Kingdom of Dance

The Kingdom Tales #6

by Deborah Grace White

A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Don’t get caught eavesdropping on a dragon—or dancing might be the least of your problems

With eleven younger sisters, Princess Zinnia usually has little choice but to be responsible. But if she had her way, she’d spend her time exploring the seashore and cavorting with the dragons often found there. When she sees one of those dragons flying mysteriously over her castle one night, the temptation to sneak out after it is too strong to resist. Except, by the time she realizes she doesn’t recognize this dragon, she’s already witnessed something much bigger than she was ready for. And now she’s trapped, her sisters along with her.

Lieutenant Obsidian hates using his magic. But when his king specifically seeks his help to uncover the reason behind his sister’s uncharacteristic deception, Obsidian has no choice but to answer the call. To his surprise, the deeper he delves into Princess Zinnia’s secrets, the more he finds himself wanting to help her. And his magic might be the only way to do that.

But someone else wants Obsidian’s magic. Someone determined to see Entolia fall. Someone with much more power than either magic or crowns can fight. And if Zinnia and Obsidian can’t find a way around the magic that binds them, and soon, more kingdoms than theirs will pay a terrible price.

Kingdom of Dance is the sixth and final installment in The Kingdom Tales, a series of interconnected standalone novels set on the continent of Solstice, where dragons do their own thing, enchanters run amok, and happily ever afters require some chasing. If you enjoy strong heroines, clean romance, and fantasy worlds with a dash of intrigue, discover the world of The Kingdom Tales today.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fairy Tales, Retellings, Audiobook, Dragons

470 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2022

About the author

Deborah Grace White was more or less born reading. She grew up on a wide range of books, from classic literature to light-hearted romps. Her love of fantasy was inevitable from the time her father read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to her and her siblings when she was four years old.

The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.

But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.

Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.

Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ✨

This was such a good finale to the series! The mysterious magic elements that started in the first book of this series carried all the way to the big reveal in this final book and it was nice to see all the foreshadowing hints be explained in this story.

Blame it on the Barbie movie, but the Twelve Dancing Princesses is a favorite one of mine—despite the fact I would hate to be stuck dancing all night! I really liked this version of it because I really liked the characters in this one, having seen glimpses of them from the prior books. It was also so nice to see our prior couples at the end! 🥰

This series was excellent and I highly recommend it for fairytale retelling fans!

My ranking for the series:
(My place - order in series)
1.) Kingdom of Slumber (2)
2.) Kingdom of Feathers (4)
3.) Kingdom of Cinders (3)
4.) Kingdom of Dance (6)
5.) Kingdom of Locks (5)
6.) Kingdom of Beauty (1)

But really, I gave them all at least four stars ✨ so not a single one was a miss for me—they were all very enjoyable—if that wasn’t obvious by the fact I binge read all six of them this month! I will definitely be checking out the author’s author series soon!



Main Content-
As this series continues, I feel like it’s gotten more magic-heavy as the plots center around curses, enchantments, and magical creatures like dragons: this final book definitely had all of those aplenty and lots of magic on-page, especially with Zinnia facing down a dragon meaning harm often and Obsidian being an enchanter (though he hates his magic due to family troubles); In this world, magic is not good or evil as it depends on the intent of the person using it; Lots of magic, being under magical enchantments, enchanters/enchantresses, magical artifacts, using magic, and feeling magic; Enchanters raise their arms and mutter phrases to do enchantments (both mentioned and seen on-page); Zinnia feels a painful compulsion to do as the dragon wants (including potentially harming other); A couple comments about Zinnia and Obsidian both having demons to work through (based on past traumas).


Being forced to nearly harm/kill another (magical compulsion), Fighting, Being threatened (with harm and death of a loved one), Being held at knife/point, Major pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing a man burned to death by a dragon & fights/fighting (including with dragons and against dragons, up to a few sentences); Eavesdropping; Zinnia and Obsidian have wine with meals a few of times & later together after dinner (the latter is her trying to drug him with a sleeping drug, however).

No major language, instead phrases like “dragon’s flame”, “what in Solstice“ and similar phrases are exclaimed; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.

