Path of Secrets

Andari Chronicles #6

by Kenley Davidson

A Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood

There are no wolves in the woods, they said.
You’ll be completely safe, they said.
They lied.

Batrice Reyard has everything she’s ever wanted—a fabulous job, an understanding mentor, and the freedom to be herself. Or so she thought…

Suddenly, she’s being sent off to visit her ailing grandmother for the sake of keeping up appearances. Her grandmother is the last person she wishes to visit, especially with a collection of strange companions in tow. But she does love an adventure, so she sets off into the woods determined to find some excitement.

She never bargained on the excitement finding her. Mysterious accidents, thefts, and disappearances dog their path, until Batrice is certain they are being stalked by a criminal with a sinister agenda.

But what will she find at the end of their road? The satisfaction of catching a thief? Or the sting of betrayal when she learns their pursuer’s identity?

A fast-paced romantic fantasy inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, Path of Secrets is the sixth book of the Andari Chronicles, a series of interconnected but stand-alone fairy tale retellings that feature strong heroines, romance, mystery, and deeply satisfying happily ever afters.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings, Audiobook, Fairy Tales, Young Adult

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2019

About the author

Kenley Davidson is a romantic fantasy author and unrepentant caffeine addict who believes in the power of storytelling and loves nothing more than a good book hangover. Her books include romantasy, urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and sci fi, but no matter the genre, she writes stories of hope and redemption with characters you can root for, heart-pounding romance without the spice, and happy endings that might just make you cry.

Her favorite things (besides books) are coffee, k-dramas, cats, and playing cozy video games. And also scones.

Kenley currently lives in Oklahoma, where she cares for a menagerie of misfit house plants while waiting for her adult children to occasionally pop in for laundry and a home-cooked meal.

Find out more about Kenley’s books at her website: kenleydavidson.com

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is the Wolf?

Path of Secrets was a fabulous retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, made even more wonderful by it almost being a fairy tale version of Clue considering the heroine and the reader spend the reading journey trying to solve the unfolding mystery about what is happening in the woods on the way to Grandmother’s house and who the wolf is.

Batrice was a fabulous character with a witty, almost sassy narrative voice; I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. While she was wonderful, I especially loved her aspiring-writer friend, Coralynne. She was not only a sweet, charming, and utterly delightful character, but I enjoyed both her excitement over every suspicious thing that happened on their journey because it provided her material for her novel (as a writer myself, I really related to that), as well as her side romance with the guard, Rupert (which I wish we could have seen more resolution for). But the one who stole the show (and my heart) was Batrice’s love interest, Jamie. From the moment he was introduced I found him thoroughly charming and absolutely wonderful. The slow development of his relationship with Batrice was perfect, especially as it was made more complicated because she (and the reader) weren’t sure whether or not he was trustworthy. Is Jamie the ‘wolf’? Or is it someone else?

I love the atmosphere of the woods; it was the perfect setting for the unfolding mysteries. They were all enthralling, with the gradual reveal of clues, several twists, and many players, most of whom you don’t know whether or not can be trusted. It was all executed fabulously. While my main guess on who the wolf was turned out to be correct, there were many pieces of the puzzle I hadn’t discovered on my own, not to mention there was more than one wolf…in a sense; there being different types of wolves made the already interesting plot even more so. With that, the beautiful writing and strong narration, and the seriously adorable romance, Path of Secrets was a fantastic read. My only real complaint I have is that Jamie is no longer single so I can’t marry him myself.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Path of Secrets and stayed up far too late reading, because I couldn’t wait until morning to see what would happen and how everything would be resolved. Even though I now know the solution, this is definitely a book I'll reread. I highly recommend it.

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Path of Secrets by Kenley Davidson is the last (so far) book in the Andari Chronicles and a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I am really hoping for another book! There are SO many characters that Kenley Davidson could explore! We met Batrice Reyard in the previous book who became fast friends with the spy, Brenna. She left her normal life for a life as an actress and acrobat. But now she is in training to be a spy. When a letter from her grandmother comes in saying that she is ill, her mentor sends her on her way. What should have been an easy trip, turns dangerous. There are several people that keep turning up and someone is on their tail. Who can she trust? Everyone seems to have secrets…

Batrice is so much fun! This journey really makes her think about what she wants for her life. Women don’t have many options and she wants her freedom but is she really up for being a spy? The novel does a great job at keeping the reader guessing on who is the culprit. And honestly, I did not think the ending was predictable! There are some moments that I didn’t feel were completely necessary to the story and slowed the pace just a tad. But then the next moment, the pace would take off like a roller coaster!

