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The Rules of Ever After
The rules of royal life have governed the kingdoms of Clarameer for thousands of years, but Prince Phillip and Prince Daniel know that these rules don't provide for the happily ever after they seek. A fateful, sleepless night on top of a pea set under twenty mattresses brings the two young men together and sends them on a quest out into the kingdoms.
On their travels, they encounter meddlesome fairies, an ambitious stepmother, disgruntled princesses and vengeful kings as they learn about life, love, friendship, and family. Most of all, the two young men must learn to know themselves and how to write their own rules of ever after.
The Rules of Ever After is the debut novel from Duet Books, an imprint for Young Adult LGBTQ fiction from Interlude Press.
On their travels, they encounter meddlesome fairies, an ambitious stepmother, disgruntled princesses and vengeful kings as they learn about life, love, friendship, and family. Most of all, the two young men must learn to know themselves and how to write their own rules of ever after.
The Rules of Ever After is the debut novel from Duet Books, an imprint for Young Adult LGBTQ fiction from Interlude Press.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2015
11 people are currently reading
1435 people want to read
About the author
Killian B. Brewer
5 books42 followersKillian B. Brewer grew up in a family where the best way to be heard was to tell a good story, therefore he developed an early love of storytelling, puns and wordplay. He began writing poetry and short fiction at 15 and continued in college where he earned a BA in English. He does not use this degree in his job in the banking industry. He currently lives in Georgia with his partner and their dog. Growing up in the South gave him a funny accent and a love of grits. The Rules of Ever After is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 23, 2015
I've always loved fairy tales and to see a collection of favorite tropes told in a new light sent my imagination in a blissful overdrive!
With a tone full of wit, humor, and poetry, Killian Brewer gave adventure a new meaning by intermingling contemporary references with the medieval classics.
What the blurb failed to put emphasis on is that this wasn't just Prince Phillip and Prince Daniel's crusade for their happy ever after. The book was so much more than that. It introduced an array of familiar and well-loved characters spiced-up with tasteful personalities and their own profound and unique stories. And although this sounds like a standard recipe for disaster, the direction of the story was surprisingly solid and cohesive, despite the star-studded cast and multitudinous plot lines. On the contrary, all these hullabaloo only made the story grander and the twists more interesting.
If you are only expecting a clichéd boy-meets-boy fairy tale, then you are surely in for a treat because while the story followed a light and humorous tone, the underlying themes in the book sure do hit closer to the truth. I cannot help but think that while our heroes went deeper into their own epic adventures battling who knows what from one kingdom to the next, a different battle was being wagered as I thought of the author raising a figurative middle finger to the many hypocrisies in our current society introduced as conundrums in the story. I thought that the author was so spot-on on his take of feminism, homosexuality, and marriage equality, to name a few. It was quite funny to see the seed planted on our minds by society today presented in the story as obvious absurdities that hinder progress and unity.
So for me, this book spoke of the needed liberation from society's oppression and the backward thinking that we still follow until today. In simplicity, Mr. Brewer gave light to the many "rules" that we follow -- originally meant to protect us and make us moral citizens but clearly only stand in the way of our own happy ever after. But the story will never be that simple! Told in a lyrical and jocular narrative and written intelligently and with excellent literary mastery, this book will put the E in the word epic. It was just that good!
And like Prince Daniel who started his travels with these four things in mind:
"One. Adventure. Two. Answers. Three. Purpose. Four. Love."
I also found these four things in this book.
September 16, 2016
Maybe a 3.5? This was utterly ridiculous and probably closer to middle grade than YA but I smiled from beginning to end.
October 11, 2023
✰ 3 stars ✰
“Sometimes happiness is right in front of you. Even if it seems ridiculous, just be happy.”
These are the words of wisdom that the characters in Killian Brewer debut novel The Rules of Ever After definitely thrived on! Mon dieu! This was just a ridiculous time of a fairy tale adventure, a complete mesh of all the delightful tales that we grew up reading that promises it all - 'One. Adventure. Two. Answers. Three. Purpose. Four. Love!' It was - it was not silly, it was just - a good old time, a ball of fun where 'You just have to believe! -- Surrender to the ridiculous!' ✨✨
And for an hour or so - I did. 😊
“But what must be, must be/ And true love someday shall be.”
We all grew up reading those fairy-tale classics - the princess braving one night in a bed to see if she can survive the pea that lurks beneath, the princess trapped in a tower who lets her hair down, the evil ogre that has his eyes set on his princess bride, the meddlesome fairy god-mothers who do more damage than blessings, while the villainous step-mother scheming and plotting her evil machinations to conquer the kingdom. It's been said and done - time and time again. But, let's incorporate all the ingredients into one delightful flavor that brings an engaging twist to each of them.
And so, led by one sheltered but handsome prince and his faithful companions, we embark on a dashing and daring quest to vanquish the evils, rescue the damsels in distress that unwittingly got caught into the hair-raising magical plots, fueled by the lovely relationships with long-lost friends, with a dash of humor and a sprinkle of fairy dust, that turned this whimsical romance into a good ole time. It was just - light on the heavy and soft on the laughs, that promised nothing too serious, but enjoyable. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
“These are our lives. Why should we not write our own rules for happily ever after?”
“Can we do that?”
“Well, I am going to be king you know. Kings get to write the rules.”
“Well, you’ll be king if someone marries you.”
“I’ve got someone in mind.”
While 'marriage to a woman, however, would not happen in his lifetime,' Prince Philip still has his hands full in ensuring all his intended female suitors do have peaceful rests, who brave the test of one night in his bed. But he meets his match when Prince Daniel, 'a wandering soul who was hoping to finally get a good night’s sleep' actually does spend a peaceful night (albeit for other reasons unbeknownst to him). 😔 And if Prince Philip is anything, he is a stickler for the rules - that they're never meant to be broken. When he challenges his conniving stepmother, Cauchemar, with the stout “he passed the test. Those are the rules. Your rules. And as you always say, we have to follow the rules,” - it's her wrath and rage that befalls the kingdom leading to a magical beginning of love and feelings with the heart-felt genuine desire to say 'to hell with the rules, we can make new rules' for everyone involved to have their happily ever after - to their liking. ⚔️⚔️
So, let me be a fool for once and just say that this was simply fine - not outstanding, but still memorable that whenever I'll look back at this title and cover, I'll remember the unexpected chortle that escaped me during the unfolding chaotic madness and Daniel exclaims to his knight-in-arms 'what kind of castle did you bring me to?' Even now, I have to suppress a chuckle at how so over-the-top and silly some scenes were - where the dialogue was so uproariously absurd, but it was just meant to be. 😆😆 There were multiple POVs, but each character brought a little something to the table that made it different from the norm - the reality of the tale vs. the expectation of what is - to defy the norm and create your own is the central theme and each character rose to the challenge. 👍🏻👍🏻
“...you kept talking about the rules. How things should be and how they shouldn’t. What the rules allow. What they don’t allow.”
“But in all that talk, you forgot the most important rule of all. Your happiness shouldn’t deny another’s happiness. Don’t ever try to deny a person their happily ever after.”
Where 'love is stronger than magic' Philip and Daniel brave the unknown, throwing themselves head-first into the hope that a love like theirs can be accepted - albeit in the very quick time they met each other - well, who has time for a slow-burn in a fairy-tale, right? 🥹 Still, there was plenty of time for real character development for all of them. It was done so finely and with clever wit, that I know it sounds ridiculous, but it just made sense. I liked how everything really did fall neatly into place, but in such a believable fashion that I could just roll with it! 🩷 🩷
They really were very sweet together, loved how Daniel would reassure Philip at times that it can work out, that Philip developed the courage to face the challenges he'd been avoiding, that sometimes - whether he accepted it or not - he does have the power for change. 👑👑 I liked how accepting everyone was that two princes could actually be together - no one batting an eye at their love - save for the wicked step-mother...well, she definitely had her hands full with her own problems, but then again, she really wasn't a villain, either. With her own tragic past, she, too was searching for her own happiness, which she just went about trying to reach in the worst of ways. And uff, the fairies!!! They were too much - meddlesome and silly, but funny - definitely, give them that.
The writing was funny - just light-hearted humor, that did not aim to amaze, but simply to please - it brought a smile to my face and not the cheesiness, but the whimsical magic and conundrums that would be solved instantly with a snap of a finger, a caress of a bubble or a flick of a wand.🤌🏻🤌🏻 Not to say that it didn't have it's faults, of course; one really has to enjoy this particular humor and know that it's meant to be humorous, because it's defying the norm. If that makes much sense. Also, under great introspection, it would appear that I seem to have a slight aversion to the word cooed ; the fact that it was used more than a few times definitely gave me the shudders and considering calling it quits. (Yeah, like I'm ever going to dnf a book - a curse of mine, sadly 😢). But, there was one very insightful moment that gave me pause of appreciation at how aptly it fit into the narrative and how come I had never thought of it!? 'As for knights, well, this pencil can be a mighty weapon, and you can fight many important battles with words. Have you never noticed that ‘sword’ is just the letters in ‘words’ rearranged?'
How come I never thought of that??!! 😲😄
There really was just a lot of joy even in the hour of strife that made me glad I gave this a shot. When even peril was afoot, love was the guiding hand - where life is dictated by the rules that led to the problem, it's only when they are broken - does happiness reign and good triumphs over evil and all those present were blessed with their own versions of their happily ever after. 🥰🥰
“Sometimes happiness is right in front of you. Even if it seems ridiculous, just be happy.”
These are the words of wisdom that the characters in Killian Brewer debut novel The Rules of Ever After definitely thrived on! Mon dieu! This was just a ridiculous time of a fairy tale adventure, a complete mesh of all the delightful tales that we grew up reading that promises it all - 'One. Adventure. Two. Answers. Three. Purpose. Four. Love!' It was - it was not silly, it was just - a good old time, a ball of fun where 'You just have to believe! -- Surrender to the ridiculous!' ✨✨
And for an hour or so - I did. 😊
“But what must be, must be/ And true love someday shall be.”
We all grew up reading those fairy-tale classics - the princess braving one night in a bed to see if she can survive the pea that lurks beneath, the princess trapped in a tower who lets her hair down, the evil ogre that has his eyes set on his princess bride, the meddlesome fairy god-mothers who do more damage than blessings, while the villainous step-mother scheming and plotting her evil machinations to conquer the kingdom. It's been said and done - time and time again. But, let's incorporate all the ingredients into one delightful flavor that brings an engaging twist to each of them.
And so, led by one sheltered but handsome prince and his faithful companions, we embark on a dashing and daring quest to vanquish the evils, rescue the damsels in distress that unwittingly got caught into the hair-raising magical plots, fueled by the lovely relationships with long-lost friends, with a dash of humor and a sprinkle of fairy dust, that turned this whimsical romance into a good ole time. It was just - light on the heavy and soft on the laughs, that promised nothing too serious, but enjoyable. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
“These are our lives. Why should we not write our own rules for happily ever after?”
“Can we do that?”
“Well, I am going to be king you know. Kings get to write the rules.”
“Well, you’ll be king if someone marries you.”
“I’ve got someone in mind.”
While 'marriage to a woman, however, would not happen in his lifetime,' Prince Philip still has his hands full in ensuring all his intended female suitors do have peaceful rests, who brave the test of one night in his bed. But he meets his match when Prince Daniel, 'a wandering soul who was hoping to finally get a good night’s sleep' actually does spend a peaceful night (albeit for other reasons unbeknownst to him). 😔 And if Prince Philip is anything, he is a stickler for the rules - that they're never meant to be broken. When he challenges his conniving stepmother, Cauchemar, with the stout “he passed the test. Those are the rules. Your rules. And as you always say, we have to follow the rules,” - it's her wrath and rage that befalls the kingdom leading to a magical beginning of love and feelings with the heart-felt genuine desire to say 'to hell with the rules, we can make new rules' for everyone involved to have their happily ever after - to their liking. ⚔️⚔️
So, let me be a fool for once and just say that this was simply fine - not outstanding, but still memorable that whenever I'll look back at this title and cover, I'll remember the unexpected chortle that escaped me during the unfolding chaotic madness and Daniel exclaims to his knight-in-arms 'what kind of castle did you bring me to?' Even now, I have to suppress a chuckle at how so over-the-top and silly some scenes were - where the dialogue was so uproariously absurd, but it was just meant to be. 😆😆 There were multiple POVs, but each character brought a little something to the table that made it different from the norm - the reality of the tale vs. the expectation of what is - to defy the norm and create your own is the central theme and each character rose to the challenge. 👍🏻👍🏻
“...you kept talking about the rules. How things should be and how they shouldn’t. What the rules allow. What they don’t allow.”
“But in all that talk, you forgot the most important rule of all. Your happiness shouldn’t deny another’s happiness. Don’t ever try to deny a person their happily ever after.”
Where 'love is stronger than magic' Philip and Daniel brave the unknown, throwing themselves head-first into the hope that a love like theirs can be accepted - albeit in the very quick time they met each other - well, who has time for a slow-burn in a fairy-tale, right? 🥹 Still, there was plenty of time for real character development for all of them. It was done so finely and with clever wit, that I know it sounds ridiculous, but it just made sense. I liked how everything really did fall neatly into place, but in such a believable fashion that I could just roll with it! 🩷 🩷
They really were very sweet together, loved how Daniel would reassure Philip at times that it can work out, that Philip developed the courage to face the challenges he'd been avoiding, that sometimes - whether he accepted it or not - he does have the power for change. 👑👑 I liked how accepting everyone was that two princes could actually be together - no one batting an eye at their love - save for the wicked step-mother...well, she definitely had her hands full with her own problems, but then again, she really wasn't a villain, either. With her own tragic past, she, too was searching for her own happiness, which she just went about trying to reach in the worst of ways. And uff, the fairies!!! They were too much - meddlesome and silly, but funny - definitely, give them that.
The writing was funny - just light-hearted humor, that did not aim to amaze, but simply to please - it brought a smile to my face and not the cheesiness, but the whimsical magic and conundrums that would be solved instantly with a snap of a finger, a caress of a bubble or a flick of a wand.🤌🏻🤌🏻 Not to say that it didn't have it's faults, of course; one really has to enjoy this particular humor and know that it's meant to be humorous, because it's defying the norm. If that makes much sense. Also, under great introspection, it would appear that I seem to have a slight aversion to the word cooed ; the fact that it was used more than a few times definitely gave me the shudders and considering calling it quits. (Yeah, like I'm ever going to dnf a book - a curse of mine, sadly 😢). But, there was one very insightful moment that gave me pause of appreciation at how aptly it fit into the narrative and how come I had never thought of it!? 'As for knights, well, this pencil can be a mighty weapon, and you can fight many important battles with words. Have you never noticed that ‘sword’ is just the letters in ‘words’ rearranged?'
How come I never thought of that??!! 😲😄
There really was just a lot of joy even in the hour of strife that made me glad I gave this a shot. When even peril was afoot, love was the guiding hand - where life is dictated by the rules that led to the problem, it's only when they are broken - does happiness reign and good triumphs over evil and all those present were blessed with their own versions of their happily ever after. 🥰🥰
February 23, 2017
When handed a book that you know to be a fairy tale, you go in with certain expectations. You expect evil step mothers that misuse their power and magic. There will always be handsome princes on a quest for truth and justice, and beautiful princesses awaiting their prince—and possibly getting into a little mischief themselves.
You must have interfering fairies—although they mean well, of course, because doing harm would be against the rules. There will be curses and spells, blessings and magic. And of course, when all is said and done, there will always be a happily ever after.
Killian B. Brewer’s delightful debut novel, a fairy tale for a modern age, has all of these things. But, in The Rules of Ever After your typical fairy tale rules are meant to be broken.
Prince Phillip of Bellemer has a sleeping problem. And a princess problem. But mostly, a step-mother problem. In trying to take over the kingdom from Prince Phillip and his father, King Henry, his step-mother Cauchemar, has reenacted the testing bed, a pile of mattresses with a hidden pea, as a way to vet young princesses who wish to take Prince Phillip’s hand. But of course, she is manipulating the test to her favor.
What Chauchemar doesn’t know, and what sets the story in motion, is that she is not the only one manipulating the test, to ensure every princess fails. You see, Prince Phillip does not want a princess for a bride. As his birthday fairy so succinctly puts it with great glee, his gate swings to “that” side of the pasture.
After many failed tests and many upset princesses leave in shame, Prince Phillip finds an unexpected visitor asleep on the bed. And Prince Daniel of Sylvania is beautiful.
Thus begins a quest to right the wrongs of the Lands of Clarameer. To rewrite the rules. To set a new course for the lives of those trapped by the power of “this is how it has always been done.”
In this fairytale, princesses are no longer bound by the rules of marriage and royalty, but are the masters of their own destiny. Handsome princes fall in love with each other. And the entertaining, ever-faithful companions on the journey find that even they have a hero inside of them just waiting to save the day.
The Rules of Ever After is a refreshing and enchanting read for young adults, and dare I say, middle grade readers as well. Charming humor, engaging characters, and a story that makes you hold your breath until the final, triumphant, rainbow-filled conclusion.
You must have interfering fairies—although they mean well, of course, because doing harm would be against the rules. There will be curses and spells, blessings and magic. And of course, when all is said and done, there will always be a happily ever after.
Killian B. Brewer’s delightful debut novel, a fairy tale for a modern age, has all of these things. But, in The Rules of Ever After your typical fairy tale rules are meant to be broken.
Prince Phillip of Bellemer has a sleeping problem. And a princess problem. But mostly, a step-mother problem. In trying to take over the kingdom from Prince Phillip and his father, King Henry, his step-mother Cauchemar, has reenacted the testing bed, a pile of mattresses with a hidden pea, as a way to vet young princesses who wish to take Prince Phillip’s hand. But of course, she is manipulating the test to her favor.
What Chauchemar doesn’t know, and what sets the story in motion, is that she is not the only one manipulating the test, to ensure every princess fails. You see, Prince Phillip does not want a princess for a bride. As his birthday fairy so succinctly puts it with great glee, his gate swings to “that” side of the pasture.
After many failed tests and many upset princesses leave in shame, Prince Phillip finds an unexpected visitor asleep on the bed. And Prince Daniel of Sylvania is beautiful.
Thus begins a quest to right the wrongs of the Lands of Clarameer. To rewrite the rules. To set a new course for the lives of those trapped by the power of “this is how it has always been done.”
In this fairytale, princesses are no longer bound by the rules of marriage and royalty, but are the masters of their own destiny. Handsome princes fall in love with each other. And the entertaining, ever-faithful companions on the journey find that even they have a hero inside of them just waiting to save the day.
The Rules of Ever After is a refreshing and enchanting read for young adults, and dare I say, middle grade readers as well. Charming humor, engaging characters, and a story that makes you hold your breath until the final, triumphant, rainbow-filled conclusion.
June 9, 2015
Killian B. Brewer’s The Rules of Ever After is pretty much everything I look for in a fairy tale-with-a-twist: fun, witty, and an interesting new take on a classic. To me, reading Brewer’s book reminded me of reading Wicked for the first time. It was characters I felt I already knew but I was forced to look at them in a new light.
This is, at its heart, a tale of Prince Charming finding his own Prince Charming, but it’s also much more than that. Set amid common tropes like the princess and the pea, the evil step-mother, and the royal who must marry to inherit the throne, this fairy tale includes liberated, free-spirited princesses, meddlesome fairies, and dashing squires and scribes who leap from the page just like all fantasy characters should. Every time I try to pick a favorite character I am stumped. They’re all so charming. Even the evil step-mother has her charms—that is, if you like to root for the baddie.
This tale is chock full of parallels to our own society, including modern feminism and the ongoing fight for marriage equality. But perhaps my favorite invention from Brewer’s inventive mind is the way he portrays problematic media of Clarameer. I won’t give away how he does this, but you’ll find yourself picturing Hollywood celebs being hounded outside LA restaurants while reading about the fictional kingdoms of Clarameer.
Fans of fantasy, YA, and LGBT lit will adore this story, and all for different reasons. This is a richly crafted world with multiple levels of meaning, but still an easy enough read to appeal to younger audiences who are looking for a more grown-up tale.
Even more wonderful is the beautiful allegory Brewer has crafted in the final scene that ties his own brand of happily ever after to the pride flag that has come to represent the LGBT community.
I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy of this book and I give it a resounding five stars.
This is, at its heart, a tale of Prince Charming finding his own Prince Charming, but it’s also much more than that. Set amid common tropes like the princess and the pea, the evil step-mother, and the royal who must marry to inherit the throne, this fairy tale includes liberated, free-spirited princesses, meddlesome fairies, and dashing squires and scribes who leap from the page just like all fantasy characters should. Every time I try to pick a favorite character I am stumped. They’re all so charming. Even the evil step-mother has her charms—that is, if you like to root for the baddie.
This tale is chock full of parallels to our own society, including modern feminism and the ongoing fight for marriage equality. But perhaps my favorite invention from Brewer’s inventive mind is the way he portrays problematic media of Clarameer. I won’t give away how he does this, but you’ll find yourself picturing Hollywood celebs being hounded outside LA restaurants while reading about the fictional kingdoms of Clarameer.
Fans of fantasy, YA, and LGBT lit will adore this story, and all for different reasons. This is a richly crafted world with multiple levels of meaning, but still an easy enough read to appeal to younger audiences who are looking for a more grown-up tale.
Even more wonderful is the beautiful allegory Brewer has crafted in the final scene that ties his own brand of happily ever after to the pride flag that has come to represent the LGBT community.
I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy of this book and I give it a resounding five stars.
November 30, 2015
3.75 stars
Enjoyable young adult twist on a number of different fairy tales. I liked the different take on the stories. There seemed to be a few too many characters, though -- I couldn't keep all of the princesses, princes and kings straight!
Enjoyable young adult twist on a number of different fairy tales. I liked the different take on the stories. There seemed to be a few too many characters, though -- I couldn't keep all of the princesses, princes and kings straight!
June 10, 2015
FiveStars
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that captures its grandeur. Every adjective I come up with is diminishing. Fairy tale. Humor. Adventure. Trope-bending. Epic. It's more than the sum of its parts. Though, per "epic" it is quite long. Too long to be a light romp. This, my friends, is a novel.
It has multiple plot lines that all come together at the end! Different perspectives that are so fluid they aren't jolting. Puns that evoke happiness, not despair.
Anyway, Prince Phillip is living a Hamlet-esque existence with his evil aunt-turned-stepmother, who's trying to marry him off to various princesses for Reasons, and he keeps thwarting her for Other Reasons, and then halfway through the book everything's New Reasons, which, spoiler. When Phillip finds a man-prince in his bed instead of another woman-princess, he gets an idea.
Which, right there, isn't that our secret fantasy? Marrying a royal of our appropriate gender and living happier ever after? I mean, it's mine.
Anyway, Prince Daniel, meanwhile, is living a Prince Harry-like existence. He decides to go wandering about with his bros all over the kingdom. Also, he has Insomnia. THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Everyone but the villain is nice, affable, funny, and heroic. This is a "light" novel, but it is not a "shallow" novel. It is escapist in the best sense.
Killian states in his bio that it took 20 years to produce this novel. Which 1) shows in its glorious tight details and his GRRM world-building, and 2) is an international tragedy, because he should be writing one a year.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
C.E. Case
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that captures its grandeur. Every adjective I come up with is diminishing. Fairy tale. Humor. Adventure. Trope-bending. Epic. It's more than the sum of its parts. Though, per "epic" it is quite long. Too long to be a light romp. This, my friends, is a novel.
It has multiple plot lines that all come together at the end! Different perspectives that are so fluid they aren't jolting. Puns that evoke happiness, not despair.
Anyway, Prince Phillip is living a Hamlet-esque existence with his evil aunt-turned-stepmother, who's trying to marry him off to various princesses for Reasons, and he keeps thwarting her for Other Reasons, and then halfway through the book everything's New Reasons, which, spoiler. When Phillip finds a man-prince in his bed instead of another woman-princess, he gets an idea.
Which, right there, isn't that our secret fantasy? Marrying a royal of our appropriate gender and living happier ever after? I mean, it's mine.
Anyway, Prince Daniel, meanwhile, is living a Prince Harry-like existence. He decides to go wandering about with his bros all over the kingdom. Also, he has Insomnia. THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Everyone but the villain is nice, affable, funny, and heroic. This is a "light" novel, but it is not a "shallow" novel. It is escapist in the best sense.
Killian states in his bio that it took 20 years to produce this novel. Which 1) shows in its glorious tight details and his GRRM world-building, and 2) is an international tragedy, because he should be writing one a year.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
C.E. Case
December 30, 2016
I normally don't do this much cuteness, but this is the fun re-imagined fairytale I've been wishing for in animation form, that dashes tropes and the traditional 'prince and princess' tale.
The Rules of Ever After - a retelling of The Princess and the Pea, with inspiration from many well-known fairytales - is exactly what I expected it to be - zany, fun and quirky. It doesn't take itself seriously, which was a refreshing treat after all the sweeping, darker, drama-filled retellings I've recently read. I always love seeing tropes turned on their head and this book does just that. Two princes fall in love and with royal status threatened, princesses look beyond their title and take their fate into their own hands - literally my dream diverse-with-a-difference fairytale come to life, folks.
Third person narration can be hard to pull off, but it suited this story perfectly. There's a lot of characters, with different story lines, but every character had a distinct voice. I liked how the author interconnected the stories in the end.
Adorable light fluff. Recommend.
The Rules of Ever After - a retelling of The Princess and the Pea, with inspiration from many well-known fairytales - is exactly what I expected it to be - zany, fun and quirky. It doesn't take itself seriously, which was a refreshing treat after all the sweeping, darker, drama-filled retellings I've recently read. I always love seeing tropes turned on their head and this book does just that. Two princes fall in love and with royal status threatened, princesses look beyond their title and take their fate into their own hands - literally my dream diverse-with-a-difference fairytale come to life, folks.
Third person narration can be hard to pull off, but it suited this story perfectly. There's a lot of characters, with different story lines, but every character had a distinct voice. I liked how the author interconnected the stories in the end.
Adorable light fluff. Recommend.
December 28, 2021
Well, that was adorable :D I love ending the year with something fluffy, and this definitely fit the bill.
June 28, 2015
We expect a certain bluntness from a fairy tale; the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and the lesson is clear from a thousand paces. But then again, The Rules of Ever After isn’t your average fairy tale. Author, Killian Brewer, builds upon the history of the genre, but his rendition is also marked by the deftness of his dialogue and plot. This story sings, and it isn’t just because of a certain performer in the local tavern.
I should start with the dialogue, because the characters’ speech first pulled me into Brewer’s world. His characters are hilarious. I found myself wanting to read lines aloud every couple pages, and I was usually reading alone. It’s also worth noting that the comedy of Rules isn’t set aside as humor. The other characters, for the most part, don’t stop to laugh. Instead, Brewer simply creates a heightened version of reality in which wit and magic are never out of place.
The novel’s plot is marked by a similarly light touch. I think it was Joss Whedon who said that a strong narrative could be defined by surprising twists that the audience will later realize were unavoidable. As I looked back on each chapter of Rules, I found moments that I didn’t expect, but which were fully supported both before and after. I didn’t see the twists coming, but they absolutely had to happen. In short, I felt safe in Killian Brewer’s universe, because even as the action rushed from one end of his world to the other, he was in control. Like the storytellers that populate his world, Brewer has a tale to tell and we are just lucky to come along for the ride!
I should start with the dialogue, because the characters’ speech first pulled me into Brewer’s world. His characters are hilarious. I found myself wanting to read lines aloud every couple pages, and I was usually reading alone. It’s also worth noting that the comedy of Rules isn’t set aside as humor. The other characters, for the most part, don’t stop to laugh. Instead, Brewer simply creates a heightened version of reality in which wit and magic are never out of place.
The novel’s plot is marked by a similarly light touch. I think it was Joss Whedon who said that a strong narrative could be defined by surprising twists that the audience will later realize were unavoidable. As I looked back on each chapter of Rules, I found moments that I didn’t expect, but which were fully supported both before and after. I didn’t see the twists coming, but they absolutely had to happen. In short, I felt safe in Killian Brewer’s universe, because even as the action rushed from one end of his world to the other, he was in control. Like the storytellers that populate his world, Brewer has a tale to tell and we are just lucky to come along for the ride!
June 13, 2015
What do you get when you mix an evil step mother, a troll king, several unconventional princesses, a couple of princes who break the rules and some meddling birthday fairies? You get an adventure that is rolicking good fun and one happy ending to end all happy endings. Brewer takes some familiar tales and weaves them into a masterful new tale that’s entirely fresh and uniquely his. All the familiar tropes are here but Brewer deftly creates a cast of loveable characters and a tale that’s light-hearted and funny. This is a modern fairy tale that manages to keep the feel of traditional tales while breaking new ground. And of course we get one awesome happy ending that breaks all the rules of ever after. I was amazed to find that this is the author’s first book and if this is his introduction, I for one can't wait to see what comes next. This is a book that I can't recommend highly enough.
(I received a free ARC to read and review honestly)
(I received a free ARC to read and review honestly)
July 6, 2015
Brewer skillfully weaves a fun, lighthearted and fast-paced tale that draws inspiration from well-known fairy tales such as "The Princess and the Pea" and many, many more. Daniel and Phillip are both princes, brought together after a misunderstanding about a "test" on a stack of mattresses and a pea. Not only are the princes' both likable with working flaws, their character development throughout the book and their devloping relationship truly makes the story wonderful. In addition to our main romantic pair, The Rules of Ever After features an amazing cast of princesses and more characters who all define their own stories.
An absolute joy to read.
An absolute joy to read.
April 13, 2016
I feel like I keep inventing microgenres and subgenres within fantasy, because of the way my own books don’t sort neatly into the existing ones. What I write is not, for the most part, “epic fantasy”, in that I don’t always deal in multi-kingdom political struggles or stories that span months, but I still write fairy-tales. So I decided to take a cue from the mystery world and call them “cozy fantasy.” Well, if I’m cozy fantasy, The Rules of Ever After is “fantasy humor.”
This already is a genre, populated by Terry Pratchett and the Shrek movies, so if you like either of those, I think you’ll be thrilled with this one. It has their lighthearted tone and hilarious anachronistic details (sketcharazzi? They’re exactly what they sound like, armed with charcoal and pads of paper) but also their complex nail-biting epic plots and their layer of sincerity in its approach to character relationships. There were also elements that reminded me of Mercedes Lackey’s 500 Kingdoms, in that many of the characters felt trapped by their role in the fairy-tale universe, and part of their character growth involved learning to expand that role to fit their own personal unique desired happiness.
Okay, enough AP English blather. What’s this book about? At the heart, it’s about two gay princes, who have chemistry from their first scene together (that’s important, with a fictional romance! The key to writing good romance is to make the reader want something before you give it to them. That first bit is not as easy as that second bit.) But it’s also about friendship, adventure, fighting against usurping throne-stealers all over the place, and an ensemble cast that includes more than one woman! (Hear that? There are multiple female leads on the good-guy side.) Plus, the plot took a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and sometimes the author psyched me out by leading me down a path of a fantasy trope and then saying “nope! I’m cooler than that.”
I also have to give Brewer props for one of the most awesome uses of Checkov’s Gun I’ve ever seen. I’m a HUGE sucker for Checkov’s Gun. I don’t know why; I’ve always been that way. I’ve been known to slap my space bar to pause a movie just so I can squee around the room for a few seconds when I realize a TV episode has done that. So when it happened in this book I literally put the book down and squee’d to the cat.
Brewer, in the voice of one of his princes, shows what it’s honestly like to be queer in today’s changing social climate:
Daniel wasn’t sure what his future would bring. Life as the whispered-about secret lover of the king. Life as the uneasily accepted consort of the king. Life ruling upon the throne beside the king and beloved by the citizens. Daniel didn’t care, as long as his life included Philip.
Some other little notes I enjoyed for personal reasons: when one prince’s friend rushes up to both princes and says “Your Highness!” and then has to explain which one he meant, it reminded me of my mom saying “Honey” and both me and my stepdad saying “Which one?” (Welcome to the South. The writer is Southern, too, so it’s possible he got the idea from that.) I also loved the way the birthday fairies, each responsible for royal children born on their assigned day of the week, have somewhat Germanic names. (Mitta is the Wednesday fairy from Mittwoch, for example.) My origins are half from Germany so it’s nice to see that stuff in English-language fantasy, which is often very “fake Welsh” or at least somewhat UK-ish in general. (I mean, they come by it honestly. They’ve given us JKR and JRRT. And Lewis.)
This book is flippant, but expertly crafted and full of truths. As one of the princes tells the other in the middle of a scene straight out of Roald Dahl: “Come on, Daniel, surrender to the ridiculous!”
This already is a genre, populated by Terry Pratchett and the Shrek movies, so if you like either of those, I think you’ll be thrilled with this one. It has their lighthearted tone and hilarious anachronistic details (sketcharazzi? They’re exactly what they sound like, armed with charcoal and pads of paper) but also their complex nail-biting epic plots and their layer of sincerity in its approach to character relationships. There were also elements that reminded me of Mercedes Lackey’s 500 Kingdoms, in that many of the characters felt trapped by their role in the fairy-tale universe, and part of their character growth involved learning to expand that role to fit their own personal unique desired happiness.
Okay, enough AP English blather. What’s this book about? At the heart, it’s about two gay princes, who have chemistry from their first scene together (that’s important, with a fictional romance! The key to writing good romance is to make the reader want something before you give it to them. That first bit is not as easy as that second bit.) But it’s also about friendship, adventure, fighting against usurping throne-stealers all over the place, and an ensemble cast that includes more than one woman! (Hear that? There are multiple female leads on the good-guy side.) Plus, the plot took a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and sometimes the author psyched me out by leading me down a path of a fantasy trope and then saying “nope! I’m cooler than that.”
I also have to give Brewer props for one of the most awesome uses of Checkov’s Gun I’ve ever seen. I’m a HUGE sucker for Checkov’s Gun. I don’t know why; I’ve always been that way. I’ve been known to slap my space bar to pause a movie just so I can squee around the room for a few seconds when I realize a TV episode has done that. So when it happened in this book I literally put the book down and squee’d to the cat.
Brewer, in the voice of one of his princes, shows what it’s honestly like to be queer in today’s changing social climate:
Daniel wasn’t sure what his future would bring. Life as the whispered-about secret lover of the king. Life as the uneasily accepted consort of the king. Life ruling upon the throne beside the king and beloved by the citizens. Daniel didn’t care, as long as his life included Philip.
Some other little notes I enjoyed for personal reasons: when one prince’s friend rushes up to both princes and says “Your Highness!” and then has to explain which one he meant, it reminded me of my mom saying “Honey” and both me and my stepdad saying “Which one?” (Welcome to the South. The writer is Southern, too, so it’s possible he got the idea from that.) I also loved the way the birthday fairies, each responsible for royal children born on their assigned day of the week, have somewhat Germanic names. (Mitta is the Wednesday fairy from Mittwoch, for example.) My origins are half from Germany so it’s nice to see that stuff in English-language fantasy, which is often very “fake Welsh” or at least somewhat UK-ish in general. (I mean, they come by it honestly. They’ve given us JKR and JRRT. And Lewis.)
This book is flippant, but expertly crafted and full of truths. As one of the princes tells the other in the middle of a scene straight out of Roald Dahl: “Come on, Daniel, surrender to the ridiculous!”
June 13, 2015
I adored The Rules of Ever After. I knew going into it that it would probably capture my heart and mind, because I am a lover of the fantasy genre, fairy tales, and YA literature.
I was not disappointed.
Brewer has created a world as vivid as any I’ve seen. The setting descriptions create a picture immediately in the reader’s mind. The plays on words that he integrated into the place names, as well as the connections between the settings and their rulers, flags, and symbols are all links that drew me deeper into the world he has built so effectively. No word or detail is wasted. Everything connects and brings more depth to the story.
His characters are equally well-written. I could often tell which character was speaking without seeing a dialogue tag because each individual character had such a unique voice in the story. Most characters are much more than they appear at the beginning. Readers quickly discover that what appears to be a stereotypical princess in this book gets turned around in surprising ways.
There is nothing stereotypical about this fairy tale.
We have princesses who discover that the rules applied to princesses are better off broken; stepmothers who are multifaceted, not just plain evil for the sake of needing an antagonist; princes who fall in love with each other; and a happily ever after that breaks all of the rules. The twists and turns of the story aren’t completely unexpected, but watching the plot play out as the story progressed was a ton of fun.
Brewer’s writing is tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek. I mean seriously, the evil step-mother’s name translates to “Nightmare”. There is a kingdom named after facial features. The comedy was perfectly intertwined with the story so that it never became campy, but interjected enough laugh-out-loud moments to entertain all the way through.
I can’t wait for my 11 year old daughter to read The Rules of Ever After, and I plan to gift it to the libraries of both of our local high schools. This is a book you won’t want to miss.
I was not disappointed.
Brewer has created a world as vivid as any I’ve seen. The setting descriptions create a picture immediately in the reader’s mind. The plays on words that he integrated into the place names, as well as the connections between the settings and their rulers, flags, and symbols are all links that drew me deeper into the world he has built so effectively. No word or detail is wasted. Everything connects and brings more depth to the story.
His characters are equally well-written. I could often tell which character was speaking without seeing a dialogue tag because each individual character had such a unique voice in the story. Most characters are much more than they appear at the beginning. Readers quickly discover that what appears to be a stereotypical princess in this book gets turned around in surprising ways.
There is nothing stereotypical about this fairy tale.
We have princesses who discover that the rules applied to princesses are better off broken; stepmothers who are multifaceted, not just plain evil for the sake of needing an antagonist; princes who fall in love with each other; and a happily ever after that breaks all of the rules. The twists and turns of the story aren’t completely unexpected, but watching the plot play out as the story progressed was a ton of fun.
Brewer’s writing is tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek. I mean seriously, the evil step-mother’s name translates to “Nightmare”. There is a kingdom named after facial features. The comedy was perfectly intertwined with the story so that it never became campy, but interjected enough laugh-out-loud moments to entertain all the way through.
I can’t wait for my 11 year old daughter to read The Rules of Ever After, and I plan to gift it to the libraries of both of our local high schools. This is a book you won’t want to miss.
October 18, 2015
4,5 stars. Was really good. Sweet and engaging. Review @STRW
I usually don’t read young adult books, but lately I found myself intrigued by all the covers of a new publisher called Interlude Press. There imprint for YA stories and I was really curious about The Rules of Ever After. I was interested by the blurb but the book was not what I was expecting, it was so much more. Not only a YA but a fairytale, just what I was in the mood for. So here I am. Moreover it is the debut novel by this new author, Killian B. Brewer. Surprisingly perfect! Well written, engaging, funny, amazing!
The Rules of Ever After tells the story of Prince Phillip and Prince David and their adventures all around the kingdoms of Clamareer, looking for an evil stepmother and a cure for a curse.
My lovely main characters are surrounded by a lot of people, all of them interesting, funny and crazy too. Like Mitta and her fairy sisters, the main troublemakers with their magical wands. But they are just an example. The book is continuous new meetings, of new little enterprises to reach all that will help Phillip and David to slowly know what is in front of them.
The book is really really well written, with a delicate and precious style, intelligent and full of humour. The author chose to use various point of views, not just the MCs’ ones and honestly it wasn’t confusing or too much at once. On the contrary, I think it was the right way to develop the fairytale in the best way possible. Especially in the different references to our beloved bedtime (and not only) stories.
I want to recommend The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer cause it was an easy read, never boring and masterfully done, unexpectedly suggestive and poetic. I could see all of the adventures through Killian’s words. I can’t praise the author enough, I can’t wait to read more by him.
Cover designed by Buckeyegrrl Designs. It caught my attention from the start, cause it’s different. I like it!
I usually don’t read young adult books, but lately I found myself intrigued by all the covers of a new publisher called Interlude Press. There imprint for YA stories and I was really curious about The Rules of Ever After. I was interested by the blurb but the book was not what I was expecting, it was so much more. Not only a YA but a fairytale, just what I was in the mood for. So here I am. Moreover it is the debut novel by this new author, Killian B. Brewer. Surprisingly perfect! Well written, engaging, funny, amazing!
The Rules of Ever After tells the story of Prince Phillip and Prince David and their adventures all around the kingdoms of Clamareer, looking for an evil stepmother and a cure for a curse.
My lovely main characters are surrounded by a lot of people, all of them interesting, funny and crazy too. Like Mitta and her fairy sisters, the main troublemakers with their magical wands. But they are just an example. The book is continuous new meetings, of new little enterprises to reach all that will help Phillip and David to slowly know what is in front of them.
The book is really really well written, with a delicate and precious style, intelligent and full of humour. The author chose to use various point of views, not just the MCs’ ones and honestly it wasn’t confusing or too much at once. On the contrary, I think it was the right way to develop the fairytale in the best way possible. Especially in the different references to our beloved bedtime (and not only) stories.
I want to recommend The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer cause it was an easy read, never boring and masterfully done, unexpectedly suggestive and poetic. I could see all of the adventures through Killian’s words. I can’t praise the author enough, I can’t wait to read more by him.
Cover designed by Buckeyegrrl Designs. It caught my attention from the start, cause it’s different. I like it!
July 30, 2015
I definitely recommend this one!
I love YA, and this was a great one. I have never been much into fairytale books, which makes how much I enjoyed this one a testament to how good it is.
This book is definitely a feel good book. The characters are likeable, funny, sweet, etc. I laughed out loud while reading this, and looked forward to bedtime -- my reading time -- every day.I rooted for Phillip and Daniel the whole time. I loved Brewers female characters, and applaud the way he wrote them and their stories -- he made them whole, gave them their own journeys and growth in a way that didn't make them mere devices to move the plot forward. That's very refreshing.
I love YA, and this was a great one. I have never been much into fairytale books, which makes how much I enjoyed this one a testament to how good it is.
This book is definitely a feel good book. The characters are likeable, funny, sweet, etc. I laughed out loud while reading this, and looked forward to bedtime -- my reading time -- every day.I rooted for Phillip and Daniel the whole time. I loved Brewers female characters, and applaud the way he wrote them and their stories -- he made them whole, gave them their own journeys and growth in a way that didn't make them mere devices to move the plot forward. That's very refreshing.
May 27, 2016
“Your happiness shouldn’t deny another’s happiness. Don’t ever try to deny a person their happily ever after.”
Lovely and adorable book about everything I love. I love many things but give me a prince, a princess, a knight, kingdoms and adventures and I’m certainly going to love it.
The author gave me 2 wonderful princes, meant to fall in love and be together against all odds. Then he gave me a lot of badass princesses willing to go against the rules to get themselves their happily ever after. What else? He gave me a knight, a beautiful, funny and brave knight with a thirst for adventures. And finally, he gave me a scribe, an adorable little guy with the talent to write every event he’s seen during his life.
“This is the answer to Phillip’s marriage problem.”
“I don’t have a marriage problem. I’m not married. No problem.”
Rules, rules, rules! Our Phillip is stuck with so many rules he has to obey that his life is always boring an uneventful. His stepmother wants him to marry the princess who can pass the pea under 20 mattresses test. Phillip doesn’t want to get married to a princess; he likes princes so he does everything is his power to make the poor princesses fail. This brings so many hilarious situations in the future that he can’t imagine!
“Well, Philly,” she said and shrugged, “it appears Thora was right, and your gate swings to that side of the pasture!”
Thanks to this silly test, he meets Prince Daniel. Daniel is wandering the kingdoms with his knight and best friend, James, to find a cure for his insomnia curse. Two years without sleeping, don’t sound fun at all. Fate wants that Daniel is also interest in princes rather than princesses. Isn’t fate wonderful? Unfortunately, there’s an evil witch because a fairytale without a witch is not possible. This evil sorcerer, she is also Phillip’s stepmother, wants to rule the kingdoms and she is willing to do anything to succeed.
“Oh, Sleeping Heavenly Peas! Best investment I ever made.”
What happens? She does evil things that take our princes, followed by Peter the scribe, James the knight, and a mystery guest, to wander from one kingdom to another to look for help to defeat the witch. Little they know that the princesses, who failed the “pea test” and were declared unfitted to be princesses by the evil witch, are out there and they want revenge on our very own Prince Phillip. What he thought was an innocent trick not to marry any of them, was instead the bringer of suffering on the poor girls.
“Come on. We need to go rescue the damsel in distress from herself.”
Not very poor, they have very strong personalities and they sure know what they want. They won’t have the ridiculous rules tell them what to do with their lives. That’s exactly what Prince Phillip needs; he knows he can’t marry a woman but he thinks he can’t marry a man because the rules say a man and a woman must marry, become king and queen, reign over a kingdom and produce heirs etc etc. The rules are stupid! Phillip will grow so much throughout the book from these encounters and he will gain so much from each one of them.
“I sat around for two years waiting for someone to come along and fix my problems. No one came, and nothing changed. Then I realized that maybe the person I was waiting for was me. So I went out to find my own answers.”
The author is using these fairytales references to show us how dumb our society is. Giving us standard behaviors to follow, a mold to fit in, and only one thing to believe in. That’s not fair because the beauty about being human is that we can choose the path that suits us, may it be the path chosen by others or a totally different path we choose for ourselves. Our path may change: what I like today, I won’t like tomorrow or I will like it forever. There’s not a rule, how can there be a rule if we evolve everyday learning from what’s around us, from our mistakes and experiences?
“Believe it or not, some people are happy just to see you be happy.”
The beauty about this book is that it’s magical, it takes you to many different kingdoms but you still feel like it’s a contemporary book. It has all the elements mixed perfectly in an adorable fairytale with beautiful characters and overwhelming feelings, feelings fueled by anger, adventure, family, friendship, and love.
So, long story short: If you don’t like it, change it.
Lovely and adorable book about everything I love. I love many things but give me a prince, a princess, a knight, kingdoms and adventures and I’m certainly going to love it.
The author gave me 2 wonderful princes, meant to fall in love and be together against all odds. Then he gave me a lot of badass princesses willing to go against the rules to get themselves their happily ever after. What else? He gave me a knight, a beautiful, funny and brave knight with a thirst for adventures. And finally, he gave me a scribe, an adorable little guy with the talent to write every event he’s seen during his life.
“This is the answer to Phillip’s marriage problem.”
“I don’t have a marriage problem. I’m not married. No problem.”
Rules, rules, rules! Our Phillip is stuck with so many rules he has to obey that his life is always boring an uneventful. His stepmother wants him to marry the princess who can pass the pea under 20 mattresses test. Phillip doesn’t want to get married to a princess; he likes princes so he does everything is his power to make the poor princesses fail. This brings so many hilarious situations in the future that he can’t imagine!
“Well, Philly,” she said and shrugged, “it appears Thora was right, and your gate swings to that side of the pasture!”
Thanks to this silly test, he meets Prince Daniel. Daniel is wandering the kingdoms with his knight and best friend, James, to find a cure for his insomnia curse. Two years without sleeping, don’t sound fun at all. Fate wants that Daniel is also interest in princes rather than princesses. Isn’t fate wonderful? Unfortunately, there’s an evil witch because a fairytale without a witch is not possible. This evil sorcerer, she is also Phillip’s stepmother, wants to rule the kingdoms and she is willing to do anything to succeed.
“Oh, Sleeping Heavenly Peas! Best investment I ever made.”
What happens? She does evil things that take our princes, followed by Peter the scribe, James the knight, and a mystery guest, to wander from one kingdom to another to look for help to defeat the witch. Little they know that the princesses, who failed the “pea test” and were declared unfitted to be princesses by the evil witch, are out there and they want revenge on our very own Prince Phillip. What he thought was an innocent trick not to marry any of them, was instead the bringer of suffering on the poor girls.
“Come on. We need to go rescue the damsel in distress from herself.”
Not very poor, they have very strong personalities and they sure know what they want. They won’t have the ridiculous rules tell them what to do with their lives. That’s exactly what Prince Phillip needs; he knows he can’t marry a woman but he thinks he can’t marry a man because the rules say a man and a woman must marry, become king and queen, reign over a kingdom and produce heirs etc etc. The rules are stupid! Phillip will grow so much throughout the book from these encounters and he will gain so much from each one of them.
“I sat around for two years waiting for someone to come along and fix my problems. No one came, and nothing changed. Then I realized that maybe the person I was waiting for was me. So I went out to find my own answers.”
The author is using these fairytales references to show us how dumb our society is. Giving us standard behaviors to follow, a mold to fit in, and only one thing to believe in. That’s not fair because the beauty about being human is that we can choose the path that suits us, may it be the path chosen by others or a totally different path we choose for ourselves. Our path may change: what I like today, I won’t like tomorrow or I will like it forever. There’s not a rule, how can there be a rule if we evolve everyday learning from what’s around us, from our mistakes and experiences?
“Believe it or not, some people are happy just to see you be happy.”
The beauty about this book is that it’s magical, it takes you to many different kingdoms but you still feel like it’s a contemporary book. It has all the elements mixed perfectly in an adorable fairytale with beautiful characters and overwhelming feelings, feelings fueled by anger, adventure, family, friendship, and love.
So, long story short: If you don’t like it, change it.
February 21, 2016
4.5 stars and 5 stars rounded up on Goodreads for this amazing book that managed to fix my 'bad book' reading slump. As I understand, this is this author's first book that was published and, yes, gimme more author, please.
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS(I'll make it short, swear)
So, basically the premise of this book is a mashup of all kinds of fairy tales and it's also a mashup of, like, a thousand characters. The writing is pretty good and the humor as well. When you realize that all of the 'ridiculous' is actually there to make the book itself feel like a sort of a fairy tale, you start getting used to it and in he end, you find it strange if something isn't done in a very strange way. There isn't much more I can say about this book, other than that the diversity made it very enjoyable to read. It was quite enjoyable and a refreshing kind of book.
The only problems I have and the problems that make this book not a full five stars and actually dropped it to 4.3 or something are:
-the crazy amount of characters and POV's
-the meddling fairies
-the constant interruption of important moments by something or other
All in all, a good book by an author I'm going to keep an eye on.
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS(I'll make it short, swear)
So, basically the premise of this book is a mashup of all kinds of fairy tales and it's also a mashup of, like, a thousand characters. The writing is pretty good and the humor as well. When you realize that all of the 'ridiculous' is actually there to make the book itself feel like a sort of a fairy tale, you start getting used to it and in he end, you find it strange if something isn't done in a very strange way. There isn't much more I can say about this book, other than that the diversity made it very enjoyable to read. It was quite enjoyable and a refreshing kind of book.
The only problems I have and the problems that make this book not a full five stars and actually dropped it to 4.3 or something are:
-the crazy amount of characters and POV's
-the meddling fairies
-the constant interruption of important moments by something or other
All in all, a good book by an author I'm going to keep an eye on.
did-not-finish
September 19, 2021This book reads like it is a story a twelve year old is telling their little siblings at bedtime. And those kids will be fast asleep in no time at all because of how boring it is.
After a rather pointless prologue we're spoon-fed backstories and plans, just like the author said “Suspense? Not in my book!”
Maybe Prince Daniel should have just read this book. I'm pretty sure it would have cured his insomnia curse right away.
P.S. I'm not giving it a rating, because I feel like I'm actually not the target audience and six year olds probably may like it the way it is written. I just don't know.
After a rather pointless prologue we're spoon-fed backstories and plans, just like the author said “Suspense? Not in my book!”
Maybe Prince Daniel should have just read this book. I'm pretty sure it would have cured his insomnia curse right away.
P.S. I'm not giving it a rating, because I feel like I'm actually not the target audience and six year olds probably may like it the way it is written. I just don't know.
June 14, 2015
With a pinch of Sleeping Beauty and a dash of Tangled via a Pride parade in a distant land called Clarameer. This story was a joy from the first fairy with her pink rainbow bubbles, to the final rose petal page. I loved the burgeoning relationship between the two Princes, and their journey through secrets and misunderstandings. Furthermore a cast of Princesses content to carve their own path gives this tale a wonderful dose of independence. Brewer's writing is joyful, nuanced and full of fun. Now quick, someone call Disney. This is a tale long overdue!
October 4, 2017
It is time to write one's own rules about one's life! Princess, Princesses, witches, travelling, romance, curses and blessings, and more!
I am back at one of my favourite YA groups on Goodreads, which means tons of fun challenges, including the Blind Date Challenge. My partner and I had to pick a book and we decided on this one, and boy, I already loved it from just reading the blurb/seeing the cover, but I love the book even more after reading it.
We have 3 POV, though 2 of them are the main POVs and we see them the most.
1. Philip. The prince who is stuck with a wicked stepmom, a curse that will probably do a lot of harm, some stupid decisions (though they brought a big laugh to me, I would have done the same as him. Especially when one is gay and has absolutely no interest in those silly, frilly princesses that he needs to marry.). At first I didn't quite like him. Sure, he was sweet, he was kind, but he was also insecure, didn't dare to do a whole lot of things, he just seemed a bit too much like the standard prince, and at times didn't get the most obvious of clues (like when he said that Daniel was just his friend and was confused when Daniel walked away in a huff).
But as the story continues, as the adventures get more and more harrowing, as he encounters angry family members (because due to his (or well his stepmom's test) people believe the princesses who failed are NO princesses), he becomes more and more like the king he will once be. He takes responsibility, he tries to help out wherever he can, he really grows up in these few months of adventuring.
2. Daniel. Ah, I loved Daniel from the start. He was kind, sweet, brave, adventurous, and I could see him become a king. Sadly, his older brother is the one who gets the throne. :( Like Philip he is gay, but unlike Philip, Daniel is out and proud. His family supports him whenever they can.
I felt sorry for him for his curse. But then again, I would take no sleeping over dying any day. Well, I say that, but maybe after 2 years I would also be bonkers from it and just want to knock myself out so I can rest. :P
3. Kitty. Sorry, I didn't like this girl at all, I was more than happy when her POV disappeared for most of the book. I am not sure how to explain my dislike, it is just a feeling I have. I just wanted to shake this girl a bit.
Of course there are also other characters that travel with Philip and Daniel. Out of those my favourite was Gwen. I just love a girl who can handle herself, and isn't afraid to fight to help her friends.
The relationship between Philip and Daniel is one of the focus points of the book. In more than one way these two are just destined to be together. I was shipping them from the moment they laid eyes on each other. I am normally not a big fan of instant love, but I could forgive it in this one as they just matched too well. They complimented each other.
Though I had some frustrations. These two clearly want to kiss, but it doesn't happen for a long long time. Every time it got close I was just shouting at my book (to the annoyance and hilarity of my boyfriend). But in the end I get why it took so long for the kiss to come. I won't spoil anything, but I am sure that those who read it will understand what I mean.
The adventure, the fights, the ending, I loved it all. It was just so exciting and I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know if our heroes would be safe. If Philip and Daniel would get together. If the evil stepmom would be defeated.
There are also numerous references to fairy tales. Not only with the characters, but also the items they encounter, the curses and blessings, everything is just drenched by fairy tales. It was fabulous. I had lots of fun figuring out some of the harder references. :)
I did have one point that I didn't entirely like. The fact that everyone BLAMED Philip for the princesses and how they were treated afterwards. Um, hello, it is not his fault that they have to do this testing, it is the stepmom. Same goes for other things. Again, not his fault. But can this guy get any sympathy? Oh no, of course not. I just got pissed at people wanting to kill Philip. :|
Plus I am not sure what to think of the fairies. I did like the whole blessing part, but I didn't like the curses or the fact that they just seemed to forget about them. It was hilarious that they just popped up when there was an event happening.
All in all, a hilarious, cute, fun, adventurous, romantic story that I would highly recommend.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I am back at one of my favourite YA groups on Goodreads, which means tons of fun challenges, including the Blind Date Challenge. My partner and I had to pick a book and we decided on this one, and boy, I already loved it from just reading the blurb/seeing the cover, but I love the book even more after reading it.
We have 3 POV, though 2 of them are the main POVs and we see them the most.
1. Philip. The prince who is stuck with a wicked stepmom, a curse that will probably do a lot of harm, some stupid decisions (though they brought a big laugh to me, I would have done the same as him. Especially when one is gay and has absolutely no interest in those silly, frilly princesses that he needs to marry.). At first I didn't quite like him. Sure, he was sweet, he was kind, but he was also insecure, didn't dare to do a whole lot of things, he just seemed a bit too much like the standard prince, and at times didn't get the most obvious of clues (like when he said that Daniel was just his friend and was confused when Daniel walked away in a huff).
But as the story continues, as the adventures get more and more harrowing, as he encounters angry family members (because due to his (or well his stepmom's test) people believe the princesses who failed are NO princesses), he becomes more and more like the king he will once be. He takes responsibility, he tries to help out wherever he can, he really grows up in these few months of adventuring.
2. Daniel. Ah, I loved Daniel from the start. He was kind, sweet, brave, adventurous, and I could see him become a king. Sadly, his older brother is the one who gets the throne. :( Like Philip he is gay, but unlike Philip, Daniel is out and proud. His family supports him whenever they can.
I felt sorry for him for his curse. But then again, I would take no sleeping over dying any day. Well, I say that, but maybe after 2 years I would also be bonkers from it and just want to knock myself out so I can rest. :P
3. Kitty. Sorry, I didn't like this girl at all, I was more than happy when her POV disappeared for most of the book. I am not sure how to explain my dislike, it is just a feeling I have. I just wanted to shake this girl a bit.
Of course there are also other characters that travel with Philip and Daniel. Out of those my favourite was Gwen. I just love a girl who can handle herself, and isn't afraid to fight to help her friends.
The relationship between Philip and Daniel is one of the focus points of the book. In more than one way these two are just destined to be together. I was shipping them from the moment they laid eyes on each other. I am normally not a big fan of instant love, but I could forgive it in this one as they just matched too well. They complimented each other.
Though I had some frustrations. These two clearly want to kiss, but it doesn't happen for a long long time. Every time it got close I was just shouting at my book (to the annoyance and hilarity of my boyfriend). But in the end I get why it took so long for the kiss to come. I won't spoil anything, but I am sure that those who read it will understand what I mean.
The adventure, the fights, the ending, I loved it all. It was just so exciting and I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know if our heroes would be safe. If Philip and Daniel would get together. If the evil stepmom would be defeated.
There are also numerous references to fairy tales. Not only with the characters, but also the items they encounter, the curses and blessings, everything is just drenched by fairy tales. It was fabulous. I had lots of fun figuring out some of the harder references. :)
I did have one point that I didn't entirely like. The fact that everyone BLAMED Philip for the princesses and how they were treated afterwards. Um, hello, it is not his fault that they have to do this testing, it is the stepmom. Same goes for other things. Again, not his fault. But can this guy get any sympathy? Oh no, of course not. I just got pissed at people wanting to kill Philip. :|
Plus I am not sure what to think of the fairies. I did like the whole blessing part, but I didn't like the curses or the fact that they just seemed to forget about them. It was hilarious that they just popped up when there was an event happening.
All in all, a hilarious, cute, fun, adventurous, romantic story that I would highly recommend.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 3, 2019
3.5*
This was just a delightful little book. A fun and different take on a fairytale retelling, considering a whole plethora of fairytales were incorporated. Although there was a lot going on, and a great big cast of characters that made it difficult at times to keep up, it was highly entertaining and I definitely enjoyed it!
This was just a delightful little book. A fun and different take on a fairytale retelling, considering a whole plethora of fairytales were incorporated. Although there was a lot going on, and a great big cast of characters that made it difficult at times to keep up, it was highly entertaining and I definitely enjoyed it!
February 20, 2018
THIS BOOK WAS SO FUN AND CUTE im so happy : ,)
April 27, 2021
Het idee was leuk, uitvoering wat minder. Ging vaak van hot naar her, en het verhaal ging ook erg snel en was voorspelbaar.
June 10, 2015
I was fortunate enough to have been given the supreme privilege of being an advance reader for Killian B. Brewer’s first novel, The Rules of Ever After. I tend to read young adult literature almost exclusively. This is primarily because I truly enjoy the fresh, wonderfully written, engaging worlds that young adult literature has in spades. As such, I have been thrilled the past few years with the resurgence of quality YA literature, and with its widespread appeal that now includes more and more adult fans. The Rules of Ever After is in a position to join this collection.
I’d like to, first of all, talk about what this book is not. It is not a book about coming out. It is not about a gay teenage boy and his struggle to fit into an unaccepting high school society. It is not about being bullied for trying to be who you are in a world that may not be ready for you. It is not about trying to navigate your family dynamics, your friendships, and your interests, all while questioning your own sexuality. In short, it is not an example of an LGBT Young Adult Realistic Fiction. Don’t get me wrong – I love and consistently devour that particular genre. In fact, most of my favorite reads of the past few years have been of this ilk, and there are many fantastic examples that come readily to mind. My point, though, is that this book stands apart. It is actually the only book of its kind that I have read, and the fact that it is so unique, while still being completely accessible to teens, is a credit to its author.
I say all of this not to imply that the protagonist’s sexuality does not feature in the book - it just really isn’t about that. Prince Phillip of Bellemer is being pressured to find a lovely young Princess to settle down with in order to rise to the throne that is rightfully his. Instead, his efforts are spent sabotaging the “Princess test” that all potential partners must endure – the inability to sleep peacefully on a stack of twenty mattresses covering a tiny pea. By ensuring that none of the Princesses are able to pass the test, Prince Phillip has managed to delay his unwanted nuptials. When one night, he enters the testing room to discover a handsome man on the gigantic bed, he is thrown for a loop, especially since it appears that this man is, in fact, a Prince himself. The two set off on an adventure across the Lands of Clarameer in search of Prince Phillip’s evil stepmother, and along the way, begin to unravel the feelings they are harbouring for each other.
Killian B. Brewer has shaped a fantastic world in his first novel. His characters are true, with enchanting and feisty secondary characters fleshing out the story; his humour is refreshing, his setting captivating, and his plot very absorbing. The importance of this book is evidenced in the fact that it is a rare example of a YA fantasy novel featuring strong LGBT characters that will appeal to those looking for romance as well as a grand adventure.
I also feel that it is important to point out that this book would fit perfectly into a middle-grade collection as well. Finding mature reads that are still appropriate for elementary school students is something I struggle with regularly, and I can say without hesitation that this would be a good fit for both upper elementary and high school. And, of course, for those of us who consider ourselves adults who need a little YA in our lives!
I’d like to, first of all, talk about what this book is not. It is not a book about coming out. It is not about a gay teenage boy and his struggle to fit into an unaccepting high school society. It is not about being bullied for trying to be who you are in a world that may not be ready for you. It is not about trying to navigate your family dynamics, your friendships, and your interests, all while questioning your own sexuality. In short, it is not an example of an LGBT Young Adult Realistic Fiction. Don’t get me wrong – I love and consistently devour that particular genre. In fact, most of my favorite reads of the past few years have been of this ilk, and there are many fantastic examples that come readily to mind. My point, though, is that this book stands apart. It is actually the only book of its kind that I have read, and the fact that it is so unique, while still being completely accessible to teens, is a credit to its author.
I say all of this not to imply that the protagonist’s sexuality does not feature in the book - it just really isn’t about that. Prince Phillip of Bellemer is being pressured to find a lovely young Princess to settle down with in order to rise to the throne that is rightfully his. Instead, his efforts are spent sabotaging the “Princess test” that all potential partners must endure – the inability to sleep peacefully on a stack of twenty mattresses covering a tiny pea. By ensuring that none of the Princesses are able to pass the test, Prince Phillip has managed to delay his unwanted nuptials. When one night, he enters the testing room to discover a handsome man on the gigantic bed, he is thrown for a loop, especially since it appears that this man is, in fact, a Prince himself. The two set off on an adventure across the Lands of Clarameer in search of Prince Phillip’s evil stepmother, and along the way, begin to unravel the feelings they are harbouring for each other.
Killian B. Brewer has shaped a fantastic world in his first novel. His characters are true, with enchanting and feisty secondary characters fleshing out the story; his humour is refreshing, his setting captivating, and his plot very absorbing. The importance of this book is evidenced in the fact that it is a rare example of a YA fantasy novel featuring strong LGBT characters that will appeal to those looking for romance as well as a grand adventure.
I also feel that it is important to point out that this book would fit perfectly into a middle-grade collection as well. Finding mature reads that are still appropriate for elementary school students is something I struggle with regularly, and I can say without hesitation that this would be a good fit for both upper elementary and high school. And, of course, for those of us who consider ourselves adults who need a little YA in our lives!
June 13, 2015
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that captures its grandeur. Every adjective I come up with is diminishing. Fairy tale. Humor. Adventure. Trope-bending. Epic. It's more than the sum of its parts. Though, per "epic" it is quite long. Too long to be a light romp. This, my friends, is a novel.
It has multiple plot lines that all come together at the end! Different perspectives that are so fluid they aren't jolting. Puns that evoke happiness, not despair.
Anyway, Prince Phillip is living a Hamlet-esque existence with his evil aunt-turned-stepmother, who's trying to marry him off to various princesses for Reasons, and he keeps thwarting her for Other Reasons, and then halfway through the book everything's New Reasons, which, spoiler. When Phillip finds a man-prince in his bed instead of another woman-princess, he gets an idea.
Which, right there, isn't that our secret fantasy? Marrying a royal of our appropriate gender and living happier ever after? I mean, it's mine.
Anyway, Prince Daniel, meanwhile, is living a Prince Harry-like existence. He decides to go wandering about with his bros all over the kingdom. Also, he has Insomnia. THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Everyone but the villain is nice, affable, funny, and heroic. This is a "light" novel, but it is not a "shallow" novel. It is escapist in the best sense.
Killian states in his bio that it took 20 years to produce this novel. Which 1) shows in its glorious tight details and his GRRM world-building, and 2) is an international tragedy, because he should be writing one a year.
I don't know how to describe this book in a way that captures its grandeur. Every adjective I come up with is diminishing. Fairy tale. Humor. Adventure. Trope-bending. Epic. It's more than the sum of its parts. Though, per "epic" it is quite long. Too long to be a light romp. This, my friends, is a novel.
It has multiple plot lines that all come together at the end! Different perspectives that are so fluid they aren't jolting. Puns that evoke happiness, not despair.
Anyway, Prince Phillip is living a Hamlet-esque existence with his evil aunt-turned-stepmother, who's trying to marry him off to various princesses for Reasons, and he keeps thwarting her for Other Reasons, and then halfway through the book everything's New Reasons, which, spoiler. When Phillip finds a man-prince in his bed instead of another woman-princess, he gets an idea.
Which, right there, isn't that our secret fantasy? Marrying a royal of our appropriate gender and living happier ever after? I mean, it's mine.
Anyway, Prince Daniel, meanwhile, is living a Prince Harry-like existence. He decides to go wandering about with his bros all over the kingdom. Also, he has Insomnia. THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Everyone but the villain is nice, affable, funny, and heroic. This is a "light" novel, but it is not a "shallow" novel. It is escapist in the best sense.
Killian states in his bio that it took 20 years to produce this novel. Which 1) shows in its glorious tight details and his GRRM world-building, and 2) is an international tragedy, because he should be writing one a year.
September 4, 2015
I'm glad I stumbled over this one! :)
Prince Phillip and Prince Daniel took me on an adventure that was everything I could have hoped for. Their journey was truly entertaining - funny, tender, full of bravery, friendship and hope. Oh, and love. Can't have a book without that, can we? (I can't)
There wasn't a dull moment, the world was richly crafted and the multiple characters pretty endearing all in their own, unique way! I'm not a big fan of "books with a ton of people in it", they often seem like page fillers to me, but I really had fun getting to know Phillip, James, Daniel, Peter, Gwen and all those other princessy princesses and brave boys.
While Phillip and Daniel were obviously my OTP, I really adored James and Gwen together, and Peter and Katerine were so made for each other as well! :)
The Rules of Ever After should get its own animated movie, me thinks. That's something our kids truly need to see come "to live".
Prince Phillip and Prince Daniel took me on an adventure that was everything I could have hoped for. Their journey was truly entertaining - funny, tender, full of bravery, friendship and hope. Oh, and love. Can't have a book without that, can we?
"Those rules were written by and for different people. Not us. These are our lives. Why should we not write our own rules for happily ever after?"
There wasn't a dull moment, the world was richly crafted and the multiple characters pretty endearing all in their own, unique way! I'm not a big fan of "books with a ton of people in it", they often seem like page fillers to me, but I really had fun getting to know Phillip, James, Daniel, Peter, Gwen and all those other princessy princesses and brave boys.
While Phillip and Daniel were obviously my OTP, I really adored James and Gwen together, and Peter and Katerine were so made for each other as well! :)
The Rules of Ever After should get its own animated movie, me thinks. That's something our kids truly need to see come "to live".
February 26, 2019
I loved this.
This was the fairy tale I always wanted. It's fun, it's light, it has twists on actual fairy tales, and it is very gay.
I also liked that the story goes against everything that is expected. Rejected princesses that don't care that they are rejected, princesses that decide that fighting is better that sitting on a throne, princes that marry princes, princesses that marry princesses, the lost prince decides not to take the throne... There are so many small plot twists that make this story an amazing read.
The first kiss between Phillip and Daniel was hilarious too.
Basically, this is the gay fairy tale Disney won't produce, because they don't have the guts to do it.
This was the fairy tale I always wanted. It's fun, it's light, it has twists on actual fairy tales, and it is very gay.
I also liked that the story goes against everything that is expected. Rejected princesses that don't care that they are rejected, princesses that decide that fighting is better that sitting on a throne, princes that marry princes, princesses that marry princesses, the lost prince decides not to take the throne... There are so many small plot twists that make this story an amazing read.
The first kiss between Phillip and Daniel was hilarious too.
Basically, this is the gay fairy tale Disney won't produce, because they don't have the guts to do it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2015
This was so wonderful!!!
Do you have moments when you have abosluetly no idea what to read but nothing appeals to you though, no high fantasy and no sexy romance? Well, I was like that. Emphasis on was. This kind of cured me and even made my day.
It's a book filled with happiness. Fairytales, knights in shining armour, wicthes, lost princesses, princes, enchanted peas and what not.
If you are in need of a good laugh or simply a good time, do yourself a favour and read this book ^^
Do you have moments when you have abosluetly no idea what to read but nothing appeals to you though, no high fantasy and no sexy romance? Well, I was like that. Emphasis on was. This kind of cured me and even made my day.
It's a book filled with happiness. Fairytales, knights in shining armour, wicthes, lost princesses, princes, enchanted peas and what not.
If you are in need of a good laugh or simply a good time, do yourself a favour and read this book ^^
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