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Black Forest #1
Black Forest: Kingdoms Fall
In the Black Forest, Cinderella lives in slavery, Rapunzel in captivity, and Snow White in exile. Stories only half told, each maiden waits. For better. For rescue. Or for death. Whichever comes for her first. When Cinderella comes face to face with her so-called happy ending in the form of Prince Friedrich “Charming” of Troyale, she does not see her future with the prince as rescue, but as just another life of compromise. Fleeing his amorous intentions, Cinderella inadvertently slips between stories, emerging in a kingdom far from her own and finding true happiness with a beautiful maiden trapped high in a tower. But the storyteller is not finished with Cinderella, and he is none too pleased with her defiance of his design. Determined to put his stubborn heroine back into her own story, he sends captors, conflicts, enemies and grief. In order to hold onto the freedom and happiness she has found in the world beyond her own pages, Cinderella must take on an unexpected role - reluctant leader of a forest-wide revolution. Black Kingdoms Fall is a tale of strong maidens, noble peasants, arrogant princes, blood magic, redemption, and seven bodacious dwarves.
467 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Riley Lashea
13 books183 followersRiley LaShea grew up in an Ohio town that looks like a dust speck on most maps. It was boring and awful, so she got the hell out of there. Now, she doesn't know where she wants to be, so over the past several years she has lived in Nashville, Orlando, Fort Worth, Allentown, Columbus, Kansas City, Raleigh, outside LA and inside Manhattan.
She won a lyric contest judged by the Indigo Girls in high school and a screenplay contest judged by Creative Screenwriting Magazine once. Her first published novel became a bestseller at one indie bookstore in Oakland that has since gone out of business.
Known to take great risks in the noble pursuit of creativity, sometimes she prefers to just sit around eating chocolate yogurt and doing KenKen in pajama pants.
She won a lyric contest judged by the Indigo Girls in high school and a screenplay contest judged by Creative Screenwriting Magazine once. Her first published novel became a bestseller at one indie bookstore in Oakland that has since gone out of business.
Known to take great risks in the noble pursuit of creativity, sometimes she prefers to just sit around eating chocolate yogurt and doing KenKen in pajama pants.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 7, 2021
Cinderalla with chutzpah? Yes, please.
The other day I was reading Cinderella to my daughter and the thought crossed my head of, "What if she didn't want the prince?" It's not like Cinderella has a ton of options in the tale so the prince is more or less a default. Funnily enough, I picked this book up about a week after that question arose and Riley Lashea provided an answer.
This was a really unique take on the retelling of the Cinderella story. Instead of going off with the prince, she runs from him, right into another fairytale. As Cinderella tries to define her own path, and choose her own love, who in this case is Rapunzel, she causes a cataclysm in the fairy tale worlds, sparking chaos. As one fairy tale universe folds into another and we meet popular characters we've known all of our lives, Lashea spins them all in a new way and puts Cinderella and the fairy tale folk into dire circumstances. I couldn't help but wonder how the story would end.
The book reads like an action adventure with Cinderella as the driving force and the lead heroine. However, we also get perspectives from numerous characters including Snow White and her evil stepmother for parts of the story. For romance, there is an insta-love but sincere relationship between Cinderella and Rapunzel. And, quite a bit like "The Wizard of Oz", there's a buddy journey aspect to the tale as several friends embark on missions together.
The story has drama but never goes too dark. And comedy is littered throughout especially with the dwarves.
I didn't find the story predictable and there were a lot of clever turns.
I was a little weirded out by where Snow White and the evil stepmother, Ino, were headed. There was some subtext there where I wondered if it would head into a romantic territory but luckily it didn't. I do think Ino was an excellent character, on par with Cinderella, and wished we'd gotten more of her.
I've given five stars to this author's "Behind the Green Curtain" and "The Meddling Friends" series so I shouldn't have been so surprised to enjoy this one, too. It's just that Lashea jumps genres so drastically it's a wonder she can do them each so well. For those familiar with "Behind the Green Curtain" which is so steamy and seductive the book is on fire, this one is very PG (or PG-13 because of one particular scene) with very little on screen action other than kisses.
If you like sapphic fairytale retellings, this one is really unique and well done.