Many mentions of the prior war, deaths (and grief), injuries, & battles; Many mentions of lies, lying, & deception (Obsidian can tell if someone is lying or not and when they are, it tastes bitter in his mouth); Mentions of planned murders; Mentions of a prison, the criminal prisoners, & a break-out (Book 5); Mentions of pain, injuries, blood/bleeding; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, an addiction, & taverns; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of a family member trying to abduct a child; A few mentions of what Obsidian experienced in war/battles (taking lives and seeing friends die); A few mentions of thieves & stolen items; A few mentions of drugs & drugging someone; A couple mentions of possible hangings; A couple mentions of having to relieve one’s self; A mention of a nightmare of being burned in a fire.


2 head/hair kisses,
3 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
2 kisses lasting a few sentences;
A bit of staring at lips; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, Warmth, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a couple sentences); Blushes; Remembering touches & kissing (up to a couple sentences).

Zinnia acts a little seductive towards Obsidian at one point when they are in her sitting room as she’s trying to fool him into drinking a drugged drink; Zinnia dresses in “scandalous attire” in a seedy part of town (a tunic and leggings); A drunk man makes a lewd advance towards Zinnia & tow other men look at her with interest in the seedy area of town; Another man lingers over Zinnia’s figure and comments about shaking her down (when she pulls a pouch of coins out of her bodice, he watches with a smile that makes her skin crawl; Another guy whistles at her).

Mentions of kisses & kissing; A few teasing mentions of Obsidian having dalliances with maids; A couple mentions of Zinnia’s figure; A mention of Zinnia’s father being determined to have a spare with his heir and instead having twelve daughters.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I didn’t realize when I started that this was the last in a series of loosely connected fairy tale retellings. As a result, I missed the explanation of how dragons worked in this world, and I got spoiled by the big series finale.

It’s a cute story with a sweet romance that isn’t overbearing. It has danger and suspense but is a lighthearted story overall. It’s a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale. I’m not very familiar with the original tale, but it probably doesn’t have dragons. I think I will check out the rest of the series.

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Mild
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: mild injuries
Other (Triggers): loss of autonomy

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this series just keeps being amazing! While each book is technically a standalone, they do have a hint of a building plot that really comes to a conclusion in this book! It was everything I was hoping for and more! I love Zinnia and Sid and all the impossible challenges they face.

Seriously, go read this fairy tale retelling series. Where else are you going to find sweet fairy tale retellings, unique twists to familiar tales, and DRAGONS!

[Ru4repeat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it again and again

Why must good things come to an end? This was an explosively engaging ending to the series.
It was fascinating to read about the personal growth from our Hero and Heroine. Relatable and realistic insecurities and conflict. Beautiful conclusion that didn't just end but culminated perfectly. I hope there is another series that can share more about where Reka comes from.
This book is most definitely worthy of a repeat read!!

[K.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this twist on a classic tale and how it wrapped up lingering questions from earlier books. Zinnia was one of my favorite princesses and I was so excited when I found out Obsidian was making a reapperance in this one.

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great conclusion to a most excellent series! I think this was my favorite of all of them, which is saying a lot. On its own, the story was highly engaging, with a great pace and plenty of action and suspense. I loved the characters, and the romance between Zinnia and Obsidian was natural and convincing. Beyond the individual storyline, this book wrapped up the overarching series plot in a most satisfying way. I am so impressed with Deborah Grace White and how she was able to weave each fairy tale into a carefully crafted world. So well done!

I cannot recommend this series enough. While the books can be enjoyed individually, I suggest reading them in order so you can appreciate the series’ larger storyline.

Content:
There’s no foul language or sex, and the violence is minimal. The romance is clean with only a few chaste kisses. There is a lot of magic. There is no mention of faith or God.

[EuleAnnalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

How often can you describe the male protagonist as dark and brooding? I swear those are by far the most used adjectives in this book and it made me roll my eyes so hard after a while xD
Especially because his narrative voice certainly doesn’t read as dark and brooding to me.

While I criticized the last installment for reworking some old ideas from this series, I really liked how this volume turned some of the expected plot points on their heads.
It’s not an enchanter, but a dragon that’s the villain. It’s the first time the main couple comprises of a princess and a commoner (we had it the other way around twice so for and otherwise it was always prince and princess). The characters are already so aware of concealment magic that they try to investigate.
That doesn’t mean that the whole “we cannot talk about what’s happening because of magic” doesn’t get really frustrating.

I do really like how the dancing shoes got woven into it! The author probably also thought that it was silly to think that a pair of new shoes could be danced through in just one night and introduced some dragon magic to explain this.

Also, I still love how so many elements of the original fairytale got seamlessly incorporated into the story: the mentioned dance shoes, the invisibility magic, the silver-, gold- and diamond-trees, the soldier sneaking into the smallest princess’s boat to investigate their nightly clandestine activities. It was all there and still made so much sense within the story.

This last installment also managed to neatly tie the whole series together. (Which btw means that you really cannot read it outside of its chronology).

I can’t really explain why, but I was much less invested in Zinnia and her love story (I actually liked Obsidian somewhat) and that might be, because I don’t really see any character development from her. She starts off strong and persevering and she ends as strong and persevering. Yes, there were short moments of her being tempted to stop being so strong, but they are very short. As a character, that made her very stagnant and uninteresting to me. Yes, she suffers through much, but it never really translated on an emotional level to me.

I also kept confusing some of the sisters. Especially Violet and the second sister with a similar name I actually forgot because I mistook her for Violet so much (all 12 sisters are called after flowers/plants, actually, their only brother Basil is, too xD ). I also had hoped for the sister to all be more involved. The first chapter made a great spectacle of introducing them all individually, but afterwards they (except for Violet and Wisteria) were just some blop of indefinable side characters. A pity, really.

All in all, a solid ending for the series, but by far not the best installment.

(My personal favourites remain Kingdom of Cinders and Kingdom of Feathers; Kingdom of Beauty and Kingdom of Locks were the weakest ones, this one therefore sits kind of in the middle)

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this conclusion to the series.

Content: clean

[Sandralena Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zinnia is so strong, suffers so much, yet brings sunshine to her family. Obsidian is a dark, broody hero until she unlocks his humor. He is one of the strongest enchanters in the land, but he must overcome his hatred for magic if he is going to unlock the enchantment on Zinnia and her 11 dancing sisters.

To be read last. It is the wrap up of the series. Now I have to get the others so I can know their stories.

[Michelle the Magical · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this sooooooooo much! The plot was so amazing, and more complex than the other books. That did mean it goes a bit further from the fairytale than the others, but oh is it worth it! (I think an audiobook may have just cured my reading slump.)

(Also, the bonus chapters on the author's website are the perfect things I didn't know I needed! With haste, go read!)

This series has won. My. Heart! Wonderful fairytale retellings so beautifully interconnected I can't seem to remember if I've ever read interconnected retellings before! Romance that had me grinning madly every. Single. Time! A simple yet glorious magic system! DRAGONS!! Deborah Grace White has officially joined the ranks of favorite authors because these books are brilliant. Completely. Brilliant. They have made me so happy :)

[LaShunda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome!

The twelve dancing princesses is one of my favorite fairytales and I have been awaiting this particular retelling since Zinnia was mentioned in book one. It does not disappoint in anyway. It's super fast paced with so many plot points that I wondered how they were all going to come together in this one book, but they did. Deborah Grace White is a wonderful story weaver, and this tale was a fitting finale for a fantastic series, though I would not be upset at all if she were to add to it.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded down to 4. A very satisfying ending to this series of interconnected fairy tale retellings. Princess Zinnia and Lieutenant Obsidian, both minor characters in Kingdom of Feathers, take center stage here as the eldest of the twelve dancing princesses and the soldier tasked with finding out why their shoes are mysteriously worn out, respectively. The two are extremely likeable, especially Obsidian, a gifted enchanter who hates using his magic for reasons we discover over the course of the book. And Zinnia's desire to protect her sisters at a high cost to herself is very admirable. I have a few minor nitpicks here and there (like why Wren, who was under a silencing enchantment that defied magic detection for six years herself, didn't figure out Zinnia's dilemma sooner and try to help her find ways around it), but overall this is a lovely and enjoyable book.
White has done a lot of creative and unique things with this series. Her characterization of the dragons really makes them feel like alien creatures--they don't think in human terms, and even though Zinnia is sort-of friends with two of them it's definitely not a relationship of equals. The dragons are very logical and not empathetic at all. The human characters just kind of have to hope their goals align with those of any dragon they meet if they happen to encounter one.
White has also done a good job altering the original fairy tales to fit the characters and world she's created while still maintaining their recognizable plot beats, and she updates them to fit modern sensibilities. In this book, the twelve sister princesses are compelled to attend fabulous underground balls but can't tell anyone about them, and they ride in boats to reach the underground kingdom just as in the original story. There is a soldier who uses a magic cloak to follow them invisibly. The trees made of silver, gold, and diamond even play their role of proof that the soldier was able to follow the princesses and learn their secret. However, the king in this story is the princesses' older brother, not their father, and he does not hold a contest offering one of the girls in marriage to anyone who can find out where they're going while executing anyone who fails. King Basil privately asks Obsidian to look into it, knowing from the events of Kingdom of Feathers of Obsidian's special talent for ferreting out deception. And as in the previous books in the series, the curse on the princesses ties in with the attacks on the other royal houses of the continent detailed in the previous five stories. You don't have to have read all of them to enjoy this one, though I would recommend at least having read Kingdom of Beauty, the first book in the series, which introduces the fantasy world and the overarching plotline, and especially Kingdom of Feathers since it has a lot of bearing on what happens here.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprising conclusion to the series!

It is bittersweet to have come to the conclusion of another series by Deborah Grace White. I enjoyed getting to know the dragons and nobility of Solstice as they search for the source of the power behind the curses that afflict them.

I can't say that The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a favorite fairy tale. In fact, I have only a vague recollection of the plot. So it wasn't that which enticed me to read Kingdom of Dance. It was how much I enjoyed this series. And now that I've read this, I feel like I want to revisit the story of the princesses who snuck off at night to dance.

Obsidian is such an intriguing hero! His strong magical abilities, which he despises, have been a source of contention for him most of his life. It was fun to see him not only come to terms with them but embrace the possibility of using them for good. The women of the palace all thought him dark, brooding, and mysterious, which surprised and amused him.

I was stunned to discover that not all the dragons of Solstice were good. The event Zinnia and her sisters witnessed changed the trajectory of their lives! I loved the ending, seeing the loose ends wrapped up, and seeing the mystery solved.

Readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings, fantasy, and young adult romance will want to read the entire Kingdom Tales series.

Originally Reviewed on Among The Reads

I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Retelling with Awesome Dragons

I loved the dragons in this book and definitely want to read more about them! The feel very different than humans, powerful and otherworldly, which is great.

This is the first book I've read in the series, so some connections were likely missed; however, I was able to follow and enjoy the current story.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses aspect was great. This hit the major elements I was looking for (worn slippers, secret balls, glistening sprigs, magical journeys, protective love) and that other retelling have lacked.

Obsidian was an interesting hero. He was strong, passionate, capable, yet a bit rough around the edges. I liked him. Basil and Amell, apparently heroes in other novels, were also interesting; I plan to check out their novels.

The reason this didn't get more stars is Zinnia. She just wasn't very likable to me outside of her desire to protect her sisters/kingdom and not bowing to the villain. She was strong willed and brave, but she's also judgemental, arrogant, and spoiled. She seems very young/naive in how she views the world - wishing a kid killed his grandfather accidentally, really? (She's called out on that.) She makes fun of others and acts superior. She often projects her own assumptions onto others, instead of giving them the benefit of doubt or ascertaining the truth, and she also resorts to manipulation, though crudely. Basically, I found her borderline obnoxious - not bad enough to put the book down, but annoying enough to hinder my enjoyment.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a joy to read! I started off with this author by reading Violet and Ari’s story and after enjoying that, I wanted to read about the other Entolian and Mistran royals, so I skipped around and read only their books. After reading Wren and Basil’s story, this was next on my list & it did not disappoint!

Zinnia is spunky and brave, but it’s balanced by her responsibilities in caring for and shielding her younger sisters. She endures a lot without losing her resolve.

Obsidian is a soldier and enchanter who is quiet, mysterious and a little grumpy, but has a good heart and cares a lot for the people around him.

Obsidian is tasked with finding out the secret that Zinnia is keeping from her brother King Basil, the secret being that an evil dragon is conducting experiments on Zinnia and her sisters.

As Obsidian follows along on Zinnias adventures, their feelings for each other grow and they begin to solve some of the mysteries around them. This story is the finale of the series and explains the loose threads left by other stories. And though I hadn’t read the whole series, I was still able to easily follow the plot.

The dramatic conclusion was satisfying and Zinnia and Sid’s relationship was sweet! A very enjoyable read!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another gripping yet charming retelling of a fairy tale as imagined by Ms White. The author has masterfully woven across six books a growing tale of cruel enchantments in the world she created, called Solstice. This book forms the finale.

Until the very end we don’t know if the source of such wicked scheming will be held accountable. In fact, we don’t even know if he will be defeated.

I appreciated how princess Zinnia was so direct, so protective of her siblings, and so very strong in facing down malicious enemies, even a dragon! She never denied nor resented her girlhood, yet she manifested Proverbs 31 strength. I really admired her. She also embodied a carefree element that non-courtiers found refreshing. I loved the moment when she arrived home after a two-week absence and “paused at the entrance, throwing her arms impulsively around one of the stone dragons that flanked the doorway.” She made no room for false etiquette.

The various little kingdoms in Solstice are fun to explore in each book, mostly because of the leading characters in each one. And it is fun to encounter those characters in her other books!

If you haven’t already done so, I recommend reading the entire series.

[Falynn Breeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the whole series first to give context and build up to the end. It is such a good series and this book is an amazing ending.

I was so happy to read Zinnia's story. We were left wondering what is going on with her, now we know. What a strong, quirky, and fun princess. Obsidian...Yes! He and Zinna are such an endearing couple. I love their adventures, her strength and his protectiveness. I am so happy they get to have their happily ever after.

I absolutely love their oceanside kingdom. The twelve dancing princesses are one of my favorite retellings and Deborah Grace White never disappoints when it comes to a creative new way to spin an old yarn. The dragons... Yes...The dragons seem to appear more and more throughout each book AND we even get to hear a teensy bit about my fav dragon ever, Eldrekki. Im not even going to get into how much I love Reka because I feel like if you just give this a read, you will know.

I hope to see more in this world in the future.

[Verity Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome conclusion

Wow! This is unquestionably the best version of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" that I have ever encountered. The original fairy tale leaves so much unclear. This story has good reasons for every aspect of the plot. And it ties up the mystery behind all the curses in the series very well, in addition to being very exciting.

I have loved Zinnia's irrepressible spirit since we first met her in Kingdom of Ashes. And there was something special about Obsidian from the moment we first saw him in Kingdom of Feathers. I was happy to see that he would be the "soldier" of this tale. And Idric is a genuinely scary villain, with dark purposes that go beyond the hunger for revenge or power that has driven most of the villains in this series thus far.

I'm very glad I chose to keep reading this series.

[Xena Elektra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good conclusion to the series. I liked the unique twist on the fairytale. I thought the cameos were handled well. The wrap-up of the mystery of the curses was very intense and I liked it though it didn't feel a bit like the perpetrator got off lightly. As stated in the Vazula series that takes place before Reka came here though, it's kind of hard to make dragons answer for their crimes when no one can stop or kill them. But while it makes sense why there's not much you can do it doesn't make it any less frustrating that your hands are tied in terms of consequences.

I wouldn't mind reading a series that takes place after this when there does end up being a way for them to be held accountable and how that plays out.

I think overall I was just a bit burnt out of the series and even though the books were unique there were aspects that made it feel like you were reading almost the same main characters over and over. That's just how that goes when each author has their own unique writing style and you've read enough to start feeling familiar with it. So not really a problem in the book or series but just how I felt after reading a number of books from the author over the last year.

[Abby X · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh! I loved it so much! This was such a bittersweet ending. I was a bit curious cause I didn’t know Tora’s story and I really want to, at least I don’t remember it. I am so excited to get more into Deborah’s books but I’m also so sad this series and world has ended (for now)

I’m hoping to see more of this world and yet I love how it ended.
I loved Obsidians and Zinnia so much. I can’t decide which couple is my favorite.

The bonus chapters on her website just made the series better.

(Spoilers) I absolutely love how we got to see the other royals in this books. I think it’s a great way to wrap this series up and it gave me lots of joy to see them. I felt much more content in finishing this series knowing all of the characters were happy (sounds crazy but it’s true) I also love how everyone got along.

I was a bit confused when they

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. The times that Zinnia showed up eatlier in the series, her personality kind of grated on me, but seeing inside her head along with the growth she went through both leading up to and during this book made her much more likeable.

Obsidian was a fantastic hero too. I like how complicated he is and that even though he has every reason not to be, he's just an inherently good guy. And the way he grows and watching how good he and Zinnia are together is just so wonderful.

The plot was really good, and the writing really brought out the tension, suspense, and frustration felt by the characters. But it was peppered with several lighthearted moments too, so it made a really nice balance.

Overall, it was an excellent conclusion to an excellent series. I look forward to reading some of the other books by this author.

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope] · Rating 5 out of 5]

💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Oh my goodness! This was a really good retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses! This was a sweet and satisfying end to this wonderful series! I’m not ready for it to be over! I need happily ever afters for Zinnia’s sisters! Zinnia was an absolutely lovely and strong character! I love her and her bravery! She was amazing! Obsidian was an interesting character and it took me a bit to like him. I can’t get over his name though! 😂 Zinnia and Obsidian were so perfectly matched! I loved Basil’s protective nature over his sisters! I want a brother like that! I loved seeing all the previous characters and didn’t want to say goodbye! This whole series was so good and I really enjoyed it! I highly recommend it especially if you love Melanie Cellier! 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

[Kia Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! What a great ending to an awesome series! I’ve been looking forward to this book for months and I happily got to binge re-read the rest of the series before I devoured this one. 😅 I was pretty worried about how Deborah was gonna tie everything together but it worked out great and didn’t even feel rushed. 👏👏👏 I adored Obsidian so much more than I was expecting. Loved the return of Zinnia’s sass from previous books. The romance developed steadily and adorably. Also I think Zinnia is one of my new favorite fictional characters. That girl has STRENGTH! Overall a freaking amazing book, as usual for Deborah. 😄

[Katie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh this was such a good finale!!! I. Loved. This. Book!! 😍😍😍 Zinnia was such a fun character and Obsidian was so swoony! I was so intrigued to see what was going on with Zinnia, and it didn’t disappoint! No spoilers, but I absolutely loved the way the author wove the series’s overarching plot into Zinnia’s story and think it all ended so satisfying and perfect. The Twelve Dancing Princesses elements were perfect and dark and wonderful. As always I really like how the author stays close to the original while putting her own twists and unique aspects to it.

I completely love everything about Deborah Grace White’s writing and am excited to dive into more of her books!! 😆

[Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Review:
Romance: clean
Language: none
Violence: mentions of violence, nothing gory.
Recommended for ages 13+

A satisfying conclusion to an incredible series! I had been wanting to learn more about Princess Zinnia and Sergeant Obsidian since their characters were first introduced (and I'm a sucker for any story that involves dragons). White has mastered slow burn romances and thrilling intrigue. Definitely would read again!

Recommended for fans of Lucy Tempest, Melanie Cellier, and Brittany Fichter

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best finales ever! The complex characters, the malicious force finally brought to justice, and the clean romance made this book and series spectacular! I am totally all smiles and good feels right now :) So many uplifting words at the end, as well as an incredibly strong Princess. I admired her so much for her endurance and strength.
I do hope that the author returns to Solstice for more fairytale retellings!
I can’t wait for the spin off series and I am going to read the previous series written before this to learn more about this other dragon colony

[Erin James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Entrancing

From the first page of the first book to the last word in the sixth, Deborah Grace White guides you through the magical world of Solstice. Every description painted even more vivid pictures than those painted by Bob Ross!

While I am saddened to leave this magical fairy tale world, to return back to reality, I do so even more uplifted than before I read this series.

Thank you Deborah for writing a clean and uplifting series that I won't hesitate to share with my children.

[Maria Oxford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Terrific Ending

I always wait until the end of a series to review. This series held me all the way through. I loved the variety yet believability of all the characters. Each story held me all the way through to the end and left me eager to start the next one. The final story revealed the surprise source of evil, and it was a surprise! Then I waited with bated breath to see how that evil would be overcome. I was disappointed that it didn't cause a friendship to develop b/t the dragons and the Countries of Solstice though.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great books, really enjoyed them, my only two complaints is that I got really tired of the human/dragon rule, “they don’t use magic to help or hinder.” Like, what???
How many times can you use one sentence in a book?
And honestly never been a big fan of dragon books but this one was okay I guess…

I got half way into this series when my mum said “oh did you know that Deborah Grace White and Melanie Cellier are actually sisters?”
Melanie Cellier has to be one of my favourite authors!! Plus she lives in Adelaide!!!


❤️❤️❤️

[Paula Merns · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic conclusion to a fun to read series

Thank you for a gentle romantic and yet tough to read finale.

No punches were pulled and the story of the princesses curse was interesting even as the known elements of the fairy tale wove around our characters.

Zinnia is a woman of character and Obsidian the man of mystery and brooding who captures her imagination and protects her when he can.

Thoroughly enjoyable story not for the younger set but okay for my middle aged self.