The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood

The Four Kingdoms #2

by Melanie Cellier, Esther Wane (Narrator)

Princess Ava used to be a weapon - sharp, strong and beautiful. But when she fails at her most important task, she’s forced to flee from her own family.

Only her personal bodyguard, Hans, remains loyal. Hans claims to know the real Ava but she finds that hard to believe – after all, she’s been the villain so long that she can’t remember anything else.

But deep in exile, Ava learns her kingdom needs a hero and she might be the only one who can save it. The catch? She'll have to ally herself with the very people she blames for her downfall.

But in a game of life and death where the stakes are an entire kingdom, winning over her enemies will only be the beginning. Can one fugitive save her people, her kingdom and, hardest of all, herself?

In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, the girl in the red hood has been swallowed up by the wolf and must decide if she’s willing to fight for her freedom, no matter the cost.

The books in The Four Kingdoms series can be read as stand alone stories, however, for greatest enjoyment, they should be read in order.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fairy Tales, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings, Audiobook

Audiobook

Published June 20, 2020

About the author

Melanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
 She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it. 


She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.


She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.

Reviews

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

Clean fairytale retelling with no language or sexual innuendoes.

4 stars, personally ✨

I wasn’t really excited to read this one. Ava was the villain from the first book and the back cover didn’t really intrigue me, but I read it anyway because I saw friends say you shouldn’t miss it because this series is very connected. I ended up enjoying it more than I expected but not near as much as the first book (which I did expect).

I was a bit disappointed that this book was in third person instead of first person POV like the first book. Her thoughts weren’t italicized either, which was strange to read and either took a while for me to get used to or were fixed later on in the book, I’m not sure which.

I was curious what their age gap was because implications suggested a handful of years or more, but it’s eventually revealed that it’s only 2/3 years.

Ava's character arc was one of the best I’ve seen for books about a prior villain. How it was written with the symbolism to Christianity was interesting and well-done. It did feel a little cheesy at times with her reactions to things after the character development (such as her reactions to telling Hans the Dreaded Secret) because she suddenly felt like the teenager she was, but it didn’t pull me out of the story completely.

I do feel like we didn’t see much of or about Hans besides his love, devotion, and loyalty to Ava. I liked him well enough for her, but I can’t say I was super invested in their romance. I would have liked to she more of his personality outside of Ava, but I guess she has been the focus of his life for the last five years he’s been her guard.

I’d like to make a formal complaint: I feel robbed about Aldric and his wife's story.

This book was very politic driven which was interesting, but I also had a big of a time keeping every straight and understanding everyone’s hints and comments. It reminded me of “On Wings of Dust and Ash” (by Brittany Wang) with the trial scenes.

Overall, I am glad I read this one for the character development and for understanding detailed for the rest of the series. :)


Main Content:
Godmothers only help deserving princesses and princess, so Ava is assumed to not have one (she does, summons her with the phrase, and is demanding towards her, so the godmother doesn’t help her; The godmother says that she serves the High King who rules the Four Kingdoms and beyond so Ava demands an audience with the king and makes plans to find his palace; Ava gets lost and trapped in a forest that leads her to the High King’s palace; At first she feels afraid to see the king but he looks kind at second glance and she realizes that he is deserving of her allegiance; It’s said that Ava feels like she was walking arm in arm with the sun due to the king’s brightness; He tells Ava to reject what her father has done to her, plead her allegiance to him, and he will help her reclaim her true self, adding that he will give her the strength she needs; Ava is transformed then and feels guilt for her past actions); The High King takes on her pain; ; Some describes The High King as “our mysterious overlord and the commander of the godmothers.” and Ava admires the person’s calm acceptance of a higher authority; Mentions of the High King, Godmothers, & Christenings for infants; A few mentions of ghosts & a rumor about a forest having a will of it’s own; A place is described as magical.

Ava’s father has trained her to be a weapon and to hid her emotions; Ava’s father and brother are both very cruel; Manipulation comes very easy to Ava and in the beginning we see her use that skill on others; Ava hears negative thoughts when trapped in a forest (including saying she’s a fool and that no one could love her); Ava says she would kill someone if she was there but Hans says that he knows she wouldn’t; Nightmares (about being chased by a wolf and turning into a wolf; up to a handful of sentences).

Fighting, Killing/Harming, Being attacked and shot at, (up to a few sentences); Seeing deaths/murders and attempted assassinations/murders (The book starts off with an assassination attempt on Ava and she kills the attacker (she pushes away her horror on having to kill someone; a handful of sentences in length); Ava’s brother threatens to kill her and Hans; Major Spoiler: Ava’s brother attempts to kill her after the Trials and Hans stops him and kills him instead; Ava is conflicted about this for numerous reasons .

Many mentions of murders, assassinations/assassins, attempted murders, threats, injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, passing out, & throwing up (up to a few sentences); Mentions of poison & someone being poisoned; A few mentions of potential wars; A mention of an execution.

No language stronger than stupid; Mentions of other cursing (not written); Eye rolling.

A forehead kiss, a no-details kiss, a kiss lasting a few sentences, and two kisses lasting about seven-nine sentences in length (including emotions and build-up to the kiss); Almost kisses (up to a few sentences; Remembering kisses, almost kisses, & touches (up to a few sentences); Touched, Embraces, Dancing, Nearness, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a few sentences); Blushes.



See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.

Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.

Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.

The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Princess Fugitive is the second book in Melanie Cellier's The Four Kingdoms series.

The books in this series are all fairy tale retellings, this one focusing on the story of Little Red Riding Hood.



I'll admit that I have never read the original source material for this classic fairy tale. What I do know of the story of Red Riding Hood, I have gotten solely through television and movie adaptations.

In spite of that, I still really enjoyed my time with this book. This story follows Princess Ava, who we got to meet in the first book in this series, The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea.

I wasn't crazy about Ava in the first book. She was a bit of a twat, going against the interests of my favorite character in that book, Alyssa.



Here we learn the motivations behind Ava's earlier behaviors though. Also, since she failed at her mission in the first book, she is forced to flee from her harsh family, bringing only her personal bodyguard, Hans, with her. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her because of that.

During their exile, Hans and Ava discover more about their kingdom than they knew before. For one, Ava's family is even more horrible than she could have imagined, particularly her brother, next up to rule as King.

Even though they need to stay hidden, Ava feels compelled to do something to help the citizens of her kingdom, but she cannot do it alone. She needs allies for her fight. Will she be able to gain enough support to save her kingdom from downfall, or will she be the one to fall?



I really enjoyed my time with this story. I have so many other books I feel I 'should' be reading right now, but once I started this, I couldn't stop.

I loved the relationship between Ava and Hans. The books I have read in this series seem to have in common forbidden romance tropes, people falling for people they shouldn't. I sort of love that.

In this one, Hans is but a guard and Ava a Princess. How can that work? Their stations are so unlike one another. What's clear though is Hans commitment to Ava, right from the start and that's hard not to swoon over.



I also liked getting to see some of my favorite characters from the first book pop up here. I wasn't expecting that at all and really enjoyed those connections.

Additionally, there is a bit of a competition at the end of this story and we all know, I love a competition.



Overall, I'm having a blast with these stories. They're really not like anything else that I normally read, so it's such a nice change of pace.

I am definitely planning to continue on with this series via audiobook. I have loved the narration so far. I find it completely engaging and I can't help but get swept away, which is exactly what I am looking for.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a solid retelling.

[human · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it's a sign of how badly I was affected by The Princess Companion that the fact that this book only includes the phrase "woodcutter's daughter" once automatically makes it "okay" in my eyes. Horrible books will never be the same. I think I have a new appreciation for literature in general, thanks to that book.