One of the best aspects of this story is the humor. There is sarcasm aplenty–which kept the read very entertaining! As always, Esther Wane does a fabulous job narrating! I am really hoping that more books are coming to this series! I have come to adore Kenley Davidson’s Andari World-Building! I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. But 5 out of 5 for the whole series!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Upon further reflection, two stars.

I'm sorry that I didn't enjoy this one. I didn't find any of the characters compelling at all. I didn't care about any of the secrets they had or didn't have. The heroine was immature and the hero (if you can even call him that) wasn't mysterious as much as annoying. I did appreciate the clean content and gothic feel of their travels, but that's about it. The rushed resolution didn't help the plot either. Overall, this might've been my least favourite of the series. (I'm sorry.)

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting take on the Little Red Riding tale with so much mystery! I guessed partway through the book who the bad guy was, and yet I wasn't entirely positive I was right. It starts out seemingly slow, yet with so much happening beneath the surface. Every little interaction in the beginning becomes important later!

[Charis Wiggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right off the bat the heroine annoyed me. She was so Not Like Other Girls in her abhorrence of embroidery (which the author clearly doesn’t know from regular sewing—hint: embroidery stitches would not hold to fix a carriage cushion) and all things traditionally feminine. She even says, “I knew [other girl] was smart because she shared my distaste for embroidery” as if that is any indicator of brains. There were other instances that annoyed me, but this all happened in the first chapter and really stuck with me the rest of the book. I will say I liked how the character’s background was used throughout the story.

As far as the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, there wasn’t much to suggest it was the inspiration except a basket and a trip to grandmother’s house. This is probably the least inspired by the traditional story of all the books in the series.

The mystery was very intriguing, though. If I hadn’t spent most of the book annoyed by the main character, this would likely have been one of my favourites. The layers and clues and red herrings throughout were well placed and well executed.

[Shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

( I received a digital copy of the books. Thanks to Kenley Davidson !! )


I love the turn that this series has taken. It was completely unexpected. I read half of the book thinking that this was more like an extended version of Daughter of Lies. And while I was enjoying the adventures I had absolutely no idea where it was headed. The unpredictability was surprising and refreshing.


The author is connecting the various kingdoms and introducing new characters keeping the story cohesive and the plot interesting. Which is commendable. And so far I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of the books in the series. They are unique and impressive collectively as well as on their own as a stand alone.


Given the way that the story ended I wonder what happens to Rupert . Hopefully it would be revealed in the next book.


I highly recommend the whole series !!

[Elisabeth Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character in this story is a side character from the last one, and she’s a delightful acrobat and I’m a fan. There’s a yappy dog, a hairless cat, a Handsome Man With Secrets™️, a perilous journey, a would-be author pretending to be a maid … overall, very very good.

Really hoping that Kenley Davidson gives us a story featuring said would-be author because she was lovely!

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone else loved it... but that doesn't guarantee a good read. Indie books are always a gamble because the reviews are either raves from grassroots marketing or unexplained DNF's/one star once readers outside the author's inner circle catch on. I'm not going to go into mystery spoilers (every other review of the book respects the sanctity, so I'll rally). My issues were from more of a technical standpoint, anyway.

