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The Chalam Færytales #1
The Promised One
All the best færytales end with true love’s kiss. But what happens when the prince forgets all about it?Elizabeth and Ferryl have a happily ever after for the legends… that is until one day, Prince Ferryl doesn’t remember it. There could be a number of reasons for his sudden amnesia. Maybe he’s playing some sort of game. Or maybe it’s his meddling mother. But the real reason could never be that he was cursed. Absolutely not. Life is not a færytale. And there is no such thing as magic, thank you very much.It doesn’t help that Ferryl is busy focusing on a rebel uprising. Nor does it help that the king’s health is in inexplicable decline. It certainly doesn’t help that the queen has arranged for Ferryl to marry someone else. Now Elizabeth is in a race against time. Can she discover what really happened to her true love before she loses him forever?The Promised One is the first book of The Chalam Færytales series. Packed with imaginative world-building, poetic prose, and storybook romance, this coming-of-age epic færytale begins after the first kiss. It’s a journey to discover the magic in each of us—and remind us that love is the most powerful of Contains mild language, adult situations, and thematic violence. Reader discretion advised.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2018
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390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 2, 2018
This book did not sit well with me until about a quarter of the way in. I was bored and dulled and found the back of my eyelids far to more interesting. Something changed though, and out of nowhere the story became alive and I seemed to be caught under a spell as it seems a few of our characters were as well.
I felt slightly lost and confused journeying into The Promised One. The setup was off for me. What seemed for the story to be following Elizabeth's story was thwarted by random chapter is from the perspective of other characters. I know these characters needed to be introduced but their introduction or I should the point in which they were introduced seemed forced. As if it was thrown in to get the characters brought into the story.
After my little bump in the world with this book, the story flowed and was easy to fall further and further in love with. While all my questions were not answered, the majority of them were. The ending was one that left the story open, as I said not all my questions were answered. It'll be great to see where the story goes.
The world building of this just screamed at you, very well-developed with the words depicting a true realm of a nonexistent place. With the multitude of royalty that grace your presence Farris was able to capture the air of sophistication throughout. Truly a remarkable piece of work.
The storyline was impenetrable, although often times I felt infuriated with a prince or princess. It was heartwarming and sweet. It all boiled down to one question, can true love be erased. With that, we are sent about following the quest of finding answers, while becoming entangled in more than one love story.
I felt slightly lost and confused journeying into The Promised One. The setup was off for me. What seemed for the story to be following Elizabeth's story was thwarted by random chapter is from the perspective of other characters. I know these characters needed to be introduced but their introduction or I should the point in which they were introduced seemed forced. As if it was thrown in to get the characters brought into the story.
After my little bump in the world with this book, the story flowed and was easy to fall further and further in love with. While all my questions were not answered, the majority of them were. The ending was one that left the story open, as I said not all my questions were answered. It'll be great to see where the story goes.
The world building of this just screamed at you, very well-developed with the words depicting a true realm of a nonexistent place. With the multitude of royalty that grace your presence Farris was able to capture the air of sophistication throughout. Truly a remarkable piece of work.
The storyline was impenetrable, although often times I felt infuriated with a prince or princess. It was heartwarming and sweet. It all boiled down to one question, can true love be erased. With that, we are sent about following the quest of finding answers, while becoming entangled in more than one love story.
Want to read
January 13, 2018Really excited to read a book from a fellow Sjm fan who's in the Facebook group. Gaaaah
March 26, 2018
I loved this book! May I have the second book now?!?
January 15, 2018
Loved the story....really good writting and now i cannot wait for the story to continueeee. I hope i dont have to wait years for it
January 30, 2018
I liked the book. Hope that I can read other books by this author. It started out slow but got easier as it went along.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 16, 2018
I read a lot of fantasy and kept seeing this one pop up in my reading groups, so I thought I'd give it a try. I was skeptical at first, this being an unknown author. But I must say, she will not be unknown for long because this book was EXCELLENT. And I do not say that lightly.
