FAVORITE QUOTE:
Perhaps if I’d had years to practice pretending not to hear the barbs, I would now be armored against them. But I’d been too insulated. It was one thing to suspect you were disliked, but quite another to feel the concentrated heat of it. I set my expression in stone, but a lump of mortification swelled painfully in my throat nonetheless.
Wow! Angie Dickinson’s latest novel, Star Blessed, immediately drew me in. I was completely absorbed by the end of the first chapter. Drenched in a royal ambiance with Rumpelstiltskin undertones, I felt an instant connection to the narrative. Knights, jousts, royal parties, and ancient magic pulsed through the pages. Intricate plotlines emerged from the vivid world-building and the well-developed characters in a playful, yet intriguing way.
The weight of Princess Seren’s predicament was palpable as she bravely charted a perilous course through the treacherous landscape of aristocracy, gossip, and power plays. (And don’t get me started on her parental relationships!) Sir Corin’s behavior at first made me question his trustworthiness, and I was unsure if he was on the side of good or evil.
By masterfully concealing the antagonist’s identity and real motives, a shocking turn of events made the end of the book memorable. The story’s progression was deliberately gradual, allowing for a deep dive into the intricate magic system and the interwoven nature of the ancient tales.
I truly enjoyed the escapism quality of the tale, taking me out of my own world. It had me thoroughly engrossed, clinging to the hope for a happy outcome until the final pages. The smooth development of the character arcs, imbued with a fairy-tale quality, significantly deepened the storytelling. Fantasy fans who prefer a strong plot over romance will find Star Blessed an ideal read.
I received a complimentary copy from the author but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed are my own. Click on the book cover for purchase link.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Angie Dickinson is a fantasy author living in the woods of Michigan. She is a life-long lover of magical stories that point to truth and hope, and grew up captivated by the truth-laden wonder of imaginary worlds such as Narnia and Middle Earth. She is saved by grace alone and is blessed by her big, boisterous family. Angie is also fond of Earl Grey tea, reading too late at night, and taking every opportunity to share her passion for fantasy and fairy tales.
About the Book
Book: The Star-Blessed
Author: Kathy Tyers
Genre: Science Fiction Space Opera
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Three legendary origins of power. Two royal bloodlines. One deadly curse.
The kingdom of Stelauris is slowly dying. A season of poison infects the air, earth, and water with increasing deadliness each year, and a deep love of gold and power infects the failing mind of the king. His only daughter and first in line to the throne, Princess Seren, lives in tightly controlled isolation. When she is suddenly thrust into royal society, she struggles to hide the strain of untamed magic awakening in her blood.
Seren’s newly appointed personal guard, Sir Corin, resents the exile of his people. As heir to a long-banished line of succession and the last of the land’s legendary protectors, he holds no loyalty for the current royal family and their history of unhinged cruelty.
As death steals over the kingdom and the schemes at court grow deadlier, the princess and the guard are forced to face their fears, their troubled pasts, and the cost of personal freedom.
The Star-Blessed is a reimagining and reinventing of two fairy tales: “Rumpelstiltskin” and “Cat-Skin” by the Brothers Grimm.
To celebrate her tour, Angie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of her book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway!
Final Thoughts from Angie
If you’re like me, I suspect you can still remember the soft sounds and smells of the local or school library that you visited in childhood. You can probably remember the thrill of finding a book that you longed to spend time paging through in peace. For me, the greatest thrills came whenever I found a beautifully illustrated fairy tale. Fairy tale collections were always my favorite, and finding illustrated versions by talented artists made my heart sing.
Reading and re-reading fairy tales as a child eventually led to writing my own retelling as an adult. I began with an unusual tale that was very familiar to me via its illustrated retelling: “Cat-Skin” by the Brothers Grimm has been gorgeously retold (and mercifully sanitized) by Charlotte Huck, and illustrated by Anita Lobel. This picture book for children is titled Princess Furball, and is one of my old favorites that never left me. I chose this story and its original source for my retelling, lightening the darker original elements in my own way, but including the story beats, themes, and motifs that were so dear to me. I put my own twist on the tale, which surprisingly (even to me) included a subplot that was a retelling of its own: “Rumpelstiltskin.” I have loved many versions of this familiar story over the years, but my favorite is an illustrated retelling by Paul O. Zelinsky. I have read this one to my children countless times, and it has always set my mind whirring with the different ways that it could be told again.
For my retelling, I lovingly mined these two stories, “Cat-Skin” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” and worked them together into a foundation for a new fairy tale. The frame holds pieces of the old tales, but it’s wrapped up in something brand new. This is a story of a young woman and a young man whose paths cross and wend down a road marked by destiny, shadowed by grief, and lit by courage. Their story is a new fairy tale, reflected in gold and fortified by the faithful gleam of the stars.
Devoted Steps 