, for the princess, she takes a different path and puts her energy in other areas. None of those being on the list of “princess etiquette” but skills that prove far more useful for what she faces. Yet as with the prince, the voices persist that tell her that she’s broken and that it’s her fault that she’s not the princess she’s supposed to be.
So, who are they? Far from the lost causes that the lies of their hearts have tried to convince them. Despite all his doubts about himself, the prince is selfless and kind. Although he knows he would have no chance in a fight, he volunteers to go find the princess. And it’s not for money, or status, or a marriage bid. Rather simply because she’s in trouble and he wants to help. As he gets further in his task, we keep seeing it on a larger scale. It’s watching him, despite his fear, diving into danger to save a life even though he may forfeit his own. For Princess Mina, she’s very much has the brains to match her beauty along with a fiery, yet caring spirit that has the qualities that we hope to see in true nobility. While she doesn’t have every step sketched out, she does have something. The princess has a plan, something that seems to be a necessity with her mother. However, thankfully the princess lacks the motivations of her mother and strives towards a better future for the kingdom. And she is willing to run into the unknown and step into the fire to get to that goal. Some would call that impulsive, but for Mina it’s her determined, not ever going to quit nature that we all admire.
So, what is one’s worth? It’s not determined by what they did or didn’t do. It’s not measured by a list somewhere conceived by a world with impossible standards, and it’s certainly not decided by that brutal voice inside us that can be the most unforgiving at times. Rather, one’s worth is innate and immeasurable, because it’s a given to us. So, to answer that heart cry, “Yes, you are enough.”. And It’s a journey of discovering that simple, but so difficult to accept truth for all of us, not just the Prince Tamric and Princess Mina of the realm.
Prince Tamric knows what that looks like. As the second son of the court, there are expectations for him. And despite all the training put in him, he has failed to fulfill the role that the “royal handbook” says he’s supposed to fit. He sees the disappointment in his father’s and his elder brother’s eyes because of that one ability that seems somewhat obtainable yet alludes him. It vociferously taunts him, pestering him on why he can’t simply “Get it.” He has given his all into one thing, and he comes up empty. So, he pours his all into something else to feel he measures up to his position, that he has something worth contributing. Yet each time he finds himself coming up short, whether it’s by comparing himself to his brother or a stranger he’s just met. They all have more to offer for the situation than what he does, at least in his estimation. Especially when saving a lost princess. He wonders now what could have possibly possessed him to think he could rescue a princess. His view of himself is a harsh one and a completely unmerited one as we get to know the prince.
“Do you know what it’s like to be told day after day that who you are is not enough?” The whispered words were raw in her throat. Her eyes watered with tears. “To be told that there’s something wrong with you and if you only worked harder and cared more you could change it?”
And the prince finds that Princess Mina listens to the same whispers that tear at her spirit a bit each day. Her mother conveys an image of the princess as “though sweet and lovely, has sadly never quite had the brains to match her beauty,” and an impulsive, naive young woman that is easily taken in by a smooth story. And when her mother nonchalantly promises her in a marriage package to the prince if he finds her, we and the prince sadly see further exactly the value her mother places on her. She’s nothing more than a pawn in a game that her mother wants to win. Her mother’s concern goes only as far as it serves that endgame. It’s a sobering realization for Mina, and we soon see she does not share her mother’s “cutthroat” rules of royalty. So, for the princess, she takes a different path and puts her energy in other areas. None of those being on the list of “princess etiquette” but skills that prove far more useful for what she faces. Yet as with the prince, the voices persist that tell her that she’s broken and that it’s her fault that she’s not the princess she’s supposed to be.
So, who are they? Far from the lost causes that the lies of their hearts have tried to convince them. Despite all his doubts about himself, the prince is selfless and kind. Although he knows he would have no chance in a fight, he volunteers to go find the princess. And it’s not for money, or status, or a marriage bid. Rather simply because she’s in trouble and he wants to help. As he gets further in his task, we keep seeing it on a larger scale. It’s watching him, despite his fear, diving into danger to save a life even though he may forfeit his own. For Princess Mina, she’s very much has the brains to match her beauty along with a fiery, yet caring spirit that has the qualities that we hope to see in true nobility. While she doesn’t have every step sketched out, she does have something. The princess has a plan, something that seems to be a necessity with her mother. However, thankfully the princess lacks the motivations of her mother and strives towards a better future for the kingdom. And she is willing to run into the unknown and step into the fire to get to that goal. Some would call that impulsive, but for Mina it’s her determined, not ever going to quit nature that we all admire.
So, what is one’s worth? It’s not determined by what they did or didn’t do. It’s not measured by a list somewhere conceived by a world with impossible standards, and it’s certainly not decided by that brutal voice inside us that can be the most unforgiving at times. Rather, one’s worth is innate and immeasurable, because it’s a given to us. So, to answer that heart cry, “Yes, you are enough.”. And It’s a journey of discovering that simple, but so difficult to accept truth for all of us, not just the Prince Tamric and Princess Mina of the realm.
March 28, 2026
Reader’s Notes:
*Series or Connected Books?* part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
*Point Of View:* Tamric & Mina
*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* None!
*Romance?* Yes! Just kisses
*Things To Know:*
–there is some fantasy violence/fighting
-it is briefly mentioned that a character’s parent had been assassinated (past event)
-it is mentioned that a character’s parent isn’t a very good parent & is instead always looking for more power for themself
Review:
I enjoyed this cute romp through the Spring court of Faerie! I loved the adventure Tamric, Mina, & Ari take part in and how it played into the soon to be relationship between Tamric & Mina! I’ve met the wizard in a couple of Sarah Beran’s other books (Cursed Climb & To Crack A Soldier I believe) and found him to be just as confusing at times as Tamric found him to be in this book. 😂 But he always had a very good reason for the things he did which made him not as frustrating as you might expect! I loved how Tamric & Mina grew over the course of the story and how their adventure taught them a lesson or two on how to be good leaders. And I loved getting to know Ari after hearing a little bit about him from his nephew in Cursed Climb!
I’m excited to find out what happens in the other books of this series & if they have any overlapping characters beyond the wizard or not!
Summary:
Prince Tamric – the second born prince of the Spring Court – is better known for his knowledge than his physical strength or fighting tactics. So when an accidental dragon crossing leads to an opportunity to be a hero, Tamric wants to go all in. But even he knows that he needs all the facts first or else he could fall into a trap of his or another’s making.
Princess Mina of the Night Court has always lived under her mother’s thumb. But when her mother’s plans threaten the court she loves, Mina runs away in order to stop her. Only problem is that the one person who can help her is away and Mina feels as though she is being watched as she tries to find the answers on her own. And when a mysterious prince sent by her mother comes claiming to want to help, Mina wants nothing to do with him. Knowing her mother, she’s trying to manipulate Mina’s efforts towards failure. But when the only way forward is to trust Prince Tamric, Mina is going to have to choose if she’ll push him away or pull him close in order to accomplish her goal.
*Series or Connected Books?* part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
*Point Of View:* Tamric & Mina
*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* None!
*Romance?* Yes! Just kisses
*Things To Know:*
–there is some fantasy violence/fighting
-it is briefly mentioned that a character’s parent had been assassinated (past event)
-it is mentioned that a character’s parent isn’t a very good parent & is instead always looking for more power for themself
Review:
I enjoyed this cute romp through the Spring court of Faerie! I loved the adventure Tamric, Mina, & Ari take part in and how it played into the soon to be relationship between Tamric & Mina! I’ve met the wizard in a couple of Sarah Beran’s other books (Cursed Climb & To Crack A Soldier I believe) and found him to be just as confusing at times as Tamric found him to be in this book. 😂 But he always had a very good reason for the things he did which made him not as frustrating as you might expect! I loved how Tamric & Mina grew over the course of the story and how their adventure taught them a lesson or two on how to be good leaders. And I loved getting to know Ari after hearing a little bit about him from his nephew in Cursed Climb!
I’m excited to find out what happens in the other books of this series & if they have any overlapping characters beyond the wizard or not!
Summary:
Prince Tamric – the second born prince of the Spring Court – is better known for his knowledge than his physical strength or fighting tactics. So when an accidental dragon crossing leads to an opportunity to be a hero, Tamric wants to go all in. But even he knows that he needs all the facts first or else he could fall into a trap of his or another’s making.
Princess Mina of the Night Court has always lived under her mother’s thumb. But when her mother’s plans threaten the court she loves, Mina runs away in order to stop her. Only problem is that the one person who can help her is away and Mina feels as though she is being watched as she tries to find the answers on her own. And when a mysterious prince sent by her mother comes claiming to want to help, Mina wants nothing to do with him. Knowing her mother, she’s trying to manipulate Mina’s efforts towards failure. But when the only way forward is to trust Prince Tamric, Mina is going to have to choose if she’ll push him away or pull him close in order to accomplish her goal.
October 28, 2024
Prince Tamric expects no surprises on his tour of the Spring realm. After all, he’s memorized every book that he’s ever read about his country — and everything else. But after his first surprise — a dragon — leads him to his second — the discovery of the Night Court within Spring’s borders — he’s almost ready for the third. But nothing can prepare him for the impetuousness that is Princess Pamina.
