The Tales of Arcana Fortune

by Hafsa A. Jawad

Seven nights, Seven tales

Young healer Serena Rose has always dreamed of fairytales, but the chances of finding true love living alone in the a cottage by the wood are… slim. Instead, she spends her days chasing down mischievous woodland critters, brewing tonics, and taking care of her family's ancient records of fairytales, many of which have been outlawed in the kingdom of Lumina where she resides.

However her quiet life is upended when she is approached by a dark haired stranger searching for a book in her family’s collection, The Tales of Arcana Fortune. In between searching for more information on the book, and fighting their budding attraction, they accidentally free a malicious immortal sealed with an ancient spell.

Cursed to be trapped in a different fairytale each night, Serena must find a way through her trials all the while trying not to lose her life, her freedom, and her heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Young Adult, Retellings, Magic

403 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2025

About the author

Hafsa has pink hair, a white bunny named Meeko and no clue what she’s doing most of the time. She’s been a bookish artist since 2018 and The Tales of Arcana Fortune is her debut novel. She loves tea, romance books, musicals, anime and food so spicy it brings tears to your eyes.

Reviews

[fadheela ♡ (reading slump semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⤿ 💌 10/06/25
4 stars, rtc. I really didn't expect this book to be SO GOOD?? the last few chapters had me crying frrr 😭 Grim & Serena were literally so cute 🤧💓

⤿ 💌 30/05/25
I lowkey requested for this arc because the artwork gave the vibes of OUABH 🙈💖 I have been in a slump due to academic stress, so hopefully this one makes up for my lost reading pace!😩🤞🏻

[♡✿Mania⁠✿♡ ꒰ semi-ia ꒱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Chelsea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, it was all too rushed. With only a handful of chapters in each nightly fairytale dream, it lacked detail or depth. We rushed through every fairytale and there was no real struggle or risk. There were a few punctuation/grammatical errors and inconsistent capitalisation of the Sceptre.

On their 4th day of knowing each other Serena and Grim acknowledge that they’re the best friend either has had and a couple of days later they are the loves of each other’s lives. I know it’s meant to be a fairytale type story but they interacted so little. They had no chemistry.

It did read like a fanfiction of OUABH including the whimsical writing style and pink haired heroine. It wasn’t for me as it read very juvenile. All of the characters spoke like they were from a children’s story. Too much telling rather than showing and an abundance of adverbs used.


“He said darkly and swept away, taking his evil presence out of her garden.”

However, there are lots of f-bombs in it which didn’t fit at all with the story. There is also a suggestion of a sex scene.

The final thing was that it felt a little bit like a regurgitation of a thesaurus. At one point an injured arm is called an “abused appendage”. You can just repeat the use of arm, it’s okay.

I wanted to like it as I love all things fairytale alas… no 😔

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I’ve gone through my entire life alone, never feeling like anything was missing, but now that I’ve met you, Serena Rose, I feel like my life will never be the same without you in it.”

What an enchanting debut! Woven with classic fairytale elements beautifully which made me reminisce about all the wondrous tales I read as a child.

The Tales of Arcana Fortune reads as a love letter to beloved fairytales that made many of us believe in magic, hope, and the wonders of true love.

Serena Rose is a heroine full of whimsy and charm. Even in the face of grief and high-stake challenges, she had proven that you don't need a sword to persevere—your sharpest weapons can be your own wit and courage—even with an enigmatic companion.

The book is infused with whimsical magic, witty humor, fairytalesque ambience, wicked bargains, high-stakes trials, magical creatures, and once-in-a-life-time love.

Thank you Hafsa for gifting me with an eARC! It's been a delight going on this journey with your chaotic duo who I adore so much!

This book is perfect for fans of Once Upon A Broken Heart, Blackthorn and Grim trilogy, and classic fairytale enthusiasts who enjoy experiencing fairytales with a new twist!

[meteliqq · Rating 2 out of 5]

fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me. fool me like these romantasy books keep doing, shame on all of you. all of this to say, i have no idea why i keep falling for this romantasy charade.

i am so tired of this tropefication of books. while tropes were meant to ease the mind of the reader, in a way, to make choosing one’s next read easier, now they are just stamps to conform to; instead of conforming to the beauty of imagination and idiosyncrasy, the industry decides to tick off some dopamine kickers and move on. i am tired.

the idea was SO good, but the execution was subpar at best. the fairytale trials, while quite intriguing and interesting, were let down on a completely criminal level, charms of the idea washed down the toilet. the characters were boring, cliche, especially the mmc. the romance made no sense. no chemistry and no believability whatsoever. the writing was so into your face, no subtlety, just words spewed at you like you are five years old and lack critical thinking as well as media comprehension skills. the info dumps… jesus, even this review has more finesse then the prose does.

nevertheless i liked the what i can only assume was adhd representation. wasnt a big part, but just made my tiny adhd heart swell. also the humor was very good every now and then (you have no idea how much i cackled at the ‘kai gray’ part), i caught myself laughing out loud a couple of times. serena was quite interesting and lovely as a character, although obviously made to be the ‘not like other fmc in romantasy! she wants LOVE!’ and while i appreciate that, it was so clearly just another trope engendered for the sake of being a trope. the atmosphere was nice and cozy, i liked the fairytale vibes. other than that… just sad.

the author has potential however and i wish them all the best.

in conclusion, children, dont trust romantasy goodreads reviews anymore. when you are doubtful about reading a romantasy book, read the low star reviews first, they will most likely be unbiased and rightfully critical. toodles

[_booktique2_ D Amora · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE✨✨✨✨

A perfect cozy, whimsical fantasy, filled with fairytales we all love and know, an fmc with a heart of gold, and a mmc who will take your breath away.

I absolutely adored this book and it’s perfect for fans of ‘Once Upon a Broken Heart’ and ‘The Brothers Grimm Fairytales’. Picture reading this on a rainy day by the fireplace…trust. Because the vibes were IMMACULATE🥹 NEED MORE NOW!!!!!

[ೀ valeriaaa (school !)⊹ ᰔ]

04.04.26 update ! this has been picked up for traditional publishing so maybe i'll be able to give it another chance then !!!


soft dnfing @ page 101
knowing my unwavering love for fairytales and whimsy, ill probably come back to this eventually sometime, but im putting it on pause for now because i felt my interest for this book leave me so quickly.
as a serial ouabh lover i thought i'd love this. it def had those vibes but it just lacked so much and had little substance.
i wasnt interested in the history, there were errors in punctuation and grammar that i kept spotting, and overall im no longer excited for what happens next. it could have been explained better, and even the mmc made me feel nothing 😓 im also not that fond of serena, the fmc. she is gorgeous with her pink hair and fairytale-esque personality but all of a sudden we find out shes important for a reason i wouldnt even be able to tell u bc i have no idea. like i dont even remember that's how much idgaf. this is why i think the history could have been written better, because it's directly linked with serena. lots of things just didnt make sense or were sudden/random...
besides that, she swears so much and i have no idea why the author had to make such a point of making her curse, it wouldnt have been a problem but it doesnt align with her personality so it comes off as random?? 😭 the writing was beautiful as well, so i cant EXACTLY put my finger on what didnt work for me with this book, but ill write a more detailed opinion once i come back to it. trying to pull through has been putting me in a reading slump.
the author has got a lot of potential and i wish i'd liked this as much as some reviewers did.




pre-read: BACK TO ROMANTASIES! THIS IS A CUTE LITTLE FAIRYTALE and very newly released so i cant wait. already has ouabh vibesssss. 💘💘

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

I HAVE AN ARC AND AND I AM SO EXCITED TO READ IT SOON!

4 out of 5 stars!

Once upon a time, in the quiet corners of a reader’s heart, a new tale whispered its arrival—a debut spun from stardust and dreams. Long before I turned its first page, I could feel the magic shimmering in the air, as if the book itself had been stitched from the same threads as the bedtime fairytales I cherished as a child.

From the very first chapter, its spell was cast. The world between these pages shimmered with whimsy, glittered with romance, and danced with the kind of mischief only true fairytales dare to hold. Its charm reminded me dearly of the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy—a kingdom I adore with all my bookish soul—and to echo such magic is no small enchantment.

If your heart longs for something fresh yet timeless, playful yet poignant—something with a fiercely loveable heroine, a maddeningly swoon-worthy hero (or perhaps something even more deliciously complicated), and a romance that glows like fireflies in twilight—then look no further. This book is your next magical carriage ride into the land of just one more page.

Many thanks yet again for the author for granting me an early copy of this magical book!

[Ellie Readsalot · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'D at 75%

Oh my goodness.

I am so disappointed by this book. LIKE SO DISAPPOINTED.

I had high hopes...the highest hopes.

I started this book and LOVED it, I loved Aunt Maeve, I loved Serena and her character, her cute little role as a healer in the village, the vibes were there!

And then, sigh, the let down arrived.

Sir Kai Gray, A.K.A Grim. What is the obsession with using names such as 'Grim' or 'Gray' or 'Kai' in romantasy books?!

Anyways, there was absolutley no chemistry between these two, so I was firstly excited, I was like

"Omg, finally a real enemies to lovers situation."

No.

Because four days in to their little adventure, the morally gray MMC, turns to jello. All of a sudden he can smile??? And doesn't get grossed out when the FMC is bold enough to call him 'her best friend ever'

I know our FMC is a hermit who shelters away from life, and hasn't had friends and is incredibly lonely..but girl...calm the heck down! Who tells the morally gray MMC that they're your bestest friend ever, one day into the adventure..no one!

AND HE RESPONDS WITH SOMETHING LIKE 'YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND TOO.'

WHAT??!!!

then the plot twist or whatever was just stupid! And at some point I was beginning to hope, to pray, TO BEG, that maybe Lore was the love interest (yes, Lore, the villain of the story)

which by the way his reasoning for cursing these two was literally...nothing..there was no reason! He just created a larger threat for himself..

But then all of a sudden I'm reading this YA book...and the next they're doing it!

WHAT?!!

I think we need to reconfirm what YA is...

If you're going to so obviously advertise your book as a similar story to OUABH...take the fluffy element into it PAHLEASSEEEEE

Also wanted to say, this book was so like "this is what happened" there was no showing, we got told everything, the whole book just LACKED emotion, the FMC LACKED brains and the MMC LACKED consistency in his character.

The only good thing this book did successfully was allow me to put myself first.

I'm hungry, STARVED, for a 5 star read or just one that doesn't make me feel like I'm reading as a chore.

[reba ᧔ෆ᧓ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

the art in this book is so gorgeous and the characters were cute but apart from that i didn’t really feel a connection to this book.

it’s sad because this book had potential. it was just rushed and not explained well enough. but the whimsical vibe was definitely there!

[Aaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

Have you ever looked at a book cover or character art and just knew it was going to be your next favorite? That’s exactly how I felt with this one. The moment I saw the character art, I had to apply for the ARC. And let me tell you... it delivered everything I hoped for and more. 🥹

Thank you so much Hafsa for approving me for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡

Seven nights. Seven tales. One curse

Serena Rose lives a quiet life in the woods, chasing mysterious woodland critters, brewing potions, and protecting her family’s forbidden fairytales.

But when a brooding stranger shows up in search of a lost book, The Tales of Arcana Fortune, they accidentally awaken an immortal sealed away by ancient magic.

Now cursed to live through a different fairytale each night, Serena must survive magical trials, and uncover long-buried truths before the curse takes everything.

𐙚⋆°🦢.⋆ᥫ᭡ 𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𐙚⋆°🦢.⋆ᥫ᭡

Where do I even begin? This might be one of the coziest books I’ve read in a long time. I wanted to curl up inside this story and never leave. Everything about it felt so perfectly balanced.. cozy, magical, warm, and enchanting.

Serena Rose, our pink haired, tea loving FMC, absolutely stole my heart. She’s sweet, quirky, and soft, yet quietly strong and determined. As a fellow tea addict, I felt so connected to her 😂

Grim...mysterious, a little grumpy, and deliciously morally grey, with a tragic past. I adored him. He’s fiercely protective and so tender with Serena. I was living for those “touch her and die” vibes 🤭

Their bond was everything 💓. I loved how it stayed strong even through trials that tested their love and loyalty. Their dynamic had me completely hooked. Each trial, inspired by a classic fairytale, made the story even more interesting, and with every tale, the tone grew darker, more intense, and more magical.

Hafsa’s writing is whimsical. Beautifully blending comforting nostalgia with an undercurrent of danger, giving us a tale that feels both familiar and brand new.

If you loved the Once Upon a Broken Heart series, this one’s for you. You’ll absolutely devour it 🤌

[Chelsea Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf
what in the ai generated story is this

[teri ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young woman must survive seven nights in seven different fairytales in order to break the curse laid upon her.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this early!

⭑ ⭑ ½

This is probably the definition of cosy romantasy, and i see where fans of OUABH will enjoy this. If you like cosy, whimsical cottagecore-fantasy vibes, you’re in for a treat. Unfortunately i just had too many issues with the overall storytelling. There were key things that upon closer look kind of fall apart and make very little sense. But there’s definitely some talent here for storytelling, and i would be interested in seeing what else the author has in the works.

The Plot
I was very interested and excited at the idea of a young woman and this mysterious man having to live in these different fairytales, but that excitement faded very quickly when absolutely no or very little stakes were introduced. I never felt, despite Serena and Grim having to go through these deadly fairytales or being cursed, that they were ever in any danger. Serena was told exactly how to break her curse by Lore, our very monologuing villain who cursed her. She was not given the chance to discover how to break her curse, and she was told how to go through these trials, and what they would demand of her. As soon as that was revealed, i couldn’t take him seriously as the villain. There was no longer any threat.  This happens as soon as she’s cursed, so i would say around the 20% mark. And for the vast majority of the story, you know exactly how it’s going to end.

The Fairytales
For the fairytales, i would have loved to see them fleshed out and developed further than what we got. I feel like we got very surface level with the fairytales. Very little time was spent painting them in and making them feel magical and lived in, and Serena and Grim’s time spent in them felt very rushed.  I was extremely disappointed in the last fairytale based on the little mermaid, which is my favorite Grimm’s tale. Serena is given a week by Lore (the villain who cursed her) to make Grim remember that she is his One True Love, while being unable to speak, and its over in a blink. They spend so little time together over that week that it is completely unbelievable that he would one: remember her, or two: remember that he loves her. I get the fixation with the number seven, it’s very important in magic and faerie and all that, but i think fitting in seven vastly different fairytales across the book watered them down and made the storytelling and the emotional impact the author was going for, very weak. It would have been stronger and more potent if she had focused on three or four stories, and the characters discovering themselves and their feelings towards each other within them.

The Characters
Serena is very soft, very feminine, (very pink), and over the course of the book kind of grows into herself and becomes much more confident than what we see of her at the beginning. I loved that. She fought for what she believed in, what and who she wanted and i appreciated that she remained true to herself despite the curse. What i didn’t like was she was constantly saying how lonely she was, how she didn’t have any friends, but we don’t see her make any attempts at talking to people outside of her work as a healer.   Yes, there are some preconceived notions about her circulating around town that scared people off from her, but she also told us that people were able to move past those judgments once they got to know her . With some communication that could have been remedied and we wouldn’t have needed to hear about how lonely she was all the time. I also NEEDED Serena to be described by some other characteristic than her goddamn pink hair. Her pink hair is mentioned forty-one times. 41. Not including synonyms for pink. At some point you have to trust that your readers know that Serena Rose has pink hair.

Grim in comparison to Serena, fell kind of flat. I believe that may be because we don’t see his perspective on things too much, only a few chapters are dedicated to his POV, but for me here was just kind of there. He is supposed to be very chivalrous and a sort of “Black Knight” kind of character, and while he was very sweet towards Serena and he was polite, he’s not joining the round table. For me, at least.

The romance between them, however, is where things for the characters start to fall apart. I really couldn’t buy that them   being each other’s One True Love  was based on anything other than attraction.  And Serena falling in love with Grim in three days was too unbelievable, and really emphasized the pacing issues throughout the story. I will say there are plenty of cute moments between the two of them, some casual intimacy, but there was not a single moment where you could tell that Serena and Grim were falling in love. I know that characters don't always recognize that they're falling in love, which is a trope i devour, but it has to be recognizable to your readers that your characters are falling in love. It felt like it went straight from thinking the other is attractive → straight to being in love.

