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Dark Spirits Fairytales
Matchsticks
Following the Ravening, the world changed for everyone. For Agatha Ward, once a successful interior designer, those changes have been a succession of one miserable year after another wherein she has only barely managed to survive through simple labor. Selling match sticks outside in the snow on solstice night is not her idea of a good way to spend the holiday nor a promising beginning for the new year, but she hopes to make enough to at least buy some fuel for heat and some food.
When a golden stranger steals a pack of matchsticks and leaves behind a box with five gold matches, she is drawn into another world inhabited by monsters. Ruling over them and the northern mountains is a winged king of the north wind, Aquilo. He is dark and cold as winter itself, but as she returns with the flare of each matchstick, she discovers a warm heart and hot glances behind that icy reserve that makes her long for forever. If only she wouldn’t keep returning every night back to that same frigid street. With her matchsticks running out, will she have a chance for happily ever after?
Aquilo has known no warmth or comfort. His fortress is as cold and lonely as he is. With naught but his griffins for company, and the ogres and lupi who serve him, he yearns for any sort of spark to warm him. When a human arrives on his mountain, her presence seems impossible but no more so than the spark that heats within him at her nearness, yet every night she disappears. He’s certain that another god is toying with him, yet the longer she is there the more he realizes that she is all that he wants. But will he find her in the human world before the brutal harpies snuff out her light forever?
This is a Happy ever after reimagined retelling of the fairytale The Matchstick Girl in the Dark Spirits Universe.
When a golden stranger steals a pack of matchsticks and leaves behind a box with five gold matches, she is drawn into another world inhabited by monsters. Ruling over them and the northern mountains is a winged king of the north wind, Aquilo. He is dark and cold as winter itself, but as she returns with the flare of each matchstick, she discovers a warm heart and hot glances behind that icy reserve that makes her long for forever. If only she wouldn’t keep returning every night back to that same frigid street. With her matchsticks running out, will she have a chance for happily ever after?
Aquilo has known no warmth or comfort. His fortress is as cold and lonely as he is. With naught but his griffins for company, and the ogres and lupi who serve him, he yearns for any sort of spark to warm him. When a human arrives on his mountain, her presence seems impossible but no more so than the spark that heats within him at her nearness, yet every night she disappears. He’s certain that another god is toying with him, yet the longer she is there the more he realizes that she is all that he wants. But will he find her in the human world before the brutal harpies snuff out her light forever?
This is a Happy ever after reimagined retelling of the fairytale The Matchstick Girl in the Dark Spirits Universe.
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2020
248 people are currently reading
785 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Sanders
86 books1,007 followersS.J. Sanders is a mom of two toddlers and one adult living in Anchorage, Alaska. She has a BA degree in History, but spends most of her free time painting, sculpting, doing odd bits of historical research, and writing. While she has more research orientated writing under another pen name, her passion is sci-fi and paranormal romance of which she is an avid reader. After years of tinkering with the idea, and making her own stories up in her head, S.J has began to seriously pursue writing as an author of Sci-fi Romance utilizing her interests in how cultures diversify and what they would look like on a extraterrestrial platform to humans interacting with them and finding love.
She can be found on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Author-SJ-Sa...
And follow her blog at https://sjsandersromance.wordpress.com
She can be found on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Author-SJ-Sa...
And follow her blog at https://sjsandersromance.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
January 24, 2021
An Excellent Retelling!
Finally. FINALLY. Someone, aside from Terry Pratchett in Hog Father, SAVED THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL.
The ten year old me who read that story unawares may finally be able to stop crying. FINALLY.
Finally. FINALLY. Someone, aside from Terry Pratchett in Hog Father, SAVED THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL.
The ten year old me who read that story unawares may finally be able to stop crying. FINALLY.
December 28, 2021
This retelling concept of one of my all-time fav HCA stories was god-tier but the writing & execution was pitiful and very much not spicy. The extra star exists only for the stunning cover artwork.
January 2, 2021
A treat for a cold winter’s night!
A creative (and more kind) rendering of the fairytale about a young girl selling matchsticks on a freezing street corner. This is very well done! I found it intriguing; it’s populated with immortals and humans, fantastic creatures such as griffins, ogres and the werewolf-like lupi.
Considering the hardship Agatha has endured since her world collapsed around her, she is amazingly upbeat. She’s very accepting of the oddities surrounding her in Aquino’s fortress. It doesn’t take long for those around her to treat her with warmth and pleasure in her company, even dark, cold-hearted Aquino. It is a pleasure to read, with a delightful romance, building at a steady pace. There are a number of obstacles - some, quite alarming, before the author draws us to a very satisfying conclusion. A must-read!
A creative (and more kind) rendering of the fairytale about a young girl selling matchsticks on a freezing street corner. This is very well done! I found it intriguing; it’s populated with immortals and humans, fantastic creatures such as griffins, ogres and the werewolf-like lupi.
Considering the hardship Agatha has endured since her world collapsed around her, she is amazingly upbeat. She’s very accepting of the oddities surrounding her in Aquino’s fortress. It doesn’t take long for those around her to treat her with warmth and pleasure in her company, even dark, cold-hearted Aquino. It is a pleasure to read, with a delightful romance, building at a steady pace. There are a number of obstacles - some, quite alarming, before the author draws us to a very satisfying conclusion. A must-read!
February 14, 2021
2.5 stars
I feel like it would have been a 4-star read if their relationship had been further developed. It was basically insta-love/insta-lust? Definitely not Sanders' best work.
I feel like it would have been a 4-star read if their relationship had been further developed. It was basically insta-love/insta-lust? Definitely not Sanders' best work.
July 1, 2023
When you write, you read, and just like almost every other reader, I sometimes get on an 'author' kick when reading. Meaning that I will read one book by an Author that captures my fancy, so I pick up another book of theirs and so on and so forth. Well, my month of June has been like that with S.J. Sanders!
This book, Matchsticks, is a fairy-tale-retelling of The Little Matchstick Girl. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you know that fairy-tale-retellings are kind of a 'thing' with me, so you won't be surprised when I tell you that: I SO ENJOYED THIS BOOK!!! But here's the caveat: I read it when I was a child, but I don't remember any details about The Little Matchstick Girl!
Without that basis, I have to say; I LOVED THIS STORY! Agatha, Aquilo (Virgin hero, BTW), the Orges, the Griffins, the werewolf type guards (very 'Ragoru' of Sanders - another excellent book), the tying in with the god Apollo to the storyline, presented in a dystopian environment because of an event called The Ravening, all with a sweet romance with just the right amount of steam...all so very creative! And, Quite a Tasty Read!
So, I love this story, and YOU SHOULD READ IT! But, because I can't remember the details of The Little Matchstick Girl, now I have to go and get it and reread it; cause, hey, you know, CURIOSITY!
READ IT, ENJOY IT, then pick something else of S.J. Sanders' up! That's what my month of June was like, and I haven't been disappointed yet!
V.P. Nightshade
This book, Matchsticks, is a fairy-tale-retelling of The Little Matchstick Girl. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you know that fairy-tale-retellings are kind of a 'thing' with me, so you won't be surprised when I tell you that: I SO ENJOYED THIS BOOK!!! But here's the caveat: I read it when I was a child, but I don't remember any details about The Little Matchstick Girl!
Without that basis, I have to say; I LOVED THIS STORY! Agatha, Aquilo (Virgin hero, BTW), the Orges, the Griffins, the werewolf type guards (very 'Ragoru' of Sanders - another excellent book), the tying in with the god Apollo to the storyline, presented in a dystopian environment because of an event called The Ravening, all with a sweet romance with just the right amount of steam...all so very creative! And, Quite a Tasty Read!
So, I love this story, and YOU SHOULD READ IT! But, because I can't remember the details of The Little Matchstick Girl, now I have to go and get it and reread it; cause, hey, you know, CURIOSITY!
READ IT, ENJOY IT, then pick something else of S.J. Sanders' up! That's what my month of June was like, and I haven't been disappointed yet!
V.P. Nightshade
December 18, 2022
What a sweet holiday read rich in the lore of Yule. Very enjoyable.
January 5, 2022
This book is seriously WOW. I am speechless! I couldn't put it down and am up way past my bedtime. Wonderful pacing, I love the dark spirits world and I'm so happy to be revisiting it, and even better in the spring there will be more?? The characters are as usual great... A super solid read.
January 4, 2022
Dnf @ 25%
I tried
This is my favorite Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, retold. Unfortunately I was not in the mood for the postapocalyptic Urban Fantasy vibes this was giving off.
Why does everything have to be post apocalyptic? Just so the indoor designer main character could be stripped of her job and become a match girl instead? That's so dumb
And then she starts renovating the demon lord (or monster alien lord or whatever)'s castle for him???? That's not the story!
Stick to the damn fairy tale at least in the broadest terms, goddamnit*
* this does include the unhappy end for me and I'm guessing this gets a perfect HEA
No thank you!
Why not call this a beauty and the beast retelling? Since those are all the rage anyway.
I tried
This is my favorite Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, retold. Unfortunately I was not in the mood for the postapocalyptic Urban Fantasy vibes this was giving off.
Why does everything have to be post apocalyptic? Just so the indoor designer main character could be stripped of her job and become a match girl instead? That's so dumb
And then she starts renovating the demon lord (or monster alien lord or whatever)'s castle for him???? That's not the story!
Stick to the damn fairy tale at least in the broadest terms, goddamnit*
* this does include the unhappy end for me and I'm guessing this gets a perfect HEA
No thank you!
Why not call this a beauty and the beast retelling? Since those are all the rage anyway.
January 8, 2021
An enjoyable fantasy romance.
This fantasy romance fairy tale re-telling was quite enjoyable. The writing and editing was pretty clean, with only the occasional typo. The hero was deliciously alpha and the heroine was deeply sympathetic. The New Year solstice holiday touches were delightful to read about. The novel had low angst and high stakes, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. Reading this novel was a great escape on a sad day for our nation, giving me comfort when I desperately needed it. Thank you for writing this novel, S. J. Sanders.
This fantasy romance fairy tale re-telling was quite enjoyable. The writing and editing was pretty clean, with only the occasional typo. The hero was deliciously alpha and the heroine was deeply sympathetic. The New Year solstice holiday touches were delightful to read about. The novel had low angst and high stakes, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. Reading this novel was a great escape on a sad day for our nation, giving me comfort when I desperately needed it. Thank you for writing this novel, S. J. Sanders.
January 10, 2023
S. J. Sanders writes a good, deary fairy tale with Matchsticks to read in the dead of winter. While this would have been lovely to read during the holidays, I felt it was still nice to read just afterwards in January. It still retained a warming, satisfying effect.
There’s a sense of narrative flatness and simplicity I tend to associtate with fairy tales. Sanders managed to achieve this almost perfectly. Overall, it felt like a steak dinner. It was simple and satisfying.
Admittedly, Matchsticks still had elements like The Ravening that felt like parsley on a steak dinner plate. It adds some interest and color to the meal, but the purpose of its presence is a question. Regardless, the parsley did not interfere with the tastiness of the steak.
There’s a sense of narrative flatness and simplicity I tend to associtate with fairy tales. Sanders managed to achieve this almost perfectly. Overall, it felt like a steak dinner. It was simple and satisfying.
Admittedly, Matchsticks still had elements like The Ravening that felt like parsley on a steak dinner plate. It adds some interest and color to the meal, but the purpose of its presence is a question. Regardless, the parsley did not interfere with the tastiness of the steak.
January 2, 2021
Happy ending for the matchstick girl!
I always felt bad for the poor little matchstick girl who dies in the snow, but this was a fantastic rewrite. Agatha and Aquilo were very likeable characters. The story was simple and easy to follow. Not as much action as some of SJ's other books, but still a fun read.
I always felt bad for the poor little matchstick girl who dies in the snow, but this was a fantastic rewrite. Agatha and Aquilo were very likeable characters. The story was simple and easy to follow. Not as much action as some of SJ's other books, but still a fun read.
January 1, 2022
2.5 cause i feel guilty. only read this cause of tik tok (i need to stop doing that) but i also have never read whatever this is a retelling of..? so obviously i had no idea what was going on or what the hell the ravening was. also it was too fast-paced for me they literally spent like 2 days together and got married likeeee get to know each other a little. anyways i need to grow a brain
February 5, 2025
A HEA spicy retelling of the sad sad story of the matchstick girl. I do wish for better development of the relationship and characters, but I’m glad for a happy ending to this tale.
January 7, 2021
This story surprised me! Agatha is alone and cold. I would describe her existence as "just surviving." A beautiful stranger gives her a strange small box with 5 golden matchsticks. Striking the first one sends her to another world. Aquilo is a god. He is severe, cold, and lonely. But when he meets Agatha he feels a spark of warmth. He is increasingly taken with her and so is his griffin. Veli just loves Agatha. (I really enjoyed the affection he has for her.) Matchsticks is a love story that develops slowly. I love the Lupi people and the ogres. What first appear to be monsters to Agatha will soon become friends. Sanders was fantastically creative with this story and I thoroughly enjoyed it! You'll have to read it for yourself to see how everything unfolds. 4.5 stars!
January 26, 2021
I am Not a Christmas person.
I may not be a Yule time girl, but I liked this. Then again, I might be biased because it's from S.J. Sanders. I still haven't found a book by her I didn't like. This for me was fun and brought back happy memories of reading Greek Mythology with my dad and how he would try and censor some of them but fail horribly lol. It was heartwarming and cute with the Griffins and other side characters that added a Lot to the MCs interactions. So I recommend that y'all, give it a read.
I may not be a Yule time girl, but I liked this. Then again, I might be biased because it's from S.J. Sanders. I still haven't found a book by her I didn't like. This for me was fun and brought back happy memories of reading Greek Mythology with my dad and how he would try and censor some of them but fail horribly lol. It was heartwarming and cute with the Griffins and other side characters that added a Lot to the MCs interactions. So I recommend that y'all, give it a read.
January 14, 2021
Wow!
So the little matchstick girl was always a fascinating story to me growing up. I loved how the little girl was transported to bigger and better things with each match. I loved this grown up version probably just as much!
Each match brings her to a bigger and better world filled with everything I love. Magic, mythical creatures and the undeniable love of a soul mate. Can’t wait for more from this world! Brilliantly detailed and fun loving characters.
So the little matchstick girl was always a fascinating story to me growing up. I loved how the little girl was transported to bigger and better things with each match. I loved this grown up version probably just as much!
Each match brings her to a bigger and better world filled with everything I love. Magic, mythical creatures and the undeniable love of a soul mate. Can’t wait for more from this world! Brilliantly detailed and fun loving characters.
January 18, 2021
Fairytale
Awesome story . I like this Match sticks story much better than the original. I am curious how agatha' s boss reacts when he finds the basket of matches and her missing ? Would he be upset he has to find a new employee ? Think she stole from him ? Was blood left at the scene ? However this is a short and I realize not everything can be added . I have enjoying the series.
Awesome story . I like this Match sticks story much better than the original. I am curious how agatha' s boss reacts when he finds the basket of matches and her missing ? Would he be upset he has to find a new employee ? Think she stole from him ? Was blood left at the scene ? However this is a short and I realize not everything can be added . I have enjoying the series.
January 18, 2021
Great read
This was an entertaining story. It kept my attention to the very end; which l have had trouble doing of late. The main characters are relatable, and it's well written. I don't believe in giving spoilers during a review. So you won't get in depth details here, however I highly recommend this book. If you've never S.J. Sanders also suggests you read all of her work. You won't be disappointed.
This was an entertaining story. It kept my attention to the very end; which l have had trouble doing of late. The main characters are relatable, and it's well written. I don't believe in giving spoilers during a review. So you won't get in depth details here, however I highly recommend this book. If you've never S.J. Sanders also suggests you read all of her work. You won't be disappointed.
February 6, 2022
SJ Sanders is one of the best world builders I've read and this book was no exception. I'm a sucker for the sunshine/grumpy one trope not to mention fairy tale adaptations. I never knew the little matchstick girl could be made into something not only so happy, but sexy! No worries, everyone is of age in this book. I adore this series and will be devouring more of it soon.
May 11, 2022
A dark retelling done right.
Aquilo & Agatha owns my heart. Truly.
Aquilo is a god, king of the north wind. He's cold and lonely and his fortress is just an endless chilly winter. Not untill Agatha was thrown into his realm, with blinding warmth and light that got him addicted to her.
In other words, she brings life to him. And he yearns to keep her close and protect her. Bring life to him and his bleack fortress.
Aquilo is just so so freaking adorable. He wants her with him ALL THE TIME, craves for her undivided attention, looks at her like she puts stars in his dark sky, denies her nothing, uses his wings to keep her close whenever they're together, TOOK HER UP IN THE SKY TO SEE THE AURORA ( LIKE ?????). Oh god, he is just one cold lonely god that seeks life and warmth and Agatha is the one he has been waiting for.
Agatha is such a likeable character too. There is nothing not to like about her.
There's involvement of many other mystical creatures and i loveee how their appearances blend it so nicely, spicing the book up with interesting dynamics. Just so much wholesomeness in such short book.
And oooof.....the 🌶🌶🌶 scene was 🤌🏻✨. When he bites her.....imma leave it at that😮💨.
The conflict was done quick and resolved immediately but it was sooooo freaking satisfying. To see things finally slotting in, SO GOOD.
Not gonna lie, when Aquilo unleashed his wrath...it was intense and ferocious😮💨
The plot development is constructed so perfectly. You can how the story moves from one point to next. The writing & worldbuilding is EXECELLENT. So detailed and descriptive, especially when it comes to visualizing how the setting & characters look like. They are TONS of mystical creatures ! And they are described in a way you can see them in your head as you read it.
Overall, a definite 5 star read from me !!
Aquilo & Agatha owns my heart. Truly.
Aquilo is a god, king of the north wind. He's cold and lonely and his fortress is just an endless chilly winter. Not untill Agatha was thrown into his realm, with blinding warmth and light that got him addicted to her.
In other words, she brings life to him. And he yearns to keep her close and protect her. Bring life to him and his bleack fortress.
Aquilo is just so so freaking adorable. He wants her with him ALL THE TIME, craves for her undivided attention, looks at her like she puts stars in his dark sky, denies her nothing, uses his wings to keep her close whenever they're together, TOOK HER UP IN THE SKY TO SEE THE AURORA ( LIKE ?????). Oh god, he is just one cold lonely god that seeks life and warmth and Agatha is the one he has been waiting for.
Agatha is such a likeable character too. There is nothing not to like about her.
There's involvement of many other mystical creatures and i loveee how their appearances blend it so nicely, spicing the book up with interesting dynamics. Just so much wholesomeness in such short book.
And oooof.....the 🌶🌶🌶 scene was 🤌🏻✨. When he bites her.....imma leave it at that😮💨.
The conflict was done quick and resolved immediately but it was sooooo freaking satisfying. To see things finally slotting in, SO GOOD.
Not gonna lie, when Aquilo unleashed his wrath...it was intense and ferocious😮💨
The plot development is constructed so perfectly. You can how the story moves from one point to next. The writing & worldbuilding is EXECELLENT. So detailed and descriptive, especially when it comes to visualizing how the setting & characters look like. They are TONS of mystical creatures ! And they are described in a way you can see them in your head as you read it.
Overall, a definite 5 star read from me !!
December 8, 2022
After reading a huge behemoth of a book, I'm really glad I picked 'Matchsticks' as not only my short and sweet read, but also now counting is as a nice and cozy holiday read!
It's also my first book by S.J Sanders, and I am definitely going to read more things from her in the future. Especially her 'Dark Spirits Fairytales' series that this book is part of.
Aquilo is a winged king of the mountains who lives in a giant fortress with his servants, guards and pet griffons. Despite having so much power, he feels especially lonely with the year's winter solstice just a few days away.
Agatha is a down on her luck ex-interior designer now made to stand out in the cold and hand out matchboxes in exchange for some coin, until a mysterious man dressed in gold enchants one of her matchboxes.
Which contain only five matchsticks.
Agatha lights one and is then whisked away to the fortress where Aquilo resides.
In the few days she remains there, Agatha lights up Aquilo's life as she helps prepare the fortress for the Winter Solstice. They fall in love in the short time she's there - since this is a fated mates type of story - and it's a generally wholesome and steamy romance.
As quick of a read as this was, I did genuinely enjoy Aquilo and Agatha's romance. They had great chemistry from the start, their dynamic is great (it's very grumpyXsunshine and I love it) and their spicy scenes were great.
They came off as very authentic characters; even the small side-characters were great.
Highly recommend this to folks who are looking for a short but sweet holiday read!
It's also my first book by S.J Sanders, and I am definitely going to read more things from her in the future. Especially her 'Dark Spirits Fairytales' series that this book is part of.
Aquilo is a winged king of the mountains who lives in a giant fortress with his servants, guards and pet griffons. Despite having so much power, he feels especially lonely with the year's winter solstice just a few days away.
Agatha is a down on her luck ex-interior designer now made to stand out in the cold and hand out matchboxes in exchange for some coin, until a mysterious man dressed in gold enchants one of her matchboxes.
Which contain only five matchsticks.
Agatha lights one and is then whisked away to the fortress where Aquilo resides.
In the few days she remains there, Agatha lights up Aquilo's life as she helps prepare the fortress for the Winter Solstice. They fall in love in the short time she's there - since this is a fated mates type of story - and it's a generally wholesome and steamy romance.
As quick of a read as this was, I did genuinely enjoy Aquilo and Agatha's romance. They had great chemistry from the start, their dynamic is great (it's very grumpyXsunshine and I love it) and their spicy scenes were great.
They came off as very authentic characters; even the small side-characters were great.
Highly recommend this to folks who are looking for a short but sweet holiday read!
March 8, 2021
4 &1\2fabulous 🌟s for Match Sticks
Now wonder why S.J Sanders is one of my favorite authors the little match girl was actually a favorite holiday story for my sister and I growing up. Our parents would read it to us so when I saw this it brought back so many memories that I couldn't resist reading it. I was not disappointed. The book starts off on dystopian Earth after the ravening Agatha was once an interior designers a great reputation especially for her winter solstice work. Now she sells matches on the street corner just to and I enough money for best and a meal. A golden stranger give her a box of matches inside there are 5 golden matches and she strikes one . Aquilo is the god of the northern wind he brings winter to the land. He has been cold and lonely for hundreds of years his subjects read for him until one days he finds Agatha she just appears before him and like rabbit sunshine bursting through the clouds she's
begins to warm his heart. Each night to both of their horror she disappears only to return when she strikes a golden match. As they grow closer there are forced who want to read them apart for ever but Aquilo will not let his Agatha to be will find to the very end for her. This is wonderful story of two beings finding joy, love and heat with one another in a less than perfect world. So deliciously good and we'll worth the read on a cold winters night!💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Now wonder why S.J Sanders is one of my favorite authors the little match girl was actually a favorite holiday story for my sister and I growing up. Our parents would read it to us so when I saw this it brought back so many memories that I couldn't resist reading it. I was not disappointed. The book starts off on dystopian Earth after the ravening Agatha was once an interior designers a great reputation especially for her winter solstice work. Now she sells matches on the street corner just to and I enough money for best and a meal. A golden stranger give her a box of matches inside there are 5 golden matches and she strikes one . Aquilo is the god of the northern wind he brings winter to the land. He has been cold and lonely for hundreds of years his subjects read for him until one days he finds Agatha she just appears before him and like rabbit sunshine bursting through the clouds she's
begins to warm his heart. Each night to both of their horror she disappears only to return when she strikes a golden match. As they grow closer there are forced who want to read them apart for ever but Aquilo will not let his Agatha to be will find to the very end for her. This is wonderful story of two beings finding joy, love and heat with one another in a less than perfect world. So deliciously good and we'll worth the read on a cold winters night!💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
January 29, 2022
A post-apocalyptic Christmas retelling of A Little Match Girl with a happy ending as well as some Roman Mythology.
Seemingly random themes but it came together perfectly in this fantastical novella length read.
Agatha, a human, is gifted magical golden matchsticks that when struck transports her to the fortress of Aquilo, the lord of the northern wind. Apollo, the harpies and other mythological beings also make appearances.
This was definitely a heartwarming and wholesome read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Seemingly random themes but it came together perfectly in this fantastical novella length read.
Agatha, a human, is gifted magical golden matchsticks that when struck transports her to the fortress of Aquilo, the lord of the northern wind. Apollo, the harpies and other mythological beings also make appearances.
This was definitely a heartwarming and wholesome read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2022
Cute and angsty read!
I really enjoyed this! It is a quick read and a little lower on the spice level than I'm used to with S.J. Sanders. However, the chemistry between the love interests is fantastic. Since it's such a short book the characters being in love happens very quickly which I'm not a huge fan of. The MFC never says anything about how she is getting to his home and he never asks her. Which was strange. I actually would have liked this to end the same as the fairy tale but the HEA is sweet.
I really enjoyed this! It is a quick read and a little lower on the spice level than I'm used to with S.J. Sanders. However, the chemistry between the love interests is fantastic. Since it's such a short book the characters being in love happens very quickly which I'm not a huge fan of. The MFC never says anything about how she is getting to his home and he never asks her. Which was strange. I actually would have liked this to end the same as the fairy tale but the HEA is sweet.
January 26, 2021
S.J. Sanders just keeps getting better every time!!
S.J. Sanders books, whether these short novelas or her full novels just keep getting better each one I read. Sanders has a great grasp of not just the sex, but human motivation and the mysterious monsters or not quite human beings. I can't wait to add more to my collection. Take a chance with one of her books and you won't be disappointed!!
S.J. Sanders books, whether these short novelas or her full novels just keep getting better each one I read. Sanders has a great grasp of not just the sex, but human motivation and the mysterious monsters or not quite human beings. I can't wait to add more to my collection. Take a chance with one of her books and you won't be disappointed!!
lost-interest
May 11, 2021Story about a guy whose first love dumped him and he couldn’t move on. The pain was just too real!! Wwwwaaahhhh wwwwaaahhhh. So he put on black eye liner and lived in a big cold empty house alone to brood in misery
Then a hot former interior decorator comes into his life, paints the walls a brighter color, hangs Christmas wreaths, and informs the man that the color Black simply doesn’t suit his complexion.
Then a hot former interior decorator comes into his life, paints the walls a brighter color, hangs Christmas wreaths, and informs the man that the color Black simply doesn’t suit his complexion.
January 13, 2021
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
I love all of SJ Sanders books and get so excited every time I get notified that she had released another one. This was another wonderful story by that captured my heart! I just love her characters so much and the worlds in which they live! Her ability to take me to new places is amazing! She will always be one of my top favorite authors!!!
I love all of SJ Sanders books and get so excited every time I get notified that she had released another one. This was another wonderful story by that captured my heart! I just love her characters so much and the worlds in which they live! Her ability to take me to new places is amazing! She will always be one of my top favorite authors!!!
February 5, 2021
Wow absolutely loved this re-telling of this fairytale. This one was so much better the the actual story. Loved the characters and the overall storyline. Another great story by SJ Sanders. From start to finish I was entranced. Cannot wait to see what she writes next. Again loved this one. A must read.
February 8, 2021
She did it again!
I love me some SJ Sanders. Her plots and creativity are what grabs you, but the emotion from her characters is what keeps you coming back. I love this sweet solstice treat. I love how Aquilo simply decides to keep Agatha, no questions asked. They say a mate is a gift and there is no doubt that Agatha and Aquilo were each other’s. Plus those love scenes? Yum!
I love me some SJ Sanders. Her plots and creativity are what grabs you, but the emotion from her characters is what keeps you coming back. I love this sweet solstice treat. I love how Aquilo simply decides to keep Agatha, no questions asked. They say a mate is a gift and there is no doubt that Agatha and Aquilo were each other’s. Plus those love scenes? Yum!
February 9, 2021
Highly recommend!
I love the Dark Spirits world! This is a fairytale set in the same time, but at the winter solstice. Agatha is given a beautiful matchbox with 5 special matches. These lead her to Aquilo, the king of the North wind. The author weaves an incredible story that I closed rich characters, action, steam, and love. I can't wait to read what's next.
I love the Dark Spirits world! This is a fairytale set in the same time, but at the winter solstice. Agatha is given a beautiful matchbox with 5 special matches. These lead her to Aquilo, the king of the North wind. The author weaves an incredible story that I closed rich characters, action, steam, and love. I can't wait to read what's next.
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