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The Classical Kingdoms #11
The Seven Years Princess
Her kingdom is in ashes.
Her crown is worth even less.
Her betrothed is promised to another.
But this princess is determined to reclaim it all.
On her seventeenth birthday, Princess Maleen's future couldn't be brighter. Despite the loss of her parents at a young age and her controlling uncle's constant paranoia, Maleen is on the cusp of everything she ever dreamed of. Her people adore her. Her coronation is only seven years away. And best of all, her childhood sweetheart, Prince Roburts, has proposed. Their two kingdoms, which have always had an uneasy relationship, will be united in peace for the first time since becoming sovereign nations of their own.
Unfortunately, this is more than her uncle can abide. Angered by her betrothal, he locks her in a tower in hopes that she'll have come to her senses in seven years' time when she comes of age to ascend the throne.
For seven years, Maleen tries to escape, expecting at any minute that her beloved will break down the door. But when seven years come and go, she realizes that escape is up to her if she ever wishes to see the sun again. Upon breaking out of the tower, however, she quickly finds that getting out was the easy part. War and death have torn the two kingdoms apart. And an even worse fate is awaiting her people and her beloved if she can't find a way to muster her courage one more time.
Her crown is worth even less.
Her betrothed is promised to another.
But this princess is determined to reclaim it all.
On her seventeenth birthday, Princess Maleen's future couldn't be brighter. Despite the loss of her parents at a young age and her controlling uncle's constant paranoia, Maleen is on the cusp of everything she ever dreamed of. Her people adore her. Her coronation is only seven years away. And best of all, her childhood sweetheart, Prince Roburts, has proposed. Their two kingdoms, which have always had an uneasy relationship, will be united in peace for the first time since becoming sovereign nations of their own.
Unfortunately, this is more than her uncle can abide. Angered by her betrothal, he locks her in a tower in hopes that she'll have come to her senses in seven years' time when she comes of age to ascend the throne.
For seven years, Maleen tries to escape, expecting at any minute that her beloved will break down the door. But when seven years come and go, she realizes that escape is up to her if she ever wishes to see the sun again. Upon breaking out of the tower, however, she quickly finds that getting out was the easy part. War and death have torn the two kingdoms apart. And an even worse fate is awaiting her people and her beloved if she can't find a way to muster her courage one more time.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2022
38 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Fichter
72 books606 followersBrittany lives with her Prince Charming, their little fairy, and their tiny prince in a decently clean castle in whatever kingdom the Air Force has most recently placed them. When she's not writing, Brittany can be found chasing her kids around with a DSLR or belting it in the church choir. You can find more of her work at her website BrittanyFichterFiction.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 23, 2022
So, this is why I adore Fichter. I may or may not have stayed up until a ridiculously late hour to get this finished because I could.not.put.it.down. Fichter, why do you do this to me?!
No, but more seriously, I think this may be one of the best of Fichter's works yet. This book was so strong in so many ways. And it made my heart happy. I wanted to go back and reread it as soon as I'd finished, but alas, my body demanded sleep.
I really like Maid Maleen's story. I have for many, many years. But it's done surprisingly rarely. Fichter folded Maleen's story into her Classical Kingdoms world so seamlessly. It was beautiful to see the worldbuilding elements weave into this story so well. And the ways she touched the original elements of the tale were creative and fun. I really enjoyed seeing the nods to the original, but the story very much felt it's own. It fleshed out the fairytale and gave it a very distinctive Fichter flavor.
Aside from the classic fairy tale we all know I adore, there were fun little elements of mystery threaded throughout the story as the characters worked to puzzle their way out of situations. It's always a treat to watch characters work for something, but I particularly love when they have to find clues, test theories, and solve a mystery. The story also really felt a touch like Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine in a couple of ways. It just had this enchanting, whimsical hope. The letters, the menagerie, the adora-freakin-ble couple, the slowburn romance worth rooting for, the strong-willed heroine who faces the impossible and sacrifices herself to save those she loves. It just touched a nostalgic vein for me and made me feel at home.
I also have to say I truly loved Maleen. She was so strong and so relatable. I loved seeing her struggle, but her nobility and heart prevailed every time. Her character was so easy to love and cheer for. She hooked me in pretty quickly, but my love for her grew stronger throughout the story. I loved her stubborn persistence, her loyalty, and her sacrificial nature. She has got to be one of my all time favorite Fichter heroines. And Rob! Okay, he came in with those green eyes and I was a puddle to start with. Then he swoops in like a hero with the mantra of the hour and it was history from there. I loved his development and my heart absolutely broke for him. I also loved getting to see some of the story from his perspective! Yay! But the heartache and scars (literal and emotional) he bore made him shine all the brighter.
I will say there were only few, very minor things that slightly disappointed me. The biggest was that I had hoped the medallion would be threaded throughout the story and stay with Maleen until the end. That felt kind of like a missed opportunity to me, or maybe I was just sad to see it didn't really mean as much as I had thought. The solution to salvation at the end (no spoilers) felt both really clever and slightly convenient. I don't really know that there would have been a good way to foreshadow that, and maybe having read previous books already I should have picked up on that possibility sooner, but I was kind of like "oh, that's all. okay." I also think the bit that happened off screen would have been more impactful on screen and I'd really wanted to see that the rectangle things had been dealt with, so that felt like a bit of a lose thread.
Thematically, this book was so beautiful, so strong, and so appropriate. Hold fast has such incredible power. Words honestly fall short. Fichter nailed this. She showed such beautiful endurance and strength and sacrifice in such touching ways. I have loved so many of her books and I feel like betraying them to love this one as much as I do, but just wow. Wow wow wow. Thank you, Fichter, for once again going deeper. Your stories aren't just beautiful and fun and fluffy. They touch my soul and that is why I love you. Ima need this one signed and maybe framed XD
There's no foul language, the romance is clean and sweet, realistic and still heartwarming (a few enjoyable kisses and references to looking forward to marriage), and not really any graphic violence. However, as the original tale includes, the story is set amidst a war. Mostly, the war is over and we see ramifications of that, but there are still hostilities, mentions of the horrors of war, etc. And there is definitely an emotionally abusive family member that the MC deals with, but again nothing explicit. It would make for good conversation. Beautiful themes of brokenness and hope. I'd recommend the book for 14/15+
Note: I was given an ARC and the above are my honest thoughts (sadly didn't get this out quite in time for the release, but I thank you nonetheless!!).
No, but more seriously, I think this may be one of the best of Fichter's works yet. This book was so strong in so many ways. And it made my heart happy. I wanted to go back and reread it as soon as I'd finished, but alas, my body demanded sleep.
I really like Maid Maleen's story. I have for many, many years. But it's done surprisingly rarely. Fichter folded Maleen's story into her Classical Kingdoms world so seamlessly. It was beautiful to see the worldbuilding elements weave into this story so well. And the ways she touched the original elements of the tale were creative and fun. I really enjoyed seeing the nods to the original, but the story very much felt it's own. It fleshed out the fairytale and gave it a very distinctive Fichter flavor.
Aside from the classic fairy tale we all know I adore, there were fun little elements of mystery threaded throughout the story as the characters worked to puzzle their way out of situations. It's always a treat to watch characters work for something, but I particularly love when they have to find clues, test theories, and solve a mystery. The story also really felt a touch like Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine in a couple of ways. It just had this enchanting, whimsical hope. The letters, the menagerie, the adora-freakin-ble couple, the slowburn romance worth rooting for, the strong-willed heroine who faces the impossible and sacrifices herself to save those she loves. It just touched a nostalgic vein for me and made me feel at home.
I also have to say I truly loved Maleen. She was so strong and so relatable. I loved seeing her struggle, but her nobility and heart prevailed every time. Her character was so easy to love and cheer for. She hooked me in pretty quickly, but my love for her grew stronger throughout the story. I loved her stubborn persistence, her loyalty, and her sacrificial nature. She has got to be one of my all time favorite Fichter heroines. And Rob! Okay, he came in with those green eyes and I was a puddle to start with. Then he swoops in like a hero with the mantra of the hour and it was history from there. I loved his development and my heart absolutely broke for him. I also loved getting to see some of the story from his perspective! Yay! But the heartache and scars (literal and emotional) he bore made him shine all the brighter.
I will say there were only few, very minor things that slightly disappointed me. The biggest was that I had hoped the medallion would be threaded throughout the story and stay with Maleen until the end. That felt kind of like a missed opportunity to me, or maybe I was just sad to see it didn't really mean as much as I had thought. The solution to salvation at the end (no spoilers) felt both really clever and slightly convenient. I don't really know that there would have been a good way to foreshadow that, and maybe having read previous books already I should have picked up on that possibility sooner, but I was kind of like "oh, that's all. okay." I also think the bit that happened off screen would have been more impactful on screen and I'd really wanted to see that the rectangle things had been dealt with, so that felt like a bit of a lose thread.
Thematically, this book was so beautiful, so strong, and so appropriate. Hold fast has such incredible power. Words honestly fall short. Fichter nailed this. She showed such beautiful endurance and strength and sacrifice in such touching ways. I have loved so many of her books and I feel like betraying them to love this one as much as I do, but just wow. Wow wow wow. Thank you, Fichter, for once again going deeper. Your stories aren't just beautiful and fun and fluffy. They touch my soul and that is why I love you. Ima need this one signed and maybe framed XD
There's no foul language, the romance is clean and sweet, realistic and still heartwarming (a few enjoyable kisses and references to looking forward to marriage), and not really any graphic violence. However, as the original tale includes, the story is set amidst a war. Mostly, the war is over and we see ramifications of that, but there are still hostilities, mentions of the horrors of war, etc. And there is definitely an emotionally abusive family member that the MC deals with, but again nothing explicit. It would make for good conversation. Beautiful themes of brokenness and hope. I'd recommend the book for 14/15+
Note: I was given an ARC and the above are my honest thoughts (sadly didn't get this out quite in time for the release, but I thank you nonetheless!!).
March 6, 2022
This was such a stunning book! It took me a little while to get into this book but once I really started, I loved it! The Seven Years Princess is a lovely retelling that fits into the Brittney’s Fichter's Classical Kingdom world. I had never read a retelling of Maid Maleen so I was super excited to read it! And it was a lovely story!
I really enjoyed the characters Maleen and Roburt were just so much fun to read. I liked Maleen’s strength and her love for her people. I also felt for Maleen as she lived a lonely life, first as a child and then stuck in the tower. Throughout the book, Maleen had to trust the Maker and his plan, all the while hoping for the best. Roburts was loyal and kind. Roberts came to care for Maleen through letters and he was doing his best to rescue her. I liked Roburts, he was a wonderful character. It was sweet to read about him fighting for Maleen and their love.
Oh my goodness, the plot was so engaging and I couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to know how Maleen and Roburts were going to find their way back to each other. It was a wonderful story and it didn’t feel rushed or stilted. It was definitely an exciting tale! The character felt real and I was able to connect with them. There were also delightful side characters and some cameos from old characters, which is always fantastic..
I really enjoyed this book and it was fun to read a new addition to The Classical Kingdom series. I really love this series and it is so cool when new books are added. I would definitely recommend The Seven Years Princess! The Seven Years Princess is a clean fairytale retelling of Maid Maleen.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
I really enjoyed the characters Maleen and Roburt were just so much fun to read. I liked Maleen’s strength and her love for her people. I also felt for Maleen as she lived a lonely life, first as a child and then stuck in the tower. Throughout the book, Maleen had to trust the Maker and his plan, all the while hoping for the best. Roburts was loyal and kind. Roberts came to care for Maleen through letters and he was doing his best to rescue her. I liked Roburts, he was a wonderful character. It was sweet to read about him fighting for Maleen and their love.
Oh my goodness, the plot was so engaging and I couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to know how Maleen and Roburts were going to find their way back to each other. It was a wonderful story and it didn’t feel rushed or stilted. It was definitely an exciting tale! The character felt real and I was able to connect with them. There were also delightful side characters and some cameos from old characters, which is always fantastic..
I really enjoyed this book and it was fun to read a new addition to The Classical Kingdom series. I really love this series and it is so cool when new books are added. I would definitely recommend The Seven Years Princess! The Seven Years Princess is a clean fairytale retelling of Maid Maleen.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
March 22, 2022
Overall, a good read!
I really did like this story! I thought Brittany did really well with all the elements she incorporated in the story, and I did appreciate how it connects the dots and characters that were in previous books in the series. I’d never heard of Maid Malden before this book, so it was cool for the author to include a more niche fairy tale for this one!
Please take my words for what they are: One person’s thoughts about this book. Read it for yourself to make your own judgement! The only sticking points for me were (1) The emotional journey Maleen went through felt a little glossed over for me at times. The letters helped me understand a bit of what she was going through and where her head was at, and there were definitely some decisions that were affected by how different she was because of her seven years in the tower. There was so much going on in the latter portion of the book that I felt, just a smidge, as if her character was being used to solve outside problems in the plot and instead of coming to terms with the trauma she had experienced and the emotional turmoil she was s going through. (2) The ending felt rushed to me. (***SOME MINOR SPOILERS***) I felt like the wedding, while seemingly important for the plot and for issues to be resolved, threw two characters together who had massively changed. All the trauma, and emotional, mental, and physical changes that the main couple went through was A LOT. To put them together as a married couple right at the end with limited interactions rubbed me a little in the wrong way. I totally understand the desire for there to be a happily ever after, but I didn’t believe, at that point in the story, that these characters knew each other as well as they seemed to and it seemed like there would be a long road of healing in front of them coming to terms with how they had both changed and how what they had gone through, mostly separately, but a little together at the end, affected them.
Overall, I do recommend this story. It is well-written and had a broad cast of characters going through an important journey! Definitely read it on your own.
I really did like this story! I thought Brittany did really well with all the elements she incorporated in the story, and I did appreciate how it connects the dots and characters that were in previous books in the series. I’d never heard of Maid Malden before this book, so it was cool for the author to include a more niche fairy tale for this one!
Please take my words for what they are: One person’s thoughts about this book. Read it for yourself to make your own judgement! The only sticking points for me were (1) The emotional journey Maleen went through felt a little glossed over for me at times. The letters helped me understand a bit of what she was going through and where her head was at, and there were definitely some decisions that were affected by how different she was because of her seven years in the tower. There was so much going on in the latter portion of the book that I felt, just a smidge, as if her character was being used to solve outside problems in the plot and instead of coming to terms with the trauma she had experienced and the emotional turmoil she was s going through. (2) The ending felt rushed to me. (***SOME MINOR SPOILERS***) I felt like the wedding, while seemingly important for the plot and for issues to be resolved, threw two characters together who had massively changed. All the trauma, and emotional, mental, and physical changes that the main couple went through was A LOT. To put them together as a married couple right at the end with limited interactions rubbed me a little in the wrong way. I totally understand the desire for there to be a happily ever after, but I didn’t believe, at that point in the story, that these characters knew each other as well as they seemed to and it seemed like there would be a long road of healing in front of them coming to terms with how they had both changed and how what they had gone through, mostly separately, but a little together at the end, affected them.
Overall, I do recommend this story. It is well-written and had a broad cast of characters going through an important journey! Definitely read it on your own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2022
The Seven Years Princess was actually my first introduction to Brittany Fichter's work, and I'm hooked! Yes, this is a review of the rough draft she posted on her blog. Yes, I know this book is in the editing stages right now and will change by the time it's officially published, and yet, it was enough to make me interested in her writing and in checking out more of her work.
I truly enjoyed it all as a fairytale retelling, but I especially loved Maleen and her whole journey (from timid princess to strong survivor, her growth was one of my favorite parts). I also loved Prince Rob's character, and how there's so much more to him than just "the son of the enemy kingdom." Oh, and their love story? So sweet! But of course, there's magic, there are curses, and there are really high obstacles to conquer on the road to HEA.
The cast of secondary characters was also great, and fans of the series will enjoy getting to see familiar faces pop up in this story as well, though it's not necessary to have read the previous books in order to "get" this one.
Truly, a beautiful Clean/Sweet fairytale retelling, perfect for fans of this genre, the author, Fantasy Romance, or people who're looking to go on a sort of quest, facing nearly impossible odds, while rooting for true love to conquer everything. ~ 5 stars
PS: I do plan to re-read it once the book is finally published. I'll probably update my review once I've done so.
I truly enjoyed it all as a fairytale retelling, but I especially loved Maleen and her whole journey (from timid princess to strong survivor, her growth was one of my favorite parts). I also loved Prince Rob's character, and how there's so much more to him than just "the son of the enemy kingdom." Oh, and their love story? So sweet! But of course, there's magic, there are curses, and there are really high obstacles to conquer on the road to HEA.
The cast of secondary characters was also great, and fans of the series will enjoy getting to see familiar faces pop up in this story as well, though it's not necessary to have read the previous books in order to "get" this one.
Truly, a beautiful Clean/Sweet fairytale retelling, perfect for fans of this genre, the author, Fantasy Romance, or people who're looking to go on a sort of quest, facing nearly impossible odds, while rooting for true love to conquer everything. ~ 5 stars
PS: I do plan to re-read it once the book is finally published. I'll probably update my review once I've done so.
May 28, 2023
The Seven Years Princess by Brittany Fichter is one that had been on my reading list for a while. After reading several of Brittany's other books, I knew to expect a dark fantasy romance with religious undertones. In this case, however, I was not very familiar with the fairy tale it was based on. So I pulled out my fancy Brothers Grimm anthology and took a few minutes to learn the story of "Maid Maleen." It is about a girl who was imprisoned for seven years after falling in love with a prince and left her tower to find that everything she knew had been destroyed. As soon as I finished it, I said to myself "Yup, that sounds like a Brittany Fichter story." Her adaptations tend to be darker than most, so this seemed like the perfect fairy tale for her to expand upon.
Ever since she was a little girl, Princess Maleen took a liking to Prince Roburts, who belonged to an enemy kingdom. The one person who she could never tell about this forbidden romance was her uncle, who ruled her kingdom with an iron fist. One day, she would come of age to take over the throne and make her own decisions, but that day was far in the future. Her secret remained safely under wraps until Maleen realized how determined her uncle was to start a war and made a public impromptu announcement about her betrothal to the prince, hoping it would end the struggle between the two kingdoms. Instead, her uncle was so enraged by this announcement that sentenced her to imprisonment in an isolated tower for seven years until she came of age. Maleen was not alone in this tower. A servant named Jalyna was trapped with her to take care of the princess during these lonely years, but it turned out to be very much the opposite as Maleen was forced to do her best to make sure Jalyna didn't starve herself to death from despair.
