Review: Beauty in the Tower

In case you haven't heard the terrific news, there is a fairy tale advent calendar you can access all month for free books from some of the best fairy tale authors! With so many books to choose from, it's no wonder princess stories have migrated back to the page. Among the books offered that I hadn't read, Beauty in the Tower by Sara Farnsworth stood out because it combines "Rapunzel" and "Sleeping Beauty." This seemed like such an interesting and fun combination that I've never seen before. I read a book that combines "Beauty and the Beast" with "Sleeping Beauty," but not "Rapunzel." Beauty in the Tower, the first book in the Realms of Caelia series, exceeded my expectations with its unique combination of romance, magic, and suspense. I also appreciate that the author put a trigger warning at the beginning of the book for anyone who might be uncomfortable by its darker elements, but thankfully, it did not go into too much detail during those parts and kept the tone pretty mild.

Princess Alora was cursed at her birthing ceremony by the wicked sorceress, Maligothel (a clever combination of Maleficent and Gothel) to prick her finger on a spindle and die on her eighteenth birthday. Fortunately, Prince Aldric, her betrothed, is determined not to let that happen. When the curse is altered to be broken by true love's kiss, Alora and her true love are prophesied to bring about Maligothel's downfall. The evil sorceress refuses to accept this and decides to take matters into her own hands. She kidnaps Alora, locks her in a tower, and tells her that her name is Rapunzel in the hopes that she will not learn about her true origins. Alora grows up sheltered, but not alone thanks to the guidance of Leonardo, the kind old wizard who made the prophecy. When she comes of age, Leonardo helps her escape right into the arms of Aldric, who has been searching for her most of his life.

I was particularly impressed by the complexity of the world and characters within this story. Everyone in the book is dealing with their own personal struggles, but they have hope for the promise of the day the prophecy will come true. When Aldric's family disappears, leaving him alone with a handful of servants, he refuses to lose faith that he will find Alora again. Their relationship reminded me a little of Odette and Derek from The Swan Princess due to his determination to bring her back and unite their kingdoms. Alora is reluctant to trust Aldric at first, but his devotion shines through and wins her over pretty quickly. The twin wizards, Leonardo and Lombardo, struggle to protect Alora and Aldric and teach them everything they need to know about their unique magical powers so they will be ready to defeat Maligothel when the time comes.

Something else I liked about this book is that most of the main characters had magic, but it worked differently for each one. Aldric discovers that he is a healer, a rare quality for a male lead in a fantasy story, and he uses these abilities to help Alora after her torturous struggle to escape Maligothel's clutches. Alora has numerous powers based on light and protection that help her stand up to Maligothel's dark magic. The most powerful beings in this world are wizards and sorcerers, but they do not see themselves as heroes and instead use their knowledge to train the next generation to defeat evil. An honorable mention goes out to Prince Lander, Alora's brother and the main character from the next book in the series, who does not have magic but makes up for it with his impeccable sense of humor.

Beauty in the Tower by Sara Farnsworth is a thrilling fairy tale retelling that masterfully weaves together elements of "Rapunzel" and "Sleeping Beauty." With its richly detailed world-building, complex characters, and sweet romance, this book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and fairy tales. I appreciated the unique magical abilities of each character, from Alora's light-based powers to Aldric's rare healing abilities. The story also strikes a great balance between lighter moments, such as Prince Lander's witty humor, and darker themes, like Maligothel's evil curse. Overall, this book sets up Realms of Caelia as a delightful and engaging series that will keep you turning the pages until the very end.