3 stars for Anastasia by Emma Taylor @LT3Press #FF #Fantasy #Fairytales

Title: Anastasia
Author Name & Publisher: Emma Taylor — Less Than Three Press
Publication Date & Length: October 15, 2014 — 108 pages

When the farm where she lives begins to die, Anastasia’s father casts out her mother and sister in order to save it. In revenge, her mother takes Anastasia as well. The three of them move to a strange town where the streets never stay still, and only the rats know way.

They are saved from a squalid life when her mother unexpectedly remarries, but Anastasia does not know quite what to make of her new stepsister, and before she can truly settle into yet another life her mother begins to act strangely and her sister grows deathly ill

Anastasia is a fairy tale. It’s written in fairy tale style, a story that is told rather than shown, with lots of mystery. Too much mystery, at times, for me to figure out. People are cursed, villains are confusing, there are magic potions. But Anastasia is a competent, admirable heroine. She takes care of her adorably wicked little sister. She tries to bond with her new stepsister.

The interaction between the three young members of the family is compelling. I read this story fast, not wanting to put it down. There’s a lesbian aspect, however it’s more chaste than seductive. It’s enough of a love story to feel satisfying without being a love story. In fact, it’s what I usually want from more “mainstream”/non-romance books. “Okay, just like that, but more gay.” So here’s a fairy tale with a little bit of gay, but much more fairy tale. If this is your genre, you’ll be happy adding this to your collection.

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Emma Taylor’s goal in life is to fill every surface of her apartment with books. Amazon.com is enabling this prospect to a much greater extent than she could ever have imagined. She lives with one cat (read: overlord), who is very firmly an only cat, which means she has to cheat on the side with other people’s kittens. Her favorite season is autumn, due partially to the rise in pumpkin-flavored products. She tries to enjoy fall as much as possible, which leads to a vague sense of guilt each day that she does not buy a pumpkin spice latte. It’s an on-going, annual struggle.

Email: emmataylor912@gmail.com
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