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Timeless Fairy Tales #10
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Quinn is a loyal soldier of Farset, willing to risk her life on behalf of her country and squad. So, when a fellow soldier volunteers for a dangerous mission, Quinn joins him. Their assignment is to investigate the nightly disappearance of the twelve royal princesses, a mystery none have solved as those who attempt it vanish. But when she follows the girls, Quinn uncovers the truth: the princesses are cursed, and they’re not alone.
Emerys, the sarcastic and brash King of the Elves, has lost all hope. His people have been prisoners in their own forest for years, and night after night an unbreakable curse forces them to dance and celebrate against their will. But everything changes when Quinn saves Emerys’ life and the pair form an unlikely friendship. Together, they just might be able to free the princesses and the elves.
However, those who cursed the elves will do anything to keep them restrained. And if Quinn breaks the spell, she may pay for it with her life.
Will she succeed? Or will Emerys and the elves be lost…forever?
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES is a fairy tale retelling and the tenth book of the TIMELESS FAIRY TALES series. Filled with magic, unbreakable curses, elves, and witty banter, it can be enjoyed as an individual stand-alone book, but will be most enjoyable if read after other books from the series.
Emerys, the sarcastic and brash King of the Elves, has lost all hope. His people have been prisoners in their own forest for years, and night after night an unbreakable curse forces them to dance and celebrate against their will. But everything changes when Quinn saves Emerys’ life and the pair form an unlikely friendship. Together, they just might be able to free the princesses and the elves.
However, those who cursed the elves will do anything to keep them restrained. And if Quinn breaks the spell, she may pay for it with her life.
Will she succeed? Or will Emerys and the elves be lost…forever?
THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES is a fairy tale retelling and the tenth book of the TIMELESS FAIRY TALES series. Filled with magic, unbreakable curses, elves, and witty banter, it can be enjoyed as an individual stand-alone book, but will be most enjoyable if read after other books from the series.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2018
377 people are currently reading
1302 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Shea
119 books4,777 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!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
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VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
March 24, 2020
A Strong Heroine
Quinn is one of my favorite heroines for a host of reasons. She is strong and noble, fun loving, tough and smart. Her deep compassion and loyalty set her above the rest without seeming pompous. I liked Emerys from when he first appears with Evariste and Angelique. He and Quinn are perfect together. The curse was a bit irritating. It's diabolical but ridiculous. The major scene with Quinn went on too long and resembled another scene in a highly popular series where sacrifice and magic were involved. I can't say which one because it would be a spoiler for those who have read it.
Quinn is one of my favorite heroines for a host of reasons. She is strong and noble, fun loving, tough and smart. Her deep compassion and loyalty set her above the rest without seeming pompous. I liked Emerys from when he first appears with Evariste and Angelique. He and Quinn are perfect together. The curse was a bit irritating. It's diabolical but ridiculous. The major scene with Quinn went on too long and resembled another scene in a highly popular series where sacrifice and magic were involved. I can't say which one because it would be a spoiler for those who have read it.
December 3, 2025
This was a cute retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses, though the story focuses more on elves than princesses. I generally enjoyed it, though more for the continuation of Angelique's story than the main characters.
The beginning wasn't a total struggle bus but wasn't my favorite. Once the elves started getting more involved it improved.
Still an enjoyable series!
The beginning wasn't a total struggle bus but wasn't my favorite. Once the elves started getting more involved it improved.
Still an enjoyable series!
July 26, 2022
A fun visit
I love revisiting the timeless fairy tales, each story is self contained so you can jump into it without having to re-read previous stories. Although reading in order showcases the links between the stories and the bigger evil.
The heroine is a very competent soldier who is not dependent on the hero. She actually gets to rescue him several times. The hero sees who heroine is. Loved their interactions, especially their first meeting.
Highly recommend this story. This author is always an auto-buy for me due to stories like this.
I love revisiting the timeless fairy tales, each story is self contained so you can jump into it without having to re-read previous stories. Although reading in order showcases the links between the stories and the bigger evil.
The heroine is a very competent soldier who is not dependent on the hero. She actually gets to rescue him several times. The hero sees who heroine is. Loved their interactions, especially their first meeting.
Highly recommend this story. This author is always an auto-buy for me due to stories like this.
January 30, 2018
While I enjoyed this book as I have all of the other books in this series plus the Snow Queen duology, this one seemed to be drawn out a bit to make it longer. I think it might have been a small bit better if it had been a very long novella.
Quinn and Emerys made a very enjoyable pair and the mix of drama/romance/mystery was done very well but I felt we kind of clunked into the ending of the main story, where the romance ended pretty nicely but still left some things hanging which I assume we might see more of in the next book.
All things considered, I could hardly put it down even though it did drag in places but there is no doubt I will be getting the next one as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Quinn and Emerys made a very enjoyable pair and the mix of drama/romance/mystery was done very well but I felt we kind of clunked into the ending of the main story, where the romance ended pretty nicely but still left some things hanging which I assume we might see more of in the next book.
All things considered, I could hardly put it down even though it did drag in places but there is no doubt I will be getting the next one as soon as I can get my hands on it.
February 2, 2019
I looved this one! Basically all the books in this series are amazing, but this is probably among the top favorites!
Quinn is just awesome. I love her level-headedness and soldierly instincts, and her dry humor. And Emerys is such the opposite of the typical fantasy elf kings, and I just loved him so much! Any scene with him and Quinn was just amazing and hilarious and they are one of the best book couples. Fight me. :D
And I loved the whole twist on the 12 Dancing Princesses story! I love the way the fairy tales are clearly front and center, but KM Shea always finds a way to reassign roles in a way that just works perfectly well.
Very much recommend! The characters are amazing, and Emerys as the most unconventional, snarky elf king is the best thing ever and I seriously love him.
Quinn is just awesome. I love her level-headedness and soldierly instincts, and her dry humor. And Emerys is such the opposite of the typical fantasy elf kings, and I just loved him so much! Any scene with him and Quinn was just amazing and hilarious and they are one of the best book couples. Fight me. :D
And I loved the whole twist on the 12 Dancing Princesses story! I love the way the fairy tales are clearly front and center, but KM Shea always finds a way to reassign roles in a way that just works perfectly well.
