I just wasn't impressed with this one. Without the overly descriptive scenes (seriously, pages devoted to what kind of food they were eating and unnecessary scenery), this probably would have been a novella. This also reads very much like a middle grade novel, like a poorer written Prosper Redding. The nail in the coffin for me was how the author kept describing Ember's breasts. We get it, they're big. Please stop.

The Lantern’s Ember follows Jack and Ember. Jack used to be mortal until 500 years ago when he made a pact with the devil that led to him being sentenced as a Lantern. As a Lantern, his job is to guard one of the portals to the Otherworld and keep everyone – mortal and non-mortal – on their respective sides of the portal. He is supposed to immediately report to his supervisor if any mortal or supernatural creature ends up on the wrong side. Ember is a teenage witch who, thanks to Jack and his ability to conceal her witch light, has managed to live undetected in the mortal realm for most of her young life.

Until now, that is. Someone has detected Ember’s presence and wants to meet her. A handsome vampire named Dev is hired to retrieve Ember, not a difficult task since Ember has been itching to visit the Otherworld for as long as she has known of its existence. Jack, who has deemed himself Ember’s protector, has done everything in his power to deter Ember from the Otherworld, but the Vampire wins out and Ember slips away right under Jack’s nose.

Who could possibly be powerful enough to detect Ember when she should have been undetectable? How much trouble is she going to get into with her vampire in the Otherworld? Will Jack be able to find Ember now that she has a vampire cloaking her? And if he can find her, can he bring her home safely?


Ember was probably the highlight of the book for me, primarily because she’s the catalyst for much of the story’s action. She is smart, sassy, and stubborn. Because she can’t resist the call of adventure or the allure of a dashing vampire, Ember completely ignores Jack’s warnings about the dangers of crossing over to the Otherworld. Although Ember is a natural born witch, she is self-taught as to how to use her powers. The result of her lack of formal training is that she is completely clueless as to how powerful she really is until she arrives in the Otherworld. It was very entertaining watching her gradually learn how to more effectively channel her witch powers.

Aside from liking Ember, I also developed a soft spot for Jack immediately. He lives a nearly solitary existence, a shell of a man, with his soul tethered to a pumpkin that he must carry around with him. My love for Jack grew as soon as it became clear that not only has he been well aware of Ember’s presence in the mortal world since she was a small child, but instead of doing his job and turning her in, he has actually devoted himself to hiding her from those who would destroy her, serving as her self-appointed guardian. He has strong feelings for Ember but knows that nothing will ever come of them because he’s stuck being a Lantern. Jack earned bonus points from me when in spite of his sentence, he risks everything to follow Ember to the Otherworld.

There are endless wonderful secondary characters in The Lantern’s Ember as well. Finney is, by far my favorite. He’s kind of a nerd who loves to tinker and invent things. He is a mortal and he and Ember grew up together. Finney knows that Ember is a witch and helps her practice her spells. He even designs gun-like weapons for her so that she can fire her spells at those she wishes to use them on. Jack’s pumpkin apparently thinks Finney is as precious as I do because it follows Finney around like a puppy and is super protective of him.

In addition to such great characters, the other highlight for me when it comes to The Lantern’s Ember is the absolutely brilliant worldbuilding. First of all, the Otherworld is surprisingly technologically advanced, way more so than the mortal realm. As soon as I got a glimpse of it, I wanted to explore the world just as much as Ember did and found myself willing her to continue on her adventure so that I could see more. I’m not sure exactly when the story is supposed to be set, but the Otherworld appears future-esque in comparison to the mortal realm.

Even cooler than the technology, however, was the way Houck also manages to incorporate both actual historical events and Halloween folklore to fully flesh out this world. She places real historical events, such as the Lost Colony of Roanoke and the Salem Witch Trials, and gives them plausible supernatural explanations. She then takes it a step further by seamlessly blending all of our Halloween spooky favorites into her story and giving them what felt like origin stories: the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, the Boogeyman, Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, and the Invisible Man, just to name a few. It was so much fun to turn the page and come across another favorite and see how Houck works her magic to incorporate them into her tale.

I don’t want to spoil anything about the adventure aspect of The Lantern’s Ember, so I’m just going to say that it’s a fast-paced adventure and that you’re in for a wild ride through the Otherworld, so buckle up!


I thought the book’s synopsis was a little misleading. It might just be me, but the synopsis makes it sound like the book will be pretty terrifying. Instead, I didn’t find it frightening at all. I found it whimsical and delightful. I’ve seen a few mixed reviews for the book and I have to wonder if that synopsis is giving people the wrong expectations for The Lantern’s Ember. The book also seemed to focus around romance more than I was expecting it to. More than one of our characters have crushes on Ember.

My only other issue with the book is that the ending felt a bit rushed. Again, it could have been me because I was having so much fun with the story that I didn’t want to say goodbye to the world or the characters.


If you’re looking for a scary Halloween-themed read, this book might not be for you. But if you’re interested in a Halloween-themed read that is pure fun and whimsical, and even contains a hint of romance, definitely consider checking out The Lantern’s Ember.

First thing I have to say is I really love this cover. It's interesting and I love the fireflies and swirl things all over.

This is the perfect book as we are just heading into fall here. Halloween is on it's way and I loved how this book eventually tied in to some of the stories and traditions of Halloween.

If you are wondering if this book is scary, the answer is no. Not at all. This is what I would describe as a paranormal steampunk, I think. There were lots of paranormal creatures but I never felt the least bit frightened or anything close to it. It was more like a grand adventure. The Otherworld was where the steampunk feel came in with machines and gadgets.

I liked a lot about this book and it's plot but I felt like it lacked in a few places. There were a lot of characters, but none that I felt an emotional connection to. I liked Jack and Ember but from the outside looking in. Ember is tenacious and maybe a wee bit naive. Jack is devoted. Both were characters I could root for.

I really didn't like the ending because I felt like we finally got to some good action and then had an information dump to explain everything and then "the end". I was really hoping for more, I guess. The characters were as clueless as me for the whole book and that's no bueno. We all got the information dump together.

So, I guess this book was okay for me. I'm not raving excited but it wasn't bad either.

Content: moments of peril, mild violence. Some kissing.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Lantern's Ember by Colleen Houck is a standalone YA fantasy novel that will get you in the mood for October and Halloween! With characters inspired by Halloween favorites like the headless horseman (Lanterns), witches, vampires, and more, this novel takes you on an adventure to the Otherworld where all the nightmarish creatures live.

A quick and easy read, The Lantern's Ember is more fantasy, fairy-tale like than scary or spooky. It also has a love quadrangle amongst Ember and the three suitors vying for her affection, which you may or may not like depending on how you fee about them. I would have preferred it to only have one couple (Ember and Jack) instead of adding additional love interests.

Other than that, the adventure and getting to know Ember, Jack, and why witches didn't go to the Otherwold was worth the read.

Overall, The Lantern's Ember by Colleen Houck is a fun, light read and I would recommend it especially if you want to find books that will get you in the spirit of Halloween.

(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

I was so excited to read this book for multiple reasons. The first thing that pulled me in was the cover. I mean, look at it. It’s beautiful! Then I clicked on the title, read the synopsis, and fell in love with it. I was so excited to read this book, but it just let me down. The story and its plot were very rudimentary and not complex whatsoever. I’m sure that will interest some people, but it just wasn’t for me. The worst part of this book for me was the fact that the characters were not well fleshed out. I wanted to like them, I really did, but I practically knew nothing about any of them before I was thrust into this story. Maybe it was because I had such high expectations for this book, but I did not enjoy it. But hey, if you like the synopsis, go ahead and at least try it. It was a cute read, just really not for me.

The Lantern's Ember was a book I was really looking forward to. The synopsis combined with the cover had me DYING to get my hands on this book. However, I was disappointed when I actually was able to read this book, because it did not turn out to be at all what I was hoping for.

One of my major complaints about this book was how young it felt. Instead of it reading like a Young Adult novel, it read like a Middle-Grade novel. I have no qualms with Middle-Grade books, but when I was expecting to read a YA novel, it was a bit disappointing that the book did not live up to that. The plot of the book really focused on the romance, instead of the creepy and dark plot I was hoping for. I am a sucker for romance, but in this case, there was TOO much romance. Since this is being marketed as a novel with the moodiness of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I was hoping for more of a dark and foreboding vibe. Instead, the book felt like a romance novel with a tiny dash of darkness.

I also had a very hard time connecting with the characters. The characters all felt very juvenile, one dimensional, and shallow. They all seemed to lack common sense 99% of the time, and only wanted to focus on how beautiful and perfect Ember was.

Overall, this was a frustrating read for me. The only thing I really enjoyed about this book was the few glimpses we got of the paranormal elements of this world. Those parts were so intriguing, and I wish there would have been more moments like those throughout the entire story.

This book had so much potential to be The Legend of Sleepy Hollow retelling of my dreams, but it sadly fell flat.

2 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

This book was one of my unicorn ARCs to hopefully get when I attended ALA in New Orleans this past June, because I really enjoyed her other book that I'd read in the past. Getting a hold of this one made my day. And when I finally picked it up to read, I was not disappointed! Houck has created a beautiful world, or should I say, "Otherworld", with this story. I loved how she wove in details of well-known fairy tales and legends, along with creating new background stories or even giving more life to characters only touched on with our modern day recountings of these legends and tales. Not only did we get legends and fairy tales and monsters, but actual historical events were sprinkled throughout. I always have been intrigued by the whole Roanoke Colony mystery, and we got a unique new story for that. And then there was a trip into the Salem witch trials that also got its own retelling.

I mentioned that it was a beautiful world, and that was so much from the descriptions of this place, as well as the thought out mythology and unique takes on the creatures. At times it was very much like a kind of Alice in Wonderland world, but with witches and vampires and the boogeyman. Then there was Jack, a Lantern, as in Jack-o-Lantern, or even might call him the Headless Horseman. While I've read other tales that may have given you a bit of sympathy for this person, I fell in love with Jack in this book, and wished that he could actually be with his Ember, the witch who everyone seemed to be after. Another point in the book I felt as if it was reminiscent of Wizard of Oz, and I was on the edge of my seat as I read, waiting to find out who was this "man behind the curtain" going to really turn out to be. There were little clues sprinkled throughout the story, but it all went in a pretty unique way that I was kept hanging on and wondering until it was all wrapped up very neatly.

A great new paranormal, fantastical fairy tale retelling that I will be recommending to customers at the store where I work, and purchasing for the students at my library.

The Lantern’s Ember by Colleen Houck is a standalone young adult read perfect for the fall season. The story is a paranormal fantasy mixed with romance between the characters.

Once human Jack is now a Lantern with it being his job to guard the portal to the Otherworld. Jack is meant to keep those in the Otherworld that belong and those out who do not and Jack has always been good at doing just what he should until he sees Ember.

Seventeen year old Ember is a witch and Jack should have turned her in years ago but instead found himself guarding her and watching her from a distance. Ember finds herself fighting a pull to the Otherworld and against Jack’s warnings she crosses over into the other dimension so Jack has no choice but to follow.

The Lantern’s Ember is another book that I found myself thinking don’t judge a book by it’s cover. It’s not a bad read really but not really what I was expecting either. The story felt a bit middle grade during a lot of it and focused a heck of a lot of the plot on romance instead of the scary read I’d thought I would find. I didn’t quite find myself connecting with the characters the way I should and while there’s action it just wasn’t the dark action I’d expected leaving me a bit meh in the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was a pleasant journey to read, not quite the creepy Halloween story I thought it was going to be, but the storyline was still greatly entertaining and relatively new. I think my favorite thing about this book was the subtle hints at Halloween stories everyone knows or creepy tales involving witchcraft or magic. Though there were certainly atmospheric hints of Sleepy Hollow, this book certainly does not read as a retelling at all. I loved the play on Jack's name as pertains to Jack o'Lanterns and how the original story of how they became so popular was mentioned, as well as the weaving of historical events involving "witchcraft" such as they mysterious disappearing town of Roanoke and the witch trials of Salem. I enjoyed most of the characters and all of the steampunk themed inventions were fun to read about. This story does read a little bit more as a middle grade book rather than young adult and the love interest was a little cheesy and insta-lovey in my opinion, but I still found I was able to enjoy the journey this book took me on. This was the perfect book to read to kick off the fall season and would be great to read around Halloween as well.

If there is one thing that Colleen Houck can do well is write an imaginative story rich in lore and detail and her latest release doesn't disappoint.

Full of twists on classic tales and stories as well as old time-y lore, The Lantern's Ember is one that will be sure to capture your attention and hold it to the very last page.

Full of witch craft, magic, and adventure with a slight steam punk edge, this really was a unique story that didn't take long to read and was perfect for a cozy afternoon in the sun and will be perfect for fans looking for a story that has a fun spin on a Halloween classic.

The Lantern’s Ember was an enticing read. From the cover to the synopsis i was very excited to start this book. This is the first book i have read from Colleen Houck and it’s really stunning to read a new author’s words for the first time. The writing in this book is easy to follow, not to detailed and just enough to get the picture. It’s simple and straight to the point and for me that’s a plus. The story was beautiful and a perfect read for Fall. I loved spooky elements to this book such as the Folklore, Magic and paranormal creatures (like i said perfect for Fall) as well as the story written between all those things. The only downside to this for me was that it was written in third-person and was even omniscient as some times. This makes it a little harder for me to get into a book, but i powered through it and thought this was a great read.

Overall ⅘ stars

The minute I saw that The Lantern's Ember had Sleepy Hollow vibes I was hooked. But as someone who adores everything Sleepy Hollow, Halloween, and things that go bump in the night, I had high expectations. This book did not disappoint and from the first page’s gripping descriptions of the setting it put the book on track to be one of my favorites this year. Jack is a 500-year-old lantern who is stationed in a sleepy little town guarding the entrance to Otherworld from anything going in or out. All is going well until the Witch Wind blows and Jack’s existence gets turned upside down. Ember, the girl he is watching, crosses through the gate and monsters threaten to tear the Otherworld apart. The story is fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I read it in two sittings. This book was entertaining and certainly got me in the mood for all things fall and spooky. Overall, I adored this story, and can’t wait to pick up Colleen Houck’s other books. The Lantern’s Ember comes out TOMORROW, September 11th!! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This wasnt what I was expecting... the main problem I had with this book was it seemed a little juvenile for me and I felt like it was aimed for a younger age group. I also had a problem not connecting to the characters. The writing seemed so distant that I just never really felt like I was immersed in the story.

The Lantern's Ember is a mash-up of spooky folktales, creatures, wrapped up in a steampunk setting, and a cover that promises on something dark and dangerous but fails. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing - it is just that the cover screams goth and the book is jock, you see! The story is about Ember's adventures in Otherworld, a realm that exists alongside the human one, but has all the magical creatures in it, and whose entrances are being guarded by Lanterns like Jack. For Ember, as a strong witch, it is a dangerous place to be, but throwing all caution to the wind, she does exactly that - be in Otherworld.

The world-building is one of the highlights of the book, and blends various folktales and legends like the Headless Horseman, the Roanoke colony, the Boogeyman; it generously leans into the magic of these stories, and constructs a world where they coexist alongside creatures like trolls, vampires, and others. And combining the magical elements with technology has us a nice steampunk setting with modern amenities reflected in there. The Otherworld is technologically advanced, and runs on witch power, something that has been depleted since the ruler of the realm keeps taking witches to sustain himself. Ember, who has unknowingly been in hiding as Jack never reported her presence to his superiors, doesn't know the true extent of the danger to her when entering that world.

And speaking of Ember, it is her stubbornness and carelessness which has her following a stranger, the vampire Dev, into a world she knows nothing about. Jack, who has sought to protect her, and has warned her from ever going there, panics and follows her, while recruiting her childhood friend and amateur engineer Finney to save her before she is noticed by the rulers. As they chase across her across the Otherworld, it becomes evident that someone had wanted her to be there. There are many secondary characters of note, and their minor storylines intersect with her journey. The twist was obvious if you think about it, and the ending was wrapped up well for this standalone, so I can say it at least was a satisfactory finish.

The romance in the book is a let-down. First of all, practically everyone is falling over themselves in love with her. Jack, who has been protecting her since she was a kid, Finney who knows her since childhood and has been crushing on her, Dev, who is looking for a witch rebound from his last relationship - and every other male character who sees her, despite her saying she is plain looking (yeah, right!). There was a good attempt to give dimensions to these characters, but they are so clearly distinct tropes (especially Dev)that it got tiring very fast. Additionally, half the problems were because Ember went headfirst into any situation, thereby her having to be saved by one of her suitors, and the rest were moot because she was such a spontaneously awesome witch that it got pretty much resolved on its own. What I am saying is, the stakes were pretty low and there didn't feel like there is any true danger in this book.

Overall, it is a fun adventure, but lacks depth.

Title: The Lantern’s Ember
Author: Colleen Houck
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Jack made a deal with the devil 500 years ago. He doesn’t remember much about that. Or when he was alive. Now he spends his days as a Lantern, one of the watchmen who guard the portals to the Otherworld, which is full of dangerous creatures. And he watches Ember, a young witch who lives in his town.

Ember is curious about Jack. And the Otherworld. She wants to get to know both. When Jack refuses to take her there, she runs away with a mysterious and charming vampire with ulterior motives. But Jack knows someone powerful is after Ember—and her power—and he’ll stop at nothing to keep her safe.

I loved the steampunk feel of The Lantern’s Ember. And you have to love Jack, the Lantern. That pun alone made it worth the read, along with the Headless Horseman similarities. Ember and Jack both are pretty naïve, but her wonder at the Otherworld shines through every page. A magical read!

New York Times-bestselling author Colleen Houck’s newest novel is The Lantern’s Ember.

(Galley provided by Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review.)

I don’t think that I have ever read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but I know the basic story. This book is being touted as a fresh spin or re-imagining of this classic, but it really isn’t. The setting and a little bit of the plot at the beginning of the book is similar to the original, but it soon leaves it far behind. It is a good story however, but if you are looking for a retelling of Sleepy Hollow you best look elsewhere.

Once I got the Sleepy Hollow image out of my mind, I quite enjoyed the story. The Otherworld is a fascinating place, that is a little bit steampunk and a little bit horror story. Lots of great characters and creatures fill the pages with excellent descriptions of them. For those of you who hate love triangles, don’t worry there is a love square involved here, although the other two men don’t stand a chance, Ember only has eyes for Jack.

I really enjoyed Jack, the Lantern, and the only character from Sleepy Hollow. He lived a very lonely existence, but did his job of protecting the Otherworld diligently if a bit reluctantly. His one fault is caring too much for the local witch Ember, who he watched grow up. He is loyal to her and sees himself as her protector. And quite literally goes to the ends of the earth to protect her.

I am not sure that I can say that I liked Ember, I found her to be quite trying at times. She could quite strong, clever and put together, but at others I just wanted to shake her and tell her to smarten up. She was smart, but not worldly and couldn’t see what was happening to her until it was too late. Plus every guy she meets falls madly in love with her. Now granted she is a witch and for the most part it is her power that everyone wants, but still.

Deverell was an interesting character, he is a vampire, but they are a different type than in most stories. He did have Ember’s best interests at heart, but he also wanted her for himself and sometimes those two things interfered with how he interacted with her. I loved his pirate vampire sister, Delilah and wished that we saw a bit more of her in the story.

Finney is the human boy that helps Jack find Ember. I really liked him and was rooting for Ember to appreciate him more and fall in love with him. He was nerdy but sweet, and at times offered a bit of humor to the darker parts of the story.

The plot was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It was good in the middle, but I struggled with the beginning and the ending seemed really rushed and a little bit cliched. The Otherworld is what really keeps you interested in the story. There are so many interesting things and creatures and people that Ember and her group meet, that you really want to learn more about them and the world they live in. Also the concept of the Lanterns and how and why they exist is a fascinating take on mythology.

Even with it’s faults I still liked the story. I enjoy this author’s writing style and her take on some of the halloween mythologies was interesting. Also the interesting world and some of the characters were enough to keep you reading.

I received a copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you Netgalley.

I don’t quite know what to say about this book. My thoughts are just so all over the place. I didn’t love it (especially not as much as I love her Tigers Curse series), but I also didn’t hate it. The reviews are abysmal, and frankly disappointing. Yes, there is a love… square? But its not your typical love entanglement where the girl is indecisive and can’t make up her mind and leads the guys on. All of the guys are in love with her, and she has always only had eyes for one of them. Jack can be bossy, Dev can be a douch, and Finney is just amazing. Each character has their own personal flaw, but overall they’re a wonderful eclectic cast of people.

I really like the incorporation of the Roanoke mystery that happened in North Carolina, and that technological advancements are due to the Otherworld and bleed over into the Mortal world. I liked that most of the characters had more to them than met the eye. I wasn’t overly fond of Ember’s persistent behavior in the beginning and the fact that she just wouldn’t listen to Jack, but why she was that way became clear to the reader later. I honestly didn’t expect the ending, at least one half of it. I’m unsure if this is a duology or standalone, but I left the book interested enough to give a second book a try.

I was given an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Colleen Houck's Tiger's Curse saga in middle school.. I read the books once, was obsessed, and then read the series a second, third, and fourth time. Collen Houck has a beautiful way of infusing so much history and mythological lore into her novels in exciting and contemporary ways. If you read any of her novels, expect some hot, hunky male characters, a mass of amazing beasts from the mythology of cultures all over the world, relatable heroines, page-turning adventures, epic battles, heart-wrenching scenes, and beautiful romance.

The Lantern's Ember is no different.

It was a bit difficult to read at the beginning. I was a little confused about how the Otherworld worked and the roles of the Lantern characters that Houck has created. I had to go back multiple times to make sense of how things in the world actually worked.

The Otherworld was truly a masterpiece. I loved the strangeness of it, and how much it seemed to incorporate steampunk elements. I enjoyed looking at it through Ember's eyes. This was an interesting concept that Colleen Houck pulled off spectacularly.

Jack was my favorite male character in this novel. I loved the way he's described in the novel, all mysterious but still hurting deep down. And I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between him and Ember.

Ember was a really interesting heroine to delve into. She's not like the other main female characters in Houck's other books. Ember has this amazing sarcastic flair around some of the other characters. She's sassy and confident, teases people left and right, and has an interesting way of using her witch magic to get out of situations. I loved reading about her. She was interesting and quite relatable.

The other male characters were interesting too, although I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to end up with Ember, and that's entirely a 'me' thing. Usually the first male character we meet is the one I sort of automatically choose to support in their romantic endeavors. I'm also not a big fan of love triangles, so anyone who isn't a fan of this trope might feel like this novel isn't for them. I'll just say that the romance isn't necessarily upfront in the story. It's not the main genre and it isn't given as much detail as you might think. Really it's more of an adventure.

I think a lot of people were disappointed that this book wasn't "scary". Just because it has Halloween elements and incorporates monsters, ghouls, witches, etc. doesn't have to make it paranormal and terrifying. This book is light, fun, and almost whimsical in a way. I like what it does with spooky elements- gives us the lore with a light twist. It was kind of like Halloweentown meets steampunk.

This book is a light and fun read. It's one of those that doesn't necessarily stay in your mind long after reading, but it occupies your time with epic adventure and relatable characters!

I hate when I have such high expectations for an author and I'm let down. After the Tiger series and even falling into the Reawakened series I am fan of Colleen's work. This story however was a DNF for me....
I slogged through the first seven chapters hoping Ember would get less annoyingly naive. Don't get me wrong I'm all for a fair amount of naivete, this just bordered on Disney channel saccharine sweet that made me not want to finish. Maybe it's someone else's cup of tea.

I totally loved this story the descriptions of the various steampunk items in the otherworld was done so perfectly that i could picture them clearly. I did feel that at first Ember did not fit with the idea of a 17 year old more like a 13 or 14 year old but by the time she gets done in the otherworld she comes into her own. I really was routing for jack to be with ember and i like the fact that this not just a story about a witch in love with a lantern. This is also a story about a world on a brink of failing, a love story between vampires, werewolves and witches, a story about magic and heartache. I think colleen wove a fantastical tale based on a story we all know and love. Her spin on it was a delight to read.