The Tales of Arcana Fortune : Alternative Cover: Serena Edition

by Hafsa A Jawad

Genres: Fantasy

466 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2025

Reviews

[♡✿Mania⁠✿♡ ꒰inactive꒱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟
╰┈➤"𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒂 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆. 𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔. 𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅, 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔."

🩰{𝕮𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖟: lizzy mcalpine}
0:24 ─●──────── -2:56
↺ |◁   II   ▷|   ♡

{📀}𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗠𝗬 𝗢𝗨𝗔𝗕𝗛 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗧?!?!?!? 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗥𝗥??? I’m not suggesting—I’m DEMANDING you ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR right this second. This is the perfect book for the fans of Stephanie Garber and Marissa Meyer. Why aren’t more people screaming about this masterpiece??. And wdym that it’s not a standalone??? This sets off the next book perfectly, there are so many secrets still yet uncover !!! The writing is just so lyrical, it doesn't even feel like your reading—you just flow with the storyline. This is a criminally underrated gem!! Now, can we take a moment to appreciate the author —𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙, 𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 !!! THE PASSION AND TALENT ???? ...LIKE I'M SOO IN LOVE OMLLLL

{💘}This book was genius.I went in blind not knowing anything and it surprised me in the most amazing ways —I kid you not this book was smm fun like, I love trial-based plots—they’re fun and fast-paced—but they usually blur together and tbh all of them kinda feel same old—same old but this one flipped the script: FAIRYTALE TRAILS ?!?!. Whimsical, magical, and still being extremely deadly and (a little ) dark!!! Absolutely brilliant!!! Fast paced.

{📀}Not only does Fairytale Trails have that whimsical, magical vibe, but the main world does too —She literally lives in the most mystical, Cozy cottage ever— AND it comes with an ANCIENT, MAGICALLY enchanted library full of books about faeries ?? I can’t deal!!!

✧"𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐,” 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵. “𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥."

── .✦𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲, a young healer whose quiet life unravels when a mysterious stranger comes searching for a forbidden fairytale hidden in her family’s collection. In their hands, the book awakens a powerful immortal—cursed to live a different twisted fairytale each night.
To win back her freedom—and protect her heart—Serena must survive seven perilous tales, each more dangerous and enchanting than the last. But as she battles through these cursed stories, a forbidden romance begins to bloom… one that could either destroy her or set her free.

꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦
🌸 Twisted fairytales & retellings
✨cozy-whimsical vibes
🌸 deadly trails
✨ grumpy x sunshine
🌸Curses
✨ forbidden romance
🌸Magical Books
✨the chosen one
🌸YA/NA (closed doors)
✨ potential found family
🌸force proximity
✨One bed
🌸touch her and die
꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦

જ⁀➴“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘴𝘪𝘳, 𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯  𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.”  “𝘈𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯."

{⚔️} 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗺°•
My heart is in shambles for Grim and everything he is. I can't even imagine the suffering and loneliness my baby went through—it just breaks me. He felt so raw and authentic — the kind of character who puts on a facade of indifference, focused only on one goal, yet every layer Hafsah peels back shows just how deeply human he is. She didn’t just write Grim; she sculpted him into someone who thinks, acts, and speaks with such realism that he never feels like another cookie-cutter character. He was different than what i expected and I absolutely adored him. By the end, he felt like a completely different man from the one we met at the start. His tragic backstory broke me; I was SOBBING and completely understood every fear and wall he carried ( he reminded me sm of kyo from fruits basket). There were so many moments I just wanted to wrap him in the biggest hug.  And oh my gosh, every single time he confessed his love for Serena — it made me tear up all over again. He would go through pits of hell just to keep her safe and the way he YEARNSS for her omllll. Grim’s arc is one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking, and healing journeys I’ve ever read, and I love him with my entire being can't wait to see how his character develops in the next book.

✧“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳,” “𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺, “𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.”