Very much recommend! The characters are amazing, and Emerys as the most unconventional, snarky elf king is the best thing ever and I seriously love him.
January 4, 2019
This series keeps getting better and better!
I love the way that K.M. Shea takes a fairy tale and makes it her own. In a fun twist, the main character in this story is a soldier named Quinn. When one of her squad mates decides to try to solve the riddle of the princesses worn shoes, she and the rest of the squad agree to help him, despite their misgivings. Quinn is loyal, kind, courageous, and intelligent. She soon figures out that there is more to this mystery than twelve dancing princesses.
I love watching this series unravel. What started as fun fairy tale retellings is now turning into fun retellings with complex plots. As more kingdoms have faced curses and darkness, more is now being discovered about the cause, and a big standoff is looming. I love every new piece I learn about this puzzle, and admire how K. M. Shea could have had this planned all along! I especially loved seeing the Enchantress Angelique and how being everybody's hero is affecting her and wearing her down. I loved that Quinn could show her sympathy and support.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content: clean (a kiss, mild violence)
Series: Timeless Fairy Tales-while this could be read independently, I would highly recommend reading the whole series (or at least The Snow Queen book and the Frog Prince).
I love the way that K.M. Shea takes a fairy tale and makes it her own. In a fun twist, the main character in this story is a soldier named Quinn. When one of her squad mates decides to try to solve the riddle of the princesses worn shoes, she and the rest of the squad agree to help him, despite their misgivings. Quinn is loyal, kind, courageous, and intelligent. She soon figures out that there is more to this mystery than twelve dancing princesses.
I love watching this series unravel. What started as fun fairy tale retellings is now turning into fun retellings with complex plots. As more kingdoms have faced curses and darkness, more is now being discovered about the cause, and a big standoff is looming. I love every new piece I learn about this puzzle, and admire how K. M. Shea could have had this planned all along! I especially loved seeing the Enchantress Angelique and how being everybody's hero is affecting her and wearing her down. I loved that Quinn could show her sympathy and support.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content: clean (a kiss, mild violence)
Series: Timeless Fairy Tales-while this could be read independently, I would highly recommend reading the whole series (or at least The Snow Queen book and the Frog Prince).
July 29, 2018
It all lead to this...
Not the previous nine books, no. My unexpected, but DELIGHTFUL journey of traipsing across the continent of both "Entwined Tales" and "Timeless Fairy Tales" began with THIS, K.M. Shea's "The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Timeless Fairy Tales, #10)".
I somehow came across this book (probably because I was on a fairytale retelling kick [still am]) and wanted to read more renditions of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I liked the cover, and added the book to my "to read" pile. However, I realized that this was book #10 in a series.
"No worries," I thought. “I'll just start the series then.”
Accidentally, I thought the series "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" was a part of was "Entwined Tales" -a series of six stand alone but best enjoyed together book series by six different authors. So I read Shea's "The Goose Girl" novella of that particular series, enjoyed it, and then realized I was in the wrong series to get to this "Twelve Dancing Princesses" retelling as my endgame.
However, I can't just abandon the other series I started; thus, I continued and read the remaining tales and thoroughly enjoying the different's author's styles, the misadventures of seven siblings and their grumpy fairy godfather, and fell in love with new fairytale retellings (particularly "The Bear's Bride" as a retelling of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" -if you're curious).
Therefore, I read the six books of "Entwined Tales", and then started "Timeless Fairy Tales". Around book #7 or #8, I paused this mission to get to TTDP#10 to read the prequel trilogy “The Snow Queen" (which, PLEASE do -it adds so much layering and value to the stories and overall “Timeless Fairy Tales” world Shea built!). I knock out "The Snow Queen" and am slightly sad I don't have my own Colonel Graydim or reindeer, and then return to my ORIGINAL mission of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Timeless Fairy Tales, #10)".
I have FINALLY achieved reading this tenth addition of the series (19 books later). It was a trek of emotions, a journey of late-night/early-morning reading sessions, sacrifice of sleep or food to finish a chapter, and an overall quest of accomplishing reading this book -WORTH IT.
Quinn is a solider and loyal and fierce and absolutely everything I didn't know I wanted in a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling -especially because she only volunteers to get involved in that mess of a curse, unlike our other heroes who get wrapped into the dark magic by association or situation.
Emerys is an elf and loyal and fierce and absolutely everything I didn't know I wanted in a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling -especially because I was not sure of the significance of elves on the continent until this segment.
This story had mystery, romance, war, self-discovery, a wolf pup, an overview of the continental chaos, and -what we have all been yearning for- Angelique at her wit's end, exposing her true thoughts and perhaps her core magic (a type I had not expected, but whole-heartily approved of after reading/discovering).
It has lead to this, six entwined tales, three Snow Queen stories, and nine timeless segments for this dancingly wonderful tenth installment in this world (and my bookshelf). Nineteen books later, I'm happy for the journey and ecstatic to continue with more of Shea's writings and the conclusion on the continent of "Timeless Fairy Tales". It's a wonderful life to be a reader.
Not the previous nine books, no. My unexpected, but DELIGHTFUL journey of traipsing across the continent of both "Entwined Tales" and "Timeless Fairy Tales" began with THIS, K.M. Shea's "The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Timeless Fairy Tales, #10)".
I somehow came across this book (probably because I was on a fairytale retelling kick [still am]) and wanted to read more renditions of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I liked the cover, and added the book to my "to read" pile. However, I realized that this was book #10 in a series.
"No worries," I thought. “I'll just start the series then.”
Accidentally, I thought the series "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" was a part of was "Entwined Tales" -a series of six stand alone but best enjoyed together book series by six different authors. So I read Shea's "The Goose Girl" novella of that particular series, enjoyed it, and then realized I was in the wrong series to get to this "Twelve Dancing Princesses" retelling as my endgame.