The author has a firm grip on characterization, on world building, and on making magic something that feels real—like it's a real part of the world, not something unattainable or impossible. This is a fairy tale unlike any I've ever read. It's epic in biblical proportions and the story itself sets up for something amazing.
::SPOILERS::
Right from the beginning, we're wondering what has happened to the Prince Ferryl, who has somehow lost his memory of the love of his life, Elizabeth. But Elizabeth, being the determined girl she is, won't settle for just hoping Ferryl figures it out. She sets out on a quest to get answers for herself. And along the way, she discovers that there's a whole world of secrets she never knew possible. And that perhaps Ferryl doesn't just have some sort of amnesia, but that he is cursed.
Somehow, the author writes characters in a way that's so believable--she mentions that Ferryl and Elizabeth have loved each other since they were children and you can see it in their banter, and their ease with one another. It's an interesting take on the typical fantasy guy-meets-girl love story. They're already in love, they just have to figure out what's keeping them apart.
I must say that the world building in this book is equally fascinating. Farris inserts poetic imagery throughout, building a kingdom and world that feels like you've known it all along. I have read this book twice so far, and plan to read it again before the second comes out this fall. This was just an excellent read all around and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good love story, to anyone who loves an epic fantasy, to anyone who just loves good writing and wants to be the one to say that "discovered" something incredible before the rest of the world.
The best way I can describe this book? Epic fairy tale. End of story.
The author has a firm grip on characterization, on world building, and on making magic something that feels real—like it's a real part of the world, not something unattainable or impossible. This is a fairy tale unlike any I've ever read. It's epic in biblical proportions and the story itself sets up for something amazing.
::SPOILERS::
Right from the beginning, we're wondering what has happened to the Prince Ferryl, who has somehow lost his memory of the love of his life, Elizabeth. But Elizabeth, being the determined girl she is, won't settle for just hoping Ferryl figures it out. She sets out on a quest to get answers for herself. And along the way, she discovers that there's a whole world of secrets she never knew possible. And that perhaps Ferryl doesn't just have some sort of amnesia, but that he is cursed.
Somehow, the author writes characters in a way that's so believable--she mentions that Ferryl and Elizabeth have loved each other since they were children and you can see it in their banter, and their ease with one another. It's an interesting take on the typical fantasy guy-meets-girl love story. They're already in love, they just have to figure out what's keeping them apart.
I must say that the world building in this book is equally fascinating. Farris inserts poetic imagery throughout, building a kingdom and world that feels like you've known it all along. I have read this book twice so far, and plan to read it again before the second comes out this fall. This was just an excellent read all around and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good love story, to anyone who loves an epic fantasy, to anyone who just loves good writing and wants to be the one to say that "discovered" something incredible before the rest of the world.
The best way I can describe this book? Epic fairy tale. End of story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2019
How fun is this series? This was a fantastic find - I love the characters and the story! Characterization is realistic and believable and the story sucks you right into the world. Must read!
January 31, 2018
Elizabeth and Ferryl have been in love for most of their lives and, despite the fact that he is the heir to the throne and she a mere servant, they plan to marry. When Ferryl appears at the stables one morning and appears not to know her, Elisabeth first thinks he's joking but then becomes alarmed. What could have happened to him and how could he possibly forget their love? So begins the story of Elizabeth and Ferryl and how far one will go to be with their true love. I really enjoyed this book and loved the relationship between Elizabeth and Ferryl. Their relationship had an ease and comfort to it that speaks of years of knowing and loving someone. The characters here were well developed and multidimensional, the story well written and engrossing, and the author did a good job of conveying each characters' emotions so they practically leapt off the page. Although I found the beginning a little slow, by the end I was quickly turning pages to see how it ended. While there isn't a cliffhanger, per se, the ending left several unanswered questions that set the stage for the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from booksprout and am voluntarily reviewing it.
July 25, 2018
It was a lot different from other fantasy books, this one was more classical, more traditional of a fairy tale. It was really enjoyable. It did take me a while to get into it, mainly because I was revising but also because I'm used to my fairy fanatsy books have been heavy from the first page but this one was so pure it was great.
Ferryl I couldn't get the image of Westley from the Princess Bride out of my head haha
You can see Morgan's faith and beliefs in the book and how they influence her. I'm not a religious person, I'm a heathen haha so everytime "Providence" was mentioned, I felt as though I should burn haha but it was done in a way that wasn't too preachy either, it didn't become the story, it was a sideline.
I have my own thoughts about the book regarding characters but I won't say them because of spoilers for those who haven't read it yet :P
Morgan's writing style is great; it's flows and its descriptive and just generally beautiful, lyrical almost.
Great first book. Can also be enjoyed by children too as there isn't any swear words or harsh scenes that could upset them. As I said it's a traditional fairy story
Can't wait for book two!
Ferryl I couldn't get the image of Westley from the Princess Bride out of my head haha
You can see Morgan's faith and beliefs in the book and how they influence her. I'm not a religious person, I'm a heathen haha so everytime "Providence" was mentioned, I felt as though I should burn haha but it was done in a way that wasn't too preachy either, it didn't become the story, it was a sideline.
I have my own thoughts about the book regarding characters but I won't say them because of spoilers for those who haven't read it yet :P
Morgan's writing style is great; it's flows and its descriptive and just generally beautiful, lyrical almost.
Great first book. Can also be enjoyed by children too as there isn't any swear words or harsh scenes that could upset them. As I said it's a traditional fairy story
Can't wait for book two!
February 7, 2019
Wow, what a beginning. I mean, how many other stories begin at the ‘Happily Ever After’ part? And it works so well! I loved it. The characters just grabbed me from the first page, and refused to let go. Elizabeth is simple, practical, she believes what she can see through science, which is why she gets frustrated when the man who loves her has completely forgotten about her. And Ferryl is a good man, the ideal prince, but even he can’t seem to understand why he enjoys being around a woman he just met. The connection between these two is so beautiful to read, the depth of their feelings, and watching them fall in love again is really something wonderful to read. But, their love story is just the tip of the iceberg, as his kingdom is threatened by forces not just from the outside, but internal as well, and dark magic seems to be on the loose, though magic doesn’t exist, or at least that’s what Elizabeth believes. This is a great beginning to an epic saga that just hooks you, not wanting to let you go, and I can’t wait to read more!
May 16, 2018
:::::AUTHOR HERE:::::
Enjoying the book? Thank you so much for picking it up! In case you couldn’t tell from the ending, there’s more to come. LOTS more. Want to know when? Click the link to stay in the know. Oh yeah, you may or may not get a free eBook of prequel short stories when you sign up... just because I love you. You’re welcome.
BE IN THE KNOW:
http://bit.ly/MGFfreebook
What are the prequel short stories? Glad you asked. Take a step back in time. WAY back. To when Ferryl and Elizabeth first met as children. Find out what ignited their lifelong friendship.
Then take a glimpse of the harrowing accident that almost took Elizabeth’s life, and showed Ferryl what he was missing. (First kiss, anyone?)
Enjoying the book? Thank you so much for picking it up! In case you couldn’t tell from the ending, there’s more to come. LOTS more. Want to know when? Click the link to stay in the know. Oh yeah, you may or may not get a free eBook of prequel short stories when you sign up... just because I love you. You’re welcome.
BE IN THE KNOW:
http://bit.ly/MGFfreebook
What are the prequel short stories? Glad you asked. Take a step back in time. WAY back. To when Ferryl and Elizabeth first met as children. Find out what ignited their lifelong friendship.
Then take a glimpse of the harrowing accident that almost took Elizabeth’s life, and showed Ferryl what he was missing. (First kiss, anyone?)
January 30, 2018
this is a lovely retelling of a fairy tale but the kiss is at the beginning rather than the end. she has to go and find out what is going on while he tries to find the mystery behind his fathers awful headaches. can true love finally be theirs? can his fathers heath improve? will she find what she is looking for?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 21, 2018
I will say the first part of the book had a blip in it. There is an issue with the initial introduction to the world and characters. I was a bit confused as to what was happening. However if you stick with it you will get an awesome world building experience with this author! I found myself lost amongst these characters and their situations.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 10, 2018
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily and honestly reviewing it.
This book has a bit of a slow start for me. I found myself considering closing my kindle copy and finding something else to read. I'm glad that I managed to stick with it. It definitely got better at some point. It's definitely worth sticking with.
This book has a bit of a slow start for me. I found myself considering closing my kindle copy and finding something else to read. I'm glad that I managed to stick with it. It definitely got better at some point. It's definitely worth sticking with.
August 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, I wasn't too sure about it at first because I felt it started kind of slow but it gets so much better. It's such a great, classic fairytale type of story and I am always a sucker for those. The ending was alittle frustrating, only for the cliffhanger of what will happen next. Can't wait to dive into the next one.
January 25, 2018
Five stars for a great story! :) I also saw the post about the book in the SJM fan group on FB. I'm not sure what made me buy it - I probably just fell for the beautiful cover. :D However, I'm very happy I did! (Can't wait for the second book!!)
January 28, 2018
Great book and fantastic storyline with great characters that just keeps you entertained and interested from beginning to end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 31, 2018
Great book.
Awesome faery tale story, loved this book very much. Great start to new series, interesting and entertaining read. Recommend this book very much, you will love it too. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Awesome faery tale story, loved this book very much. Great start to new series, interesting and entertaining read. Recommend this book very much, you will love it too. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 7, 2018
This book is absolutely amazing. I loved it from beginning to end! There were both characters I loved and ones I loved to hate which is what kept my interest. I look forward to the next book in the series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 1, 2018
I didn’t realize how much I needed a truly uncomplicated, get-you from the beginning, beautifully-written story. This story was easy to follow and grabbed me from the very first chapter. A creative and interesting story line was to follow and I’m eager to read the sequel!
October 2, 2018
It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to read such an amazing book as this one I just could not put it down once I started reading it.
April 29, 2018
I enjoyed this book, I will admit it took me a while to get into it, but once I did I was hooked, and of course it ended at the best bit.
So now the wait begins for the second book.
So now the wait begins for the second book.
May 19, 2019
From the beginning I enjoyed it and I thought it kept getting better and better. I gave it four stars because of the kissing levels and the magic.
June 21, 2018
I’m not sure what to think. I want to like this book and I’ll likely read the next book. I’m not sure I’ll ever say I loved it. There was so much potential in this story.. there is still plenty of time for it to pick up. The characters fell a little flat for me. I found it slightly boring that the main characters- Elizabeth and Ferryl were so dull, running from their problems, and living under a rock not knowing anything around them. Up until the end it was slow moving, right when the story line picked up again the ending felt rushed. Luckily, it’s a cliff hanger for book 2.. I’m hoping that it gets better in the next one.
October 28, 2019
I couldn’t put it down!
I’ve never been into imaginative writing (I’ve stuck mostly to realistic love stories or nonfiction literature) but after meeting Morgan at a women’s retreat, I figured I’d buy the books on Kindle if for no other reason than to support a fellow mom and Follower.
I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself devouring the book, wishing I had learned the art of speed reading so I could be done and onto the next in the series! I couldn’t put it down. I loved the descriptive language and the ease of the read! Can’t wait to start finish then all!
I’ve never been into imaginative writing (I’ve stuck mostly to realistic love stories or nonfiction literature) but after meeting Morgan at a women’s retreat, I figured I’d buy the books on Kindle if for no other reason than to support a fellow mom and Follower.
I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself devouring the book, wishing I had learned the art of speed reading so I could be done and onto the next in the series! I couldn’t put it down. I loved the descriptive language and the ease of the read! Can’t wait to start finish then all!