✧"𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘦? 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

{🍡}𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮°•
She kinda gives Evangeline Fox in a way but is very different as well— from her enchanting fashion and rose gold pink hair ( her's isn't natural lol)to the sense to the warmth and love she radiates; naive at times(not in a annoying way), yet she's more —cunning, hardheaded, soft but not fragile— her cleverness cuts quietly, like a hidden knife. THE HEART ON THIS GIRL...I- CAN- NOT .... LIKE I LOVE HER SOOO FRIKIN MUCHH!! she was such a breath of fresh air —I could seriously listen to her yap all day long.Sarena Rose is soft magic in human form — a ray of sunshine with a pure soul. She is carefree, chaotic and with a heart that radiates love and warmth with a wild spark that makes everything around her brighter. She’s the kind of soul who will love you wholly, even when you can't love yourself. She’s absolutely breathtaking— add to that she has a  delicate HEART-SHAPED birthmark on her face like omggg the ohhh to be like herrrr!!! Every bit of her feels magical.

✧𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘪𝘴.

´⁠ ⁠❥⁠ ⁠`GRIM+SARENA
Tbh, at times I was more invested in the plot than the romance. There relationship developed too fast and felt way too rushed for my taste. Like, give me the slow-burn tension, the banter, the longing stares!We were barely a hundred pages in and they were ready to die for each other, claiming they couldn’t live without one another and we're already 'inlove'. I was genuinely like, whoa, slow down babes—ya barely know each other!
That said, they definitely had some really heartfelt and earth-shattering moments I truly adored that had me swooning and emotional all at the same time, but I can’t help thinking some of those moments would’ve hit so much harder if their relationship had been allowed to breathe abit more and build over time.
But nonetheless no matter how rushed it was, I can't deny—what they developed together was truly beautiful. And the way the last 3 trails had me bawlling back to back!!! YOUR HONOUR I LOVE THEM!!! They understand eachother in a way no one does, healed scars they never caused and are soulmates that will find each other in every lifetime !!!

✧"𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦  𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳, 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦  𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.

✧“ 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵.”

────୨ৎ────
₊˚⊹ᰔ˚🩰 ˚𝕻𝖗𝖊~𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉ೀ🩰⋆°˚⊹ᰔ
╰┈➤ I ordered all the books in Attv series so far and it might take a while to reach— so I picked this up cuz the artwork literally sold me istg it's the most gorgeous thing everrrr!!! And can we take a moment to appreciate the cover like it's so whimsical omggg😽✨🌸🙈

[Payton Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely, this book has been one of my favorite new reads of 2025. Thus, it is DESPERATELY in need of a ranting list.
1. The vibes alone made this book a 5⭐️ read for me. I mean, it was whimsical and cozy and fairytale-esque and just a little dark. Absolutely magical. And despite it being more of a cozy read, I was still squealing and crying and screaming the entire time in the best way possible. 😂
2. Can we talk about the illustrations in this book? Because they really took the story to the next level for me. Not only did it make it feel even more like a fairytale, but how cool is it for the MMC to get introduced and then BAM there’s the artwork of him. Absolutely stunning. 🤌🤌🤌
3. The tropes in this book were so well done because I feel like they weren’t super forced like I see in a lot of books these days. Like, the grumpy x sunshine dynamic was great, and they both had a reason for the way they were and grew throughout the story. Dare I also add that the “touch her and 💀” trope bits had my JAW on the FLOOR. She really picked her moments well with this one. 😂😂😂
4. I found this book on Instagram, and the premise of the book had me absolutely HOOKED. Basically, this recluse bookworm with pink hair meets a handsome stranger looking for a book in her family’s ancient collection. The two of them get cursed to spend seven nights in seven fairytales to survive. And it totally lives up to the hype of the premise too.
5. FINALLY I can get into our two lovable MCs because they were AMAZING. First and foremost, Serena is the perfect sort of fairytale FMC. She’s a bright and bubbly bookworm with pink hair and a love of helping others. And she wasn’t just a static character either. Her backstory with her family brought so much depth and growth to her character…PERFECTION. 🥹🥹🥹
6. GRIM. 😫😫😫 I loved this man. I’m blanking out right now on all of the things I loved about him because he really grew so much that page 1 Grim looked completely different from page 450 Grim. I mean, his tragic backstory had me SOBBING, and every time he confessed his love for Serena in each different fairytale world they were in brought tears to my eyes. 🥲 Genuinely, I LOVED their little love story.

Anyway, if you’re a fan of fairytales, read this book. You love a cute little love story? Read this book. If you like cozy stories with depth, I cannot stress it enough, READ. THIS. BOOK.
I hope you enjoyed my little rant, and PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. 😂

[Kaitlynn Mayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical, Dreamy & Nostalgic 🩷

“The Tales Of Arcana Fortune”

I absolutely adored this book, I’ve followed along since the very first few Instagram posts & have been so blown away seeing this book come to life! The illustrations are so phenomenal & magical. I’ve been in love with fairytales since I was a little girl, so reading about so many poured into one book was so nostalgic. Beauty & the Beast has always been my absolute favorite so I fell completely in love with these characters! Serena is such a relatable character for expectations put onto someone, but also knowing that it’s okay to want & be more. She feels so much & shows that it’s okay to be soft, whilst also being incredibly strong. Grim was absolute perfection. Watching this stoic man slowly let down his walls for Serena made my heart flutter & every single time he proved he would find her in every life they lived. These are characters that have endured extreme hardships in life & still show that true love can be found, even by getting caught in a net in the middle of The Woods. I am beyond excited for the second book & can’t wait to read more of their fairytale!!! 🩷🩷🩷

[Ana ☽ (thepurplelibrary_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌸 The Tales of Arcana fortune de Hafsa.A. Jawad (Libro 1 de la serie The Tales of Arcana Fortune)

💖 Cozy romantasy
🔀 Forced proximity
🔮 Magia
🖌️ Ilustrado por la autora
🗡️ Pruebas a superar
📚 Inspiración en los cuentos clásicos

Esta ha sido una de esas veces en la que los fanarts me han convencido para leer un libro y, en este caso, es aún mejor porque la propia autora es la ilustradora de ellos 🤭

Esta historia es una novela debut y autopublicada, cosa que he tenido en cuenta durante su lectura 🫡

En general, me ha gustado la prosa y la idea que hay detrás de la trama 🥰 Todo es muy cute y transmite perfectamente las vibras de cuento de hadas YA 🧚🏻 Tiene ciertas cositas que pulir pero es comprensible teniendo en cuenta que es un primer libro 🧐

El arte interior me ha tenido enamorada. ADORO el estilo de la autora y es uno de los grandes puntos positivos de este libro 😩💖 Tiene muchiiiiiiiisimas ilustraciones por dentro que me encantaría enseñaros pero no quiero haceros spoiler 🤭

Me ha gustado mucho el desarrollo y evolución de la historia aunque he echado de menos más páginas, sobre todo en el romance 🤔 Con respecto a este último hubiese preferido que sucediera algo más lento para conectar al 100% con la relación de ambos en el inicio 💜

El ritmo de la acción me ha parecido ameno y, aunque muchas cosas las vi venir, hubo otras que me han sorprendido 😮

Las interacciones entre Serena y Grim me daban la vida en la segunda mitad de la historia 😏 Me han parecido muy monos y tengo muchas ganas de ver qué nos deparará en el siguiente libro 👀

A pesar de no ser autoconclusivo creo que puede leerse como tal ya que el final es adecuado y en parte es un cierre aunque dé pie a más 📖

¿Lo conocéis? ¿Lo habéis leído? 👀

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

[nês ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3/5 )okay so, this book got me on a chokehold for the first part of it like fr fr i was addicted. My only issue was that the second part felt kinda too fast paced, i would have loved if each story was more than 2/3 chapters long. Not gonna lie, I think the story you have benefited more if it had been split and a bit more explored (for example, I would have loved if the beginning part was longer). Sometimes the writing was also confusing. Nontheless, I finished the book in like a day and a half and I really liked it! It might not be the best masterpiece I have ever read, but I loved the vibes and the whole fairytail energy environment !!

[Braiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read. The first time I read this I got a little bored with it and gave this a mid review. Second time around I fell in love with this book.

[Nanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely WHIMSICAL✨

[Ella Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book has been so interesting to read, and I feel like maybe I don’t even have all my thoughts on it gathered 100% yet??

The story itself is lovely. the general plot was so interesting and I loved the take on all the different fairytales and how the author added bits of the Brothers Grimm fairytales, the Disney tales, and she added some of her own things in all of them. truly so interesting to read about and made it so fun!! However…. i feel as though her writing was SO quick? It was just hard to gather understand and I feel like there was a lot of absent world building surrounding these worlds when the build up to them would’ve made it so much better than what it was. I feel like this is kinda how it goes for all of the writing really, it was just sort of flat i guess! I will say though, i am very picky about the writing skills presented in what i read so..
Another criticism i have is that there are so many elements of this book that feel kinda.. stolen… from other popular books in this genre or similar genres. it’s not necessarily like how in every fantasy book the male characters are all the same typecast but more so like how there were things stolen even down to the sentence from another book. like i’m sorry but you just cannot take the iconic line “so lorcan did.” and write the exact same scene breakdown and replace the names!! #notcool. And while I did enjoy the characters, Serena felt so much like an Evangeline copy and we know i do NOT play about that series so… that was a no from me. i wish there was a little more depth to Serena and Grim, but the buildup between them was nice and didn’t feel too rushed, but I definitely would not say it was a slow burn either. I don’t have many notes on that

All in all, this book was good, fun, light, and enjoyable to read!! However, I don’t see myself reading it again, or at least not in any near future. I give it a solid 3/5!!

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read and I need this version of the book 😩

[bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!! this book was truly such a fun and butterfly inducing read. i LOVED the main fmc so much, as she is no where near annoying or fragile, but she allows the mmc to protect and love her through it all (im a sucker for a “touch her and die” mmc and this guy absolutely DELIVERED). the world building and story writing was so easy to follow and whimsical while not being overwhelming. the only critique i have is the language/wording, some phrases were used repeatedly throughout that were very specific, but i believe this is just a small personal pet peeve of mine that i happened to catch on to. the story, plot, and romance itself was so heartwarming and enjoyable, i absolutely cannot wait for book two!!!

not to mention, the art was GORGEOUS throughout the book and each peace was exactly what i visualized as i read. such a great read!!

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Speechless. 😳 i dont have words to describe how much i liked this book. 🎀🎀🎀

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted so bad to like this book. Everything about it seemed like it would be extremely up my alley and I thought it would adore it.
I’m so sad that I didn’t.
I thought the concept was really interesting, but execution was just a little scrambled.

-The pacing is really weird it’s either moving extremely fast or painfully slow.
-The characters change personalities with the plot only hanging onto like 1-2 key traits but other than that they change with whatever is relevant or the most dramatic.
-I think they fell in love too fast. I never felt any chemistry from them. Even with book couples I don’t really like I still have to admit when there’s good chemistry, but Serena and Grim unfortunately didn’t really have any imo.

The book isn’t bad by any means. Honestly it reminds me of a story I would write for myself and at the end of the day it’s a fun adventure, but I just think it should’ve gone through a couple more drafts and reworked a little bit.
I wasn’t able to finish the book. I DNF right as part 3 started and perhaps I’ll return to it someday, but I felt myself skimming and rushing through chapters because I simply couldn’t find myself caring.

[Poojaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

They fell in love too fast

[Bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is extremely fast-paced, and unfortunately, not in a good way. The pacing feels sloppy and unfinished, as if large portions of the story were cut out during editing—if they were edited at all. Many scenes feel like they should have had more substance, but instead they end almost as soon as they begin. Because of this, the overall structure of the story feels rushed and incomplete.

That rushed pacing also makes the relationships feel unnatural. The connections Serena forms throughout the book don’t feel genuine because everything happens so quickly. On top of that, the writing itself often reads as childish. Serena overexplains things that don’t need explanation, while other important elements—like her strained relationship with her mother—aren’t developed enough for me to feel anything about them. We’re told there’s tension, but we’re never given enough depth to care. Similarly, Serena paints her brother in a very negative light, yet from what we’re shown, he doesn’t actually seem that bad.

At times, the book feels unfocused, as though the author forgot what she was writing about, veered off course, and then returned without bothering to revise. Some sections genuinely read like filler or nonsense, as if the writer hit a mental block and just kept writing anyway. Even the flashbacks feel randomly placed, rather than intentionally woven into the story.

There are also moments that feel heavily inspired by Once Upon a Broken Heart—to the point of being distracting. One line on page 289, where Grim says, “I am her monster,” strongly mirrors Jacks’s line to Evangeline (“I might be a monster, but I am your monster”). Another line on page 345, “tick tok little mouse,” is almost identical in tone and structure to “tick tock, little fox.” Given that both stories feature fairy tales, romantic fantasy, and a pink-haired heroine, the similarities are hard to ignore.

The villain, Lore, is another major issue. At the end of each fairytale Serena enters, Lore appears and delivers dialogue that sounds like a mediocre cartoon villain—very “I’ll get you next time.” What’s more confusing is that Lore repeatedly tells Serena exactly how to end each fairytale. If he’s meant to be evil, why is he handing her the solution every time? In the Snow White retelling, he literally tells her she has to kiss the prince. Why would Serena not do that? It’s just a kiss. Lore would have won multiple times if he had simply kept his mouth shut. The same issue appears in the Beauty and the Beast tale, where he outright reveals that Grim is the Beast and tells Serena she must accept him for who he is—effectively ensuring she succeeds.

Finally, the romance itself feels incredibly rushed. The two main characters have only known each other for about 10–11 days, yet they act as though they know each other deeply and are hopelessly in love. In reality, they’d only known each other for a few days before completely swooning, which makes their emotional connection feel unearned.

Overall, the concept of this book is genuinely great, and that’s what makes this so frustrating. With stronger editing, better pacing, and more intentional character development, this could have been something special. As it stands, it feels poorly put together and, at times, written at a middle-grade level rather than for its intended audience

[soph⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreamy, Compelling and Whimsical

The Tales of Arcana Fortune was such a delight to read. I have been following the author's art account for years and now reading her debut book is heartwarming. From the first time reading the synopsis, I was hooked and intrigued. I knew it was going to be magical and a beautifully written book which I was correct about.

Diving into the different fairy tales that we all grew up reading and adoring. You can see how much fun and care Hafsa had in writing, especially with unique twists and turns in showing how Serena, like us, knows the tales and how Serena navigates them to survive.

I was immediately swooned and immersed in the town of Glenn, and each of the fairytales and, of course, felt the homeness of Primrose Cottage and much, much more. Personally, the book being written in third person, it enhanced my experience of reading and getting to know each character, with feeling immersed in the richness of the world, what's to learn about it. Humour was top tier.

[kindle reading edition] You know a book is so good that you need to buy the physical book as a trophy + stunning illustrations and a choice of the black or pink version!

Serena was a breath of fresh air to read and get to know and love. As someone with ADHD as well, I felt seen and safe with Serena in all she is. Serena's arc and specifically her kind and courageous heart were truly beautifully written. She could yap all day and I would never get tired and rather her yap until she's out of tea.

My heart goes out to Grim and all he is. Grim, to me, he felt very authentic in how he was. Showing off as I don’t care, only one goal and that’s it, but learning not only why but how Hafsa sculpted Grim to feel like a real person and how realistically they would act, think and say rather than feel as if he was another clone.

I could write a whole essay about how Serena and Grim were made for each other and how well they love and understand each other without even needing to speak a word.

Highly recommend to everyone and very much looking forward to exploring the new adventures and finding out answers in Serena and Grim's next book.

[✧ leah gabrielle ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This book surprised me in the best ways. Not only did it single handedly pull me out of a 2-month reading slump but I also finished it in 1.5 days because I was so invested. After finishing this book it sent me into a spiral that made me think about my purpose in life and who I am as a human being. I literally started pacing because this book absolutely stole my heart. Serena’s hopes and dreams resonated so much with me too. The want for something beyond the life you’re living but acceptance of the quiet joys of a simple life. She loved fairytales so much but she ended up living a fairytale of her own because she stayed true to her heart and was confident in her beliefs and her love. I could not recommend this book enough! I finished this book crying not because it was sad but because I was upset that it was over and because of how much I loved it! Also everything about this book was just PERFECT!! GRIM?? HELLO?? Every time I came across a new illustration I had to shut the book and take a breath because I felt like I was about to burst into flames. I could not tell you a single thing I would have changed from this book. I genuinely want to start living my life like Serena Rose (minus the life threatening curses and evil immortals…) BUT a life filled with unapologetic joy, wonder, and love! Her empathy and compassion for others throughout the entire book regardless of what was happening was truly inspiring and caused me to question how I interacted with others. I am also a HUGE fan of fairytale retellings, so the use of tales we know and love along with the addition of original tales and twists!? GENIUS!! Coming from someone whose childhood (and current) dream was to live in a fairytale, this book touched my inner child in the most bittersweet way. Using this book I feel like I can find ways to make everyday life feel like a fairytale and love the life I was given and the people in it!

[Jana Stolle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf‘ed this book at 70%
I really wanted to like it and I did at the beginning but the love story between Serena and Grim was too much insta-love for me to handle and properly enjoy.

Also the fairy tales felt really rushed. Why was this marketed as THE THING in the description for each fairytale to be only like 2 chapters long? (It was probably a little longer, but it felt really rushed) I understand they had a time limit in each tale but I feel these parts of the story could have had more depth.

Another thing was the whole magic system. At some point I just stopped trying to keep up with what was happening. I realize that worldbuilding and „throwing the reader into the plot“ is a thing but surely not throughout the entire book, right? Halfway through there were whole new things introduced that were not properly explained how they fit into the already existing world. Maybe this gets more clear in the end but I would have no way of knowing as of now.

And lastly. Why is Grim so dense? I will not even elaborate this statement. Just know that my hottake is: Grim would be impossible to ragebait, bc all the jabs and jokes would sail straight over his head.

R.I.P. Serena Rose, you would have loved watching reddit stories read on tiktok by an AI voice with minecraft parcour in the backround.

⭐️⭐️ for the vibes, the girls and the gays.

[Riya Khaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute and adventurous read! If you’re a fan of fairytale retellings this is a must read!! I was getting so much childhood nostalgia from the fairytales, specifically reminiscing on the days in kindergarten when my teacher would introduce us to the classic Disney movies, specifically the Disney princesses, I also got taken back to the times of playing with my princess dolls and wishing I was in a fairytale myself! This is the book for the dreamers for sure!

I loved Serena and Grim’s romance! It was so refreshing to read about a healthy and cute love story, with no worry of a third act breakup😖it’s nice to just see two characters open their hearts and let eachother in, easily working out any problems without something blowing up at the end.

While reading I did feel like there was potential to further develop Serena and Grim’s relationship as I found that it did happen a little quickly, and possibly dive deeper into Grim’s character, but I found out there’s going to be a second book!! I’m really excited because that’ll allow for so much more character growth, and I’m a sucker for a sequel where there isn’t some sort of rift between the main couple happening!(I hope it won’t happen in this sequel!)

And the illustrations in this book!! Sooo gorgeous!!!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

😍Cozy/Swoony
❤️Loved it
😆Funny
I can’t put into words how much I loved the fairytale retelling, and the magic and whimsy. I do love a damsel-in-distress and man who is fierce and will protect her AND empower her.

The Tales of Arcana Fortune was the most magical, whimsical, fantastical read. The way the FMC’s style, fashion, personality was described was so perfect and I loved the soft/damsel FMC that she is. Think… Cruel Prince/Ella Enchanted/The Princess Pride/Ever After/Once Upon a Broken Heart. Loved the ending AND there’s a plan for book 2??

Rina our introverted, beautifully-quirky book worm gets cursed into 7 trials with an unexpected
"warrior", posing as a scholar. He's keeping secrets and she's chatty and wants answers, and more than that...an friend. Adventure ensues, identity and self worth are challenged. Friendship and love develop.
Family trauma and hurts are tackled and confronted and it's not comfy, but necessary. Secrets are revealed and best of all, fairytales are retold and love is found in each one. They help heal each other.

Tropes:
Witty Banter
Grumpy X Sunshine
Longing/Yearning
Touch Her and Die
Soft, Damsel FMC
Fierce, defender, knight MMC
Magic and whimsy
Trigger Warning:
ADHD rep. (FMC), family trauma and hurts, battles, death, grief

[Allie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, oh my god?? It was so good. I devoured this book; finished it in just under three hours of straight reading, excluding the times I had to put the book down and just stare at a wall to process because of how invested I was. I personally loved the writing style and I really enjoyed the plot. As a long time lover of fairy tales, I found the re-imaginings within this novel to be so interesting. I just love when things that are familiar to me are retold in ways that I never thought of myself. The characters were extremely lovable and I found the FMC to be super relatable as a woman with ADHD who dyes her hair so much that people just assume it's her natural hair color. I thought that the way that characters developed and how this affected their relationships was also really interesting and I was so invested in everyone. I'm also a huge fan of the "princess x knight" trope and this probably the best novelized version of that that I have read in a long time.

[Isabella Galecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Tales of Arcana Fortune" is a love letter to fairytales that will make you believe in them all over again. It’s fun fairytale retelling that will charm anyone who loves a good story.
The story is a quick and entertaining read, filled with wit, banter, and a sprinkle of tenderness that will tug on your heartstrings. While the beginning can be a bit slow with some info-dumping, the plot quickly becomes unpredictable, with twists and turns that keep it from feeling repetitive. The characters, especially the dynamic between Serena and her companion, Grim, are easy to connect with and are a highlight of the book.
This cozy romantasy has all the elements you could want: magic, action, humor, and a sweet romance.

[Megan ૮ • ﻌ - ა · Rating 4 out of 5]

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY STARS 4/5⭐️!!!



I liked it, I liked the characters, the romance, the idea behind it. Once the seven nights and the seven tales began, the book truly took off 🤍🩷💚

I didn’t know there was a second book, though, and that makes me hesitant about whether I want to read it. Because the main plot of this book revolved around the seven tales, and now that that’s over, I can’t help but wonder what the next book could possibly be about. I would’ve loved for this to be a standalone.

[Mihaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are absolutely not enough words to describe the beauty of this book! The creativeness and genius of the plot was priceless! I was so impressed in how the author wove the fairytales together. The fact that the mmc was named Grim was such a unique touch. I loved the chaos and love that was witnessed through the book! The suspense and mystery with each chapter just kept growing. You think you know what to expect and then the rug gets pulled from under you. Absolute perfection!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩

[__esol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tale of Arcana Fortune is a very good book : engaging, atmospheric, and genuinely enjoyable to read.

A few points felt a bit disappointing though. The tales move too quickly, which makes some moments feel rushed. And I’m not a fan of how fast the relationship between Grim and Serena Rose develops; it doesn’t give enough time to fully feel their connection.

Absolutely stunning illustrations tho

[Vaqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such a pleasant read, loved the mc and mmc so so much. My tabbing system was just based on my reactions, and most of the tabs used were the "You're funny" and "I smiled for you, girl". The last 100 pages had lots of "NO (agonized)" though, what a rollercoaster. Can't wait to see more of these characters!

[Deztyni · Rating 4 out of 5]

An utterly, enchantingly beautiful tale full of heart and fairytale lore, The Tales of Arcana Fortune, with its breathtaking illustrations, is one of my favorite debuts of 2025 so far, despite the fact that the romance between the two main characters is insta-love (not to mention the swearing), that i’d recommend reading if the description entices you xoxo

[Ashley Mehlert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, I can wait to read it again and I just finished it. If you love fairytales and romance this is The book to read. I fell in love with this book over and over again with each page I turned. I literally had to cover it to put it down so I could go to sleep, I read until two in the morning, I didn't want to stop reading it.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

so cute, I read that in 2 days, completely fell in love with the couple. it reminded me alot of ouabh but in the best way. But do not worry it's not the same as oubah it's very different but it has similar vibes. can't wait for book 2!

[mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

So unique! I don't think i've read a book that's so cosy, creative and romantic like this one is. The inclusion of the fairytales we all grew up mixed with original characters and their own stories was so refreshing to read. Could easily read a whole series based on this universe!

[slow reader]

dnf