Many of Brittany Fichter's earlier adaptations change certain details about the story to expand upon the world so it matches her darker style of storytelling. This story was already dark enough that she didn't need to change much, which served as both an advantage and a disadvantage. There were just enough additional details for Maleen's relationship with Roburts to feel genuine and to understand the intent behind Maleen being locked up for so long. Yet, the seven years passed by so quickly in the book that it was difficult to understand why neither Maleen nor Roburts could find a way to get her out of the tower any sooner. Though the book elaborates a bit upon both of their attempts to add a sense of realism to the story, they don't seem to be seven years worth of attempts, which is a very long time to try to accomplish something. It seemed like it only took seven years because that's what the fairy tale said it would take as well as when Maleen would come of age. I like that she was a more active character in this adaptation, but doing so took away from the believability of how long it took her to escape.
The other aspect of the story that was harder to swallow was the love triangle that Maleen found herself in upon escaping. In the fairy tale, the prince's new bride forces Maleen to switch places with her because she does not know that Maleen is his former lover and doesn't want the world to see how ugly she is. Here, Priscilla knows exactly who Maleen is and uses her powers to make Maleen look like her and marry Roburts in her place because she does not want him to discover that she was tainted by dark magic. Even though Maleen asks her why she can't use magic on herself and marry him, the explanation she gives doesn't make that much sense. Much of this is attributed more to the original fairy tale than this specific adaptation, though. It seems odd that any bride would want to manipulate a former lover of her betrothed into marrying him in her place and then get angry about the two actually being in love after their nuptials. Brittany did the best she could in making sense out of the material she had to work with, and I appreciate how faithful she was to the original fairy tale while adding just enough new content to flesh out the world and characters.
The Seven Years Princess fits perfectly into Brittany Fichter's unique collection of dark fairy tale retellings. There could not have been a better story to match her writing style than "Maid Maleen." I will surely remember this obscure Brothers Grimm fairy tale for years to come thanks to this book. It does an excellent job of developing the characters and allows us to experience their long struggle for freedom, love, and peace among their kingdoms. However, the book struggles to explain away some of the more confusing elements of the fairy tale that may make it difficult for readers to fully suspend their disbelief. I recommend this story to people who enjoy darker fairy tale adaptations and are looking for a story that hasn't already been retold a million times.
Ever since she was a little girl, Princess Maleen took a liking to Prince Roburts, who belonged to an enemy kingdom. The one person who she could never tell about this forbidden romance was her uncle, who ruled her kingdom with an iron fist. One day, she would come of age to take over the throne and make her own decisions, but that day was far in the future. Her secret remained safely under wraps until Maleen realized how determined her uncle was to start a war and made a public impromptu announcement about her betrothal to the prince, hoping it would end the struggle between the two kingdoms. Instead, her uncle was so enraged by this announcement that sentenced her to imprisonment in an isolated tower for seven years until she came of age. Maleen was not alone in this tower. A servant named Jalyna was trapped with her to take care of the princess during these lonely years, but it turned out to be very much the opposite as Maleen was forced to do her best to make sure Jalyna didn't starve herself to death from despair.
Many of Brittany Fichter's earlier adaptations change certain details about the story to expand upon the world so it matches her darker style of storytelling. This story was already dark enough that she didn't need to change much, which served as both an advantage and a disadvantage. There were just enough additional details for Maleen's relationship with Roburts to feel genuine and to understand the intent behind Maleen being locked up for so long. Yet, the seven years passed by so quickly in the book that it was difficult to understand why neither Maleen nor Roburts could find a way to get her out of the tower any sooner. Though the book elaborates a bit upon both of their attempts to add a sense of realism to the story, they don't seem to be seven years worth of attempts, which is a very long time to try to accomplish something. It seemed like it only took seven years because that's what the fairy tale said it would take as well as when Maleen would come of age. I like that she was a more active character in this adaptation, but doing so took away from the believability of how long it took her to escape.
The other aspect of the story that was harder to swallow was the love triangle that Maleen found herself in upon escaping. In the fairy tale, the prince's new bride forces Maleen to switch places with her because she does not know that Maleen is his former lover and doesn't want the world to see how ugly she is. Here, Priscilla knows exactly who Maleen is and uses her powers to make Maleen look like her and marry Roburts in her place because she does not want him to discover that she was tainted by dark magic. Even though Maleen asks her why she can't use magic on herself and marry him, the explanation she gives doesn't make that much sense. Much of this is attributed more to the original fairy tale than this specific adaptation, though. It seems odd that any bride would want to manipulate a former lover of her betrothed into marrying him in her place and then get angry about the two actually being in love after their nuptials. Brittany did the best she could in making sense out of the material she had to work with, and I appreciate how faithful she was to the original fairy tale while adding just enough new content to flesh out the world and characters.
The Seven Years Princess fits perfectly into Brittany Fichter's unique collection of dark fairy tale retellings. There could not have been a better story to match her writing style than "Maid Maleen." I will surely remember this obscure Brothers Grimm fairy tale for years to come thanks to this book. It does an excellent job of developing the characters and allows us to experience their long struggle for freedom, love, and peace among their kingdoms. However, the book struggles to explain away some of the more confusing elements of the fairy tale that may make it difficult for readers to fully suspend their disbelief. I recommend this story to people who enjoy darker fairy tale adaptations and are looking for a story that hasn't already been retold a million times.
March 12, 2023
I loved The Seven Years Princess!!! Brittany Fichter is one of my favorite authors!! I loved the beginning with Maleen and Rob’s swoon-worthy declarations of love!!! I adore stories of childhood sweethearts, and this one did not disappoint. However, of course, a happy beginning few chapters is doomed to be thwarted, since the book needs a plot!! Nevertheless, it was heartwarming to have proof of their love to sustain the reader (and the characters, or course!) through the trials to come!
And, boy, are there a lot of trials!!!!!!! So many that it seems very unlikely and almost hopeless for the reader, much less Maleen herself!!! However, I never fully understood why NO ONE got her out of the tower before the seven years were up! I mean, pretty much anybody who’s anybody on the entire continent saw how unjustly she was treated!! Rob started a whole war over it, and NO ONE allied with him! I’m telling you right now, if King Everard had gotten involved, Maleen would have been free within the month!!!! If Ever came to Ashland TWICE to help (1) Prince Nicholas and (2) Wendy Darling (a COMMONER!), you’d think he’d jump in to help a fellow royal whom Queen Isabelle (his wife) and Princess Olivia (his sister-in-law) really like! I know Olivia said it was a diplomacy issue, since it was “unwise” for other nations to get involved in one kingdom’s “internal family dispute.” Still, King Everard has such a reputation and a “doesn’t give a darn what anybody thinks” attitude that I can’t see him letting a bloody war drag on for SEVEN YEARS and not get involved. Don’t even think that Rob wouldn’t have welcomed the help!!!
Aside: I don’t know why Fichter had to make Rob’s injury so severe. This may not sound terribly PC, but losing an arm seems a bit over the top. Again, I’m not trying to be offensive, but there was no symbolic meaning to losing an arm specifically. He just needed to have some sort of reminder of the foolishness of adolescent pride. How about terrible scars on his torso? A limp? A scar running down the side of his face? Even losing a few fingers would’ve been mellower. How about simply weakening the arm in question! An amputation just sounds so….permanent. If I were Maleen, I would have been anxiously waiting for over seven years for a passionate embrace from the love of my life, but even that desire is thwarted…not that you can’t hug one-armed, but it’s undeniably not the same.
Poor Maleen was put through so much over the course of the story. Just when there was hope, she would have some other tragedy! It was almost like a soap opera at one point. (I AM grateful that the seven years in the tower wasn’t actually that long to read. It may seem weird, since that’s the title of the book, but Fichter was smart to know that a recounting of tales inside the tower would have gotten boring QUICKLY!). However, I admire how Maleen fought on and didn’t let the course of events break her. She tried her hardest to escape, even when it cost her physical and mental well-being. In the end, I loved how Rob’s promise to Maleen all those years ago was what pushed her to end the villain’s hold on her once and for all!!! It was so adorable! “Don’t you lay a finger on my imaginary babies!!!!” The symbolism of “hold fast” was so sweet, too. Rob has such faith, trusting his heart, not his mind or his eyes.
Also, it was very fun reuniting with Kurt and Liesel and meeting the “daughter of the girl in the red hood!” So cute!
All in all, a great story! Do not mistake my ranting for displeasure! On the contrary, this book made me passionately root for the characters and want to see them get their happily ever after, which they certainly did on the end!!!!!!
And, boy, are there a lot of trials!!!!!!! So many that it seems very unlikely and almost hopeless for the reader, much less Maleen herself!!! However, I never fully understood why NO ONE got her out of the tower before the seven years were up! I mean, pretty much anybody who’s anybody on the entire continent saw how unjustly she was treated!! Rob started a whole war over it, and NO ONE allied with him! I’m telling you right now, if King Everard had gotten involved, Maleen would have been free within the month!!!! If Ever came to Ashland TWICE to help (1) Prince Nicholas and (2) Wendy Darling (a COMMONER!), you’d think he’d jump in to help a fellow royal whom Queen Isabelle (his wife) and Princess Olivia (his sister-in-law) really like! I know Olivia said it was a diplomacy issue, since it was “unwise” for other nations to get involved in one kingdom’s “internal family dispute.” Still, King Everard has such a reputation and a “doesn’t give a darn what anybody thinks” attitude that I can’t see him letting a bloody war drag on for SEVEN YEARS and not get involved. Don’t even think that Rob wouldn’t have welcomed the help!!!
Aside: I don’t know why Fichter had to make Rob’s injury so severe. This may not sound terribly PC, but losing an arm seems a bit over the top. Again, I’m not trying to be offensive, but there was no symbolic meaning to losing an arm specifically. He just needed to have some sort of reminder of the foolishness of adolescent pride. How about terrible scars on his torso? A limp? A scar running down the side of his face? Even losing a few fingers would’ve been mellower. How about simply weakening the arm in question! An amputation just sounds so….permanent. If I were Maleen, I would have been anxiously waiting for over seven years for a passionate embrace from the love of my life, but even that desire is thwarted…not that you can’t hug one-armed, but it’s undeniably not the same.
Poor Maleen was put through so much over the course of the story. Just when there was hope, she would have some other tragedy! It was almost like a soap opera at one point. (I AM grateful that the seven years in the tower wasn’t actually that long to read. It may seem weird, since that’s the title of the book, but Fichter was smart to know that a recounting of tales inside the tower would have gotten boring QUICKLY!). However, I admire how Maleen fought on and didn’t let the course of events break her. She tried her hardest to escape, even when it cost her physical and mental well-being. In the end, I loved how Rob’s promise to Maleen all those years ago was what pushed her to end the villain’s hold on her once and for all!!! It was so adorable! “Don’t you lay a finger on my imaginary babies!!!!” The symbolism of “hold fast” was so sweet, too. Rob has such faith, trusting his heart, not his mind or his eyes.
Also, it was very fun reuniting with Kurt and Liesel and meeting the “daughter of the girl in the red hood!” So cute!
All in all, a great story! Do not mistake my ranting for displeasure! On the contrary, this book made me passionately root for the characters and want to see them get their happily ever after, which they certainly did on the end!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2022
For the vast majority of this story, I was absolutely riveted. Once Maleen was locked in the tower I couldn't wait to find out how she was going to get out. Then when she did escape, only to find her entire kingdom devastated and the love of her life engaged to someone else, I was eager to see if she'd make it to his kingdom and whether she reconnected with him. And then once her rival entered the scene and we found out what dark magic she had at her disposal, it was a race to see if she could be thwarted before the wedding. Exciting!
I had never heard of the story of Maid Maleen until this retelling. Upon going to look at the original, it's an odd one. It's sort of a mashup of elements from Rapunzel, Donkeyskin, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon where a princess is locked in a tower by her father for falling in love with the wrong guy, but while she's in there her kingdom is destroyed by war--what a surprise, since the father was clearly such a nice, rational man--and there is no one to let her and her maidservant out. They free themselves (go them! Fichter kind of does the maid a disservice here, making her give up and go catatonic instead of remaining strong and doing her part to escape like the original) and wander around until by total chance (right) they find themselves in the kingdom of the princess's former love and become servants in his castle. He is engaged to someone else, but she's ugly and afraid of being laughed at so she forces beautiful Maleen to be her stand-in at the wedding. In typical fairy tale fashion the true princess manages through subterfuge to reveal the deception, and her humbleness and beauty prove her to be the real bride. I did like that Fichter tones down the "physically ugly=evil" message of the original in her retelling, and that her Maleen didn't just give up on contacting her love until practically thrust into his arms the way the original did.
Worth a try, even if you're not familiar with the original story.
I had never heard of the story of Maid Maleen until this retelling. Upon going to look at the original, it's an odd one. It's sort of a mashup of elements from Rapunzel, Donkeyskin, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon where a princess is locked in a tower by her father for falling in love with the wrong guy, but while she's in there her kingdom is destroyed by war--what a surprise, since the father was clearly such a nice, rational man--and there is no one to let her and her maidservant out. They free themselves (go them! Fichter kind of does the maid a disservice here, making her give up and go catatonic instead of remaining strong and doing her part to escape like the original) and wander around until by total chance (right) they find themselves in the kingdom of the princess's former love and become servants in his castle. He is engaged to someone else, but she's ugly and afraid of being laughed at so she forces beautiful Maleen to be her stand-in at the wedding. In typical fairy tale fashion the true princess manages through subterfuge to reveal the deception, and her humbleness and beauty prove her to be the real bride. I did like that Fichter tones down the "physically ugly=evil" message of the original in her retelling, and that her Maleen didn't just give up on contacting her love until practically thrust into his arms the way the original did.
Worth a try, even if you're not familiar with the original story.
March 27, 2022
Every time I think one of her books can't be as good as the ones previous, I'm wrong. This one was full of heart and strength just as much as other Brittany Fichter's books. As much as I wished there was a bit more action in the seven years she was in the tower, I still thought it moved quickly enough to further the plot.
Maleen was an interesting character - I wish we had seen more from her, as I feel like we only scratched the surface of her character. She was remarkably strong and kind despite her circumstances, but I don't feel like I really got to know her like we would have if we'd seen more of her as she was growing up.
Roburts was more of an interesting concept. I would have loved to have seen more of their initial enemies-to-lovers, but I understand that probably would have slowed the plot. His side of the story also felt like we missed a big part of his development - we saw him as a child and then him as a shattered adult after the war. It was bittersweet to see Maleen's reaction to him after all those years, and it was interesting to watch her try to reconcile the man he was with the man he became.
Honestly, I feel like there were a lot of spots where it could have been developed further because so much wasn't shown because Maleen was locked in the tower. It was understandable for the story but unfortunate for the readers. However, the story was still engaging, entertaining, and heartbreaking. The story ended up really being about how Maleen's past collided with her future (like how one minor character played a big part in the end). But I'm glad she got a happy ending after all.
Overall, it was a great story that felt like so much could have been added to it, but the plot and characters made up for it.
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Maleen was an interesting character - I wish we had seen more from her, as I feel like we only scratched the surface of her character. She was remarkably strong and kind despite her circumstances, but I don't feel like I really got to know her like we would have if we'd seen more of her as she was growing up.
Roburts was more of an interesting concept. I would have loved to have seen more of their initial enemies-to-lovers, but I understand that probably would have slowed the plot. His side of the story also felt like we missed a big part of his development - we saw him as a child and then him as a shattered adult after the war. It was bittersweet to see Maleen's reaction to him after all those years, and it was interesting to watch her try to reconcile the man he was with the man he became.
Honestly, I feel like there were a lot of spots where it could have been developed further because so much wasn't shown because Maleen was locked in the tower. It was understandable for the story but unfortunate for the readers. However, the story was still engaging, entertaining, and heartbreaking. The story ended up really being about how Maleen's past collided with her future (like how one minor character played a big part in the end). But I'm glad she got a happy ending after all.
Overall, it was a great story that felt like so much could have been added to it, but the plot and characters made up for it.
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2022
So many emotions this book evokes in you like happiness, sadness, fear, and anger. This book keeps you hooked wondering what will happen next. I 💖LOVED Maleen's determination, personality, and dedication to her sweetheart and whomever she considers family. I was irritated at Rob thinking he did abandoned her, but this really shows you the costs of actions taken in anger and lack of thought. I 💖LOVED Rob's character from the begining and after the initial irritation it shows you how much he had suffered in the seven years also. Poor Maleen all that she went through she did it with all the makings of the queens of old. Maleen and Robert where such a well matched couple and I 💖 LOVED how they each where determined and fought hard for their love for each other. I also really 💖LOVED their motto and their kingdoms motto on "HOLD FAST." It is such an inspiring one to have and made their love so unbreakable. The villain in this story I don't want to give too much away, but boy where they spooky and so different. I have never read the story this is based on, but this one would be incredibly hard to beat. I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. The cover I just have to mention is so gorgeous and grabs your attention just like the story. Also it had my favorite characters of Brittany Fichter's in it that I thought my cheeks would fall off from smiling so much reading PAGES that they where on. Literally a whole chapter with them in it.😍😍😍😍
April 23, 2022
I struggled with the pacing of this book. It started slowly, the letters to cover the time from the very beginning until Maleen is 17 only sparsely covered those years, and it felt like a bit of a rush to get to where the characters were at the time Maleen stood up to her uncle and ended up trapped in the tower with a maidservant. The journaling to cover the 7 years she was in the tower worked alright, but again, felt a bit sparse.
Once they escaped, it felt like we'd jumped right into the midst of the action-packed section of the book. Priscilla's connection to the threads of the rest of the series was a nice tie-in, and I liked how that section of the story played out. The resolution & wrap-up again felt a bit rushed, like we skipped over the trauma of the 7 years Maleen was in the tower and everything that happened during that time and jumped into a HEA. I wish there had been time shown between everything that occurred and them having a chance to get to know each other as their older selves and doing some healing separately and together after all that had occurred.
On the whole, I like the retelling of Maid Maleen, but it wasn't as stellar imo as some of Fichters other books.
Once they escaped, it felt like we'd jumped right into the midst of the action-packed section of the book. Priscilla's connection to the threads of the rest of the series was a nice tie-in, and I liked how that section of the story played out. The resolution & wrap-up again felt a bit rushed, like we skipped over the trauma of the 7 years Maleen was in the tower and everything that happened during that time and jumped into a HEA. I wish there had been time shown between everything that occurred and them having a chance to get to know each other as their older selves and doing some healing separately and together after all that had occurred.
On the whole, I like the retelling of Maid Maleen, but it wasn't as stellar imo as some of Fichters other books.
June 7, 2024
I feel at this point that tediously long journeys where star-crossed lovers can't communicate much has become a recurring motif in the books. I want them to get to know each other better and watch them grow together!
I understand the characters' motivations, but it feels kind of like suffering and strength of will is the characters' only way to grow and learn? Maybe they could have more wit and cunning to solve their problems... The writing felt like it needed a teeny bit of more fleshing out...