The other day I was reading Cinderella to my daughter and the thought crossed my head of, "What if she didn't want the prince?" It's not like Cinderella has a ton of options in the tale so the prince is more or less a default. Funnily enough, I picked this book up about a week after that question arose and Riley Lashea provided an answer.
This was a really unique take on the retelling of the Cinderella story. Instead of going off with the prince, she runs from him, right into another fairytale. As Cinderella tries to define her own path, and choose her own love, who in this case is Rapunzel, she causes a cataclysm in the fairy tale worlds, sparking chaos. As one fairy tale universe folds into another and we meet popular characters we've known all of our lives, Lashea spins them all in a new way and puts Cinderella and the fairy tale folk into dire circumstances. I couldn't help but wonder how the story would end.
The book reads like an action adventure with Cinderella as the driving force and the lead heroine. However, we also get perspectives from numerous characters including Snow White and her evil stepmother for parts of the story. For romance, there is an insta-love but sincere relationship between Cinderella and Rapunzel. And, quite a bit like "The Wizard of Oz", there's a buddy journey aspect to the tale as several friends embark on missions together.
The story has drama but never goes too dark. And comedy is littered throughout especially with the dwarves.
I didn't find the story predictable and there were a lot of clever turns.
I was a little weirded out by where Snow White and the evil stepmother, Ino, were headed. There was some subtext there where I wondered if it would head into a romantic territory but luckily it didn't. I do think Ino was an excellent character, on par with Cinderella, and wished we'd gotten more of her.
I've given five stars to this author's "Behind the Green Curtain" and "The Meddling Friends" series so I shouldn't have been so surprised to enjoy this one, too. It's just that Lashea jumps genres so drastically it's a wonder she can do them each so well. For those familiar with "Behind the Green Curtain" which is so steamy and seductive the book is on fire, this one is very PG (or PG-13 because of one particular scene) with very little on screen action other than kisses.
If you like sapphic fairytale retellings, this one is really unique and well done.
June 28, 2021
Kindle Unlimited Sapphic retelling of many classic fairy tales intertwining? and the ladies learning to stand up for themselves and create their own happily ever after? YES PLEASE!!!
It starts out really strangely and you're sort of dumped right into the thick of things, trying to understand what is going on, and who the main players will be. So I encourage you to keep reading even if you think it's a bit difficult to catch onto, it will all come together!
The long and the short of it is that Cinderella of the actual fairy tale book has up and left her own story book, after the penultimate moment of meeting what was supposed to be her 'prince charming'. Instead she ran away from him, and into another book.
We get interludes and a prologue featuring a dark man - the creator of the books and characters who is not happy that Cinderella has become her own person and is trying to set her own destiny. So he spends time trying to cajole Cin back into compliance, via the plot, but she is not going without a fight!! Cin also has some of her own magic at her disposal which helps her jump around books, and get out of tough spots that the author has put her in.
It's a really unique way of telling a story, actually having the antagonist be the author, so to speak. Also having the characters fighting back against their destined story. It's just a unique concept and I praise the author for that.
Cinderella ends up meeting Rapunzel in her tower. Yes the one and the same, in her own story and kingdom. Only Cinderella inadvertently interferes there, too. With a romance blooming between Rapunzel and Cinderella - and Cin 'rescuing' Raps from her tower and them forging their way across other Kingdoms and other stories.
It was a very sweet romance, there's nothing explicit about it. So if you're more into sexy times you may be disappointed. Across their adventures we also meet Snow White, and her evil step-mother. Plus the humorous dwarves who I couldn't help but snicker at with their antics. There's heaps of magic and subplots and multiple characters we come across - but it never felt too overwhelming.
The author has really created a rich world full of so many references we can identify but has put a unique spin on it all. I'd highly recommend it to people who loved fairy tales growing up, and has enjoyed retellings!
There's lots of wonderful themes that can be relevant to us all, no matter your age. Such as being your own person, and standing up for yourself (and others) instead of just doing what has been planned out for you. Being true to yourself, finding your own way, including making your own mistakes, but also finding happily ever with your own unique spin, because not everyone's story is going to look the same, and that's OK! I really quite loved it and have been taken with the themes. It's all too human and relatable, despite the magics and princesses.
It starts out really strangely and you're sort of dumped right into the thick of things, trying to understand what is going on, and who the main players will be. So I encourage you to keep reading even if you think it's a bit difficult to catch onto, it will all come together!
The long and the short of it is that Cinderella of the actual fairy tale book has up and left her own story book, after the penultimate moment of meeting what was supposed to be her 'prince charming'. Instead she ran away from him, and into another book.
We get interludes and a prologue featuring a dark man - the creator of the books and characters who is not happy that Cinderella has become her own person and is trying to set her own destiny. So he spends time trying to cajole Cin back into compliance, via the plot, but she is not going without a fight!! Cin also has some of her own magic at her disposal which helps her jump around books, and get out of tough spots that the author has put her in.
It's a really unique way of telling a story, actually having the antagonist be the author, so to speak. Also having the characters fighting back against their destined story. It's just a unique concept and I praise the author for that.
Cinderella ends up meeting Rapunzel in her tower. Yes the one and the same, in her own story and kingdom. Only Cinderella inadvertently interferes there, too. With a romance blooming between Rapunzel and Cinderella - and Cin 'rescuing' Raps from her tower and them forging their way across other Kingdoms and other stories.
It was a very sweet romance, there's nothing explicit about it. So if you're more into sexy times you may be disappointed. Across their adventures we also meet Snow White, and her evil step-mother. Plus the humorous dwarves who I couldn't help but snicker at with their antics. There's heaps of magic and subplots and multiple characters we come across - but it never felt too overwhelming.
The author has really created a rich world full of so many references we can identify but has put a unique spin on it all. I'd highly recommend it to people who loved fairy tales growing up, and has enjoyed retellings!
There's lots of wonderful themes that can be relevant to us all, no matter your age. Such as being your own person, and standing up for yourself (and others) instead of just doing what has been planned out for you. Being true to yourself, finding your own way, including making your own mistakes, but also finding happily ever with your own unique spin, because not everyone's story is going to look the same, and that's OK! I really quite loved it and have been taken with the themes. It's all too human and relatable, despite the magics and princesses.
April 24, 2019
Cinderella is pretty bad ass. Definitely worth reading!
May 17, 2014
This book was truly excellent and I cannot wait for a sequel.
When I was growing up I never realised why I hated the Disney princesses so much. But, by the time I was about twelve and realised that girls didn't actually need, or in my case want, boys I understood that I hated Disney because every princess was reduced to an insipid girl who was incapable of anything without a man enabling her. This novel recreated those princesses as they should have been: strong, independent and deep. This kind of reminds me of the movie Brave but is much longer and creates much more depth. The concept of the book was also fascinating and I loved the character of Grimm, that's not to say I didn't wish for his death throughout the book I simply loved the way his thought process was explained. Also Cinderella has an absolutely excellent scene in this book where all I have to say is "Yay!" and that I actually laughed out loud at this scene.
Overall this book is excellent but don't expect it to be some great seat of epic fantasy as that is not its aim. Instead realise that this book is a retelling of traditional tales with a modern perspective put on how the events and characters should have been.
When I was growing up I never realised why I hated the Disney princesses so much. But, by the time I was about twelve and realised that girls didn't actually need, or in my case want, boys I understood that I hated Disney because every princess was reduced to an insipid girl who was incapable of anything without a man enabling her. This novel recreated those princesses as they should have been: strong, independent and deep. This kind of reminds me of the movie Brave but is much longer and creates much more depth. The concept of the book was also fascinating and I loved the character of Grimm, that's not to say I didn't wish for his death throughout the book I simply loved the way his thought process was explained. Also Cinderella has an absolutely excellent scene in this book where all I have to say is "Yay!" and that I actually laughed out loud at this scene.
Overall this book is excellent but don't expect it to be some great seat of epic fantasy as that is not its aim. Instead realise that this book is a retelling of traditional tales with a modern perspective put on how the events and characters should have been.
May 20, 2024
Abandoned at 72%. Could not force myself to finish.
September 23, 2017
A fun read involving a retelling of the Grimm's Fairytale world with Cinderella at its center. There is action, adventure, and a lesbian romance. First time I've ever enjoyed a Cinderella story.
