Entwined: A Young Adult Fairy Tale Romance―Twelve Princesses, Dark Magic, and Mending Broken Hearts

My mom insists that she was never really into fairy tales when she was little. I insist she's lying. Maybe she wasn't the dress up like Cinderella and run around the backyard pretending to talk to woodland creatures type, but I promise you that at one point in her life someone read her a story about a princess in a far away kingdom, etc, etc and she pictured herself in a big poofy dress holding court over the the family dog and her rather large collection of gerbils. Little girls (even the non-girly types) love princesses and talking animals and handsome princes. That's why Disney was invented right? Fairy tales: it's what we do (I feel like that should be on a shirt somewhere). I, myself, spent the vast majority of my childhood playing princess with my stuffed animals and I have the crown (and the superiority complex) to prove it. But I digress, why do we really love fairy tales? I maintain that it is because they are so contradictory. There are always two sides to a good fairy tale. First, the fluff. The beautiful princess, the charming castle, the enchanted forest and the handsome prince. But something sinister lurks in the dark. In all of these stories there is fear. Witches, dragons, imprisonment, and (almost without exception) death. That's what makes the story so great. You're enchanted, but you're afraid at the same time.Entwined in a fairy tale lovers dream. It is beautiful, witty and tragic. There were times during the book where I laughed out loud (usually because of the main character's closest sister, Bramble), there were times when I was grinning like an idiot and there were times when I was so freaked out I had a little trouble going to sleep. This book is magic, plain and simple. Dixon tells the story of Azalea and her eleven sisters. Their mother has died and their father, the King, is distant and can't be bothered with them. The house is in mourning for a whole year and the girls are forbidden from dancing, which is the only way they find comfort. They find a magic passageway that takes them to a silver forest where they can dance every night. However, the sinister Keeper wants something in return. Meanwhile the girls struggle to come to terms with the death of their mother and the absence of their father all while trying to navigate the sticky world of romance. This book is not just about fairy tales and princesses though. The main theme of the story is the importance of family.This is Dixon's first novel and she has done a magnificent job. One of the most amazing things was the character development. There are the twelve princesses and the king and queen, the household staff and several friends as well as Keeper and by about the fourth chapter you felt that you knew everyone! I found myself going "that's so Bramble" or "why does Delphinium have to be so grumpy" as I read. I truly did not want this book to end. The whole experience was just too much fun. It was sweet and spooky and quirky and hilarious all rolled in to one big shining package. I have been scouring the internet looking for news of a sequel with no success thus far. I really hope Dixon decides to continue the story of Azalea and her sisters, they are too charming for her to stop now. This is a must read!For more reviews check out my blog at [...]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a refreshing change from all the dystopian and the paranormal romance stuff we've been seeing in the YA genre the past few years. And as Heather Dixon's debut work, this book shines. I'm eager to see how the author grows in the future.Azalea, the leading protagonist, had a strong personality. her sisters are her main priority, not men--not saying that she doesn't want to find love, but she doesn't put love first. She has responsibilities as future queen that she fully embraces, though they sometimes conflict with what she truly wants. And above all, her love of dancing truly brings out the most in this character: Dancing is a second language to her. It represents her childhood, the fun she has as part of her band of sisters, the love she has for her mother, and the responsibilities she must carry as a big sister and princess royale. When the laws of Mourning sweep away her right to dance, it's as if the world is taking everything joyous away from her, forcing her to face realities she isn't ready to take on. Despite there being 11 other girls in the story, each of Azalea's sisters stands out as her own character, and not one feels stereotyped. The only issue I faced while reading was I couldn't pinpoint the exact age of the girls, but it wasn't hard to imagine what age they might have been, based on the fact their parents named them in alphabetical order. Bramble and Clover were my favorites of the book--both were fun, had weaknesses and strengths, and truly grew with Azalea as the story progressed.The story could have benefited from tighter pacing, maybe with a few things reshuffled in terms of the order they went, but that did not make the book a less enjoyable experience. The tone of the story reminded me of a mix between Jane Austin (if she were alive today and wrote in a more modern fashion) and Diana Wynne Jones. Oh! And I loved how magic was weaved in throughout the story, though not so strong that it trumped the true magic within the characters and the world. The "Warm, flickery bit" of magic. Also, I found the setting descriptions to be enough to let my imagination run wild. The descriptions were visual and bright, but not so wordy that it slowed the pacing.Overall, I will definitely read this book again. I look forward to Heather Dixon's next book!**********UPDATE Feb 13th, 2015:*************And I DID read it again!My review hasn't changed, but I did delight in a few things to which I paid little attention the last time I read the book. Dixon's descriptions are grand, but I absolutely love the way she has Azalea describe the gentlemen that come through her world. I could write an essay on the importance of these Mourning interruptions, but then I'd spoil so much for you!Also, this second read has me adoring Lord Teddie. He's such a cute character. Definitely a favorite for me.

I loved what a light read this was. The cover is absolutely gorgeous. Heather Dixon does know how to write a good book. The book is a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses but with Heather Dixon's own touch and i loved the result. The way we get to glimpse through the old ages of kings and queens and their customs is amazing. It will make you a fan of retellings

Will read again. I enjoyed the book glad I have a good reading app on my phone. Reading any place any time.

This book I discovered through my love of names and their meanings. I am an unashamed name-lover and adore unusual and interesting names, even if I would never use them. The names of the princesses in this book peaked my interest so I bought a copy and sat down to read the first page… and didn’t stop until three hours later by which point I was 150 pages in!Based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Heather Dixon tells the story of Azalea and her eleven sisters. After their mother dies shortly after the birth of twelfth daughter Lily, the palace goes into mourning. The princesses love nothing better than to dance, but dancing is forbidden during mourning! Upon discovering a secret pavilion through a tunnel in the fireplace, the girls go there every night to dance at the Keeper’s pleasure. However, Keeper is a mysterious man and it is not too long until his sinister side shows itself.Full of everything a good fairy-tale should have (magic, royalty, magic and romance) Entwined certainly exceeded my expectations of it. Although the premise is familiar there are bits that will surprise the reader and the plot is actually quite dark at times. You become absorbed by the many aspects of the girls’ story and their lives.I loved this book and all it had to offer. However, I can see how this wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It is certainly quite a feminine book and I would think it would be more appealing to those with an interest in fantasy, fairy-tales and romance. That said, I would think it’s worth reading and very rewarding once you reach the end.

On retrouve l'atmosphère d'un conte de fées, mais avec une histoire et des personnages beaucoup plus approfondis! C'est un régal. C'est une excellente réécriture du conte des frères Grimm "the twelve dancing princesses".

Are you looking for a new romantic fantasy book? If so, "Entwined" is the book for you . It is full of love and magic.The book was written by Heather Dixon who is an American author and she grew up in a large family with ten siblings like Azalea who is a main character of the book. Azalea was the princess who is pretty, regal and lovable. Her passion for dancing cannot be beaten by anybody else. She had eleven sisters (princesses), and they lived together in the castle. Her sisters also loved dancing like Azalea. They had fun at the ball as always, but one night Azalea was asked to come her mother's bed room, she was extremely ill and Azalea knew that days of her life are numbered. Then her mother promised Azalea that she will take care of all her sisters instead of her mother and she gave her a traditional silver handkerchief. After her death, Azalea and her sisters' life completely changed because they were not allowed to dance anymore. It was a serious problem for them. One day Azalea discovered the Magic passage in the castle. It was absolutely magical, there were silver trees and forests everywhere and enchanted dancers danced in the room. Princesses danced every night in the room. After that, a lot of tragedies happened on them such as the keeper stole their watch and so on. Every time they faced those bad situations, magic helped them. One day, Azalea wondered Lord Bradford who she crushed for a long time since the beginning, really loved her because she did not feel his love for her very much. She felt that she is lonely because people around her started getting married. One day, the King came back to the castle from the war and he led her to the storage room and he gave her a brooch which is her mother's. She was so pleased but it was not the only thing that surprised her. When she returned to the hall from the storage room, there was Lord Bradford then he proposed to Azalea. The End. I really like this book because it is the complete package; the book cover is gorgeous and fantastic, this story is romantic, sweet, and magical like all girls love, and it is not too difficult to read. I really like the author's words choice in the book. They are so perfect, every single ward is magical and they explained their fantasy world perfectly. The length of this book is 472 pages. My age recommendation for the book is age 12 to 30 or more. I fully enjoyed reading the book. Literally this book is the best fantasy book ever.