However, I can't just abandon the other series I started; thus, I continued and read the remaining tales and thoroughly enjoying the different's author's styles, the misadventures of seven siblings and their grumpy fairy godfather, and fell in love with new fairytale retellings (particularly "The Bear's Bride" as a retelling of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" -if you're curious).
Therefore, I read the six books of "Entwined Tales", and then started "Timeless Fairy Tales". Around book #7 or #8, I paused this mission to get to TTDP#10 to read the prequel trilogy “The Snow Queen" (which, PLEASE do -it adds so much layering and value to the stories and overall “Timeless Fairy Tales” world Shea built!). I knock out "The Snow Queen" and am slightly sad I don't have my own Colonel Graydim or reindeer, and then return to my ORIGINAL mission of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Timeless Fairy Tales, #10)".
I have FINALLY achieved reading this tenth addition of the series (19 books later). It was a trek of emotions, a journey of late-night/early-morning reading sessions, sacrifice of sleep or food to finish a chapter, and an overall quest of accomplishing reading this book -WORTH IT.
Quinn is a solider and loyal and fierce and absolutely everything I didn't know I wanted in a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling -especially because she only volunteers to get involved in that mess of a curse, unlike our other heroes who get wrapped into the dark magic by association or situation.
Emerys is an elf and loyal and fierce and absolutely everything I didn't know I wanted in a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling -especially because I was not sure of the significance of elves on the continent until this segment.
This story had mystery, romance, war, self-discovery, a wolf pup, an overview of the continental chaos, and -what we have all been yearning for- Angelique at her wit's end, exposing her true thoughts and perhaps her core magic (a type I had not expected, but whole-heartily approved of after reading/discovering).
It has lead to this, six entwined tales, three Snow Queen stories, and nine timeless segments for this dancingly wonderful tenth installment in this world (and my bookshelf). Nineteen books later, I'm happy for the journey and ecstatic to continue with more of Shea's writings and the conclusion on the continent of "Timeless Fairy Tales". It's a wonderful life to be a reader.
April 6, 2023
I was really aiming to finish the Timeless Fairy Tales series within the first three months of the year and I'm SO annoyed with myself! Just poor time management.
Anyway. This was a fairly good addition to the series, but after book 9 (The Frog Prince) where there was so much joined up thinking and coming together of the whole plot, it was a bit disappointing to come back to a more standalone novel.
I liked Quinn, and I did like what Shea had done with the fairy tale (although it's difficult to read a retelling after House of Salt and Sorrows without comparing everything unfavourably, which I acknowledge is totally unfair). Lots of the normal cliches, but some interesting secondary characters. Not bad, all in all.
Anyway. This was a fairly good addition to the series, but after book 9 (The Frog Prince) where there was so much joined up thinking and coming together of the whole plot, it was a bit disappointing to come back to a more standalone novel.
I liked Quinn, and I did like what Shea had done with the fairy tale (although it's difficult to read a retelling after House of Salt and Sorrows without comparing everything unfavourably, which I acknowledge is totally unfair). Lots of the normal cliches, but some interesting secondary characters. Not bad, all in all.
September 17, 2025
A very unique take on 12 Dancing Princesses with high stakes! Another well written retelling by KM Shea
October 16, 2019
Re-read review:
I can't believe this is only the second time I've read this book! I love it so much! It is so cool how much more I understand what is going on after reading Angelique's books (the third book Reign of Magic ends just before this book begins).
I can't wait until the 4th book in the Fairytale Enchantress series, which will cover the events of this book! And I really can't wait until we get to see what happens immediately after this book from Angelique's POV. Since the next book in this series is focused on Snow White, we don't get to see Angelique and Quinn have their adventure together. I can't wait until we FINALLY get that!!!
Original Review:
Um, yes, I read this book in 1 day. It's a KM Shea book! Of course I didn't do anything else but read it!
I loved this one! I think it is one of my favorites of the whole Timeless Fairy Tale series! After the rather quiet, mostly non-actiony Frog Princess, this book ramps up the tension with a full on battle scene at the end.
I really liked the two main characters. Quinn is amazing and Emerys is so cool! I was rather scared at the beginning that this might be the one KM Shea book where I didn't ship the characters because of the whole Quinn and Roy thing, but it all worked out. :)
One thing I really liked is that while Quinn is very tough and a fighter, she is still a girl. She still squeals over a fluffy, cute wolf cub at one point and appreciates a fancy set of clothes, but she keeps her priorities straight when they matter.
And the reveal of Angelique's core magic...wow! I can't wait to see how all of this will be brought together in the next few books!
About the only thing I was disappointed by was that I really wanted to see the wedding at the end, but I can see why that didn't happen. (though due to the way things ended with Quinn and Angelique, we might see more Quinn in later books, which is just fine by me). Hopefully we'll get to see the wedding in a short story or later books!
I can't believe this is only the second time I've read this book! I love it so much! It is so cool how much more I understand what is going on after reading Angelique's books (the third book Reign of Magic ends just before this book begins).
I can't wait until the 4th book in the Fairytale Enchantress series, which will cover the events of this book! And I really can't wait until we get to see what happens immediately after this book from Angelique's POV. Since the next book in this series is focused on Snow White, we don't get to see Angelique and Quinn have their adventure together. I can't wait until we FINALLY get that!!!
Original Review:
Um, yes, I read this book in 1 day. It's a KM Shea book! Of course I didn't do anything else but read it!
I loved this one! I think it is one of my favorites of the whole Timeless Fairy Tale series! After the rather quiet, mostly non-actiony Frog Princess, this book ramps up the tension with a full on battle scene at the end.
I really liked the two main characters. Quinn is amazing and Emerys is so cool! I was rather scared at the beginning that this might be the one KM Shea book where I didn't ship the characters because of the whole Quinn and Roy thing, but it all worked out. :)
One thing I really liked is that while Quinn is very tough and a fighter, she is still a girl. She still squeals over a fluffy, cute wolf cub at one point and appreciates a fancy set of clothes, but she keeps her priorities straight when they matter.
