Hello, everyone! Not too long ago, Kendra E. Ardnek released a third installment in her Austen Fairytale series: Emmazel, a blend of Rapunzel and Emma. I very much enjoyed this book — in fact, it surpassed my expectations — so, naturally, I'm reviewing it here on the blog (albeit a little later than I usually would — it's fine; I'll catch up soon).

5 Reasons to Read Emmazel

1. It's a clever twist on Rapunzel. I love the story of Rapunzel, which means I have read a lot of Rapunzel retellings, and I can say that Emmazel is one of the most unique I've come across. It's not a straightforward retelling by any means, but Kendra works in pretty much all the important elements (and some less important ones), and I rather like how she distributed the fairy tale's various roles throughout the story, with characters occasionally trading roles at different points.
2. It's the first version of Emma I've actually been able to finish. Historically, I have not been a fan of Jane Austen's Emma, mostly because the titular character rubs me the wrong way. I tend to get to a certain point, get frustrated, and give up. So, I was a bit nervous when picking up this book . . . but then Kendra gave me a version of Emma who I actually liked and sympathized with (even if I yelled at her more than a bit), and whose story I genuinely wanted to see through to its (very satisfying) ending, and I was quite pleased. That feat alone would get this book five stars from me, but I still have four more points to get through, so sit tight.
3. You can enjoy it even if you don't know the original story. From what I can tell, Kendra makes a point of working in as much of both the original Emma and the original Rapunzel as possible, and other readers seemed pleased with how she handled the Emma elements. However, as previously mentioned, I have never finished Emma, and my memory of what I did read was somewhat hazy in points. Even so, I never felt confused or lost while reading this, and I doubt others would either.
4. I love to see how the past Austen Fairytale characters have grown. And, also, how they slide into new roles with each new fairy tale. It makes for a very fun game of "spot the familiar character." And, of course, it's delightful to watch Elinrose, Earnest, and others continue their journeys, even if they're not in the spotlight.
5. Enchanted cat! Y'all know I'm a sucker for magical or enchanted cats of pretty much any kind, and that continues to be the case. Night is a talking cat and is without a doubt, my favorite character in this book — he's sarcastic and a voice of reason and perfectly cattish. He's fun, y'know?

Have you read Emmazel (or any of the Austen Fairytales) yet? If not, you can pick it up on Amazon in ebook form (and paperback is coming soon) or add it on Goodreads. What's the most unique Rapunzel retelling you've read? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!