What do you think?
Rate this book
Bound by Twilight: A Gender-Swapped Jack and the Beanstalk Retelling
Scale the giant beanstalk, retrieve the treasure, return home. Simple, right? Life for Twila, while not easy , had been fairly straightforward. Take care of her mother, tend the farm, placate her lazy and demanding “brother”, Jack. When an opportunity to change their fortunes comes knocking, she leaps at the chance. Or climbs it. But nothing follows her expectations when Twila finds herself in a magical realm above the clouds populated by fae. Still, finding unguarded wealth in this kingdom overflowing with jewels and precious metal shouldn’t be too hard. Guarding her heart against the handsome self-appointed guide who may be the key to unlocking her past is the real test. Twila thought her heart desired riches that could help her mother, but when answers about who she is and where she came from start coming to light, she’s torn. Time is ticking down and she must choose. Stay and risk her heart? Or return to the safety of her old life? Bound by Twilight is the ninth book in the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Collection. These books are all standalones written by your favorite fantasy authors and are the perfect read for your summer vacation. Prepare to be swept away into magical worlds with tropes you obsess over and swoon-worthy romance.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2023
31 people are currently reading
1048 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 18, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS
This is one of eleven novellas in The Starry Kingdoms of the Fae series written by different indie authors. They are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
You need to know that this is a novella. It is meant to be a short story where the pace is fast and there isn’t a lot of in depth description of characters and world building. Yes, there will be unanswered questions and plot holes to get you to read other books by the author. I personally love novellas because they give you a taste of the author’s writing style and you can read them in one to two sittings.
This is a Jack & the Beanstalk retelling with fae. I enjoyed the story and how the author put her spin on the fairytale. I didn’t fly through it like some of the others in this series, but it was a cute story. The romance seemed like more of a friendship to me and there is room for it to evolve in other books. My favorite part was the different tasks the MC had to complete. I would read more from this author.
Thank you Megan for the ARC! 🫛🫘
4/5 STARS
This is one of eleven novellas in The Starry Kingdoms of the Fae series written by different indie authors. They are all stand alones and can be read in any order.
You need to know that this is a novella. It is meant to be a short story where the pace is fast and there isn’t a lot of in depth description of characters and world building. Yes, there will be unanswered questions and plot holes to get you to read other books by the author. I personally love novellas because they give you a taste of the author’s writing style and you can read them in one to two sittings.
This is a Jack & the Beanstalk retelling with fae. I enjoyed the story and how the author put her spin on the fairytale. I didn’t fly through it like some of the others in this series, but it was a cute story. The romance seemed like more of a friendship to me and there is room for it to evolve in other books. My favorite part was the different tasks the MC had to complete. I would read more from this author.
Thank you Megan for the ARC! 🫛🫘
![Profile Image for Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1773263215i%2F169222098._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 17, 2026
First, the cover is so pretty! This is a cute and unique gender swapped retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk! It was an interesting twist with Jack being her “brother” and a lazy person. I liked Twila. She had spunk and sass! I really liked Eduard too! He was funny and brave. They were super sweet together! It was interesting with the fae aspects of the story, but I thought it came together well. I would say it went a little fast and I wished the book was longer. I wish the ending wouldn’t have been wrapped up so quickly.
May 27, 2024
While the idea is very fun, the romantic pull didn’t quite get there for me !
August 1, 2025
This was so different. Twila was adorable and I really love her character. The romance wasnt believable but I laughed at a couple parts. The whole story was cute. For how short it was, it felt so much longer. Wasn't a good thing but in the end, I enjoyed it.
July 23, 2023
Just a cute fun happy read
July 29, 2023
This was a sweet and clean YA gender-swap retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. I enjoyed the cozy and lightheartedness of this version and found myself chuckling more than once. Best of all, there’s a happy ever after for our MC’s.
