“I will never be able to atone for the things I’ve done, regardless of whether or not I was compelled. But my love for you was true.”

Holy moly! And here I thought the first book of the series was too much for my poor heart....

Continuing sort of where we left off, we find Snow and her friends trying to find a way back home to the Enchanted Forest so that she can reclaim her kingdom. And possibly save Max. And her people. And... you know, maybe get rid of her evil stepmother?

Yeah...

If you thought the first book was full of humor and action and suspense, you should DEFINITELY read this one! Snow was a badass princess to begin with, but now that she's made up her mind on what she wants and what needs to be done, it was like she leveled up. More badassery, certainly more maturity - as seen through some VERY difficult choices she had to make - and many more secrets revealed about her.

Not only Snow, though, was a certain delightful upgrade from the previous book's perfection. Robin and Belle kept up with their "dancing circles around each other", and disguising their weird foreplay as fatal threats - seriously, why the heck do I still find it hot? I think I may be smoking what those two are...

Cyndi wasn't present for most of the parts in the story, but I'm dying to know more about her. Which is weird. Cinderella is not exactly my top-of-the-list fairy tale princess. The stereotypes she's presenting with her story - at least the Disney-fied one - are not my cup of tea. But! In Ms. Babin's story I'd say she's starting to become my personal favorite. She's seemingly innocent and air-headed, until s***t gets serious, then she suddenly ups her game and everyone runs for cover. Now that, my friends, is loooove for me! Add Rumpelstiltskin, one of my TOP fairy tale characters, now a hot hunk with a British accent, by her side - or, really, sniffing at her fabulous heels - , and you got me hooked!

What was different about this new installment of the series wasn't just the badassery, by the way. In the first book, the good and the bad guys may not have been that obvious, but at least, other than Max, pretty much everything was black and white. But now Babin had to turn it all upside down - AGAIN! (seriously, lady, is that a hobby of yours, making us scream through your plot twists and your defying of what we've come to know so far?!?!) - and, currently, I'm a) dizzy from the ultimate twists taking place, and b) wondering how I'll survive till the next book!

Not cool, life, not cool at all!

***I was given an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review - hell, it should have been uploaded way sooner. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.*** ( )