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Timeless Fairy Tales #4
Rumpelstiltskin
When 17-year-old Gemma, a seamstress, is ordered by the insane King Torgen to spin straw into gold or be put to death, she knows her life is forfeit. Unwilling to give up, Gemma tries to escape her prison, earning her the respect of the mysterious mage, Stil. Stil offers to complete the impossible task…for a price.
Greedy and unsatisfied, King Torgen demands more and more straw to be spun into gold, and decrees that he will “reward” Gemma by marrying her. With death or marriage to a crazed king clouding her future, Stil offers Gemma a bargain that seems too good to be true.
Will Gemma’s trust in Stil be her downfall, or will he defy the entire country to save her?
Greedy and unsatisfied, King Torgen demands more and more straw to be spun into gold, and decrees that he will “reward” Gemma by marrying her. With death or marriage to a crazed king clouding her future, Stil offers Gemma a bargain that seems too good to be true.
Will Gemma’s trust in Stil be her downfall, or will he defy the entire country to save her?
280 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2014
490 people are currently reading
1943 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Shea
119 books4,774 followersMy pen name is K. M. Shea, but my readers—I prefer to call them Champions—call me Kitty.
I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
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VISIT MY WEBSITE
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I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/27090...
VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
VISIT MY WEBSITE
https://kmshea.com/
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June 23, 2023****DNFed at 47%****
I was bored, so I quit. 🤷🏼♀️ Just to be clear I wanted to like this book, I really did. I go into each book I read hoping I like or even love it, so to DNF this one and realize this series just isn’t for me is really disappointing. But I have to be honest, so here we are even if I ruffle a few feathers, heh.
My biggest problem was by the 47% mark NOTHING WAS HAPPENING! Seriously, Gemma was still locked in the dungeon and doing the same things over and over in a loop that both my mom and I were bored by. Though I don’t think I would have minded as much if I cared about the characters. I liked Gemma’s grandmother and Stil but I…didn’t like Gemma. I didn’t DISLIKE her so much as I had zero connection to her and therefore didn’t care. Sadly she also came off as kind of wooden in her personality and I didn’t see why other characters liked her as I never saw her connection to them to believe it.
I did like the Scandinavian culture of Verglas and the relationship between Lady Linnea and Prince Toril was cute and funny. Sadly though I was just meh about it and even though I skimmed ahead to the end I was still just meh which is why I cut my ties when I did. (Not to mention it put me in a reading slump. AGAIN. 😒)
Sadly this series is just not for me and I will not be continuing. ☹️
‼️Content (up to 47%)‼️
Language: darned
Violence: a hellhound and a nightmare chase a character; a hellhound bites a character’s arm; injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl hits a guard on the head with a stool; a girl is threatened with beheading
Drug/Alcohol: a man is a drunk; people drink alcohol in a tavern
Other: magic; magical abilities, creatures, and objects; enchanters and mages; a character is imprisoned
[Read as one of my 2023 Specific New Books to Read goal]
I was bored, so I quit. 🤷🏼♀️ Just to be clear I wanted to like this book, I really did. I go into each book I read hoping I like or even love it, so to DNF this one and realize this series just isn’t for me is really disappointing. But I have to be honest, so here we are even if I ruffle a few feathers, heh.
My biggest problem was by the 47% mark NOTHING WAS HAPPENING! Seriously, Gemma was still locked in the dungeon and doing the same things over and over in a loop that both my mom and I were bored by. Though I don’t think I would have minded as much if I cared about the characters. I liked Gemma’s grandmother and Stil but I…didn’t like Gemma. I didn’t DISLIKE her so much as I had zero connection to her and therefore didn’t care. Sadly she also came off as kind of wooden in her personality and I didn’t see why other characters liked her as I never saw her connection to them to believe it.
I did like the Scandinavian culture of Verglas and the relationship between Lady Linnea and Prince Toril was cute and funny. Sadly though I was just meh about it and even though I skimmed ahead to the end I was still just meh which is why I cut my ties when I did. (Not to mention it put me in a reading slump. AGAIN. 😒)
Sadly this series is just not for me and I will not be continuing. ☹️
‼️Content (up to 47%)‼️
Language: darned
Violence: a hellhound and a nightmare chase a character; a hellhound bites a character’s arm; injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl hits a guard on the head with a stool; a girl is threatened with beheading
Drug/Alcohol: a man is a drunk; people drink alcohol in a tavern
Other: magic; magical abilities, creatures, and objects; enchanters and mages; a character is imprisoned
[Read as one of my 2023 Specific New Books to Read goal]
January 16, 2015
I would give it more stars if there were more available! What a fun ride this book was, and I got to travel with some of the funniest, truest, most amazing characters I have ever met. All the elements of the original are there, but they have all been expanded upon in such a way as to make the story believable and--dare I say it?-- when I think about Rumpeltstilstkin from now on, I'll only be able to think of Stil and Gemma, and all their out-of-this-world friends. The author's voice was fresh and it hit just the right note that kept the story light without diminishing what high stakes and risks the characters were taking. The setting was brilliant and I cannot wait to read more about this world and all the dark things that are happening in it. The plot and its twists managed to be exciting and unexpected, even within a story we already know! All in all, this was a wonderful book, and I will be *very eagerly* waiting for the next installment. If you liked "Howl's Moving Castle," you will love K. M. Shea's "Rumpeltstilstkin"!
June 6, 2023
4.5 stars. Unique retelling of Rumplestilskin. Instead of being a villian, he is a regular mage falling for a seamstress. Some parts are true to the story but Shea hs her own spin. Full of adventure and sweet romance. I like how strong Gemma's character is. I'm glad to see Prince Toril gets his HEA as well. On to #5!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2020
I’m having a lot of fun with K.M. Shea’s Timeless Fairy Tales! They’re such creative reimaginings of the classic fairy tale, while still keeping the elements that made the original so beloved. Rumpelstiltskin was no exception in that the author took what is often a rather creepy story and made it something fun and romantic.
I loved both the hero and heroine. Gemma is a truly noble character—full of honor, integrity, and selfless sacrifice—while Stil was incredibly loyal and endearing, slightly arrogant but thoroughly charming with his magic and wit; in many ways, he was a bit reminiscent of Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. I really liked Lady Linnea, who was the perfect example of true friendship and loyalty, as well as her side romance with Prince Toril. So cute!
As for Gemma and Stil's romance, I thought it was incredibly sweet. I loved how Stil fell totally in love with Gemma's character, only to have to fight for her in order to convince her his feelings were genuine. They made a wonderful couple as they work together to overcome the obstacles of the circumstances Gemma finds herself in through no fault of her own. I also enjoyed how magic played a huge role in this book; it really added a lot of charm to the story.
While the plot was fun and romantic, I’m not particularly enjoying how each book in this series references to the overarching plot line of dark magic forces at work; it seems a bit too epic for me. Thankfully, it’s kept mostly in the background, and the primary focus is on the romance between Gemma and Stil, which was adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love. I can't wait to see how K.M. Shea spins other fairy tales!
I loved both the hero and heroine. Gemma is a truly noble character—full of honor, integrity, and selfless sacrifice—while Stil was incredibly loyal and endearing, slightly arrogant but thoroughly charming with his magic and wit; in many ways, he was a bit reminiscent of Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle. I really liked Lady Linnea, who was the perfect example of true friendship and loyalty, as well as her side romance with Prince Toril. So cute!
As for Gemma and Stil's romance, I thought it was incredibly sweet. I loved how Stil fell totally in love with Gemma's character, only to have to fight for her in order to convince her his feelings were genuine. They made a wonderful couple as they work together to overcome the obstacles of the circumstances Gemma finds herself in through no fault of her own. I also enjoyed how magic played a huge role in this book; it really added a lot of charm to the story.
While the plot was fun and romantic, I’m not particularly enjoying how each book in this series references to the overarching plot line of dark magic forces at work; it seems a bit too epic for me. Thankfully, it’s kept mostly in the background, and the primary focus is on the romance between Gemma and Stil, which was adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love. I can't wait to see how K.M. Shea spins other fairy tales!
January 8, 2020
As this series progresses, the stories just get better. I truly enjoyed this retelling, from Gemma's noble character to her absolutely hilarious friend Linnea, to their relationship with each other, as well each of their love interests. These are sweet, light retellings, with a bit of depth but with the same essential message at the center - kind heroines, caring heroes, love trumping evil.
My main disappointment is that the Timeless Fairy Tale villains are invariably... utterly villainous. I would have preferred it if King Torgel was believably evil. There's a LOT of believable, complex, and utterly devastating evil in the world. Torgel felt more like a caricature, and the explanation of "madness" did not sit right with me either. Mental illness is almost never the reason for evil rulers (I know, we have Caligula and a handful of other such figures in history, but they stand out as exceptions). There's usually a lot more going on. Just look at the world today. It's more an issue of morality and unchecked power than mental illness as far as I can tell.
Anywho, this series is certainly worth a read, and this book is an enjoyable read that I stayed up late to finish. A solid 4 stars.
My main disappointment is that the Timeless Fairy Tale villains are invariably... utterly villainous. I would have preferred it if King Torgel was believably evil. There's a LOT of believable, complex, and utterly devastating evil in the world. Torgel felt more like a caricature, and the explanation of "madness" did not sit right with me either. Mental illness is almost never the reason for evil rulers (I know, we have Caligula and a handful of other such figures in history, but they stand out as exceptions). There's usually a lot more going on. Just look at the world today. It's more an issue of morality and unchecked power than mental illness as far as I can tell.
Anywho, this series is certainly worth a read, and this book is an enjoyable read that I stayed up late to finish. A solid 4 stars.
December 29, 2017
Rumpelstiltskin is magical, whimsical, and enchanting! It's a truly beautiful tale for faerie tale lovers! With bits of humor, intrigue, and the power of true love, this one is sure to have you turning the pages!
Ah, do you hear that? That is the sound of satisfaction from another beautiful read! I absolutely adored this version of Rumpelstiltskin! It was full of charm and fascination!
If you haven't noticed by now, K.M Shea is becoming my favorite author! Her faerie tale retellings hold all the best pieces of the original tales, but also offer originality and beauty that you can't find anywhere else! Her version of Rumpelstiltskin is a perfect example of this!
Her writing style has continued to impress me with each tale. This one drew me in with elegant imagery and plenty of humor and love. The story flowed effortlessly, and Shea's faerie tale world has continued to flourish and become realized! I loved the fact that this could be read as a stand alone, but also held glorious bits of her past tales to initiate the notorious reading "oohs" and "aahhs".
When compared to the original tale, Shea kept a few aspects that seemed to be key to the story, such as the boasting father, the threatening king, and the exchange of trades offered to Rumpelstiltskin for spinning the gold. But, she also threw her own twists in that not only surprised me as a reader, but also felt like they fit the story. The tale was changed, in a fantastical way, to feel like a different tale from long ago.
And, who could get over the starring role of Gemma, the seamstress? She should have been in the tale from the beginning of time. She was beautiful, intelligent, determined, kind, and caring. She was strong and brave, and shined with a noble personality. She was my favorite because she handled everything with such poise, and her character was truly admired by all!
I also loved Lady Linnea! Shea truly understands the importance of girl power, strong friendships, and women uplifting women, because she has written another fabulous friend in her tale! Linnea was the image of grace and beauty, not only because she was beautiful on the outside, but because she was beautiful on the inside. She was a fiercely loyal friend to Gemma, and never let their social class differences stand in the way. Linnea represented true love in a sisterly kind of way.
And, of course, there was Stil. His character was truly magical. No, really, he was a mage. He was so fascinating and striking in comparison to the original Rumpelstiltskin. When I said Shea made this tale her own, she made Stil her own too. His character was kind, determined, and loyal. He contrasted the original in so many amazing ways, and I loved him!
Like her past three tales, this one had an old world charm, swirled with magical enchantment and moral beauty. I loved the elegance of the writing and the mix of humor and fantasy. If you haven't picked up any books by K.M. Shea yet, you are seriously missing out!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review, and as part of my Faerie Tale Friday posts.
Quotes used are from the book, written by the author.
Ah, do you hear that? That is the sound of satisfaction from another beautiful read! I absolutely adored this version of Rumpelstiltskin! It was full of charm and fascination!
If you haven't noticed by now, K.M Shea is becoming my favorite author! Her faerie tale retellings hold all the best pieces of the original tales, but also offer originality and beauty that you can't find anywhere else! Her version of Rumpelstiltskin is a perfect example of this!
Her writing style has continued to impress me with each tale. This one drew me in with elegant imagery and plenty of humor and love. The story flowed effortlessly, and Shea's faerie tale world has continued to flourish and become realized! I loved the fact that this could be read as a stand alone, but also held glorious bits of her past tales to initiate the notorious reading "oohs" and "aahhs".
When compared to the original tale, Shea kept a few aspects that seemed to be key to the story, such as the boasting father, the threatening king, and the exchange of trades offered to Rumpelstiltskin for spinning the gold. But, she also threw her own twists in that not only surprised me as a reader, but also felt like they fit the story. The tale was changed, in a fantastical way, to feel like a different tale from long ago.
And, who could get over the starring role of Gemma, the seamstress? She should have been in the tale from the beginning of time. She was beautiful, intelligent, determined, kind, and caring. She was strong and brave, and shined with a noble personality. She was my favorite because she handled everything with such poise, and her character was truly admired by all!
I also loved Lady Linnea! Shea truly understands the importance of girl power, strong friendships, and women uplifting women, because she has written another fabulous friend in her tale! Linnea was the image of grace and beauty, not only because she was beautiful on the outside, but because she was beautiful on the inside. She was a fiercely loyal friend to Gemma, and never let their social class differences stand in the way. Linnea represented true love in a sisterly kind of way.
And, of course, there was Stil. His character was truly magical. No, really, he was a mage. He was so fascinating and striking in comparison to the original Rumpelstiltskin. When I said Shea made this tale her own, she made Stil her own too. His character was kind, determined, and loyal. He contrasted the original in so many amazing ways, and I loved him!
Like her past three tales, this one had an old world charm, swirled with magical enchantment and moral beauty. I loved the elegance of the writing and the mix of humor and fantasy. If you haven't picked up any books by K.M. Shea yet, you are seriously missing out!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review, and as part of my Faerie Tale Friday posts.
Quotes used are from the book, written by the author.
October 5, 2022
Great story but didn't like the romance.
I did love Gemma! I thought she was a great character! I thought it was weird that Gemma didn't leave her town until Stil came back for her. I think it is so important to realize she can do that on her own, making her own dreams come true. I mean I understood that she was waiting for her friend to get married but I think I would have preferred she go to him. But Gemma as a whole was a wonderfully sweet person!
Stil.....I don't know he didn't seem like a real person and on top of that again I found him creepy. I appreciated that he cared for Gemma but it just didn't feel very deep.
It was so sweet to see Toril fall in love! He definitely wasn't my favorite character from the Wild Swans but it was nice to know that he got his own happily ever after. I love that he ended up with Linnea since we got to be invested in her character.
I also LOVED the cute little doggy at the end! He was such a cute addition to the characters!
I didn't like the main character's romance (Stil and Gemma) probably more because of true love at first sight or at least that's what Stil made me feel. He asked her for her first born but it ended up sounding creepy when he was like "Didn't you realize that's why I asked for your first born because I wanted to have it with a baby with you even after knowing you for like 3 days." It would be like going on a date and talking about all the kids your going to have and planning your wedding. It was just...creepy.
But without the romance in the book I did enjoy the story which honestly I didn't think I would because the blurb just didn't draw me in. So very impressed by that.
Content: dark being whose not really a human, Toril's father is a very scary crazy person, someone does get wounded but they end up OK, drinking specifically getting drunk but it portrayed as bad
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I bought this/ read it on KU.
I did love Gemma! I thought she was a great character! I thought it was weird that Gemma didn't leave her town until Stil came back for her. I think it is so important to realize she can do that on her own, making her own dreams come true. I mean I understood that she was waiting for her friend to get married but I think I would have preferred she go to him. But Gemma as a whole was a wonderfully sweet person!
Stil.....I don't know he didn't seem like a real person and on top of that again I found him creepy. I appreciated that he cared for Gemma but it just didn't feel very deep.
It was so sweet to see Toril fall in love! He definitely wasn't my favorite character from the Wild Swans but it was nice to know that he got his own happily ever after. I love that he ended up with Linnea since we got to be invested in her character.
I also LOVED the cute little doggy at the end! He was such a cute addition to the characters!
I didn't like the main character's romance (Stil and Gemma) probably more because of true love at first sight or at least that's what Stil made me feel. He asked her for her first born but it ended up sounding creepy when he was like "Didn't you realize that's why I asked for your first born because I wanted to have it with a baby with you even after knowing you for like 3 days." It would be like going on a date and talking about all the kids your going to have and planning your wedding. It was just...creepy.
But without the romance in the book I did enjoy the story which honestly I didn't think I would because the blurb just didn't draw me in. So very impressed by that.
Content: dark being whose not really a human, Toril's father is a very scary crazy person, someone does get wounded but they end up OK, drinking specifically getting drunk but it portrayed as bad
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I bought this/ read it on KU.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2015
Long live King Toril! What a blast! I started reading late in the evening and wasn't able to finish until the next afternoon because of obligations (namely, life) but this only meant I got to dream about it. But besides being forced to put it down around 12:30 in the morning (sorry husband...) it was as un-put-down able as the other books in K. M. Shea's timeless faerie tales!
I adore the incomparable Stil with his endearing brand of arrogance tinged with just the right amount of self-deprecation. The prickly but 24-carrot-gold hearted Gemma is refreshing with her sharp tongued comments but the sarcasm doesn't get carried away.
The enigmatic Lady Linnea was such fun, but despite everything she added to the story, I'm disappointed she didn't get her own! She reminded me a bit Shea's Britt Arthur's from King Arthur and her Knights only with the added femininity that Britt is unable to portray due to the fact that she's pretending to be Arthur... But another story just about Lady Linnea as the leader of the Verglas army? I would so read that!
The story was scintillating, the relationships realistic and the characters captivating. Bravo!
I adore the incomparable Stil with his endearing brand of arrogance tinged with just the right amount of self-deprecation. The prickly but 24-carrot-gold hearted Gemma is refreshing with her sharp tongued comments but the sarcasm doesn't get carried away.
The enigmatic Lady Linnea was such fun, but despite everything she added to the story, I'm disappointed she didn't get her own! She reminded me a bit Shea's Britt Arthur's from King Arthur and her Knights only with the added femininity that Britt is unable to portray due to the fact that she's pretending to be Arthur... But another story just about Lady Linnea as the leader of the Verglas army? I would so read that!
The story was scintillating, the relationships realistic and the characters captivating. Bravo!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2017
First off, Gemma is quite possibly one of my favorite female protagonists of all time! I just love her character and how selfless and caring she was despite her seemingly pessimistic, glass-half-empty public image! I'm afraid I'm not so happy about Stil's character though. When he tricked her with "Your first-born child will be mine", I was staring at my Kindle screen and mentally shouting at Gemma, "PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORDING YOU-YOU... You didn't listen to me. That's gonna come back to bite you girl." I admit, it was funny to an extent, but personally, I'd be careful about falling in love with someone who would trick me like that. I loved Grandmother Guri and how straightforward she was about everything. It was very amusing. All of the prison guards were fantastic, and I loved Gemma's relationship with them! I hated King what's-his-face, and repeatedly wondered how anyone could be so cruel and twisted. I'm really really hoping that a book about Angelique will be written, because I'm very curious about what she's going through, and what she's going to do! This book is strongly recommended!
March 21, 2024
My favorite retelling of this fairy tale!
Wow- I didn’t know quite what I was getting myself into when I started this book, but I’m so glad I did! I remember really liking this author’s fairytale retellings, although I had only read the first three books in this series and it’s been a couple years since I last read one. I don’t know why I didn’t keep reading them- they are masterfully crafted stories and I absolutely LOVED this one!
Gemma is such a strong character. I admired and loved her sense of honor and integrity. She demonstrated over and over her kindness and selflessness by sacrificing herself for others’ sakes. The relationships she developed as a result were so satisfying and endearing. I loved the way Rumpelstiltskin was a part of this story. I don’t want to give anything away, but his character was a perfect touch to this fairy tale.
The romance was sweet. I truly loved it and the bit of humor that these two had in their interactions. A great book, and now I need to go read more in the series!!
Wow- I didn’t know quite what I was getting myself into when I started this book, but I’m so glad I did! I remember really liking this author’s fairytale retellings, although I had only read the first three books in this series and it’s been a couple years since I last read one. I don’t know why I didn’t keep reading them- they are masterfully crafted stories and I absolutely LOVED this one!
Gemma is such a strong character. I admired and loved her sense of honor and integrity. She demonstrated over and over her kindness and selflessness by sacrificing herself for others’ sakes. The relationships she developed as a result were so satisfying and endearing. I loved the way Rumpelstiltskin was a part of this story. I don’t want to give anything away, but his character was a perfect touch to this fairy tale.
The romance was sweet. I truly loved it and the bit of humor that these two had in their interactions. A great book, and now I need to go read more in the series!!
July 30, 2019
3.5 stars. RTC
January 26, 2023
Carrying on with The Timeless Fairy Tale series. You might wonder why I'm continuing with a series that I'm consistently saying is just 'okay', and I'm wondering that myself! I have so many books I'm dying to read, but these can be read in a day, I don't feel a huge commitment, they're easy... and they fit in for some challenges I'm reading ;)
Having said that, this was probably my favourite so far. There were a lot more connections between the other stories - evil King Torgen in this was introduced in The Wild Swans, so we know him and Prince Torgil. We also get to meet the enchantress-in-training a bit further (Angelique) and discover more of her backstory. It's interesting because the action of this book actually takes place during the same time period as The Wild Swans and it's fun connecting all the dots. We hear about how this small kingdom is in debt to Erlauf (where Cristop and Cinderella reign from book 3 Cinderella and the Colonel), how Loire (from book 1 Beauty and the Beast) is the place to be in terms of fashion trends because Elle is so gorgeous, and a mention of selkies! - which is super exciting, because that means the Little Mermaid adaptation is going to be selkies rather than mermaids! SO much more interesting. The thing I'm enjoying most is putting together the puzzle of this world, working out the various relationships between the kingdoms and characters, and seeing the general dark magic spread... I also find it hilarious that the reason 'true love's kiss' is the answer to so many curses is simply because Angelique isn't qualified to do any other magic! (She needs to be sanctioned by the magic Veneno Conclave.)
Gemma is a feisty character, but I liked Lady Linnea better, whom Gemma is seamstress for. Shea has kept some of the elements of the original tale - boasting father, spinning gold, the evil king, the bargaining for magic - but it was sufficiently changed that it made for a mostly interesting read. Stil (Rumpelstiltskin) was a bit arrogant, but I suppose he's probably meant to be... anyway, he annoyed me.
One thing that did strike me is that this is meant to be the domain of the snow queen who has disappeared (hence evil Torgil taking the reins), and there's quite a lot of consistency with names to make it Scandinavian. For example they eat krumkake (a traditional Norwegian biscuit-y thing) and Gemma names a white dog
Having said that, this was probably my favourite so far. There were a lot more connections between the other stories - evil King Torgen in this was introduced in The Wild Swans, so we know him and Prince Torgil. We also get to meet the enchantress-in-training a bit further (Angelique) and discover more of her backstory. It's interesting because the action of this book actually takes place during the same time period as The Wild Swans and it's fun connecting all the dots. We hear about how this small kingdom is in debt to Erlauf (where Cristop and Cinderella reign from book 3 Cinderella and the Colonel), how Loire (from book 1 Beauty and the Beast) is the place to be in terms of fashion trends because Elle is so gorgeous, and a mention of selkies! - which is super exciting, because that means the Little Mermaid adaptation is going to be selkies rather than mermaids! SO much more interesting. The thing I'm enjoying most is putting together the puzzle of this world, working out the various relationships between the kingdoms and characters, and seeing the general dark magic spread... I also find it hilarious that the reason 'true love's kiss' is the answer to so many curses is simply because Angelique isn't qualified to do any other magic! (She needs to be sanctioned by the magic Veneno Conclave.)
Gemma is a feisty character, but I liked Lady Linnea better, whom Gemma is seamstress for. Shea has kept some of the elements of the original tale - boasting father, spinning gold, the evil king, the bargaining for magic - but it was sufficiently changed that it made for a mostly interesting read. Stil (Rumpelstiltskin) was a bit arrogant, but I suppose he's probably meant to be... anyway, he annoyed me.
One thing that did strike me is that this is meant to be the domain of the snow queen who has disappeared (hence evil Torgil taking the reins), and there's quite a lot of consistency with names to make it Scandinavian. For example they eat krumkake (a traditional Norwegian biscuit-y thing) and Gemma names a white dog
February 19, 2018
romance, clean, stand-alone read
This was a fun retelling of the fairy tale Rumplestiltskin. Very clever re-imagining of the classic fairy tale. Gemma was such a fun character! Determined, clever, loyal, hardworking, and lovely. As she is imprisoned by the mad king to spin the flax (not straw!) into gold, Stil, a Mage comes to her rescue. Their fall is beautiful by small steps, and Gemma has a hard time initially trusting him. As her rescues her multiple times, her heart gradually opens. Two lovely honest characters, the lady and the Prince, some fun characters too. If this had the right audience, it would definitely be a much wider read novel. Worth a read if you enjoy this genre. Loved the fantasy/magical elements in this story as well. I will definitely be reading the other novels in this series.
This was a fun retelling of the fairy tale Rumplestiltskin. Very clever re-imagining of the classic fairy tale. Gemma was such a fun character! Determined, clever, loyal, hardworking, and lovely. As she is imprisoned by the mad king to spin the flax (not straw!) into gold, Stil, a Mage comes to her rescue. Their fall is beautiful by small steps, and Gemma has a hard time initially trusting him. As her rescues her multiple times, her heart gradually opens. Two lovely honest characters, the lady and the Prince, some fun characters too. If this had the right audience, it would definitely be a much wider read novel. Worth a read if you enjoy this genre. Loved the fantasy/magical elements in this story as well. I will definitely be reading the other novels in this series.
February 25, 2018
And K.M. Shea wins again! This woman never ceases to amaze me with her talent and artistry. She truly is a master at taking the fairytales and spinning them in a unique and surprising way. Her stories are truly magnificent. Yes, this means that this has just become my favorite Rumplestiltskin retelling! :)
August 7, 2022
I could have grabbed another book for my reading challenge, but for some reason I just wanted to continue with this series. I love those fairytales. I love how Shea stays incredibly true to the tale and then adds a little more depth and a little more personality. I always had a hate-love relationship with this tale. There are elements of the story I like and elements of the story I don't like. I was therefore quite curious how Shea would handle them.
And just like the previous books in this series I really enjoyed reading this retelling! Since this book is basically handling two couples at once I think the book would have been even better if they had both gotten some more pagetime to show us the process of them falling in love and what they were actually liking in the other, but even though the details weren't always there, I still cared about the romances and the couples finding their happy ending.
I also really loved how it seemed like the bigger story arc, the one connecting all those tales, got a little more prominent in this tale. We actually got to see the darkness in action a little, we saw how panicked the mages were and we realized for the first time how a lot of things happening were actually all connected. I now can't wait to continue reading and I for sure can't wait to dive into the spin-off after finishing this series.
In this installment I didn't have much of a connection with both leads though. However, that's not because they weren't amazing or weren't well written. They were entertaining and they were written like all the other characters, I just didn't really have a click on a personal level with them. And that's okay, because that shows that Shea really manages to give all these heroes and heroines different personalities. I can't wait to meet our next couple!
And just like the previous books in this series I really enjoyed reading this retelling! Since this book is basically handling two couples at once I think the book would have been even better if they had both gotten some more pagetime to show us the process of them falling in love and what they were actually liking in the other, but even though the details weren't always there, I still cared about the romances and the couples finding their happy ending.
I also really loved how it seemed like the bigger story arc, the one connecting all those tales, got a little more prominent in this tale. We actually got to see the darkness in action a little, we saw how panicked the mages were and we realized for the first time how a lot of things happening were actually all connected. I now can't wait to continue reading and I for sure can't wait to dive into the spin-off after finishing this series.
In this installment I didn't have much of a connection with both leads though. However, that's not because they weren't amazing or weren't well written. They were entertaining and they were written like all the other characters, I just didn't really have a click on a personal level with them. And that's okay, because that shows that Shea really manages to give all these heroes and heroines different personalities. I can't wait to meet our next couple!
June 27, 2021
You are like the ice and snow that you love so much. Dazzling, without blemish, and a cover that makes all things beautiful.
well, what a fun ride this book was.
I admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first book of this series. But then again, I'm love the author. So I was willing to give this book another chance, and I'm so happy I did.
This is not one of those dark, with so much hidden depth, deep intriguing complicated world or with a big bad villain who is impossible to defeat story.
This is more like a light, cute, with some likable characters, not so scary but still scary enough to make you want to kill them villains with the perfect touch of romance kind of story.
3 stars because I probably won't remember everything about this book after a couple of weeks. It was too close to the original. Sure, it had it's own twist. But not enough to make me remember this as an individual.
August 12, 2016
My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:236
Series: Timeless Fairy Tales #4
Rating:4.5 stars
Review: Hmmm guess which retelling this is. Bet you'll never guess it.
I don't know if this is my favorite of them so far. It was a good retelling but Gemma wasn't my favorite and Stil was a little lack luster for me. I found at times that Gemma was quite annoying. She continuously kept saying that mages can only like/ love other mages. It was very annoying. She kept rejecting Stil because he was a crafts mage and she was a seamstress. Woman, no one can control who they love. Stil did become some what of panty dropper at the end.
As for Angelique, she showed up in this one again. Here she comes to save the day!! And she is FABULOUS!!! Now on to the next book which is The Little Mermaid retelling.
Pages:236
Series: Timeless Fairy Tales #4
Rating:4.5 stars
Review: Hmmm guess which retelling this is. Bet you'll never guess it.
I don't know if this is my favorite of them so far. It was a good retelling but Gemma wasn't my favorite and Stil was a little lack luster for me. I found at times that Gemma was quite annoying. She continuously kept saying that mages can only like/ love other mages. It was very annoying. She kept rejecting Stil because he was a crafts mage and she was a seamstress. Woman, no one can control who they love. Stil did become some what of panty dropper at the end.
As for Angelique, she showed up in this one again. Here she comes to save the day!! And she is FABULOUS!!! Now on to the next book which is The Little Mermaid retelling.
September 10, 2015
This one took me a little longer to get into. I loved it, but the beginning was a little harder for me to love right away. I loved the twists in the story! I love the little changes she makes to this story, this is one of my least favorite fairy-tales and I liked this twist. Gemma was a little harder to love but with her parents you can understand why. Stil stole the story and was a great character. I am loving how each of these fairy tales is coming together to defeat a greater evil. I love how it is a tied up in each other and I can't wait for the next stories:} I am trying to be patient and make them last:}
June 4, 2018
Ok.
I liked it but found the first half slightly bland.
Both Gemma and Stil were likable characters.
An ok story, but not K. M. Sheas best.
I liked it but found the first half slightly bland.
Both Gemma and Stil were likable characters.
An ok story, but not K. M. Sheas best.
January 2, 2021
Another favorite couple! 🤩
October 29, 2024
This was okay. I started skimming near the end around the last chapter or two. It started out fairly well but a little over halfway the relationship got kind of strange. Honestly there's very little conversation to be seen on page between Stil and Gemma. Mostly it's eluded to how they play this question game and how Gemma doesn't talk a lot.
Not only did the sudden declaration from Stil come out of left field, but Gemma is just like yeah you can't love me because mages just don't love commoners. We then have Stil awkwardly romancing her which includes him chasing her around furniture and physically restraining her. And Gemma is so against the idea because "he can't love me" that you never really buy the end where she switches to be like yeah, I guess I do love you.
I still feel like people were unnecessarily unkind to Toril. I feel like he deserved a better romance than someone who for most of the book said he was stupid. I also wanted an explanation for the king. He's evil with no real reason why. And the explanation for why none of his subjects overthrow him is because "we're loyal" is so weak. It's like K realized she needed an excuse for why this crazy guy NO one likes is still in power. He doesn't even have guards or an advisor that like him. So we get thrown a half-baked solution. "We're loyal to the descendants of the Snow Queen."
The thing is... it's not even a well at least they're not doing that because they're such GREAT loyal people! Positive thing!! No, because the moment you let people get killed, falsely imprisoned, threatened, and forced into a marriage because of "loyalty" this paints everyone in a bad light.
I can see it now. We didn't stop Hitler because LOYAL. Totally didn't agree with ANYTHING he was doing but we'll not only allow it but participate if commanded because LOYAL. Please to feel sorry for us because clearly we're trapped too. Extreme example sure, but you get the point. The guards wouldn't have been killed for letting her escape if NONE of them agreed to kill the guards!! If they stepped up! It's like welcome to the kingdom of doormats but we're only going to harass Toril about his behavior.
Not only did the sudden declaration from Stil come out of left field, but Gemma is just like yeah you can't love me because mages just don't love commoners. We then have Stil awkwardly romancing her which includes him chasing her around furniture and physically restraining her. And Gemma is so against the idea because "he can't love me" that you never really buy the end where she switches to be like yeah, I guess I do love you.
I still feel like people were unnecessarily unkind to Toril. I feel like he deserved a better romance than someone who for most of the book said he was stupid. I also wanted an explanation for the king. He's evil with no real reason why. And the explanation for why none of his subjects overthrow him is because "we're loyal" is so weak. It's like K realized she needed an excuse for why this crazy guy NO one likes is still in power. He doesn't even have guards or an advisor that like him. So we get thrown a half-baked solution. "We're loyal to the descendants of the Snow Queen."
The thing is... it's not even a well at least they're not doing that because they're such GREAT loyal people! Positive thing!! No, because the moment you let people get killed, falsely imprisoned, threatened, and forced into a marriage because of "loyalty" this paints everyone in a bad light.
I can see it now. We didn't stop Hitler because LOYAL. Totally didn't agree with ANYTHING he was doing but we'll not only allow it but participate if commanded because LOYAL. Please to feel sorry for us because clearly we're trapped too. Extreme example sure, but you get the point. The guards wouldn't have been killed for letting her escape if NONE of them agreed to kill the guards!! If they stepped up! It's like welcome to the kingdom of doormats but we're only going to harass Toril about his behavior.
April 24, 2019
Fourth in the series I enjoyed the characters in this book. It's an unusual take on the Rumpelstiltskin story. I liked the heroine and thought her hardness was understandable due to her upbringing. I enjoyed the strong female friendship. I also really liked Stil.
I dinged it one star because very briefly there was the whole trope of guy pursuing girl who is saying no when she secretly means yes. Though it wasn't super drawn out or done too extreme it's a trope that makes me uncomfortable even when everyone knows the heroine doesn't really want to turn away but does so because she wants to protect her heart. Luckily it didn't last too long.
On to the next in the series.
I dinged it one star because very briefly there was the whole trope of guy pursuing girl who is saying no when she secretly means yes. Though it wasn't super drawn out or done too extreme it's a trope that makes me uncomfortable even when everyone knows the heroine doesn't really want to turn away but does so because she wants to protect her heart. Luckily it didn't last too long.
On to the next in the series.
June 25, 2017
I loved this retelling
It had great pacing and also really good supporting characters like Lady Linnea. I loved how Stil got his name and he stole the show with his magic and wit. Gemma was a great match for him and hoping to see more of them in future books. One of the things I liked best were the mages and how their magic worked. I wish there had been more about Stil learning his craft and the mage school or who his parents were. The only thing that bugged me was how handsome Stil was. As a rule I like non physical perfection in my heroes because pretty boys generally are arrogant idiots and the handsome hero is overdone.
It had great pacing and also really good supporting characters like Lady Linnea. I loved how Stil got his name and he stole the show with his magic and wit. Gemma was a great match for him and hoping to see more of them in future books. One of the things I liked best were the mages and how their magic worked. I wish there had been more about Stil learning his craft and the mage school or who his parents were. The only thing that bugged me was how handsome Stil was. As a rule I like non physical perfection in my heroes because pretty boys generally are arrogant idiots and the handsome hero is overdone.
February 15, 2018
This is the first book that I've read in this series and I'm totally loving this world that the author has created. It is a fantastic book , well written and quite absorbing. This book is really worth reading . I'm sure all fairytale lovers are going to love this world created by the author. All of those amazing fairy tales have been very well connected here.
I highly recommend it !!
I highly recommend it !!
July 17, 2017
An enjoyable tale and addition to the series. However, there are several errors that were overlooked in editing. They do not take away from the story but were very obvious. That said, I am looking forward to reading Book 5 soon!
November 5, 2017
I love the whole scarily practical girl crosses paths with a rather flighty or unusual mage storyline and this book interwove it into the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale with great success. Also, kudos to the author for the unusual and funny way the romance panned out.
Time to go give the other books in the series a try.
Time to go give the other books in the series a try.
July 25, 2021
I enjoy how this author weaves re-telling of multiple fairy tales together with characters that interact and overlap.
I loved the character Stil and the non-traditional approach to his story. Gemma and Linnea were wonderful strong female characters with purpose. Light summer read that is clean for YA.
I loved the character Stil and the non-traditional approach to his story. Gemma and Linnea were wonderful strong female characters with purpose. Light summer read that is clean for YA.
April 2, 2023
Don't know the original story so I don't know how faithfull the retelling was, but I liked Gemma and enjoyed their story a lot
March 30, 2020
Loved
Such a wonderful retelling. I enjoyed the many ways Love and kindness are shown. Love does not always come easy but it is always worth it.
Such a wonderful retelling. I enjoyed the many ways Love and kindness are shown. Love does not always come easy but it is always worth it.
December 30, 2022
I have been reading this book for 4 years - and it was a delight through and through.
Rumpelstiltskin always came off a little (a lot) creepy, right? With him trying to bargain for an unborn child. So when I heard the title of this book, I wasn’t particularly excited to read a book about him. However, this book managed to make Rumpelstiltskin adorable and sincere, with a sense of humor. I wasn’t expecting it.
The protagonist, Gemma, was cynical and practical with a good heart. I loved that she was prickly and honest. She lost some trust in people because she had a selfish father and a weak mother, and she knew the townspeople loved to talk bad about her. However, even though she was aware of all their flaws and cruelty, she still held her head high and treated them all well. It was not like she let them step on her because she knew they were all bad. She just had such strong morals that she’d always do the right thing. It was somewhat funny and cute that even the guards who watched over her prison became friends with her because she proved to them that she valued their safety more than her own freedom. She was just such a good character that I grew to love - with her sensible mind, straight-forward talk, deadpan sense of humor, and good heart.
Even though she felt mostly abandoned by her family, I think what helped her become the person she became was her non-related Grandmother Guri and her employer/friend, Lady Linneas. Grandmother Guri was a nurturing figure who taught her a lot. Lady Linnea was down-to-earth despite her position and truly valued and loved her friend. The friendship was even stronger because it was reciprocal - Gemma accepted Lady Linneas with all her eccentricities of wanting to be a knight. I loved how hard Lady Linneas worked to get Gemma free. I respected it even more seeing that Lady Linnea’ parents abandoned Gemma, but she still stood by her friend. I respected the book for exploring this friendship that was based on mutual respect, acceptance, loyalty, and love.
Stil was a fun character. He was a mage with a friendly demeanor. I didn’t expect Rumpelstilskin to be such a likable character, but he was. He was a little mischievous and he loved to tease and banter with Gemma. I loved that he genuinely wanted to learn more about her and hear her thoughts. He also radiated sincerity and it was hard not to enjoy his scenes because he was this ball of sunshine.
The romance between Gemma and Stil was amusing. Stil was friendly and jolly with a sense of humor. Gemma was jaded and blunt. She was humble and liked simple things, and he was vain and loved finer things. They were opposites but it worked. They had a cute relationship. I loved that he saw early on how selfless and noble she was. She might appear like a normal, unassuming girl, but he quickly saw how special her personality was. She kept on surprising him with her hidden depths. He was a man who valued quality and substance, and he saw that from her through her words and actions. Even though she wasn’t very expressive in the face, he saw her emotions through her eyes. And even though she was so practical and serious, she humored him with his games and learned to enjoy them. She had a bit more of a dry humor. They seemed comfortable in the way they talked to one another. He liked to tease her and she liked to give him a deadpan face or glare at him. It’s funny that he would expect her to compliment him or compliment on his new hair, and she’d purposely not say a thing and pretend to be indifferent.
At first, he helped to save her from his mage obligation, but he ended up helping her because he liked her, and then loved her. He saw that she was more selfless and vibrant than anyone else he met. He made her feel seen and appreciated as herself. Gemma was jaded, but his warm and attentive personality made her feel less alone in a hopeless situation. And overall, she learned to trust him in general. It was also cute how she was resistant to his love initially because she feared she wasn’t the type to get a happy ending. His loyalty and pure belief and love for her made her want to believe in him.
I also didn’t expect the secondary romance to be so sweet and good as well. I loved that Lady Linnea had no shame in calling Prince Toril stupid when he was being stupid. And even though he was mopey and self-absorbed before because he was heart-broken from a princess’ rejection, he bounced back fast after Lady Linnea sorted him out. It was sweet to see him put efforts to help her with saving Gemma. And it was also cute when Lady Linnea taught him what it meant to be a good friend - a reciprocal relationship built on trust and acceptance. They were a good balance.
I loved the bits of humor sprinkled throughout the book. The characters were quirky and funny. I found the dialogue quite delightful.
5 stars. This was such a fun book! I might have taken 4 years to read this, but mainly because of me - a mixture of savoring it plus outside influences to pause. I have enjoyed this book. It truly became one of my favorite books of all-time. And certainly either 1st or 2nd favorite book of this series. It had such likable, easy-to-root-for characters, not just 1 but 2 good romances, cute dialogue, etc.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level? Other things to note?
Favorite scenes?
Rumpelstiltskin always came off a little (a lot) creepy, right? With him trying to bargain for an unborn child. So when I heard the title of this book, I wasn’t particularly excited to read a book about him. However, this book managed to make Rumpelstiltskin adorable and sincere, with a sense of humor. I wasn’t expecting it.
The protagonist, Gemma, was cynical and practical with a good heart. I loved that she was prickly and honest. She lost some trust in people because she had a selfish father and a weak mother, and she knew the townspeople loved to talk bad about her. However, even though she was aware of all their flaws and cruelty, she still held her head high and treated them all well. It was not like she let them step on her because she knew they were all bad. She just had such strong morals that she’d always do the right thing. It was somewhat funny and cute that even the guards who watched over her prison became friends with her because she proved to them that she valued their safety more than her own freedom. She was just such a good character that I grew to love - with her sensible mind, straight-forward talk, deadpan sense of humor, and good heart.
Even though she felt mostly abandoned by her family, I think what helped her become the person she became was her non-related Grandmother Guri and her employer/friend, Lady Linneas. Grandmother Guri was a nurturing figure who taught her a lot. Lady Linnea was down-to-earth despite her position and truly valued and loved her friend. The friendship was even stronger because it was reciprocal - Gemma accepted Lady Linneas with all her eccentricities of wanting to be a knight. I loved how hard Lady Linneas worked to get Gemma free. I respected it even more seeing that Lady Linnea’ parents abandoned Gemma, but she still stood by her friend. I respected the book for exploring this friendship that was based on mutual respect, acceptance, loyalty, and love.
Stil was a fun character. He was a mage with a friendly demeanor. I didn’t expect Rumpelstilskin to be such a likable character, but he was. He was a little mischievous and he loved to tease and banter with Gemma. I loved that he genuinely wanted to learn more about her and hear her thoughts. He also radiated sincerity and it was hard not to enjoy his scenes because he was this ball of sunshine.
The romance between Gemma and Stil was amusing. Stil was friendly and jolly with a sense of humor. Gemma was jaded and blunt. She was humble and liked simple things, and he was vain and loved finer things. They were opposites but it worked. They had a cute relationship. I loved that he saw early on how selfless and noble she was. She might appear like a normal, unassuming girl, but he quickly saw how special her personality was. She kept on surprising him with her hidden depths. He was a man who valued quality and substance, and he saw that from her through her words and actions. Even though she wasn’t very expressive in the face, he saw her emotions through her eyes. And even though she was so practical and serious, she humored him with his games and learned to enjoy them. She had a bit more of a dry humor. They seemed comfortable in the way they talked to one another. He liked to tease her and she liked to give him a deadpan face or glare at him. It’s funny that he would expect her to compliment him or compliment on his new hair, and she’d purposely not say a thing and pretend to be indifferent.
At first, he helped to save her from his mage obligation, but he ended up helping her because he liked her, and then loved her. He saw that she was more selfless and vibrant than anyone else he met. He made her feel seen and appreciated as herself. Gemma was jaded, but his warm and attentive personality made her feel less alone in a hopeless situation. And overall, she learned to trust him in general. It was also cute how she was resistant to his love initially because she feared she wasn’t the type to get a happy ending. His loyalty and pure belief and love for her made her want to believe in him.
I also didn’t expect the secondary romance to be so sweet and good as well. I loved that Lady Linnea had no shame in calling Prince Toril stupid when he was being stupid. And even though he was mopey and self-absorbed before because he was heart-broken from a princess’ rejection, he bounced back fast after Lady Linnea sorted him out. It was sweet to see him put efforts to help her with saving Gemma. And it was also cute when Lady Linnea taught him what it meant to be a good friend - a reciprocal relationship built on trust and acceptance. They were a good balance.
I loved the bits of humor sprinkled throughout the book. The characters were quirky and funny. I found the dialogue quite delightful.
5 stars. This was such a fun book! I might have taken 4 years to read this, but mainly because of me - a mixture of savoring it plus outside influences to pause. I have enjoyed this book. It truly became one of my favorite books of all-time. And certainly either 1st or 2nd favorite book of this series. It had such likable, easy-to-root-for characters, not just 1 but 2 good romances, cute dialogue, etc.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level? Other things to note?
Favorite scenes?
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