A Stolen Kiss- by Kelsey Keating

A Stolen Kiss is a fun, imaginative book about a princess who is cursed to be a swan at every sunset by a sorceress named Gilda Harver, but this is no retelling of Swan Lake. Instead we find out that princess Maria’s curse has been dormant for years and it is only until her betrothed prince Humphrey tries to propose that the curse returns. Now, it is up to Gilda’s son Derek Harver (the palace stable-boy) to take Maria, Humphrey, and his “sister,” Sarah on a quest to find Gilda and reverse the curse once and for all. The story takes us through an enchanted but dangerous forest, and as the story continues Derek learns that he is more than just a stable-boy and a slave to the kingdom. As Derek realizes his own strengths we learn about the rules of magic in this universe, and the bond that Maria is bound to due to her curse. On this adventure we meet shapeshifters, cyclops’, as well as other creatures that you have never heard of before, and as the adventure unfolds Kelsey Keating makes clear the strength of evil and the merits of kindness and a good heart. There are plot twists as well as some romance to carry the story along, and it all comes down to an epic duel for Derek to realize his true abilities. A Stolen Kiss is a fun and fluffy mixture of fantasy and adventure that I personally enjoyed reading. While this book has similarities to other fantasies that you may have heard of, it also has its own unique twists, turns, and additions that make it worth a read. This book is great for winding down and relaxing on a cozy chair and diving into a story filled with adventure.