This is without a doubt one of the best series of standalone books I've ever read. Never before have I adored each one! But Grigaliunas didn't just make me love her story for its own sake, its a retelling of my favorite well-known fairytale. There are thousands of Cinderella retellings and I've read many of them, but this one is going to have a very special place in my heart.
The Midnight Prince retains all the key elements of the original fairytale. There are three balls, a servant with a step family, a prince seeking a bride and even magic that ends at midnight and a golden slipper. But, and it's an incredible "but", Grigaliunas creates something entirely new and so unique it captivated me from the first paragraph and would not let me go.
This book is one of the best second chance romances with a friends-to-lovers trope I've ever read. I adore how the twists and turns of the plot revealed things I wasn't expecting and turned what seemed to be a simple misunderstanding into so much more. I adore how the author weaved in a powerful message about our choices and actions making us who we are, and that even if we've previously fallen into false beliefs because of the manipulations of others, we can choose to do better and to change. It is so empowering and such a fundamental message that often gets swept aside in the fantasy genre which mostly prefers the clear-cut good vs evil battle where such characteristics are integral to the characters, not a matter of choice. It is truly brilliantly done!
And so...
I want more.
More time with these characters. More stories in this world. I want to know more about how the politics influenced by these events continue into the future of this kingdom. I would love to see Alia's parents story.
I want more so badly I might be tempted to re-read this one right away!
So, if you only pick up one book in this series, make sure it's this one. But then again, you are guaranteed incredible reading experiences from all the books in this collection. Not a single one has disappointed me yet and I am very particular. Excellent book. Brilliant series.
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