January 21, 2019
Magic, mystery, true love, kingdoms, not your typical fairy tale. This unique spin on the happily ever after will draw readers in from the first page. A job well done by the author for taking something so simple are the same repeated fairy tale and changing in into something beautifully amazing. Looking forward to many more books from this author.
July 27, 2019
I received this title for free in exchange for an unbiased review.
Overall, this was a good story, especially since it feels like I haven’t read/listened to a story relating to kingdoms and royalty (fairytale-esque) in a long time. It was unique, and while I felt like there were parts that dragged (leading me to skim over them), the story was interesting and the main parts were what really kept me wanting to find out what would happen to the characters. I can say that I was so disappointed with the ending. I hate cliffhangers! And this one was huge! Like Grand Canyon-sized.
There were many grammatical mistakes I came across, throughout the story, that would “take me out” of said story.
Questions/Comments:
How long had Elizabeth been working as a stable hand, yet didn’t know what her tale entailed? Or let me rephrase that…wasn’t able to do her job properly?
When Elizabeth first realizes that Ferryl has forgotten her, how did Ferryl’s brother not notice something was off with him, especially when the news of Ferryl’s betrothment was announced? Or when his brother said something about being surprised Ferryl hadn’t proposed to Elizabeth while he’d been away weeks prior.
Why was Elizabeth never allowed to enter the palace? Yet, the queen didn’t have any issues with Leala working for her (lady’s maid)? She never worried one of her sons would fall in love with Leala the servant?
There’s a part in the story at which point, the wedding is supposed to be a few days away, or something along that line is written. Yet, Ferryl ends up leaving and searching for Elizabeth for two weeks. He gets back with no comments from the king or queen in relation to where he’d been all that time or the fact the wedding should have already taken place.
One area I would have changed in the story was regarding Elizabeth after she leaves. I think it would have been better had there been a little more behind-the-scenes with what she’d been doing during the time she’d been gone. Instead, the author has her story pick up when she’s attacked by the rebels. What had she been doing prior to that? And on the way back to the castle, there’s no talk, just her suddenly showing up the day of the wedding, the same day her father is ill.
Why in the world did Ferryl not go to Hallavalle? I mean seriously! Bedell keeps telling him he’ll get the answers he needs. Ferryl doesn’t know what the questions are, yet didn’t trust in Bedell enough to just go and see what he was going about? That part was questionable, in my opinion.
Similarly, all the “she’s beautiful” type of talk about the duchess was also questionable. It’s one thing for Ferryl to be friendly to her, but it’s another thing to act as though he’s ready to marry her while also looking for Elizabeth. I just felt he was overly-friendly toward the duchess.
Unanswered questions:
1. Who put the curse on Ferryl? Most likely his mother did or the king of Midvarish.
2. Considering the curse came from Midvarish, how did the queen come to know about the magic
there and befriend its king?
3. Is Bedell going to die? Or will he suddenly perk up now that Elizabeth is back?
4. How did one of the winged horses end up so close to the castle for the guards to all-of-a-sudden find, considering Midvarish is a several weeks journey? I’m guessing it was the Midvarish king’s men who killed the horse and a person and left the corpses so Ferryl would find them. But at the same time, why wouldn’t they have done that sooner? Yet they must have been laying there for a good while if the bodies were basically bones (so the person was unidentifiable), so then, how did the castle guards not come across them sooner?
5. Is the duchess pregnant?
Overall, this was a good story, especially since it feels like I haven’t read/listened to a story relating to kingdoms and royalty (fairytale-esque) in a long time. It was unique, and while I felt like there were parts that dragged (leading me to skim over them), the story was interesting and the main parts were what really kept me wanting to find out what would happen to the characters. I can say that I was so disappointed with the ending. I hate cliffhangers! And this one was huge! Like Grand Canyon-sized.
There were many grammatical mistakes I came across, throughout the story, that would “take me out” of said story.
Questions/Comments:
How long had Elizabeth been working as a stable hand, yet didn’t know what her tale entailed? Or let me rephrase that…wasn’t able to do her job properly?
When Elizabeth first realizes that Ferryl has forgotten her, how did Ferryl’s brother not notice something was off with him, especially when the news of Ferryl’s betrothment was announced? Or when his brother said something about being surprised Ferryl hadn’t proposed to Elizabeth while he’d been away weeks prior.
Why was Elizabeth never allowed to enter the palace? Yet, the queen didn’t have any issues with Leala working for her (lady’s maid)? She never worried one of her sons would fall in love with Leala the servant?
There’s a part in the story at which point, the wedding is supposed to be a few days away, or something along that line is written. Yet, Ferryl ends up leaving and searching for Elizabeth for two weeks. He gets back with no comments from the king or queen in relation to where he’d been all that time or the fact the wedding should have already taken place.
One area I would have changed in the story was regarding Elizabeth after she leaves. I think it would have been better had there been a little more behind-the-scenes with what she’d been doing during the time she’d been gone. Instead, the author has her story pick up when she’s attacked by the rebels. What had she been doing prior to that? And on the way back to the castle, there’s no talk, just her suddenly showing up the day of the wedding, the same day her father is ill.
Why in the world did Ferryl not go to Hallavalle? I mean seriously! Bedell keeps telling him he’ll get the answers he needs. Ferryl doesn’t know what the questions are, yet didn’t trust in Bedell enough to just go and see what he was going about? That part was questionable, in my opinion.
Similarly, all the “she’s beautiful” type of talk about the duchess was also questionable. It’s one thing for Ferryl to be friendly to her, but it’s another thing to act as though he’s ready to marry her while also looking for Elizabeth. I just felt he was overly-friendly toward the duchess.
Unanswered questions:
1. Who put the curse on Ferryl? Most likely his mother did or the king of Midvarish.
2. Considering the curse came from Midvarish, how did the queen come to know about the magic
there and befriend its king?
3. Is Bedell going to die? Or will he suddenly perk up now that Elizabeth is back?
4. How did one of the winged horses end up so close to the castle for the guards to all-of-a-sudden find, considering Midvarish is a several weeks journey? I’m guessing it was the Midvarish king’s men who killed the horse and a person and left the corpses so Ferryl would find them. But at the same time, why wouldn’t they have done that sooner? Yet they must have been laying there for a good while if the bodies were basically bones (so the person was unidentifiable), so then, how did the castle guards not come across them sooner?
5. Is the duchess pregnant?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2018
This book was a great start to a series. It has everything you want from a book: love, loss, drama, mystery, magic and believable heroes and villains. It's so well written and the world-building is awesome, with enough twists to keep you reading till the end and wishing for book 2 to appear!! Can only recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy!
March 26, 2018
The prose flows effortlessly, and the characters are easy to love. Even the antagonists have endearing qualities. It’s a love story full of adventure and surprises. Great book! Phenomenally creative author!
August 5, 2019
As I began to read this book, I thought I knew how it was going to go. Farris wouldn't have to write a convincing relationship because they were already in love! Ferryl could unrealistically fall for Elizabeth because he already loved her! When I heard such a premise, I expected some very lazy writing.
But actually, I never felt that way. Farris has the unknowable quality of some writers to know her characters intimately and give them incredible chemistry. I felt exactly the way I was supposed to: they had been in love for a very long time and were really meant to be together.
The world-building was little more than hints at this point in the story, but I expect to see much more exploration as the trilogy continues. I wasn't terribly irritated because the characters were so true that world-building can come later. Overall, very good! I'm looking forward to the following books.
But actually, I never felt that way. Farris has the unknowable quality of some writers to know her characters intimately and give them incredible chemistry. I felt exactly the way I was supposed to: they had been in love for a very long time and were really meant to be together.
The world-building was little more than hints at this point in the story, but I expect to see much more exploration as the trilogy continues. I wasn't terribly irritated because the characters were so true that world-building can come later. Overall, very good! I'm looking forward to the following books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews