Born an empath, I have the power- and burden- of hearing thoughts and feeling emotions of others. Retreating from the world, my only refuge is an ancient tower, but my haven is shattered when an injured man arrives with a plea to save the kingdom.
Liam is the perfect knight, yet one attribute makes me hesitate. He is immune to my powers. His thoughts are a mystery, his heart an enigma. And while I fear the unknown, I cannot resist the desire to unravel his secrets.
For I am Aura, one of the adopted daughters of Lady Eville. I have joined Liam in his quest to destroy a magical blight that ushers in darkness and poisonous thorns. The closer I get to the source, the more I sense threads of destiny weaving a deadly cage, and at the end of the journey lies a fate worse than death.
Chanda Hahn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reign An Unfortunate Fairy Tale. She was born in Seattle, WA, grew up in Nebraska and currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their twin children. She attended North Central University in Minneapolis Minnesota for Childrens Ministry. She was also a children's pastor, bookseller and children's librarian.
Books published by Chanda include the UnEnchanted series a.k.a. (Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series) and The Iron Butterfly series.
Chanda is represented by Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group. You can direct any inquiries regarding foreign, film, audio and translation rights to him. www.tridentmediagroup.com
This one started out pretty good, but as we went along I had a hard time following along. I've been struggling with some health issues lately and had some trouble focusing, but even so, this one was hard to keep up with. The end felt very dreamlike and also a bit forced. I've been enjoying this series and will continue reading it. But I just felt this book needed a little more tweaking.
If I could give more stars I would. This book was beyond my expectations. I don't even know where to begin writing this review. The heartache that we see Aura go through would brake a person. She thinks she is weak but she doesn't see that she is strong. The stuff she has feel. Sigh.
I know that most think that Lady Eville is just bad news and she would rather see you dead then survive anything. That is all wrong. She has a story. She has raised these girls to the fullest of their powers. She cares more then we see. I think she has a good reason for each of the girls and why she has them.
We get to meet Liam in this book. Is he who he says he is? Does he have secrets? I thought he would know more then he did. He is special on his own. You will pick up on little hints here and there that let us get the full story in the end.
This book touches some hard subjects. It doesn't go into those deep details that keep you from going on. It hits just the right notes to keep you aware that these things are going on. sex trafficking is something that goes on daily. Abusive relationships are hard on people. You sometimes think any attention is good attention. Mental Health. That is close to home for me. My bestfriends son committed suicided a few years ago. He is missed everyday. At the end of this book there is a short note to readers about why this author chose to write this in the story plus ways to reach out and get help.
You are going to read this book like you need it to survive. It has everything you need to become apart of the story.
Really not a fan of this one. Not sure if it wasn’t good or if my interests have just changed since reading the last one. I found the main character to be whiny and the love interest to be bland and too possessive. I liked the plot twist with the sleeping spell on everyone but I found the come up to that to be confusing. As well as all the heirs. But will I be continuing with the series? Probably. Hopefully they get good again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Omg...this book is a anthem for girls, and women alike. I absolutely love Aura. While on her journey to Rya she knows she is weak but during this journey, oh how she grows!! I love seeing character growth in a series, but in this particular book Aura’s character grew a lot. So much happens that I can’t divulge but my, oh my!! Several times I was a nervous wreck!! Liam...he is definitely book boyfriend material. *alright, I officially claim him* I was swooning!! This book is so different then the Sleeping Beauty we know and for that I love this book SO much more. If you enjoy reading fairytale retellings, this book is for you. It is imperfectly perfect. ♥️
I leave you with a quote from the book: “...Love yourself, and others will take notice and love you—for you.”
I love this series, however this book was not the vibe. 2.5 stars rounded up. I really disliked the amount of implied rape/abuse and trauma that saturated this book. I'll continue the series in hopes that the next are more like the first 3.
4.5 stars!! Why do Liam gotta be like that?:/ Aura is my favorite so far. Her story is one of resilience and growing. The horses dating advice made me laugh out loud and was probably one of the best parts of the book. It was the little scenes like that that make me love it more.
Liam made my eyes roll so much I’m surprised they aren’t stuck in the back of my head. A little bit too sassy and closed off for me, that’s why it’s 4.5 stars.
Yes! We finally get to hear Aura’s story and it is empowering. This is such a wonderful take on Sleeping Beauty. Aura is an empath and you can almost feel the weight that this would be to feel everyone’s emotions. Liam comes looking for Lady Eville for help removing the blight, only to be sidetracked by Aura. Liam is a strong, gentle knight and you just want him to succeed throughout the story. This is such a timely book as one of its strong themes is mental health, something that so many people are dealing with right now. This book sucks you in and won’t let you go. It’s an all-nighter book for sure! It is beautifully written!
