And I’m back!

Back with another author spotlight and this time I’m featuring an author who wrote “the fairy tale you wish you’d read before some old guy with questionable ethics ruined the genre.”

Sounds promising right?

I think so.

Francesca reached out to me to see if I would be interested in reviewing her book – The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes – but unfortunately, I’m backlogged. But I still wanted to bring this book to y’all’s attention. I’m always down for a fantasy/fairytale story. This sounds like a fun read that would be a nice escape from reality.

But before I show off this book and you can read what it’s about plus an excerpt, let me introduce Francesca!

Born in Rochford in 1995, Francesca Burke decided at an early age that the worlds inside books and television were infinitely preferable to the real one. Initially put off the idea of being a writer because it requires one to sit alone and ignore people, she now finds sitting alone and ignoring people to be the most satisfying parts of the job.

Social media links: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, blog, Patreon, Ko-Fi, website, stories blog.

Welcome to the fairy tale world of the Three Kingdoms. One magical island. Three monarchies buckling under political tensions. No chance of anyone acting how they would in a bedtime story.

Initially published in 2019 on Francesca’s Patreon, ‘The No. 1 Reader’s Club,’ and on her blog, as well as on WattPad and Archive of Our Own, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes was partially funded by patronage and has been well received by early readers, with reviews describing it as ‘reminiscent of Lemony Snicket’. 

The ebook is available to buy and borrow on Kobo, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookmate, RedShelf, ProQuest and more.

Author Francesca Burke’s debut novel The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes is a young adult fantasy in which unwieldy teens embark on non-health-and-safety-approved quests through their magical, politically conflicted island home, the Three Kingdoms, and uncover secrets that risk destroying the kingdoms completely. 

Blurb:

On the magical island of the Three Kingdoms, disparaged teenagers quest to save their people from dragons, duplicity and dictatorship. This is a book of fairy tales, but not of happy endings. Don’t expect to fall asleep to sweet dreams when you’re done.

Interested now?

Well, you should be!

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SYNOPSIS:

The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes explores modern day issues including political tension, cultural diversity and the difficulties of adolescence through the lens of the magic and societies of the Three Kingdoms. Princess Amelia’s home, the Kingdom of Mirrors, is on its knees, ravaged by the cantankerous Sapphire Dragon.  Amelia must find a way to rid her country of its unwelcome guest and work out how to restore its fortunes before her parents marry her off to clear the kingdom’s debts. Prince Richard of the Valley of Dreams knows he’s not very heroic… he’d rather read about quests than actually go on one. But when he finds himself travelling to a haunted tower, he discovers a treacherous conspiracy that could rip the Three Kingdoms apart… and learns there might be some heroism tucked up his sleeve after all. Esme Delacroix is a psychic living in Stormhaven, the only part of the Three Kingdoms where magic is taboo. A terrifying vision sends Esme and her friend Violet on a perilous quest that shakes Stormhaven and the Three Kingdoms to its core. 

Goodreads / Amazon

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And I also have a little excerpt for y’all to enjoy!

I hope y’all check this book out and I’m looking forward to eventually reading it. I need work and life to slow down so I can really dive into my TBR. It’s staring at me, judging.

I want to thank Francesca for reaching out and if you’re interested, you can check out the blog tour for The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes!