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Legends of Lanaria #1
The Lady of Lanaria
A kidnapped princess, a promise, and a kingdom cursed with mysterious plagues. "Mark my words, Evangeline; if you set foot outside this tower, you will surely die." Evangeline has spent her entire life hidden in an ancient watchtower, gazing through a window as the world passes her by. She heeds her mother's warning closely, the truth hidden from her always. When a young guard stumbles upon the tower, Evangeline's life is changed forever. As she strikes up a secret friendship with the guard, she learns about the Kingdom of Lanaria and the mysterious plagues that haunt all who live there. But as she delves into the world she barely knows, not everything her mother says adds up. Will they find the truth before it's too late?
A Rapunzel retelling.
Book One of the Legends of Lanaria series.
A Rapunzel retelling.
Book One of the Legends of Lanaria series.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
16 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Michaela Bush
34 books115 followersMichaela Bush is an independent writer of Christian fiction. She graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2019 with a degree in English and minor in Psychology. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and when she isn't writing, freelancing, or building her own editing business, she's out with her horses or playing violin. Writing has been her calling from a young age and she hopes to touch lives and inspire readers with clean, thoughtful, and impactful novels. Follow her blog at www.tangledupinwriting.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
May 5, 2023
4.5 stars personally, but bumping to a 5 star for Goodreads.
About this book:
“A kidnapped princess, a promise, and a kingdom cursed with mysterious plagues.
"Mark my words, Evangeline; if you set foot outside this tower, you will surely die."
Evangeline has spent her entire life hidden in an ancient watchtower, gazing through a window as the world passes her by. She heeds her mother's warning closely, the truth hidden from her always. When a young guard stumbles upon the tower, Evangeline's life is changed forever. As she strikes up a secret friendship with the guard, she learns about the Kingdom of Lanaria and the mysterious plagues that haunt all who live there. But as she delves into the world she barely knows, not everything her mother says adds up. Will they find the truth before it's too late?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Legends of Lanaria” series.
Spiritual Content- Three Scriptures are listed at the beginning (Psalm 112:4, Micah 7:8, & John 1:5); A few Scriptures are mentioned/quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Bible reading; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Evangeline found a Holy Book and reads it (which Mother is very upset about and wants her to destroy it as it will only fill her mind “with lies and fairytales of archaic deities who somehow care about you”; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of a Bible & Bible reading; A few mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A couple mentions of the king being a believer of Christ; A couple mentions of not being able to serve two masters; A couple mentions of a priest & him performing a ritual prayer for health; A couple mentions of the fallen, sinful world; A mention of a God-given talent; A mention of a cathedral;
*Note: Prior to the story starting, it’s said that witchcraft took a hold of the kingdom and it spread along with evil and darkness; Mother is a witch, practices dark magic, calls it her religion, & wants Evangeline to learn it as well (but she does not want to as something inside of her tells her it’s evil and sinister); *Spoiler* ; Mother says the Bible is all about angry armies going to slaughter others and people being murdered because of what it says (Evangeline disagrees); Many mentions of the Witch who cursed the kingdom, curses, spells, witch-hunts, a book of spells and dark magicks, chanting, & witchcraft apprentices; Mentions of evil people; Mentions of Evangeline’s fate being “written in the stars” and that it’s her destiny to be the heir to the witch family (said by Mother); Mentions of blood bonding between Mother and her witch apprentices (she teaches them the wrong enchantment so they aren’t actually bounded to her); Mentions of nymphs, lost spirits, ghosts, fairies, & such creatures (teasing about seeing them in the forest or being under a spell by them, but none are actually seen); A few mentions of wicked people; A couple mentions of enchantments; A mention of Mother saying Evangeline’s God condemns liars; A mention of some believing that the witch killed the princess and used her blood to enact the curse; A mention of a sorceress; A mention of someone being called a “cheeky devil”; A mention of a devilish cackle; A mention of someone keeping a rabbit’s foot around his neck; A mention of a booth selling fortunes; A mention of a group wanting others to see them as great saviors; A mention of someone being “otherworldly” (Mother).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘hush up’, three ‘blasted’s, five ‘bloody’s, and six ‘shut it’s; A bit of sarcasm; Seeing someone fall to their death (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a murder (barely-above-not-detailed); Fighting, Being stabbed, & Blood/Bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Being hit, Being held at knifepoint, Being drugged, Being almost drowned, Passing out, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (from Mother’s abuse, barely-above-not-detailed); At one point, Evangeline savors the idea of death because she knows where she would go; Mother belittles and verbally abuses Evangeline; Evangeline keeps Gabriel’s visits a secret from Mother & lies to her; A bird’s nest is destroyed and it’s babies are killed (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Many mentions of Evangeline being told that she will be killed if the guards or king find her (told to her by Mother); Many mentions of poison & deaths; Mentions of a plan to kill someone & holding someone at knifepoint; Mentions of a fire & family being burned alive (including the person who set the fire committing suicide by going into the fire); Mentions of deaths, sicknesses, rat bites, & grief (for parents, sisters, a daughter, and an infant granddaughter); Mentions of a kidnapping; Mentions of violence, crimes, criminals, arrests, & prisons; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of someone threatening to burn a house down with someone in it; Mentions of Mother whipping Evangeline and smacking for disobeying (physical abuse and Gabriel is concerned for her, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of thieves; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of vomiting; A couple mentions of animal abuse; A mention of some royal men killing their wives to marry another; A mention of an abusive husband; A mention of a grotesque death; A mention of some believing that a witch ate the kidnapped princess; A mention of someone being drawn and quartered; A mention of a widow used for cannons and “other killing contraptions” towards someone’s enemies; A mention of Gabriel recalling the foster homes where the families would beat him; A mention of nightmares; A couple mentions of drinking & wine; A mention of betting.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, three forehead/head kisses, and two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, Smelling, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); A man asks if Gabriel used or forced himself on Evangeline (he did not and is disgusted that the man would ask that); A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A mention of lustful men; A mention of some of the guards having “less-than-honorable attitudes toward women”; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mother does not have a high opinion of men (she says they are hypocritical and awful beings who lie and cheat those around them); All Mother has told Evangeline about her father is that he was awful and not to trust men.
-Evangeline “Eva”
-Gabriel, age 19
P.O.V. switches between them & a couple others
321 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars
New Teens- Four Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
{Sensitive animal lovers might have a hard time during one scene}
Oh my goodness, that was such a good retelling!
Here’s the thing about retellings: It doesn’t matter how many times we read the same concept of a certain fairytale, it always pulls you in while you wait for a favorite classic moment and, personally, I love to see how each author makes it their own. For this Rapunzel retelling, it was so neat to have faith content mixed in and while, yes, my brain did go to Tangled often, there was a lot of differences that made this book stand out. Especially with Gabriel…he’s as different from Flynn Rider as you can get (a guard vs a thief) but he was so well done and perfect for Eva. She was a dear and so sweet. Really, this book was such a sweet retelling!
I did notice a couple errors in the Kindle edition I was reading (such as a paragraph being repeated in the wrong place), and there was some head jumping between characters in the same chapter. (Which did confuse me at times, but I was quick to be fine with it because most of those additional POV parts were so cute!) Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book.
There was magic content, but it was only used by the villain and her minions. There were many mentions of curses and spells, but it’s all explained at the end. (*Spoiler* ). One thing I really liked about this story was that the line of Good vs Evil was clearly drawn and Eva wanted nothing to do with Mother’s evil intentions. The magick/witch content was clearly shown as wrong, no doubt or wiggle-room about that. I liked how the author incorporated faith content and how everything played out. I’ll definitely be picking up the second book when it releases!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“A kidnapped princess, a promise, and a kingdom cursed with mysterious plagues.
"Mark my words, Evangeline; if you set foot outside this tower, you will surely die."
Evangeline has spent her entire life hidden in an ancient watchtower, gazing through a window as the world passes her by. She heeds her mother's warning closely, the truth hidden from her always. When a young guard stumbles upon the tower, Evangeline's life is changed forever. As she strikes up a secret friendship with the guard, she learns about the Kingdom of Lanaria and the mysterious plagues that haunt all who live there. But as she delves into the world she barely knows, not everything her mother says adds up. Will they find the truth before it's too late?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Legends of Lanaria” series.
Spiritual Content- Three Scriptures are listed at the beginning (Psalm 112:4, Micah 7:8, & John 1:5); A few Scriptures are mentioned/quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Bible reading; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Evangeline found a Holy Book and reads it (which Mother is very upset about and wants her to destroy it as it will only fill her mind “with lies and fairytales of archaic deities who somehow care about you”; *Spoiler* ); Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of a Bible & Bible reading; A few mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A couple mentions of the king being a believer of Christ; A couple mentions of not being able to serve two masters; A couple mentions of a priest & him performing a ritual prayer for health; A couple mentions of the fallen, sinful world; A mention of a God-given talent; A mention of a cathedral;
*Note: Prior to the story starting, it’s said that witchcraft took a hold of the kingdom and it spread along with evil and darkness; Mother is a witch, practices dark magic, calls it her religion, & wants Evangeline to learn it as well (but she does not want to as something inside of her tells her it’s evil and sinister); *Spoiler* ; Mother says the Bible is all about angry armies going to slaughter others and people being murdered because of what it says (Evangeline disagrees); Many mentions of the Witch who cursed the kingdom, curses, spells, witch-hunts, a book of spells and dark magicks, chanting, & witchcraft apprentices; Mentions of evil people; Mentions of Evangeline’s fate being “written in the stars” and that it’s her destiny to be the heir to the witch family (said by Mother); Mentions of blood bonding between Mother and her witch apprentices (she teaches them the wrong enchantment so they aren’t actually bounded to her); Mentions of nymphs, lost spirits, ghosts, fairies, & such creatures (teasing about seeing them in the forest or being under a spell by them, but none are actually seen); A few mentions of wicked people; A couple mentions of enchantments; A mention of Mother saying Evangeline’s God condemns liars; A mention of some believing that the witch killed the princess and used her blood to enact the curse; A mention of a sorceress; A mention of someone being called a “cheeky devil”; A mention of a devilish cackle; A mention of someone keeping a rabbit’s foot around his neck; A mention of a booth selling fortunes; A mention of a group wanting others to see them as great saviors; A mention of someone being “otherworldly” (Mother).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘hush up’, three ‘blasted’s, five ‘bloody’s, and six ‘shut it’s; A bit of sarcasm; Seeing someone fall to their death (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a murder (barely-above-not-detailed); Fighting, Being stabbed, & Blood/Bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Being hit, Being held at knifepoint, Being drugged, Being almost drowned, Passing out, Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (from Mother’s abuse, barely-above-not-detailed); At one point, Evangeline savors the idea of death because she knows where she would go; Mother belittles and verbally abuses Evangeline; Evangeline keeps Gabriel’s visits a secret from Mother & lies to her; A bird’s nest is destroyed and it’s babies are killed (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Many mentions of Evangeline being told that she will be killed if the guards or king find her (told to her by Mother); Many mentions of poison & deaths; Mentions of a plan to kill someone & holding someone at knifepoint; Mentions of a fire & family being burned alive (including the person who set the fire committing suicide by going into the fire); Mentions of deaths, sicknesses, rat bites, & grief (for parents, sisters, a daughter, and an infant granddaughter); Mentions of a kidnapping; Mentions of violence, crimes, criminals, arrests, & prisons; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of someone threatening to burn a house down with someone in it; Mentions of Mother whipping Evangeline and smacking for disobeying (physical abuse and Gabriel is concerned for her, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of thieves; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of vomiting; A couple mentions of animal abuse; A mention of some royal men killing their wives to marry another; A mention of an abusive husband; A mention of a grotesque death; A mention of some believing that a witch ate the kidnapped princess; A mention of someone being drawn and quartered; A mention of a widow used for cannons and “other killing contraptions” towards someone’s enemies; A mention of Gabriel recalling the foster homes where the families would beat him; A mention of nightmares; A couple mentions of drinking & wine; A mention of betting.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, three forehead/head kisses, and two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, Smelling, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); A man asks if Gabriel used or forced himself on Evangeline (he did not and is disgusted that the man would ask that); A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A mention of lustful men; A mention of some of the guards having “less-than-honorable attitudes toward women”; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mother does not have a high opinion of men (she says they are hypocritical and awful beings who lie and cheat those around them); All Mother has told Evangeline about her father is that he was awful and not to trust men.
-Evangeline “Eva”
-Gabriel, age 19
P.O.V. switches between them & a couple others
321 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars
New Teens- Four Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars (and a half)
{Sensitive animal lovers might have a hard time during one scene}
Oh my goodness, that was such a good retelling!
Here’s the thing about retellings: It doesn’t matter how many times we read the same concept of a certain fairytale, it always pulls you in while you wait for a favorite classic moment and, personally, I love to see how each author makes it their own. For this Rapunzel retelling, it was so neat to have faith content mixed in and while, yes, my brain did go to Tangled often, there was a lot of differences that made this book stand out. Especially with Gabriel…he’s as different from Flynn Rider as you can get (a guard vs a thief) but he was so well done and perfect for Eva. She was a dear and so sweet. Really, this book was such a sweet retelling!
I did notice a couple errors in the Kindle edition I was reading (such as a paragraph being repeated in the wrong place), and there was some head jumping between characters in the same chapter. (Which did confuse me at times, but I was quick to be fine with it because most of those additional POV parts were so cute!) Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book.
There was magic content, but it was only used by the villain and her minions. There were many mentions of curses and spells, but it’s all explained at the end. (*Spoiler* ). One thing I really liked about this story was that the line of Good vs Evil was clearly drawn and Eva wanted nothing to do with Mother’s evil intentions. The magick/witch content was clearly shown as wrong, no doubt or wiggle-room about that. I liked how the author incorporated faith content and how everything played out. I’ll definitely be picking up the second book when it releases!
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 2, 2025
4.5 stars!!! Oh my gosh this was so incredibly sweet and charming!! This was the first traditional fairytale retelling I've ever really fallen in love with!!
Our two main characters felt so pure, kind, and well developed that I didn’t feel like the retelling was a shell of the original, which is how I often feel, but instead, I just fell in love with both of the main characters and the retelling aspect just felt so nostalgic!
Evangeline, our main character, has been living in a tower with her mother, her whole life where she spends most of her days cleaning and when her mother isn’t there she loves talking to the birds and playing her violin.
Gabriel is a guard who when on duty in the forest hears a strange laugh which he at first thinks is a nymph. When he goes to explore, he finds Evangeline and the two strike up a very sweet, wholesome friendship on the days when Evangeline’s mother is gone. This book just had me smiling at all of their sweet interactions.
I also really appreciated how through the course of the story Evangeline grows to realize how toxic her “mother” is and how it’s not safe to stay in that environment. It happens so slowly and gradually, and you can see Gabriel being in her life helps her realize what someone caring for you should look like and how that’s not what her mother’s been doing, and it felt very realistic to how that would happen in real life even though it was a fairytale.
This story was definitely mostly romance based the plot did pick up towards the end and I really enjoyed the resolution! I also loved the faith element!!
Overall I definitely recommend anyone looking for a Rapunzel retelling or just for a sweet quick read! I read this in one sitting!
Some of my favorite quotes (minor spoilers below) :
"Well, you can't let a few ugly folk mar the light in the world, can you? And is it proper for you to hide your light under a bushel because of them?”
"I'm the dunce one moment and brilliant the next? Has some plague of insanity taken us next?"
"She does what she believes is best," Evangeline shot back. She wasn't about to let this man belittle Mother. "Sometimes that isn't always truly the best," Gabriel said.
"I miss Gabe. The thought hit her as a hollow ache squarely over her breastbone. Though she'd just seen him yesterday, she yearned for the time she could see him again. She wondered if it was because she wanted to see him, or because she knew that Mother would be gone then."
"It's safer when she's gone, she realized. She'd known that fact, deep down, but giving it credence made her feel both lighter and trapped at the same time."
"She drew her bow across the violin strings and let her mood play the conflicted melody of her life."
"She felt an ache clamp around her heart as she heard his words over again in her mind. I love you. How many times she'd yearned to hear Mother-Amaranth-say that to her! And someone she'd barely known for two months had given her that lovely sentiment instead."
Our two main characters felt so pure, kind, and well developed that I didn’t feel like the retelling was a shell of the original, which is how I often feel, but instead, I just fell in love with both of the main characters and the retelling aspect just felt so nostalgic!
Evangeline, our main character, has been living in a tower with her mother, her whole life where she spends most of her days cleaning and when her mother isn’t there she loves talking to the birds and playing her violin.
Gabriel is a guard who when on duty in the forest hears a strange laugh which he at first thinks is a nymph. When he goes to explore, he finds Evangeline and the two strike up a very sweet, wholesome friendship on the days when Evangeline’s mother is gone. This book just had me smiling at all of their sweet interactions.
I also really appreciated how through the course of the story Evangeline grows to realize how toxic her “mother” is and how it’s not safe to stay in that environment. It happens so slowly and gradually, and you can see Gabriel being in her life helps her realize what someone caring for you should look like and how that’s not what her mother’s been doing, and it felt very realistic to how that would happen in real life even though it was a fairytale.
This story was definitely mostly romance based the plot did pick up towards the end and I really enjoyed the resolution! I also loved the faith element!!
Overall I definitely recommend anyone looking for a Rapunzel retelling or just for a sweet quick read! I read this in one sitting!
Some of my favorite quotes (minor spoilers below) :
"Well, you can't let a few ugly folk mar the light in the world, can you? And is it proper for you to hide your light under a bushel because of them?”
"I'm the dunce one moment and brilliant the next? Has some plague of insanity taken us next?"
"She does what she believes is best," Evangeline shot back. She wasn't about to let this man belittle Mother. "Sometimes that isn't always truly the best," Gabriel said.
"I miss Gabe. The thought hit her as a hollow ache squarely over her breastbone. Though she'd just seen him yesterday, she yearned for the time she could see him again. She wondered if it was because she wanted to see him, or because she knew that Mother would be gone then."
"It's safer when she's gone, she realized. She'd known that fact, deep down, but giving it credence made her feel both lighter and trapped at the same time."
"She drew her bow across the violin strings and let her mood play the conflicted melody of her life."
"She felt an ache clamp around her heart as she heard his words over again in her mind. I love you. How many times she'd yearned to hear Mother-Amaranth-say that to her! And someone she'd barely known for two months had given her that lovely sentiment instead."
January 17, 2026
4.5⭐️
Oh wow! I really enjoyed that!! This was a very well done retelling of Rapunzel.
I love love love the Tangled movie and I watched it a lot growing up so I was delighted to find that this retelling included a lot of my favorite details from the movie!!
I was absolutely TERRIFIED of Mother Gothel when I watched the movie as a child, (I still am actually🤪) and so I was equally delighted (and horrified lol) with the fact that the book did such a good job painting the evilness of the villain in this story.
Ughhh I just can’t stand her!! 🤢🤢🤢
Ahhh but as much as I hated the villain, I loved Gabriel just as much!! 🥹
He was so sweet, compassionate and understanding of Evangeline and her need to take things slow after what she had been through in the tower. And he was so quick to come to her aid when she was in danger, even when he wasn’t sure she needed it.
At times I was a little annoyed with Evangeline’s hesitancy, but I had to put myself in her shoes and remember that her life in the tower is all she knows. Throughout the book I came to understand her more and I came to admire her courage to do the right thing even when it put her in danger. She really was such a sweet character!! 💗
And overall that’s what I would say: This book is a really sweet and charming Rapunzel retelling. It was super clean but it didn’t lack the excitement or peril of the movie. The curse was an additional peril in the story that I really liked.
And it was really clean!!
I would definitely reccomend this to any girl… probably 13 and up!!
Oh wow! I really enjoyed that!! This was a very well done retelling of Rapunzel.
I love love love the Tangled movie and I watched it a lot growing up so I was delighted to find that this retelling included a lot of my favorite details from the movie!!
I was absolutely TERRIFIED of Mother Gothel when I watched the movie as a child, (I still am actually🤪) and so I was equally delighted (and horrified lol) with the fact that the book did such a good job painting the evilness of the villain in this story.
Ughhh I just can’t stand her!! 🤢🤢🤢
Ahhh but as much as I hated the villain, I loved Gabriel just as much!! 🥹
He was so sweet, compassionate and understanding of Evangeline and her need to take things slow after what she had been through in the tower. And he was so quick to come to her aid when she was in danger, even when he wasn’t sure she needed it.
At times I was a little annoyed with Evangeline’s hesitancy, but I had to put myself in her shoes and remember that her life in the tower is all she knows. Throughout the book I came to understand her more and I came to admire her courage to do the right thing even when it put her in danger. She really was such a sweet character!! 💗
And overall that’s what I would say: This book is a really sweet and charming Rapunzel retelling. It was super clean but it didn’t lack the excitement or peril of the movie. The curse was an additional peril in the story that I really liked.
And it was really clean!!
I would definitely reccomend this to any girl… probably 13 and up!!
November 3, 2020
"Nothing is truly safe, but nothing is truly hopeless either. It is the fallen world that we live in, full of sin and sorrow. You can choose to despair and wallow in it, or you can find the light in the situation you’re in."
This was such a pleasant surprise! I've never read anything from Michaela before, though I've had my eye on her books for awhile now. And since I'm always down for a new Rapunzel retelling, this seemed like the perfect place to start.
Evangeline's story was wonderful, heart-wrenching and soul-filling. With a unique storyline that kept me hooked, and a ridiculously soft romance that I fell in love with, it paid perfect homage to the original fairytale, but wove in a story of God's love and deliverance beautifully.
The evil "mother" was awful, which, in a way, makes her a great villain. I haven't seen many Rapunzel retellings truly deal with the abuse that she suffers at the hands of the witch, but this one explored it, and Evangeline's realization of it, in a great way.
Also I gotta talk about Gabriel because OH man I love him. xD I'm always a sucker for the protective but respectful boy, and he's no exception. The way he cares for Eva is so darn sweet and lovely and I just adore them together. I'd happily read a sequel, even though I don't think there will be one.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed myself while reading, and I'd happily recommend it to anyone who loves Disney's Tangled, soft romances, and girls who learn to stand up for themselves.
Five stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
This was such a pleasant surprise! I've never read anything from Michaela before, though I've had my eye on her books for awhile now. And since I'm always down for a new Rapunzel retelling, this seemed like the perfect place to start.
Evangeline's story was wonderful, heart-wrenching and soul-filling. With a unique storyline that kept me hooked, and a ridiculously soft romance that I fell in love with, it paid perfect homage to the original fairytale, but wove in a story of God's love and deliverance beautifully.
The evil "mother" was awful, which, in a way, makes her a great villain. I haven't seen many Rapunzel retellings truly deal with the abuse that she suffers at the hands of the witch, but this one explored it, and Evangeline's realization of it, in a great way.
Also I gotta talk about Gabriel because OH man I love him. xD I'm always a sucker for the protective but respectful boy, and he's no exception. The way he cares for Eva is so darn sweet and lovely and I just adore them together. I'd happily read a sequel, even though I don't think there will be one.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed myself while reading, and I'd happily recommend it to anyone who loves Disney's Tangled, soft romances, and girls who learn to stand up for themselves.
Five stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
July 26, 2025
Michaela Bush drew me in quickly with her lush, tense, edge-of-your-seat retelling of Rapunzel. In this story, we're following a girl who lives on the edge of a cursed kingdom. She has never left her tower, warned of the evils of the world by her mother. She watches through the window as soldiers ride passed and, eventually, forms a bond with one. He opens her world up and things happen (hehe)
It was such a fun read. The characters were my favourite part. I was rooting for them from page one, desperately hoping they would get the ending they deserved. Bush surprised me with her twists and turns at the end. There were some very unexpected things, and I enjoyed all of them.
It was such a fun read. The characters were my favourite part. I was rooting for them from page one, desperately hoping they would get the ending they deserved. Bush surprised me with her twists and turns at the end. There were some very unexpected things, and I enjoyed all of them.
Read
March 7, 2022Review to come!
But to tide you over 'til then...I loved it!!
But to tide you over 'til then...I loved it!!
August 4, 2024
5 stars. I was honestly unsure about this book, since it dealt with magic. But I was very impressed. First off, the fantasy world. It was a fascinating mixture of contemporary & medieval. Most medieval kingdom fiction, gets ruined when its too contemporary, but this one was perfect. I also really, really loved the mixture of Lady of Shalott + Rapunzel--both fascinating stories! I loved Evangeline because I related to her in several ways, and besides she was just so sweet and lovely. Gabriel was nice too, and I liked his relationship with Horace. The magical part was super well handled. Of course witches & magic exist, but they were not actually in this book, and the "curse" was non-magical (can't say more because of spoilers). Some parts were a bit unrealistic but I didn't care about that too much. The romance was very gradual and more of a slow, side thing which I really enjoyed. There was some hugging/kissing but not much and totally undetailed. I liked the theme of the Light vs. darkness and how God's power vanquished the Evil and protected Evangeline. Overall, it was a great Christian medieval adventure fairytale retelling and basically perfect for me. :)
A Favourite Quote: “‘Nothing is truly safe, but nothing is truly hopeless either. It is the fallen world that we live in, full of sin and sorrow. You can choose to despair and wallow in it, or you can find the light in the situation you’re in.’”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “He felt glad as he noticed the change in her eyes—the deep sadness they’d held in their emerald depths when he had arrived made way for shimmery awe.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Stop trying to make it seem like your fault.’
“‘But I’m the only one left that I can blame!’”
I will update this review when I reread it. I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for my honest review. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts & opinions.
A Favourite Quote: “‘Nothing is truly safe, but nothing is truly hopeless either. It is the fallen world that we live in, full of sin and sorrow. You can choose to despair and wallow in it, or you can find the light in the situation you’re in.’”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “He felt glad as he noticed the change in her eyes—the deep sadness they’d held in their emerald depths when he had arrived made way for shimmery awe.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Stop trying to make it seem like your fault.’
“‘But I’m the only one left that I can blame!’”
I will update this review when I reread it. I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for my honest review. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts & opinions.
January 12, 2021
STORY
The Lady Of Lanaria is a sweet retelling of Rapunzel. The Disney movie TANGLED is one of few I truly enjoyed, so this book was a refreshing read and reminded me of all the aspects of this tale I enjoyed the most! Well-written, endearing, and a light-pierces-the-darkness theme, this story is for all ages.
THEMES
The theme that light prevails was woven in a beautiful, heart-lifting way. I enjoyed the bonds between friends and the sweet relationship Eva and Gabe grew. A book full of amazing themes and great reminders that we should always do the right thing, even if it is difficult.
This is also a great book for anyone seeking a fantasy or retelling that is not heavy.
CHARACTERS
Bush creates realistic characters and a wholesome cast with intriguing villains! I really enjoyed Eva and Gabe, so sweet! And the side characters were funny, too.
OVERALL
Overall, I'd say this book is a 4 or 4.5 star read for me! It was very sweet and well-crafted. Overall, a solid novel, and I love Bush's style! My one disappointment is listed below--spoilers!
The Lady Of Lanaria is a sweet retelling of Rapunzel. The Disney movie TANGLED is one of few I truly enjoyed, so this book was a refreshing read and reminded me of all the aspects of this tale I enjoyed the most! Well-written, endearing, and a light-pierces-the-darkness theme, this story is for all ages.
THEMES
The theme that light prevails was woven in a beautiful, heart-lifting way. I enjoyed the bonds between friends and the sweet relationship Eva and Gabe grew. A book full of amazing themes and great reminders that we should always do the right thing, even if it is difficult.
This is also a great book for anyone seeking a fantasy or retelling that is not heavy.
CHARACTERS
Bush creates realistic characters and a wholesome cast with intriguing villains! I really enjoyed Eva and Gabe, so sweet! And the side characters were funny, too.
OVERALL
Overall, I'd say this book is a 4 or 4.5 star read for me! It was very sweet and well-crafted. Overall, a solid novel, and I love Bush's style! My one disappointment is listed below--spoilers!
December 9, 2020
Age Appropriate For: 12 and up for violence, some mildly disturbing thematic elements, and romantic themes
Best for Ages: 13-25
I was invited to the Facebook launch party for this book and it sounded interesting. At only $0.99, I knew I could indulge my curiosity. I snapped up a copy and downloaded it to my Kindle. A few days later, I was feeling bad so I listened to the book while I worked on a project and sat in bed (I love the Kindle Fires text to speech feature).
A couple of people mentioned magic in their reviews. As well as a few elements felt a little like Tangled at first. However, can I just put to rest both of these possible issues right off the bat? There is talk about a family of witches that used to live and the king had them killed. And there is never any magic actually used in this book. All the major characters will have nothing to do with even the hint of witchcraft as it’s offensive to God. As for the Tangled-like elements, they were superficial. The story is radically different and, in my humble opinion, far superior.
As a fairy-tale retelling, this book was really, really well done. It had classic elements but also twists on the original. It had a life of its own, yet tied to the original enough to satisfying. Bush has a talent for this, and I would love to read more like this from her.
The characters in the were well rounded. They are not the cardboard cut-outs of many fairytales. Even the villains were given motivations that made sense. They were not so complex that it ceased to be a light read, but enough depth to make me love each of them. I loved how both sweet and strong Evangeline was. She was so, so sweet, yet stood up to others for what she believed, even when it cost her. And her skills? Just endearing.
The plot was fantastic. I found myself flipping pages, ready to find out what was going on. I really feel that Bush did a masterful job with coming up with such an interesting and believable plot. I loved every minute of it. The romance was very sweet.
The only negative thing? I would say there were a couple of references that made me pause because they didn’t seem to fit with the time period in which the story was written. To be fair, this wasn’t set in any real time or place.
With all that said, I highly recommend this book for those who like fairy-tale retellings, sweet romances, and fantastic plots.
Best for Ages: 13-25
I was invited to the Facebook launch party for this book and it sounded interesting. At only $0.99, I knew I could indulge my curiosity. I snapped up a copy and downloaded it to my Kindle. A few days later, I was feeling bad so I listened to the book while I worked on a project and sat in bed (I love the Kindle Fires text to speech feature).
A couple of people mentioned magic in their reviews. As well as a few elements felt a little like Tangled at first. However, can I just put to rest both of these possible issues right off the bat? There is talk about a family of witches that used to live and the king had them killed. And there is never any magic actually used in this book. All the major characters will have nothing to do with even the hint of witchcraft as it’s offensive to God. As for the Tangled-like elements, they were superficial. The story is radically different and, in my humble opinion, far superior.
As a fairy-tale retelling, this book was really, really well done. It had classic elements but also twists on the original. It had a life of its own, yet tied to the original enough to satisfying. Bush has a talent for this, and I would love to read more like this from her.
The characters in the were well rounded. They are not the cardboard cut-outs of many fairytales. Even the villains were given motivations that made sense. They were not so complex that it ceased to be a light read, but enough depth to make me love each of them. I loved how both sweet and strong Evangeline was. She was so, so sweet, yet stood up to others for what she believed, even when it cost her. And her skills? Just endearing.
The plot was fantastic. I found myself flipping pages, ready to find out what was going on. I really feel that Bush did a masterful job with coming up with such an interesting and believable plot. I loved every minute of it. The romance was very sweet.
The only negative thing? I would say there were a couple of references that made me pause because they didn’t seem to fit with the time period in which the story was written. To be fair, this wasn’t set in any real time or place.
With all that said, I highly recommend this book for those who like fairy-tale retellings, sweet romances, and fantastic plots.
August 25, 2021
This was the sweetest, most hopeful read I could have ever needed in my life right now. It gave me hope during my messy life right now, and I am so thankful and grateful Michaela wrote and published this book when I so desperately needed it most.
Evangeline is the best heroine—compassionate and kind yet has fire and bravery when it matters along with with the right balance of naivety and innocence to be a true Rapunzel like figure. Gabriel is just THE BEST hero and one I want in my life and by my side every day—Eva is one lucky, blessed girl to have him in her life. Horace (#tangledtheseriesreference 😉) was the perfect friend for Gabriel and such a fun tease I really liked. The villain I DETESTED (that baby bird scene the author warned us all we’d hate? Yeah, I hated it) and the royals were also well done for the short time they were on page.
I loved the whole book and while I didn’t pick up on any Lady of Shallot parallels (except the boat crossing) since I’ve never read it, there were many Rapunzel (and Tangled!) ones that made me happy as Rapunzel is my favorite fairytale. And I nearly squealed aloud when Gabriel called Evangeline “sunshine”—that totally made my day the first time I read it. #ifyouknowyouknow
I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone! It’s the first book in forever that once I finished I immediately turned around and read it over again right away. 🥰
Content: witchcraft is mentioned and practiced by an evil character (not detailed, shown as bad); violence and blood including a character being stabbed (nothing over PG); characters are poisoned; a “curse” plague kills people; kissing (not detailed); baby birds are brutally killed (not detailed)
Evangeline is the best heroine—compassionate and kind yet has fire and bravery when it matters along with with the right balance of naivety and innocence to be a true Rapunzel like figure. Gabriel is just THE BEST hero and one I want in my life and by my side every day—Eva is one lucky, blessed girl to have him in her life. Horace (#tangledtheseriesreference 😉) was the perfect friend for Gabriel and such a fun tease I really liked. The villain I DETESTED (that baby bird scene the author warned us all we’d hate? Yeah, I hated it) and the royals were also well done for the short time they were on page.
I loved the whole book and while I didn’t pick up on any Lady of Shallot parallels (except the boat crossing) since I’ve never read it, there were many Rapunzel (and Tangled!) ones that made me happy as Rapunzel is my favorite fairytale. And I nearly squealed aloud when Gabriel called Evangeline “sunshine”—that totally made my day the first time I read it. #ifyouknowyouknow
I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone! It’s the first book in forever that once I finished I immediately turned around and read it over again right away. 🥰
Content: witchcraft is mentioned and practiced by an evil character (not detailed, shown as bad); violence and blood including a character being stabbed (nothing over PG); characters are poisoned; a “curse” plague kills people; kissing (not detailed); baby birds are brutally killed (not detailed)
November 19, 2020
To be fair, I'd never read anything by this author, so I wasn't at all sure what to expect...but this wasn't what I expected, haha!
I wasn't aware that it was a Rapunzel retelling...I obviously didn't read that last sentence in the blurb. *hides* so it caught me off-guard to realize that oh, I know this plot! I love a good fairy tale retelling. But when this one didn't immediately capture my interest and keep me super invested, I wondered why, aaaand I think it's because there wasn't anything super unique about the plot line. There wasn't a whole lot of imaginative creativity in this story (save for the plague and rats, but it was kinda a predictable plot twist), and it just wasn't quite my style.
(also I'm confused as to how the cover fits the book??)
What I did enjoy? I reallllyyyy liked Gabe's character. So thoughtful and kind—and Evangeline's sweet personality matched to make them perfect for each other. *grins* Though, Amaranth?? *shudders* Horrid. She drove me insane. Which, I'm pretty sure, was the point. And Horace! *smirks* Everyone needs a Horace.
I loved hearing about Evangeline's violin, and how she played it, but there were a couple of things that confused me—Evangeline said "I love you" to Amaranth more than once (without it ever being reciprocated), yet she's had absolutely zero contact with the outside world, but somehow she know that this is what people say for affection? And she knows what to ask Gabe about the outside world? And she knows how to act quiet and proper in public? Like, I get that she could've read about it in her books. She loves to read (just another reason to like her) but I wish it would've been specified more where she learned about all of this stuff.
That ending though!! *all the happy feels* So I thought the plot was finally going to be concluded and wrapped up in a bow when YIKES the author couldn't resist throwing in just one more plot twist. (Dude, I totally get that. The urge is reallllllyyyyy strong.) So I was starting to breathe easier, and relax, and then BAM they're in hiding and they're fighting and they're running and then Evangeline shows us what she's made of. *grins* And then she met *censored for spoilers* and it was all good and they lived happily ever after.
*I received an e-copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.
I wasn't aware that it was a Rapunzel retelling...I obviously didn't read that last sentence in the blurb. *hides* so it caught me off-guard to realize that oh, I know this plot! I love a good fairy tale retelling. But when this one didn't immediately capture my interest and keep me super invested, I wondered why, aaaand I think it's because there wasn't anything super unique about the plot line. There wasn't a whole lot of imaginative creativity in this story (save for the plague and rats, but it was kinda a predictable plot twist), and it just wasn't quite my style.
(also I'm confused as to how the cover fits the book??)
What I did enjoy? I reallllyyyy liked Gabe's character. So thoughtful and kind—and Evangeline's sweet personality matched to make them perfect for each other. *grins* Though, Amaranth?? *shudders* Horrid. She drove me insane. Which, I'm pretty sure, was the point. And Horace! *smirks* Everyone needs a Horace.
I loved hearing about Evangeline's violin, and how she played it, but there were a couple of things that confused me—Evangeline said "I love you" to Amaranth more than once (without it ever being reciprocated), yet she's had absolutely zero contact with the outside world, but somehow she know that this is what people say for affection? And she knows what to ask Gabe about the outside world? And she knows how to act quiet and proper in public? Like, I get that she could've read about it in her books. She loves to read (just another reason to like her) but I wish it would've been specified more where she learned about all of this stuff.
That ending though!! *all the happy feels* So I thought the plot was finally going to be concluded and wrapped up in a bow when YIKES the author couldn't resist throwing in just one more plot twist. (Dude, I totally get that. The urge is reallllllyyyyy strong.) So I was starting to breathe easier, and relax, and then BAM they're in hiding and they're fighting and they're running and then Evangeline shows us what she's made of. *grins* And then she met *censored for spoilers* and it was all good and they lived happily ever after.
*I received an e-copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.
May 13, 2024
*sigh*
This is going to be a difficult review because I ah e so many thoughts.
The first part of this is a necessary spoilery review, then I’ll go into content, and end on flat-out spoilers.
So for my review. Upfront, I just downright loved this book. Eva was so sweet and kind. I wanted to befriend her so badly. Gabriel was such a godly example and great hero. The only part I was conflicted about was “Mother” being portrayed as a “witch” and practicing “magick.” I put it in quotes because we learn no magic actually occurred. It was poisons and such. But the one thing that saved it was the author’s fight the Light. Eva had such a strong faith in perilous times. While “mother” was pushing her the wrong way, she fought for the light and learned to stand for it. It’s true, the devil can give wicked powers to wicked people, but God only allows to bring His glory and to show He is the answer. That is what makes this book special. So I do want to put that out there, but the battle, not physically but spiritually, was so important. And also, that romance was literally so stinking beautiful!
Content: death of animal, “magicks and witches” (looked on as wrong and proven to be poison), one maybe to kisses (not detailed), destroying of Bible
SPOILERS
So the animal death was really, really tragic. Thankfully it was short, but killing those baby birds broke my heart!! And when she burned the Bible. I just want to hug poor Eva. I loved Gabriel always trying to protect her. And that last scene reminded of “Kingdom Dance” from Tangled.
This is going to be a difficult review because I ah e so many thoughts.
The first part of this is a necessary spoilery review, then I’ll go into content, and end on flat-out spoilers.
So for my review. Upfront, I just downright loved this book. Eva was so sweet and kind. I wanted to befriend her so badly. Gabriel was such a godly example and great hero. The only part I was conflicted about was “Mother” being portrayed as a “witch” and practicing “magick.” I put it in quotes because we learn no magic actually occurred. It was poisons and such. But the one thing that saved it was the author’s fight the Light. Eva had such a strong faith in perilous times. While “mother” was pushing her the wrong way, she fought for the light and learned to stand for it. It’s true, the devil can give wicked powers to wicked people, but God only allows to bring His glory and to show He is the answer. That is what makes this book special. So I do want to put that out there, but the battle, not physically but spiritually, was so important. And also, that romance was literally so stinking beautiful!
Content: death of animal, “magicks and witches” (looked on as wrong and proven to be poison), one maybe to kisses (not detailed), destroying of Bible
SPOILERS
So the animal death was really, really tragic. Thankfully it was short, but killing those baby birds broke my heart!! And when she burned the Bible. I just want to hug poor Eva. I loved Gabriel always trying to protect her. And that last scene reminded of “Kingdom Dance” from Tangled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2021
Such a beautiful story!
I was skeptical when I first started reading this. I love the idea of retellings, but it's rare that I find one I actually like.
Lady of Lanaria is one of those rare ones.
I was in the mood for a sweet fairytale-style story, and this book didn't disappoint. I might even get it in paperback sometime so I can just pick it up and reread it when I need a clean, sweet, innocent story.
Content: Clean romance. The only major thing that might turn people off is the references to magic. There is the evil witch, but, without spoiling anything, I'll just say that magic is shown in a negative light and the truth wins out. Even though I don't like reading anything with magic, I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
I was skeptical when I first started reading this. I love the idea of retellings, but it's rare that I find one I actually like.
Lady of Lanaria is one of those rare ones.
I was in the mood for a sweet fairytale-style story, and this book didn't disappoint. I might even get it in paperback sometime so I can just pick it up and reread it when I need a clean, sweet, innocent story.
Content: Clean romance. The only major thing that might turn people off is the references to magic. There is the evil witch, but, without spoiling anything, I'll just say that magic is shown in a negative light and the truth wins out. Even though I don't like reading anything with magic, I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
April 22, 2024
This was a mostly sweet Christian fantasy medieval romance.
However, there were witches and magic,
but no actually magic, was done,
nor were there stated incantations etc.
And there was, an abusive 'mother'
( who was not the mother at all)!
And a sad abuse of some birds.
And there was some scripture,
bible reading, praying to God etc.
What was there was lovely!
I only wish there had been even more!
Still, I loved it and hope to read more of the series!
However, there were witches and magic,
but no actually magic, was done,
nor were there stated incantations etc.
And there was, an abusive 'mother'
( who was not the mother at all)!
And a sad abuse of some birds.
And there was some scripture,
bible reading, praying to God etc.
What was there was lovely!
I only wish there had been even more!
Still, I loved it and hope to read more of the series!
August 15, 2025
I really liked this fairytale retelling of Rapunzel.!
The characters were great, Eva and Gabe were so good together! I loved how they looked out for one another and how sweet and pure their romance was.❤️🥺
I smiled many times during scenes with these two.😄(can I also say that I loved that Evangeline played violin?!!! So cool.)
I loved the faith content! And though there was
"magic" mentioned throughout the story, I loved the clear distinction of light vs. darkness, and how it was portrayed as evil and dark.
Mother was absolutely despicable and I didn't like her one bit, which made it even more sad to see what Eva went through because of her.
I also really enjoyed Gabriel's friendship with Horace.! (hope to read his book soon..ish!) The action wasn't too grand, but it definitely picks up a bit at the end.
Though I would say the main focus was the romance-which I didn't mind.❤️ 4.25⭐️
The characters were great, Eva and Gabe were so good together! I loved how they looked out for one another and how sweet and pure their romance was.❤️🥺
I smiled many times during scenes with these two.😄(can I also say that I loved that Evangeline played violin?!!! So cool.)
I loved the faith content! And though there was
"magic" mentioned throughout the story, I loved the clear distinction of light vs. darkness, and how it was portrayed as evil and dark.
Mother was absolutely despicable and I didn't like her one bit, which made it even more sad to see what Eva went through because of her.
I also really enjoyed Gabriel's friendship with Horace.! (hope to read his book soon..ish!) The action wasn't too grand, but it definitely picks up a bit at the end.
Though I would say the main focus was the romance-which I didn't mind.❤️ 4.25⭐️
May 21, 2024
3.5 Stars ✨
Sweet retelling of Rapunzel
Sweet retelling of Rapunzel
Read
March 4, 2024DNF maybe 3 pages in — was already annoyed by the writing
October 8, 2025
4 ½ ⭐ See review here: https://boundlessbookshelfreviews.blo...
November 1, 2020
First, let me say that I absolutely adore Gabe. He was such an absolute sweetheart. Clean romance is my favorite genre so having a good leading man is critical and he fits the bill. Of course, Evangeline was great too so don't get me a wrong. Together I absolutely adored their chemistry. They were super adorable together and I enjoyed their moments of slight shyness around each other.
The Lady of Lanaria is a Rapunzel retelling and it has all the elements we've come to expect from Rapunzel stories: stolen child, evil witches, long hair, being locked in a tower, meeting a guy who helps her sneak away to see more of the world. There are some more faith based elements to this version which I enjoyed. The main characters both shared a faith in God and it was mentioned periodically without being done in a preachy manner.
Evangeline is a fairly naive girl who has lived her whole life in a watchtower with her mother, who is cruel and disdainful. She's been told the king would kill her and her mother if she ever leaves the tower and enters the kingdom, which of course she believes. Her mother is frequently gone from the tower so Evangeline is left alone and this is how she ultimately meets Gabriel, a guard in the very kingdom she's been told not to enter. While she is initially leary of him, they quickly strike up a friendship. Evangeline's mother is forever pressuring her to learn dark magic, which Evangeline does not want to as she gets her truths from the Bible and knows this dark magic is not something she should be involved with.
I really enjoyed this story overall. The ending was so sweet and I will often end up rating a book with 5 stars if I love the ending enough. This was definitely got two thumbs up. I felt like it was a little slower before it snagged my attention but once it did, I just kept reading. I would totally read more fairy tale retellings by this author. Pretty please?
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.
The Lady of Lanaria is a Rapunzel retelling and it has all the elements we've come to expect from Rapunzel stories: stolen child, evil witches, long hair, being locked in a tower, meeting a guy who helps her sneak away to see more of the world. There are some more faith based elements to this version which I enjoyed. The main characters both shared a faith in God and it was mentioned periodically without being done in a preachy manner.
Evangeline is a fairly naive girl who has lived her whole life in a watchtower with her mother, who is cruel and disdainful. She's been told the king would kill her and her mother if she ever leaves the tower and enters the kingdom, which of course she believes. Her mother is frequently gone from the tower so Evangeline is left alone and this is how she ultimately meets Gabriel, a guard in the very kingdom she's been told not to enter. While she is initially leary of him, they quickly strike up a friendship. Evangeline's mother is forever pressuring her to learn dark magic, which Evangeline does not want to as she gets her truths from the Bible and knows this dark magic is not something she should be involved with.
I really enjoyed this story overall. The ending was so sweet and I will often end up rating a book with 5 stars if I love the ending enough. This was definitely got two thumbs up. I felt like it was a little slower before it snagged my attention but once it did, I just kept reading. I would totally read more fairy tale retellings by this author. Pretty please?
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.
October 28, 2020
3.5 stars
This is a strong clean, faith-filled story that I think fairy tale retelling readers will LOVE! It has so many of those aspects that a shoutout to the author is needed! Great job!
Evangeline is a very sweet main character who has such a heavy burden on her shoulders…until she meets Gabriel who shows her the world is not all she has been led to believe. Gabriel is also very very sweet and was definitely one of my favorite characters!
The pacing was a little slower than my preference, but I really enjoyed the heart of this story as well as the romance. It was extremely sweet and one that I couldn't help but cheer for; though I EASILY cheered for the romance from the first time we meet our hero. LOL!
I enjoyed the "twist" of events concerning a certain aspect of this story! I would not say Evangeline is an unreliable narrator, but due to her background and her life, she definitely does not have the most reliable information. Because of that, I too, was not expecting to find out other information that basically went again what she knew. (Sort of vague here I realize, but #spoilers.)
Overall, I enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it! It's a moving story that will leave one hopeful and encouraged.
*(I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
This is a strong clean, faith-filled story that I think fairy tale retelling readers will LOVE! It has so many of those aspects that a shoutout to the author is needed! Great job!
Evangeline is a very sweet main character who has such a heavy burden on her shoulders…until she meets Gabriel who shows her the world is not all she has been led to believe. Gabriel is also very very sweet and was definitely one of my favorite characters!
The pacing was a little slower than my preference, but I really enjoyed the heart of this story as well as the romance. It was extremely sweet and one that I couldn't help but cheer for; though I EASILY cheered for the romance from the first time we meet our hero. LOL!
I enjoyed the "twist" of events concerning a certain aspect of this story! I would not say Evangeline is an unreliable narrator, but due to her background and her life, she definitely does not have the most reliable information. Because of that, I too, was not expecting to find out other information that basically went again what she knew. (Sort of vague here I realize, but #spoilers.)
Overall, I enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it! It's a moving story that will leave one hopeful and encouraged.
*(I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
December 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. Now I don't usually read fantasy but realising that this is Christian fantasy and a fairy tale retelling really drew me in. I saw the original Rapunzel movie a long time ago, but I'm going to be honest and say I don't remember what exactly happened. This means that I went into this story with an open mind.
My favourite thing about this book is the romance. Oh Gabe and Evangeline were such a perfect fit for each other. They looked out for each other and had each other's best interests at heart. It was just so cute and I found myself smiling during many scenes because I just couldn't help myself. I also loved the fact that even though there is "magic" mentioned through the story, it is seen as not good and dark. There is also the mention of God and the Bible which made it clear it was a Christian fantasy and I loved that. I also loved the portrayal of good friendships like that between Gabe and Horace. I just love reading books where friends look out for each other and loved each other. I also loved the twists and turns throughout the story as the truth about Amaranth was revealed. It made me not want to put the book down.
If you love Christian fantasy, fairy-tale retellings or books with cute romance, I'd recommend this book. Read my full review here: https://www.joanembola.co.uk/post/boo...
My favourite thing about this book is the romance. Oh Gabe and Evangeline were such a perfect fit for each other. They looked out for each other and had each other's best interests at heart. It was just so cute and I found myself smiling during many scenes because I just couldn't help myself. I also loved the fact that even though there is "magic" mentioned through the story, it is seen as not good and dark. There is also the mention of God and the Bible which made it clear it was a Christian fantasy and I loved that. I also loved the portrayal of good friendships like that between Gabe and Horace. I just love reading books where friends look out for each other and loved each other. I also loved the twists and turns throughout the story as the truth about Amaranth was revealed. It made me not want to put the book down.
If you love Christian fantasy, fairy-tale retellings or books with cute romance, I'd recommend this book. Read my full review here: https://www.joanembola.co.uk/post/boo...
May 8, 2021
I can honestly say this was an amazing surprise!! I got this book a while ago on Kindle because it was free, and a couple days ago decided to read it because I needed something to read to help me get through a boring read. Starting out, I wasn't sure what to expect or if I'd even like it, but it only took a little while to know I wasn't putting this book down until it was finished. It was so, so good!!! The Lady of Lanaria is a Rapunzel retelling, and while some of it was predictable, most of it was new and intriguing.
I loved this book so much, and even though there was head-hopping (which is a big pet peeve of mine), I hardly even noticed it because I was so hooked on this story of love, adventure, finding one's self, defeating evil, and facing your fears. The romance was oh so adorable, and I absolutely loved every single Gabe and Eva interaction! The evil mother was done really well, and I loved all of the plot twists with her. I feel like Michaela wrote her and Eva's relationship really well, and how Eva was so oppressed and abused by her, but didn't realize until she met good people.
I could go on about this gem of a read, but why don't you just go read it for yourself?!
I loved this book so much, and even though there was head-hopping (which is a big pet peeve of mine), I hardly even noticed it because I was so hooked on this story of love, adventure, finding one's self, defeating evil, and facing your fears. The romance was oh so adorable, and I absolutely loved every single Gabe and Eva interaction! The evil mother was done really well, and I loved all of the plot twists with her. I feel like Michaela wrote her and Eva's relationship really well, and how Eva was so oppressed and abused by her, but didn't realize until she met good people.
I could go on about this gem of a read, but why don't you just go read it for yourself?!
September 11, 2024
I loved this book! Rapunzel is one of my favorite fairytales, and so I loved this retelling of it. Evangeline was such a great protagonist. I loved how she defied Gothel to keep reading her Bible and refused to even study the witchcraft that her mother was trying to force it on her. Her love interest was also wonderful.
I also got a lot of Tangled vibes, which is certainly not a bad thing.
I also got a lot of Tangled vibes, which is certainly not a bad thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2025
Tangled has been my favorite princess movie for a long time, so I was excited to find this one! It did not disappoint! It had fun unique twists, but it still had so many Tangled elements throughout. 5 stars for me! And I would definitely recommend to any Tangled fans out there, and even if you aren't, you would probably still enjoy the book :)
May 14, 2024
Very sweet retelling!
June 16, 2023
4.5
I loved this! Highly recommend. One of the best books I've read all year. I kept thinking about the movie The Young Victoria because of the marrying between kingdoms to gain more power. Also reminded me of Cinderella. It was just such a fun read, much different than my usual read.
I loved this! Highly recommend. One of the best books I've read all year. I kept thinking about the movie The Young Victoria because of the marrying between kingdoms to gain more power. Also reminded me of Cinderella. It was just such a fun read, much different than my usual read.
July 4, 2023
An extremely adorable retelling 🥰
May 2, 2021
This story captivated me. Very well written. I loved the faith element and Eva was so fun! (As was Gabe! And Horace!!!) Warning: lots of romance! There was nothing wrong with the romance, but it isn't something I like to read alot of. I felt like crying when those poor baby birds were... spoiler... 😭 But this story was very sweet, and I enjoyed it. (Also there is no magic performed, but it is talked about and mentioned.)
April 27, 2024
Sweet story. There were many aspects that I liked about it, and the only reason it wouldn’t be a five star for me, personally, is because romance is a main of the story - but I’m not complaining because that’s how the story was supposed to be (& I knew that). At least it was done well (No physical noticing! Minimal kissing + they stay friends for quite a while. I also enjoyed their friendly banter). Overall, I would recommend
December 3, 2020
*is ashamedly late to the party* I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
How else am I supposed to describe this other than the themes of light vs darkness are clear, the romance between Eva and Gabe sweet, and the friendships - ah, friendships. Horace is hilarious. xD
The villain is definitely nerve-wracking, creepy, and all-around evil. Poor Eva...
There are mentions of witchcraft, but it's portrayed negatively and it doesn't really have any action, so to speak.
I have to say, as much as I love the Mount Sterling and Cortland gangs, this is probably my favorite of Michaela's books. (Mayhap it was the Rapunzel inspiration/Tangled influence...)
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
How else am I supposed to describe this other than the themes of light vs darkness are clear, the romance between Eva and Gabe sweet, and the friendships - ah, friendships. Horace is hilarious. xD
The villain is definitely nerve-wracking, creepy, and all-around evil. Poor Eva...
There are mentions of witchcraft, but it's portrayed negatively and it doesn't really have any action, so to speak.
I have to say, as much as I love the Mount Sterling and Cortland gangs, this is probably my favorite of Michaela's books. (Mayhap it was the Rapunzel inspiration/Tangled influence...)
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