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wysteriablack's review
3.0
I'm not really sure what to rate this book because there were parts I loved and other parts that felt lagged or confusing (usually my feelings towards it).
So first I must say I LOVE Rune! I need one of my own! I think he is so wonderful and Elise loved him a lot clearly.
I get that Falk was sweet-ish. He tried. I appreciate that. I loved that he stayed by Elise's side which shows his devotion but everytime he opened his mouth I just wanted to slap him. Every compliment sounded like an insult. I can't stand when men do this. Also he wasn't I guess manly enough for me. You should feel safe with a man. Rune made Elise feel safe and he made sure that no one got in the way of him and her to a bit of a weird degree but still. He fought for her. Falk just poked at her and I didn't think it was funny, cute, or sweet.
Now on the story in the beginning I think it was great but as it got into her knitting it just never ended. It almost felt to me like there was no plot. When she got mad at the boys I felt a bit better like there was a plot but then it was gone and then i was so confused on who she was supposed to end up with or if she would at all.
This as alternative endings one if she marries Falk and another is she marries Rune. I loved when she was married to Rune!!! She ran to him!! So sweet! But I read both endings. I think Rune marries Brida if he didn't marry Elise ( I kinda skimmed it) which didn't make me happy at all. >:( But I can see how the author didn't want us to think he was heartbroken forever and never got married especially since he was such a cute catch! :D
Honestly I thought Nick was going to end up with Brida.
I hope that other people will also read it and vote Rune!!!
Content: kissing
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a review copy. I do NOT know this author. I bought this/ read it on KU.
So first I must say I LOVE Rune! I need one of my own! I think he is so wonderful and Elise loved him a lot clearly.
I get that Falk was sweet-ish. He tried. I appreciate that. I loved that he stayed by Elise's side which shows his devotion but everytime he opened his mouth I just wanted to slap him. Every compliment sounded like an insult. I can't stand when men do this. Also he wasn't I guess manly enough for me. You should feel safe with a man. Rune made Elise feel safe and he made sure that no one got in the way of him and her to a bit of a weird degree but still. He fought for her. Falk just poked at her and I didn't think it was funny, cute, or sweet.
Now on the story in the beginning I think it was great but as it got into her knitting it just never ended. It almost felt to me like there was no plot. When she got mad at the boys I felt a bit better like there was a plot but then it was gone and then i was so confused on who she was supposed to end up with or if she would at all.
This as alternative endings one if she marries Falk and another is she marries Rune. I loved when she was married to Rune!!! She ran to him!! So sweet! But I read both endings. I think Rune marries Brida if he didn't marry Elise ( I kinda skimmed it) which didn't make me happy at all. >:( But I can see how the author didn't want us to think he was heartbroken forever and never got married especially since he was such a cute catch! :D
Honestly I thought Nick was going to end up with Brida.
I hope that other people will also read it and vote Rune!!!
Content: kissing
This review is my honest opinion. I did NOT receive a review copy. I do NOT know this author. I bought this/ read it on KU.
rebeccazh's review
3.0
fun retelling - i love km shea's books and wild swans is one of my favorite stories. unfortunately the two love interests were SO annoying, i was seriously wishing elise had run off with brida by the end.
mrose21's review
4.0
I do enjoy the swan fairytale.
I've read it a few times and I did enjoy this retelling just as much.
I didn't bother reading the epilogues properly. I personally don't like love triangles, and considering she was raised with them regardless of blood it felt a little weird them being her suitors.
That being said I'm really looking forward to the next book!
I've read it a few times and I did enjoy this retelling just as much.
I didn't bother reading the epilogues properly. I personally don't like love triangles, and considering she was raised with them regardless of blood it felt a little weird them being her suitors.
That being said I'm really looking forward to the next book!
shaekin's review against another edition
2.0
I would have probably given this book 4 stars until the ending. I was a little annoyed along the way at the ambiguous feelings that the main character had for the people vying for her attention. It's like she had no feelings, at all, other than annoyance at her brothers. Then, the author threw in a "choose your own ending". As a result, both endings felt tacked on, like they didn't fit, and like the author tried too hard to give the reader a choice, making both choices awkward. I loved the first book in this series, but if the others in the series have this type of choose your own ending, I'll quit after the next one.
amy_inthecatacombs's review against another edition
5.0
I might have enjoyed this more on my reread. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending because I thought the MC seemed a little ridiculous.
Anyway, I still highly recommend this series by KM Shea.
Anyway, I still highly recommend this series by KM Shea.
darquedreamer's review against another edition
5.0
The Wild Swans is a story full of grace and beauty. It has heart, humor, and love. For those who love a bit of childhood nostalgia paired with an enchanting tale, and moral, look now further.
The Wild Swans captivated my heart from page one. I found it fascinating and enchanting. It reminded me of the faerie tales from my childhood, but paired well with the adult faerie tale lover in me. It was whimsical, humorous, and elegant. It was very well written and offered a beautiful lesson.
I adored the world setting and building of this one. It actually built off of the world that K.M Shea built for Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales #1). Though, all of her Fairy Tales can be read as standalone books, they can be thoroughly enjoyed in order in her series. This build up of the world, and character mentions from Beauty and the Beast AND Snow Queen, solidified the faerie tale/fantasy aspects for me. I felt like the world building in this one stood quite well on its own, but was more magical since it is the 3rd book of Kitty's that I have read.
The writing style was fantastically graceful. I fell in love with her writing when I read Heart of Ice: Snow Queen, because she is so skilled with making me feel like I am in the story. I could see everything as it was happening. Her descriptions and imagery were so lyrical and magical. And her characters were beautifully developed.
Elise was an incredible character and sister. She was strong, brave, determined, and loving. She was intelligent, innocent, and honest. She was the true star of the story, and a beautiful heroine!
Brida definitely came in a strong second as far as favorites for me. She was a true warrior. She was brave and strong and dutiful. She had a great character personality and an attitude change that went along with the moral of "what's on the inside counts."
I felt like Kitty's retelling had some nice twists and tweaks compared to the original! It had some nice story morals, and definitely uplifted women in faerie tales. I have loved that about her stories since Snow Queen, because our heroines aren't waiting on princes for their "happily ever afters." They are making their own!
4.5 Stars
The Wild Swans captivated my heart from page one. I found it fascinating and enchanting. It reminded me of the faerie tales from my childhood, but paired well with the adult faerie tale lover in me. It was whimsical, humorous, and elegant. It was very well written and offered a beautiful lesson.
I adored the world setting and building of this one. It actually built off of the world that K.M Shea built for Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales #1). Though, all of her Fairy Tales can be read as standalone books, they can be thoroughly enjoyed in order in her series. This build up of the world, and character mentions from Beauty and the Beast AND Snow Queen, solidified the faerie tale/fantasy aspects for me. I felt like the world building in this one stood quite well on its own, but was more magical since it is the 3rd book of Kitty's that I have read.
The writing style was fantastically graceful. I fell in love with her writing when I read Heart of Ice: Snow Queen, because she is so skilled with making me feel like I am in the story. I could see everything as it was happening. Her descriptions and imagery were so lyrical and magical. And her characters were beautifully developed.
Elise was an incredible character and sister. She was strong, brave, determined, and loving. She was intelligent, innocent, and honest. She was the true star of the story, and a beautiful heroine!
Brida definitely came in a strong second as far as favorites for me. She was a true warrior. She was brave and strong and dutiful. She had a great character personality and an attitude change that went along with the moral of "what's on the inside counts."
I felt like Kitty's retelling had some nice twists and tweaks compared to the original! It had some nice story morals, and definitely uplifted women in faerie tales. I have loved that about her stories since Snow Queen, because our heroines aren't waiting on princes for their "happily ever afters." They are making their own!
4.5 Stars
kaeigh's review against another edition
5.0
New telling
This is one fairy take I do not know the original well. I enjoyed it! I especially appreciated the dual endings. I preferred 1 prince, but read both. Clearly whichever prince you prefer would be a good ending. That made me happy.
This is one fairy take I do not know the original well. I enjoyed it! I especially appreciated the dual endings. I preferred 1 prince, but read both. Clearly whichever prince you prefer would be a good ending. That made me happy.
bunnerz's review against another edition
3.0
The book was enjoyable until I was surprised with the "choose your own ending" epilogues. I found it highly frustrating that the author didn't just properly commit to one character with the HEA -- I was rooting for myself. The enchantress also just sort of appeared out of nowhere as a deux ex machina, which is not one of my favorite plot devices.
Since this is a book in a bigger world with more intertwined plots, I have no idea how the multi-choice king is going to be handled in future novels.
Spoiler
FalkSince this is a book in a bigger world with more intertwined plots, I have no idea how the multi-choice king is going to be handled in future novels.
katherinejensen00's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
K. M. Shea's The Wild Swans is my all-time favorite retelling of the Wild Swans and one of my favorites of the Timeless Fairy Tales series. I reread it almost every year. The story follows Elise, a girl who has been raised as the royal foster sister to seven princes, and who constantly wants to prove her worth through her abilities and general perfection. She loves math and has a shrewd mind that she applies fully to her role as head of the royal treasury. When her foster brothers are cursed, she doesn't hesitate to take on a curse-breaking task that requires months of enormous self-sacrifice. As she once again shows her love for her family by doing whatever it takes to help them, she learns that a couple of her foster brothers feel more than brotherly love for her. Can love blossom in the midst of the many dangers that threaten both the siblings and their beloved country?
The book does a great job of exploring sibling dynamics both insightfully and hilariously. Elise has very relatable flaws as she learns how to be passionate about what she does and be her best self without striving for perfection or doing it to earn acceptance. The princes also learn some lessons along the way about how to leave each other well. The book is full of twists and turns and often had me laughing out loud at the sibling antics. The ending has a super fun and unique twist. The book can be read alone or as part of the Timeless Fairy Tale series (it has minimal spoilers for the rest of the series, but it does help set up some things in the rest of the series). This would be a great read for those who enjoy fairy tale retellings, fate of the kingdom adventures, lots of humor, clean romance, strong sibling relationships, creative magic, and strong selfless heroines and heroes.
The book does a great job of exploring sibling dynamics both insightfully and hilariously. Elise has very relatable flaws as she learns how to be passionate about what she does and be her best self without striving for perfection or doing it to earn acceptance. The princes also learn some lessons along the way about how to leave each other well. The book is full of twists and turns and often had me laughing out loud at the sibling antics. The ending has a super fun and unique twist. The book can be read alone or as part of the Timeless Fairy Tale series (it has minimal spoilers for the rest of the series, but it does help set up some things in the rest of the series). This would be a great read for those who enjoy fairy tale retellings, fate of the kingdom adventures, lots of humor, clean romance, strong sibling relationships, creative magic, and strong selfless heroines and heroes.