August 1, 2023
This was a cute fun retelling. Jack and the beanstalk but gender swap it and make Jack an a** hat. 👍🏻
Like I said it was a cute fae story, but the romance I found a bit lacking. But I chuckled a couple times and the writing was good.
Like I said it was a cute fae story, but the romance I found a bit lacking. But I chuckled a couple times and the writing was good.
August 25, 2023
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Twila - I've enjoyed her character and her big heart taking care of her adoptive mother. However, I wish she was strong enough to put Jack into his place, the way he was treating her definitely raised my blood pressure and I wanted to smack him in the face.
Eduard - I found him to be such a sweetheart, he loved his family and even tho they were rich he was still humble and friendly and so quick to help others even tho they were strangers to him like Twila was.
The majority of the story concentrates on Twila & Eduard, there are also other characters in the story but they are not the main focus, however, you do meet some of them and they're so enjoyable and their voice is unique in the story.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I loved the world-building, I felt it to be like a fairytale. Since it's Jack and the beanstalk but gender reverse you do have the elements from the main story but with different twists and different world-building of course.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I liked Eduard's big family and how sweet they were together. I definitely enjoyed the tasks Twila had to do and the plot twist we found out at the end, that scene was pretty funny considering the way Twila found out. However, I felt the relationship between Twila & Eduard lacked a bit of chemistry, I found them more suitable to be friends than lovers. I couldn't find any chemistry between them and their relationship just moved too quickly towards the end of the story. Overall I've enjoyed the story, and the plot twist at the end was funny because until that moment you don't really understand why 7 tasks have to be done. A quick and catchy novella.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The romance in the story is clean and there were no triggers for me, but Jack is an abuser and treats Twila pretty horrible so that may trigger some people.
Follow me on my bookventure:
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Always open to read and review more books🠇
Review Policy
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Twila - I've enjoyed her character and her big heart taking care of her adoptive mother. However, I wish she was strong enough to put Jack into his place, the way he was treating her definitely raised my blood pressure and I wanted to smack him in the face.
Eduard - I found him to be such a sweetheart, he loved his family and even tho they were rich he was still humble and friendly and so quick to help others even tho they were strangers to him like Twila was.
The majority of the story concentrates on Twila & Eduard, there are also other characters in the story but they are not the main focus, however, you do meet some of them and they're so enjoyable and their voice is unique in the story.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
I loved the world-building, I felt it to be like a fairytale. Since it's Jack and the beanstalk but gender reverse you do have the elements from the main story but with different twists and different world-building of course.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝/𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I liked Eduard's big family and how sweet they were together. I definitely enjoyed the tasks Twila had to do and the plot twist we found out at the end, that scene was pretty funny considering the way Twila found out. However, I felt the relationship between Twila & Eduard lacked a bit of chemistry, I found them more suitable to be friends than lovers. I couldn't find any chemistry between them and their relationship just moved too quickly towards the end of the story. Overall I've enjoyed the story, and the plot twist at the end was funny because until that moment you don't really understand why 7 tasks have to be done. A quick and catchy novella.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The romance in the story is clean and there were no triggers for me, but Jack is an abuser and treats Twila pretty horrible so that may trigger some people.
Follow me on my bookventure:
TikTok
Always open to read and review more books🠇
Review Policy
September 9, 2024
It has been a little while since I delved into the Starry Kingdom of the Fae series of standalones. I was reading them in publication order, but this one caught my eye – I love retellings and Jack and the Beanstalk is not one I’ve come across yet.
The opening of Bound by Twilight was very confusing. You’re thrown straight into the story with pretty much no explanation of what is going on. If you picked up this book and didn’t know it was based on Jack and the Beanstalk or even knew what that story was, you’d be very lost. I was a little lost and I knew both.
After a while, you could see the story start to take shape and where the inspiration came in. This isn’t an outright retelling, it uses elements from the original story to create a fae world in the sky. Which is where the beanstalk came into play.
