**Disclaimer: I was given a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review from Audiobookworm Promotions.**
Title Disenchanted
Author Brianna Sugalski
Narrator Krys Janae
Length: 15 hours 18 minutes
Publisher The Parliament House⎮2021
Genre Paranormal Romance
Release date April 15, 2021
Description
A Breton princess at the peak of the French Renaissance, Lilac lives prisoner in her parents’ castle after a wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her tenth birthday soirée. Years later, her coronation ceremony looms, and between the riotous townsfolk and scheming nobleman bent on snatching the throne, Lilac prepares for the worst… Until a mysterious letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to cure her darkness forever.
Lilac begrudgingly trades her coronet for a cloak and ventures into the forest Brocéliande in pursuit of the impious enchantress at the edge of town. With only the protection of an inherited dagger—and unsolicited help of the gregarious stranger who inserts himself on her quest—she must traverse Brocèliande and return in time to claim her rightful position as sovereign monarch.
This is the story of a cursed princess,
A crestfallen killer,
The town that wants them to burn,
And the witch that can save them both.
Initial Thoughts
I actually read this book in 2019 and really enjoyed it but love a good audiobook. I jumped at the change to reread it as an audiobook.
Some Things I Liked
- History mixed with fantasy. I loved that English and French history were woven into the fantasy setting and storyline. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I always like to see the interesting ways authors bend history to fit with the magical or fictional elements of their stories.
- Bastion. Can I please have a spin-off just about Garin’s broody brother? He was easily my favorite side character and I’d love to see more of him. He’s a total pain and wants to murder everyone who isn’t a vampire (and some who are vampires), but he’s fiercely loyal to Garin and I want him to be featured again in future sequels.
- Big themes. In addition to loving historical references in fantasy books, I also love to see big issues featured in unique ways. I thought the way the author used the various Darkling species and their mistreatment by humans was a well executed metaphor for issues we see in society today.
- The romance. I liked it a lot. I thought the slow burn was well done as well as the fact that it wasn’t so slow that I abandoned the ship (yes, that happens to me sometimes. I totally give up on the main couple because everything is moving too slowly.) But, fear not, this didn’t happen here. I’m 100% on board with Lilac and Garin.
Series Value
I liked the conclusion we got in Disenchanted. However, I think there is a lot more the author could do with this world. There are many unanswered questions as well as many characters with unclear motivations. I’d love to revisit this world in the form of sequels and spin-off stories.
Audiobook Value
I listened to this book at 2.8x speed. I really loved the narrator’s voice and found that the speed I chose was still easy to understand. Please note, I had already read this book so that fact might have allowed me to listen a bit faster than if it was a first time read. But, overall, I didn’t struggle to understand anything said at that speed. I also really loved that this book was third person narration. Krys Janae really made it feel like she was telling me a story with the way it was narrated and that’s exactly what I look for in an audiobook. I want to feel like the audio medium enhances the experience and it absolutely did here.
All in all, I think I enjoyed the book more as an audiobook and I would definitely wait to continue the series until the next installment is available as an audiobook.
Final Thoughts
I really liked this book the first time I read it but I like it even more now that I’ve listened to the audiobook. I can’t wait to continue the series and I would definitely continue in audio format.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- The Will and the Wilds by Charlie Holmberg – if you liked the romance between Lilac and Garin as well as the setting, try this January 2020 release.
- Of Glass and Glamour by Chanda Hahn – again, if you enjoyed the romance and the interspecies politics, try this series by Chanda Hahn (this is the second book in the series, but it is the most similar).
- The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh – if you liked the historical vampire vibes in Disenchanted, try this book by Renée Ahdieh, the sequel is coming out later this year.
About the Author
Sugalski is also a SF/F developmental editor under Crit & Pen Editorial. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two little korrigans of her own.
Website
About the Narrator
Krys Janae is an American-Filipina author, musician, voice-over artist, actress, graphic designer, gamer and geek from central California. She is the middle child, with two brothers and is a proud pet-mom of 3 cats, Lucy, Nova and Clementine. When she’s not losing herself in another realm (via Video Games, TV, Comics, Movies, and the like), binge-watching Netflix or scouring the net for more geeky t-shirts, Krys enjoys reading a variety of genres, listening to music and browsing YouTube.
Books Over Everything 