Also, I like how Rob's parents love him without indulging him, but it's have been nice to see them be more proactive in helping their son! I mean, if Maleen was so dear to them then why was it Rob who acted alone to protect her? Also, not too much of a reason for the neighboring kingdoms to stand by and watch... sure, the duke was threatening his own people but what about when they were already dying and the duke was gone?
Character growth was good as usual, though! And I liked the fact that not everyone was super-strong and we see Jalyna and her plight and appreciate Maleen in contrast. I did appreciate them trying to find their way out of their mess and how the dead ends have been thought of...
I understand the characters' motivations, but it feels kind of like suffering and strength of will is the characters' only way to grow and learn? Maybe they could have more wit and cunning to solve their problems... The writing felt like it needed a teeny bit of more fleshing out...
Also, I like how Rob's parents love him without indulging him, but it's have been nice to see them be more proactive in helping their son! I mean, if Maleen was so dear to them then why was it Rob who acted alone to protect her? Also, not too much of a reason for the neighboring kingdoms to stand by and watch... sure, the duke was threatening his own people but what about when they were already dying and the duke was gone?
Character growth was good as usual, though! And I liked the fact that not everyone was super-strong and we see Jalyna and her plight and appreciate Maleen in contrast. I did appreciate them trying to find their way out of their mess and how the dead ends have been thought of...
March 23, 2022
A stunning work of the art that is life
Join Maleen on her path of growing up alone, falling in love and being isolated from everyone she loves. This tale is a beautiful story that resonates with the grief the 2020's have brought so far, yet there is hope. Through isolation, depression, loss all of it true to life there is hope. Maleen has a strength that helps her not only survive but not become bitter to the harsh realities of the life and the world she lives in. Featuring some appearances from characters in the previous books although this can stand alone in its tale. I read the tale in its first draft on her website and loved re-reading it again seeing the depth added to scenes and the lovely ending! This isn't a fairy tale where everything is sparkles and ribbons in the end, there is hope and happiness but it's contained to the realistic standards of life. 10/10 would reccomend!
Join Maleen on her path of growing up alone, falling in love and being isolated from everyone she loves. This tale is a beautiful story that resonates with the grief the 2020's have brought so far, yet there is hope. Through isolation, depression, loss all of it true to life there is hope. Maleen has a strength that helps her not only survive but not become bitter to the harsh realities of the life and the world she lives in. Featuring some appearances from characters in the previous books although this can stand alone in its tale. I read the tale in its first draft on her website and loved re-reading it again seeing the depth added to scenes and the lovely ending! This isn't a fairy tale where everything is sparkles and ribbons in the end, there is hope and happiness but it's contained to the realistic standards of life. 10/10 would reccomend!
June 14, 2022
Engaging Read
Hold fast. What a wonderful theme and reminder! It was fun to read this book knowing it was written partially during a pandemic and finding some similar struggles and themes. Maleen essentially was forced to shelter in place and yet found purpose in learning and serving others. There was struggle upon struggle, but Maleen had to stay strong and keep fighting even if that meant fighting for her people when she ran out of energy to fight for herself alone. The book had fun reminders of the value of community, good friends, and the power of simple acts of friendship. It was also fun to see small tie ins between this book and some of the others in the series. The Seven Years Princess was definitely an engaging and worthwhile read.
Hold fast. What a wonderful theme and reminder! It was fun to read this book knowing it was written partially during a pandemic and finding some similar struggles and themes. Maleen essentially was forced to shelter in place and yet found purpose in learning and serving others. There was struggle upon struggle, but Maleen had to stay strong and keep fighting even if that meant fighting for her people when she ran out of energy to fight for herself alone. The book had fun reminders of the value of community, good friends, and the power of simple acts of friendship. It was also fun to see small tie ins between this book and some of the others in the series. The Seven Years Princess was definitely an engaging and worthwhile read.
March 31, 2024
I had to DNF this one at about 20%. The main character's uncle is described as evil or under some awful spell. He's also described with ableist neurodivergent language. This same uncle throws things and is ulta-controlling of the main character. While the story may improve the uncle's storyline, the language surrounding him was exhausting and triggering to read. I've enjoyed another book by this author, but I don't know if I can read more by her after this one.
Examples from the book:
"He grows worse by the day! If it's not one of his shoes or locks he's obsessing over, it's the safety of the extra pennies the cook spent replacing spilt salt. Did you know that Kareem says he will now only wear the same outfit every day? They had to purchase enough material to make five of the same shirt and trousers!"
Also:
"[...] There were certain colors he refused to wear, and he was rather particular about the fit of his shoes, if I'm not mistaken. But he didn't...struggle so much with needing everything just so."
As someone who has OCD and is neurodivergent, making an evil or bad character with these characteristics is not fun. It's a tired trope. I'm not interested.
Examples from the book:
"He grows worse by the day! If it's not one of his shoes or locks he's obsessing over, it's the safety of the extra pennies the cook spent replacing spilt salt. Did you know that Kareem says he will now only wear the same outfit every day? They had to purchase enough material to make five of the same shirt and trousers!"
Also:
"[...] There were certain colors he refused to wear, and he was rather particular about the fit of his shoes, if I'm not mistaken. But he didn't...struggle so much with needing everything just so."
As someone who has OCD and is neurodivergent, making an evil or bad character with these characteristics is not fun. It's a tired trope. I'm not interested.
March 10, 2022
If I were a preschooler, I'd stomp my foot and shout, "THAT'S NOT FAIR!"
But I'm an adult, so I'll just write it instead.
Like Romeo and Juliet, Princess Maleen and Prince Roburts just want their families to get along so they can get married and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, it'll take over seven years of "That's not fair!" to resolve the kingdom-conflicts. But never fear; The Maker works all things together for good. Just Hold Fast to the end.
As always, Brittany Fichter revives another enjoyable fairy tale - to the delight of her fans - and expands her magical Classical Kingdom, which I would choose over Narnia any day. ;-)
But I'm an adult, so I'll just write it instead.
Like Romeo and Juliet, Princess Maleen and Prince Roburts just want their families to get along so they can get married and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, it'll take over seven years of "That's not fair!" to resolve the kingdom-conflicts. But never fear; The Maker works all things together for good. Just Hold Fast to the end.
As always, Brittany Fichter revives another enjoyable fairy tale - to the delight of her fans - and expands her magical Classical Kingdom, which I would choose over Narnia any day. ;-)
November 6, 2023
Brittany Fichter has done it again! Her writing just keeps getting better! I really connected with this book on a very personal level. I could relate to several of the characters, and how they handled their grief, especially, Maleen. I mean, 2021 was the year that almost broke me, so maybe I'm picking up on that more, seeing the different stages of grief in different characters, and relating on those levels. Of course this is a fairy tale, so after all the struggle there's a happy ending. It's about hope, and I love that. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily posting my review.
April 4, 2022
The Seven Years Princess Satisfies
This book brought back characters I love from the Classical Kingdoms. I fell in love with Maleen and despaired with her when no one rescued her. Her determination to reach Roburts, discover what caused the conflict, and to help her people only to discover he’s about to marry someone else broke my heart. Maleen then must fight evil to save both Rob’s and her kingdoms. Read this book to discover for yourself whether their childhood love survived or ???
This book brought back characters I love from the Classical Kingdoms. I fell in love with Maleen and despaired with her when no one rescued her. Her determination to reach Roburts, discover what caused the conflict, and to help her people only to discover he’s about to marry someone else broke my heart. Maleen then must fight evil to save both Rob’s and her kingdoms. Read this book to discover for yourself whether their childhood love survived or ???
March 21, 2022
4.5 Stars
I had never heard of Maid Maleen before reading this retelling, so I can't tell you how strictly it adheres to the original. I can, however, tell you that this version is entertaining and moving. It's also a standalone that does not require one to have read the previous books in the series. Which is great because I haven't read all of those either.
I did receive a complimentary ARC; all opinions are my own and freely shared.
I had never heard of Maid Maleen before reading this retelling, so I can't tell you how strictly it adheres to the original. I can, however, tell you that this version is entertaining and moving. It's also a standalone that does not require one to have read the previous books in the series. Which is great because I haven't read all of those either.
I did receive a complimentary ARC; all opinions are my own and freely shared.
March 29, 2022
A great retelling! There were a few reasons why I only gave 4/5 stars: the main being that the ending felt rushed. I would have loved to see a little more action with Priscilla towards the end rather than just glancing over the final "battle". In addition, I wish Ms. Fichter would have weaved in the 17th birthday present Rob had given Maleen more throughout the story as it largely felt like a missed opportunity.
April 6, 2022
I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of this book and although I'd read parts of it earlier through the authors newsletter, I was looking forward to getting to read the full story.
In this book our heroine is princess Maleen. She has grown up with an overprotective uncle as her warden after losing her parents, and is trying to prove to him that she is mature enough to do her part in ruling the kingdom that will be hers when she comes of age. Her uncle has some issues of his own though and because of those she ends up facing quite a lot of difficulties.
This book follows our heroine on her journey to adulthood, through childhood experiences up until she is old enough to take her throne. As I tend to find with the stories this author writes, both the world-building and the connection you feel with the characters is really well done. When I finally had time to sit down and read it, it disappeared in a single night. I'd say it's definitely worth a read, this entire series is.
-Elle
In this book our heroine is princess Maleen. She has grown up with an overprotective uncle as her warden after losing her parents, and is trying to prove to him that she is mature enough to do her part in ruling the kingdom that will be hers when she comes of age. Her uncle has some issues of his own though and because of those she ends up facing quite a lot of difficulties.
This book follows our heroine on her journey to adulthood, through childhood experiences up until she is old enough to take her throne. As I tend to find with the stories this author writes, both the world-building and the connection you feel with the characters is really well done. When I finally had time to sit down and read it, it disappeared in a single night. I'd say it's definitely worth a read, this entire series is.
-Elle
November 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t stop reading! The plot was engaging and you really feel for the characters. That being said, I was a little disappointed that our two MCs didn’t reunite until the last few chapters, and the ending felt very rushed. There’s so much Maleen and Rob needed to discuss after 7 years of separation and everything they went through, but it felt like as soon as they found each other it was just kisses and happiness. Still liked it though!
March 20, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Maleen is so sweet and likeable. I was really rooting for her during the entire book. I was glad that she finally got her happy ending! I wasn't familiar with this fairy-tale so it was really fun to read.I love all of Brittany Fichter's books but I think this one is my very favorite!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2022
I loved this book. It was paced well with lots of twists. I haven’t read many Maid Maleen retellings, so this book was refreshing. The characters caught my interest and had some good development, particularly Maleen. I would highly recommend this to people looking for a seldom-told fairy tale with a good plot and compelling characters.
March 22, 2022
Beautiful timeless tale! Her best so far!
Clean, romantic, beautifully written fairy tale that catches you by the heart, and stays with you long after the epilogue. I believe this is her best work yet! I absolutely loved it. If you have not read Brittany Fichter's other works, you won't be disappointed!
Clean, romantic, beautifully written fairy tale that catches you by the heart, and stays with you long after the epilogue. I believe this is her best work yet! I absolutely loved it. If you have not read Brittany Fichter's other works, you won't be disappointed!
June 2, 2022
Love reading her books!
All of her books are so well written and wholesome. I am never able to put them down, and as I’ve told her before, I fervently wish her books were either on tape or were movies so I could fold laundry and still hear them. Also, I’m always so sad when I finish her books because I have to wait for the next one to come out😩
All of her books are so well written and wholesome. I am never able to put them down, and as I’ve told her before, I fervently wish her books were either on tape or were movies so I could fold laundry and still hear them. Also, I’m always so sad when I finish her books because I have to wait for the next one to come out😩
July 4, 2022
First book of this author and I really liked her writing- kept me reading and very descriptive. I liked the character development and connections with the characters. Good retelling of the fairy tale. I shall be reading the others in this series
March 17, 2023
Good wins against evil if it holds fast.
I loved the way Brittany Fichter showed us in all the twists and turns of this gripping story that holding fast against evil and the temptation to stop fighting is not easy. But it is worth it.
I loved the way Brittany Fichter showed us in all the twists and turns of this gripping story that holding fast against evil and the temptation to stop fighting is not easy. But it is worth it.
May 16, 2023
This book was such a great read. I had a hard time doing other things, because I wanted to know what happened next. I'm not familiar with the original version of this fairy tale, but I love twists on those tales. This didn't disappoint, with a strong female lead, and her dashing prince.
March 23, 2022
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this wonderful book down!
April 4, 2022
Surprisingly good but I have trouble buying that the maids was just THAT useless and that it took her SEVEN YEARS to escape.
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