Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fairytale
Format: Kindle, Paperback
The Hothouse Princesses (Seed, Sprout and Bloom) by S.A. Hemstock
Surely it’s the dream of every little girl to discover that she’s really a princess… Princess Mathilde Caroline, the fifth daughter of the king and queen of Ancaris, kidnapped as an infant and missing for twelve years. Heather, a ragged little peasant girl scraping out a living in the forest with the rest of her poverty-stricken family. They just so happen to be the same person. Newly found and dragged back into royalty, Heather is bewildered by court life; her father ignores her, his mistresses loathes her, the courtiers laugh at her and her mother is only spoken of in terrified whispers, despite being dead for as long as Heather has been missing. At least there’s one friendly face; Bluebell, a fairy companion tasked with grooming her to be the best princess she can be. And six months of every year are to be spent in the Glass Palace, a ‘school’ strictly for princesses to achieve floral-themed ranks based on their excellence. The pressure to succeed is high, and as Heather somehow manages to score ranks above her more experienced classmates, Bluebell’s secretive nature seems more and more suspicious. Why is the fairy so invested in Heather’s success? What happens to those girls that don’t rise to the top? Why do some of the books in the library contain hidden messages? And what exactly did Heather’s mother, the former Queen Mathilde Caroline, do to make everyone so afraid of her?
The Hothouse Princesses by S.A. Hemstock is an enjoyable, entertaining and must read story about a kidnapped princess that is found twelve years later. Princess Mathilde Caroline was kidnapped at birth, renamed Heather, became a peasant girl and lived with her new poverty stricken family in the forest. When she is found she is bewildered and confused by her new life as a princess.
Life is not easy for Heather because her father ignores her, his mistress hates her and she is laughed at by the royal attendants. Her mother’s life and death is a mystery and no one speaks of her out loud.
A fairy named Bluebell is commissioned to befriend her and help her to become a successful exemplary princess. Then she is sent to the Glass Palace, a school for princesses to achieve a status of excellence among the princesses.
Under much pressure, Heather excels above the other princesses. But things are not at all what they seem. Things don’t add up. There are hidden secrets and Heather wonders why everyone is so secretive about her mother and why everyone is afraid to speak of her.
The Hothouse Princesses by S.A. Hemstock is filled with mystery and intrigue. It is a dark fantasy, young adult story that all avid readers will love. The world building is fabulous. It is an enchanting place and I was fascinated by the descriptive writing. I felt like I was there watching on as the exciting story progressed.
The characters are amazing. They are well developed and fully fleshed out. They have interesting unique personalities and I came to care about many of them. Heather grows and transforms before our eyes. She becomes strong and heroic, yet she still has flaws and is very relatable and human. I can’t wait to see where our author takes this character in the sequel.
This story has a great rich plot and storyline. It is established right from the beginning and flows like water to the very exciting end.
S.A. Hemstock has a way with words that causes the reader to want more and more. This is a real page turner that I couldn’t put down. Readers will marvel in the scenery and settings, as they read about the beautiful world and land.
The Hothouse Princesses has a twist on the fairytale genre. What the princesses go through and the mystery behind it all is exciting and exhilarating. It is unique, original and whimsical. It is a distinctive work of fiction, unlike anything I have ever read.
This book is amazing, engaging and compelling. The author takes readers to a splendid magical world that they won’t want to leave. I’m so glad that this is going to be a collection and I am looking forward to reading book two of the Seed, Sprout and Bloom series.
Chick Lit Cafe highly recommends The Hothouse Princesses (Seed, Sprout and Bloom) by S.A. Hemstock to all fairytale lovers and those that love dark fantasies and want to read a refreshing new take on the genre.
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