The Shadow Realm: A Collection of Retold Halloween Tales

by Abigail Manning

A Shadowy Retelling of The Invisible Man, Pinocchio, and Dracula...

The Silver Shadow Ball is the event of the year in the kingdom of Umbria, filled with dancing, flaunting nobles, and, of course, romance. A princess and her two noble friends are counting the minutes until the party and have been stringing along as many potential dates as possible. However, things go too far when they offend one man in particular. After being refused and insulted by the princess and her friends, the young enchanter places a curse on each girl as punishment.
With each curse being different from the next, the clues to cure them leave more questions than answers. As the air chills and the leaves fall, one girl is forced to flee her home out of fear of being seen as the ghost she is—or not being seen, that is. Another remains home with the constant threat of pain each time her body turns her as fake as her words. As for the princess, she’d rather die than concede to her curse’s wishes... not that she’s truly living, anyway.
Can the enchanter’s curses be broken? Or will they forever be forced to hide in the shadows? As questionable allies are made and pumpkins are carved, it might be best to keep one’s heart left in the dark.

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Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings

196 pages, Paperback

Published August 9, 2023

Reviews

[Jaida · Rating 4 out of 5]

༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°
🍂~Genres~🍂
Fantasy/Retelling/Romance/Gender bent/Hidden identity/Enemies to lovers/Anthology... kinda

A Shadowy Retelling of The Invisible Man, Pinocchio, and Dracula...

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗

🫥~Characters~🫥
(Aethera "Talia") FMC I really liked her she was funny.

(Griffin) MMC I really liked him as well he was a bounty hunter so if you're into that kinda thing there's that.

📜~Quotes~📜
"She's my friend, partner, and a beautiful soul who is willing to learn from her mistakes and grow in ways that others never could. You may not be able to see who she is, and to be honest, I couldn't at first, either, but I see her now. She's brave, confident, and someone who deserves to be seen, even if you don't know how to look.

🕸️~What I liked~🕸️
The haunting scene, the Humor, the curse breaking scene

🕯️~What I disliked~🕯️
Nothing really

𝙿𝚒𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚘

🤥~Characters~🤥
(Ebony) FMC I really liked her.

(Jackson cricket) MMC I really liked him.

(Fox) CON MAN He was awful.

🦗~Quotes~🦗
"It's like it's constantly controlling me, jerking me back into place like a Marionette every time I step out of line."

🐋~What I liked~🐋
Pinocchio being a girl and Jimminy cricket being the love interest, how the curse was done, Meet cute,

🦊~What I disliked~🦊
Nothing.

𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊

🧛‍♀️~Characters~🧛‍♀️
(Garnet) FMC She kinda creeped me out a little bit.

(Kieran) MMC I liked him sort of he was honestly just misunderstood by Garnet.

(John Harker) I didn't like him at all.

⚰️~Quotes~⚰️
This is my kingdom, and I'm not going to simply let a man rule it out from under me.

🥀~What I liked~🥀
The spooky vibes, The ending, the triple wedding

🦇~What I disliked~🦇
nothing really

🍂~Content/Trigger Warnings~🍂
Sucking the energy from people, Burns, Pain due to turning into wood, Blood,

🍁~Language~🍁
Bloody

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader’s Notes:

– this is told from Garnet, Aethera, & Ebony’s points of view

Review:

I really enjoyed this collection of stories and the way it was formatted/told! I liked that all three stories started because of the same incident that involved the group of friends. I really enjoyed the fact that the chapters rotated perspectives and took us from one story to another until they came back together at the end. I also loved that though this is said to be a collection of retold Halloween tales, the only thing(s) that makes it Halloween is that the people celebrate a holiday/event in the fall and decorate with webs & carved pumpkins (I personally don’t celebrate Halloween which is why I loved that it was like this). It had more of a slightly spooky feel to it rather than a creepy or overly Halloween feel. And the stories themselves were highly entertaining to follow (I stayed up all night to finish it instead of putting it down after reading a small portion like I had originally planned)! I loved them so much that I’m thinking of getting a physical copy of the book so I can pull it out each fall!

Summary:

Princess Garnet, Lady Aethera, and Lady Ebony are preparing for the highly coveted Silver Shadow Ball when Princess Garnet receives an offer from the most unlikely of people. When they refuse and mock the man for his daring, the man reveals his heritage and places a curse upon each of the girls for their part in it.

Three years later, each of the girls are still dealing with the results of that night.

Lady Aethera ran away from home after she scared her parents into thinking a ghost was haunting them and has lived the best she could while hiding her invisible state. Lady Ebony has tried to curb her lies without much success and is feeling the affects of her curse as it turns her less and less real. Princess Garnet hides herself away to try and stave off her own curse and to not drain her people.