And the reveal of Angelique's core magic...wow! I can't wait to see how all of this will be brought together in the next few books!
About the only thing I was disappointed by was that I really wanted to see the wedding at the end, but I can see why that didn't happen. (though due to the way things ended with Quinn and Angelique, we might see more Quinn in later books, which is just fine by me). Hopefully we'll get to see the wedding in a short story or later books!
June 16, 2021
I always love K. M. Shea's books. Not one of them has let me down, including this one! I love reading about fairy tales, and I love the quirky and funny characters Shea creates. I also know I will get a good laugh out of her books. This one is starting to shed some light on what is going on in this world. You definitely do not want to read this one first if you like a bit of a mystery! I wish I could say more about how amazing this book was to read, but it would give away major plots that we all have been waiting for. K. M. Shea, you did it again! Thank you for the wonderful retelling of this story. It is totally and completely worth the read!
February 4, 2018
I'm gonna finish this series but only because I'm a ridiculously stubborn person.
January 3, 2022
One of my favorite couples of this series. 🤗 😁
February 9, 2018
It is official. This one is my new favorite my K.M. Shea! I loved everything about it, and, ELVES!!!
Twelve Dancing Princesses had tons of humor, plenty of emotion, and an addictive story line! It combined beautiful bits of the original tales with Shea's enchanting writing and originality. I loved how the conflicts of the magic world from the past books came to a head in this one, and how we got to see a more vulnerable side to Angelique, our favorite Enchantress-in-training!
This one showcased Shea's writing at its finest! It shimmered with her personality. It blossomed with her imagination, and it had the most enjoyable lighthearted banter between her enchanting characters!
I loved Quinn and her fierceness. Her loyalty to her band, her king, and to the elves was incredibly admirable. She was so strong and I really enjoyed watching the change in her personality and love interest.
Emerys was probably my favorite male character out of all the books. He was witty, charming, and hilarious. And, of course he was an incredibly handsome elf!
I also really enjoyed Alastryn! She was so snarky! I loved reading the banter between her and Emerys, and really enjoyed her role in the story and her friendship with Quinn.
And, speaking of banter. This one was full of it! I have not laughed this much since I read Jackaby by William Ritter! It was so refreshing and whimsical to have the humor amidst the magical struggle of the tale.
So, to recap this gush, Twelve Dancing Princesses glittered with humor, love, friendship, dynamic characters, and a strong plot. I could sing the praises all day, but decided to keep it short and to the point. It was my favorite because it not only offered everything I already love about Shea's writing, but it held that extra light hearted banter, allowed us to delve deeper in to the world of the elves, and showed us a different side of Angelique. It was perfection!
Twelve Dancing Princesses had tons of humor, plenty of emotion, and an addictive story line! It combined beautiful bits of the original tales with Shea's enchanting writing and originality. I loved how the conflicts of the magic world from the past books came to a head in this one, and how we got to see a more vulnerable side to Angelique, our favorite Enchantress-in-training!
This one showcased Shea's writing at its finest! It shimmered with her personality. It blossomed with her imagination, and it had the most enjoyable lighthearted banter between her enchanting characters!
I loved Quinn and her fierceness. Her loyalty to her band, her king, and to the elves was incredibly admirable. She was so strong and I really enjoyed watching the change in her personality and love interest.
Emerys was probably my favorite male character out of all the books. He was witty, charming, and hilarious. And, of course he was an incredibly handsome elf!
I also really enjoyed Alastryn! She was so snarky! I loved reading the banter between her and Emerys, and really enjoyed her role in the story and her friendship with Quinn.
And, speaking of banter. This one was full of it! I have not laughed this much since I read Jackaby by William Ritter! It was so refreshing and whimsical to have the humor amidst the magical struggle of the tale.
So, to recap this gush, Twelve Dancing Princesses glittered with humor, love, friendship, dynamic characters, and a strong plot. I could sing the praises all day, but decided to keep it short and to the point. It was my favorite because it not only offered everything I already love about Shea's writing, but it held that extra light hearted banter, allowed us to delve deeper in to the world of the elves, and showed us a different side of Angelique. It was perfection!
December 5, 2022
I'm usually terrible with series with so many installments. I like the first three, quit for a while, read the next three and enjoy them immensely, quit for a while, but in this case I just want to read on and on and especially now that it seems the story is building towards a conclusion. It also helps that these books are easy to read and not too long. They're perfect to read in busy places or when I don't have much time. And last weekend I didn't have much time.
What I really loved about this book is that it chooses a really original point of view to tell the story. The heroine is not one of the princesses. No, it's a girl in the band that's trying to figure out what the hell is going on with the princesses. Not only does this show an entirely new side of the story, a side we rarely see of this fairytale, but it most of all leaves a lot of room for the author to weave the fairytale into an original story.
I also really love how we visibly see elements from the previous books coming together. We already met the elves shortly in the book about Swan Lake, but now the elves are also getting the chance to tell their story. We learn about the curse, how the curse was casted and how the curse can be broken eventually. It feels like one of the last pieces of the puzzle that needed to be given to use before we can prepare for the final battle that's waiting for us in the next book.
Since there's a lot going on in this book, plot-wise, curse-wise, action-wise and character-wise, it feels like the romance develops quite quickly. However, even though the author has to spend a lot of time on other elements of the story it's still very clear why these characters love each other and are perfect for each other. I also really love their dynamic, although that's mostly because she's such a refreshing and original character to star in fairytales!
I can't wait to finally get to the conclusion of this series! (And, after reading this book I also can't wait to start Angelique's series!)
What I really loved about this book is that it chooses a really original point of view to tell the story. The heroine is not one of the princesses. No, it's a girl in the band that's trying to figure out what the hell is going on with the princesses. Not only does this show an entirely new side of the story, a side we rarely see of this fairytale, but it most of all leaves a lot of room for the author to weave the fairytale into an original story.
I also really love how we visibly see elements from the previous books coming together. We already met the elves shortly in the book about Swan Lake, but now the elves are also getting the chance to tell their story. We learn about the curse, how the curse was casted and how the curse can be broken eventually. It feels like one of the last pieces of the puzzle that needed to be given to use before we can prepare for the final battle that's waiting for us in the next book.
Since there's a lot going on in this book, plot-wise, curse-wise, action-wise and character-wise, it feels like the romance develops quite quickly. However, even though the author has to spend a lot of time on other elements of the story it's still very clear why these characters love each other and are perfect for each other. I also really love their dynamic, although that's mostly because she's such a refreshing and original character to star in fairytales!
I can't wait to finally get to the conclusion of this series! (And, after reading this book I also can't wait to start Angelique's series!)
May 16, 2019
Another good book in this series. Romantic feelings from the elf king developed very quickly and I would have loved to see that developed a little more and taken more time. I docked a half point for that (but then I always round up thus it's really a 4.5 star rating). However, since romance isn't the main part of these books it didn't matter so much. Plus, it is a fairy tale of sorts (retelling) and thus sudden love is part of the package.
This series has action, fantasy, adventure, intrigue, good versus evil, interesting character arcs, a small dash of romance and strong heroines. In other words, it's right up my alley. The series is ratcheting up in intensity with this book as we're getting closer to whatever great evil has been threatening the continent. We've been getting glimpses of that evil over the series but now things look to be coming to a head soon.
This series has action, fantasy, adventure, intrigue, good versus evil, interesting character arcs, a small dash of romance and strong heroines. In other words, it's right up my alley. The series is ratcheting up in intensity with this book as we're getting closer to whatever great evil has been threatening the continent. We've been getting glimpses of that evil over the series but now things look to be coming to a head soon.
May 17, 2021
Oh, my word! This is my favorite out of the series. I loved the action and the adventure. Also, there are finally answers to some of the questions that have been brought up slowly throughout the series.
Emerys and Quinn are so cute together. The storyline in these last two books has really piqued my interest. I want to know more about the Chosen. Where has Lord Enchanter been all this time and will they ever find him?
While I did say this answered some questions, it didn’t answer all of them. But there may have been new light shed on them and I have some guesses of what it could be but I have to read the next book which I think is the final book.
I want this to end but I don’t want it to end.
Emerys and Quinn are so cute together. The storyline in these last two books has really piqued my interest. I want to know more about the Chosen. Where has Lord Enchanter been all this time and will they ever find him?
While I did say this answered some questions, it didn’t answer all of them. But there may have been new light shed on them and I have some guesses of what it could be but I have to read the next book which I think is the final book.
I want this to end but I don’t want it to end.
January 19, 2018
This is easily KM Shea's best book so far. The character development and progression of the story were completely on point. Those who have read the other timeless fairytales stories will find lots of their questions answered in this book. Definetely a great read! Fair warning: don't read this book until you have read the rest of the series.
April 22, 2025
OHHH MY GOSH!!! The snark! The banter! I wish I could rate this book more than five stars. I have a soft spot for retellings of the twelve dancing princesses, even though I have some pet peeves about the original fairytale. But this book was just so good! I highly recommend it to anyone who likes snarky characters with a splash of magic.
July 11, 2021
Beautifully done and I liked that a man isn't the one to save everyone.
June 11, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
I liked the story and the MC but I had a hard time with the love interest. He just felt really immature.
I liked the story and the MC but I had a hard time with the love interest. He just felt really immature.
January 20, 2018
This book was great.
I love all of the books in the Timeless Fairy Tales series, and this one was amazing! So many questions were answered!
I love all of the books in the Timeless Fairy Tales series, and this one was amazing! So many questions were answered!
March 25, 2021
2.75 stars.
I was very disappointed by this. I had high hopes, particularly because this is one of my favorite fairy tales, but it fell flat, and I would say this is probably my least favorite retelling of this tale that I've read. I don't plan on rereading this, and I'm not sure I will read any other books in this series even though I love fairy tale retellings. I've seen others mention the same issues I had here in reviews of other books, so it seems like it is not isolated to just this one.
One issue I had with this is the fact that while it bears the name of the fairy tale, the actual plot has little to do with the princesses. The story focused more on the elves than the princesses. The names of the princesses are mentioned at most around 50 times in the book, whereas Emerys, an elf, is mentioned over 700 times. While the curses on the elves and the princesses are related, I would have expected the princesses to be much more involved in the story. I think the plot was interesting and that it would have done better as an original story with the framework of the Twelve Dancing Princesses removed. It doesn't make much sense for it to be there if the story focuses on the elves. If the title of the fairy tale hadn't been attached to it, I probably would have not set my expectations so high and been so disappointed.
I enjoyed the camaraderie between the members of Band Gallant, how they were teasing and joking around, because it was obvious they were close right away, but it didn't really progress beyond that. The banter between characters was good, but the characterization fell flat. It didn't feel like it progressed at all through the story, or that we really got a deeper look into the characters and their emotions. That's my biggest let down with this, because I would describe this book as being basically fluff with no depth, or like everything was made of painted cardboard. It may look kind of pretty but there's no strength or depth to it, and I think this applies to both characters and setting. Quinn is supposed to be a soldier and have known the people in her band for years, but it seemed as though she was just stepping onstage in this role as the story opened. At the end of the story some of the things she's had to do as a soldier are mentioned, but it is far too late. It seems like she is an inexperienced actress stepping into a role she doesn't know the backstory to and thus cannot play effectively. I was not convinced by her character and her backstory as a soldier in this very close knit unit where they do everything together because it is told to us but not shown to us in her character. It's not even mentioned how old she was when she joined or what it was like being in the army or what it was like to meet these people, some of whom are older than her. Everything felt very surface level. I wanted to hear about Quinn's prior experiences in the army and fighting with Band Gallant and what led her to become a soldier, but none of that was ever explored. If the story was told it first person rather than third, it could have helped this issue by giving us the world through Quinn's eyes and helped eliminate some distance between her and the reader. Third person is how fairy tales are usually told so I could understand the choice, but at times my brain wanted to put it in first person.
I reached a point before the 2/3 mark where I was seriously considering dnfing this because it wasn't holding my interest and I found I was bored and didn't really care what happened. I thought maybe that it was in part just my mood, but I do think that it was the book and that there hadn't been enough development in the characters or the world for me to care.
I was a bit annoyed that the author decided to give the princesses names organized alphabetically by birth order, yet she chose to mess with it by having four sets of twins and having each set of twins represent one letter, as well as skipping the letter H. In retellings of this story I like when the names are organized alphabetically, but with this it hardly seemed to be worth it. I think it gets confusing when multiple characters have similar names starting with the same letter, even if they are siblings. Why couldn't the names have just followed the normal pattern by having one twin named Cassya and the next Diana for example? Why do the names have to start with the same letter? And why skip H? Also, Alena and Ellena are kind of similar so that could get confusing as well. As it stands in the book, the names are: Alena, Brittany, Carrill, Cassya, Diana, Ellena, Eva, Flippa, Gianna (though note that the first time this character is named, it is misspelled as Ginna, at least in the version I have) Gisetta, Isotta and Isudora.
One thing the author did well was the banter between characters, though at times I did question if it was necessary or appropriate in that situation. I especially liked when it was between Emerys and Quinn or Emerys and Alastryn. There were times when they were really sassy and it made me laugh, and for that I gave it 2.75 stars instead of 2.5. It did seem though that all of the characters banter all the time and it becomes the same, not just isolated to a few characters. Even the king and queen had a bit of banter and I had to wonder if they would actually act that way in public in front of their subjects. If it had been isolated to only a few characters it could have served to show their personalities, but because many of the characters bantered and made quips it didn't serve that purpose.
Spoilers!
I'm not sure I understood parts of the curse, especially the part with the masks. Are those stuck on the elves faces all the time or do they only appear at night when they dance? Are the masks part of a traditional elvish celebration and that's why they have to wear them? I wish this had been explored more because it didn't make much sense to me. Actually I think elvish culture should have been explained more. I didn't understand how they were that different from humans other than the fact they have magic and pointed ears. What are other aspects of their culture that make them distinct? Are there traditions that humans don't have or know about that might upset the elves if human act improperly?
I felt like Angelique's power was a bit over the top and it ended the conflict with the goblins too easily. She ended the fight in less than a minute basically, and it was not satisfying at all. I think the elves should've had to struggle a bit and actually fight before she used her power. When she said she hated using her power and that she felt her soul breaking each time she used it, I thought it would be more of a literal thing, like it goes so much against who she is that it actually hurts her. In that respect I found the reveal a bit underwhelming.
I disliked how after Emerys and Quinn confessed their love, he immediately starts talking about marriage. I know that love and marriage go hand in hand in fairy tales, but I think for today's audience there needs to be more of a relationship developed between the characters before marriage is mentioned. They have not known each other long and I think it's time we dispel the stereotype that happily ever after means marriage and that love means marriage. I mean, Quinn was in love with Roy but I don't think she was thinking about marrying him right away if he confessed he loved her too. It just feels a bit rushed, to have them just confess their love and then bring up marriage. It doesn't feel realistic.
I was very disappointed by this. I had high hopes, particularly because this is one of my favorite fairy tales, but it fell flat, and I would say this is probably my least favorite retelling of this tale that I've read. I don't plan on rereading this, and I'm not sure I will read any other books in this series even though I love fairy tale retellings. I've seen others mention the same issues I had here in reviews of other books, so it seems like it is not isolated to just this one.
One issue I had with this is the fact that while it bears the name of the fairy tale, the actual plot has little to do with the princesses. The story focused more on the elves than the princesses. The names of the princesses are mentioned at most around 50 times in the book, whereas Emerys, an elf, is mentioned over 700 times. While the curses on the elves and the princesses are related, I would have expected the princesses to be much more involved in the story. I think the plot was interesting and that it would have done better as an original story with the framework of the Twelve Dancing Princesses removed. It doesn't make much sense for it to be there if the story focuses on the elves. If the title of the fairy tale hadn't been attached to it, I probably would have not set my expectations so high and been so disappointed.
I enjoyed the camaraderie between the members of Band Gallant, how they were teasing and joking around, because it was obvious they were close right away, but it didn't really progress beyond that. The banter between characters was good, but the characterization fell flat. It didn't feel like it progressed at all through the story, or that we really got a deeper look into the characters and their emotions. That's my biggest let down with this, because I would describe this book as being basically fluff with no depth, or like everything was made of painted cardboard. It may look kind of pretty but there's no strength or depth to it, and I think this applies to both characters and setting. Quinn is supposed to be a soldier and have known the people in her band for years, but it seemed as though she was just stepping onstage in this role as the story opened. At the end of the story some of the things she's had to do as a soldier are mentioned, but it is far too late. It seems like she is an inexperienced actress stepping into a role she doesn't know the backstory to and thus cannot play effectively. I was not convinced by her character and her backstory as a soldier in this very close knit unit where they do everything together because it is told to us but not shown to us in her character. It's not even mentioned how old she was when she joined or what it was like being in the army or what it was like to meet these people, some of whom are older than her. Everything felt very surface level. I wanted to hear about Quinn's prior experiences in the army and fighting with Band Gallant and what led her to become a soldier, but none of that was ever explored. If the story was told it first person rather than third, it could have helped this issue by giving us the world through Quinn's eyes and helped eliminate some distance between her and the reader. Third person is how fairy tales are usually told so I could understand the choice, but at times my brain wanted to put it in first person.
I reached a point before the 2/3 mark where I was seriously considering dnfing this because it wasn't holding my interest and I found I was bored and didn't really care what happened. I thought maybe that it was in part just my mood, but I do think that it was the book and that there hadn't been enough development in the characters or the world for me to care.
I was a bit annoyed that the author decided to give the princesses names organized alphabetically by birth order, yet she chose to mess with it by having four sets of twins and having each set of twins represent one letter, as well as skipping the letter H. In retellings of this story I like when the names are organized alphabetically, but with this it hardly seemed to be worth it. I think it gets confusing when multiple characters have similar names starting with the same letter, even if they are siblings. Why couldn't the names have just followed the normal pattern by having one twin named Cassya and the next Diana for example? Why do the names have to start with the same letter? And why skip H? Also, Alena and Ellena are kind of similar so that could get confusing as well. As it stands in the book, the names are: Alena, Brittany, Carrill, Cassya, Diana, Ellena, Eva, Flippa, Gianna (though note that the first time this character is named, it is misspelled as Ginna, at least in the version I have) Gisetta, Isotta and Isudora.
One thing the author did well was the banter between characters, though at times I did question if it was necessary or appropriate in that situation. I especially liked when it was between Emerys and Quinn or Emerys and Alastryn. There were times when they were really sassy and it made me laugh, and for that I gave it 2.75 stars instead of 2.5. It did seem though that all of the characters banter all the time and it becomes the same, not just isolated to a few characters. Even the king and queen had a bit of banter and I had to wonder if they would actually act that way in public in front of their subjects. If it had been isolated to only a few characters it could have served to show their personalities, but because many of the characters bantered and made quips it didn't serve that purpose.
Spoilers!
I'm not sure I understood parts of the curse, especially the part with the masks. Are those stuck on the elves faces all the time or do they only appear at night when they dance? Are the masks part of a traditional elvish celebration and that's why they have to wear them? I wish this had been explored more because it didn't make much sense to me. Actually I think elvish culture should have been explained more. I didn't understand how they were that different from humans other than the fact they have magic and pointed ears. What are other aspects of their culture that make them distinct? Are there traditions that humans don't have or know about that might upset the elves if human act improperly?
I felt like Angelique's power was a bit over the top and it ended the conflict with the goblins too easily. She ended the fight in less than a minute basically, and it was not satisfying at all. I think the elves should've had to struggle a bit and actually fight before she used her power. When she said she hated using her power and that she felt her soul breaking each time she used it, I thought it would be more of a literal thing, like it goes so much against who she is that it actually hurts her. In that respect I found the reveal a bit underwhelming.
I disliked how after Emerys and Quinn confessed their love, he immediately starts talking about marriage. I know that love and marriage go hand in hand in fairy tales, but I think for today's audience there needs to be more of a relationship developed between the characters before marriage is mentioned. They have not known each other long and I think it's time we dispel the stereotype that happily ever after means marriage and that love means marriage. I mean, Quinn was in love with Roy but I don't think she was thinking about marrying him right away if he confessed he loved her too. It just feels a bit rushed, to have them just confess their love and then bring up marriage. It doesn't feel realistic.
September 17, 2019
I loved this book! K.M. Shea never disappoint! I was funny, entertaining, well written and delightful.
You can't help but love Quinn and the brooding Elf King Emerys. :)
You can't help but love Quinn and the brooding Elf King Emerys. :)
February 21, 2019
A sweet book with lovely characters. A fun and light read, this fairy tale retelling was nicely done. I think there might have been a few too many characters to focus on, so some felt left out, but overall the author did a great job of juggling them.
References were dropped, tears were shed and interesting food and drink was enjoyed.
I really like Quinn, while Emerys sometimes grates on me a little in the later part of the book. Quinn had a lot of character development, but it just scraped past feeling rushed. Instead it was nice to see.
I did catch characters slipping from their roles a time or two and some strong stereotypes were applied to make others memorable, but the core cast did a good job and it had some lovely twists.
Overall: Lovely fluff with some fun fighting scenes and plot thrown in.
And: Thank you Quinn for telling Angelique what I have been thinking for a while.
References were dropped, tears were shed and interesting food and drink was enjoyed.
I really like Quinn, while Emerys sometimes grates on me a little in the later part of the book. Quinn had a lot of character development, but it just scraped past feeling rushed. Instead it was nice to see.
I did catch characters slipping from their roles a time or two and some strong stereotypes were applied to make others memorable, but the core cast did a good job and it had some lovely twists.
Overall: Lovely fluff with some fun fighting scenes and plot thrown in.
And: Thank you Quinn for telling Angelique what I have been thinking for a while.
May 22, 2018
I'm going through a rough patch right now, so this was a nice escape. I actually looked back at some of my old reviews for other books by this author, and while I remember feeling lukewarm about her previous work, this one did win me over.
That being said, a few things did take me out of my enjoyment of it a bit. Quinn, her band, Emerys, and Angelique were all interesting and fun characters, but despite the romance between Quinn and Emerys starting at a gentle pace, I felt that their feelings progressed really quickly. It was adorable and sweet, though, and I recognize that with how short and self-contained this story is, it's probably for the best that they recognized their regard for each other at the pace they did.
That being said, a few things did take me out of my enjoyment of it a bit. Quinn, her band, Emerys, and Angelique were all interesting and fun characters, but despite the romance between Quinn and Emerys starting at a gentle pace, I felt that their feelings progressed really quickly. It was adorable and sweet, though, and I recognize that with how short and self-contained this story is, it's probably for the best that they recognized their regard for each other at the pace they did.
February 18, 2019
Such a great book!
KM Shea 's fairy tale retellings are absolutely amazing. Her stories are unique and fresh and fabulous. I wasn't familiar with this fairy tale but I loved the story as I read it. The heroine is relatable and enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Elf King and learning a bit about the elfs. I just want everyone to read these books and love them as much as I do!
KM Shea 's fairy tale retellings are absolutely amazing. Her stories are unique and fresh and fabulous. I wasn't familiar with this fairy tale but I loved the story as I read it. The heroine is relatable and enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Elf King and learning a bit about the elfs. I just want everyone to read these books and love them as much as I do!
January 20, 2018
First off, readers new to this series should know that, unlike the first 8 books, this one (#10) is not a standalone. Start with one of those and see if the series is something you'd like to get into. You could probably get by with just the following 5 books if you're really impatient: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and the Colonel, Rumpelstiltskin, Swan Lake, and The Frog Prince. For readers who are familiar with this series already, let's begin the actual review of Kitty's retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Before all else, I have to say this: Mad props to Quinn, the ONLY person in the entire SERIES to drop everything to help out this exhausted enchantress-in-training who has time and again put her own issues on hold to help EVERYONE else! Angelique has become far more than just a wise-old-woman / fairy godmother archetype, so I just have to address her first (sorry to our current main hero and heroine for the delay). We're at a point where Angelique has just become so unhinged from external and internal pressures, we see her one step away from quitting. And then we see her core magic. I'll be honest. My first reaction was, 'Oh, that wasn't so bad.' But then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, 'Actually, I'd end up hating my own power, too.' Most core magic abilities are multi-purposed. What they're good for is really up to the user. Stil, for example, can charm stuff for defense, communication, good luck, etc., etc. But Angelique has no such choice. With her core magic, what, really, can she do other than injure? No wonder she clings so strongly to learned spells. This book is worth reading for the addition to Angelique's arc alone.
However, we also have a strong story in the forefront of the book! I have to give Quinn mad props for several of her decisions throughout the book, honestly. I'm not sure how much I can say without giving away spoilers, so read on at your own risk. The romance was a bit different from the typical K.M. Shea novel, and I actually really liked it (for a change - I wouldn't necessarily want it () to become the new norm ;P)! The curse's loophole was also different; rather than being contingent on romance, it demanded a very specific sacrifice that ended up being more about what's right than about who loves who. I really liked that take, and I think one could make the argument that this particular curse actually /wanted/ to be broken.
Okay, ummm, lessee, how do I say this next part without giving away spoilers... I don't like Roy. Plain and simple, I wanted Quinn to deck him so many times. She's better than that, of course, and of course he begs forgiveness at the end and gets it, and I'm not hardhearted enough to hold a grudge in this case... But still. His explanation at the end for why he acted as he did - that explains away his behavior for the second half of the book. But the first half? When he shamelessly flirted with Quinn despite not meaning anything by it, when he knew what she felt for him? When he cornered her into supporting him two seconds after stabbing a metaphorical knife in her gut and TWISTING? Fine, fine, I'll begrudgingly forgive him because Quinn does, but don't expect me to ever like him.
The elf king, on the other hand, I thought was a fantastically developed character! He's proactive about the curse on his people, doing what little he can to give them even a spark of hope until finally it pays off: Quinn shows up and turns that spark into a flame.
And Quinn is awesome. Have I mentioned yet how much I like her? How great she is not just for helping Angelique but for everything she does? I really can't go into specifics without spoilers, but she's capable and relatable, with understandable fears and moments of awe (prejudices, really, but I totally would have had similar feelings in her shoes, with all the reverence paid to elves in her culture and whatnot).
In short, if you have enjoyed any of the other Timeless Fairy Tales by Kitty, this book will not disappoint! You will want to read at least most of the others first, but make sure to add this one to your to-read list, at least! =D
Before all else, I have to say this: Mad props to Quinn, the ONLY person in the entire SERIES to drop everything to help out this exhausted enchantress-in-training who has time and again put her own issues on hold to help EVERYONE else! Angelique has become far more than just a wise-old-woman / fairy godmother archetype, so I just have to address her first (sorry to our current main hero and heroine for the delay). We're at a point where Angelique has just become so unhinged from external and internal pressures, we see her one step away from quitting. And then we see her core magic. I'll be honest. My first reaction was, 'Oh, that wasn't so bad.' But then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, 'Actually, I'd end up hating my own power, too.' Most core magic abilities are multi-purposed. What they're good for is really up to the user. Stil, for example, can charm stuff for defense, communication, good luck, etc., etc. But Angelique has no such choice. With her core magic, what, really, can she do other than injure? No wonder she clings so strongly to learned spells. This book is worth reading for the addition to Angelique's arc alone.
However, we also have a strong story in the forefront of the book! I have to give Quinn mad props for several of her decisions throughout the book, honestly. I'm not sure how much I can say without giving away spoilers, so read on at your own risk. The romance was a bit different from the typical K.M. Shea novel, and I actually really liked it (for a change - I wouldn't necessarily want it () to become the new norm ;P)! The curse's loophole was also different; rather than being contingent on romance, it demanded a very specific sacrifice that ended up being more about what's right than about who loves who. I really liked that take, and I think one could make the argument that this particular curse actually /wanted/ to be broken.
Okay, ummm, lessee, how do I say this next part without giving away spoilers... I don't like Roy. Plain and simple, I wanted Quinn to deck him so many times. She's better than that, of course, and of course he begs forgiveness at the end and gets it, and I'm not hardhearted enough to hold a grudge in this case... But still. His explanation at the end for why he acted as he did - that explains away his behavior for the second half of the book. But the first half? When he shamelessly flirted with Quinn despite not meaning anything by it, when he knew what she felt for him? When he cornered her into supporting him two seconds after stabbing a metaphorical knife in her gut and TWISTING? Fine, fine, I'll begrudgingly forgive him because Quinn does, but don't expect me to ever like him.
The elf king, on the other hand, I thought was a fantastically developed character! He's proactive about the curse on his people, doing what little he can to give them even a spark of hope until finally it pays off: Quinn shows up and turns that spark into a flame.
And Quinn is awesome. Have I mentioned yet how much I like her? How great she is not just for helping Angelique but for everything she does? I really can't go into specifics without spoilers, but she's capable and relatable, with understandable fears and moments of awe (prejudices, really, but I totally would have had similar feelings in her shoes, with all the reverence paid to elves in her culture and whatnot).
In short, if you have enjoyed any of the other Timeless Fairy Tales by Kitty, this book will not disappoint! You will want to read at least most of the others first, but make sure to add this one to your to-read list, at least! =D
March 4, 2021
This book is my favourite
This book is my favourite in the series. I just love it so much, I have reread it about 8 times. I can't get enough.
This book is my favourite in the series. I just love it so much, I have reread it about 8 times. I can't get enough.
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