Mina is not the demure, dainty princess that her mother expects, thank you very much. With Queen Nyx desperately looking for the emblem that will grant her the rule of all the courts, Mina knows she needs to find it first. Too bad she’s stuck with Mr. I-Remember-Everything Tamric.
Can their warring personalities find a truce or will their different approaches to magic tear them apart?
“You don’t always need to have a reason to create something beautiful. Sometimes the beauty itself is the reason.”
Soooo many amazing quotes in this story! Nearly impossible to pick just one.
I loved Mina’s impulsive, decisive nature and how Tamric was her opposite in most things; but in many ways they were so alike and it broke my heart a little bit watching them come to realize how much they needed each other.
Not being at all skilled at music, I was unfamiliar with the story, but I loved how Beran wove it all together and made music the center of the magic.
5 Roses
A couple sweet kisses
No swearing
Minor injuries; mention of kidnapping and assassinations
Mina is not the demure, dainty princess that her mother expects, thank you very much. With Queen Nyx desperately looking for the emblem that will grant her the rule of all the courts, Mina knows she needs to find it first. Too bad she’s stuck with Mr. I-Remember-Everything Tamric.
Can their warring personalities find a truce or will their different approaches to magic tear them apart?
“You don’t always need to have a reason to create something beautiful. Sometimes the beauty itself is the reason.”
Soooo many amazing quotes in this story! Nearly impossible to pick just one.
I loved Mina’s impulsive, decisive nature and how Tamric was her opposite in most things; but in many ways they were so alike and it broke my heart a little bit watching them come to realize how much they needed each other.
Not being at all skilled at music, I was unfamiliar with the story, but I loved how Beran wove it all together and made music the center of the magic.
5 Roses
A couple sweet kisses
No swearing
Minor injuries; mention of kidnapping and assassinations
June 1, 2026
♾️/5⭐️ I loved this book so much!! Fairytale retellings are some of my favourite kind of books so when I saw these based on operas and ballets I was so intrigued! I absolutely love the way Sarah writes characters as they have so much personality and are so likeable. Tamric and Mina were amazing leads and the contrast of their personalities led to so many fun interactions. I really loved the character development both went through and seeing them open up to one another was so sweet. I loved the pace the romance moved at and seeing it from both of their pov’s allowed for so much depth within the story. I absolutely loved Avi and Ava too, her friendship with Mina was so cute and I loved the humour that Avi brought especially during his interactions with Tamric. The plot itself was so intriguing and I really liked the tests that both had to go through. It was so clever how they related to both characters personal stories and helped the relationship between the two of them grow. The writing style is so easy to read and flows so well, it kept me wanting to keep reading and allowed everything to be so easy to visualise allowing you to feel fully immersed within this story. I love the land itself being split into the different seasons and I’m so excited to read the rest of this series. This had absolutely everything I love in a book and so much more and I highly recommend it to anyone!
February 23, 2025
Sigh. I want to like this series. The premise of music and magic and stories based on operas sounds so fun! But time and again, I just don't like the characters. In this case, Mina becomes insufferable soon after she meets Tamric - which doesn't happen until ~50% through. Tamric doesn't come off great in their interactions either, but he at least seems consistent in his social awkwardness instead of suddenly turning into a bratty child. Some may find their 'banter' cute, but I definitely did not. I almost dnf at 60%, but I skimmed further, and it got better when they finally start listening and talking to each other. Of course, this means they only have what I'd call an amicable relationship for ~30% of the book, which wasn't very satisfying.
This book did a better job of world building than the Summer book as it gave more of an overview of the Courts and their history.
This book did a better job of world building than the Summer book as it gave more of an overview of the Courts and their history.
November 11, 2023
Whimsical and endearing
I really liked reading this story from beginning to end. Even though at best I have only the very vaguest of knowledge about the original story, it felt as if I didn't need that to understand the story. I do think knowledge of the original story would have enhanced reading this book but is not necessary.
I like the author's inclusion of elements such as 'the Almighty', Avi and Ava and Sortarius as part of the story and the world building that was done. Would love to read more from this
I really liked reading this story from beginning to end. Even though at best I have only the very vaguest of knowledge about the original story, it felt as if I didn't need that to understand the story. I do think knowledge of the original story would have enhanced reading this book but is not necessary.
I like the author's inclusion of elements such as 'the Almighty', Avi and Ava and Sortarius as part of the story and the world building that was done. Would love to read more from this
Did Not Finish
September 8, 2024Stopping at 70%. Tamric and Avi were a lot of fun. Mina was very rude, impulsive, and immature. Honestly though I think high school me would have really enjoyed this book and been able to get over Mina’s attitude, maybe even side with Mina 🤣
The story’s got some super positive messages about self worth and using the talents the Almighty gave you.
