Meena is in love. It happened quite suddenly, and with the most unexpected person. He’s quiet and serious and completely unlike her constantly teasing brothers. The only problem? He has no idea she exists.
Sol is a Majis. He’s spent his whole life in survival mode. He doesn’t take risks and he doesn’t like to be seen. But the world is changing, and he can’t hide any longer.
Now that King Gareth knows his secret is out, Meena concocts the perfect plan. As a husband and wife—even if it’s fake—she and Sol can stealthily unravel their enemy’s latest plan.
Emily Deady was as an avid reader who hated writing. But one day she realized that most authors loved cats and tea, her two favorite things. So, she stopped fighting the inevitable and she began to write. She loves a good romance, her real life hero who patiently listens to all her plotlines, and hitting the trails for light hike in sunny San Diego.
Meena (whose name my autocorrect hates and has changed three times already) is usually the kind of character that would drive me at least a little crazy. Shockingly, I actually really liked her. She played the ditsy or spoiled princess very well where people assumed her lack of brains, but she actually was very good, smart, and feminine in the best way. She was definitely a Sunshine character when the male lead Sol was more of a serious character. I wouldn’t call him a grump, but serious fits him well. Which makes sense when you think of everything he’s been through. Sol thought of Meena as an empty-headed princess at the beginning—which made me wince for her—but he realizes her strengths soon enough. She knows her strength in her princess knowledge, but is also adventurous and yet also willing to listen. She was a well-rounded FMC!
I appreciate that despite this being a fake marriage/marriage of convenience trope plotline, there wasn’t any awkward parts between Sol and Meena. She obviously loves him more and quicker, but the bedroom sharing comments or mentions weren’t super awkward and there was only one side comment by someone else you could say was an innuendo or suggestion, but it was light. Very clean overall and I was impressed by it.
At the very end, I remembered this was supposed to be an East of the Sun, West of the Moon retelling, but I honestly didn’t seem any of those elements? Perhaps it’s because I forgot about that fact for the majority of the book or maybe those elements were just really light.
I will say that I still don’t quite get the magic system or how it works in this world, but I think that is probably because it grows and is explained more in each book. It doesn’t help that the non-Majis (magic users) haven’t been told true for years and now that two Majis have entered their lives, they are learning details they didn’t know.
Looking forward to finally reading Ian and Robin’s story soon—especially after that last chapter!
Main Content- The “race of magic-welders” (called Majis) have been locked away for 250 years (or one thousand seasons) with their return coming soon and many believe they are going to be back for vengeance and there will be a war; Majis’ powers come from harmony and a balance of it; Objects aren’t magical, but depending on the amount of harmony in the item, it can be used to channel a magic user’s magic; Sol is able to use his magic to communicate with the wind and light a ball of light to be able to see in the dark or blind/stun someone (on-page and described, up to a handful of sentences); Another magic-user is able to having “purple ribbons” shoot from her hands to tie-up others (up to a few sentences).
Like Aizel in the third book, Sol is also a Majis and has grown up on the Isle of Exile under the orders of cruel people (called “taskers”); All Majis there have to wear a necklace that keeps them from harming the taskers and/or can make them mute completely; Sol has been chosen by the taskers and they plan *Spoilers for Book 3* .
Meena and Sol visit an old woman who is said to “bless” newly married couples (part of another country’s culture and she crushes herbs while “blessing” them as she figures out their secret).
Many mentions of Majis, magic users, magic, singing, spells, & using others’ magic against them; Mentions of the attack at the end of the first book, someone being cursed and transformed into a human-shaped beast, & the cure (Book #2); Mentions of magical items (also called “spelled items”); Mentions of a monastery & monks; A couple mentions of Sol worshiping and idolizing his father; A couple mentions of luck (which Meena thinks something good happening might not be luck but the harmony of magic helping her); A couple mentions of being lucky.
No language stronger than ‘stupid’; A couple mentions of curses (said or wanted to be said by Sol, but not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Eavesdropping (with little to no guilt); Meena tries to avoid lying but does lie once.
Self-defense by throwing a rock at someone, Being tortured (magically, but still intense), Being tied-up, Being grabbed, Pain, Injuries, & Bad storms (up to a handful of sentences); A nightmare of a shipwreck (up to a few sentences).
Meena chatters a lot and she thinks that some of her family find her annoying because of it.
Mentions of deaths, an assumed death, & grief; Mentions of a possible war, an ordered murder/assassination, & a man wishing for the deaths of others; Mentions of slavery; Mentions of pain; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of wine/alcohol & drinking; A few mentions of blood; A few mentions of hatred; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of threats; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of hunting.
2 head/forehead kisses, 2 almost kisses (lasting 3-5 sentences each), 1 kiss with no details, 1 kiss lasting a few sentences, 1 kiss lasting 5+ sentences, Remembering a kiss & Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences).
Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Tingles/Shivers, Flutters, Warmth, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); Wanting to touch (up to a couple sentences); Noticing (up to a couple sentences); Blushes; Seeing other couples kiss & embrace (up to a couple sentences).
Meena and Sol get married “in name only” for the sake of the plan & do share a bedroom for the majority of the book, but they either take turns sleeping on the bed or one of them is on the floor; One morning, Meena pulls up her covers when Sol is there because he isn’t her real husband, but she’s fully covered; A side character winks with his comment about Meena not needing a maid to get ready for bed (implying because of her husband, Sol, being there); (*Spoiler* ).
A brother teases his older brother about chasing a pretty face.
Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of true love’s kiss; A mention of jealousy; A mention of flirting.
I absolutely loved the first story, enough to buy the second. And I liked that one well enough to buy the third. But that's when the editing started to get sloppy, with bad grammar, extra words, and sentences that made no sense. Still, I really liked the story line, so I bought this fourth installment. Unfortunately, the editing has gotten so bad - with actual whole paragraphs repeated - that I won't be buying the last book. Or any other book by this author. I just don't understand why she wouldn't take more care with her work, and can't support it anymore.
This is a well written book with strong characters and an interesting story line. The author brings intrigue and romance and paints her scenes perfectly. She moves the story fluidly with her descriptive writing and delivers another great book to the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I loved all the stories before but Meena… Meena has my heart guys. She’s my favourite kind of princess - feminine and spunky, elegant and humorous, daring and prudent.
Hmm... I didn't like this as much as the previous books in the series. The fake relationship part felt a bit too contrived, and I struggled to connect with the characters or the writing. There were also some pretty egregious and distracting editing issues.
This is a great addition to the stories of three of her brothers already. Meena is the youngest of 5 children of the King and Queen and she wants to help a boy she’s just met to destroy a cache of magical power that a evil king has amassed so she brashly tells everyone in attendance that she is engaged to marry him and keeps his name and mission a secret but insists they go where the stolen magic is on their honeymoon.
It’s a exciting trip complete with storms at sea and people who will eventually help them in their quest, one from an unlikely source to their surprise. Without her the quest would have failed.
Some of the stories in this series were taken from fairy tales but I don’t think this is as I’ve never heard of it if it is. To me it’s just a tale that will keep you turning the pages faster and faster to see what happens next!
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all those readers old or young who enjoy fairy tales, slow romance an exciting story and a heroine who you will cheer for!
This is a perfect escape book to take your mind off the troubles we continually are bombarded with! To me reading a good story is so much more rewarding than watching tv. It’s easy to let your mind stray to the book you’re reading and picture you experiencing just what your friends are going through! Another benefit of reading over a tv show is there are no commercials! Now that is also a big plus for me but the story is so well written that you find yourselves at the end waaaay before you know it!!
Treat yourself to a wonderful book you’re sure to enjoy and when you finish it I would urge you to pick up the entire series so you can read about three of Meena’s brothers and what happened to them!
I love this series and I really believe everyone who reads it will love it as much as I do! There are happily ever afters and isn’t that what we all want when we read a story after the thrills and excitement die down!
Sky of Wind, Fairy Tale Royals Book Four is the newest in the great series written by Emily Deady. This book continues with the story of Meena and her adventure with Sol. Having four older brothers has been nice but she hated that they treated her like a girl, always trying to keep her safe. Having a strong Mother who is very involved with the Kingdom, she wants to be taken seriously and do her part. When she accidentally meets Sol in a secret tunnel under the castle, she is drawn into her own adventure to help save both kingdoms from a terrible fate. Sol never lets his emotions show after a lifetime of pain and sorrow. Meena is sure she is falling in love with him and wants to help him be whole again. Together they face this challenge, and maybe learn to trust and love. This book is exciting, page turning and very descriptive. I felt I could smell the sea aboard the ship and feel the sand in my toes. Another great book Emily! Loved it and am looking forward to the next book. I read an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
• I enjoyed getting to know mire about Meena in this story. She was bright, kind and outgoing.
• The descriptions of locations and emotions were well done, easy to visualize, and to feel. I could envision this book's scenes so clearly.
• The pacing of the story was neither too slow nor too fast. There was a smooth, coherent flow to this book.
• I loved the suspense and action.
• This story had a satisfying ending.
• This was a clean story.
I was given a free advance copy of this book by the author. My review was voluntary and my opinions were my own. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy novel takes on fairytales. This is usually a genre that I don't read, but I enjoyed this author's unique style so much, that I will be eagerly awaiting more books to read in this series.
I am not exceptionally familiar with the fairytale East of the Sun West of the Moon, but that didn't make this story any less enjoyable. This Emily Deady did well in drawing me in to her story, especially with Sol. Meena was likable but parts with her felt a little slow for me at times. I give this story more of a 3.5 rating. It had a great adventure aspect, which added wonderful tension. A fake marriage to save the kingdom, that develops into something more. I always enjoy a good romance with fantasy and I liked this one, but felt Meena's realization of love was a little more believable than Sol's. And the end felt a little rushed. Still I would recommend this fun fantasy read and plan to read the next book in the series when it comes out in December. However, would note that there are proofreading errors, enough that it was a little distracting.
Rating: PG-no explicit romance, adventure, some violence
I had no idea how much I would love Princess Meena until I read this book. She is such a cool character! She is so honest and trusting and loyal and adventurous and so many wonderful things all poured into a single character. And as with all of Emily's books, the story was perfect for her. She was so often overlooked and her brilliant mind was taken for granted because people thought she was nothing more than a silly princess. I was less familiar with the fairy tale this book retold, but it had its own twist and fit in perfectly within the tapestry Emily has been weaving for us. I eagerly anticipate the conclusion of the saga.
I received a free ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly.
I absolutely loved this story - once I really got into it! The storyline was dynamite and kept me riveted once I got through the first two chapters. I literally was unable to put it down and it became a middle of the night adventure that left me with a smile at the yummy conclusion. Definitely not a run of the mill recreation of a fairy tale, but a story that just grabs your heart and delivers plenty of sass and vibration as this young princess, Meena, plans out her own destiny. A clean and sweet read that I would highly recommend.
I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review with my own personal opinions.
This story had far less ties to the base tale than I'm used to seeing in a retelling or inspired story. Apart from that, the end didn't really do justice to the build up. I enjoyed most of the build up and seeing the main characters grow closer; however, neither seemed especially skilled or intelligent or inspiring (aside from a nice sun speech), just very lucky. I would have liked to see Meena gather more information by deftly handling society events and Sol execute his mission as described early on (harmony building strength as it overcomes chaos). These were my main issues with the book, although there were several moments and character fixations that just didn't make sense to me.
This installment in Emily Deady's Fairy Tale Royals series continues the adventure! Although I did not resonate with the heroine, Meena, at first, her character development had me cheering for her specific skill set and I was delighted to see her achieve her happily-ever-after with minimal angst! The plot drove the developing romance and the new characters in this story lent depth to the understanding of the magic in the world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This took me a while to read. It didn’t quite seem like the characters were developed well. Meena and Sol make the world’s worst spies and I didn’t understand Jules and Ezra’s role in it all. What is their motivation? It also ended kinda abruptly and the epilogue was more of a prequel/intro to another book rather than a wrap up. Other than that I like the idea of harmony being opposite of chaos and how the magic is through music. I didn’t see any similarities with East of the Sun West of the Moon. Kisses only.
I’ve enjoyed this series, and this book, while not my favorite, would have been fine, if not for the HORRENDOUS editing. Not just spelling and grammar, but whole sentences were out of place, unfinished, or missing words. It felt like it was a rough draft of the book, rather than a polished story. Disappointing, as it was very distracting from the story, and even confusing sometimes, when I couldn’t decipher what the author intended to write. All in all, not impressed by this one.
I loved this book. I have to say, it didn’t have much in common with the original fairytale other then a marriage (don’t worry, no awkward stuff) but I loved it so much. Sol. I love that man! I have a weakness for characters like him, who are so strong but so broken. I just wanted to hug him. And Meena, while I wasn’t a huge fan at first, I actually loved by the end. Her growth was very realistic and in keeping with her character. Together, they were adorable. This is Emily’s best romance and best couple yet and I’m so impatient to find out what the deal is with Last Robyn and Prince Ian.
The stakes continue to grow and more of the continent’s history becomes known. I love how the world building increases in each book. The characters are well-matched and have good growth arcs. Pacing is good and the growing attraction between Sol and Meena follow a realistic and satisfying timeline. I’m glad I made it through book 3, as this is a return to the compelling storytelling of books 1 and 2 that I liked so much. I look forward to learning how the conflict continues to develop and resolve in the next book!
Okay, this review is hard to write because I don't like to give spoilers and so much of what I love in this book is spoiler-y. I love how Emily writes her female characters and how they grow and develop and she did all that beautifully with Meena in this book. It's a fairytale romance, you'd think the end would be obvious - but the path is never what I think it'll be and the twists surprised and delighted me. And all the hints about Robin that have been building throughout the books have me dying to read the last book and finally get that story - as well as find out how this fantastic tale resolves.
Wow! Every book by Emily is fantastic! While the subtitle says fairy tales, this is also a romantic suspense with a large dose of humor. As always, I fell in love with the two main characters but was also delighted to be reunited with the “royal family.” The interaction between even the secondary characters is full of life and fun. The descriptions of this imaginary place are beautiful! I can’t wait for the next book in the series!! I received an advanced reader copy.
While I'm not familiar with the East of the Sun, West of the Moon retelling, from what I looked up, this book very loosely follows it. Putting that factor aside, I loved the adventure and the tension in the romance. My only complaint is that there were some noticeable editing errors when sentences were jumbled up enough that I had to reread through to make it make sense with the story. Aside from that, it was a pretty solid story!
I enjoyed this book! It was clean. This has been a fun series. I love that each story is individual, but it has an overarching storyline. I love seeing the characters from previous books. I love watching this family develop and interact with each story. I'm so excited for the next book!
Clean! No sex, just a few sweet kisses No language or innuendo No gore, just mild fight scenes Not dark or creepy
A story that is filled with danger, suspense and romance. Princess Meena has always wanted to help her family and country in some way. By pretending to marry Sol she has found a way, this ruse will help him on his mission to save his people and help the king of Iseldis. Together will they be able to achieve this or is the danger too great?
She's a princess, he's a magic-wielder who can harness the wind. Perhaps together they can take down the evil king who is using chaos magic to enslave those who are using harmony magic to do good. But, not everything goes as planned because not everyone they are trusting should be trusted, but on the other hand, they do get help from people they are quite surprised to find willing to help!
The fourth book in the Fairy Tale Royals series a well written story that kept me turning pages. This is Meena and her adventure with Sol, there is suspense, drama,danger, villains, and romance. I enjoyed reading. I want to read the next book. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Some marriages are for power, some for love and some for convenience. Sol and Meena fall into the latter category. They both needed to protect their people and a marriage would be a convenient covery story. Though a little magic might be worked along the way to turn the tides of this marriage.
The editing spoils this otherwise good novel. Every time I’m immersed in the story, an unfinished sentence, duplicated paragraphs, incorrect character names - they jerk me rudely out of the author’s book. It’s so easy to fix! Please fix it!!! I got sick of reporting them as there were more than three of four errors per chapter.
Meena, the lone Princess is fascinated by Sol, one of the previously hated Majis. She comes up with a plan to help him go undercover and investigate King Gareth, revealed to be the Big Bad. As this involves them going through a fake marriage, Meena is not entirely displeased Very enjoyable, but didn't particularly like Sol, he was way too grumpy and serious
This is a lovely tale of good versus evil, right against might, and reluctant, surprising romance. Sol and Meena embark on a mission to save their people. They find much more than they bargained for. Enjoy! I reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.
Once again this writer does not disappoint with her stories. Meena and Sol are the unlikely couple who have to learn to trust one another as they fight for their people.
Vivid descriptions of both characters and places. An engaging read.