An Enemies-to-Lovers Fairytale Remix
Mirror of Malice
Stolen Crowns
Fantasy Romance, Fairytale Retelling
Independently published
January 24, 2023
Ebook, Paperback
334
I’m a prisoner in my own castle. Trapped by my apple-loving narcissist of a stepmother, desperate for my betrothed to rescue me.
Yet it’s not my one true love who comes—it’s the king of thieves.
He takes my stepmother’s mirror, the source of her power, but leaves with an additional treasure: me.
Now I’ve traded one prison for another. Penn Vanderbilt is cunning, captivating, and completely insufferable. He’s also secretive about his stolen goods . . . and the reason he kidnapped me.
Forget the thief’s plan. I’ve got one of my own: pretend to go along with his little scheme while plotting my escape.
I’ll only have to con the greatest con man alive. Never mind that I might be falling for him. The price of failing is my kingdom. But succeeding might just cost my heart.
Mirror of Malice is book one in Stolen Crowns, a series of steamy standalone but interconnected fairytale retellings. This enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract book is perfect for fans of banter, (very) snarky heroines, and slow-burn fantasy romance.
What if Snow White and Robin Hood fell for one another?
Tee Harlowe’s Mirror of Malice truly is a unique fairytale retelling that, at the same time, feels richly familiar. Harlowe weaves various classic tales into her version of Snow White (aka Princess Liliath). There’s the king of thieves in Mosswood Forest (Robin Hood), a pirate lord transporting stolen boys’ shadows and a vial of pixie dust (Peter Pan/Hook), and cursed princesses galore. Reading Mirror of Malice was like being on a scavenger hunt for the magic of my Disney-filled childhood. A magic mirror and poisoned apple? An evil stepmother? Gnarly magical vines that imprison a castle? Check, check, and check! All the fairytale “easter eggs” were a delight to discover throughout the narrative.
In this backdrop of the familiar, Harlowe builds a unique world in this new Stolen Crowns series. Princess Liliath, who we meet while trapped in the tower of her castle, is the princess of one of the courts on the continent of Arathia. Each court was gifted with elemental magic from the Seven Spirits: earth, sky, frost, fire, water, star, and shadow. It’s not just royalty who are powerful though. Harlowe describes a world where all people can wield or be susceptible to magic. Curses and conflict are around every corner.
Harlowe wastes no time getting into the action: within the first few pages, Princess Liliath is rescued from her tower by Penn Vanderbilt (the king of thieves) and taken in by his followers (with names much like Seven Dwarves). Her rescue comes with a price. She needs to train as a thief and join Penn on a dangerous mission. Throughout the story, you see how Liliath turns from a sheltered princess in a tower waiting to be rescued to a confident, strong, take-charge queen-in-the-making.
Meanwhile, Penn and Liliath’s slow-burn romance just gets juicier. Harlowe writes their dialogue with some legit spicy tension. Penn loves to get under Liliath’s skin, teasing her with comments like:
“Just so you know, there will be no doubt in your mind when you’ve been satisfied.” His voice was low, gravelly. “You’ll know it when your body is aching in all the right places.” He ran a finger along the side of my face, and I held back a shudder. “When your skin is damp with sweat. Your heart beating wildly. Lips swollen. You’ll feel completely satiated but somehow hungry for more.”
I am all in for the rest of the Stolen Crown series now. Not only was it a really fun read, but it ends with some unfinished business in Arathia. There are more courts to be saved and dark magic to overcome. The prequel novella, Spindle of Fire (a Sleeping Beauty retelling) is available now on the author’s website. I know what I’m reading next!
Celeste is a woman who is unwavering about certain things in life; three of those being books, cats, and cold brew coffee. If she can enjoy all three at the same time, it’s going to be a good day. Her favorite genres are fantasy or sci-fi romance, historical romance, and historical fiction but every few books she likes to mix it up with contemporary fiction, a good psychological thriller, or an inspiring memoir. She has a busy schedule working full-time for an online university but she makes sure to unwind each day with stories, either by reading to her elementary school-aged daughter or tucking herself in bed with her Kindle or the latest book she picked up at a local book store.
