Hidden: Rapunzel's Story

Destined #2

by Kaylin Lee

Young assassin Rapunzel is the most powerful absorbent mage alive, so strong she can drain the life of a grown man with a single brush of her finger.

But the power means little when her every move is controlled by her mistress.

For twelve long years, Rapunzel has known nothing beyond a nightmarish life of captivity, murder, and failed escape attempts.

She spends her days locked away in a tower, dreaming of a different life, and her nights in the city, forced to use her terrible power for her mistress’s political ambitions.

Rapunzel knows she’s a monster. She shouldn’t exist. She doesn’t deserve to exist. But her desperate hope for freedom just won’t go away.

Then a mysterious foreigner climbs into her tower seeking refuge. He should be terrified of Rapunzel, but he wants to help set her free. What kind of madman would ever want to help someone like Rapunzel?

And who is Rapunzel, really? A woman, or a killer?

--

Hidden: Rapunzel’s Story is the second book in the Destined series, a series of overlapping fairy tale retellings all set in the same magical world. Each story is self-contained, with its own protagonist and satisfying happily-ever-after, but they also tell an over-arching story. Read them in order:

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

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2019

About the author

Kaylin Lee lives in the Pacific Northwest with her real-life hero husband and two sweet kiddos. After a lifetime of staying up too late reading stories, she now wakes up too early writing them. It was probably inevitable.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notable Content: Mentions of sex, sexual assault, and blackmail for sex. Cuddling and kissing. Implied sexual desire.

I absolutely loved the first part of this book. That part was definitely five-star. It was so interesting and it kept me guessing. The second part of the book I liked less so because it mainly retold parts of the first book (though you do learn about what was going on with Zel and the twins during that book). The third part again did a lot of retelling (though I liked it a bit more), and though it filled in some gaps from book one, I had trouble following it fully. It was a bit confusing.

The twist on Repunzel was really cool to read about, and the Author's Note at the end explained how she followed the original story and how it differed from the popularized version.

I loved the romance in this one. It didn't feel forced or inauthentic to me. I also really loved learning more about the old characters and their relationships. Zel's backstory was amazing, and figuring her out was, too. The twins' personalities came out more in this book (though they were well-done in the first, too) as well, which was neat.

The world-building is still excellent. Learning about the other country (the name is escaping me) was fascinating, and the world was well-developed and detailed.

The prose is good, though at times I wished for less of what was going on at the surface and more of what was going on in Zel's head.

All in all, this book wasn't perfect, but I definitely enjoyed it.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon US today (8/1/2019)! 🎁

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, full disclosure: the emotional part of me reallllly wants to give this five stars, but the practical part of me says four. So, here's why: (warning, review contains book 1, Fated, spoilers, but none for Hidden, book 2)

First of all, returning cast: YAY! New and returning settings: YAY! (See my review of Fated for more gushing on the awesome political and societal structure and desire to see more of this fabulous world.) Rapunzel retelling: oh. my. word, y'all. This was an excellent retelling of the classic tale, one of the most ingenious I've read. It cleverly stuck to the original tale, but in such subtle ways I nearly missed the parallels entirely. For this reason, and perhaps this reason alone, I can forgive my biggest complaint against the story: the pacing. I felt like the entire book was backstory or prologue material until the very end. (Okay, y'all, that ending was fabulous!) The pacing throughout almost the entire book was off. It was fast-paced, but not in the good way. There were a lot of time skips, which I could understand, and none of the story was written ambiguously. It was all clear and understandable, but I felt like I was ready backstory or a setup to something instead of a story all its own. Honestly, I expected this to be Rap's story in Draicia and it end (book 1 spoilers!) as she reaches Asylia. However, Hidden went on well beyond that. And, personally, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Zel's pov of the events of Fated and some of the conversations between her and Weslan, even if I was slightly disappointed in her character and choices at times. I did feel like she developed rather slowly, and like there were several...insta-moments throughout the story, though this may be due to the pacing. I loved where it ended and that ending alone brought the whole experience up a notch for me. It was exciting and compelling and made me look forward to the several other fairytales I saw setups for--at least four others. So, in conclusion, most of the book felt rushed to me, much of the middle felt like "extras" material, but overall, it was well-written, held a fresh perspective, cleverly planned, and excellent settings. No foul language. Clean romance. Mild, though not graphic at all, violence. I would recommend it, but with the understanding that it feels more like an alternate pov or companion book than a sequel. And I will definitely be checking out the prequel for some Weslan pov!

[J.M. Stengl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fast-paced retelling of Rapunzel, packed with back-story for book 1 in the series, retelling bits of that book from Zel's POV, then on into the future.
A thrilling, romantic, tear-jerking, and deeply satisfying read. The original fairy tale is rather dark, and this story follows its story-line pretty faithfully (though not quite as dark!). I would recommend it for high-school age and up.
The magic in this fantasy world is intriguing, and I am eager to pick up book 3 very soon and read more about these characters!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow! I was really wary about reading this because you kinda already know the ending of rapunzel's story in Fated. In fact, I almost didn't read this...but I'm so glad I did! The most helpful advice I can give is that this isn't really a prequel - it's half prequel, half alternative-perspective story. I can't say anymore without spoilers, but i really enjoyed reading Zel's perspective, ESPECIALLY the part in Draicia. Several reviews I read on Amazon talked about slow pacing, but actually i felt it was really well paced. All in all, I really liked this book! However, I'm not giving it five stars because I felt the very end was kinda rushed, and i dislike having new elements added in at the last minute (even though it didn't QUITE commit the obvious cliff-hanger sin). But otherwise it's definitely 4.5 stars. And Kaylin, if you're reading this - you totally need to write a novella from Darien's perspective!

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reinterpretation of the fairy tale, where the protagonist kills with her magic touch.
When Rapunzel's name is spoken, she has to do as directed, which so far has prevented her harming her mistress, the Wasp Queen. Until she has completed the last command and she gets the next one.
So why doesn't she block her hearing? Maybe that's later in the book.
Couldn't stay interested enough to find out.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Zel's story. I wasn't sure how it was going to go since it was almost a prequel, but I think it was handled nicely. There were some points where the stories overlapped, but was most likely necessary in order to tell the stories in this order. Great progression.

[Desiree Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

Loved the retelling. I loved how she overcame in the end and finally saw who she really was. Great series. Love the intriguing twists and turns the story tells and getting to hear another side of Cinderellas story too.

[LittleDeadRedGoddessPersephone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just as good as Fated:Cinderella's story. A very worthy follow up. I will try my best to not give away may spoilers in my review. I do want to warn that if you want to read this book but have not read Fated then you may want to put this off to read the first book in this fantastic series.

Rapunzel feels as if she is a monster. Locked away in a tower until her Mistress "The Wasp" calls her to her to let down her golden ladder and "Do no harm". As Rapunzel's Mistress she knows her true name she must do the Wasp's bidding no matter what it may be. The "Do know harm" order is very important as Rapunzel is not just an ordinary Mage. She has a very special power known as "The Touch". The ability to drain the life out of someone with a little touch. Her Mistress' order keeps Rapunzel from hurting The Wasp in any way. Though Rapunzel does not want to kill she has no choice. She has been under the thumb of her Mistress since she was six years old.

One day after an outing a boy comes in Rupunzel's lonely tower and life. Teaching her to try and accept herself and learn to control her powers better. The love of this young man changes her life in many ways including marrying her in her tower and getting her pregnant. Rapunzel knows she must escape if her baby is to stand a chance......

I won't give away anything else in case you are reading this review before reading the first book i the series. Let me just say that everything I loved about Fated I loved about this and even more. The story was darker than the first and the world building is even stronger here.

Please hurry and finish the next book Kaylin Lee!!! I can't wait!!!

[Xena Elektra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than Fated. Zel was a great character and I LOVED her personality and story. Yes, the second half of the story overlaps with Fated but it'd been awhile since I read book 1 and it wasn't a negative for me. Besides it felt like Fated was very action oriented. We were out and about a lot, seeing things, doing things, etc.

Hidden(at least the second part) was more introspective. Zel is a mom who's keeping a lot of stuff internalized. She is wondering who she is, will they be discovered, is she a good mom, how does she take care of her family, etc. Everything she goes through and thinks and struggles with was so easy to identify with. It was one of those rich stories that could take place mostly trapped in a tower or in the upper floor of the bakery and it didn't matter. The setting didn't hold back Zel's personality or the story.

My only real complaint is the romance. Which after reading all 5 books I can say is not Lee's strong point. Only one of them I felt like hit the romance. This one is no different.

D shows up in Zel's tower and despite very little conversation or anything going on between them they quickly fall in love and get married!!! I kept waiting for it to be a trap. Actually I waited the whole freaking book for it to be a trap. It was so unbelievable that I kept thinking this high ranking spy person was somehow setting up the innocent girl in the tower. Even after the wasp queen kills him I thought it was a trap. I was like, I bet they were in cahoots and he just screamed to make Zel believe he was dead so they can enact their evil plot.

So they have a whirlwind romance with no heat and next thing you know Zel's on a mission with the wasp queen who says something about being pregnant and I was like woah, wait what? I don't even LIKE sex scenes but to have NOTHING showing that they got it on that really came out of left field. There's not even a "he drew her to him, kissed her slowly, and said, how about we call it a night. A slow sexy voice." No sort of fade to black or dialogue to make you EVER think they'd been together.

Anyway, the romance sucked which was too bad b/c I thought it could've added to the story instead of distracting me by thinking something funky was going on. But the rest of this was really good.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not as detailed as the previous book, it takes place over a much longer period of time, Hidden was still a very good read. Trust me, this is the tale of Rapunzel like you've never seen before!

One of the things that I appreciated about this story is that, while it is a YA story, it will also appeal to older readers as well. The fact that for half of the book Zel is an adult, a widow with two teenage daughters and an older teenage stepdaughter, really lends itself to a wider audience. Oh, and don't worry, the story is definitely a clean read.

Kaylin Lee's world-building skills are excellent! Her world of magic is both fantastical and familiar. Toss in some valuable life lessons and the addition of dystopian threads and you've got some fun reading that you won't be able to put down. I know, I couldn't...

Because Hidden is told from Rapunzel's 'Zel's' perspective and covers much of the same events, though less detailed and from Zel's viewpoint, as the first book (Cinderella's story) you definitely need to read Fated first. You'll have a much richer reading experience if you do.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I liked where this story was placed in the series. I read the first book a while ago, Cinderella's story, and knew Zel quite well, but obviously didn't really know her story. To go back and learn her story was fine, but when we got to the part where the two stories overlapped - that was awkward. I was trying to remember what I had read in the other story and what would be happening at this point with Cinderella and the Crimson Tide and who was really behind what was going on... I was trying to get back the feelings that I had when I was reading the first story for the relationship between Ella and Weslan, but it just wasn't there. Then we went a little bit further and that was better. The newest book is about a character out of the first book, Belle. I can barely remember her from the first story - I hope she comes back to me! If I read this series again, I think I'd start with Hidden first, then read Cinderella's story, even though there are hints of things to come in Hidden, then go on from there.

This is a clean read.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I read Fated, I was excited to read Zel's story. I have never read a Rapunzel retelling, so I was extra eager to continue the Destined series. I grew up on fairy tales, and because of that, I have fun analyzing fairy tale retellings. I enjoyed this addition to the Destined series, and I can't wait to read the rest of them!



Fated: Cinderella's StoryFated: Cinderella's Story

[Raven Lancaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting but confusing

I was baffled as to how Rapunzel ended up pregnant since the author left that out entirely. I understand some authors are completely uncomfortable writing about such things, but she could have alluded to it. I certainly hope these books aren't considered romantic, because they certainly aren't. It was interesting that it overlaps with Fated so you get Zel's side of what was going on too. Definitely a different take on Rapunzel! It was a good story overall, but the author might want to update it and allude to "doing what just married couples do" instead of saying they talked and cuddled until Zel fell asleep.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freedom

In a land where mages can be controlled by anyone possessing their true name, Zel is one of the most powerful and feared mages. Sold to an ambitious and cruel tyrant when she was 5-years-old, she knows nothing of love or kindness. She is a weapon, although a reluctant one. One day, she meets a soldier and falls in love. When she discovers she is pregnant, she knows she has to escape. This is a great retelling of a classic fairytale. It is fast paced and holds the reader's attention.

[Sara Cowells · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically half of the book is a retelling of the first book, but through the eyes of Zel. I’m not sure of some of the world building choices... why a fomecoach? Victus makes more sense because of the word victual. So many possibilities with mages and their power but most of the mages in the story are only workers who improve appearances (or kill people).

The ending seemed implausible and rushed. The general idea is interesting and I appreciate the author’s efforts. I might need a break from the rest of the series.

[Mariko L. Odhner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good retelling of a difficult tale

Rapunzel is a difficult story to retell given the years of suffering, the helplessness of being trapped in a tower, the single parenthood, oh, and the pregnancy craving for lettuce that starts it all. Ok, this retelling leaves out the last absurdity, yet manages to include and even motivate some of the others. I’m surprised the author tied all the fairy tales so close together and suspect some of the confusing parts of this tale ( why is the random gang attacking them) come from Ella’s tale or another overlapping one.

[Elly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I continued with the series in the hope that I would learn more about the world but as this book consisted of so much crossover with its predecessor I instead found myself continually frustrated and often completely opposed to the plight of the characters. While casting Rapunzel in the role of Cinderella's stepmother was an intriguing move this book has turned me off bothering with the rest of the series.

[Crystal Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, and I liked how it was different from the first, even though the two books happened at the same time. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because the middle seemed to be a lot of the same thing being repeated over and over again. The beginning and ending definitely made up for any parts that seemed to be too dragged out. Overall, I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid follow-up to book one! I really enjoyed Zel's story, particularly her backstory and whirlwind romance in Draicia. That was probably my favorite part of the whole book, and I really wish there had been more development of that and less re-hashing of Fated. Toward the end, I also wish there would have been more time spent wrapping up that part of the plot, as it all kind of felt like a bit of a rushed afterthought once she was reunited with Darian (not sure if this is even a spoiler or if everyone but me realized that the Darian Ella met was in fact the same person) .

I do look forward to continuing to read the rest of the series. A *lot* was introduced in those last few chapters regarding new magic, new enemies, and the future of Asylia that felt like a clear set-up for more books. And, while some of that set-up was really rushed, it sure did the job of making me want to read more!

Overall, another super interesting fairy-tale retelling that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoyed Fated. It likely wouldn't stand well on its own, but it's effective enough as a part of the larger story.

Regarding the audiobook, the narration was clean, clear, and easy to listen to.

This audiobook was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

[Billie Flaming · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I found this to be a definite step down from the first book. The writing blasts through all the pacing, so the first section of the book moves so fast, I didn’t buy any of what was happening.
The rest of the book largely rehashes what happened in the previous book. Loose ends are tied up, but I’d already ready the story of Ella and how she’s cool and fixed stuff.

[Teresa Bertolio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this retelling if Rapunzel. There is a lot of action, romance, sacrifice, and magic. Something for everyone. There is some violence, so if you don't like fighting, don't read this. Otherwise, happy reading:)

[Ellen T. Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful page turner

I loved this fast reading book and can't wait to read more from this author. I love that there are no swear words, thank you kayaking Lee for a wonderful clean and captivating read.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the beginning and end, but I don't enjoy retellings from a different point of view, so the very long middle part was hard to get through as it was exactly the story from the first of the series but from Zel's POV.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this version on Rapunzel! It is a bit of a prequel so it diverts from the main story arc, but if you are in for the whole series, it’s a welcome addition as background. Great characters and dialogue, as per usual with her books!

[Sophie Bowns · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great to get it for free! On the whole, I really enjoyed the story. It’s the first Rapunzel retelling that I have genuinely liked. The writing style was fluent throughout the novel, and I enjoyed the ending.

[Sharon Hogenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - there was a bit of flashback which, since just having read "Fated" was a bit tedious. Rapunzel has never been my favorite fairy tale, in fact, I really don't like it very much. But "Hidden" is a great story loosely based on the fairy tale. I really enjoyed listening to it.

[Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I absolutely adored this retelling of Rapunzel. It's a game that had never occurred to me before and Iwas thoroughly captivated!

[grace duck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Beautiful retelling of a classic fairy tale full of romance, adventure and a hint of mystery. Looking forward to reading more of the series.

[Destiny Puente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Great retelling! Love the different point of view from the first book! I definitely cried once or twice, so be ready!