Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it’s not the book for me. DNF @ 16%.

This is the perfect read for anyone who likes a dark twist on the classic fairytale as well as romance. I actually read this series out of order, but it doesn't matter since each is a standalone. You can grab any of the books depending on the fairytale world you are interested in.

Despite the rather unbelievable premise (women never choose their grooms in such a manner, at least not that I am familiar with), it was a solid read. I will be honest and say I can't recall exactly why I requested it, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Megan’s fathers orders her to choose one of three brothers as a husband. She gets a magic mirror that shows her the future of each marriage. I loved the idea of the special mirror! (Where can I get one of those?)

I liked Megan enough as the main character. I don’t have any issues with the brothers per say, but the character development for them isn’t as much as I would have liked.

The reason my rating isn’t a high one is because the author didn’t really make each possibility with the brothers something new and different. It was actually quite repetitive.

All in all, the overall aspect of the story was good. I just wish I could’ve enjoyed the writing a bit more. I'd still recommend the book, it just wasn’t a favorite for me.

The premise of this book was very very interesting and I really wanted to know how the author would write about this idea of getting to know the consequences of your choices before you even make it. The story is well written and I finished it in almost a single setting, but it definitely did get repetitive after a certain point. Despite the different choices, the events in the future remained almost the same with very slight variations and though it was ultimately a good story, I think I had a little more expectation.

Barb Hendee sets a puzzle for her heroine. She replaces her dead sister and must choose one of three brothers for her husband. An enchanted mirror shows her the life she would live with each brother, Rolf, Sebastien, or Kai.
Which will she choose? Each has good and bad points. Read and find out.

The idea behind this book is unique. By her father’s order, a young woman named Megan must choose one of three brothers as a husband. A magic mirror appears and shows her the future consequences of each marriage. Megan then uses that knowledge to make her choice, after which she forgets the other two possible outcomes and lives out the life she chose.

In practice, the book is a bit repetitive, and because it’s essentially three stories in one book, the character development isn’t as deep as it might otherwise be. Each of the three sections starts in the same way, although the further forward in time the narrative goes, the more they differ as events play out. It’s interesting to see how the alternate futures diverge over time, even if it’s harder to get invested in the characters and really care what happens to them.

The biggest weakness in the story for me was that I had an idea early on which brother would be the eventual choice, just because of how he was described. I did like the fact that there’s no perfect future; somebody dies in each scenario, and Megan can’t alter events, since she forgets what she’s seen. Still, even though the author tries to make the outcome of each choice have something attractive about it, one of them clearly has more positives than negatives, which diluted the impact of the ending.

I’m curious about the next entry in the series, though, and whether it’s possible for the author to balance the benefits and costs of each outcome more evenly, making the choice between them less obvious. I think I’m going to give it a try and see, even if this book was only so-so for me.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

The premise of this book had me hooked immediately - who doesn't love to think about how a story would've turned out if a character made just one decision differently? A book that actually shows you the different possibilities? Sign me up!

Beside that, I was also curious to see how the author managed to make each possibilitiy new and fresh, and not repetitive. Short answer: She didn't. There are long parts where everything is exactly the same, and even the wording doesn't change. By the time I reached the third possibility, I was skipping paragraphs at a time, reading only what was different to before. It was a relief when I finally reached the part where the storylines started to diverge more strongly.

That being said, it is a good book. The characters especially are very well-written, and you get to know them quite well while reading about the three possibilities. The premise is intriguing and once you get past the repetitive parts, the different possibilities are interesting.

If not for the repetitiveness, this would probably have been a five star book. As it is, I can only give it three and am left feeling oddly dissatisfied.

I always look forward to a good "what if" story, so I jumped at the chance to read THROUGH A DARK GLASS. Who wouldn't want to see the different outcomes a single choice could result in? This premise is a minefield of opportunity.

Unfortunately, THROUGH A DARK GLASS fell flat for me. The characters and the rules of the world are never completely fleshed out. Megan is special and capable, but she was overshadowed by her beautiful, older sister. The plot conveniently disposes of the sister, allowing Megan (who has a magical power, while no one else appears to have one) to encounter the magic mirror that lets her view three different futures. But we never really learn the how and why of it.

More importantly, Megan forgets the possible futures after she's lived through them. She has no opportunity to grow or to change any outcome. And because she's unaware that she's living through the same moments, entire paragraphs are repeated. I would have loved to read about Megan utilizing what she'd learned from the mirror to make a better life for herself. Instead, THROUGH A DARK GLASS relies on stereotypes and repetition to progress the plot, rather than motivation and character growth.

Our main character Megan is in a bind. Her sister was betrothed as a bargain her father made to pay off this debts. Her sister has just died, but the debts are still to be paid, so Megan is going to be the bride.

She does get the choice of which brother to chose.
~ Rolf, the eldest: stern, ambitious, and loyal?
~ Sebastian, the second son: sympathetic, sly, and rebellious?
~ Kai, the youngest: bitter, brooding, and proud?

This is where the mirror comes in. It shows her what her life will be like with each brother. While each story starts the same, Megan’s choices concerning her husband will lead her to a different place.

I love this book so much. It was an excellent premise and it was executed so well. I loved the subtle differences with each timeline. My only criticism is that each timeline has similar plots, so by the time I got to the third timeline, it was a bit repetitive.

It’s got some fantasy elements, like the mirror. There are mentions of witches; the main character has a supernatural disposition for discernment and can use it to read motives and thoughts one person a day. Otherwise this reads like a historical fiction.

I’d recommend this book and can’t wait to see where this series goes. There are so many ideas and places this mirror can go.


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Kensington Books for the opportunity to review this book.

Megan finds out on her eighteenth birthday she is to marry one of the Volodane brothers after her sister dies. Her family is heavily in debt but are still a family of standing. The Volodane's have wealth but no standing in society. The match will improve their standing in society and help Megan's family with their debt. Her only saving grace is Megan gets to choose which of the three brothers she wants to marry.

During dinner, Megan becomes flustered knowing she's being forced to do this and she has to get some fresh air. Once she flees, she goes to a cellar she frequented as a child for comfort. There a lady appears in a magic mirror and offers Megan a chance to see her future with each of the brothers, thereby helping her make the right choice for her.

Through a Dark Glass was an unexpected read for me! The blurb intrigued me, but I usually do not read Young Adult. I was pleasantly surprised! This book was very interesting and definitely held my interest. It has a historical feel because of the rules of society and how women were viewed during this period of time.

The idea of getting a glimpse of one's future when faced with a difficult choice leads to quite a story! Although some of the events still happen with each brother, each vision has a twist. Each vision was different enough though with each brother having their own way of treating Megan. I had my favorite brother, and in the end I knew which I would have chosen. I was pleased when Megan chose the same path!

If you are looking for a fanciful romance, this is not that book though. There are romantic elements, but that is not the main focus. This story was well-written and moved along at a good pace. Being the first book in the Dark Glass series, I see subsequent books having bigger variances in the visions of the choices to make. I enjoyed it, and all and all, it was a good start to Barb Hendee's new series!

5 Stars/2 Flames
This book was gifted to me and I chose to leave a voluntary review. The review and ratings are solely my opinions.

reviewed by Deb

** I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

When Megan's sister dies suddenly she is forced to take her place and marry one of three sons from a questionable family. The only choice that she is given is which one will become her husband. Overwhelmed by these sudden events she hides in a pantry where she finds an enchanted mirror. She is given the opportunity to know how her life would turn out to be with all three men. She learns quickly that there is no straight path to happily ever after. These men all have secrets, ambitions, and flaws. And with each choice, she makes there are consequences, heartbreak, and loss.

I really enjoyed this read and found it to be different and refreshing from what I usually pick up. I enjoyed watching each choice play out and struggling with Megan to know which is the path she should take. At times some things would be a little repetitive as some scenes were very similar to another with only a few slight changes but I would expect that with this kind of book. I really enjoyed getting to know each of her prospective husbands from different viewpoints and loved not just the romantic relationships but the friendships she made with each man as well. We get to see Megan grow into three different wives. Se starts of as nieve and timid often channeling her mother to know the right way to carry herself and decisions she should make. But in the course of the story with each path she grows and develops into a strong woman who loves with all her heart.