Pros
-Humor
*Especially from Batrice and Coralyne. When Jamie is hit by their coach and must be dragged into the safety of their cab, Batrice reinvigorates his masculinity by claiming he's a dangerous highway man instead of an invalid.
-Batrice in the beginning
*We're introduced to someone who prides herself on unconventionality; she can do needlework, expertly, in fact, but knowing it's deemed women's work makes it unappealing. And doing it implies that she, like the work, is trivial too.
-Idea that femininity aids espionage
*Batrice moans and groans about sitting around, taking tea with ladies/doing embroidery when she signed up for spying. Teaching people to listen/observe coherently while appearing occupied is a talent in itself, and villains are less likely to expect the docile lady than the brutish man.
-Coralyne
*Her little meta asides (she hitched a ride in Batrice's coach under the guise of a maid in hopes that
she'll find new material for her next novel) about romance heroines kept me going through this uphill battle.
-Batrice finding her clothes have been ransacked/dirtied
*It shook me, because think about it: in order to ransack/dirty them, someone has to touch them, paw through all your pieces and then you've got to put said pieces on your person. And when you do, it's like they've gotten to touch you without consent.
-Batrice and the red cloak
*I was about to throw hands when Batrice puts on a white cloak to wear on her journey to her grandma's. You're supposed to be RRH, for crying out loud! But then she uses it to stop Jamie's bleeding, marring it with red splotches. I kind read this as an homage to RRH straying from the path/running into the wolf in her red hood and Jamie is a stranger they hit on the road while straying from the path who turns her cloak red. Too much? I'm trying to keep it positive, guys.

That's where the pros end for me.

OG Elements
-Batrice is told to visit her ailing grandmother by her mentor, just like OG RRH is told by her mother to check on her grandmother.
*Both characters are even instructed to bring baskets, OG RRH has food and Batrice has a puppy.
-We get a "Grandmother, what a deep voice you have". Don't think that exact bit was in the OG story, but still. Nice touch.
-Sir Abner disguised as Batrice's grandmother, sitting in up her chair, shrouded in shadow, is literally the OG moment when "Grandma" is the clearly the wolf in drag. Also, a nice homage to The Company of Wolves when Rosaline arrives at Grandma's in the night and gets a greeting from "Grandma", who's in the rocking chair by the fire.
*Although, unlike the OG RRH, Batrice doesn't jump into bed with the imposter; she knows right away he's the enemy.

Cons
-Writing
*This book has a simplistic story with wraparound writing. The kind of writing that's exhausting to read, like some middle schooler flexing complex sentence structure. I took my pen to paper so many times to shorten the culprits. Give your commas a break! Not every sentence needs to over explain the emotion. You can just go: "Batrice said haughtily" instead of "Batrice replied, haughtily flicking her hood with distaste". Not something that really happened, but that's kind of the gist of every character doing something angrily or curiously. It reeks of the author not believing enough in their talent to get the emotion across. If they're feeling something, show don't tell.
-Batrice's backslide
*Remember that caveat about liking Batrice in the beginning? Well, that faded fast because not a hundred pages in and she literally gives us "I'm plain. With straight brown hair, brown eyes, and an unexceptional face. Why would (insert broody leg of love triangle here) be into me?" Umm... didn't we leave that girl a decade ago, still simping after that undead guy?
-Also, clunky, matter-of fact delivery insults the reader. Give insights to her appearance: tell me how her chestnut hair gets caught in her collar when she's tying her cloak, get a love interest to tell me her eye color or maybe an outfit matches them. Don't info dump.
-Rupert and Batrice's "hate to love" felt forced
*Early on, Batrice bemoans that Rupert disapproves of her methods and why would he be into her, he clearly hates her. I had to remember if they'd even interacted beyond a first meeting and his grumbling on his horse. If they did, it wasn't that deep. He gets mad when she begins showing that she's not ready for the tact of espionage and could cost him his job too: She flirts adjacent with a guy at the inn and we're supposed to be on her side and assume "he's jealous". But really, you just gave your real surname so some rando who was smart enough not to give you his. Girl, bye. It's like the author was told this trope would sell but didn't know how to sell it.
-Repetition
*Coralyne is always described as "the pretend maid", Rupert as "the guard", little asides about Batrice's time as an actor (honestly, those were the worst: one, she sounded like that prom queen who never graduated and will tell her glory days to anyone sitting too close. And second, it feels like
the author didn't think she drove the idea home enough, especially when Batrice claims she envies Coralyne's imagination. Pretty sure it takes that to be as good as an actress as you think you are), and the sentence structure beginning with: "look at me" and then Batrice going onto describe why she's "not like other girls/such a mess" eat up this slim novel. We don't need to be told to look at you: you're the protagonist and as a wannabe spy, attention is the last thing you'd want anyway.
-Wishy Washy nature
*Coralyne's got a great imagination, right? And Batrice is just so practical... so why is she the one coming up with Jamie's highway man story on the spot while Coralyne's on the sidelines? It would've made more sense for Coralyne to get overly excited for this new addition to her novel and spout off this bit while Batrice frantically tries to shush her.
-Perfunctory wrap-up
*The love triangle is literally told to be bow wrapped by the author rushing along the "And Jamie and Batrice parted on good terms, no hard feelings". All I can say was, thank God it was at the end.