Overall
This was just not my cup of peppermint tea. As much as the plot interested me, no matter how excited i was at the prospect of deadly fairytales, i could not overlook the issues throughout the story, and there were too many little things (like the constant mention of her pink hair) that irked me.

[Jordan Lynde · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Brothers Grimm meets Once Upon a Broken Heart meets Kingdom Hearts meets Cottage Core. Is that not enough to get you interested?? What if I told you the fmc and mmc have a relationship like TohruxKyo, Hak/Yona, and Sophie/Howl? Full of banter, overcoming hurt together, and green flags all around?

After being cursed by a wicked immortal, Serena must face and overcome seven trials based on the fairytales she was raised on, or risk losing everything... including her heart and her freedom.

THE TALES OF ARCANA FORTUNE intertwines a compelling, heartwarming, unique overarching plot with several short stories based on fairytales we've come to know and love. However, each has a twist, and I absolutely loved how Serena and G play parts in each one, putting them in all kinds of angsty, hurt/comfort situations, which I EAT UP. Every time.

We have the one-bed trope, touch her and die, grumpy x sunshine, and other things I want to mention, but want to keep this spoiler-free, so I'll just say I giggled and kicked my feet a lot.

After each trial, I was fiending to get to the next to find out what the next fairytale was, and who would play what part, but I also absolutely loved the time in between where Serena and G got to know each other more. They were perfect for each other. SO PERFECT. I LOVE THEM.

The worldbuilding was excellent and so full of life, and I'd love to know more of the lore and what our two loves do after *insert spoilers*. If there could ever be another book...coughpleasecoughpleasecoughcough.

For fans of fairytales, soft and kind fmcs, adoring and protective mmcs, and absolutely whimsical writing, THE TALES OF THE ARCANA FORTUNE will be your next favorite romantasy!

[Sara ୨ৎ ݁˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎

⭐️: 4/5
🌶️: 0


.☘︎ ݁˖ This book was absolutely adorable 🤭💗 If you loved Once Upon a Broken Heart or Assistant to the Villain, I highly recommend picking this one up. The characters were lovable, the banter was on point, and the fairytale retellings were done so well. Honestly, it was such a fun and heartwarming read from start to finish. I’m really excited to see where the story goes in the second book, especially with the way things were left off 🫶🏼


જ⁀➴ some of the fairytale retellings in the book ᡣ𐭩:

❀˖° the snow queen ❄︎
｡𖦹°‧ beauty and the beast ꫂ ၴႅၴ
❀˖° Snow White 
｡𖦹°‧ red riding hood 𓃦
❀˖° the little mermaid 𓇼
｡𖦹°‧ Jack and the beanstalk 𓇢



𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧

[Rina | Worldsbetweenpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3,75/5**

"That's the thing about love, it can make monsters out of anyone."

- Fairytale trials
- Sentient curse
- Faeries & Spirits
- Forgotten Magic
- Whimsical setting

What I liked:
- The concept of the story: the main characters must live through various slightly altered fairytales, taking on different roles and acting their way through them. So interesting!
- The way the the curse felt almost sentient, adapting to the main character on its own and learning about her so it could shape itself around her fears and hopes.
- The setting was delightfully whimsical! I want to live in the cottage full of books and fairytale stories, surrounded by a magical forest so badly!

What I didn’t like:
- Often, problems were solved too quickly and easily, and obstacles conveniently evaporated. I would have preferred fewer but more challenging trials for the main characters.
- I wished we had gotten Grim’s POV earlier in the book, and not only in the second half, after he and Serena had already formed a bond. It would have added more depth to his character at the beginning, when we were mostly just told he was grumpy, even though he simply didn’t talk much.