Through a Dark Glass is the first installment in author Barb Hendee's Dark Glass series. 17-year old Megan is the youngest daughter of the House of Chaumont. She has a special talent that has long provided an advantage for her father. But, after her older sister unexpectedly dies before the arrival of her suitors who she is supposed to pick whom to marry, Megan is shoved into the untenable position of having to choose between three brothers; Rolf, Sebastian, and Kai Volodane's.

This is where things get very intriguing. You see, before this story ever takes place, there was a vain lord who enslaved a young witch so that he might force her to use her powers. His most prized possession was a three-paneled mirror which he could see himself from several angles. Seeking revenge on said Lord, the witch imbued her powers into the mirror hoping to trap him in the mirror. But, it cost her in the end and her spirit fled into the mirror itself.

The mirror and the young witch would later seek out those facing difficult decisions and show them the outcomes of their choices. This is where Megan comes in. Megan discovers said mirror. The woman in the mirror tells Megan that she is at a crossroads. She has 3 different paths for which to choose from. Megan will get a chance to live out her 3 different paths. Without getting too far involved in each particular story between Megan and the three Volodane's, I will say this, Megan is shown what life would be with each brother.

Megan is told that once her choice is made, she will never remember what life would have been had she chosen the other brothers instead. Each brother offers something entirely different for Megan, but none of them really uses Megan's unique gift of seeing a persons intentions. There is repetition throughout this book because you have to follow Megan and each brother as they not only arrive at Megan's new home in a run down castle, but her choices with the brother she chooses. There are also entirely different futures involved depending on whom she chooses.

I will say that like others, I was skimming past certain aspects of the story by the time we arrived at Kai and Megan's story. There are sometimes big differences between the three brothers as well. Rolf wants a seat on the Council of Twelve; Sebastian is kind, gentle, almost too sweet to be believable and he carries a secret; while Kai is the dangerous brooding younger brother who carries a sword with him. He's not all that fancy about being married to someone in order to raise his families status. Who will Megan choose? Will the person she chooses be the right choice? Or, will she end up alone and unhappy? What's interesting to me was how Megan's overall personality and her choices changed with each brother. In the end, the obvious choice was the obvious choice.

The story in this novel is a unique one in that it's three similar stories with the same characters. The opening sets up the stage - the MC is told she has to choose between the three sons of a lower Noble family (who she is being sold to by her higher Noble father) and while she is panicking over the choice, a magic mirror offers to show her the different futures she will have with either of them.

Then the story shows is the three different paths her life takes. In one she ultimately gets respect, in another she receives safety and ultimately Independence and in the last, she gets love and belonging. Neither of the choices are bad, in fact, in each she goes through a series of ups and downs to get a happy ending. The choice is in what she wants for herself, and trusting herself to that decision after she makes it and loses memory of the precognitions shown to her.

But the uniqueness of the book is also its flaw - the stories are repetitive. There are some minor differences according to which choice was made, but some scenes are the same and play out similarly across all three scenarios and are being repeated on text, too, despite the reader already reading through two iterations of the former. Some were pivotal, I agree, like when she first arrives in the manor to how she takes charge of the household but some others feel pointless - like her writing to her father about Allemond (and of which nothing comes about) or the preparations for the first dinner or even what dress she wears during that dinner!

And there isn't much character development when you think that these four men behave differently in each scenario. Kai doesn't seem like a good soul until like Sebastian's scenario or passionate until his own. Also, the fact that in different scenarios they behave differently to their father bullying her. On the whole, as an experiment in storytelling it works out well, but if you think deeply about it, it is just the excitement of which choice she's going to make that keeps the story going. The writing is okay, but not impressive

Shortly, it's an interesting read and if you like romances it is for you. But it can also be repetitive and bland at times.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Rebel Base Books, via NetGalley.

When Megan Chaumont's sister dies, it's up to Megan to take her place in a marriage bargain her father has set up. Three brothers will arrive and Megan has to chose which one she will marry. Megan was never meant to marry and she doesn't know how she is supposed to chose. It's serendipitous when a mirror appears which will show her the consequences of choosing each of the brothers. She will be shown the life she will have with each brother and then she will make her choice. Once she has made her choice her memory of the mirror and what she has viewed will disappear. So, which brother will she chose?

I've started 2018 off with a bang! I loved this book! I don't read much fantasy YA, but I like Barb Hendee so I decided to give Through a Dark Glass a try. I am so glad I did, it was such an interesting concept. The mirror shows the beholder the life they will live when they make a certain choice. 17 year old Megan sees the life she will share with each brother if she chooses to marry him and then once she has viewed them, she then has to decide the kind of life she wants to live. Each brother offers her something that she wants for herself; power, independence, love. She must decide what she wants most.

I admit, that I had guessed which brother she would pick before her futures were shown to her and I became especially certain as the book came on. However, that didn't mean that the book didn't hold surprises, each of the brothers showed some secret part of themselves that you wouldn't have known about if it weren't for the mirror. And, as each future held death, exile or both for someone it made the choice harder to make because of the consequences for characters you had come to understand and unexpectedly like.

This book was hard to put down, despite thinking I knew who Megan would choose that didn't make reading this any less enjoyable and speculating any less fun. This was a great book full of intrigue and romance and for any fans of fantasy and/or YA I highly recommend you pick it up and give it a try. I can't wait to read the next book where the mirror will once again show someone three different paths they can follow in a pivotal moment in their life. I can't wait to find out the dilemma and what they'll chose.

Through a Dark Glass
by Barb Hendee (Goodreads Author)
1372248
Jo (Mixed Book Bag) Jones's review Jan 02, 2018 · edit
it was amazing
bookshelves: fantasy, netgalley, series

This is the first book in a new series by Barb Hendee and it is the first book I have read by Barb Hendee. I found it fascinating and very hard to put down. This is three stories about three different brothers and the one woman who must choose which one to wed. Part of each story starts with the trip after the wedding and each one features a different brother as the chosen husband. All of this happens when Megan of Chaumont finds a magic mirror that shows her life with each bother. I really interesting concept and a wonderfully fun read. I stayed up late to finish the book and see which brother she chose. I can't wait to see who uses the mirror in the next book.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This was a novel with a lot of drama. And it is one that I've read before unfortunately. A girl has to choose between so many guys, and she has to find out which path will be the best choice.

Megan finds out on her eighteenth birthday she is to marry on of the Volodane brothers after her sister dies. Her family is heavily in debt but are still a family of standing. The Volodane's have wealth but no standing in society. The match will improve their standing in society and help Megan's family with their debt. Her only saving grace is Megan gets to choose which of the three brothers she wants to marry.

During dinner, Megan becomes flustered knowing she's being forced to do this and she has to get some fresh air. Once she flees, she goes to a cellar she frequented as a child for comfort. There a lady appears in a magic mirror and offers Megan a chance to see her future with each of the brothers, thereby helping her make the right choice for her.

Through a Dark Glass was an unexpected read for me! The blurb intrigued me, but I usually do not read Young Adult. I was pleasantly surprised! This book was very interesting and definitely held my interest. It has a historical feel because of the rules of society and how women were viewed during this period of time.

The idea of getting a glimpse of one's future when faced with a difficult choice leads to quite a story! Although some of the events still happen with each brother, each vision has a twist. Each vision was different enough though with each brother had their own way of treating Megan. I had my favorite brother, and in the end I knew which I would have chosen. I was pleased when Megan chose the same path!

If you are looking for a fanciful romance, this is not that book though. There are romantic elements, but that is not the main focus. This story was well-written and moved along at a good pace. Being the first book in the Dark Glass series, I see subsequent books having bigger variances in the visions of the choices to make. I enjoyed it, and all and all, it was a good start to Barb Hendee's new series!

5 Stars/2 Flames
This book was gifted to me and I chose to leave a voluntary review. The review and ratings are solely my opinions.

This was a very interesting story told in a fairy tale manner, but for adults. It also read like historical medieval fiction as well as in the fantasy/fairy tale genre. The alternate versions/visions of the main character's timeline were an interesting hook. I was definitely intrigued. The idea that there will be more stories in this world linked by a "magic mirror" and alternate versions of an individuals life based on a specific pivot point is also engaging enough that I'd pick up other books in this series, but I also like that they would work as standalone tales if you hadn't read any of the others. Kudos for a good idea!

This book started slowly and ended somewhat abruptly. The concept wasn't bad so you become somewhat invested in knowing how things will turn out with each over her choices. Not even to read the next book or look for any other books written by this author but enough not to stop reading. This is a book you read while waiting for the book you actually want to read to come out. Like I said...it's a mediocre read