I been waiting for this one for awhile, guys. Rachel Kovaciny twists your favorite fairy tales into westerns. She is amazingly good at it to boot. You can find the rest of the tour here.
https://hamlette.blogspot.com/
I was so excited to get an arc of this story! I loved Man on the Buckskin Horse.Which I highly recommend!
The Review
This is a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling, which I think the world needs more of. I would recommend having some snacks on hand as you read this. Doughnuts, if you can get them. It will make you incredibly hungry. Rachel has a way of describing food that makes your mouth water, especially the doughnuts.
The descriptions in this story are top notch and paint such vivid pictures. I love the Dance Hall most of all and the unique way she brought in the silver and gold trees, from the original story. The way she incorporated all the elements of the story was brilliant, actually. It was a thrill to read.
The main highlight for me was the characters.
Jedediah Jones is one of those honest and witty characters, with a heart of gold. I love how blunt he is and the way he views the world, he doesn't waste words and it makes him admirable character. He was a fun protagonist and made me laugh a lot. I loved his humorous take on all the shenanigans that ensue.
I love all the girls too! It's hard to utilize such a large cast in a short story, but it worked out fine.
They all were so different and even if I couldn't remember all their names. (Neither could Jed, so I don't feel bad) I did enjoy their differing personalities. Alice stands out the most of course, because of Jedediah interest in her. I enjoyed their banter. She's not a damsel in distress, but she's not one of those overly pushy girls either.
The mystery was well done too. Usually I can sort things out quickly, but this one evaded me. It was a great twist.
I also liked how well rounded all the characters were, even Mayor Gatz who play's more of a villainous role, wasn't a cliched, mustache twisting baddie. I always enjoy character's who don't seem like caricatures, they seem like people you've met or could meet. Which is what made all of the ones in this story so enjoyable.
All in all, a delightful take on a classic story!
I tried to think of one negative thing and I have nothing. If you like doughnuts, the old west, a good story, and shenanigans. I recommend this book!
The Author
Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved the Old West all her life. She now lives in Virginia with her husband and their three homeschooled children. In her free time, Rachel writes for the magazines "Femnista" and "Prairie Times," reads, bakes, blogs, watches movies, and daydreams.
Her book "Cloaked" was a 2018 Peacemaker Awards finalist for Best Western YA/Children's Fiction.
Don't forget to follow her! She's as sweet as the doughnuts, she writes about.
Author website
Facebook author page
Goodreads author page
Goodreads
Amazon
Blog
The Giveaway
You can enter here- http://www.rafflecopter.com/
It ends September 9th.
The winner will receive an autographed copy of Dancing and Doughnuts, a copy of Log Cabin Cooking, and a Once Upon a Western tote bag that measures 15"x 18"x 6" with 22" handles. You can enter in a variety of ways, including by visiting different tour stops each day.
