The Princess and the Pea (Timeless Fairy Tales)

Title: The Princess and the Pea

Series: Timeless Fairy Tales (Book #0.5)

Year: 2018

Author: K.M. Shea

Summary: What if the true makings of a princess have nothing to do with where she’s from and everything to do with who she is?

She may hate her nickname of “Warrior Princess” but Lis stakes her reputation on her ability to protect her client’s treasures no matter what she faces.

But this job is different.

When the royal family of Torrens hires her to guard the fabled Pea of Primeorder jewel it starts out like any other job. The king is kind of eccentric (and possibly delusional) and Prince Channing is strangely pleasant towards her, but otherwise everything is normal.

Until she learns about the thief.

The legendary thief Apex has sent a letter declaring his intention to steal the Pea of Primeorder. Lis knows this is either the vainest thief in the world or there is more going on then she’s been told. But a job is a job. Lis will pass this test at all costs even if she has to stuff the jewel in her mattress while she sleeps.

But eccentricities of the Torrens royal family only intensifies as Prince Channing starts asking Lis strange questions. Like...would Lis stay in Torrens after her contract is over, and if they could learn to fight together. (What kind of royal asks that?)

A Prince, a Warrior, and a Pea. The Kingdom of Torrens will never be the same.

This novella is a prequel for the Timeless Fairy Tale series. It is not necessary to read the books in the Timeless Fairy Tales series prior to reading this story. However, if you have read that series watch for the name drops and hidden Easter eggs!

Review: This review was originally written for publication on Fairy Tale Central. Click here to read the full review.

The Princess and the Pea is one fairytale that doesn't have enough retellings. And I completely understand why. I mean, seriously... a vegetable as the most crucial part of the story? Twenty mattresses? How can one make a respectable retelling out of that? There just doesn't seem to be enough oomph in the original fairytale to garner writers' interests.

HOWEVER, K.M. Shea has flipped this tale on its head. And I can guarantee that you'll never look at this fairytale the same way again after reading this novella.

Lisheva -- or Lis, as she prefers to be called -- is a mercenary warrior. She's trained hard to become who she is, she can fight better than most men, and she's not afraid of a good challenge. She has a hard set of morals, though; she won't spill blood if she doesn't have to, and any contract she accepts has to be honorable. There aren't very many female warriors like Lis and her companion, Vorah. They certainly attract notice anywhere they go, but because they're girls, some people underestimate them.

Their latest contract is one of a mysterious nature. King Albion requires their assistance in protecting a legendary piece from his kingdom's treasures -- a small, green, magical gem known as the Pea of Primeorder. The task should be easy enough for Lis and Vorah, except for the fact that the reputed thief, Apex, has already announced his intentions to steal the Pea within the week. Lis has her doubts about Apex's brash pride and any success he might have, but guarding the Pea may prove a bigger challenge than she's prepared for.

Advisory: Since Lis is a fighter, expect some fighting. QUITE a bit of fighting. The fight scenes were pretty cool to read and visualize, but some of them felt kinda long to me. There's plenty of sword action and fist action, but they don't make the book feel overly violent.

Also, some romance, as I've already mentioned above. But it's short and sweet and leads to one kiss. One character uses the term "arse" but I didn't notice anything else to keep this book from being pretty clean overall.

Again, click here to read the full review on Fairy Tale Central. And be sure to check out the other fun Princess and the Pea posts this month!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars