Princess of the Silver Woods (Twelve Dancing Princesses #3) by Jessica Day George

While traveling to the Grand Duchess’s estate, Petunia’s coach is held-up by the Westfalin Wolves and she is abducted by their leader, Oliver. He regrets abducting Petunia and returns her to the Duchess. But Oliver secretly watches over Petunia and he witnesses shadowy spirits terrorizing her at night. Oliver leaves to meet with Petunia's father, King Gregor, to turn himself in and report about the spirits. Once Petunia’s sisters and brothers-in-law hear Oliver’s news, they rush to Petunia's side, but a trap is waiting for them.

The final installment of the Twelve Dancing Princesses series is a great finish to George's retelling of the classic fairy tale. This time, more back-story is included on why Kingdom Under Stone was created and how the dark princes came into being. Besides the added back-story, George has weaved in the common features found in the little red-riding-hood tale. This time the “wolf” is the hero and “red-riding-hood” is a not-so-easily-deceived princess. From this series, George has proven that she is an expert at re-crafting fairy tales into cohesive and inventive stories with heightened adventure, like-able characters, and lovely romances.

Princess of Glass (Twelve Dancing Princesses #2) by Jessica Day George

For three years the princesses of Westfalin have tried to mend relations with the surrounding kingdoms. Ever since their curse caused the death of several princes, tempers have run high against their kingdom. By letting the princesses participate in an “exchange program,” Westfalin hopes to mend the damage caused by their curse. Poppy, now sixteen, is sent to Breton. While staying with her cousins there, she sees the similar signs of a curse laid on a young maid named Eleanora. When Poppy investigates Elenora’s curse, Poppy must face her own demonic nightmares with courage and ingenuity.

George’s story is a unique twist on the Cinderella fairy tale. George portrays the fairy godmother as a vengeful creature and “Cinderella”, or Eleanora, as a bitter and disappointed girl. The only criticism of the book is that sections detailing the godmother’s past and breaking her curse seems rushed and unexplained, as if the story was hurriedly written. Otherwise, it is a great read for those who enjoy fairy tales written from a new angle. The final book in George’s Twelve Dancing Princesses series is Princess of the Silver Woods.

Princess of the Midnight Ball (Twelve Dancing Princesses #1) by Jessica Day George

Galen—a poor soldier—meets an old woman along the road to the palace. Because of his kindness, she gives him an invisibility cloak and two balls of magic yarn. Galen continues on to the palace and gains employment as a gardener there. As he works in the gardens, Galen becomes acquainted with the king's twelve daughters, especially the eldest princess. Soon Galen sees firsthand the king’s dilemma of the princesses’ ruined shoes and their ailing health. The king proclaims that the man who can solve the princesses’ mystery can marry one of his daughters and co-rule the kingdom. Galen uses his magical gifts to discover not only the cause of princesses’ ruined shoes, but to also find out who is behind the princesses nightly disappearance.

George takes the well-known fairy tale a step further by adding complex aspects to the story, like a demon underworld. But George stresses how dancing each night, with no sleep, would threaten the princesses’ well-being. The princesses’ health becomes the driving reason the king is desperate for a resolution to the mystery, not the cost of repairing shoes. Along with the engaging read, George adds a knitting twist to the story, with knitting patterns included at the end of the book. Readers who enjoy such books as the Books of Bayern series or Ella Enchanted will also enjoy this series. The next book, which follows a different sister, is Princess of Glass.