Fallen Snow

Whispering Willows #1

by Diana Dawn

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07Z2NTCJM

Snow found herself falling into another world...literally...as she ran from her evil stepmother who was trying to kill her. And now, a new world full of romance and mystery and magic awaited her. But, she is still hunted...still in constant fear for her life from that witch. Searching for her "prince and protector" among the handsome strangers in this mystical remote village, she finds new friends among its residents, both historical and present-day folks. A mysterious woods where once you fall into it, you can’t leave. This was her new home, a world of magic and new family and friends and...romance. A new twist on a fairy tale retelling and re-imagining adventure...‘Fallen Snow’ is the first book in the Whispering Willows series.

Genres: Fantasy

208 pages, ebook

Published October 12, 2019

About the author

Diana Dawn is a writer and author of the new book series, Whispering Willows. As a lover of fairy tales and romance, Diana has focused her writing on romantic fiction, with a hint of classic fables. She has been a lifelong writer and first began creating stories in grade school. When she isn't glued to her computer or lost in her next fantasy story, Diana enjoys taking vacations with her husband and three children.

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the concept of this one but was a little disappointed in the execution. Snow White, while running from the Huntsman, falls into a portal and lands in an alternate dimension...ours. She ends up in the Whispering Willows were other people fell from other timelines, so we're told but other than Edward being a Prince it's not really explored much deeper. All the men there insta-love Snow there is even the vague outline of a love triangle teased. No one seems too concerned on going back to wherever they're all from. The girls maybe like Snow...like the narration tells us they do but some of their interaction seemed less than friendly. The Evil Queen is reaching through dimensions to get rid of Snow still for whatever reason as well. Despite her not wanting to go home and thus not a threat to Marguerite, she sends shards of the Magic Mirror to the Willows to spy and try to kill Snow.

The biggest fault of this story was not giving enough time to take a breath. There was a lot of cool things here that either were abandoned or just not given proper space to grow and develop. Also, there were just way too many characters. The girls had zero distinctions amongst themselves and even the men sort of melded together. Like at the beginning Rein was Snow's first kiss but after the chapter about the Halloween party at the halfway mark of the book he is literally never mentioned again. Where is he? Did he just decide he didn't like Snow and no longer cared about showing her about true love despite his intricate plot to trick her on Halloween? Was Eddy no longer gay? Did the potion actually work or was it Marguerite's magic the whole time? Why is Donnie so adamant on these rules? Where are all these people from? Why are they still referring to "boom boxes"? Where is civilization? How do they get electricity in the woods? Like there was just too many nuances that were just there.

I'm still intrigued enough to check out book 2, especially since the author includes a sweet offer for it in the pages of this one. But I'm hesitant to recommend this one.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Snow White escapes the Huntsman of the Wicked Witch and falls into a village of people from many points in history who have banded together to protect themselves from the harms of the new world.

I recognize that currently, mine is the dissenting voice amongst the reviews. While I didn't hate the story and I did love the imagination of the piece, there were several issues I had with the story.

First and foremost was the way all of the villagers fell neatly into their gender roles - the woman cleaned, mended and sewed, while the men hunted and provided protection. The cook was male, yes, but chefs traditionally are men so that wasn't ground-breaking.

Secondly, the voices of the characters were not distinct. The people allegedly came from different periods in time, but they all sounded alike. Their speech, for the most part, seemed to be southern American. And, while, there was one mention of the "loo", it was the only colloquial term that fit the idea of the people coming from other areas and eras.

Thirdly, and perhaps the most troubling, is a spoiler. Snow doctors someone's drink with something that could be considered a drug. She is given the potion and encouraged by one of the villagers and not dissuaded by the others. They seem to view it as a science experiment rather than the horrific event it is.

To sum up, I loved the premise and disliked the execution. The book itself is a clean read and I would have recommended it for the young adult audience but for the concerns listed above.

[Amina Thajudeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young adult fantasy thrillers are the best! Fallen Snow is the first book of Whispering Willows series written by Diana Dawn. The story follows Princess Snow who is on the run from her evil step mother. She accidentally bumps into Steive in the woods and he takes her to the enchanted Whispering Willows. Will this be her new home? Will she able to find her "prince charming" in this new world?

Dawn has created a new world by blending magic and mystery. She slowly unravels the multilayered mystery of Willows to the readers. The readers are slowly moving along with the princess Snow through this magic world. We will find love, danger, freedom and much more in this journey.

The author used a simple and vivid language to create this magical world. The touch of romance felt like a cherry on top. The depiction of girly love by mixing the confused and innocent personality of Snow is believable. The characters are well developed because a reader can easily get connected to them. The author has laid down a good foundation for her next book by ending this one at the cliffhanger.

[Chantal Magracia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diana Dawn’s “Fallen Snow: Book 1” is very well-executed! The author’s delivery of the scenes and dialogues were well-balanced. I found Diana’s style of writing to be highly admirable because there are only 2 other authors who write in the same style as Diana Dawn and both of them are actually my favourites as well: J.K. Rowling and Lurlene McDaniel. So, if you love authors such as J.K. Rowling and Lurlene McDaniel, then you’d definitely like Diana’s Dawn’s style of writing as well. I’ll do my absolute best to write a review without giving any spoilers!

Everything in the book flowed so well and it was an easy book to read. I love the way the author portrayed each and every character in detail. She gave a vivid description of every single character and every single event, which is one of the reasons why I absolutely loved it because she painted a clear picture in my mind; as such, it was extremely easy to imagine everything and everyone coming together and unfolding right before our very eyes! Figuratively speaking of course!

It was nice to see the character fall in love and how everyone else was falling in love with her. It’s a story that gave me butterflies in my tummy because the scenes were beautifully crafted into perfection.

Although this story somewhat resembled the fairy tale, the author most definitely made sure to create elements to make it her own! I absolutely loved the idea of the “magic crates” that could give anyone everything that they needed! I thought that that was an absolute genius concept!

There were a whole lot of characters in the roster that were extremely lovable and there were times when I wished that I was SNOW herself! I mean, who wouldn’t want to be her? She’s absolutely amazing! She’s a very affectionate, sincere, genuine, and lovable woman! Everyone who came across this angel fell in love with her whether as a lover or a friend. Of course, this can be attributed to the author’s style of writing! It’s electrifying! This kind of plot twist or spin-off is just so unique and refreshing to read that it makes me wonder why it hasn’t reached the “BEST SELLER” aisle yet?! Because I think it deserves to be on there!

I’m glad that I purchased this book because it’s well worth every single penny and every single second of my time that I spent reading this! This book will most definitely keep you glued to it because that was the case for me!

Do you know what else was extremely refreshing about this book? All of the female characters in it! They were all strong and independent female characters who empowered, uplifted, and enlightened SNOW whenever she needed them for support. It made me extremely happy to read about a story that was all about LIFTING WOMEN UP. SNOW honestly didn’t need anyone because she’s strong, independent, reliable, and dependable all on her own right but because she’s got such a great and vibrant personality that everyone simply seems to gravitate towards her and I found myself captivated by her charm and her beauty (she’s beautiful inside and out), and the author did such an astounding job conveying that to the readers!

The ending was a cliffhanger for Book 2, which is perfect considering that this book is from a series! The ending ended beautifully and I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait to read the next instalment to find out what happens next! Kudos to Diana Dawn for writing such a beautiful piece of literature in the most awe-inspiring way!

[Judith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fallen Snow, Book 1 of the Whispering Willows Series written by Diana Dawn, is an ‘epic twist’ that should be read by every young person. It entails themes such as family, customs, romance, mystery, and intrigue. The story is set in a quaint little village and surrounds Snow, a beautiful princess from another place in time. It showcases Snows’ struggles upon escaping from her evil stepmother and being thrown against her will into a new environment. It unfolds her efforts to fit into this village, becoming acquainted with new personalities and also her struggles in trying to stay alive; she also learns that she hasn’t escaped whatever forces brought her to Whispering Willows. In her quest to discover this bellowing and dangerous phenomena that wants her dead, she engages her new ‘family members’; and learns the genuine love she has garnered amongst them.
The author so skilfully wove all the different themes to make for an interesting and captivating novel. I personally loved the themes of romance and family; I loved how accepted and needed she made Snow feel on her arrival amongst these strangers. She made the characters all cohesive in nature, with all the villagers living as one big happy family with chores and fun activities. The romance theme will be a sure hit with readers as the author made Snow play a ‘cat and mouse’ game with several characters and left us wondering who she would actually end up with.
My favorite parts were when Dawn depicted Snow’s kisses with 2 male figures in the book; I marveled at how she portrayed Snow’s feelings of girly love and lust. In so doing it brought us back to our own childhood days and as such made the book so relatable. Every reader will admire and enjoy this authors’ expertise in transporting us back in time to our own memorable childhood adventures and exploits.
Being a true romantic myself, I loved how Dawn took us along with Snow in her quest for love and acceptance. She brought this out by putting an adult twist to a childhood favourite and made it all her own. The author made excellent use of figures of speech, especially metaphors. She capitalized on the use of metaphors and made readers feel as if they were actually transported into the book with Snow. Reading this book I felt every bruise, every hurt, every joy, every lust that Snow experienced, I smelt what Snow smelt, I tasted what she tasted; her use of metaphors made the words in the book come alive to me. My only flaw with this novel was the dialect the characters spoke; at times it was hard to understand; for example, using ‘ta’ instead of to or ‘ya’ instead of you.
Nevertheless, I would recommend this book, especially to teenagers/young adults or just about anyone who loves a romance/ “whodunit’’ kind of a novel. It is relatable, captivating and youngsters will read, enjoy and regret it when the novel comes to an end. The author had a cliffhanger ending, one which will have her readers wanting more and wanting to buy the next book in the series; I loved this concept. I look forward to reading more novels from this author and I wholeheartedly give this book 5 stars.

[Chimell Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had reservations as I began to read. I thought I was too mature to read this book as it seemed for a much younger audience. Despite my reservations, I decided to continue reading. I was increasingly enticed to read more as I delved deeper into the plot. I wanted to know what would happen next and even beyond this book. “Fallen Snow” is the first segment of a monumental series entitled “Whispering Willows”. As a huge fan of romantic fantasy books like “Snow White”, this was a very satisfying read. I admire how she was able to convert an iconic vintage story and somehow create a fresh spin on it.
The story is set in a whimsical village and tells about Snow, a beautiful princess from another place in time. It scribes Snows’ struggles to escape her evil stepmother and is forced to adjust to this new environment. The storyline tells of her efforts to fit into this village and become acquainted with new personalities with her struggles to survive. Until the story portrays that she learned, she wasn’t victorious against the forces that brought her to Whispering Willows in the first place. On her journey to discover this bellowing and dangerous phenomena that wants to kill her, she engages with her new ‘family members’ and learns of genuine love that she has garnered amongst them. The author’s emphasis on the use of metaphors made me feel as if I were actually present in the book with Snow. In reading this book I felt her victory, joy, hurt, bruises, and lust. These well-constructed metaphors made this book burst with life. Even with a few detestable flaws, the flow of the story grabs your attention and instantly connects you to the characters and the drama they endure.
Somehow she was able to place an adult twist to an iconic childhood favorite story. Despite the cliff-hanger ending, I highly recommend this book as an excellent read. I love that the romance didn’t overpower the plot and appear to be clichéd. I am definitely planning on getting the rest of the series.

[Shelly-Ann Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story Design

If Snow White is one of your favorites then you will be easily captured by Fallen Snow; with her innocence, beauty, and love.

Author Diana Dawn has put a twist to the fantasy romance popular fairytale with, “Whispering Willows: Book One – Fallen Snow”. It is the first in the book series which it is second titled “Forget Me Not” is already anticipated. Whispering Willows is where all dreams do come through. It is a fantasy indeed – as community spirit, activism, unity, togetherness, and love all abound in harmony. The main character, Snow, and others do live an unbelievable life. Except for one annoying stepmother who just doesn’t know when to quit. Her evil attitude is disturbing their peace and Snow’s love life.

The numerous characters shape the storyline by adding mystery, romance, and a bit of modern lifestyle. Whispering Willows’ inhabitants are happy with their newfound lives. Each possessing their unique personalities, strengths, and knowledge which help to build-out the fairytale that pulls on other renowned stories – in parts – which the book itself points out.

That’s what I liked most as I read the book. The characters add depth. The various personalities may also be able to pull in different readers who will relate to one or two of them. I wonder how Author Dawn will characterize some of the lesser mentioned ones in the series to follow.

The end is abrupt, but that is expected with book series. So until “Forget Me Not” readers will have to guess who is the true hero.

[Syeda Sumayya Tariq · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love fairy tale retellings and I’m so happy to have come across this book. Fallen Snow is the first book in the Whispering Willow series, and is a Snow White retelling with a twist. This is everything you’d expect from a fairy tale re-imagining and so much more, a touch of adventure, a dash of romance, and a whole lot of feel-good and wholesome emotions.

I really enjoyed reading through this modern day retelling of the Snow White. Like in the classical tale, Snow White is let go by the huntsman out of sympathy, and runs to the enchanted forest to escape her evil step mother, but in this re-imagining, she falls through a time portal, and ends up in a modern day village. It’s really gripping from the get go, and carries it through every chapter. I really liked the character build up, I could picture every character with their personalities, flaws, and quirkiness. Snow’s character especially was very sweet and her awkwardness with modern day jokes and ideas gave me a good laugh. I also loved how other fairy tale characters were linked with Snow too, would really love to read more about them.

The ending was very heart warming and definitely left me wanting for more, can’t wait to find out if Snow finally gets to escape her evil step mother and gets her happy ending. All in all it was a very enjoyable ride and I loved every minute of it, can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.

[Casey Colahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is at first glance, a classic retelling of the fairy tale, Snow White. As I read though, it became clear that it is so much more than that. You, as the reader follow Princess Snow as she runs away from the castle she grew up in, on the advice of the huntsman that was ordered by her stepmother to kill her. She mysteriously finds herself meeting Stevie, someone who becomes a wonderful friend to her. He takes her to the enchanted village of Whispering Willows. Will Princess Snow find her one true love and stay out of the grasp of her wicked stepmother?

The author has a wonderfully simple, yet intriguing way of writing. The characters are well developed and you really feel like you know each of them personally. The village of Whispering Willows is beautifully described and you can vividly picture what it is like there. I love the way the author has blended today’s modern world into the story as well, this gives a very interesting spin to it. You come across many names that you are familiar with, but with a fresh take on them.

Overall, I found the book an absolute delight to read. I found I constantly wanted to find out what happened next and I cannot wait to read the next one! This was a great read, thank you!

[coffeeN'books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hairs on their end, a small but visible sweat forming on my forehead, and my toes digging into the carpet; that barely, but at least visually, sums up my posture and thrilling imprisonment when reading the book. The “Fallen Snow” took me by surprise, held me captive, and awakened each cell in my brain to enjoy in a never-ending pool of fantasy and romance.

When buying the book, I was unsure of what to expect, and did not really hold big regards considering my recent fantasy romance novels have not turned into what I expected. But oh boy, was I wrong!

Starting with the characters, especially Snow and her evil aunt, they are so comprehensively and extensively developed. Their good traits, bad traits, what they like, their behaviors- it is all so explicitly put in the bigger picture. The storyline is equally, and perhaps more remarkably, designed. It flows smoothly and keep you on your toes all along. The vivid description of sceneries and places makes it almost too easy to visualize them and feel like you are existing in their reality. If you love fantasy-filled novels, thrilling adventures or futuristic romance, here lies your true satisfaction!

PS: Wow I realized it’s a series, looking forward to Book 2!!

[Leslie Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fallen Snow by Dianna Dawn is a young adult fantasy book with an adult spin to an everloving story very much like “Snow White” except there are exciting amounts of romance, and mystifying dangers. The author does an amazing job in giving you the ability to feel the sensations of the characters. Through all of her emotions that she is going through, the traumas of her evil stepmother. To the wondrous happiness that she finds with a new family.

Snow a beautiful princess is an amazing character with little control of her life until she runs away and finds a beautiful village that she can finally feel safe (or does she?)

This book was very easy to read, gave you all of the emotions that you would expect and more. The author describes the scenes so well that it was very hard to put this book down.
The first part of the book immediately grabs your attention, and you can’t believe how terrible a stepmother could possibly be until you read it for yourself.


I think this book would be wonderful for any young reader as well as adults because of the adventures and mystery that it brings. And the cliffhanger ending will surely rush me to the next book in this series. Great find.

[Naima Khalid · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ IT IN ONE SITTING!

"Fallen Snow" is a breathtaking story of the adventures of the girl who has been running from her witch step-mother, who is trying to kill her. As she was running in fear and despair, she unexpectedly reached in a world of her dreams. Yes, if you are a fan of the fantasy of Snow White and the fairy tales, this book is surely for you. Involving exciting adventures and warm emotions, this story will not allow you to move from your place till the end.

A magical world with loving people that creates a special place in your heart. Completely immersed in the story, the next time I felt my existence was when the story ended.

The point of this book, that I loved the most, that no matter what happens we should always follow our hearts.

Using simple and heart touching words, the author had described the characters and their emotions that made me cry and laugh with them. A mix of thrill and emotions, this book is a perfect addition to my shelf.

[Mikail Syed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very fun and interesting read. It was one of them books that you just can’t put down! It had a very good flow to it and the storyline was very well thought out. There were many themes such as friendship and mystery. There was a perfect amount of description and the book took no effort to understand. Because of the author’s amazing choices of words and sentence structures, I felt immersed into the world of Snow and her new-found friends and went through the experiences of Snow with her. The drama and problems Snow faced grabbed my attention instantly and the amazing use of metaphors further hooked me into the book. Overall, this was an amazing first book in the series and I really congratulate the author (Diana Dawn) for her amazing writing skills. I will definitely continue with the other books in the series and this is why I am rating this book 5 stars.

[Cece Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fallen Snow is a must read for lovers of traditional fairy tales and modern YA alike! Combining the familiar aspects of well loved stories with the excitement and drama of more recent takes into the perfect storm. Fallen Snow is intriguing, mysterious and often heart-warming. I particularly enjoyed watching Snow really come into her own as an individual after her escape, from a shy and frightened girl into a confident and capable woman- she is a subtly strong and very relatable character. I also loved the relationships between the people of the village and their influence on Snow once she finds her way there, the detail used to describe the villagers and the setting is incredible and really made them come to life. I look forward to seeing these connections explored more in the next books and can’t wait to see what unfolds in the second instalment.

[Aimee Heroux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fallen Snow is a cute take on the classic fairytales with some aspects of mystery and danger. Our classic Snow White falls into another world and must navigate being far from home, the attentions of various suitors, and her step-mother's hatred. It is a great book for readers who appreciate creative retellings of our most beloved stories. The characters are lovable and distinct and one finds oneself cheering them on throughout the story. The village in the novel seems sweet and homey, but I personally found it a little confusing at first because I did not understand where and when the story was taking place. The details of the setting become more clear as the story goes on. I would highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and fairytale romance.

[Beatriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retelling of the Snow White story! This time Snow has fallen through a portal when running from the Huntsmen. You can expect a lot of adventures as our main character is settling on her new home in the Whispering Willows. Snow will meet her 7 dwarfs... but they are very different from the fairy tale story. Will Snow be able to run from her Stepmother and start a new life?
I really liked this book and can't wait to read the next books. You never know what might be lurking in the forest and I tell you that I wasn't expecting some of the twists. What will happen now to Snow?!

[Diana Duell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of the book is interesting, Snow White falls through a portal and lands in "our" world. There were many characters introduced, but not enough distinction between some of them. The people all blend together at times. I am guessing that because this is a series of books, the other characters may get more distinct in future books.
The other thing was that the world Snow falls in maybe like ours, but they are living in the woods as a small group. They have no jobs and seem to live off the land and other items that fall into the woods.

[Sherry Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Definitely plan to read the entire series! I love all things Snow White, so I was intrigued by the story. It did not disappoint! It is a retelling in a very different way. What would it be like if Snow White were to fall through a "portal" of sorts into another magical world? And now she has her pick of many different handsome "princes" if you will. And of course, her evil witch stepmother is still in the picture to cause trouble!

[Shahba Mayyeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story. The minor plot is that of Snow White. But the story is developed through modern events and twists. Each character has their own story to tell. The story is well articulated. The author has also included some visual treats through her words. A must read for people who love teen fiction. This is not your typical fairy tale. It is the story of Snow White who fell in to the modern world.

[Samberine Everose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and entertaining fantasy book

While reading this ebook, it reminds me of the fairy tale story of snow white. I like the way how the Author interpret it in it's own story, the sequence are very detailing and creative. I like how the words used, it doesn't only tell or narrate but also been show. This is good if you are looking a fantastic different kind of fantasy story. Well done!

[Sunny_rainbow · Rating 5 out of 5]

an mind blowing masterpiece by author. this book is combination off so many delightful topics like horror,romance etc. this book is must read and i will highy recommend this book to add in your bookshelf. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love fairy tales and this rewrite of Snow white is a great read that is hard to put down. Will Snow be safe from the queen? Will she fall in love with a prince? You'll have to read to find out. As for me I'm ready to start the next book in the series.

[aem · Rating 2 out of 5]

hate cliffhangers!
usually enjoy fairy tale retellings, but this story was all over the place.
none of the characters were appealing

[Sarah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet innocence comes to mind with this story and the characters themselves (well at least a few of them) with how they interact with each other and the life they have created in the magical mystery world of the Willows.

Fleeing for her life after finding out her stepmother wants her dead Snow runs towards the one place most run from, the mystery woods. Running from danger and getting thrown into another realm is enough to make her think it’s a dream. Not long before she has to come to terms with her new life and the others she has been lost with. Though not all people fall from the same time or place Snow is the only person to come from a fairytale, not that she knows this.

Snow and Mitch are a true match no matter how much she tries to pull back but let’s throw in Rein and Eddy for good measure to make things interesting. Got to have some romantic tension with the royal decree she is adamant on following even though she is no longer in her realm. Dynamics between them, along with other characters, all seem to have their own little traits with how they act and what they think of their new home.

I did feel that Snow acted very childlike given her age no matter the circumstances she found herself in. Might be more to do with her sheltered innocence from being hidden away after her father died and her stepmother took over her ‘care’. Her fear for her stepmother is never too far from her mind and she knows it will only be a matter of time before the danger she runs from will come and destroy the safe haven she has found. She needs to find a way out of the Willows to pull the danger away. People fall in but has anyone ever got out?

There were lots of characters throughout that I didn't always follow who everyone was but rather stuck to the main key characters that linked them all together. Interesting mix with the Snow White story we know and the intriguing people who have been thrown together within the Willows. Might be worth checking out the rest of the series to see where the story takes us next.

I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.

[Donna Bagby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fallen Snow

This read a cute retelling of Snow Whit with an interesting twist. Snow Whit fines herself in a village where the men all resemble the prince of her dream.