With curse terms that baffle, the girls wonder if they shall ever be free of that night…

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of The Realm Collections that I've read and I definitely want to read more of them! It's the third book released but each collection is a standalone. The book's blurb gives you an idea of what to expect. This first person multiple (3) pov Halloween collection is perfect for readers that don't like horror and the glorification of it but want to experience the cozy feelings of fall.

After Aethera, Ebony, and Garnet offend Kieran in different ways, they are each cursed with something relating to what they are most vulnerable about. I loved their curses and the use of the original respective stories they were based on. I hadn't read a Pinocchio retelling before so that one was especially a fun one for me. I liked reading how each of the girls had to live and learn from their mistakes. Aethera probably had the most growing to do, in terms of taking accountability, so I enjoyed that about her story. Ebony was stubborn and I liked slowly seeing her accept what felt right. As for Garnet, I love when characters are guarded about falling in love so of course I was interested in how she would handle those feelings.

While this is a novella and I would've loved if they each got their own full length books, this was a great quick read. I was invested in each of their stories and the romances had an enemies to lovers vibes so I liked that. Each of their suitors complimented them well and their interactions were fun to read. The romance is clean and there is no violence, though there is a light mention of getting rid of someone. I was satisfied with the way things were resolved in the end and I believe it's worth a read, and even a re-read when the weather is cold.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who dislikes horror stories, I’m glad this book was the total opposite. No scary monsters or gruesome attacks at all. Instead, we have a story full comedy, honesty, and love.

The Shadow Realm is about Princess Garnet and her two friends, Aethera and Ebony, who all mock an enchanter and get cursed as a result. Aethera (and all first layers of clothing she wears) is invisible, every time Ebony lies a parts of her turns into wood, and Garnet is forced to absorb the energy of men around her (as well as being forced to stay hidden from sunlight). For three years the girls are stuck are trying to hide their curses until then fate each leads them to strangers who teach them about compassion and not judging others by appearances or station.

I was a little disappointed after reading The Rose Realm but this one was better. In, fact it was just as amazing as The Crystal Realm! I am looking forward to see what Abby will have for us in the summer retelling collection!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Abigail Manning usually writes fairytale retellings, this short novel is slightly different. Take one fairytale character and two classic monsters and place them in a world that celebrates spookiness. That twist makes this offering stand out.
Making an Invisible Woman and a Dracula figure a fairytale princess was inspired. Even the Pinocchio character felt more “monstrous” than fairytale in this setting. The author has stated that this novel is not scary. This is a cozy romance story with supernatural undertones that celebrates the joy of Halloween. If you like a Halloween setting, but you aren’t wild about horror or the gore that may come with it, then this novel is for you.
The Shadow Realm has many elements I hoped it would have when I bought it: an enchanting Halloween storyline and setting, references to the original stories, humor and heart. If Ms. Manning continues this series, I honestly hope she doesn’t change much. It’s a winning combination.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Realm by Abigail Manning
With each curse being different from the next, the clues to cure them leave more questions than answers...
Such a unique collection of retellings and absolutely perfect for this spooky season! This one is interconnected retellings of The Invisible Man, Dracula, and Pinocchio. The Invisible Man was my favorite because I read the original earlier this year so I knew how hard Abigail had to work on that one! For those who haven't read the original, the main character is a scum of humanity cat-kicker who is only invisible when naked.... Made Abigail's version hilarious! I haven't read Dracula, so that twist was most unexpected for me. Overall absolutely loved all three stories and would highly recommend!
Genre: fairytale retelling (no spice)
5 stars
Standalone

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abigail is a new author to me, but I have realized that now is one of my favorite authors!
She writes in a sweet and cozy way that put you in a fairy mood.
I also found this book very unique with three stories intertwined. They are so good that you can't choose which of them you like more. The plot that link all of them are so misterious and you find yourself turning every page in order to know what happens next. I took notes and is something that I never do with books, but I wanted to do it in this one because I love the story so much!
I have now read more books from Abigail and I'm also enjoying them a lot.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abigail Manning is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is not my usual genre, but I find that I can't put her books down. I love figuring out the creative ways that she weaves in details of the original stories into her own new story. This book was especially creative with adding those details. At times it was somewhat obviously done when the story required it but subtly done with such a close attention to details at other times.

[Gypsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella reinvents three classic stories (Dracula, The Invisible Man, and Pinocchio) as curses that have been cast on three female friends. The wholesome plot follows each girl as she grows and changes for the better, overcomes her curse, and finds true love. It's a quick and enjoyable read, full of fun, humor, and autumn vibes.

[Bethany Aich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect fall read!

If I had one word to sum up this story, it would be “perfection.”