This was so disappointing that I went ahead and deleted all this author's works from my TBR. I'm not trying to yuck anyone's yum, but I also don't sugarcoat. Save yourself the money, there are much better retellings out there, indie ones too.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone help me out here, please! One thing about the ending ANNOYS me so much.

(Warning “spoilers”, but not really a spoiler because how can you not know who is getting together)






Okay, Jamie can’t be with her no matter how much he wishes… boo hoo for them (even though you know they will find a way to be together). He has a long speech saying as much, more than once. Then SUDDENLY at the end it’s just no longer an issue? They can be together, no barriers, he just decides that it’s possible for them to be in love now… But they never explain what changed so that they can be together now!

He tells her how much he loves her and wanted to kiss her (in the carriage ride) but says multiple times how it could *never* work no matter how much he wishes. If her knowing the truth made it so they could be together, then he could have told her, or knew that he’d eventually be able to tell her. They make such a big deal over how they can’t possibly be together, then at the end, nothing stands in their way.

Am I missing something?!?! Anyone else annoyed that this just gets glossed over??

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm annoyed--I wrote a review, and it didn't save! Gr. Second reviews are never as good.

As with the rest of the series, I listened to this because my library didn't have it in any other format. Fortunately, I've enjoyed the narrator, who has remained the same for the entire series.

These fairy tale retellings have been some of the better ones I've read, I think. Each one features a strong, smart, interesting female leader and a likable love interest who is equally strong, smart, and interesting. They complement one another, neither one diminishing the other. And that's how I like my heroes and heroines. One does not have to be portrayed as weak in order for the other to appear strong.

After Batrice's introduction in the previous book, I wasn't sure I would become as interested in her story as the previous characters. There wasn't anything wrong with her--I suppose her part prior to this book was just so small that I wasn't invested. Yet. But I actually enjoyed it a lot. Both she and Jamie were great characters, and they complemented each other well. I don't know their ages, but I know Batrice was younger than Coralyn (24).

As with the other books, I liked how the author took the original story (Red Riding Hood in this case) and changed it to be a new story. It's still got the main elements, but it's definitely it's own story.

There's no word of a seventh book, but I hope there will be one. Although Batrice's part may have concluded, the overall story has not. There are still a lot of questions left unanswered, particularly with Spark. I assume that if there were to be another story, it would follow Coralyn and perhaps Rupert.

How it ends: In the final leg of their journey to Batrice's grandmother's house, the axel on their carriage breaks--it had some help. Jamie leaves with Mayhem to continue his journey. Rupert is attacked, and the girls are tied up and guarded while the attacker searches the carriage. Batrice manages to get free and surprises their guards, so then she and Coralyn get the upper hand and tie up the guards.

Batrice continues on to her grandmother's house, where she finds out that the person behind their misfortunes is the old man she met along the way. He's actually a woman who disguised herself as a lot of people, and she's searching for a formula for something called Spark. Jamie arrives while Batrice is fighting her, and he reveals that the formula was never with Batrice. He was also searching for it and was the person who stole from their bags and fought her in the stable. However, he's searching for it because he created it and wants it back. It's a weaponized powder that the doesn't want in the wrong hands.

I can't remember if the lady leaves before or after Rupert and Coralyn arrived. Rupert admits to knowing that they were a decoy in Lady Norell's quest to weed out a traitor in her circle.

Jamie is actually a prince--the fourth son in a very small, very minor kingdom where even the royalty do common work. He really is a scholar and a scientist. He is in love with Batrice and didn't speak of or act on his feelings before because of the situation they were in. They decide to get married after they report to Lady Norell.

Lady Norell apologizes, sort of. Batrice admits that the spy life is not for her, and she leaves to marry Jamie and return with him to his kingdom.

Coralyn is set up with her own apartments and continues writing. Rupert asked Lady Norell for some leave and has disappeared.

Note: Maybe some mild swearing.

[C.A. Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole series is like the literary equivalent of a bowl of pasta -- empty calories, but tasty comfort food nonetheless. It's got a little bit of everything: adventure, magic, romance, intrigue, and a sappy happily-ever-after.

This one was a very loose retelling of Little Red Riding Hood... but since that story is actually quite short, the author had a lot of gaps to fill in. The role of Red Riding Hood is played by Batrice, a sarcastic former actress who thinks she'd like to become a spy for the Andari crown. But before she could do so, a letter from her hypochondriacal grandmother diverts her course, demanding that she come and attend her bedside before her demise. Batrice cannot understand why her spy mentor not only sends her, but sends her with two guards who behave quite strangely, and with a basket containing a poorly behaved puppy and an aspiring novelist who pretends to be her maid. Along the way, they encounter an injured traveler whom they take in, multiple small personal items go missing, the carriage is vandalized, and Batrice generally wonders what's really going on. The mysterious injured traveler, Jamie, becomes the love interest--but is he also the "wolf"? (At least that's what I was wondering for most of the book.)

The climax of every book in this series is always a little chaotic and topsy-turvy, with so many reveals coming so fast and furious that I'm not sure if Davidson planted seeds for them earlier in the story, or if she's just making up whatever comes into her head at the time. This book's climax was even more that way than most, introducing an entire conspiracy and characters of which Batrice was entirely ignorant. But I didn't really mind, because I wasn't all that invested in the mystery anyway. While I enjoyed every book in this series, I also never felt that I couldn't put it down or had to know what happened next. They're great for light bedtime reading.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path of Secrets is a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, set in the fantasy kingdom of Andari. This is a stand-alone novel, so although there are other books in the series, it is not necessary to have read them to enjoy this story.

Batrice wants to have a place in the royal spy network headed by Lady Norelle, who is currently sponsoring her. She has been proving that she can act the part of noble debutante, even though years before left that life when she ran away from her home to join a traveling acting troupe. When a letter arrives from Batrice’s grandmother, who claims to be on her deathbed, Lady Norelle insists that Batrice attend her grandmother, and she is sent off on a week-long journey through the forest to her grandmother’s estate. She is joined by Coralynne, a would-be novelist posing as Batrice’s maid, shy coach driver John, cranky guard Rupert and another surprise traveler of the four-legged variety. Along the way she meets Jamie, a handsome traveler or highwaymen, she can’t figure out which, as well as a whole lot of other interesting characters.

This was a fun story - I enjoyed figuring out who was the “wolf.” Even when I thought I had it all figured out, there were still some surprises. Batrice was a good heroine; she had just the right amount of uniqueness without being ridiculous. She is independent and smart, but willing to admit when she is mistaken. A little bit of romance between Batrice and Jamie rounds out the story, but you can’t help wondering, is he the wolf or the wood-cutter? You hope for him to be the woodcutter, but there are so many twists and turns that you wind up as unsure as Batrice. This was a really well thought-out story, with well-developed characters. Although the storyline was serious, there were a few humorous moments, and at least one time when I actually laughed out loud. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next installment in the Andari series.

[Hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

No. I think I’m done with this series. I’ve given it many chances, but if I’m this frustrated by the 200-300-page instalments, I doubt I’ll have the patience for the 350-450-page ones!

Batrice was a lot like Brenna, the heroine from the previous book, except much less competent, so all of her decisions were just frustratingly stupid. I also think this book suffered from being single POV where all the rest have been dual: I get that not knowing the love interest’s true identity/whether to trust him is necessary for the mystery plot, but it means we never really get to know him, and are instead just constantly stuck in Batrice’s head, getting ever more irritated with her obvious idiocy.

The plot is also absolutely stupid, and the payoff is only interesting if you’re invested in the macroplot/wider world of this series, which (highly unusually for me, so you know it’s bad!) I don’t care about at all - and even then, introducing an entirely new country in the last chapter is a terrible strategy! (It’s possible we have heard of the country in one of the books I skipped, but based on the way it’s mentioned I don’t thinkthat’s the case?). And, if this is the end of the series, leaving things on the edge of all-out World War is an incredibly unsatisfying way to leave things for readers who actually are invested?!

[amanda_coffee_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just like the first five books this one didn’t disappoint me. I loved all the twists in this book. What a different take on the little red ridding hood story. Love the way Kenley Davidson writes her retellings. To be honest she is the only author that I have read retellings. Highly recommend lol her books. They are short and just amazing reads. Really enjoyed all the characters how they are with each other. Well until that ending when the truth all comes together. Batrice is amazing main character I love that she doesn’t care just says what on her mind without a second thought.
About Book-
Batrice is a young woman who got a letter to go to visit her dying grandmother. When on her journey her maid isn’t really a aid but a writer. Wanting some action to have for her next book. There are thing happening along this trip that has Batrice going crazy things are missing and letters being left. Highly. Recommend this book and her other first five books.

[Bess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another fun read with another strong female!
Batrice was first mentioned in Daughter of Lies with Breanna. We knew she was a performer. Acrobats mostly. However, in this one, you find out that she was fitted for the stage as well. And after meeting Breanna, Batrice wanted to become a spy.
And this was her first and last test!
Jamie was strong, handsome, and completely elusive. Admitting to being a thief and following Batrice and her party around, he had his own agenda that didn't include falling in love with a would-be spy.
The other characters were interesting. I liked Coralynne and her undying devotion to Batrice. Even if that devotion came solely from desiring novel fodder. I'm still unsure about Rupert though. We'll have to see if the series continues.
But this was a fun, quick, light read with "mayhem" and "goblin" to keep us company! Only a fleeting amount of profanities in this one.
Great fun!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spies, Dangers, & Obnoxious but lovable Pets
Batrice Reyard thinks she wants to be a spy, and her friend, Coralynne wants to be a writer. They embark on a trip to Batrice’s grandmother’s house, not realizing what an adventure it would be. The trip is not what it seems, and enemies, dangers, and surprises await. Batrice makes a surprise human friend as well as a surprise cat friend. Both come to her rescue at different times. Quinn makes another cameo visit. He seems to know everyone. While this is the last book listed in the series, I wish there was more closure. I feel sad that Coralynne’s romance went sour, and that there was no romance for Quinn. I wonder if he will ever find someone to love him? However, there is lots of action, and Batrice did figure out what future she really wanted.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars not because it was a perfect book, but because it was perfectly fun and entertaining for me to read. ;)

The main thing I take away from this book is a burning desire to read this whole adventure from the perspective of Rupert.

That man is a mystery, and I would dearly like to see inside of his head! Like Batrice, I hardly know what to make of him. (Please... please tell me we get another book to try to puzzle him out.)

Just when I think the Andari Chronicles might be wrapping up, more adventures pop up! I look forward to seeing how this newly introduced threat to the kingdom(s) gets dealt with. (There is more to come, right? And it involves Rude Rupert, right??)

And if that sound vague and curiosity- piqueing, it was meant to. ;)

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable fantasy/romance/mystery based on Red Riding Hood.

In its favor:
Clever nonmagical plotline
Witty banter between characters
As typical for Davidson's stories, some of the side characters really stole the show. I especially loved the animals in this one
The mystery leaves a nice amount of uncertainty throughout the story

Could use some work:
Plot was overall rather slow - the clues were vague, but it felt like Batrice should have caught on to things a little bit faster. Some things remained a bit odd, even after explanations. And the journey took FOREVER, we traveled as slow through the mud as they did.

Overall, very good, clean fantasy mystery based on a fairytale.

[Amy Cookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible take on the traditional story! I LOVE the main character Batrice's sass, it definitely made the book for me! The romances were adorably cute and I fell just as much in love with the guys as the girls did. ;) Okay, maybe not quite that much, but I loved how the romance progressed and ESPECIALLY how it worked out! Adorable!!!
The plot was great fun and I loved the mystery portion, trying to figure out who was the 'wolf'. Batrice doesn't catch on nearly as fast as I did, but it's not annoying because she is still doing a lot to figure things out. I just love Batrice and all of the characters! It was a SUPER fun book to read, and I highly recommend!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I really liked this story. I get nervous when I read something by Kenley, sometimes she adds a cuss word and I don't read things with cussing in them. This was a clean read although she used "ass" = donkey, a couple of times at the end.

This is more of a reference to Little Red Riding Hood than a make over of the story. Her red cloak is a white cloak that she used to staunch the blood flow of a friend and it ended up stained red - ewww. She is going to see her grandmother and a basket has a big part in the story, as do a dog and a cat which are wonderful secondary characters in the story.

This is a 4.5 rating.

[Erin H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this author's retelling because they are original and interesting. The stories actually hold very little connection to the actual fairytales though—practically none really. However they are creative.

However, I do have to say this is not one of my favorites in this series. I found this particular volume very lackluster and kept wandering to other tasks before returning to it. I'd give it three stars of I hadn't read the previous ones and honestly three-and-a-half stars would be more appropriate, but I rounded up because I enjoyed the rest of the series. Definitely start at the beginning.

While it says they can be read out of order.... I'd suggest following the order.

[Kimberly Gordon-Bercich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets

Batrice has lived an unexpected life. As spy in training for Lady Norel, these unprecedented life experiences could come in handy. Everything comes to a halt when she is requested by her ailing grandmother to come visit. Her journey, unbeknownst to her is a test. Along the way she will pick-up several strays. A puppy, a kitten, a Coralynne and a Jamie. Each will pick away at her secrets and harbor their own. Some will be discovered early on. Others will take time to reveal.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Path of Secrets was a great title for this entry, because this was one wild journey! Although I did pick up the gist of what was going on fairly quickly - and quite a bit faster than poor Batrice - it was entertaining to follow along. The big reveal still packed a couple of fun twists, which was enjoyable, and I loved Batrice and Coralynne's relationship, not to mention the amazing Goblin. I certainly hope the series continues!

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as enjoyable as some of the others, maybe because I felt there were other characters I would have preferred to read about than a minor character in a previous book...
Batrice is on a journey to visit her dying grandmother, and struggling to maintain her cover as a Lady, while strange robberies and events keep on occurring to her travelling party
The best thing about this book was Goblin the cat!

[Falynn Breeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable finale to a super creative and fun series. Kenley Davidson has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She has a real talent for creating vibrant worlds and characters that are dynamic. I wasn't super excited to read about Beatrice at first because she was such a minor character in Daughter of Lies but I was super surprised and happy to see she was a hilarious, spunky MC who found herself and made me laugh plenty of times along the way. I recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book, but over all I would say I was happily surprised by how delightful the main character turned out to be.

Characters 6/5 -The best reason to read this book
Plot 3/5 - interesting but boy did some parts drag!
Romance 3/5 - Cute but I didn’t really get sucked in.
Setting 2/5 - Did I miss a book? Oh, 5 books? That explains why I had so much trouble understanding what kind of world this was happening in!
Writing 5/5 fantastic

[Ami]

I rated this 5 stars. This may be my favorite of the series. It is about lies, using people, deciding what you want and who you trust. Batrice is smart enough to figure out things aren't right. I loved the novelist along for the ride. Not knowing who was the villain or the hero. I love Batrice making her own choice. Also, I want more from this series. It feels like there is more to tell in these kingdoms.

[Bel E · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read!

This book, did not go the way I expected. It took my expectations and screwed them up in to a tiny ball and threw them away! I could not put this book down. It is I've of the best retellings of Red Riding Hood I have read! And didn't follow the predictibility of the tale. Definitely recommend this series 10/10 cannot wait for moooooore!!! Please

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this series and Kenley Davidson's writing style. This book, the sixth in the Andari Chronicles series, was long-awaited but worth it. I wasn't sure about her at first, but ended up loving the main character, Batrice Reyard. Batrice, who is considering becoming a spy, is expected to visit her supposedly ailing grandmother to support her cover story of being a high society debutant. But Batrice, knowing that her Grandmother will exaggerate her illness just to gather her family around, is reluctant to endure a long journey to attend what she believes is a farce. But mysteries, action, and excitement lie around every turn. Batrice loses her heart, nearly loses her life, and doesn't know who to trust. She is determined to solve the myriad mysteries surrounding her and determinedly forges on. The suspense builds until the very end with a surprising twist that's impossible to predict. This may be my favorite book of the series. I'd love to get more of Batrice and the secondary characters in this story.

[Sennin Kellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put down!

While I have enjoyed the other books of this series, this one blew me away and had me on the edge of my seat. The characters were engaging, twists were around every corner, and the ending left me desperate to learn what happens to some of this book’s characters!