Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen
In a world where fairies lurk and curses linger, love can bleed like the prick of a finger…
Briar Rose knows her life will never be a fairy tale. She’s raising her siblings on her own, her wages at the spinning mill have been cut, and the boy she thought she had a future with has eyes for someone else. Most days it feels like her best friend, Henry Prince, is the only one in her corner…though with his endless flirty jokes, how can she ever take him seriously?
When a mysterious peddler offers her a “magic” spindle that could make her more money, sneaking it into the mill seems worth the risk. But then one by one, her fellow spinner girls come down with the mysterious sleeping sickness…and Briar’s not immune.
If Briar wants to save the girls—and herself—she’ll have to start believing in fairy tales…and in the power of a prince’s kiss.
Tour Dates: October 3-14
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Excerpt
She never asked Henry to walk her to the cottage. But that was the way with a Prince, as everyone said. They acted out of habit, and once a habit was established, it stayed that way. His new habit appeared to be trying to keep her mind off of Wheeler.
“They’re ridiculous,” he said scornfully as the couple in front of them touched hands for a few moments before separating again.
Briar’s heart cracked a little more. She remained silent, but fingered the fancy comb holding up her hair. The comb that Wheeler had given her for Christmas. And now they’re going to our pond. Is there no other place he can take her?
“You can hold my hand if it would make you feel better,” Henry said. He held out his calloused, grease-laden fingers for her to grab. His hand had grown since the last time he’d offered it to her.
She sighed. Henry. He was there when her family moved into the valley and would likely still be there when they moved out. She was told there’d never been a time when Sunrise Valley didn’t have a Henry Prince in it. From son back to father to grandfather and beyond, and none of them had ever gone anywhere. They were known as a reclusive family, hardly leaving their farm. Except for Henry. He was different.
Briar’s family had only been in the valley since Pansy was born. They were supposed to be traveling through, but then Da got a job at the new factory and they stayed. Mam worked, too, but developed the coughing sickness from all the cotton in her lungs. She died when the twin boys were born, and then when Da died of consumption, the Jenny children were stuck there, like weeds that nobody wanted.
Briar didn’t intend for them to stay any longer in Sunrise Valley than they had to. She would find a way out for her sister and brothers. Back to the Old Country like Mam wanted for them. Back to where they would fit in. And Henry Prince was not that way.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Unguarded, she laughed. This particular Henry Prince was also known for being an audacious flirt.
My Thoughts
This book is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Briar is a orphaned girl and she has two twin younger brothers and a younger sister. Briar works at a spindle mill to help care for her siblings. Briar lives in a boardinghouse during the week by the mill and on Saturday afternoons and Sundays she goes home to her siblings. A nanny looks after the kids while Briar is at the mill working during the week.
One night on Briar's way home she runs into a peddler who wants to gift her a wooden spindle. The wooden spindle will help her replace her messed up spindle so she can make more money for her family. Little did she know it was a curse!
And there's Henry, you can tell from the beginning he is in love with Briar, but she's still trying to get over Wheeler. Once she gets over Wheeler she realizes what was in front of her the whole time, Henry. I love Briar and Henry's relationship it is so sweet.
I absolutely loved this book and I could not stop reading it. I also loved the historical fiction aspect of the story set in the Industrial Revolution era. And I loved the characters Briar and Henry. Briar is such a compassionate person, making sure her siblings are cared for and she also cares for her friends at the boardinghouse. Henry is perfect for Briar! All in all, I definitely recommend this book!!!
I received a copy from Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for a honest review.
I received a copy from Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for a honest review.
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About the Author
SHONNA SLAYTON writes historical fairy tales for Entangled TEEN. Cinderella's Dress and Cinderella's Shoes, set in the 1940s are out now. Spindle, a Sleeping Beauty inspired tale set in the late 1800s, will be out October 2016.
She finds inspiration in reading vintage diaries written by teens, who despite using different slang, sound a lot like teenagers today. When not writing, Shonna enjoys amaretto lattes and spending time with her husband and children in Arizona.
The best way to keep in touch is by signing up for her monthly newsletter. She sends out behind-the-scenes info you can't read anywhere else. Sign up is on the sidebar of her website Shonna Slayton.
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Chapter by Chapter Blog Tour
Kendra! Thanks for hosting a stop on the tour. I'm a big fan of Henry myself :)
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