Truly, I was a bit apprehensive about reviewing this one since it has “Halloween” in the title and I generally avoid all Halloween things, not liking even a smidge of creepiness. But, oh, my. There isn’t any creep factor in this. Nor even a mention of Halloween, other than the title. This read is SO cozy and fun. It really makes me anxious for fall. Honestly, I might even be able to look at all the Halloween decorations and be a bit less uptight this year with some things, lol. I look forward to reading it again when it releases- but I think I’ll wait until the leaves change and enjoy a nice pumpkin spice latte with it.

This book gave me such wonderful contented feelings and I am so happy to have been able to find time to read it.

Squeaky clean romantically, and even violence-wise. I think this is perfectly acceptable for any age of person who would like to read the story (thought there is a brief mention of planned murder, now that I think about it). So maybe PG if you use movie ratings.

While I did receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this work, I will be rereading it when it releases, as stated above. All opinions and thoughts about it are my own.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the ending and combination of the stories going back and forth
The way that the characters grew throughout the book and changed from beginning to end was amazing to me
And the girls reuniting was so wholesome

[K. Q. Kimler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Realm short story by Abigail Manning that I loved! This was a great read for this time of year for me to get through! It was easy to get through, cute, sweet, and above all, heartwarming! Definitely worth the read for sure!

[Lorin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plots of all three stories! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down!

[Rosina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun and unique set of stories, I'd have enjoyed a full story for each character but still really enjoyed them at this length.

[Mary Hatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun stories for Halloween

I enjoyed the journey of growth, and loved the sprinkling of halloween spirit. A refreshing book during my reading slump.

[Kayt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually I find a new author I like and by the 5th book of a series I'm already sick of her style. Not so with Abigail Manning! The Shadow Realm was the 15th book I have read by this amazing author and I think that it might be the best to date! I thought nothing would be able to top Insomniac's Curse (also by Abigail Manning) but Abigail proved me wrong yet again! All of her tales have a theme of redemption through love, but this book also clearly showed that our actions have consequences and we need to take responsibility for our own mistakes. I loved how each lady ended up finding love with the right person in the end and how each man helped Aethera, Ebony and Garnet become who they were truly meant to be. In the book the girls started off as selfish, vain and a little heartless but they all learned that true beauty is found within and that honesty, kindness and humility must play a big role in each of our lives in order for us to be truly fulfilled. The curse affected each girl differently. For Aethera her life was all about her looks and being admired. She became invisible and learnt that to be truly seen one must learn not to be the center of attention. Ebony loved to lie, so the curse punished her by making her turn wooden every time she fibbed. It took a long time for her to learn the value of honesty, but when she chose to be honest at great cost to herself her curse was broken and Ebony was all the better for the 3 years she suffered under it. Garnet was a very interesting character! She fed off the energy of young men (but not in a bad way) and couldn't abide the sun, just like a vampire. She tried to protect herself from having her heart broken and prolonged her curse because of it, but she learnt to be a true queen when she discovered that true love isn't loving oneself, it's loving another and that even living permanently with a curse would be worth it if one was loved - and that true love is more than empty words and flattery and warm feelings - true love chooses what is right for another, even if it means causing pain to oneself! She and Kieran ended up being absolutely perfect for one another and I'm so glad that the mage got the girl in the end! The Shadow Realm is a halloween story but with themes of redemption and love running through it. It's not spooky (much) but it is very funny - especially when Aethera haunted poor Griffin! Every time I read an Abigail Manning book I think that's the best yet and it can't possibly get topped by another one and every time I read another book by her I get proved wrong! She claims she doesn't write with a magic wand, but I almost don't believe her - how on earth does she get it right every single time? Each book is different than the last and each book is better than the last. The day Abigail stops writing I think my heart will break because honestly, I don't think there is a better author out there! (I had an ARC copy but I reviewed this later than I planned, sorry about that - but I hope my review helps you anyway.)

[Mandy Prather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a unique story both with how it was written and the stories it told.

Shadow Realm was a Gender swapped retelling of the invisible man, Dracula and Pinocchio. Told by Garnet, Aethera, and Ebony.

When Princess Garnet was invited to the Silver Shadow Ball, the least likely person. Lady Aethera, Lady Ebony, and Princess Garnet are incredibly rude and insulting. The Encanter Decides to teach them each a lesson by placing a curse on each of them.

Three years pass

Lady Aethera runs away from home when she turns invisible scared they will see her as a ghost.
Lady Ebony painfully turns to wood every time she tells a lie.
Princess Garnet has the worst curse of all.

Can they all fix their curses, or are they forced to be cursed forever?

[Jennalee Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Firstly, I completely love fall! It’s cozy and perfect for reading good books. This is my first cozy spooky book and I loved it! The stories are spooky but not scary. Instead, they are sweet and actually teach a good lesson to the main characters. I do believe my favorite was The Invisible Man, but all three were amazing. I recommend this to anybody who wants to enjoy a spooky, but not scary, autumn read. 😃🍁