Writing style: 3,5/5
Characters: 4/5
Story & Plot: 3,5/5
Vibes: 5/5

Will I read the next book: yes
Will I buy buy a physical copy: already did

[shriya · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf @ 37%

but until then, the biggest problem w this book was that it was a typical "story".

let me explain. it was a story in the technical sense of a story. there was a beginning, where everything is fine, there was an inciting incident, there was a villain, there was a quest they were told they had to do, there were clearly laid out stakes and all of them were PAINFULLY OBVIOUS.

as someone who studied how to write a story, it was so so annoying. you know those reels on instagram that go like "when you're watching an epic motion picture and suddenly they're just words on paper"? that's how this felt. it didn't feel like a story, it felt like a writing assignment that was tailored to check off all the "necessary" aspects of a good book. like the author outlined which "plot twist" would act as which checkpoint and forgot to make it an immersive, actual story.

the worst part is i wanted to like it! i mean, the concept?? "like once upon a broken heart"?? fairytales?? MAGIC???? everything i usually love wrapped up in one book? i was so excited to read it, especially cause my friend loved it. but i also didn't like the writing (it felt a bit childish) and the romance was definitely instalove and the characters were not as well developed as in ouabh.

who knows, it might've gotten better and there might've been some good plot twists, but i j couldn't keep reading😭 maybe i'll try it again sometime

[m y r · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★.5

"𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐... 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥."

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

Overall, this wasn't a bad read but I struggled to stay engaged at times. I know others will love it, especially if you love whimsical, magical, cottagecore, and fairytale vibes. It's perfect for readers who are hopeless romantics that love a happily ever after. What I did enjoy were the seven fairytales throughout. Seven nights, seven tales. I LOVED seeing the different stories the FMC and MC were placed in with its own spin of having to solve the riddles or beat the curses within that tale.

My issue with this book was the pacing, specifically the romance between the FMC and MC. While their characters didn't feel flat, it also didn't feel very flushed out, and the feelings/declarations between them were fast. There were also moments that felt a bit juvenile which took me out. I also wanted to know more about the villain from the beginning rather than him just appearing and immediately cursing the FMC, and then we don't really find out why until quite later.

Overall, I think this is a good debut novel! It definitely has the potential and the art the author creates is drop-dead gorgeous ‪‪❤︎‬

[erin ༊࿐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ 2.75⭑

!!MINOR SPOILERS!!

SERENA ROSE
I feel like her naivety was supposed to be endearing in some way, but unfortunately I just found it irritating. In my eyes, the author was going for an Evangeline Fox sort of character—the pink hair, the hopeless romantic—but I feel like the writing did not convey that in the way that Stephanie Garber did. Of course, I realise that that is the whole point of her character, as she’s supposed to mirror Arcana, in a way, but that is something that irked me about her character.
Other than that, I did quite like her, and I related to her loneliness a little as well. I supported her and she definitely wasn’t a bad MC, but I just didn’t like her all that much.

GRIM
I really like him. I think he’s a great love interest, especially for Serena, and I love how protective he is over her. But there is one thing that irks me about him, and that is mainly the author’s fault.
Now, let me make this clear: I love the boy obsessed with his girl trope. It’s one of my favourites in the entire world of tropes. I mean, Wes Bennett is my favourite book boyfriend, for goodness sakes! But with Grim, that’s really all there was to him in my opinion.Obviously I know that he had the traumatic backstory thing, and him being a monster, but that’s all there really was.
If we had gotten his POV earlier, like within the first twenty percent, then maybe the author could’ve added a little more depth to him, but his POV came about 55% in, when he was already in love with Serena, and because of that, it just seemed to me like that’s all there really was to him.
Of course, I still love him as a character—although I wasn’t swooning over him like I do with other book boyfriends—, but that’s the one thing that irked me about his character.

LORE
Okay, I know he’s the villain, but I actually found him so funny. Like: “Tsk tsk. You shouldn’t frown so. Fairytale princesses shouldn’t get wrinkles!” ICON.
Although I did guess that he was in love with Arcana almost as soon as he said something about her, I thought that that added a great layer of depth to his character that I actually think is somewhat lacking from Grim’s.
Overall, I think he’s a great, well-written villain, who’s also somewhat hilarious at times (I actually love sarcastic villains so much, even when they are satan spawn).

ROMANCE
I don’t know if it’s just me, but the romance was far too quick for me. I know it’s supposed to be, but after knowing each other five days they’re all, like, “Oh, I love you, I’m yours” and that’s just weird to me.
And when Grim was away from Serena for, like, ten minutes he was like “Stars, he missed her”. Like, Grim, babe, please calm down. You’ve lived without her your entire life and you’ve survived. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.
I don’t know, maybe if the author had maybe written it longer, if that makes sense (like, written the tales longer, with more danger, etc.) then it wouldn’t seem super duper quick, but it just was for me.

PLOT
I thought the book’s premise was really interesting—them going into different tales, navigating their way through it—but it just fell a little flat to me.
For one, I think that the author should’ve lengthened the suspense scenes, because they lasted, like, a page, and then they kissed and made up, and I just didn’t enjoy that.
Second of all, like I was saying about the romance, I think she should’ve lengthened the days and added more details outside of them going into the tales, like expanding on the side characters—Daisy, for example. Side characters are supposed to be fun characters, or characters that move the plot forward, but none of the side characters really did that. The reverend perhaps moved the romance on a little, and showed a different side to Grim, but other than that they just really weren’t useful.

OVERALL
The author definitely seemed like she was trying to do a bit of copying from OUABH and Stephanie Garber in general. Not just the pink hair of Serena, but the cutting of a corset (Julian Santos in Caraval); “… I am her monster” (“I am a monster, but whether you remember it or not, I am your monster, Evangeline”); hell, even the writing style seemed similar!
I also never particularly had the desire to keep reading. I didn’t dread picking it up, nor do I wish that I never read it, but while I was reading, I wasn’t invested that much. And I actually forgot I was reading it half the time. Like, one time I was thinking that I should start reading Chamber of Secrets (because my Harry Potter phase is coming back), and then my brain went “Oh, wait, no, you’re reading something else”. I think low-stakes fantasy just isn’t for me personally.
Overall, I’d give it a 2.75 stars. I did enjoy it while I was reading, but I never had the desire to pick it up, nor did I feel any satisfaction when I finished it. I will also probably never think of this book again. Because of that, it’s a 2.75 star.

[Mien · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 40%

This started out very well, I legit thought it was going to be a 5 star read. The writing got increasingly cheesy and juvenile. This would be fine if it was geared towards young adult, but the amount of cussing makes me think it’s not and maybe it’s just not well written. I cringed at so much of this. I think sweetness is great, but too much and you just get a toothache. Someone mentioned this felt like OUABH fan fiction and I have to agree. Rina and Grim felt like Walmart Evangeline and Jacks. This lacked depth and lost my interest, it’s perfect if you just want the cozy cottagecore vibes.

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (slump era) · Rating 3 out of 5]

dnf-ed at 60% 🤧

⋆˚✿˖°

pre-reads: seven trials inspired by different fairytales?? SAY NO MORE.

[vanshikha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

Thank you so much to Hafsa Jawad for the ARC.

𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 is about Serena Rose, a healer who dreamed of fairytales, but the chances of finding true love while living alone in a cottage were slim. However her quiet life is upended when she is approached by a dark haired stranger searching for a book in her family’s collection. While searching for the book and fighting their budding attraction with banter, they accidentally free a malicious immortal upon finding the book. Cursed to be trapped in a different fairytale each night, Serena must find a way through her trials all the while trying not to lose her life, her freedom, and her heart.

This book is such an amazing reminiscent of fairytales and a wonderful tribute to those fairytales that made many childhoods magical. The fairytale atmospheric setting made it feel like it was a new fairytale brewn --- dreamy, magical and immersive --- taking me to an incredibly lyrical and whimsical world of tales and fairies.

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞, the FMC, also known as Rina by her friends was an amazing relatable character. She's kind and vulnerable, with the eyes of a healer and a reader, who is incredibly brave and strong. She repeatedly proved her love for her lover and fought to be with him, despite the challenges and trials between them.

𝐆, th MMC, also known by another name which I do not want to spoil is the swoony love interest I've read in fairytales. He's incredibly protective of Serena despite his grumpy behaviour and is in love with Serena in a way that no one comes between them and it's been proved so many times in so many trials. He's strong and believes he's not worthy of love but I'm so happy at the way Serena proved him wrong.

The character development was very good. The unique twists in the classic fairytales in the trials were very strong.

The emotion impact and weight of grief, the slow-burning and yearning romance, the sinister evil creature, the side characters and the fairytales gave the story layers of depth and the ending of the book perfectly concluded Serena and G's story!

The Trials happen to take a big portion of the book and each trial is unique to a tale and never repetitive. The trials they go through together solidified their love for each other and put their love on trial too. The tales the trials used have a unique twist which did not make it feel copied.

The relationship between Serena and the MMC was something that started at grumpy x sunshine, to caring for each other to become lovers. The slow-burn sizzled the tension between them so well!
The one thing that made me respect Serena's character that no matter the changes with the MMC during the trials's magic --- including the personality turnarounds --- she remained a consistent characters with her personality and her love for the MMC neevr faltered. Her feelings for him never changed. This added a layer to their relationship and made the yearning angsty, making anyone root for this couple.

If you love whimsical fairytales with unique twists, a gentle romance and a deadly morally-gray immortal evil villain, this book is the perfect cosy read!

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐟𝐬𝐚 𝐀. 𝐉𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲.

[Malyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tales of Arcana Fortune is going to be something special for those that have a timeless love of fairy tales, romanticisms of fighting for their dreams, and a penchant to entertain their curiosities for adventure!

[Grace Keal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's like watching to a little girl play with her dolls.

[allyssa :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite. I thought the idea of this book was really cool but overall it wasn’t really hitting like I thought it would 😞

[Bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Adie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great concept, however the writing was at the level of a 12 year old.
Dnf

[Rona Dwikat · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓭 𝓘 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼?” 𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓭, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰. “𝓘𝓯 𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓼, 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓷 𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓸𝓷𝓮, 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓼𝓸 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓭𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓦𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷. " ✨💕

[Lyra (Cardan's tail's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tales Of Arcana Fortune is truly a love letter to every fairytale we grew up hearing as children, and as someone who adores every sort of retelling, it’s no wonder that i enjoyed this so much. I loved how Hafsa A Jawad added her own unique spin to every tale she covered, while keeping them the same at their core.

The world might be simpler than some other romantasy books , but between the fairytales, curses, fairies, spirits, and the sweet cottage with a particular thieving squirrel, i don’t think anything else is needed at all. Hafsa A Jawad has a lovely writing style, and one that had me looking up a few lovely new words to add to my vocabulary!

For me, the characters were a large part of how much i enjoyed this book. The FMC, Serena, was utterly delighted, and as i have a soft spot for softer, sweet heroines, how quickly i loved her pink-haired, tea-addicted, kindhearted self case as no surprise to me.

Similarly, a particular mysterious stranger and his grumpily sarcastic charm caught my attention as soon as he stepped onto the page, and i adored seeing him slowly fall into Serena’s antics and chaos with a roguish smile.

Their relationship was utterly adorable, and had me smiling and giggling more times than i can count. Though the timeline of their love story moved a little faster than i normally prefer, the author wrote it so well i didn’t mind at all.

I can easily see The Tales Of Arcana Fortune ending up being a comfort read for me, as while the story does have high stakes, the world is just so beautifully crafted and cozily cottagecore-coded that i don’t think anyone could help but be comforted by it!

My only qualm is that i felt the villain (and, at points, the world) were a little underdeveloped and could have been a little more fleshed out, but overall, this didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book.

[ria ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✮✮✮✮.25

This book was so cute! I picked it up after seeing a video that the author posted on her instagram and instantly fell in love with the story. I loved how the story was very whimsical and beautiful.

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°˖➴ Serena
Serena is now one of my favorite characters. I love how strong and bold she is and how she's always up to helping somebody but I also love how kind hearted, sweet, sensitive she is. She's an amazing character and I cannot wait to read about her again.

°˖➴ Grim
I love this man, omg. I love how well he treats Serena and how kind he is even when he's putting a cold front. He was also an amazing character and I was very excited throughout the story to find out more about him and his life.

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Overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out!


₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊


౨ৎ pre-read:

˚⟡ started: feb 19th

°˖➴ I am so excited to read this book! I decided to pick it up after seeing a fanart that the author posted. I instantly fell in love with the characters and the premise of the book. I hope this book will be amazing and very cozy!