I really liked both of our main characters and the court system was intriguing. It was refreshing to see that even though the day court were the fae with darker skin, there wasn’t any type of inferiority surrounding them. Which you do find happens quite a lot in these types of books. Racism can be rife in fantasy and it was good to see that wasn’t the case here.
One of my biggest issues with Bound by Twilight was expecting it to be a quick read due to its short length. I really struggled to get into the story to begin with and it felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. As soon the world building and character introductions were out of the way, the action took centre stage and the various tasks Twila was made to complete were fun.
I had no idea where that storyline was going to take me and I was pleasantly surprised that I hadn’t thought of the outcome. It’s a fun take on a specific trope, that I won’t name for spoiler reasons, that you often find in books about the fae.
Overall Bound by Twilight was a fun and unique take on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk story and it was a short read that carried a lot of substance. I’d recommend you check it out if you want to bump up your reading numbers with a fairly quick book.
The opening of Bound by Twilight was very confusing. You’re thrown straight into the story with pretty much no explanation of what is going on. If you picked up this book and didn’t know it was based on Jack and the Beanstalk or even knew what that story was, you’d be very lost. I was a little lost and I knew both.
After a while, you could see the story start to take shape and where the inspiration came in. This isn’t an outright retelling, it uses elements from the original story to create a fae world in the sky. Which is where the beanstalk came into play.
I really liked both of our main characters and the court system was intriguing. It was refreshing to see that even though the day court were the fae with darker skin, there wasn’t any type of inferiority surrounding them. Which you do find happens quite a lot in these types of books. Racism can be rife in fantasy and it was good to see that wasn’t the case here.
One of my biggest issues with Bound by Twilight was expecting it to be a quick read due to its short length. I really struggled to get into the story to begin with and it felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. As soon the world building and character introductions were out of the way, the action took centre stage and the various tasks Twila was made to complete were fun.
I had no idea where that storyline was going to take me and I was pleasantly surprised that I hadn’t thought of the outcome. It’s a fun take on a specific trope, that I won’t name for spoiler reasons, that you often find in books about the fae.
Overall Bound by Twilight was a fun and unique take on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk story and it was a short read that carried a lot of substance. I’d recommend you check it out if you want to bump up your reading numbers with a fairly quick book.
April 7, 2025
I want to start by acknowledging the other reviews that feel the main couple were better suited as friends than as lovers. Did we read the same book? Did their copy not include all the staring at lips and shoulders, all the jolts and tingles of eye contact and hand-holding and hair-touching and near-kisses? The romance is perfectly clean, and the main couple clearly enjoys each other's company for reasons other than physical attraction, but platonic their relationship is never. IMO.
That aside, this was a fun (cozy) romp through the Sky Realm with fae who may or may not live up to their reputation, both in-universe and in readers' experience. There are hints of cutthroat racism from background characters, but the most in-your-face villainy comes from a human who only appears at the beginning and end to make everyone's lives as miserable as he chooses to make his own.
While it took me some time at the beginning to find my footing in the world and character motivations, the story kept me engaged throughout. I would've liked a little more depth in some areas, but I'm willing to believe that the beneath-the-surface iceberg I glimpsed on a first reading will reward rereads. Find here some non-cruel mischief, an abundance of family love, and the power of choice over interfering magic.
That aside, this was a fun (cozy) romp through the Sky Realm with fae who may or may not live up to their reputation, both in-universe and in readers' experience. There are hints of cutthroat racism from background characters, but the most in-your-face villainy comes from a human who only appears at the beginning and end to make everyone's lives as miserable as he chooses to make his own.
While it took me some time at the beginning to find my footing in the world and character motivations, the story kept me engaged throughout. I would've liked a little more depth in some areas, but I'm willing to believe that the beneath-the-surface iceberg I glimpsed on a first reading will reward rereads. Find here some non-cruel mischief, an abundance of family love, and the power of choice over interfering magic.
July 3, 2023
Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “Bound by Twilight" by Meghan Charlie
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
We all know the tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk”. A young boy named Jack goes up a Beanstalk only to find a kingdom of giants and riches beyond his wildest dreams! But what if the story you knew was wrong? Twila, a fae adopted by humans, works herself on the family farm while her mother is sick and her adopted brother, Jack, lounges about and abuses her. Upon visiting the market and meeting a stranger, who gives her beans to plant with the promise of something beyond her heart's desires, she plants the beans and a giant beanstalk grows in her backyard. When Twila climbs the beanstalk to a Faerie kingdom and meets the Night Court prince, Eduard, the two work together to explore the kingdom and find the riches Twila needs to get medical care for her mother.
There’s so much to discuss with this installment of the “Starty Kingdoms of the Fae” series! First, we need to discuss the worldbuilding and symbolism behind it. This isn’t your typical “Jack and the Beanstalk” retelling, replacing giants with faeries and incorporating lore inspired by Celtic folklore and fairy tales. The faerie kingdom is divided into two kingdoms; the Day Court, the kingdom of the day, and the Night Court, the nocturnal kingdom of night. This fantasy setting really stood out to me as a woman of color as this is one of few fantasy books to give commentary on the harmfulness of racism and segregation. From Twila’s mistreatment at home by Jack for being biracial to the uncomfortable notions of the frowning upon of interracial relationships in some Fae communities, the author does not hesitate to discuss this issue front and center.
While not all of these conflicts are resolved at the end, the book does leave a hopeful opening for more exploration and discussion on these real world issues.
Twila and Eduard were an interesting duo to follow through the story. Twila is a no-nonsense adventurer who, although feeling ostracized by racist peers in her village, can fend for herself and would do anything for her mother, the only family member who seemed to love her for being herself. Eduard was a decent love interest. There are moments when he’s a charming voice of exposition or witty comic relief who assists Twila on her quests.
Their chemistry definitely had their wholesome moments, especially when they worked together as a team to complete tasks throughout the kingdom. With that being said, I hope we’ll get to read more on this duo in the near future as the narrative still leaves more room for these characters to grow and develop further. Jack, as an obstacle for Twila, was an antagonist I hated with a passion. He had an ego as bad as Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast" and gave Joffrey from “Game of Thrones a run for his money, and Joffrey has a body count! Thus, the author created an effective antagonist despite said antagonist having very few minutes of reading time. If you’re looking for an in-depth, thoughtful, gender-swapped take on a fairy tale classic, don't miss this book in the "Starry Kingdoms of the Fae" anthology series when it hits online shelves July 28th, 2023!
Spice Meter: 2/5🌶🌶
Rating: 4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Tropes to Expect: He Falls First, Faeries, Magic Beanstalk, Series of Tasks, Faerie Kingdom, and Friends-to-Lovers!
- Trigger Warnings: Implications of Racism and Segregation.
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
We all know the tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk”. A young boy named Jack goes up a Beanstalk only to find a kingdom of giants and riches beyond his wildest dreams! But what if the story you knew was wrong? Twila, a fae adopted by humans, works herself on the family farm while her mother is sick and her adopted brother, Jack, lounges about and abuses her. Upon visiting the market and meeting a stranger, who gives her beans to plant with the promise of something beyond her heart's desires, she plants the beans and a giant beanstalk grows in her backyard. When Twila climbs the beanstalk to a Faerie kingdom and meets the Night Court prince, Eduard, the two work together to explore the kingdom and find the riches Twila needs to get medical care for her mother.
There’s so much to discuss with this installment of the “Starty Kingdoms of the Fae” series! First, we need to discuss the worldbuilding and symbolism behind it. This isn’t your typical “Jack and the Beanstalk” retelling, replacing giants with faeries and incorporating lore inspired by Celtic folklore and fairy tales. The faerie kingdom is divided into two kingdoms; the Day Court, the kingdom of the day, and the Night Court, the nocturnal kingdom of night. This fantasy setting really stood out to me as a woman of color as this is one of few fantasy books to give commentary on the harmfulness of racism and segregation. From Twila’s mistreatment at home by Jack for being biracial to the uncomfortable notions of the frowning upon of interracial relationships in some Fae communities, the author does not hesitate to discuss this issue front and center.
While not all of these conflicts are resolved at the end, the book does leave a hopeful opening for more exploration and discussion on these real world issues.
Twila and Eduard were an interesting duo to follow through the story. Twila is a no-nonsense adventurer who, although feeling ostracized by racist peers in her village, can fend for herself and would do anything for her mother, the only family member who seemed to love her for being herself. Eduard was a decent love interest. There are moments when he’s a charming voice of exposition or witty comic relief who assists Twila on her quests.
Their chemistry definitely had their wholesome moments, especially when they worked together as a team to complete tasks throughout the kingdom. With that being said, I hope we’ll get to read more on this duo in the near future as the narrative still leaves more room for these characters to grow and develop further. Jack, as an obstacle for Twila, was an antagonist I hated with a passion. He had an ego as bad as Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast" and gave Joffrey from “Game of Thrones a run for his money, and Joffrey has a body count! Thus, the author created an effective antagonist despite said antagonist having very few minutes of reading time. If you’re looking for an in-depth, thoughtful, gender-swapped take on a fairy tale classic, don't miss this book in the "Starry Kingdoms of the Fae" anthology series when it hits online shelves July 28th, 2023!
Spice Meter: 2/5🌶🌶
Rating: 4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Tropes to Expect: He Falls First, Faeries, Magic Beanstalk, Series of Tasks, Faerie Kingdom, and Friends-to-Lovers!
- Trigger Warnings: Implications of Racism and Segregation.
July 21, 2023
Twila is an orphan who was adopted by her parents when she was very little and has no memories of her past. She ventures up a beanstalk after a stranger gives her seeds with specific instructions on how to plant them and that they would lead her to the treasure her heart desires. So she climbs the giant beanstalk where she transforms into a Fae, not realizing she is Fae living with humans all her life in the Human Realm and looking like a human, and meets a male Fae from the Night Court, Eduard, who is trying to help her in exchange for her help with tasks he needs done. And it all needs to be done in 7 days when Twila’s “brother” Jack expects her back with the treasure.
This was an inter take on Jack and the Beanstalk. This story is very rushed, and I know it’s a novella, but I will say I was a bit lost at the beginning, and wished it was a bit more fleshed out, and the world was more explained.
I liked the romance and story the most, though. Once you learn about the point of these tasks, it’s quite hilarious and made the whole story more enjoyable and even a bit comical.
Eduard is very proper when he speaks and seems to have a bit of an askew view about humans, especially half-fae/half-humans. He seems to grow a lot though this book, and the relationship he has with his family is very endearing!
Twila is loyal and very kind and generous especially when it comes to her mother taking care of her despite how horrible her adopted brother Jack is to her. I would say this was kind of a grumpy/sunshine romance with Twila being a bit on the grumpy side. Especially at the end, which just makes for an hilarious ending!
I will say the way the romance does play out in the end was disappointing to me, and maybe if there was more of an explanation as to why it played out the way it did, maybe I wouldn’t mind as much, but it left me feeling a bit put out.
Overall, it’s a cute and funny read! I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was an inter take on Jack and the Beanstalk. This story is very rushed, and I know it’s a novella, but I will say I was a bit lost at the beginning, and wished it was a bit more fleshed out, and the world was more explained.
I liked the romance and story the most, though. Once you learn about the point of these tasks, it’s quite hilarious and made the whole story more enjoyable and even a bit comical.
Eduard is very proper when he speaks and seems to have a bit of an askew view about humans, especially half-fae/half-humans. He seems to grow a lot though this book, and the relationship he has with his family is very endearing!
Twila is loyal and very kind and generous especially when it comes to her mother taking care of her despite how horrible her adopted brother Jack is to her. I would say this was kind of a grumpy/sunshine romance with Twila being a bit on the grumpy side. Especially at the end, which just makes for an hilarious ending!
I will say the way the romance does play out in the end was disappointing to me, and maybe if there was more of an explanation as to why it played out the way it did, maybe I wouldn’t mind as much, but it left me feeling a bit put out.
Overall, it’s a cute and funny read! I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 28, 2023
Bound by Twilight by Megan Charlie and is book nine in the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Series. Which is all written by different authors. All the books are standalone and can be read in any order. This is the first book I’ve read by this particular author and gosh I was a fan of this novella. It’s a pretty cool retelling of Jack and the beanstalk but with the addition of Fae. This is a fast paced novella that is direct and to the point, with that being said, I really enjoyed the spin on the fairytale. The main characters were great. I really liked the dynamics between Twila and Edward, it kept me interested to the point I never once lowered my kindle. But that being said, I wasn’t a fan of Jack… he annoyed me. (Twila’s brother) I also really liked the addition of tasks being done. Overall a very enjoyable read! I will be definitely checking out the author’s other works.
Final review:
4 out of 5 stars
Final review:
4 out of 5 stars
August 12, 2023
Well that’s adorable.
This was such a cute twist on the Jack and the Beanstalk story. The Characterization of Twila was phenomenal. She was relatable and absolutely a delight to read. The world building was top notch.
It was definitely just a mild book with some euphemisms and adorable kisses but if you’re looking for spice, this is not it. I do want to emphasize that. The book was well written but there is no spice.
I absolutely loved it though. Eduard was such a sweetheart. I one hundred percent fell in love with him. Bound by Twilight (with a main character named eduard lol) was just such a nice book.
I do hate the fact that it’s just a novella and I do feel like the relationships between Twila and her various family members could have been fleshed out a little more and I would have liked to have seen the adventures she and Eduard would have had.
All in all, it was a very cute and fast read.
This was such a cute twist on the Jack and the Beanstalk story. The Characterization of Twila was phenomenal. She was relatable and absolutely a delight to read. The world building was top notch.
It was definitely just a mild book with some euphemisms and adorable kisses but if you’re looking for spice, this is not it. I do want to emphasize that. The book was well written but there is no spice.
I absolutely loved it though. Eduard was such a sweetheart. I one hundred percent fell in love with him. Bound by Twilight (with a main character named eduard lol) was just such a nice book.
I do hate the fact that it’s just a novella and I do feel like the relationships between Twila and her various family members could have been fleshed out a little more and I would have liked to have seen the adventures she and Eduard would have had.
All in all, it was a very cute and fast read.
June 11, 2023
if you like classic fairy tail stories turned into romance this is definitely a book that you want to read. The beginning was a little confusing because it didn't have an explanation. It just started off going up a beanstalk but it does explain in chapter 2. For me personally I would like that to be in the beginning. There was a couple clerical errors but overall it was a great read. I did wish it was a little longer and explained a little bit more towards the end too but there was a epilogue so it kind of cleared up some of the questions. I definitely did enjoyed it. It is part of a series but you can read it as a standalone which I like. You can definitely finish it into 4 or 5 hours.
June 24, 2023
4/5 stars
I enjoyed the premise of this story with aspects of magic and fae. The story is loaded with wit, banter, and humor. It has an interesting storyline, strong characters and detailed world building. In my opinion, the story is too brief to achieve the depth and connection with the characters I want, but I can't really say much as that is to be expected with a novella. The entire narrative was captivating and fascinating. I enjoyed the story because it wasn't like any other stories I have read before. Despite being a part of a series this story is a standalone.
Thank you Megan Charlie for providing me with an ARC of this book! This is the first book I’ve read by this author.
I received this as an ARC copy and this is my honest and true review.
I enjoyed the premise of this story with aspects of magic and fae. The story is loaded with wit, banter, and humor. It has an interesting storyline, strong characters and detailed world building. In my opinion, the story is too brief to achieve the depth and connection with the characters I want, but I can't really say much as that is to be expected with a novella. The entire narrative was captivating and fascinating. I enjoyed the story because it wasn't like any other stories I have read before. Despite being a part of a series this story is a standalone.
Thank you Megan Charlie for providing me with an ARC of this book! This is the first book I’ve read by this author.
I received this as an ARC copy and this is my honest and true review.
July 9, 2023
I have never loved Jack and The Beanstalk more!!! Twila and Eduard give me Shelton and Penny vibes from the Big Bang theory. She’s exceptionally smart in so many ways and she works so hard for everything she has. Her role as the doting daughter to her mother is a bonus. This story is very wholesome and sweet in a fated mates kind of way but the lengths Eduard goes to for Twila is so fun to read and so cute! There was a few little heart rugs for me but the overall book was great! The world building and all the side characters and animals/mythical creatures were wonderful. I wish this book was longer. Like maybe give us the epilogue as a whole novel? Lol hint hint. Thoroughly enjoyed this read!
February 7, 2024
This is part of the Bound By project, with a bunch of books all written by different authors. Bound by Twilight is a gender-bent version of Jack and the Beanstalk, where Jack is a lazy good for nothing who drinks all day and takes all the credit for running the house. His mother is sick, and his adopted sister does all the work. When he trades an old cow for magic beans, she finagles herself into the role of going up the stalk to find treasure, to pay for her mother's medicines.
While she's up top, she finds exactly what she needs, and they all live happily ever after.
Totally clean, some kissing, and the book ends with a zero spice closed door. (You know what's about to happen, but there's no heat, and the book ends.)
While she's up top, she finds exactly what she needs, and they all live happily ever after.
Totally clean, some kissing, and the book ends with a zero spice closed door. (You know what's about to happen, but there's no heat, and the book ends.)
June 11, 2023
I gave "Bound By Twilight" 3.5 ⭐ rounded up to 4.
This was an interesting re-imagining of Jack and the Beanstalk. It took a few chapters for the story to get going but overall I felt like it was an engaging read.
I thought the characters were well developed and I really liked the playful flirty nature of Twila & Eduard. I found the interactions with Eduard's family to be heart warming also.
Jack was an awful bully, completely unlikeable!
Thank you Megan Charlie for providing me with an ARC of your book.
This was an interesting re-imagining of Jack and the Beanstalk. It took a few chapters for the story to get going but overall I felt like it was an engaging read.
I thought the characters were well developed and I really liked the playful flirty nature of Twila & Eduard. I found the interactions with Eduard's family to be heart warming also.
Jack was an awful bully, completely unlikeable!
Thank you Megan Charlie for providing me with an ARC of your book.
June 14, 2023
I like Twila and Eduard, they make a good pair. I mostly like Twila's no nonsense approach. I wish Jack would have just gone 💀 i don't like him one bit.
The couples in the series keep getting better and better. I love the struggle Twila has to go through, the way things are somewhat magnified and made clearer that make the choice harder. The author doesn't shy away from topics like the obvious segregation/racism that goes on within the world, it's important and needs to be discussed. I'm glad she shows how harmful it can be.
Thank you for the ARC!
The couples in the series keep getting better and better. I love the struggle Twila has to go through, the way things are somewhat magnified and made clearer that make the choice harder. The author doesn't shy away from topics like the obvious segregation/racism that goes on within the world, it's important and needs to be discussed. I'm glad she shows how harmful it can be.
Thank you for the ARC!
July 28, 2023
Easy to follow, cosy fantasy fae retelling of Jack and the beanstalk. You don't have to catch up with a complex history or intricate magic system, the story is rather straightforward. Some events or twists were a bit vague, but the plottwist was really well done. I also loved the chapter titles, they were absolutely an original aspect. If you love smoothly reading retellings that are easy to follow, with interesting characters, instant attraction (but no spice), this novella is for you.