Anyhow. The Princess Fugitive follows Princess Ava of a nearby kingdom which I, unfortunately, cannot spell because I listened to this rather than actually reading it in text form, after the events of the previous book. This book wasn't great but it wasn't god-awful either, so I'll consider it a win, all things considered.

Honestly, this book felt like it was in three parts, which is pretty yikes because this isn't a play; it's a novel. It should flow smoothly but it didn't. The way the book moved from one event to another felt,,, chunky? If you can call it that, and was riddled with time-skips.

At the end of the previous book, Ava basically became the villain of the novel. In this book, we learn that much of her cold, take-what's-mine-and-step-on-others attitude came from the training of her father, which also means that she doesn't have very many friends. The only one she can rely on is herself, along with her personal guard, Hans.

When Ava's psychotic brother stages a coup and kills their father, the pair are left on the run. I'm pretty sure they decide to seek political asylum in Max and Alyssa's kingdom, yet another fantasy name I have no idea how to spell because, again, audiobook.

Along the way, they meet and befriend the traveling merchants. A lot happens, most notably that Ava begins to consider Hans as a potential romantic interest and ponders what her life would have been like if she didn't grow up the way she did and was just a normal girl. It was awkward. There was cringy dialogue involved.



Then, the merchants are attacked. Nothing like a nice, rousing battle to really show that we're changing scenes and getting to the next part of the book, am I right?

They end up going to the woods, I believe, where they end up meeting the overlord of the fairy godmothers??? He tells Ava that he can basically do a magic spell or something that will instantly get rid of her prickly disposition and make her a kinder, more approachable person.

Which, I just, ???

Isn't the whole point of a character arc to show how a character is changing? Whatever that may entail, from the interactions of that character and others, or whatever conclusions that they come to after reflecting on themselves?? By saying that a character was able to cHaNgE because of a MaGiCaL sPeLl takes away the whole point of even having that character go through some huge, compelling arc. Mostly, however, I was disappointed because I wanted to be able to see that process happening.

ANYWAY. Ava learns that she can take back the throne from her brother if she challenges him to a series of contests called the Trials, and wins. She doesn't have great odds at winning some of the contests, but lucky for her, there just so happens to be an ancient yet forgotten rule that a contestant can have other people compete in the Trials for them, as long as they compete in at least one (?) of them.

This is actually one of the problems that I had with the previous book - no matter what issues pop up or conflicts that the characters are involved in, they aren't impactful at all and resolved ridiculously quickly, leaving the book feeling shallow.



The first trial is a swordfight, and Hans stands in for Ava. He duels Ava's insecure douchebag of a brother, who poisons his sword and hits Hans, who ends up, predictably, poisoned. Ava's brother, whose name I cannot for the life of me remember, wins the contest.

Hans is rushed over to the Medical Place™, and they determine that he's in critical condition, but they should be able to save him. However, the second trial quickly starts as well. I don't actually remember what happens because it wasn't that important and at this point, the audiobook was just playing in the background and I wasn't taking it in at all, but whatever.

Then, we get to the last trial. It's something about trying to retrieve something in a library?? Ava actually competes in this contest, and is able to win. However, and I remember this very clearly, Ava's brother tries to kill her because he's salty and a villain like that, but Hans gets there in the nick of time and finally takes him out for good.

The Trials end, Ava is on her way to being crowned Queen, and she and Hans have finally sorted out their feelings for one another. Everyone gets their happily ever after once again.

Now, I know that I've been complaining a lot about this book, but there were actually some things that I liked. The first of which was the political intrigue. I mean, I know that this was promised in the previous book, but it was literally nonexistent. Here, we actually get to see some of how the politics in this world work, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

There was also the romance between Hans and Ava, which didn't at all feel forced or insta-love-y unlike the romance in the first book. Then again, it wasn't that much of a focus throughout the book, so that could have had something to do with it.



Anyway, the writing was alright, and the plot was somewhat evenly paced. I think I only encountered the phrases "She 💁 let 🤹 out 🔜 a 🤔 breath 🫁 she 🤸 didn't 🚫 realize 💭 she 💃 was ❤‍🩹 holding 🤝" and "woodcutter's 🪚 daughter 🧚" once each, so all things considered, it was actually quite good.

That being said, however, I realized that much of this 10-hour long audiobook was filler and absolutely unnecessary when I missed about 7% of it in a row, didn't feel the need to skip back, and was able to finish the book without the sense that I was missing anything. Plus the fact that I constantly tuned this out while doing homework but was never in a position where I missed something critical.

Overall, this book was alright. It revels in its mediocrity and I definitely got the feeling that it took the easy and convenient way out of things. The conflicts and characters were underdone, but the plot was solid, all things considered. It was, however, a vast improvement from the previous book, and I suppose that's all that matters here.

[Issabelle Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25*

Melanie Cellier never disappoints!!! I SO enjoyed returning to the Four Kingdoms series world (and seeing some characters from the first book return as well was such fun)! I LOVED all the subtle but clever nods to Little Red Riding Hood, and Ava's inner conflict between continuing to be who she was forced and trained to be and becoming the princess she should've been! (And the scene with the High King... LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT!!!) Super fun and enjoyable read! I kept turning the pages and didn't want to put the story down! Now I need to go onto book three!

And like can't we all agree that Hans is the absolute best?

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love these books! So sweet and adorable but plenty of action and adventure! This was a clever twist on the Little Red Riding Hood tale. I didn't think I would like it as much as the first book, since I didn't like Ava in the last book. But she completely won me over in the first couple of sentences in this book, and I might even like this one better? They are both so good!

Audiobook Re-read: Just as good the second time around!

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, I didn't think I'd read a book that could surpass A Dance of Silver and Shadow as my favorite Melanie Cellier book, yet here we are! 😍🤭

*Further review with content warnings to come!*

[M Shen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best reimagining of a fairytale I've ever read. The Trials get me every. single. time.

Hans and Ava~ 😍

[ChildOfGod💜🙌🏽 (for God I live and for God I die) ~ in my Christian pop era · Rating 5 out of 5]

October 2024 Re-read:

So cute! 🥰

July 2024 1st Read:

First Reaction:

Gosh I liked this one too!! (Although I did like the first one better) I did have a few qualms with Ava’s decisions 😬 but I still enjoy how sweet and innocent this series is 🥹🥹.

Full Review:
N/A

[Celestria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this story is about Princess Ava, i didn't think I'd like it and considered just skipping on to book 3, but I'm glad I didn't. I actually really enjoyed this one a lot! ❤️

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute 💕

I loved the way she displayed the High King.

Good vibes. :)))

[Katherine Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s been an assassination attempt on Princess Ava’s life. She escapes, but only to find out later that her father has been killed. Mix that with a bit of romance, and you’ve got yourself a super awesome book!!😉

The Princess Fugitive occurs about one year after the events of the first book in the series, The Princess Companion. I was already familiar with Princess Ava from the first book, so what’s fun about this book is that we see a story centered around Ava. Reading a story through her eyes turned out to be super enjoyable! Despite how she is portrayed in the first book, Ava really is a great character! And I loved seeing how she changes after meeting the High King. (Also, what makes this super awesome is that the High King seems to represent God! In which case, I loved this representation!😉) Once again, I LOVE the characters in Cellier’s book—Ava and Hans, the cousins Sarah and Evelyn, and SEEING MAX AND ALYSSA AGAIN!!!!!!!!😃 I was super excited about these old characters. Plus, I fell in love with new characters as well!!! This story was definitely an enjoyable read!!! I totally recommend it, especially if you love fairytale-type stories!

Magic Content:
Although there wasn’t much magic in this book, a fairy godmother was seen a few times. At one point early on, a fairy godmother used her magical abilities to change Ava’s appearance.

Language:
No bad language. There are only some uses of “idiot.” It also said that some people “cursed.”

Romance:
Clean. Three kisses

Violence:
Minor fighting

[Deigan Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

UGH. I knew Melanie Cellier would make me fall in love with Ava - I just knew it!

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Princess Fugitive by Melanie Cellier is the 2nd book in The Four Kingdoms series and is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. The political intrigue from the first book The Princess Companion flows right through to this book. Everyone loves a good villain to hero story, right? This book stars Ava, a princess who has been trained since birth to be a weapon, especially utilizing her looks. When her mission to marry into the kingdom of Arcadia fails, she heads back to her home. One night, she foils an assassination attempt. It could only be her father or brother who would try to assassinate her, so she and her loyal guard, Hans flee from the danger. They catch up with a merchant caravan, but danger follows them. Ava has to start making decisions on how to protect herself, but most importantly…her people who will be at the mercy of cruel ruler if she does not succeed.

YES! It is rare to come across a good villain to hero story. This story is filled with so many complex character arcs that link to other books in the series. The first book, while I enjoyed it, does not even come close to this installment. I absolutely loved the symbolism involved in the story. The wolf is Ava. She has to work to change herself.–Not the strength of her character, but the selfishness, anger, and cruel aspects of herself. She has to learn to think of others before herself and learn the true meaning of forgiveness.

The love story is wonderful! It builds up throughout the book and it left me wanting more. But the most heartwarming part is the friendships Ava makes along the way. The only aspect that let me down is how little she does in the trials. I felt she could have done more, with her friends being a more supportive role. However, I am very eager to see what awaits in the next book! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

[Coralie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohmygooooooddddnnneeeessss! Okay, had to get that emotion out. Now, for the much more coherent review. :D

So, Red Riding Hood is not my least favorite fairy tale, but it's also not one of my favorites. It's kinda lost there in the meh category for me. That said, I've been exposed to some clever and unusual variations. The tale has a lot of room for interpretation and twisting, which makes it appealing in a new light. I must confess that upon hearing this was Ava's tale, my initial reaction was actually dismay. I thought, there's no way this will be as good as The Princess Companion. Annnnd wrong!

New cast of characters: ah-mazing! Ava was complex and getting inside of her head was so much fun, probably more than it should have been. Hans was a worthy hero and very deserving of the role. The side characters made this story even more fun. Sarah and Evelyn were quite the entertaining, and characteristic duo. There were also a few well-placed returning characters, whom I will allow to remain a surprise. Let's just say YESH! And, as I am coming to expect from Cellier, the brilliant plot was both intriguing and enthralling. I absolutely loved the idea of the Trials and there was plenty enough suspense and surprising twist to keep me on edge. The setting of the new kingdom was just as unique as the previous kingdoms have been and only proved to make me more excited to see Lanover and Northhelm. I must add, that aside from my usual points--well-written, fantastic characters, excellent plot, and well-crafted setting--this story expanded on the High King, whom I had been suspicious of in the last few books I've read. I have to say, He proved just as I thought He would and that only endears me further to this author and series. Good gracious, I know I'm gushing, but y'all! How have we not had these books until just now?!

No language, clean romance, mild, tactful violence. Excellent redemptive lesson and threads of justice, kindness, and love as true morals to live by.

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

How is it possible to like Ava this much after what she did in book one? I don't know, but I do. She's great. Her arc was wonderful. Hans was great. I love Evelyn and Sarah.

[Tenille Berezay · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I could see the inspiration behind this book, it was really a story all its own. Ava is a great, complex character. Her father shaped her, so this freedom from him gives her the chance to really learn who she is and what she wants. This isn’t a story of quick changes or flashing realizations, but slow growth. I loved reading about Ava first realizing her faults, seeking forgiveness, and then trying to become better.

Hans was a great character as well, though I would have like to see more change in him too. He was awesome, protective, and fearless. Maybe I just wanted to see some vulnerability or self-doubt in him. The only thing he ever seemed unsure about was Ava. I felt like I was starting to get to know him better, but his story got overshadowed by Ava. (I mean, this was her book, so maybe this is just me).

I also loved the symbolism in this book. I don’t remember there being hardly any in the first book, but here it was really vivid. I’m excited to see the author use it more. I love stories that have the symbolism so well drawn you hardly even pick up on the fact that it is symbolic, you only feel the impact of it. I think Cellier is on her way to being able to do that, which is amazing.

There were lots of other great aspects of this story. The pacing was great. The editing was well done. The minor characters were excellent. If your are a fan of kingdoms and fairytales with a little more depth, this is a great read.

See my full review (with synopsis) at http://tenilleberezay.com/review-tues...

[twirlinginameadow · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟
*sigh* these books are so good. I’m excited to read the two novellas before the third installment in the series.
First thoughts, this was so interesting. I enjoyed Ava’s character and seeing her character development and redemption. I loved the Christian allegory in this one and it made me teary eyed and reflect on all God has done for me❤️
Secondly, there was action and politics and it was so fun to follow along!! And the politics were well done. I detest politics lol but it wasn’t heavy or slow in this book.
There is successful and attempted assassination, fights, and blood mentioned in this book.⚔️🏹
Also, there was an ALYSSA AND MAX CAMEO👏🏻👏🏻 and we saw some characters from the last book in this one.
I love love the characters and the banter and fun they have.
Lastly, Ava and Hans were cute and I liked the whole guard thing and bringing the best out of each other. But there was something🤔lacking in the romance for me. So that’s why it’s not a complete five star for me😁
A good ol’ lil fantasy adventure✨⚔️👑

[Melanie Cellier]

This is looking set for a June 2016 release. A cover reveal should be coming soon!

I'm just over half way through writing this one and am having fun working in the various fairy tale elements :) In the meantime, you can head over to my website, www.melaniecellier.com, for a free short story intro!

[Lorelei Angelino · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

This was a very nice, clean romance. The story was interesting and I love the author's take on a little red riding hood retelling!

However the middle was very slow and it took me a while to finish because I just wasn't invested. And for a couple of scenes I was rolling my eyes because it was so cheesy.

Overall, I did enjoy this book (although I liked the first one a lot more)!

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a lot of courage for an author to take the villain from her first book (who held the heroine captive so she could marry the hero) and turn her into the heroine of the second book. Cellier pulls it off beautifully, by having the attempted assassination of Princess Ava and her subsequent flight for her life start off the book. Of all of the heroines in The Four Kingdoms and its sequels (so far), Ava has the longest journey, from a daughter who will do anything (even kidnapping and treason) to win her father's love, to a young woman who has faced her mistakes and is willing to risk her life for the people of her kingdom. This is truly a wonderful book.

Re-review January 2023

Still an amazing book. How Ava goes from villain to hero is a great twist on a traditional fairy tale retelling princess story, and not having her get it right (especially at the beginning) makes her seem realistic and relatable in a story that involves magical kingdoms and fairy godmothers. Hans is a fabulous boyfriend, and the inclusion of characters from the first book in the series makes the books really flow together well. I'd rate this one 5* again.

[Erin Cahilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sequel to The Companion Princess, so within the same world, and guess what! We already met Princess Ava, as the villain, so seeing her develop into a kinder and more deserving person is nice. Admittedly, her change of heart is sudden, but she does struggle with reverting to old habits, and frets about repairing damage done over the years with her old ways, while gaining new friends and companions. What were already know of Red Riding Hood is more of a metaphor within the story, but it doesn't disappoint.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Little Red Riding Retelling.
After Princess Ava’s plot failed to seduce the Prince in the previous story, she escapes from her own castle after an assassination attempt - ordered by her own father!

- Bodyguard troupe.
- Second-chance friendships.
- Redemption arc.
- Will they/Won’t they.

Not for me - too similar to other books sadly.