True rating is probably a 3.5. This one was a roller coaster and had some trigger warnings. It deals with mental health and human sex trafficking. I was not expecting the ride this one put me on. Talk about true corruption. The prejudice that the previous books deals with is truly terrible, but rape and nonconsensual sex is always abhorrent.
Where to even begin. I can see why Lady Evil hates the kingdom of Rya after this book. This was the first one that I truly felt like I saw vengeance enacted, even though it wasn't Lady Eville's plan. This one has a prologue and an epilogue from different perspectives.
Aura is considered to be the weakest of her sisters because she is an empath. She hears the thoughts of others around her and can often be crippled by too many thoughts at once or when thoughts are too terrible for her to bear (she often feels sorry and overcome with distraught over thoughts of people going hungry or being tortured). Aura's empathy is different than what a human empath in our world is. Instead of feeding off the emotions around her like empath humans do, she is bombarded with those thoughts and feels the pain as if it is her own when she is near someone who is hurt or dying. Most empaths die by the age of 20 or are driven mad. Because of this, Aura has succumbed to the belief that she will live a lonely life with no husband, children, or family. She just wants to do good before the thought drive her to insanity.
Liam is trying to find a way to save the kingdom of Rya from the curse that has been enacted. He travels to the House of Eville to seek help. As far as heroes for this series, Liam is the most pure-hearted. A true and noble knight. He has magic of his own and is able to act as shield for Aura, sheilding her mind from the thoughts of those around her when he is touching her. He never once pressures her for anything, vowing to keep her safe and protect her virtue and honor. So different than the hero of the real story (who raped Sleeping Beauty while she slept. Seriously go read the original, it is messed up).
I was so happy to see Eden and Dorian in this book (they are still my favorites). Aura and Liam's travels lead them to the kingdom of Candor and it was such a sweet reunion between the sisters. I loved seeing the way Eden and Aura interacted and how Aura used her gift while both Dorian and Liam stood there and watched it unfold (with a ruined surprise thanks to Aura's gift).
This was the first book what we get to see the other sisters in, especially Honor. While Maeve is the one who helps in this book (so by following the formula, we know the next book will be her story), it was nice to meet the two remaining sisters that we have only met by name previously.
Allemar of course makes an appearance again. As far as villains go, I think he is kind of weak. But this could be due to him not having much page time. I'm hoping after the events in this book that we will get to know more about him in Maeve's book.
The retelling factor of this book was the same as the first two books. It used elements of the original story, but didn't feel like a true retelling (unlike the previous book which truly felt like a retelling of The Little Mermaid).
I switched between listening and reading this book, it came in handy when new creatures were introduced and I wasn't sure how to pronounce them. The narrator is the same for all the books. She does a good job and while I normally like a different narrator for a series to give each character a different voice, it somehow works for this series. Overall, it has come a long way since the first book. The books seem much more developed and the romances much more believable. The series is clean. While this one dealt with some heavy themes, there is no explicit scenes so I would say it's safe for younger readers.
All hail Queen Chanda!!! She has woven a tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and completely intrigued throughout!! Hahn touches on subjects not for the faint of heart but she handles them with care and discretion. So many twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I look forward to every book in the series because I know the adventure is going to be worth it.
Aura’s story is not your typical Sleeping Beauty. As an empath, she bears the weight of the world. Her best coping method is to withdraw herself from others while she learns to own her power. Thrust into the outside world, her journey is grueling and filled with emotion as she grows so much throughout.
A handsome stranger seeking the help of Lady Eville, Liam is ever the knight in shining armor that dreams are made of. Sworn to protect and serve, a true gentleman. Simply swoon worthy.
This is by far my favorite retelling in the Daughters of Eville series. I like that many different versions of sleeping Beauty were used to craft this story, and it worked super well as the narrative stands on its own as being very original, while sticking to the themes of the fairy tale. Liam and Aura are my favorite couple in the entire series, as I found Liam to be super likable and have found the romantic male leads in the past to be annoying. But, these two work really well and I enjoyed reading their romance.
Once again, we get to see more of the Eville family and I eat up those scenes so much. Seeing how Lady Eville develops as a character is great, and getting glimpses of other sisters and their dynamic is great too. I'm excited to read the next sisters story, as I've been waiting to see hers - but I won't spoil who it is. I also really liked that due to the nature of aura's magic, we got to read the thoughts of animals and it was super fun and cute to see her have conversations with them.
But yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Solid read, with tons of stakes and a lovely romance and theming. No real tropes of the genre in here, which was nice, and I think that's due to how much the authors writing has grown with this story and these characters. The world grows with each installment of the series, and I'm excited to read every book in the series. Pick this one up, you won't regret it!
LOVED THIS ONE JUST AS MUCH as the last, but i still love of sea and song just a little more. romance wise this one felt the most genuine with the proper build up, this one was not cringy at all and i loved how genuine it felt. love interest was kind of annoying tbh with the way he was treating aura but in my opinion it helped out the plot which is why it feels better then the other books. aura experiences immense character growth and i absolutely love how significant the difference is. she thinks of herself as weak but i love how throughout the story she gets annoyed when people think the same of her and starts fighting back. writing wise is was really nice, not too fast paced but not too slow either, i really think the author has it nailed at this point. and of course, i have to mention the plot twists, they were amazing as always. this one does talk about about some triggering topics so read at your own caution, even though it talks about some darker topics i think the author approached them very nicely and even left a heartfelt note at the end.
Of Thorn and Thread is the fourth novel in the Daughters of Eville story that continue with the fourth daughter, Aura. As with all the other novels in the series, which provide a unique fairy tale retelling, this story is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This novel went into more heavy subjects compared to some of the others in the series, which was unexpected. While it does not go into detail about each subject, it does keep the reader aware of them. Some examples are sex trafficking, abuse, and mental health, including depression. I liked the author’s note at the end of the story that gave more insight into the topics covered in the story.
Aura is an empath where she can feel the emotions and hear the thoughts of those around her. She internalizes a lot and isolates herself for her own protection. Liam from the kingdom of Rya approaches one day to the House of Eville to seek help to break a curse. Aura ends up with Liam on the journey back to Rya. Throughout the entire story, the reader gets to see Aura grow and I loved watching her become more confident in herself and her abilities. There is also an appearance by Aura’s sisters, including Eden and Dorian in the kingdom of Candor. There is also another appearance of the main villain Allemar, who is featured throughout the series. There isn’t a ton known about him, but it looks like he’s more prominent in the next novel, so it will be interesting to learn more.
Overall, the series continues to become more complex as each of the sisters have their own stories. Aura is thrust into the middle of this adventure and tries to figure it out as she goes along. Liam starts more mysterious, and it was nice to see him open up as the story moves forward. Like the other stories, Aura learns more about her past and why Lady Eville was set for revenge of the kingdom. The more the stories and secrets are revealed about each daughter, the more the reader also learns about Lady Eville. This installment kept my interest as I wanted to learn more about Aura and enjoyed her as a character. I looked forward to reading Maeve’s story in the fifth installment Of Mist and Murder, next!
It's always great to read about a new daughter of Eville and their own story of vengeance and how they find their love, not to mention the adventures they get to go on. Aura was one of the sisters I was interested to read about because she's an empath who not only heals and takes people's pain away but can also know what a person is thinking and feel their emotions. Aura and Liam were sort of awkward to read about because it seemed a lot of instalove on both their sides, due to everything happening quickly, but it could also be because the passage of time wasn't that noticeable. Aura's story was a unique take on Sleeping Beauty, with how weak she was at first and how strong and empowered she comes out at the end of the story in both her personality and with how strong her powers become.
I will admit it was easy to guess and figure out the twists of who the missing heir and who Tatiana's child were, but the story was still fun nonetheless. I sort of wish we had more of the vengeance towards Allemar that was promised at the end of the first book, but so far it's just been about each of the Eville daughters going on adventures and falling in love rather than stopping Allemar and whatever his plan is.
On that note, I'm interested in the next book and although I usually wonder who the next book is going to be about, I'm pretty sure the next one will be about Maeve everyone believes died. Maybe it'll be a Maeve and Aspen redemption arc? On the other hand, I can see maybe Maeve learning more about Allemar and his plans of using Aspen and Velora while being held captive and I can't wait to read about the last remaining 3 daughters!
I have been a fan of romance and fairy tales for almost all my life. I've honestly never cared for the story of Sleeping Beauty. I was more a fan of Maleficent, thank you Angelina Jolie.
Chanda Hahn has completely changed my view with Aura. An empath by birth, she has to be careful going out into public as she feels all the emotions of those around her. Her mother and sister try to shield her from public crowds.
So, how in the world is she going to go with a knight in shining armor (Liam) to help save his country from a blight?
This book kept me entertained throughout, keeping me awake a couple of nights to finish it. As a mom, that's not always an easy task! I tend to fall asleep while reading, but I couldn't put this one down. Chanda Hahn also tackles a few sensitive subjects that she has not addressed much in previous books, but does so gracefully. These are subjects that honestly need to be addressed in our society (slavery and trading of girls as well as mental health) and made me love the story all the more because of the compassion she shows and the care she takes of these two topics.
I definitely recommend you pick this one up as a quick, light read. I cannot wait for the next one!!!
3.5 stars. I'm in a bit of a reading slump right now. I haven't read one of these books in over a year so I had forgotten some of the lore. I like this series a lot, but found this one a little less compelling (Aura has never been my favorite sister). I also am glad the book after this was Maeve because I really enjoyed her. (I liked Mist and Murder a lot).
I thought that Liam was a really great love interest for Aura, and loved that he was a shield. She is terrifyingly powerful, it reminds me a lot of Jean Gray in that she's tortured by her power. Liam was very sweet and I appreciated that. From the very beginning he was very intent on never causing her harm.
I didn't love the brothel Arc in this book, and thought it felt slightly out of place in the series. I did however, love all of the sleeping Beauty retelling in this one. I thought the sleeping death was very cool, and that spindle magic was very creative. I liked the introduction of the fae into the series, and thought this was a fitting place for it, being Sleeping Beauty.
Since I read the next book already, every time Aspen shows up in this book I was like FLUSTERED because I really like him. I thought that was a funny, unintentional effect of reading the books out of order .
Wow, Of Thorn and Thread was a thrilling addition to this series, and I absolutely loved it.
Aura is an empath, which means she can feel peoples thoughts, people's feelings, and peoples' pain, which is really rough sometimes. I spent most of the story wanting to jump in and save her, or give her a hug. However, I also loved seeing her grow braver and fight for herself, and didn't always appreciate Liam stepping in to save her.
Ah, Liam. He's one of my favorite love interests in this series, because he was for the most part very nice, but he suffers from the same possessiveness and overprotectiveness that they all do. Their best friends always seem like much better, kinder choices than them, but to each their own, I guess. At least Liam wasn't the worst.
Then there was the plot. This was honestly one of the more entertaining plots, filled to the brim with kidnapping, romance, action, and emotion. The ending, especially, was dramatic and intense and thrilling, and it left off with the worst cliff-hanger so far.
This book also touched on some hard topics—sex trafficking, abusive relationships, and mental health/suicidal thoughts. Poor Aura really goes through some hard things, and seeing them on page was so real, heartbreaking, and important. The Author's Note at the end of the book really goes into more detail about why the author chose to add this in and ways to reach out for help.
I'm really looking forward to the next book, Of Mist and Murder, which will hopefully pick up right after that terrifying ending. I'm so excited, and waiting until June will be painful!
As an avid lover of the first three books in the series, I was so excited to finally get Aura's story! She is an empath and the author did such a compelling job of using context in this story to help explain exactly how Aura has to deal with the world around her, and how paralyzing it can be when her Mother and sister aren't helping to shield her. Aura is one of the most relatable Eville sisters so far.
While this is a Sleeping Beauty retelling - it is far from following the story too closely. I relate to her in the way that she tends to withdraw when the weight of the world she bears becomes too much to deal with. There is so much character development thrust into this book as she sets on an emotional journey, forced to deal with what I consider to be her mental wellbeing/illness. I loved how the author handled this without overdoing it, or making things feel forced or over-explained. It was woven in in a way that made Aura so much more of a dynamic and flawed character. I appreciate the grace that was used in tackling these hard topics.
The bit of romance sprinkled on top just takes the cake! Lots of twists and little turns that were eventful and surprising.
This one had a much darker undertone while tackling things like depression, suicide, mental illness, and sex trafficking and abuse. While none was overly detailed you still got enough of an idea of what was going on beneath the surface to get you to think about it. Aura and Liam make a great pair and I like how Aura strove to improve herself throughout the book to prove not only herself wrong but everyone else too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This has been my favorite story in the series so far. It takes a darker turn than the others, exploring themes like intrusive thoughts, forced drug use, and human trafficking. The twist on Sleeping Beauty was incredibly well done—I absolutely loved Aura’s story and the strength she showed in overcoming so much. That said, a content warning is important: the book includes discussions and attempted instances of sexual assault, so readers with SA-related triggers should proceed with caution.
I actually liked this—way better than the first few books.
That said, by the end, things started getting confusing. Also, how can such a powerful sorceress not detect if her daughter is alive? Maybe she was weakened after the spell, but what about after she recovered?
Diálogos cringey, pero la trama me ha molado más que los dos anteriores. Ya se está siguiendo un plot más de saga y no tanto de libros autoconclusivos. Termina "mal" cosa que se agradece. APARTE que el siguiente es un enemies to lovers, o eso me han contado, así que suuuu
2.5 stars rounded up I really wanted to love this but it fell a little flat compared to the first 3. It does set up the next book nicely and I'm excited to continue the series
I’ve really enjoyed the first 3 books and the sister’s stories and growth, but this one resonated with me more than the others. I saw myself in Aura and loved reading her character development throughout her story.