Shy but magically talented, Princess Carabosse only wants to help her people as they face the looming threat of the Warlock King and his daughter, Aurora. Aurora was gifted from infancy with fairy blessings that make her the most lethal magic-user the world has seen in centuries…and she wants Cara’s kingdom.
The only hope for fighting off this deadly threat is the loyalty of the twelve Dragon Lords. They have sworn allegiance to the Briar Crown. But when the crown falls into Aurora’s clutches, who will the dragons serve?
Armed only with a humble spindle and a gift for spinning magic, Cara alone stands against the Warlock and his daughter. Will she find unexpected help from the twelfth Dragon Lord, handsome shape-shifter Torald? Or will the vows he swore to the Briar Crown force him to turn against Cara and serve the beautiful Aurora?
I went into this book blind, which made reading it so much better as I slowly realized that this was a Sleeping Beauty reimagining (one of my favorite fairy tales) but with some very inventive twists! This is my first read from Sylvia Mercedes, and I was impressed by how she took this familiar fairy tale and wove in dragon lore, spindle magic, an enchanted crown, and a unique fantasy world that made it feel like an original story. I also learned afterward that this is Book 12 in the A Villain’s Ever After series, but each book is designed to be read as a standalone. After enjoying this one so much, I would definitely read more in the series!
What makes this story so fun is that we get not one but two princesses at the center of it all—Carabosse, a kindhearted sorceress princess who wields spindle magic passed down from her late mother, and Aurora, the wicked daughter of the Warlock King. For such a short book of only 162 pages, there’s a LOT packed in, including dragon shapeshifters, fairy magic, an enchanted crown, a kingdom under threat, magical battles, and a slow-burn romance!
The entire story is told from Carabosse’s first-person POV, and right from the opening chapter, when she’s spinning spindle magic, the magic system and world-building feel immersive. I loved reading about how meaningful her mother’s passed-down magic was to her and how it helped shape her. This story doesn’t have a huge cast of characters, but each one is memorable, and we get to know most of them early on. Queen Dessielle, Carabosse’s stepmother, initially comes across as a bit abrupt, and I was wondering if she would be one of those classic “evil stepmother” figures, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth! Her relationship with Carabosse is built on mutual respect, and some of their exchanges during tense scenes emphasize their heartfelt bond. Carabosse’s relationship with her king father isn’t overly explored, but her love for him is evident during key moments, particularly when his life is threatened.
One of my favorite parts of the story was the arrival of the Dragon Lords. These dragon shapeshifters enter one by one, very vividly described, before swearing loyalty to the Rose Crown, and I found these scenes very cinematic! The magic system was another major highlight for me. Between Carabosse’s spindle magic, the fairy magic from the fairies who assist her, the powerful magic described in the Dragon Realm, and the enchanted Briar Crown (which comes into play later on), there’s so much creativity!
The subtle romance is very much secondary to the fantasy storyline, but I really enjoyed how organically the slow-burn connection between Carabosse and Lord Torald (the twelfth Dragon Lord) develops. They have an unexpected meet-cute early on, and there’s immediate chemistry, but neither expects to see the other again anytime soon. Torald quickly becomes one of the most compelling characters as he’s torn between loyalty and following his heart, leading to some dramatic exchanges between him and Carabosse during the climactic scenes. Add in Sweetheart, Carabosse’s raven companion who helps her during crucial yet bittersweet moments, and my heart was full from the myriad of characters and emotions! 🐦⬛🥹
With only 18 short, fast-paced chapters and an epilogue, this is the perfect vacation or casual binge read. The straightforward writing also makes it easy to fly through, and although it’s marketed as YA, I think adults who enjoy fairy-tale reimaginings or high fantasy will find lots to enjoy here!
I also loved how the Sleeping Beauty elements were incorporated throughout the story and not just at the beginning and end, as I first expected. As the stakes rise and Carabosse fights to save her kingdom and undo the damage caused by the Warlock King and Aurora, the story becomes increasingly unpredictable. You do need to suspend your disbelief in a few scenes, but we’re talking about powerful spindle magic, an enchanted crown, and Dragon Lords after all! The final confrontation is exciting, and the aftermath feels satisfying and hopeful. The epilogue unexpectedly leaves things a bit open-ended and hints that there could be a follow-up, which I would definitely read!
If you’re an audiobook listener, you are in for a treat! Charlie Albers delivers a fantastic performance with entertaining character voices and wonderful, contrasting portrayals of Carabosse and Aurora that really help bring the story to life and create a cinematic listening experience!
Narrator Performance
Carabosse And The Spindle Spell is read by award-winning narrator Charlie Albers.
Early in the story, Albers gives Carabosse a younger, almost-defiant quality to her voice, especially during the scenes where she’s being told by her stepmother, Dessielle, to get herself together and prepare for the ceremony. The spindle magic scenes throughout are some of the most immersive, as Albers’ delivery beautifully conveys how connected Carabosse is to her magic (passed down from her mother) and how much care and skill she puts into it.
A major highlight of the performance is how the relationship between Carabosse and Lord Torald is portrayed. From their unexpected meet-cute, when they literally collide with each other, Albers immediately captures the curiosity and chemistry between them. With every new exchange, you can feel a mix of tension, intrigue, and growing trust between them. As Torald takes on a protector role toward Carabosse while struggling with his sworn allegiance to the enemy, Albers does an excellent job conveying his internal conflict through subtle changes in tone, well-timed pauses, and subtle bursts of emotion in his voice. At the same time, Albers gives Carabosse a voice that reflects her growing concern and affection whenever she thinks about him or communicates with him magically, which makes their slow-burn connection very compelling!
In the few scenes between Carabosse and her father, Albers makes their father-daughter bond and Carabosse’s loyalty toward him feel warm and authentic, and I felt quite emotional during Albers’ narration of Carabosse when she fears for his life! Albers also does a fantastic job contrasting Carabosse with Princess Aurora. While Carabosse’s voice sounds warm and determined for much of the story, Albers portrays Aurora with a sharp, menacing tone that’s perfect for the villain in a fairy tale reimagining.
The climactic magical confrontation scenes are another highlight, with Albers bringing out all of the intensity and emotion from Torald and both princesses. I was completely fully engaged in every magical exchanged!
Albers also flexes her voice acting skills in the epilogue, creating an intriguing and hopeful exchange between Desielle and Felipo while adding a bit of mystery and suspense in the final moments—perfect for a story that could possibly have a follow-up. As the story ended, I was still immersed in the world and in Albers’ performance, and I could honestly have listened to a sequel straight away! That’s always the sign of a memorable performance for me.
If you enjoy fairy tale reimaginings or high fantasy and single-narrator performances that make characters memorable and bring the world-building vividly to life, then this one’s for you!
Narrator Performance
Carabosse And The Spindle Spell is read by award-winning narrator Charlie Albers.
Early in the story, Albers gives Carabosse a younger, almost-defiant quality to her voice, especially during the scenes where she’s being told by her stepmother, Dessielle, to get herself together and prepare for the ceremony. The spindle magic scenes throughout are some of the most immersive, as Albers’ delivery beautifully conveys how connected Carabosse is to her magic (passed down from her mother) and how much care and skill she puts into it.
A major highlight of the performance is how the relationship between Carabosse and Lord Torald is portrayed. From their unexpected meet-cute, when they literally collide with each other, Albers immediately captures the curiosity and chemistry between them. With every new exchange, you can feel a mix of tension, intrigue, and growing trust between them. As Torald takes on a protector role toward Carabosse while struggling with his sworn allegiance to the enemy, Albers does an excellent job conveying his internal conflict through subtle changes in tone, well-timed pauses, and subtle bursts of emotion in his voice. At the same time, Albers gives Carabosse a voice that reflects her growing concern and affection whenever she thinks about him or communicates with him magically, which makes their slow-burn connection very compelling!
In the few scenes between Carabosse and her father, Albers makes their father-daughter bond and Carabosse’s loyalty toward him feel warm and authentic, and I felt quite emotional during Albers’ narration of Carabosse when she fears for his life! Albers also does a fantastic job contrasting Carabosse with Princess Aurora. While Carabosse’s voice sounds warm and determined for much of the story, Albers portrays Aurora with a sharp, menacing tone that’s perfect for the villain in a fairy tale reimagining.
The climactic magical confrontation scenes are another highlight, with Albers bringing out all of the intensity and emotion from Torald and both princesses. I was completely fully engaged in every magical exchanged!
Albers also flexes her voice acting skills in the epilogue, creating an intriguing and hopeful exchange between Desielle and Felipo while adding a bit of mystery and suspense in the final moments—perfect for a story that could possibly have a follow-up. As the story ended, I was still immersed in the world and in Albers’ performance, and I could honestly have listened to a sequel straight away! That’s always the sign of a memorable performance for me.
If you enjoy fairy tale reimaginings or high fantasy and single-narrator performances that make characters memorable and bring the world-building vividly to life, then this one’s for you!
Carabosse And The Spindle Spell is read by award-winning narrator Charlie Albers.
Early in the story, Albers gives Carabosse a younger, almost-defiant quality to her voice, especially during the scenes where she’s being told by her stepmother, Dessielle, to get herself together and prepare for the ceremony. The spindle magic scenes throughout are some of the most immersive, as Albers’ delivery beautifully conveys how connected Carabosse is to her magic (passed down from her mother) and how much care and skill she puts into it.
A major highlight of the performance is how the relationship between Carabosse and Lord Torald is portrayed. From their unexpected meet-cute, when they literally collide with each other, Albers immediately captures the curiosity and chemistry between them. With every new exchange, you can feel a mix of tension, intrigue, and growing trust between them. As Torald takes on a protector role toward Carabosse while struggling with his sworn allegiance to the enemy, Albers does an excellent job conveying his internal conflict through subtle changes in tone, well-timed pauses, and subtle bursts of emotion in his voice. At the same time, Albers gives Carabosse a voice that reflects her growing concern and affection whenever she thinks about him or communicates with him magically, which makes their slow-burn connection very compelling!
In the few scenes between Carabosse and her father, Albers makes their father-daughter bond and Carabosse’s loyalty toward him feel warm and authentic, and I felt quite emotional during Albers’ narration of Carabosse when she fears for his life! Albers also does a fantastic job contrasting Carabosse with Princess Aurora. While Carabosse’s voice sounds warm and determined for much of the story, Albers portrays Aurora with a sharp, menacing tone that’s perfect for the villain in a fairy tale reimagining.
The climactic magical confrontation scenes are another highlight, with Albers bringing out all of the intensity and emotion from Torald and both princesses. I was completely fully engaged in every magical exchanged!
Albers also flexes her voice acting skills in the epilogue, creating an intriguing and hopeful exchange between Desielle and Felipo while adding a bit of mystery and suspense in the final moments—perfect for a story that could possibly have a follow-up. As the story ended, I was still immersed in the world and in Albers’ performance, and I could honestly have listened to a sequel straight away! That’s always the sign of a memorable performance for me.
If you enjoy fairy tale reimaginings or high fantasy and single-narrator performances that make characters memorable and bring the world-building vividly to life, then this one’s for you!