Bookstagram

[Makayla Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I would like this book because it was about Ava. But I did I loved it. I loved how the author involved the characters from the first book. And how sweet Ava and Hans relationship was😍. I highly recommend😁

[EuleAnnalena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was mostly boring, part frustrating, part confusing, but the ending was nice, I give it that.

I thought it was really intriguing that this book’s protagonist Ava is the previous book’s villain. I was really looking forward to her character development and redemption arc! It would have been really interesting to follow Ava having to work through the walls she put up to protect herself faced with an emotionally abusive and manipulative father, but then she visits the High King and he just magics her walls away?! What kind of “a wizard did it”-solution was that?! It really cheapens Ava’s character development!

This was supposed to be a royalty/guard romance and I’m usually all here for that, but here it felt really boring. Hans is pretty much in love with Ava from the very beginning and Ava’s feelings are…from 0 to 100 in just one chapter basically. I didn’t feel the chemistry one bit.

It’s supposed to be a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood…which you wouldn’t be able to tell if it didn’t day so on the cover. Yes, Ava talks about a red cloak gifted to her by her grandmother…which she doesn’t even have on her, so she wears a different red cloak for one scene and then it never gets mentioned again. The wolf is only used as a metaphor for Ava’s own feelings or her father's harsh teachings. Even the scene in the woods feels so watered down! I don’t even know if the scene of Ava finding the High King was supposed to be the scene where Red Riding Hood finds her grandmother’s cottage? It is nothing alike: the High King is exactly what he shows to be: a kind ruler who only wants the best for people; there is no wolf hiding here, no danger, no deception; if this was supposed to be the scene where Ava meets her treacherous brother again: there is no deception either! Ava knows that her brother is the evil one here! The story would at least have a bit more of the Red Riding Hood themes if there was some more masking of that! It was frustrating and confusing – what’s the point of a fairytale retelling if you ignore all major themes of the fairy tale??? The last chapters had nothing to do with the fairy tale at all!

I had already complained about the world building in book one and it doesn’t get much better here: so, there are godmothers and, apparently, they can only be called upon by princesses using specific words? But then there is also the High King who is the boss of the godmothers? And they’re all not really human but for some reason are really invested in the human kingdoms – or something?
Let’s not forget that we basically don’t get much insight into the kingdom up until it becomes relevant for the plot (hey! We found an obscure law that could work in our favour! Again! Here’s a historical precedent that we never mentioned before and will never mention again, it only serves our very specific plot here!...that’s just lazy writing at this point)

So, the first half of the book was rather boring, the last chapters with the royalty trial were interesting, but felt super out of place. The only thing I liked was the satisfying ending one very minor story line was about Ava missing her grandmother, so it was actually somewhat touching when she was reunited with her at the very end

Even though I didn’t hate this book, it made me dnf this series. I don’t think these books are for me, they are just rather meh (read: boring).

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Princess Fugitive was such an interesting (although loose) take on the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood set in the author Melanie Cellier’s vivid and enchanting world of the Four Kingdoms. We met our heroine, Princess Ava, as the villain in The Princess Companion, so it was interesting to not only read her story but experience it from her perspective. Princess Ava—who was shaped by her cruel father to be cold and heartless—flees her kingdom with her faithful guard Hans after an attempted assassination. On this fugitive Princess’ journey not only to save her Kingdom she must learn about and redeem herself, all while finding true love along the way.

Ava’s growth was the most satisfying aspect of the novel. She begins as a cold, calculating, and rather unsympathetic character and through her experiences throughout the story gradually grows. The Little Red Riding Hood parallels are found less in the plot and more in the symbolism of the story as Ava alternates between being “Little Red” and the metaphoric wolf residing inside her, which she must fight against before it completely devours her true self. I also loved the nod to Christianity in that Ava couldn’t overcome her inner wolf alone; she needed the High King’s help, just as we all need a Savior to change and be redeemed. Before her experience with the High King we witnessed Ava’s struggles with all she's become along with her desire to change, and following it she strived to mend her past mistakes while also struggling not to revert to her old self and old habits, all of which was very satisfying to read about.