3,5/5 ⭐
I received an eARC of this book.
3,5/5 ⭐
I received an eARC of this book.
July 1, 2024
Bound by Twilight is a fun, cozy gender swapped retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk that was published as part of a multi-author series. I enjoyed this light hearted humorous tale.
Twila isn’t eager to do her lazy, selfish brother Jack's bidding, but she climbs the magic beanstalk for one reason - to find enough riches to hide from Jack to get a good doctor for her kindhearted mother. Instead of a giant she finds a handsome, Fae who sets her 7 tasks and learns some secrets from her past.
My favorite scene was with the twins - so sweet!
June 10, 2023
I’ll admit, the first three chapters were slow and I was confused and frankly a bit bored. But I am glad I kept going because I started to like it and I ended up loving Twila and Eduard. Their interactions were wonderful and flirty and fun and I liked each of them individually and their relationship was perfect.
As for Jack—awful and hope he rots!!
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review!
As for Jack—awful and hope he rots!!
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review!
July 26, 2023
I loved this gender bent Jack and the Beanstalk reimagining. The character development was great and I enjoyed the Fae world and story told. I don't know if I could decide on a favorite character because they were all well written. I've read several other books in the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae series and they've all been wonderful. Like the others this was a quick read for me and I was able to read it in one setting. Well done!
July 28, 2023
This is the 9th book to be released in the 11 book Starry Kingdoms of the Fae Series. It is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. I liked the idea of Jack being the bad guy and him having an adopted sister, who he doesn't really care for. Twila is a no nonsense taking character and I love how snarcky she can be. Eduard is interesting as well with his hyper attitude. The relationship between the two characters developed well despite the fast pace of the book.
July 30, 2023
This novella is one of the 11 books in the starry kingdoms of the Fae series.
🫛Jack and the Beanstalk retelling
🫛Gender bent Jack
🫛cozy fantasy
🫛mates
🫛low spice, low angst
I am a sucker for a gender bent retelling and this book had me so excited!!! It did not disappoint!! This book was cute and cozy and gave me the warm and fuzzies. I loved twila so much. I’ll definitely look into reading more by this author!!
🫛Jack and the Beanstalk retelling
🫛Gender bent Jack
🫛cozy fantasy
🫛mates
🫛low spice, low angst
I am a sucker for a gender bent retelling and this book had me so excited!!! It did not disappoint!! This book was cute and cozy and gave me the warm and fuzzies. I loved twila so much. I’ll definitely look into reading more by this author!!
June 11, 2023
This one started off a bit slow for me but once I got through the first few chapters, I was caught up in the story. The main characters were great. I really liked the interaction between Twila and Edward. They were fun and very likable. Jack, however, was so unlivable that I hope he gets what’s coming to him. I would recommend this fun, fast read.
June 19, 2023
I was initially hesitant as Bound by Twilight is a reimagining of Jack and the Beanstalk but I am pleased to report that I was pleasantly surprised! Twila and Eduard's tale was so adorable, wholesome and cozy. Megan did a wonderful job of twisting in the important details from the original tale with her own Fae twist and it was completely enjoyable. Definitely recommend.
June 25, 2023
I have to admit that Jack and the Beanstalk was never my favorite as a kid. Let me tell you this is not what you remember!! The angst that you can feel leaping off the page at the decisions Twila has to make will make you question. The grass isn't always greener, and this was a whirlwind that I enjoyed so much!
June 28, 2023
I really enjoyed this reimagined story of 'Jack and the Bean Stock'. The female lead is the village outcast who will do anything to take care of her family (well her mother, that is). Twila (blunt/no nonsense) and Eduard (politely charming & endearing) are adorable together as they work together to complete seven different tasks once she makes the journey up the bean stock.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews