Snapdragon: A Retelling of Thumbelina and Persephone
A spunky florist. A dying kingdom. A bond that could change the fate of a realm...
Persephina’s idea of a perfect future has always involved exactly two things: her mother and their little flower shop. Sure, marriage would be nice, but it’s hard to find love when the only men Percy meets are there to buy flowers for their sweethearts…until a mysterious, handsome stranger shows up in her shop.
But all is not as it seems, and when an innocent walk goes disastrously wrong, Percy finds herself in a whole new realm of trouble.
Literally.
Trapped in the dying Fairy Realm, Percy is left with no choice but to seek help from the so-called Lord of Death. Just when it looks like a future is going to blossom, however, secrets come to light that could change everything.
Because fairy princes are not all that they seem.
And in the end, death comes for all.
Spring has sprung with these eight swoony sweet retellings. Each novella finds its happily ever after amidst themes of rebirth, hope, and new life. Each book is fully independent and they can be read in any order. “Snapdragon” is a combined retelling, featuring tropes such as Found Family, Grumpy/Sunshine, and Hidden Identity.
Sarah Beran
Sarah Beran is a writer who has found her true passion in blending enchanting tales with relatable characters, bringing magic, romance, and adventure to life through her unique lens. Living in sunny Southern California, Sarah is not only a writer but also a devoted wife, mother to two young children, and an elementary music teacher by day. Her life is filled with the hum of creativity, both in the classroom and in her writing.
When she's not guiding young minds in music, Sarah spends her free time running, creating new melodies, or immersing herself in a world of make-believe with her family. These moments of balance between the practical and the whimsical are often reflected in her stories, where everyday life meets the extraordinary. Her writing journey is one that began with a love for storytelling, evolving into a deep connection with the craft of creating worlds that feel both magical and grounded in reality.
A Garden of Fairy Tales
Spring has sprung with these eight swoony sweet retellings. Each novella finds its happily ever after amidst themes of rebirth, hope, and new life. Each book is fully independent and they can be read in any order.
Note: Unfortunately Yakira Goldsberry had to pull out of the series at the last-minute. Hopefully we will see Carnation sometime in the future!
A Garden of Fairy Tales consists of 3 total books — series is set to expand with the upcoming release of five more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Book Reviews
This was a really fun Retelling of Thumbelina combined with Hades and Persephone and was my first retelling of Hades and Persephone. I appreciate the description of each of the original stories at the beginning since I wasn't familiar with Hades and Persephone and the recap for Thumbelina was helpful. I loved all the characters in this story, especially Percy and Hayes. The relationship between them was fun to see develop and I also liked how Hayes interacted with all the other characters. This wasn't my first fairy tale retelling by this author and I look forward to reading more in the future because so far they have all been fun and enjoyable stories.