I adored the romance between Ava and her faithful bodyguard Hans. I’d never read a book that utilizes the ‘princess falls in love with her bodyguard’ trope but I thought it was utterly adorable and now want to both read more books featuring this and perhaps even write my own. Hans was the perfect hero—protective, sweet, humorous, and the proper loyal guard who not only protected Ava but could see both her true self and all the good in her, even when she couldn’t see it in herself. I loved how attuned he was to her, how he believed in her, and how he was such strong support for her. He and Ava had an adorable relationship. In addition to Hans, I really enjoyed the secondary characters Sarah and Evelyn (Sarah, in particular, was adorable with her delightful enthusiasm for everything), as well as loved seeing Max, Alyssa, and the twins Lily and Sophie from The Princess Companion again. I also found the Trials to be quite interesting.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Princess Fugitive and will read the rest of Cellier’s delightful work to see what creative spins on classic fairy tales she comes up with next.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've fallen deeply in love with this series. The characters, the world, the writing, all of it. It just... fills my heart to read it. I never want it to end. Now I suppose I should stop gushing and move to a breakdown review.

The pacing is just right. Fast enough that you're never bored, slow enough for sufficient swooning and connecting with the characters and world. The writing always conveys everything perfectly, but also leads you away until you can't find your way back. You fall in love with the characters as you watch them struggle and grow, and you become invested in their relationships. The world is complete and full, with enough detail given that you can tell it is, but not so much that you drown.

I really cannot recommend this enough.

P.S. Oh my gosh that cover!!

Reread 2020: I love this book so much! It's my favorite book by this author. The world, the characters, the arc. I just... I love it so much.

[Hannah Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I 100% liked this book better than book 1. The character change... the Christian content...

I will admit that when I started this one, I was fairly certain I was not going to like Ava. But I love the authenticity Melanie Cellier lent to this character... hers is a story of complete repentance, a complete turn around. It wasn't a tweak or a partial change; it was a whole new person kind of deal. And it was portrayed so well... with those moments when thoughts broke through, where her old self drove her to do something. Sometimes we like to sugarcoat redemption and make it seem like suddenly we're all fixed up, but it isn't that easy.

I loved, too, that this book had much more faith content than the first. Where it was slightly alluded to in Book 1, it was put on full display in Book 2, and it was beautiful.

Also... our main man's unflinching love for Ava... I want a guy like that, folks.

I did dock a star because some of the violent content was a bit more than I would prefer, but it was done tastefully. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book the The Four Kingdoms series by Melanie Cellier. When Princess Ava is attacked she escapes the castle with her loyal guard, Hans. They end up joining a merchant caravan bound for the border.

I did not read the first book but I understand the Princess Ava was a villain in it. I could see that in some of her actions at first. The story revealed why she was as she was. But I did like her from the beginning and not knowing her from the first book may have affected that. So this book is supposed to be based on the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. There were a few things that brought the tale to mind but just barely in my opinion. It doesn't matter though, because I still liked it and will definitely read more by this author.

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Ava is introduced in the first book of this series. She is a villain. This is her redemption story. I liked the plot of this story more than the first book. There were a few editing mistakes but nothing too bad.

There are a few things the author did in this book that I liked more. She had an original take on the wolf and red riding hood that I haven’t ever read before. There is more information on the godmothers and the High King.

I have one other book to read and then I will head into the third book. This series has a bunch of novellas but I don’t know if I will read those or not. So far it doesn’t seem to hurt the plot any.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this book is about the villain from the first book, I was concerned I wouldn’t care for it. However, I think it may be my favorite in the series. I even teared up a bit at what I saw of God’s character, whether the author intended the allegory or not. I also loved Part 3 with the trials for the crown. I’m very glad to have listened to this story.