The Wrong Foot by Stephanie Burgis

(c) Stephanie Burgis and Daily Science Fiction

The Wrong Foot is a cute twist on Cinderella, and the perfect size for a quick winter read! 

Have you ever read the story of Cinderella and wondered just how the shoe could fit just one person out of the whole kingdom? No? Well, I have and this story plays into the scenario perfectly! Our heroine, Sophia, has come into the predicament of fitting the shoe that was lost at a ball at midnight. Her mother is ecstatic that her daughter will become royalty, the prince is thrilled to find his long-lost love, and Sophia is utterly...miserable. What is one to do, when one prefers reading and studying to the politics of court? Read The Wrong Foot to find out - you can find it online here!

Stephanie Burgis always has great stories lined up, which is why she is one of my favorite authors! If this short story tickles your fancy, I highly recommend her other works, such as Snowspelled, which is for older audiences. If more YA is to your taste, I definitely recommend the adorable, dragon-filled story, The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, or the series that introduced me to Ms. Burgis, Kat, Incorrigible.

Photo: Stephanie Burgis (Press Kit)

About the Author (from her website):

Stephanie Burgis grew up in East Lansing, Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband and two sons, surrounded by mountains, castles and coffee shops. She writes fun MG fantasy adventures and has published five so far, including The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart (Bloomsbury 2017), The Girl with the Dragon Heart (Bloomsbury 2018) and the Kat, Incorrigible trilogy (published in the UK as The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson). She also writes wildly romantic adult historical fantasies, including Snowspelled (2017), Spellswept (2018) and Masks and Shadows and Congress of Secrets (Pyr Books 2016). She has published nearly forty short stories for adults and teens in various magazines and anthologies.

The Underwater Ballroom Society

By: Stephanie Burgis, Ysabeau S. Wilce, Y. S. Lee, Iona Datt Sharma, Jenny Moss, Cassandra Khaw, Laura Anne Gilman, Shveta Thakrar, Patrick Samphire

A collection of stories by many fabulous and talented authors, The Underwater Ballroom Society focuses on one unifying theme: an underwater ballroom. From the dancing princesses, a martian female detective/spy, the fairy realm (in combination with some rock and roll, of course), to a creepy circus, you will find many fun and satisfying short reads. They will make you laugh, they will make you contemplative, and they will make you want to visit an underwater ballroom of your own. 

What sparked my interest in the book was a few things. First, I loved reading the series of books by two of the authors listed, namely Stephanie Burgis (Kat Incorrigible, The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart,  Snowspelled) and Y.S. Lee (The Agency Series). Second, how romantic and mysterious would plots be if they were to each feature an underwater ballroom? The stories are a must for those who love fantasy, mystery, romance, and adventure. I highly enjoyed reading The Underwater Ballroom Society and have now found new authors to enjoy! 

The Underwater Ballroom Society takes its name from the real life story of the Witley Park "underwater ballroom" (you can read more on this via Atlas Obscura here). Through a conversation between authors Tiffany Trent and Stephanie Burgis, they sparked an idea to create a collection of stories featuring an underwater ballroom. More authors joined in the conversation, each wanting to take part in such an endeavor, thus creating the masterpiece that is now available for your reading pleasure. 

If you would like to find out more about the authors, please visit them at their individual author sites below:
 
Ysabeau S. Wilce
Y.S. Lee
Iona Datt Sharma
Tiffany Trent
Jenny Moss
Cassandra Khaw
Stephanie Burgis
Laura Anne Gilman
Shveta Thakrar
Patrick Samphire
 

Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis (Coming Soon): It will put a spell on you!

Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis (Coming Soon): It will put a spell on you!

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

This novella is a quick read, a must for readers who follow Ms. Stephanie Burgis! I received a copy for reviewing purposes in exchange for my honest feedback.

Reading Snowspelled felt like dipping my toes into a pool - I know the book is short, but I want more! Luckily, more is what will come to be. Snowspelled is Book 1 of the Harwood Spellbook series, and I will definitely be looking forward to more stories on our lovely heroine and her equal partner/hero.

I loved that Ms. Burgis made her heroine able to think her way through her own problems and stand up to others with conviction! It is refreshing to see a strong female lead without a dystopian-type plot. Ms. Cassandra Harwood, as we are introduced, knows much about magic in a world where the women practice politics and the men practice magic. There is much intrigue with her background, as we are introduced to her story by the acknowledgement that something bad has recently happened to her personally, as well as the fact that she is no longer engaged to be married! But, what is a woman to do when a former finance makes his reappearance? Cause a little drama, because you know the book would not be as fun without it!

In all? I really enjoyed reading this book. While understanding that this is book one, I am looking forward to more of a world building experience in the next book. Snowspelled was a great introduction to the characters that I hope to grow closer to in upcoming books, it certainly left me questions about why certain things are run the way they are.



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