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The Twin Kingdoms #2
A Dance with Magic
The chance for freedom
Rebecca has lived a life of restrictions. Once a scared princess, ruthlessly controlled by her older brother, she now finds herself inheriting a kingdom that never expected to have a queen. Facing the possibility of engagement to a man she cannot stand, Rebecca takes her first chance of freedom: an enchanted masquerade located beneath a trap door.
The loyal soldier
Zahir has lived a life of loss. A peerless swordsman and trained fighter, he once fought for his country. Now he only raises his blade in defense of one: his queen and dearest friend, Rebecca. But secretly, his feelings expand beyond friendship. It will take all of Zahir’s skill to protect Rebecca from the true purpose of the masquerade, a force more sinister and older than either of them expect.
Or may be able to survive.
Rebecca has lived a life of restrictions. Once a scared princess, ruthlessly controlled by her older brother, she now finds herself inheriting a kingdom that never expected to have a queen. Facing the possibility of engagement to a man she cannot stand, Rebecca takes her first chance of freedom: an enchanted masquerade located beneath a trap door.
The loyal soldier
Zahir has lived a life of loss. A peerless swordsman and trained fighter, he once fought for his country. Now he only raises his blade in defense of one: his queen and dearest friend, Rebecca. But secretly, his feelings expand beyond friendship. It will take all of Zahir’s skill to protect Rebecca from the true purpose of the masquerade, a force more sinister and older than either of them expect.
Or may be able to survive.
- GenresRomanceFantasyRetellings
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2021
1 person is currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Nancy O'Toole
20 books62 followersNancy O’Toole is an author of superhero fiction and fairy tale retellings. Her body of work includes The Red and Black Series, and The Twin Kingdoms series. She is the co-host of One for All: A My Hero Academia Podcast. When not writing, or working as a librarian in Central Maine, she spends her time reading, playing video games, watching kdramas, and taking far too many pictures of her cat, Coraline.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 7, 2021
A Dance With Magic is book #2 in the Twin Kingdom series.
Nancy O’Toole keeps the basic content of the Twelve Dancing princess fairytale to expand on the story of Rebecca and Zahir whom we see being introduced in Book #1 The Rose and The Claw. A Dance With Magic can be read as stand-alone but to understand the dynamics of the war and animosity between the Kelvins and the Verdians, it is best advised to read them in order.
Queen Rebecca is ready to meet the diplomat from Verdia when unexpectedly there are more visitors on her doorstep than informed. The Prince and Princess of Verdia have joined the party and there’s a suspicious burst of magic across the country. Zahir in his capacity as personal guard to the queen has his task cut out for him as he unearths the magic of the dancing masquerade that Rebecca visits in the night.
Nancy O’Toole creates the world of illusion brilliantly but it is the plotline of the curse that impressed me most. It was wicked and devious. I wanted more time for the love between Zahir and Rebecca to develop but being a novella, we have to make do with the short and quick version. I want to thank the author for her character sketch of Rebecca, especially knowing that it is opposite to Rose in book #1. Unlike Rose, there’s a quality to Rebecca’s hidden emotions. The strength she conveys with her subtle and quiet approach to her feelings for Zahir was excellent. Viktor as the endearing prince from Verdia also deserves a mention as his insouciant attitude towards the more formal Kelvians was a joy to read.
It would have been interesting to read how the relationship between the 2 war-torn countries and the change in the relationship between Rebecca and Zahir would develop and the reason why I believe I would have been overjoyed with a full-length novel with this story.
A fascinating novella to immerse oneself into, A Dance With Magic was thoroughly enchanting.
Many thanks to the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Nancy O’Toole keeps the basic content of the Twelve Dancing princess fairytale to expand on the story of Rebecca and Zahir whom we see being introduced in Book #1 The Rose and The Claw. A Dance With Magic can be read as stand-alone but to understand the dynamics of the war and animosity between the Kelvins and the Verdians, it is best advised to read them in order.
Queen Rebecca is ready to meet the diplomat from Verdia when unexpectedly there are more visitors on her doorstep than informed. The Prince and Princess of Verdia have joined the party and there’s a suspicious burst of magic across the country. Zahir in his capacity as personal guard to the queen has his task cut out for him as he unearths the magic of the dancing masquerade that Rebecca visits in the night.
Nancy O’Toole creates the world of illusion brilliantly but it is the plotline of the curse that impressed me most. It was wicked and devious. I wanted more time for the love between Zahir and Rebecca to develop but being a novella, we have to make do with the short and quick version. I want to thank the author for her character sketch of Rebecca, especially knowing that it is opposite to Rose in book #1. Unlike Rose, there’s a quality to Rebecca’s hidden emotions. The strength she conveys with her subtle and quiet approach to her feelings for Zahir was excellent. Viktor as the endearing prince from Verdia also deserves a mention as his insouciant attitude towards the more formal Kelvians was a joy to read.
It would have been interesting to read how the relationship between the 2 war-torn countries and the change in the relationship between Rebecca and Zahir would develop and the reason why I believe I would have been overjoyed with a full-length novel with this story.
A fascinating novella to immerse oneself into, A Dance With Magic was thoroughly enchanting.
Many thanks to the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
October 7, 2021
4.5
Thank you to Nancy O'Toole for the ARC
The second book in this series of retellings by Nancy O’Toole brings us to Rebecca Kelvin’s story with a spin on The Twelve Dancing Princess’s. This is one tale I am not too familiar with so I was looking forward to reading it without any of the prior biases attached that I had with The Rose and The Claw.
I really enjoyed A Dance with Magic; Rebecca is such a great character. She has this core of quiet strength about her that hides a little bit of the uncertainties that come about from her upbringing- years being under the thumb of The Butcher, and being thrown into rule in a heavily-structured male dominated country where women rarely wield this kind of power. She was a highlight for me in this tale.
I also enjoyed Zahir and Prince Viktor a lot and they had some fun interactions together.
I love how each novella is bringing a new element of lore to the world. In the first we learn about the countries, how the magic works etc, and how it can accumulate. In this volume of the series, we build on that, expanding our knowledge, making this world even more intriguing with each piece we learn. You could probably still read them independently, but I think you would miss out on the nuances and the subtle build to the overall arc that we can see starting to appear.
I won’t go into too many details of the story. It’s a novella, so it’s short and to the point. I would dearly love these to be longer because I am loving these tales and their creepy atmosphere a lot, and my only complaint at this point would be for more.
One of the things that has been fun each book, is seeing who might be the next stories characters and I am really hoping to see Viktor’s story at some point.
I am really looking forward to seeing how this series continues to play-out.
Thank you to Nancy O'Toole for the ARC
The second book in this series of retellings by Nancy O’Toole brings us to Rebecca Kelvin’s story with a spin on The Twelve Dancing Princess’s. This is one tale I am not too familiar with so I was looking forward to reading it without any of the prior biases attached that I had with The Rose and The Claw.
I really enjoyed A Dance with Magic; Rebecca is such a great character. She has this core of quiet strength about her that hides a little bit of the uncertainties that come about from her upbringing- years being under the thumb of The Butcher, and being thrown into rule in a heavily-structured male dominated country where women rarely wield this kind of power. She was a highlight for me in this tale.
I also enjoyed Zahir and Prince Viktor a lot and they had some fun interactions together.
I love how each novella is bringing a new element of lore to the world. In the first we learn about the countries, how the magic works etc, and how it can accumulate. In this volume of the series, we build on that, expanding our knowledge, making this world even more intriguing with each piece we learn. You could probably still read them independently, but I think you would miss out on the nuances and the subtle build to the overall arc that we can see starting to appear.
I won’t go into too many details of the story. It’s a novella, so it’s short and to the point. I would dearly love these to be longer because I am loving these tales and their creepy atmosphere a lot, and my only complaint at this point would be for more.
One of the things that has been fun each book, is seeing who might be the next stories characters and I am really hoping to see Viktor’s story at some point.
I am really looking forward to seeing how this series continues to play-out.
September 5, 2021
I got an ARC through BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
This novella has a simple premise on first glance: to retell the Grimms' The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but with a ruling queen instead of a dozen king's daughters wearing shoes down at mysterious nocturnal escapades. As the story unfolds, there's more complications to unearth because the curse placed on the dancers that's so simple in the fairy tale isn't as simple in A Dance with Magic; there's a mysterious puppeteer that's behind the glittering but suspicious nightly revels Queen Rebecca attends and into which her faithful guardsman Zahir is dragged.
I prefer this fairy tale in illustrated books than in retellings, because I think its plot simplicity doesn't lend itself that well to write knock-offs of but does allow artists to shine by depicting the magical underground dance world the princesses descend to, unless you go for court intrigue & politicking type of plots. A Dance with Magic does include some of this, but the story is too short to make the court intrigue & politicking to be engrossing enough to hook you the same way grand politics dramas do, and this shortness is also why it focuses more on the romance between the main characters than in developing the world, of which we get mostly castle-centric glimpses only.
And it's the shortness what also precludes the characters from being richer than they could've been, with the growth and development that a longer novel would allow. The POV structure is dual, but they show pretty much the same things, and there's little differentiation in terms of a "voice" that'd distinguish one POV from the other. The storytelling could've flowed better, too, because we're landed in this story in medias res with the assumption that we already know where we are and what kind of world this is. I do get that this is the second book in a series of novellas, but I think this is a bad idea for a short novella as it forces you to go back to explain things, which is fine for a full novel but in a short novella is ill-fitting. As a result, there's extremely short flashbacks that appear suddenly and that don't seem to serve a purpose other than to dump necessary information that could've been avoided if not for the way the story starts. Flashbacks are used to dump information that's ultimately not crucial to the plot but just there to tell you about the world's cultures that could've been shown instead, too.
To me, the best part was the female protagonist. I liked the quiet strength of Queen Rebecca, though. It's not often that you find a female character that's strong without having to be forceful or a brat. I think she's the best-written character here, far more than Zahir, who is more of the expected efficient warrior stereotype. She is dutiful and conscious of her responsibilities, but also independent-minded. I wish the story had been longer, just to see her dealing with the consequences of choosing the man she does in the end, because oh, boy, is that going to cause a ruckus in the kingdom!
This novella has a simple premise on first glance: to retell the Grimms' The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but with a ruling queen instead of a dozen king's daughters wearing shoes down at mysterious nocturnal escapades. As the story unfolds, there's more complications to unearth because the curse placed on the dancers that's so simple in the fairy tale isn't as simple in A Dance with Magic; there's a mysterious puppeteer that's behind the glittering but suspicious nightly revels Queen Rebecca attends and into which her faithful guardsman Zahir is dragged.
I prefer this fairy tale in illustrated books than in retellings, because I think its plot simplicity doesn't lend itself that well to write knock-offs of but does allow artists to shine by depicting the magical underground dance world the princesses descend to, unless you go for court intrigue & politicking type of plots. A Dance with Magic does include some of this, but the story is too short to make the court intrigue & politicking to be engrossing enough to hook you the same way grand politics dramas do, and this shortness is also why it focuses more on the romance between the main characters than in developing the world, of which we get mostly castle-centric glimpses only.
And it's the shortness what also precludes the characters from being richer than they could've been, with the growth and development that a longer novel would allow. The POV structure is dual, but they show pretty much the same things, and there's little differentiation in terms of a "voice" that'd distinguish one POV from the other. The storytelling could've flowed better, too, because we're landed in this story in medias res with the assumption that we already know where we are and what kind of world this is. I do get that this is the second book in a series of novellas, but I think this is a bad idea for a short novella as it forces you to go back to explain things, which is fine for a full novel but in a short novella is ill-fitting. As a result, there's extremely short flashbacks that appear suddenly and that don't seem to serve a purpose other than to dump necessary information that could've been avoided if not for the way the story starts. Flashbacks are used to dump information that's ultimately not crucial to the plot but just there to tell you about the world's cultures that could've been shown instead, too.
To me, the best part was the female protagonist. I liked the quiet strength of Queen Rebecca, though. It's not often that you find a female character that's strong without having to be forceful or a brat. I think she's the best-written character here, far more than Zahir, who is more of the expected efficient warrior stereotype. She is dutiful and conscious of her responsibilities, but also independent-minded. I wish the story had been longer, just to see her dealing with the consequences of choosing the man she does in the end, because oh, boy, is that going to cause a ruckus in the kingdom!
October 4, 2021
When Nancy O’Toole reached out and asked if I wanted to read this book, I jumped at the chance. I LOVED The Rose and the Claw, the first book in The Twin Kingdoms series, and this story was just as immersive! A Twelve Dancing Princess reimagining, the story has so many elements I enjoyed: magic, masquerades, compelling characters, vivid worlds, and romance!
Rebecca and Zahir were introduced in the first book, and there were hints of their romantic feelings for each other. In this story, we see just how deep and profound their love is, but propriety and social rank prohibit them from being together. They have great chemistry, and the use of flashbacks to further develop these characters and their path toward each other is fantastic. Both Rebecca and Zahir have had difficult lives, and they found something special in each other. And the way Zahir feels about Rebecca is positively swoon-worthy! There is so much angst with this couple, and I so hoped for their happily ever after!
There are two other characters, the prince and princess of Verdia, introduced in this novella that I found really interesting. They have such distinct personalities, and I loved their roles in the story. I am so curious to learn more about each. I have a feeling there is way more to both of these siblings than meets the eye, and it would be interesting to see their perspectives on everything that has happened and continues to happen in their kingdoms.
I like that, as the series progresses, we learn more about the kingdoms, their ongoing battles, and the political situations that arise. In this novella, Rebecca is encouraged to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom, and it is purely a political move. When unusual amounts of magic are noticed across the country, suspicions are provoked. You can feel the precariousness of their social and political worlds. All of this adds another layer to the story that is quite intriguing.
Throughout the story, Rebecca sneaks out at night to attend a mysterious masquerade. This aspect of the plot is fantastic! The fantasy elements are dark and dangerous and so captivating! The masquerade, the illusions, the deadly antagonist, the secrecy all create this beautifully horrifying world where illusion and reality merge. I love how the horrors of the illusion are slowly revealed as the story progresses, and that there are several surprising revelations in regard to the masquerade and its creator. So creepy! It definitely contributes to the Gothic vibes throughout the novella.
I love fairy tale reimaginings, and Nancy O’Toole has created such wonderful stories that feel recognizable and fresh at the same time. A unique spin on a classic fairy tale, A Dance with Magic is a captivating and romantic novella and a great addition to The Twin Kingdoms series. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rebecca and Zahir were introduced in the first book, and there were hints of their romantic feelings for each other. In this story, we see just how deep and profound their love is, but propriety and social rank prohibit them from being together. They have great chemistry, and the use of flashbacks to further develop these characters and their path toward each other is fantastic. Both Rebecca and Zahir have had difficult lives, and they found something special in each other. And the way Zahir feels about Rebecca is positively swoon-worthy! There is so much angst with this couple, and I so hoped for their happily ever after!
There are two other characters, the prince and princess of Verdia, introduced in this novella that I found really interesting. They have such distinct personalities, and I loved their roles in the story. I am so curious to learn more about each. I have a feeling there is way more to both of these siblings than meets the eye, and it would be interesting to see their perspectives on everything that has happened and continues to happen in their kingdoms.
I like that, as the series progresses, we learn more about the kingdoms, their ongoing battles, and the political situations that arise. In this novella, Rebecca is encouraged to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom, and it is purely a political move. When unusual amounts of magic are noticed across the country, suspicions are provoked. You can feel the precariousness of their social and political worlds. All of this adds another layer to the story that is quite intriguing.
Throughout the story, Rebecca sneaks out at night to attend a mysterious masquerade. This aspect of the plot is fantastic! The fantasy elements are dark and dangerous and so captivating! The masquerade, the illusions, the deadly antagonist, the secrecy all create this beautifully horrifying world where illusion and reality merge. I love how the horrors of the illusion are slowly revealed as the story progresses, and that there are several surprising revelations in regard to the masquerade and its creator. So creepy! It definitely contributes to the Gothic vibes throughout the novella.
I love fairy tale reimaginings, and Nancy O’Toole has created such wonderful stories that feel recognizable and fresh at the same time. A unique spin on a classic fairy tale, A Dance with Magic is a captivating and romantic novella and a great addition to The Twin Kingdoms series. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
October 1, 2021
If you've been following my reviews for a while you're probably getting sick of me reviewing another fairytale retelling. However, it seems that no matter what, I simply can't get enough of them! I just like the combination of magic, romance and some valuable lessons hidden behind the words and sentences. After enjoying the first book in the Twin Kingdoms immensely I was very happy to accept an arc for the second book in this series!
What I really love is that the atmosphere in this book is completely different from the atmosphere in the first book, partly because the characters starring in this story are quite different from the characters we've gotten to know in the first book, but in a way the stories also have quite a few things in common. Both books are magical and sinister at the same time. Just like the magic in this world can both be beautiful and dark at once.
The romance in this book was also truly beautiful. Since both characters know each other for quite some time already, we're not really witnessing the getting to know part, but the tension between these characters is very vivid. I loved how the love story wasn't an in our face story. Don't get me wrong, I love over the top romances, but the love in this story was so freely given, without expectations, and therefore so incredibly pure.
This story is a a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I have to admit that it's a story I'm less familiar with, but the core elements of the story seemed to be there, even though O'Toole managed to add her own twists to the tale. There is a magical dancing event, there is an appearance giving away that something is wrong and of course there is a hero saving his princess, and the other way round. What more could you possibly want?
What I really love is that the atmosphere in this book is completely different from the atmosphere in the first book, partly because the characters starring in this story are quite different from the characters we've gotten to know in the first book, but in a way the stories also have quite a few things in common. Both books are magical and sinister at the same time. Just like the magic in this world can both be beautiful and dark at once.
The romance in this book was also truly beautiful. Since both characters know each other for quite some time already, we're not really witnessing the getting to know part, but the tension between these characters is very vivid. I loved how the love story wasn't an in our face story. Don't get me wrong, I love over the top romances, but the love in this story was so freely given, without expectations, and therefore so incredibly pure.
This story is a a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I have to admit that it's a story I'm less familiar with, but the core elements of the story seemed to be there, even though O'Toole managed to add her own twists to the tale. There is a magical dancing event, there is an appearance giving away that something is wrong and of course there is a hero saving his princess, and the other way round. What more could you possibly want?
March 18, 2022
Beautiful Imagery, but rushed
I loved a lot of the imagery in this book, especially during the climax and the storytelling scene. Like the first book, I thought it had an interesting explanation/tie-in to the Retelling, but some things needed more fleshing out. The romance is very light (in substance, though somewhat in vibes as well) and I would have liked O'Toole to spend more time on the nights dancing.
One prose thing kind of bugged me, which was how often a character "Let out a [sound]." Like "Let out a sigh" instead of "sighed". Sometimes it was used for the same action multiple times in a row, so it began to stick out and distract me a little bit.
I'll probably continue with the series, since they're short, quick reads.
I loved a lot of the imagery in this book, especially during the climax and the storytelling scene. Like the first book, I thought it had an interesting explanation/tie-in to the Retelling, but some things needed more fleshing out. The romance is very light (in substance, though somewhat in vibes as well) and I would have liked O'Toole to spend more time on the nights dancing.
One prose thing kind of bugged me, which was how often a character "Let out a [sound]." Like "Let out a sigh" instead of "sighed". Sometimes it was used for the same action multiple times in a row, so it began to stick out and distract me a little bit.
I'll probably continue with the series, since they're short, quick reads.
December 9, 2021
I’m loving The Twin Kingdom series!! This second book, A Dance With Magic, is a fun retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses! It’s a great spin on the fairytale, telling Rebecca and Zahir’s story. I loved being lost in their story, their relationship and their many adventures!! Highly recommended!!!
September 24, 2021
A Dance with Magic
is the second novel in The Twin Kingdoms series. While it is ideal to read both stories, each could potentially be read as a standalone. Kris and Rose’s story from The Rose and the Claw is referenced in this story, but a reader who has no prior knowledge can understand everything through context. The twin kingdoms refers to the dueling kingdoms of Kelvia and Verdia. The story takes place in Kelvia and includes characters from both kingdoms. It is told from duel perspectives from Rebecca and Zahir, who were both briefly introduced in the previous story.
Queen Rebecca Kelvin, daughter of King Conrad and Queen Rachel and sister to King Carlisle Kelvin, also known as the Butcher. She is also the younger sister of Carlisle’s twin brother, Kris, who is the main character of the previous novel. At 26-years-old, Rebecca has found herself as the first female ruler of Kelvia in over 400 years. The royal advisor, Lord Reginald Gallant, and her personal royal guard, Hijan-born, Zahir, surround her. To aid with bridging the gap between the two main kingdoms, Rebecca is betrothed to a prince from Verdia. Prince Victor and Princess Viola Verdis, son and daughter of King Valiant and Queen Lavender while their older brother, Crown Prince Everett is away at another location, visit her kingdom. Victor entering the picture is one of the subplots of the novel as Zahir and Rebecca have feelings for each other, but know that her duty as a royal comes first.
As this story is a retelling of Grimms’ The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there is an additional subplot. Flashes of magic begins appearing all over Kelvia and Verdia giving Rebecca one more issue to handle as Queen. As a way to help her relax, since she loves dancing, she stumbles across a masquerade held by the Master of Ceremonies. This leads to knowledge of an existing curse that must be broken. As Rebecca and Zahir become more entangled in the mystery of the masquerade, the two subplots become weaved together. Rebecca is a more reserved personality with a quiet strength that gave her a refreshing appeal as a main character.
Overall, this was an excellent addition to the series. I greatly enjoy the story and characters, so, obviously, I wish that it were expanded into a full-length novel. I enjoyed how the author made the retelling portion her own as it was one queen at the center rather than twelve individuals. There are added mysteries and dangers introduced as possibilities for further exploration in the next novel. At the end of this novel, there is an excerpt of the first chapter for the next novel, The Wayward Tower, featuring Victor. I cannot wait to read it once it becomes available!
**I give a special thank you to Book Sirens and the author, Nancy O’Toole, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
Queen Rebecca Kelvin, daughter of King Conrad and Queen Rachel and sister to King Carlisle Kelvin, also known as the Butcher. She is also the younger sister of Carlisle’s twin brother, Kris, who is the main character of the previous novel. At 26-years-old, Rebecca has found herself as the first female ruler of Kelvia in over 400 years. The royal advisor, Lord Reginald Gallant, and her personal royal guard, Hijan-born, Zahir, surround her. To aid with bridging the gap between the two main kingdoms, Rebecca is betrothed to a prince from Verdia. Prince Victor and Princess Viola Verdis, son and daughter of King Valiant and Queen Lavender while their older brother, Crown Prince Everett is away at another location, visit her kingdom. Victor entering the picture is one of the subplots of the novel as Zahir and Rebecca have feelings for each other, but know that her duty as a royal comes first.
As this story is a retelling of Grimms’ The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there is an additional subplot. Flashes of magic begins appearing all over Kelvia and Verdia giving Rebecca one more issue to handle as Queen. As a way to help her relax, since she loves dancing, she stumbles across a masquerade held by the Master of Ceremonies. This leads to knowledge of an existing curse that must be broken. As Rebecca and Zahir become more entangled in the mystery of the masquerade, the two subplots become weaved together. Rebecca is a more reserved personality with a quiet strength that gave her a refreshing appeal as a main character.
Overall, this was an excellent addition to the series. I greatly enjoy the story and characters, so, obviously, I wish that it were expanded into a full-length novel. I enjoyed how the author made the retelling portion her own as it was one queen at the center rather than twelve individuals. There are added mysteries and dangers introduced as possibilities for further exploration in the next novel. At the end of this novel, there is an excerpt of the first chapter for the next novel, The Wayward Tower, featuring Victor. I cannot wait to read it once it becomes available!
**I give a special thank you to Book Sirens and the author, Nancy O’Toole, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
September 23, 2021
In this story we follow Rebecca and Zahir who we briefly did meet in The Rose and the Claw, and is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Rebecca is now Queen since her brother Carlisle(The Butcher) has died and is trying to gain an alliance between her kingdom Kelvia with their enemy kingdom Verdia. She gets an unexpected visit from the Prince and Princess of Verdia and now has to scramble to show them around, but also to get to know them, especially the Prince who she’s to marry. During their visit she receives a letter from her other brother Kris about magic popping up in the varying kingdoms that is causing concern and tells her to keep an eye out. He sends her a necklace that is to help protect her from magic by detecting it. This helps her locate a secret underground ballroom where she meets the Master of Ceremonies and has an enjoyable time dancing all night. She is drawn to him and the dancing, but eventually really starts to look at the bigger picture and knows there’s something more going on here, especially after a failed kidnap attempt of the visiting Prince of Verdia by someone who was dressed similar to those at the ballroom. She then realizes she needs to find out what more is going on with the help of her ever loyal guard Zahir.
I actually enjoyed this story more than the first one. I think the romance for one thing was more believable since they had a past and know each other very well. I love retellings and I love that this was about The Twelve Dancing Princesses, something you don’t see very often as a retelling. I really enjoyed all the characters, including the villain. Prince Victor was quite enjoyable and added some nice humor to this darker story. Then the little hints of magic and Fair Folk was a lovely added touch to the story.
This is a novella style story, so it’s very quick, and the way it ended was very abrupt and rather convenient, but overall an enjoyable story, with magic, romance, and humor. I recommend this book, especially if you love retellings.
I received an advance review copy for free(thank you to BookSirens and the author), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rebecca is now Queen since her brother Carlisle(The Butcher) has died and is trying to gain an alliance between her kingdom Kelvia with their enemy kingdom Verdia. She gets an unexpected visit from the Prince and Princess of Verdia and now has to scramble to show them around, but also to get to know them, especially the Prince who she’s to marry. During their visit she receives a letter from her other brother Kris about magic popping up in the varying kingdoms that is causing concern and tells her to keep an eye out. He sends her a necklace that is to help protect her from magic by detecting it. This helps her locate a secret underground ballroom where she meets the Master of Ceremonies and has an enjoyable time dancing all night. She is drawn to him and the dancing, but eventually really starts to look at the bigger picture and knows there’s something more going on here, especially after a failed kidnap attempt of the visiting Prince of Verdia by someone who was dressed similar to those at the ballroom. She then realizes she needs to find out what more is going on with the help of her ever loyal guard Zahir.
I actually enjoyed this story more than the first one. I think the romance for one thing was more believable since they had a past and know each other very well. I love retellings and I love that this was about The Twelve Dancing Princesses, something you don’t see very often as a retelling. I really enjoyed all the characters, including the villain. Prince Victor was quite enjoyable and added some nice humor to this darker story. Then the little hints of magic and Fair Folk was a lovely added touch to the story.
This is a novella style story, so it’s very quick, and the way it ended was very abrupt and rather convenient, but overall an enjoyable story, with magic, romance, and humor. I recommend this book, especially if you love retellings.
I received an advance review copy for free(thank you to BookSirens and the author), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 10, 2021
Thank you to Nancy O’Toole and BookSirens for providing me with an eARC of this book to review.
My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
The whole plot and world of this book was fantastic. The night masquerade was beautiful but disturbing, the characters were rich and all given at least some back story, Victor deserves a special mention because while he annoyed me at first he grew to be a great character that I can’t wait to see more of in the next book, the romance between Rebecca and Zahir was sweet and well portrayed. I actually don’t have a single issue with any of the plot of characters, I loved it.
My issue lies in the fact that this is a novella. I have nothing wrong with books being fast paced or simply written like this one but this book actually just had enough in it that it had the potential to be a fantastic 300-350 page novel. Elements of a political system were introduced with the war and rivalries between kingdoms and advisors always by their sides, and these elements were really interesting, but I felt they could have made the world and relationships formed that much better is there was time to explore them further. Same goes for the masquerade. While it was definitely the most explored area of the book, what we learned of the fae and magic from that gave so much potential to make the breakdown that much creepier and even more upsetting (I did ultimately feel pretty bad for The Master).
This is a good book and it’s fun to read. If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read, or maybe an introduction into ya fantasy before diving into a massive series, I absolutely recommend this book. Personally, I actually just wanted it to be longer.
My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
The whole plot and world of this book was fantastic. The night masquerade was beautiful but disturbing, the characters were rich and all given at least some back story, Victor deserves a special mention because while he annoyed me at first he grew to be a great character that I can’t wait to see more of in the next book, the romance between Rebecca and Zahir was sweet and well portrayed. I actually don’t have a single issue with any of the plot of characters, I loved it.
My issue lies in the fact that this is a novella. I have nothing wrong with books being fast paced or simply written like this one but this book actually just had enough in it that it had the potential to be a fantastic 300-350 page novel. Elements of a political system were introduced with the war and rivalries between kingdoms and advisors always by their sides, and these elements were really interesting, but I felt they could have made the world and relationships formed that much better is there was time to explore them further. Same goes for the masquerade. While it was definitely the most explored area of the book, what we learned of the fae and magic from that gave so much potential to make the breakdown that much creepier and even more upsetting (I did ultimately feel pretty bad for The Master).
This is a good book and it’s fun to read. If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read, or maybe an introduction into ya fantasy before diving into a massive series, I absolutely recommend this book. Personally, I actually just wanted it to be longer.
November 23, 2021
Thank you so so much to Nancy O’Toole and BookSirens for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review!
I jumped into this one hoping I would enjoy it as much as I’ve seen others have, unfortunately that wasn’t the case for me. I think the fact that it’s marketed as “can be standalone” but is still the second book in a series harms it a bit. I felt the pacing was rather odd, perhaps rushed, and there was little to no time spent developing the world and the characters. I found it hard to connect to anyone or anything here. I also felt that calling it a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses is a bit of a stretch, perhaps the better word would be either inspired by or a take on as I felt no connection between the two stories. That being said, I can’t say I had no enjoyment, which is why I still believe it is 3 stars. I see all the potential for it to be a story I would have LOVED and I see where it is everyone else fell in love with this one. I also must applaud the dialogue. Sometimes went stories feel rushed, the dialogue is a headache, but I was rather pleased by it and felt that it was one of the strong suits of this story. I do think it could benefit being longer, and maybe then more space could be given to the world and characters. But as I said, while it wasn’t a story for me in specific, I see all the potential and where it is everyone else fell in love.
I jumped into this one hoping I would enjoy it as much as I’ve seen others have, unfortunately that wasn’t the case for me. I think the fact that it’s marketed as “can be standalone” but is still the second book in a series harms it a bit. I felt the pacing was rather odd, perhaps rushed, and there was little to no time spent developing the world and the characters. I found it hard to connect to anyone or anything here. I also felt that calling it a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses is a bit of a stretch, perhaps the better word would be either inspired by or a take on as I felt no connection between the two stories. That being said, I can’t say I had no enjoyment, which is why I still believe it is 3 stars. I see all the potential for it to be a story I would have LOVED and I see where it is everyone else fell in love with this one. I also must applaud the dialogue. Sometimes went stories feel rushed, the dialogue is a headache, but I was rather pleased by it and felt that it was one of the strong suits of this story. I do think it could benefit being longer, and maybe then more space could be given to the world and characters. But as I said, while it wasn’t a story for me in specific, I see all the potential and where it is everyone else fell in love.
September 13, 2021
This is a sweet retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Over all, I found it a quick, fun read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed the characters. They all were more than what they seemed to be on the surface. It's a pretty quick read, so naturally, there isn't a lot of character growth, instead it's more about revealing more about the individuals.
The plot was pretty good. It's a little tangled, kind of like there were a lot of possible sub plots to be explored, but time didn't allow for it. However, the author manages to pack mystery and intrigue then sprinkles just a touch of romance to sweeten the deal.
My biggest hang ups were the writing style. The author does a good job at painting a picture that the reader's can see...but there are some places where there is a little too much tell versus show for me. Also, while I liked the flashes of the past and they helped give layers to the characters, the way they occurred seemed a little repetitive and they didn't always strengthen the story. In fact, in a couple places, it took away from the flow.
I think this is a good read that many people would enjoy. I would recommend giving it a try, especially if you like fairy tales.
I enjoyed the characters. They all were more than what they seemed to be on the surface. It's a pretty quick read, so naturally, there isn't a lot of character growth, instead it's more about revealing more about the individuals.
The plot was pretty good. It's a little tangled, kind of like there were a lot of possible sub plots to be explored, but time didn't allow for it. However, the author manages to pack mystery and intrigue then sprinkles just a touch of romance to sweeten the deal.
My biggest hang ups were the writing style. The author does a good job at painting a picture that the reader's can see...but there are some places where there is a little too much tell versus show for me. Also, while I liked the flashes of the past and they helped give layers to the characters, the way they occurred seemed a little repetitive and they didn't always strengthen the story. In fact, in a couple places, it took away from the flow.
I think this is a good read that many people would enjoy. I would recommend giving it a try, especially if you like fairy tales.
October 4, 2021
~3.5 stars~
The story had a whimsical quality to it and great world building. The characters seemed very real, and it was easy to feel connected to them. The side characters, in particular, added some great humor and fun to the slightly darker moments. The romance between Zahir and Rebecca was understated but beautiful in its tenderness. They both respected and truly cared for one another, and while I wish we would’ve had greater insight into their future together, the resolution of their romance was still satisfying.
I also enjoyed the magic and mystery of the book. However, the flashbacks were too frequent and distracted from the main storyline. The pace would’ve been faster, and the plot more interesting, if these hadn’t been included. There was still a good amount of action though, and the book had surprising emotional depth for a novella.
Overall, this was an enjoyable fantasy story with some light romance and intrigue. I’d recommend it to younger readers or those looking for a quick afternoon read.
*I received an ARC of this novella. This is my complete and honest review.*
The story had a whimsical quality to it and great world building. The characters seemed very real, and it was easy to feel connected to them. The side characters, in particular, added some great humor and fun to the slightly darker moments. The romance between Zahir and Rebecca was understated but beautiful in its tenderness. They both respected and truly cared for one another, and while I wish we would’ve had greater insight into their future together, the resolution of their romance was still satisfying.
I also enjoyed the magic and mystery of the book. However, the flashbacks were too frequent and distracted from the main storyline. The pace would’ve been faster, and the plot more interesting, if these hadn’t been included. There was still a good amount of action though, and the book had surprising emotional depth for a novella.
Overall, this was an enjoyable fantasy story with some light romance and intrigue. I’d recommend it to younger readers or those looking for a quick afternoon read.
*I received an ARC of this novella. This is my complete and honest review.*
September 29, 2021
This is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I haven't read any book based on this fairytale before and so was excited.
I liked how the main characters Rebecca and Zahir are shown individually. The main focus here is magic and not romance. Though I felt that everything happened too fast, the end was too easy and the romantic relationship between Rebecca and Zahir wasn't needed as no in depth connection was explained, I still enjoyed the fantasy elements of this book. The flashbacks intrigued me along with the difference in take on male with male relationships in Hijan and Kelvia.
This is quick, enjoyable read.
I liked how the main characters Rebecca and Zahir are shown individually. The main focus here is magic and not romance. Though I felt that everything happened too fast, the end was too easy and the romantic relationship between Rebecca and Zahir wasn't needed as no in depth connection was explained, I still enjoyed the fantasy elements of this book. The flashbacks intrigued me along with the difference in take on male with male relationships in Hijan and Kelvia.
This is quick, enjoyable read.
August 28, 2021
I am reviewing an ARC of this novel that I received through BookSirens.
A Dance with Magic was a short, sweet read filled with love and magic. Although I did like the characters Rebecca and Zahir, I felt their story was just so abrupt and not developed properly in terms of romance. There was definitely scope for more exploration. The fantasy elements of the story were enjoyable. I found myself wishing the novel could have been a little lengthier, so as to incorporate more romance elements into it. Regardless of all this, it was still an enjoyable read!
A Dance with Magic was a short, sweet read filled with love and magic. Although I did like the characters Rebecca and Zahir, I felt their story was just so abrupt and not developed properly in terms of romance. There was definitely scope for more exploration. The fantasy elements of the story were enjoyable. I found myself wishing the novel could have been a little lengthier, so as to incorporate more romance elements into it. Regardless of all this, it was still an enjoyable read!
October 20, 2021
I enjoyed continuing on the journey with Rebecca and Zahir. I always enjoy retellings and this rendition of Twelve Dancing Princess is no exception. I loved meeting the royals from the neighboring country Verdia while having Queen Rebecca dealing with her father's terrible legacy as well as having a political marriage on the horizon.
I enjoyed watching the twists and turns packed in this short novella.
I’m looking forward to the third in this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed watching the twists and turns packed in this short novella.
I’m looking forward to the third in this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 8, 2023
A Dance With Magic by @nancysviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- twelve dancing princesses retelling
- magic
- forbidden love
- dual pov
- new queen fmc
- protector mmc
The way I pick these books up and can't put them down has surprised me.
They are so captivating that they drawn you into the story so hard there were a few times I would set the book down to do something here in the real world and have to blink a few times to bring myself back.
They're fast paced and addicting and I'm excited to read the next one!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- twelve dancing princesses retelling
- magic
- forbidden love
- dual pov
- new queen fmc
- protector mmc
The way I pick these books up and can't put them down has surprised me.
They are so captivating that they drawn you into the story so hard there were a few times I would set the book down to do something here in the real world and have to blink a few times to bring myself back.
They're fast paced and addicting and I'm excited to read the next one!
October 11, 2021
Great book! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This book has strong, well-developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. I recommend this book and would read more books by this author. Enjoyable and worth the time. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.
March 14, 2022
The second book in The Twin Kingdoms series revolves around Queen Rebecca and her personal guard Zahir. It was a quick read and it sucked me right into the story. I enjoyed the whimsy magic elements, but I did feel like the love story aspect was kind of forced forward. Maybe because the story was short. I enjoyed this book, so three stars.
Thanks to BookSirens for this free ARC. I was not paid for my review. All opinion expressed here are my own.
Thanks to BookSirens for this free ARC. I was not paid for my review. All opinion expressed here are my own.
September 7, 2021
Quick read with intriguing characters. I did not read the first book in the series, and still felt comfortable in this world. I quite liked Victor and his sister Viola so may read the third book when it is available as it will focus on them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 28, 2021
I received an ARC for free from book sirens & am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wish this book has about 50-100 pgs more just so things could develop and be fleshed out a bit more. Another draw back was that the two perspectives were almost indistinguishable.
Otherwise, I found the writing to be very readable and the story to flow well. Overall, a quick, fun read.
I wish this book has about 50-100 pgs more just so things could develop and be fleshed out a bit more. Another draw back was that the two perspectives were almost indistinguishable.
Otherwise, I found the writing to be very readable and the story to flow well. Overall, a quick, fun read.
September 8, 2021
I absolutely love fairy tales, I loved how this was a retelling of the Twelve dancing princesses. I just couldn't put the book down. Would love to read more by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2021
another great part of the twin kingdoms series, the characters were great and I really loved the plot. It kept me invested in reading this and continuing the series
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 23, 2022
A Dance with Magic: A Twelve Dancing Princesses Novella (The Twin Kingdoms Book 2) by Nancy O'Toole – This series is on kindle unlimited. The best part of this book is that the nitwit is the matchmaker! Lol! Happy Reading!
November 28, 2022
"Love is not the absence of friendship, merely an additional, powerful layer. "
Ok I absolutely loved this story I have never read a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses before. The only one I know is the Barbie one and it's one of my favourites. The magic is this world is mesmerising. We get an insight on Rebecca during her tyrannical brother's reign as well as on her Royal guard's past. I love the forbidden love and friends to lovers troupe of this book. I also love the , "haven't you see how she looks at you? " cliche.
Ok I absolutely loved this story I have never read a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses before. The only one I know is the Barbie one and it's one of my favourites. The magic is this world is mesmerising. We get an insight on Rebecca during her tyrannical brother's reign as well as on her Royal guard's past. I love the forbidden love and friends to lovers troupe of this book. I also love the , "haven't you see how she looks at you? " cliche.
June 20, 2025
Pretty solid story told within, decent character depth for our main two. It did feel strangely paced, the action acenes were very behind the curtains and short while the first few chapters worth of story setting seemed longer than necessary in comparison. I would happily suggest this book to a young fantasy reader and will probably reread it at least once more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 15, 2021
A Dace with Magic is a fun spin on the twelve dancing princesses story that gets back to the roots of fairytales.
With some epic world building aspects, charming characters, and that Grimm vibe, I'd recommend this and all the other Twin Kingdom books for anyone who loves high fantasy, or fairy tales.
With some epic world building aspects, charming characters, and that Grimm vibe, I'd recommend this and all the other Twin Kingdom books for anyone who loves high fantasy, or fairy tales.
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