I liked learning what happened to Elaine after the events in [b:Traitor's Masque|28193548|Traitor's Masque (Andari Chronicles, #1)|Kenley Davidson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1560296803l/28193548._SY75_.jpg|47951865], and this turned out to be a good Rumpelstiltskin retelling. I liked Elaine, Will, and Blaise as characters. I also liked the gradual romance between Elaine and Will. (I can't wait until Blaise gets his story) Additionally, I enjoyed how the Rumpelstiltskin elements flowed well into this story.

Some books resonate so perfectly with my tastes and engage my heart so profoundly that I hesitate to recommend them to others, because no one will appreciate them the way I do.

This is one of those books.

This is a retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" that hits the plot points of the fairy tale in some brilliant ways that enrich the story but don't keep it from being a unique and original novel. I guessed two of the big twists early in the story, some of the dialogue is unnatural, and the ending gets a bit gooshy. But I don't care about that. I love this story. It found me at exactly the right moment and claimed a piece of my heart.

This book is about three lovely, lost and deeply flawed people who turn to art and to each other when they're trapped by the harsh realities of the world and the cruel demands of powerful people. It's about the power of art to provide beauty and show truth. It's about the ties of friendship that cause people to make sacrifices for those they care about. These themes and characters resonated deeply with me and turned it from a pleasant little fairy tale into something beautiful and meaningful and one of my new favorite stories.

By all means, if this story sounds at all interesting, go ahead and read it. Just know that it's not possible for you to love it more than I do.

Kindle Unlimited e-book

I had a really hard time with this one, and it wasn't due to the writing as that was good. I just could not connect with the characters at all. it was unfortunate that the epilogue felt more intriguing than the rest of the book.

Torbert Melling was a man who knew how to get what he wanted. And, since before he was old enough to speak in sentences, he had never failed to do so. Whether by asking, or simply by taking, he satisfied his own desires and built a magnificent kingdom out of money and ambition until it matched the size and scope of his dreams.

Elaine is so...I don't know...annoying? I did not like her and could not relate.

Almost everyone she knew was able to overwhelm her with words. Particularly the men. They would simply talk and talk and talk until she was too confused to form a ready answer, and when she hesitated, they assumed her witless. Would her fiancé have done the same, she wondered? Used words to keep her small and out of the way? Or would he have used them to defend her? To bear the burdens that distressed her without also removing the ones she wanted to keep for herself?

Will was interesting to begin, but then he became so boring. I couldn't help but feel like their relationship didn't make sense. I don't know I just wasn't feeling the chemistry.

“I came looking for ghosts," he announced conversationally, “or rats, but you are clearly neither, though I suspect if you do not eat what is on that tray you may soon be a candidate for the former.”

Blaise honestly was the most interesting character, yet he has the smallest role. I would have rather read a story about him. I kept hoping at any moment, his secret girlfriend/boyfriend would pop out of somewhere because he was such a sweet soul and how could anyone not like him? Maybe he reminds me of the movie Powder, which I always liked.

“Exploring," Will replied, as offhandedly as he could manage. “Can’t imagine why all this space up here has gone unused so long.” “Can’t you?” Blaise asked. “And here I thought it was to give me all the trappings of the mad genius: living alone amidst the dust and the echoes and the emptiness, feeding my crazed dreams on loneliness and despair.”

Not the greatest addition to the Andari Chronicles, but I'll still read the next one because I did like the Traitor's Masque.

4 stars