October 7, 2017
This book has a lot of potential, some great moments and ideas, but falls flat a lot too.
Just a few quick points:
1. I wanted to see a lot more of Akasha. I loved her right away, contrary to all the other characters, even though they grew on me after a while. I also really got invested in Ino, honestly one of the most complex and interesting character in this book.
2. I liked that Cinderella rarely felt like she knew what she was doing, much like real life. And yet, she does get better at whatever it is she has to do. She still stumbles, but she gets more assured. It felt quite organic, imo.
3.
4. Not subtly at all, the book tries to show and combat the patriarchal and mysoginistic views of women (from "you belong to me" to "you don't know what's best for you"), without making all men to be sexist, arrogant, entitled pricks. It fails in that almost all princes are exactly that, but not one princess is. Also, Esteban never learns nor improves, and yet he grows on the characters? It might have been meant to be realistic -mysoginistic perverts are not just that, they can have other qualities (though I didn't see what Esteban's were), and you cannot always make them learn- but it didn't.
5. For a rewrite, a lot of questions are left unanswered, and not in a way suggesting the author knew what was happening but was choosing not to disclose it. It just seemed she didn't know how to appropriately answer them.
6. The ending falls very very flat.
7.
8. The writing is nice too. I was expecting more because of a lot of reviews of the author's writing in general, but it was still pleasant and better than most contemporary fiction, especially YA and f/f.
In conclusion, it was ok, I will probably look up the second book in this series.
Just a few quick points:
1. I wanted to see a lot more of Akasha. I loved her right away, contrary to all the other characters, even though they grew on me after a while. I also really got invested in Ino, honestly one of the most complex and interesting character in this book.
2. I liked that Cinderella rarely felt like she knew what she was doing, much like real life. And yet, she does get better at whatever it is she has to do. She still stumbles, but she gets more assured. It felt quite organic, imo.
3.
4. Not subtly at all, the book tries to show and combat the patriarchal and mysoginistic views of women (from "you belong to me" to "you don't know what's best for you"), without making all men to be sexist, arrogant, entitled pricks. It fails in that almost all princes are exactly that, but not one princess is. Also, Esteban never learns nor improves, and yet he grows on the characters? It might have been meant to be realistic -mysoginistic perverts are not just that, they can have other qualities (though I didn't see what Esteban's were), and you cannot always make them learn- but it didn't.
5. For a rewrite, a lot of questions are left unanswered, and not in a way suggesting the author knew what was happening but was choosing not to disclose it. It just seemed she didn't know how to appropriately answer them.
6. The ending falls very very flat.
7.
8. The writing is nice too. I was expecting more because of a lot of reviews of the author's writing in general, but it was still pleasant and better than most contemporary fiction, especially YA and f/f.
In conclusion, it was ok, I will probably look up the second book in this series.
January 16, 2015
Real good
This book has it all action, love, comedy, and drama. The stories blend perfectly, and every time a new character is introduce I get to really see there problems. You get into what the grim characters really had to go though. Loved it
This book has it all action, love, comedy, and drama. The stories blend perfectly, and every time a new character is introduce I get to really see there problems. You get into what the grim characters really had to go though. Loved it
November 29, 2015
2013 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
October 4, 2021
This is how to do a fairy tale retelling - Riley Lashea has gotten it just right,
Becoming self-aware on the written page Cinderella changes from everyone's doormat to a dynamic woman, kinda like a platoon leader and hooks up (in every sense of the word) with Rapunzel whose own revelation turns her into an intelligent partner to Cinderella from a "happy in her imprisonment" dope. Not to give away spoilers to this excellent book but they wander from story yo story through ever more porous boundaries leading a revolution, for want of a better word, against the Creator (writer)
areally good book and one I can definitely recommend
Becoming self-aware on the written page Cinderella changes from everyone's doormat to a dynamic woman, kinda like a platoon leader and hooks up (in every sense of the word) with Rapunzel whose own revelation turns her into an intelligent partner to Cinderella from a "happy in her imprisonment" dope. Not to give away spoilers to this excellent book but they wander from story yo story through ever more porous boundaries leading a revolution, for want of a better word, against the Creator (writer)
areally good book and one I can definitely recommend
April 24, 2023
2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews