Wingless Beauty: A Thumbelina Retelling

Cursed Brides

by Magdalena Metzger

Can true love bloom amidst the threat of an eternal winter... Or will it be cursed to wither and die?

When the Queen of Allyria falls mysteriously ill, the Faerie Court summons the Gossamer Games to choose her successor. If no heir rises, the seasons will never change again.

Tallia Thistledown is the last faerie who should compete. Cursed from birth, an orphan with no wings and no magic, she doesn't stand a sprout's chance in winter of winning the crown. Her plan is simple; disappear before the deadly games claim her life.

But fate intervenes when a mysterious stranger rescues her... None other than Prince Soren of Allyria. As sparks ignite between them, Tallia realizes there's only one way to be with him. Return home and fight for the crown she never wanted.

She'll find her faith tested in ways she never imagined as she navigates the treacherous trials that bring out the worst in them. With the magic of creation itself and dark forces of destruction hanging in the balance, one faerie must rise to save them all, and she just may learn that God's plans are bigger and better than her own.

Can Tallia defy the impossible, or will her disadvantages cost her everything, including her heart?

❄️

A No-Spice, Christian Epic Fantasy Thumbelina Retelling with...

❄️ Wintry Atmospheric Vibes
🖤 Christian Allegorical Themes
🥀 Multiple Animal Companions
❄️ Soft, Feminine & Bookish to Adventurous FMC
🖤 Bridal Trials Based on the 7 Deadly Sins
🥀 Enchanting Details, Idyllic Foods & Beautiful Dresses
❄️ Cinnamon Roll, Barn Owl Shifter MMC
🖤 He Falls First, She Literally Falls
🥀 Gothic, Villainous Queen of Decay
❄️ A Quaint but Collapsing Kingdom
🖤 Sentient Forests & Forestcore Horror
🥀 Fated Mates & Magical Kisses
❄️ Slavic Folklore Inspired
🖤 Hauntingly Beautiful with Lush Lyrical Prose
🥀 Whimsical, Cozy & Gothic Worldbuilding
❄️ Touch her & D!e
🖤 Monster Romance
🥀 Burn the World for Her
❄️ Spiritual Warfare Representation
🖤 Spooky, but Not Spicy!
🥀 They're Both Cursed
❄️ Strong Female Friendships
🖤 A Reluctant Hero's Quest
🥀 Dark Cottagecore Vibes
❄️ Pilgrim's Progress Inspired Journey
🖤 No Cursing, In-World Phrases only
🥀 Classic Slow-Paced Storytelling
❄️ Nostalgic Dark Fantasy Feels

..for those who prefer their fairytales a little darker, full of hope and illuminated by faith.

Wingless Beauty is one of the eight novels in the Cursed Brides Series, a standalone multi-author collection of no-spice fairytale retellings. Each book in this enchanting series tells the tale of a cursed maiden, who is forced to participate in a royal bridal competition, and of course finds true love. Can be enjoyed in any order!

A Note to the Reader...
This book contains mature themes and situations such as poisoning, kidnapping, near drowning, forestcore horror, emotional manipulation and coercion, demonic possession, gothic themes including isolation, moral/ literal decay and body horror, physical violence and several on page deaths in various degrees of graphic detail.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings

639 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2026

Reviews

[LeeEllen Belcher (Caw) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This no-spice fairytale retelling is beautifully rooted in Christian values set in a whimsical world. I was captivated by the biblical references and seeing how faith influenced a fantasy realm. I went through a whirlwind of emotions with each new scene that was vividly crafted. Tallia and Soren's relationship was perfectly portrayed, especially the way he constantly fought for her. Elfwing was such a cute animal companion for Tallia, and the mutual devotion between them adds a beautiful layer to the story. The trials had me anxious, especially with the evil villain trying to take over with her devious ways. I loved the sisterhood that most of the faeries created in the group, how they worked together, and didn't treat Tallia like the "cursed" faerie that everyone believed her to be. If you love themes of overcoming through faith and magical trials, then this is a must read!

When the Queen of Allyria falls ill, the realm is plunged into an unending winter. Their only hope is the Gossamer Games, a series of trials to find the new faerie queen with a pure heart. Tallia decides that as a cursed, orphaned, and wingless faerie she should run away with her bird companion Elfwing. However, they're caught in an unexpected storm and saved by Prince Soren, who is drawn to her from the moment he lays eyes on her. She decides to compete with his encouragement, realizing that there might be a higher calling on her life. It's clear that evil forces are at play throughout the trials when even Soren is tested in many ways. Will Tallia be able to overcome her insecurities and fully put her trust in the Lord during her hardships? Will she be able to choose between what her heart wants, and what the kingdom needs?

I received an Advanced Reader Copy with no expectation of a review. All opinions are my own.

[Anna (Crochetsavetheday) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot happening! The fairy queen is drooping and it’s devastating. What is going to happen? Tallia has to rise to the occasion and show everyone that situations can be fixed without great mighty power. This is a Thumbelina retelling and I sure do like my retellings. The romance was cute and sweet with no spice. I liked that the book showed spiritual warfare. All in all I recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a fairytale with a happy (or is it😏😉) ending

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5
Genre: Fantasy/Fairytale retelling
🚨TW/CW: being poisoned, being kidnapped, almost drowning, forestcore horror, emotional manipulation and coercion, demonic possession, gothic themes includes isolation, moral /literal decay and body horror, physical violence, and several on page deaths in various degrees of graphic details.


Favourite Moments
🌸 Their first encounter.
🌸 She was saved and helped by a few animal friends to go for Gossamer Games.
🌸 The trials.
🌸 Moments with Uncle Nikolai, Lumi, Elfwing, Zaria and Frostfyre
🌸 Them receiving things from the special box (can’t spoil it)
🌸 The moment that the faeries prayed together as one. (can’t spoil it)
🌸 Him trying his best to try not to harm anyone and try his best not to let himself get control. (can’t spoil it)
🌸All of them working together to defeat evil.
🌸 Both of them protecting each other.
🌸 The battle (can’t spoil it)
🌸 Them relying on God for strength, wisdom and also protection.
(lots more)

Swoony Moments
🌸 He saved her.
🌸 He loves and cares for her.
🌸 He is trying his best to not let himself being control by the evil one.
🌸 He protects her.

Synopsis:
The Queen of Allyria falls mysteriously ill and because of that the Faerie Court summons the Gossamer Games to choose her successor. If no heir rises, the seasons will never change again.
Tahlia an orphan faerie who was cursed since birth with no wings and no magic and to hear about that she needs to compete in the Gossamer Games she felt that she doesn’t stand a chance since other faeries has wings and with power. So, she decided to escape.
However, she was saved by a mysterious stranger who is actually Prince Soren of Allyria. As spark ignite them, she knows what she needed to do in order to be with him to join the Gossamer Games.
But lots of obstacles to go through, as the trials in the Gossamer Games are not easy as it seemed worst Prince Soren is missing? What is happening? The weather around them is getting colder and colder. Will she and other faeries able to go through it? Will they take down evil together? Will she able to find her lost prince? Read Wingless Beauty to find out!!

Review:
This story is a whirlwind of emotions. The situation of Tahlia and the other faeries have to face the trials of the Gossamer Games to know who will fit to be the Queen. There are lots of temptations along the way and also spiritual warfare that they have to face but they rely on God to give them strength to face them all except some of the faeries who give in to it. (can’t spoil it too much). Before this happened, Tahlia was feeling that she is out of place since she is born wingless though some of the faeries made fun of her but some became her friends and of course God has a plan for her. From then on, as we read, we will see her character grow too.

While Tahlia and the other faeries facing the trials, the Prince also face his own spiritual warfare too. He tries his best not to be control by the evil Mossana who cursed him so that she can get what she wants, but with God’s help of course because he can’t do it with his own strength.

Love the moments with Elfwing, Lumi, Uncle Nikolai, Zaria, Frostfyre and other animal friends that she be friends with that help them in their trials too and the rest of the faeries, trees and many more who sided the Queen to face the evil. And also, there are secrets about to be revealed.

Both Tahlia and the Prince protected each other and care for each other. Can’t really spoil the story you will have to read it to find out.

What I learn?
No matter what no one can separate us from God. The devil might try to tempt us away from God but no matter what God will always bring us back to Him. We all just need to cry out to Him and ask Him to help us to persevere on what we face in this fallen world that is hard to live in.
And also let us stand in unity and encourage one another, pray for one another and help each other to be the light of the world to share the love of God to the others. Remember also that God gifted us each a gift that we can serve him and also, he can use us as his instruments to share His love to others.

I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own Thanks to @magdalena.metzger.author for the ARC.

This is the 7th book of Cursed Brides series written by 8 amazing authors. It is a Thumbelina retelling. It is also a little bit of Tinkerbell, a little bit of Narnia because it is like Morgana is have the powers of Winter maybe it’s just me. 🙈 Can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series.

You can purchase this book on Amazon and it’s available on KU.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian YA book featuring fairies

If you are nostalgic for Disney fairies and Barbie Fairytopia mixed with the talking animals of Narnia, Wingless Beauty is the book for you. Allyria has a powerful fairy queen, fairies divided by season and talent, and an undercurrent of optimism. There is evil and darkness, but it clearly cannot last, even though the antagonist does her utmost to make the lives of the main characters awful. The descriptions of the creatures, characters, and scenery are detailed enough that I can picture the entire world clearly, and I liked the addition of the magical creatures. Elfwing is a highlight for sure.

The primary difficulties I had with this book came from the pacing and the way certain aspects of Christianity were handled. The detailed descriptions dragged the pace down significantly. The first 10% of the book is mostly description and Tallia's inner monologue. I felt the magic of the book, but was not immersed in it until nearer the middle and end. Tallia's seemingly flawless nature and resourcefulness kept the stakes from climbing very high for me. For the Bible verses, while I thought they could have been more naturally included, the choice of verses was solid. What I disagree with is the author's description of the spiritual gift of discernment. "Often those with the gift of discernment are lacking in love, and tend to thrive on driving wedges between others [...] They also tend to be drawn towards evil." I have known several people with this gift, and none of them have been like the author described. All spiritual gifts have a role in the body of Christ, and none are more inclined towards evil than the others. Any spiritual gift can be used in a manner contrary to how God intended. But, that doesn't mean the gift as a whole needs to be portrayed as evil when the other gifts in this book are portrayed positively.

Other issues I had were with Mossana and the black-and-white nature of people's actions. I didn't really like Mossana's point of view because it ultimately didn't matter to the story's outcome. I also didn't like that Prince Soren is given a punishment for and a reminder of his actions while being cursed. That felt wrong since we see throughout the book that he tried his best to fight the curse. I'm not sure if I was supposed to like the poisoned queen, but after reading the book, while no one deserves to die like that, I strongly dislike her and think her fate was for the best.

3.5 Stars. Overall, this is a nice book that I would recommend to readers who enjoy fairy stories with high stakes and significant worldbuilding. Sensitive readers will want to pay attention to the content warnings.

Violence: Mossana forces a kiss upon the prince and tries to coerce him into marrying her. Since she was originally in love with his father, making her much older than Prince Soren, I found this disturbing even ignoring their age gap. Prince Soren greatly injures several fairies while under a curse-induced bloodlust. The Gossamer Games are deadly in a grotesque way.

*I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Rosalyn Nightshade · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, this book was not really my cup of tea. I'm a huge fan of the Thumbelina fairy tale, as well as the Disney Tinker Bell movie series (which this book had a lot of resemblance to), but I found myself not really liking this story.

First of all, let me just say that the world-building was great. Magdalena Metzger is awesome at great, vivid descriptions that allowed me to visualise every scene and enjoy Tallia's journey. Tallia was also such a great, strong character - she was born without wings and even though people shunned her and believed she was cursed, she was still kind and compassionate. I also really liked the friends that she made and her love interest, Soren, seems like a really great character.

However, the romance in this book was definitely extremely underdeveloped. Tallia and Soren just met one time, immediately fell in love, and shared one kiss. Then, Soren completely disappears (although he has a few scenes here and there) and the two of them are split apart right until the very end when they re-unite again. I didn't like this at all. They never even got the chance to get to know each other or help each other or be there for each other.

In addition to this, Soren is also only there for like 20% of the book. I feel like we don't get to know more of him as a person; we don't get to know his thoughts, his feelings, emotions, and character development. I feel like this really took away from the story because, although Soren is not the main character, I would like to feel some connection to the person Tallia falls in love with.

Secondly, this book was an extremely loose retelling of Thumbelina. There weren't that many elements from the original fairy tale. This wasn't a problem, though. I don't mind loosely inspired retellings - in fact, there are a ton of books that are loosely inspired from fairy tales that I love. The problem was that I feel like the author just chose the Thumbelina fairy tale and forced those sparse elements in there. The Chipmunk family, Mrs. Fieldmouse, and Mr. Mole were really great, kind, and caring characters, but I feel like they didn't really add anything to the story. Even the dress that Mrs. Fieldmouse gave to Tallia ended up discarded somewhere at the beginning of the book.

However, this book has a lot of Christian values and morals throughout the entire story which I liked. I admire Magdalena for not being afraid to make her book readily identifiable as a Christian fairy tale. I really like the lessons woven throughout the story - how God will never leave us nor forsake us, how we are fearfully and wonderfully made, God knows the plans He has for us,...etc.

Overall, while it is obvious that Magdalena Metzger put a lot of effort and time and passion into writing this book and creating this world, I didn't really enjoy it that much and I'm really sorry about that. However, while this book didn't really appeal to me, there are a lot of people who find it enjoyable, so you should probably give it a try!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author. I was not required to leave a review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Riella Cristobal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an enveloping story! It is Ms. Metzger’s debut novel and such a magical fantasy story inspired by Thumbelina.
Oh I felt for Tallia! She was hurting and guarded in many ways and the Gossamer Games brought to light old insecurities for her. I admired how she chose courage and faith, especially in the face of her fears and anxieties. Her journey, though certainly a physical one and full of surprises, was also very much a personal one. Tallia not only faced weariness and uncertainty, but tests of character and faith in God. These were not merely for the crown, but were revealing for Tallia as well to trust in who she was made to be.
Tallia and Soren were so sweet! They connected so quickly and cared so deeply for each other. Soren had his own battles to fight and struggles to overcome. I loved the way they cared and sacrificed for one another.
What a world that was created in this book! The writing was very detailed and poetic, really setting the fairytale vibe. It was very nostalgic for me of growing up with fairy stories and I loved the journey of the story. It was full of surprises and twists.
This book contains mature themes and situations such as poisoning, kidnapping, near drowning, forestcore horror, emotional manipulation and coercion, demonic possession, gothic themes including isolation, moral/ literal decay and body horror, physical violence and several on-page deaths in various degrees of graphic detail. However, it is also filled with themes of light overcoming darkness, the joys of friendship, finding your purpose, and faith. It has only kisses.
I received an ARC.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic, violent tale!

First of all, let me say that I am in love with this book series with the cursed brides/in some kind of competition books. There is not one in the series that I haven't at least strongly liked... And I have looked up each of the authors that I have never read before to find out what else they have written.

That being said, i felt like this book didn't need to be quite as long as it was. Maybe it's just that I like fast paced books,but I felt like the descriptions sort of dragged on and on in this particular book...especially in the beginning. I loved the writing overall and the action really got into it about midway, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The twists from the original thumbballina story are also pretty awesome. And if you like very detailed descriptions of things, you would adore it. I just found myself skipping over certain paragraphs, skimming for any important things that I actually needed to know....

I loved the way this author incorporated faith into her book. Not preachy, just a faith that was real to the characters. The struggles the characters had were struggles that were very relatable.

Without adding spoilers, suffice it to say that the death toll in this book is crazy! I was a little horrified, but of course it is the author's prerogative who she wants to kill off...

[Elizabeth Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. There is so much adventure, creativity, and wonderful characters. I have never heard of Thumbelina, I didn’t know what to expect besides from the title.

Wingless Beauty is about how the Queen of the fairies has been poisoned and they are looking for the next Queen. A fairy named Tallia heard the news and decided the best course of action would be to escape to the human realm. No one would want a fairy without wings to be their queen, and the added amounts of danger. On her way, she goes to find her friend, Elfwing, which she tried to encourage to come with her. But things don’t go as planned, the weather takes a turn for the worse. Soren, who is the Queen’s son, is taken away by Tallia’s beauty. He rescues her and asks her to stay to be a part of the challenge to be the new Queen.

The two main characters have to face their own set of challenges, their own trials. They have the chance to grow into their own, learning about different parts of the world they have never experienced. It makes for a great story and the characters grew on me.

I received this ARC for my honest opinion.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a loose retelling of Thumbelina. It wove in the fairytale aspects with religious overtones. The journey to overcome evil with good shines through on multiple levels.

The romance was more of a subplot but still very sweet and tender. The real focus was on Talia and her journey.

The world was detailed and lush. I’m not one that can visualize when reading but for those that can this will be amazing for you.

If you’re a fan of Pixie Hollow and the various fairies therein, then you’ll love this book.

I received a voluntary ARC for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

No spice (just kisses)
Mild explicit language (1-10 swear words)
PG-13 Violence/gore
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Since I can’t visualize while I read all the details and slower moving plot made it hard to get through for me. While it wasn’t for me give it a chance, you might love it!

[Kat Crowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing story, I loved every minute of it! This is told in multiple POV's but mostly from the FMC, Tallia, and MMC, Soren. There is so much depth to this story and I found it difficult to put it down. I found so many parts of this story to be unique. It is a retell of Thumbelina but with many surprises. I love the world that the author created and the way she makes it come to life.

I really loved the character development with both Tallia and Soren. I won't give anything away but the trials they each endure really makes the story shine. The author also is so great at using the side characters to help tell the story. It is a very immersive story and world that I'm sure you'll enjoy!

[M. Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***
4.5/5 stars

This book is so good!!! I love that this was a no spice fairytale from a distinctly Christian perspective. Wingless Beauty has so many unique, nostalgic, and whimsical elements, even though there are very dark plot points. Tallia and Soren (the fmc and mmc) are written very well, though there aren't many scenes featuring them together. I love this book's whimsical worldbuilding (the characters are fairies or cute animals that live in realms based on the seasons) and this world's unique way of selecting its queens. Though this is a no spice book with an obviously Christian viewpoint, I would say this should be 15+, because of the horror/gothic elements.

[Nikki Ambrosius · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading an early copy of this book and loved it! It was a fantastic balance of whimsical and daring. The details that the author included allowed me to really picture the tiny details and brought the story to life. Perfect for those who would enjoy a setting like Pixie Hollow but has a story with harrowing challenges that the MFC, Tallia, must try and survive as she participates in the Gossamer Games in an attempt to save the realm.

[HappilyEverReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you Magdalena Metzger for allowing me to ARC read her beautiful book!

If you are looking for an action packed nostalgia filled book look no further than here!
Between two curses and the trials our heroine Talia and hero Soren go through a lot together to save their world.
If you grew up on the pixie hollow books and are looking for a similar feel but a bit more intense with the fun adventures this is a book I would recommend!

[Michelle Pomeroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confession time: I'm not a huge fan of insta-love, which this twist on Thumbelina contains. But, this story is far more a quest to save the world than a romance.
This is a clean read and the editing is decent. I received an ARC from the author. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so and the opinions stated are my own.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read from Magdelena.
It was not a dark as the TW suggested.
Very sweet, at times serious story of knowing and taking hold of your worth.
Content: 2 profanities, lots of fairies, darkness, dragons, some graphic scenes, gluttony, greed, good overcoming evil, curses, sweet creatures, a talking fox, and so much more!

[Katherine Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!
The characters are relatable, and the story is fun and exciting.
It's set in a whimsical fairy land, reminiscent of Pixie Hollow, with cozy settings similar to the shire.
This is a great book for fans of the Tinkerbell movies, middle earth, narnia and fairy tales.

Full review https://www.instagram.com/p/DTlffQclC...


Sneak peek at the map inside (drawn by me) https://www.instagram.com/p/DTk3HHVFN...

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sacred tree, a poisonous encounter, mythical creatures, and a competition that will have you reading well after midnight is what you have to look forward to when you pick up “Wingless Beauty”. I wish that I could visit Nutmeg Nook, and become a member of the Whispering Wind library. One of my favorite quotes is “kind words are like seeds that are always in season.” I’m not going to lie. The gluttony trial was insane in the best way possible. The concept of mirror hearts was beyond sweet! “Spreading the word through the world wood web” made me laugh out loud. My favorite character is hands-down Nikolai, save this man at all costs! The ending of this amazing novel was flawless, and I will die on that hill. 10/10 highly recommend!!