Even though this was a DNF for me, I’m going to save this back for my girls when they get older to read. I think a teenager would love it.
Content: clean
The story’s got some super positive messages about self worth and using the talents the Almighty gave you.
Even though this was a DNF for me, I’m going to save this back for my girls when they get older to read. I think a teenager would love it.
Content: clean
March 20, 2025
DNF
At page 26 we’ve already been told how exceptionally intelligent Tamric is at least 5 times. And his eidetic memory (direct quote) has been brought up even more. I already don’t like him or his ego. And the worried mother, Queen Nyx, is way too obviously the villain as soon as you meet her. I like reading fantasy and paranormal books for YA because there’s usually more story and less sex than the same intended for adults. But that doesn’t mean I want overly obvious and undeveloped characters and plots.
At page 26 we’ve already been told how exceptionally intelligent Tamric is at least 5 times. And his eidetic memory (direct quote) has been brought up even more. I already don’t like him or his ego. And the worried mother, Queen Nyx, is way too obviously the villain as soon as you meet her. I like reading fantasy and paranormal books for YA because there’s usually more story and less sex than the same intended for adults. But that doesn’t mean I want overly obvious and undeveloped characters and plots.
June 14, 2025
where do i start? ... 6 stars ..this book was so whimsical, cosy and just brilliant. I loved the writing style, this author is a new to me author, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of her season books.
quests, mythical creatures, magic, music, nature, and all that is good 😅. This book is a Christian fantasy, and God is known as The Almighty, and He had bestowed a gift upon the high kings that was set before their descendants today.
this book is a kids/young adult book; and it was just a delight to read.
just fantastic 👏
quests, mythical creatures, magic, music, nature, and all that is good 😅. This book is a Christian fantasy, and God is known as The Almighty, and He had bestowed a gift upon the high kings that was set before their descendants today.
this book is a kids/young adult book; and it was just a delight to read.
just fantastic 👏
July 15, 2025
it was pretty interesting, and I read it in basically 1 day. the things I didn't love tho was that it didn't go into much detail about his family, and he only ever talked about them and there just wasn't much to it on that part and I would've liked it if it showed him interact with his family. but yeah, I wish it went into more detail and everything with that stuff, but overall, I enjoyed it, and I'd recommend it. 🤌🏻
April 22, 2024
probably best for YA
Skimmed the second half. Probably best for youth. The characters seemed too young and the writing was overly obvious, if that makes sense. After a week of finding other things to do every time I picked up the book, I gave up and skimmed. The first chapter was fun and engaging though! It was very clean and wholesome so that’s going for it, too.
Skimmed the second half. Probably best for youth. The characters seemed too young and the writing was overly obvious, if that makes sense. After a week of finding other things to do every time I picked up the book, I gave up and skimmed. The first chapter was fun and engaging though! It was very clean and wholesome so that’s going for it, too.
June 28, 2024
I wasn’t familiar with the story of The Magic Flute, though I will now be looking it up!
This is a sweet retelling with a slow-burn romance. The two main characters are opposites in many ways, but they find they complement each other and when they work together, the combination is greater than the sum of its parts.
This is a sweet retelling with a slow-burn romance. The two main characters are opposites in many ways, but they find they complement each other and when they work together, the combination is greater than the sum of its parts.
August 17, 2024
If you're looking for a fantasy romance with solid writing and a clear message differentiating knowledge, wisdom, and experience, I think you'll find a lot to enjoy here. I think the only reason I rated it three stars instead of four was because the two MCs began as basically unnuanced personifications of knowledge versus experience. Probably a younger YA audience would love it.
April 29, 2023
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!
August 31, 2023
I didn't like the transparently conniving villain queen from early in the book and figured that was a bad sign for the rest, so I stopped reading. Conniving should not be obvious - it should sneak up on the reader.
December 6, 2023
I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings. I love seeing different authors riff off of classic ideas. I'm not as familiar with this original story, but I still appreciated the story and how the author managed it. It's a fun fluff read.
March 28, 2025
This is now one of my favorites!
A prince with a photographic memory and a princess with ADHD go on a quest. Rivals to lovers! the banter was bantering. The adventure was adventuring, and the twist with Avi at the end!!!!!! Fantastic
A prince with a photographic memory and a princess with ADHD go on a quest. Rivals to lovers! the banter was bantering. The adventure was adventuring, and the twist with Avi at the end!!!!!! Fantastic
April 7, 2025
Great plot, engaging characters, loved the world building, well written and clean. This is the 2nd one I have read, and they are independent of each other, just set in the same world. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
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