I’ve heard it said that there is one true love for every one, one soulmate. This is the story of what happens when that soulmate is taken from us. It tells the tale of a poor girl shunned, ignored, treated like dirt on someone’s shoe, and betrayed. Dark Destiny shows how little power women ... more

I’ve heard it said that there is one true love for every one, one soulmate. This is the story of what happens when that soulmate is taken from us. It tells the tale of a poor girl shunned, ignored, treated like dirt on someone’s shoe, and betrayed. Dark Destiny shows how little power women wield with the wrong man and how much power they can possess with the right one. Elsbeth’s life is tumultuous to say the least until her dear Jethart enters her life and gives her the strength to say no. Their life is idyllic, perfect, trouble free until petty jealousies and revenge tear them apart and Elsbeth is forced to bear their son alone. A mother protecting her young is one of the most powerful forces on the face of the earth and the Dark Queen Elsbeth is no different. Taking the dark path Elsbeth does what she deems necessary to protect her son, and his future. I could not put this book down. I would love to see adapted for the ‘big screen’.

Dark Destiny: The Sleeping Beauty Story Your Mother Never Told You BY: Kym Hackenberger & Melody Lowe PUBLISHED BY: Wicked Witch Productions, LLC PUBLISHED IN: 2008 ISBN: 978-1440412417 Pages: 158 Ages: Teen & Up Reviewed by Billy Burgess Do you remember the evil stepmothers and queens... more

Dark Destiny: The Sleeping Beauty Story Your Mother Never Told You BY: Kym Hackenberger & Melody Lowe PUBLISHED BY: Wicked Witch Productions, LLC PUBLISHED IN: 2008 ISBN: 978-1440412417 Pages: 158 Ages: Teen & Up Reviewed by Billy Burgess Do you remember the evil stepmothers and queens from the classic Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales? Did you every wonder how they became evil? Authors Kym Hackenberger & Melody Lowe gives us the dark and twisted tale of how an innocent young woman became the Queen of the Dark Realm. Elspeth, the oldest princess of Rookskrieg, is soon to marry Malcolm, the prince of Talonsbay. It’s an arrange marriage set up by their fathers. Neither Elspeth or Malcolm want to get married. Malcolm is womanizer and Elspeth just doesn’t love him. She wants to fall in love like her newly married younger sister, Isabelle, did. On the night of her sister’s wedding, she is embarrassed by Malcolm but is rescued by a dark and mysterious stranger, Jethart. She instantly falls in love him. They sneak around, but can only visit each other at night. Jethart isn’t like Malcolm or any normal man. He can turn himself into an owl and can cast magical spells. During Elspeth’s wedding to Malcolm, Jethart appears and steals the bride-to-be. They elope, and, afterwards, Jethart takes Elspeth to his castle, Dubh Rathgart, aka the Black Fortress. She soon bares a son named Ossian. Full of rage and lust for revenge, Malcolm starts a war with the Dubh Rathgart. He starts the chain of events that could destroy the kingdoms, and causes Elspeth to become the Queen of the Dark Realm. Under 160 pages, this book is short and sweet, but at times the story feels rushed. Some of the dialogue feels a little flat. The characters are not developed enough. There was not one character I felt anything for. I did like that the chapters were short and kept your interest until the very end. Fans of fairy tales and pre-teens will enjoy reading this retelling.