selenamarie22's review
5.0
"Love is not the absence of friendship, merely an additional, powerful layer. "
Ok I absolutely loved this story I have never read a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses before. The only one I know is the Barbie one and it's one of my favourites. The magic is this world is mesmerising. We get an insight on Rebecca during her tyrannical brother's reign as well as on her Royal guard's past. I love the forbidden love and friends to lovers troupe of this book. I also love the , "haven't you see how she looks at you? " cliche.
Ok I absolutely loved this story I have never read a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses before. The only one I know is the Barbie one and it's one of my favourites. The magic is this world is mesmerising. We get an insight on Rebecca during her tyrannical brother's reign as well as on her Royal guard's past. I love the forbidden love and friends to lovers troupe of this book. I also love the , "haven't you see how she looks at you? " cliche.
emlickliter's review
adventurous
fast-paced
5.0
A Dance with Magic: A Twelve Dancing Princesses Novella (The Twin Kingdoms Book 2) by Nancy O'Toole – This series is on kindle unlimited. The best part of this book is that the nitwit is the matchmaker! Lol! Happy Reading!
lou_wilham's review
5.0
A Dace with Magic is a fun spin on the twelve dancing princesses story that gets back to the roots of fairytales.
With some epic world building aspects, charming characters, and that Grimm vibe, I'd recommend this and all the other Twin Kingdom books for anyone who loves high fantasy, or fairy tales.
With some epic world building aspects, charming characters, and that Grimm vibe, I'd recommend this and all the other Twin Kingdom books for anyone who loves high fantasy, or fairy tales.
bookchainedsoul's review
4.0
Thank you to Nancy O’Toole and BookSirens for providing me with an eARC of this book to review.
My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
The whole plot and world of this book was fantastic. The night masquerade was beautiful but disturbing, the characters were rich and all given at least some back story, Victor deserves a special mention because while he annoyed me at first he grew to be a great character that I can’t wait to see more of in the next book, the romance between Rebecca and Zahir was sweet and well portrayed. I actually don’t have a single issue with any of the plot of characters, I loved it.
My issue lies in the fact that this is a novella. I have nothing wrong with books being fast paced or simply written like this one but this book actually just had enough in it that it had the potential to be a fantastic 300-350 page novel. Elements of a political system were introduced with the war and rivalries between kingdoms and advisors always by their sides, and these elements were really interesting, but I felt they could have made the world and relationships formed that much better is there was time to explore them further. Same goes for the masquerade. While it was definitely the most explored area of the book, what we learned of the fae and magic from that gave so much potential to make the breakdown that much creepier and even more upsetting (I did ultimately feel pretty bad for The Master).
This is a good book and it’s fun to read. If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read, or maybe an introduction into ya fantasy before diving into a massive series, I absolutely recommend this book. Personally, I actually just wanted it to be longer.
My rating is 3.5 rounded up.
The whole plot and world of this book was fantastic. The night masquerade was beautiful but disturbing, the characters were rich and all given at least some back story, Victor deserves a special mention because while he annoyed me at first he grew to be a great character that I can’t wait to see more of in the next book, the romance between Rebecca and Zahir was sweet and well portrayed. I actually don’t have a single issue with any of the plot of characters, I loved it.
My issue lies in the fact that this is a novella. I have nothing wrong with books being fast paced or simply written like this one but this book actually just had enough in it that it had the potential to be a fantastic 300-350 page novel. Elements of a political system were introduced with the war and rivalries between kingdoms and advisors always by their sides, and these elements were really interesting, but I felt they could have made the world and relationships formed that much better is there was time to explore them further. Same goes for the masquerade. While it was definitely the most explored area of the book, what we learned of the fae and magic from that gave so much potential to make the breakdown that much creepier and even more upsetting (I did ultimately feel pretty bad for The Master).
This is a good book and it’s fun to read. If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read, or maybe an introduction into ya fantasy before diving into a massive series, I absolutely recommend this book. Personally, I actually just wanted it to be longer.
onebookmore's review
5.0
When Nancy O’Toole reached out and asked if I wanted to read this book, I jumped at the chance. I LOVED The Rose and the Claw, the first book in The Twin Kingdoms series, and this story was just as immersive! A Twelve Dancing Princess reimagining, the story has so many elements I enjoyed: magic, masquerades, compelling characters, vivid worlds, and romance!
Rebecca and Zahir were introduced in the first book, and there were hints of their romantic feelings for each other. In this story, we see just how deep and profound their love is, but propriety and social rank prohibit them from being together. They have great chemistry, and the use of flashbacks to further develop these characters and their path toward each other is fantastic. Both Rebecca and Zahir have had difficult lives, and they found something special in each other. And the way Zahir feels about Rebecca is positively swoon-worthy! There is so much angst with this couple, and I so hoped for their happily ever after!
There are two other characters, the prince and princess of Verdia, introduced in this novella that I found really interesting. They have such distinct personalities, and I loved their roles in the story. I am so curious to learn more about each. I have a feeling there is way more to both of these siblings than meets the eye, and it would be interesting to see their perspectives on everything that has happened and continues to happen in their kingdoms.
I like that, as the series progresses, we learn more about the kingdoms, their ongoing battles, and the political situations that arise. In this novella, Rebecca is encouraged to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom, and it is purely a political move. When unusual amounts of magic are noticed across the country, suspicions are provoked. You can feel the precariousness of their social and political worlds. All of this adds another layer to the story that is quite intriguing.
Throughout the story, Rebecca sneaks out at night to attend a mysterious masquerade. This aspect of the plot is fantastic! The fantasy elements are dark and dangerous and so captivating! The masquerade, the illusions, the deadly antagonist, the secrecy all create this beautifully horrifying world where illusion and reality merge. I love how the horrors of the illusion are slowly revealed as the story progresses, and that there are several surprising revelations in regard to the masquerade and its creator. So creepy! It definitely contributes to the Gothic vibes throughout the novella.
I love fairy tale reimaginings, and Nancy O’Toole has created such wonderful stories that feel recognizable and fresh at the same time. A unique spin on a classic fairy tale, A Dance with Magic is a captivating and romantic novella and a great addition to The Twin Kingdoms series. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Rebecca and Zahir were introduced in the first book, and there were hints of their romantic feelings for each other. In this story, we see just how deep and profound their love is, but propriety and social rank prohibit them from being together. They have great chemistry, and the use of flashbacks to further develop these characters and their path toward each other is fantastic. Both Rebecca and Zahir have had difficult lives, and they found something special in each other. And the way Zahir feels about Rebecca is positively swoon-worthy! There is so much angst with this couple, and I so hoped for their happily ever after!
There are two other characters, the prince and princess of Verdia, introduced in this novella that I found really interesting. They have such distinct personalities, and I loved their roles in the story. I am so curious to learn more about each. I have a feeling there is way more to both of these siblings than meets the eye, and it would be interesting to see their perspectives on everything that has happened and continues to happen in their kingdoms.
I like that, as the series progresses, we learn more about the kingdoms, their ongoing battles, and the political situations that arise. In this novella, Rebecca is encouraged to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom, and it is purely a political move. When unusual amounts of magic are noticed across the country, suspicions are provoked. You can feel the precariousness of their social and political worlds. All of this adds another layer to the story that is quite intriguing.
Throughout the story, Rebecca sneaks out at night to attend a mysterious masquerade. This aspect of the plot is fantastic! The fantasy elements are dark and dangerous and so captivating! The masquerade, the illusions, the deadly antagonist, the secrecy all create this beautifully horrifying world where illusion and reality merge. I love how the horrors of the illusion are slowly revealed as the story progresses, and that there are several surprising revelations in regard to the masquerade and its creator. So creepy! It definitely contributes to the Gothic vibes throughout the novella.
I love fairy tale reimaginings, and Nancy O’Toole has created such wonderful stories that feel recognizable and fresh at the same time. A unique spin on a classic fairy tale, A Dance with Magic is a captivating and romantic novella and a great addition to The Twin Kingdoms series. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
melissathereadingnerd's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
The second book in The Twin Kingdoms series revolves around Queen Rebecca and her personal guard Zahir. It was a quick read and it sucked me right into the story. I enjoyed the whimsy magic elements, but I did feel like the love story aspect was kind of forced forward. Maybe because the story was short. I enjoyed this book, so three stars.
blushinurcheeks's review
3.0
Thank you so so much to Nancy O’Toole and BookSirens for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review!
I jumped into this one hoping I would enjoy it as much as I’ve seen others have, unfortunately that wasn’t the case for me. I think the fact that it’s marketed as “can be standalone” but is still the second book in a series harms it a bit. I felt the pacing was rather odd, perhaps rushed, and there was little to no time spent developing the world and the characters. I found it hard to connect to anyone or anything here. I also felt that calling it a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses is a bit of a stretch, perhaps the better word would be either inspired by or a take on as I felt no connection between the two stories. That being said, I can’t say I had no enjoyment, which is why I still believe it is 3 stars. I see all the potential for it to be a story I would have LOVED and I see where it is everyone else fell in love with this one. I also must applaud the dialogue. Sometimes went stories feel rushed, the dialogue is a headache, but I was rather pleased by it and felt that it was one of the strong suits of this story. I do think it could benefit being longer, and maybe then more space could be given to the world and characters. But as I said, while it wasn’t a story for me in specific, I see all the potential and where it is everyone else fell in love.
I jumped into this one hoping I would enjoy it as much as I’ve seen others have, unfortunately that wasn’t the case for me. I think the fact that it’s marketed as “can be standalone” but is still the second book in a series harms it a bit. I felt the pacing was rather odd, perhaps rushed, and there was little to no time spent developing the world and the characters. I found it hard to connect to anyone or anything here. I also felt that calling it a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses is a bit of a stretch, perhaps the better word would be either inspired by or a take on as I felt no connection between the two stories. That being said, I can’t say I had no enjoyment, which is why I still believe it is 3 stars. I see all the potential for it to be a story I would have LOVED and I see where it is everyone else fell in love with this one. I also must applaud the dialogue. Sometimes went stories feel rushed, the dialogue is a headache, but I was rather pleased by it and felt that it was one of the strong suits of this story. I do think it could benefit being longer, and maybe then more space could be given to the world and characters. But as I said, while it wasn’t a story for me in specific, I see all the potential and where it is everyone else fell in love.
rainnbooks's review
4.0
A Dance With Magic is book #2 in the Twin Kingdom series.
Nancy O’Toole keeps the basic content of the Twelve Dancing princess fairytale to expand on the story of Rebecca and Zahir whom we see being introduced in Book #1 The Rose and The Claw. A Dance With Magic can be read as stand-alone but to understand the dynamics of the war and animosity between the Kelvins and the Verdians, it is best advised to read them in order.
Queen Rebecca is ready to meet the diplomat from Verdia when unexpectedly there are more visitors on her doorstep than informed. The Prince and Princess of Verdia have joined the party and there’s a suspicious burst of magic across the country. Zahir in his capacity as personal guard to the queen has his task cut out for him as he unearths the magic of the dancing masquerade that Rebecca visits in the night.
Nancy O’Toole creates the world of illusion brilliantly but it is the plotline of the curse that impressed me most. It was wicked and devious. I wanted more time for the love between Zahir and Rebecca to develop but being a novella, we have to make do with the short and quick version. I want to thank the author for her character sketch of Rebecca, especially knowing that it is opposite to Rose in book #1. Unlike Rose, there’s a quality to Rebecca’s hidden emotions. The strength she conveys with her subtle and quiet approach to her feelings for Zahir was excellent. Viktor as the endearing prince from Verdia also deserves a mention as his insouciant attitude towards the more formal Kelvians was a joy to read.
It would have been interesting to read how the relationship between the 2 war-torn countries and the change in the relationship between Rebecca and Zahir would develop and the reason why I believe I would have been overjoyed with a full-length novel with this story.
A fascinating novella to immerse oneself into, A Dance With Magic was thoroughly enchanting.
Many thanks to the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Nancy O’Toole keeps the basic content of the Twelve Dancing princess fairytale to expand on the story of Rebecca and Zahir whom we see being introduced in Book #1 The Rose and The Claw. A Dance With Magic can be read as stand-alone but to understand the dynamics of the war and animosity between the Kelvins and the Verdians, it is best advised to read them in order.
Queen Rebecca is ready to meet the diplomat from Verdia when unexpectedly there are more visitors on her doorstep than informed. The Prince and Princess of Verdia have joined the party and there’s a suspicious burst of magic across the country. Zahir in his capacity as personal guard to the queen has his task cut out for him as he unearths the magic of the dancing masquerade that Rebecca visits in the night.
Nancy O’Toole creates the world of illusion brilliantly but it is the plotline of the curse that impressed me most. It was wicked and devious. I wanted more time for the love between Zahir and Rebecca to develop but being a novella, we have to make do with the short and quick version. I want to thank the author for her character sketch of Rebecca, especially knowing that it is opposite to Rose in book #1. Unlike Rose, there’s a quality to Rebecca’s hidden emotions. The strength she conveys with her subtle and quiet approach to her feelings for Zahir was excellent. Viktor as the endearing prince from Verdia also deserves a mention as his insouciant attitude towards the more formal Kelvians was a joy to read.
It would have been interesting to read how the relationship between the 2 war-torn countries and the change in the relationship between Rebecca and Zahir would develop and the reason why I believe I would have been overjoyed with a full-length novel with this story.
A fascinating novella to immerse oneself into, A Dance With Magic was thoroughly enchanting.
Many thanks to the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
halopink's review
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
I received an ARC for free from book sirens & am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wish this book has about 50-100 pgs more just so things could develop and be fleshed out a bit more. Another draw back was that the two perspectives were almost indistinguishable.
Otherwise, I found the writing to be very readable and the story to flow well. Overall, a quick, fun read.
I wish this book has about 50-100 pgs more just so things could develop and be fleshed out a bit more. Another draw back was that the two perspectives were almost indistinguishable.
Otherwise, I found the writing to be very readable and the story to flow well. Overall, a quick, fun read.
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