Book Review and Author Interview: Changeling’s Crown

Synopsis:

When Ianthe began her career as a faery godmother, she stumbled so badly that Snow White will probably never speak to her again. After a long suspension, she’s finally been given a chance to redeem herself…but everything on this latest assignment is going wrong.

But why?

Worse, she definitely doesn’t need an attractive mortal man distracting her from her duties. Of course, needs and wants are two different things.

Briak has had his eye on Ianthe for a very, very long time, but he’s been waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Despite the fact all hell’s about to break loose on his watch, he can’t resist the opportunity to insert himself into her earthly assignment. Can he convince Ianthe of her true calling and thereby win her heart? Or will his subterfuge ultimately cost him her love?

Make sure you stick around after the review to see an interview with Juli D. Revezzo!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It’s charming, romantic, funny, and a very easy read. I feel like the main thing I have to say about it, is that I wish there had been more.

The story follows faery godmother in training Ianthe, who is on a seemingly indefinite probation for doing some un-faery godmother like things. Unbeknownst to Ianthe, the king of the dark faeries, Briak, has been in love with her for centuries. When Ianthe gets put on an assignment that he is attached to, the two become close, though she doesn’t know his true identity.

I would have loved to see more world building. We got glimpses of Everland, the realm of the faeries, but there wasn’t much description. I would have loved to see more of it. It’s a very short read, so there weren’t really any subplots, and I feel like the author has lots of material here to add to the plot (especially with characters like Geldon, the troublemaking faery, and Mallory, one of the humans Ianthe is helping).

The romance between Briak and Ianthe was sweet, though I felt it was a little rushed. This was another result of the short nature of the book. Especially once we hit the end, it was like, suddenly everything was happy and good, even though five seconds before it was all shot to hell. I think the author could have put at least an entire other book in between the last two chapter. I’d read it.

I got super excited when the real faery stuff starting happening (The Wild Hunt, among other mildly surprising events) and then it was like, just kidding, the book’s totally over. Sad Face.

It’s not often my review is mainly “I just want more of this”. Changeling’s Crown is a very fun, quick read, with a heavy emphasis on romance, with some entertaining faery magic thrown in. If you’re a romance fan, add it to your TBR pile.

And now, I’m excited to share an interview I did with Juli D. Revezzo herself! Check it out:

Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been writing?

All my life, really. I started out with poetry and by the time I graduated junior college, I moved into writing long-form prose.

How did you come up with the premise for Changeling’s Crown?

I’ve always been a fantasy writer, but Changeling’s Crown actually started life as an attempt at Contemporary cowboy Romance. Halfway through the first draft the contemporary thing wasn’t working to keep my interest, and so I thought… “No, no. This needs to be a fantasy” and the what-if bug bit. And maybe I was watching a little too much Once Upon A Time, too, who knows? 😉

Have you thought about expanding the story for Changeling’s Crown? Maybe giving Ianthe and Briak a steamy sequel?

I have. Though, I think it would go further into the politics of their fairyland; not sure how much steam I’d put into the mix, though their relationship would definitely be a factor. I can see some of Briak’s minions being none-too-happy about his choice of fiancée.

Are Ianthe and Briak purely from your own brilliant mind, or are they inspired by folklore or mythology?

A little of both. If you look closely, you’ll see a hint of Norse mythology in the story. Obviously the faery godmother angle came from faery tales, but the idea to mix her with the dark faeries and the Wild Hunt and all that came from own imagination. I mean, we’re used to the faery godmothers being all happy and helpful and light. What if one wasn’t? I’m sure I’m not the first to think of that thread, but I’d never run across it before and thought why not give it a shot?  I also write a darker set of tales, in my Antique Magic series; that tied into Ianthe and Briak’s unusual natures, I am sure.

So obviously, Changeling’s Crown is a faery story; what other genres do you enjoy writing?

It’s a fantasy twisted/twisty faery tale, yes. I have always loved and written stories with a fantasy bent from high to urban. I’ve also tried my hand at Gothic and mysteries. I prefer writing stories with a speculative or fantasy quality, though. 😉

Who are some authors or books that inspire you?

Fantasy author Michael Moorcock is my absolute favorite author. I’ve worshipped loved his work all my life. I also enjoy lots of other things, from classics, to the works of Anne McCaffrey, Anne Rice, and writers like that to indie writers like fantasy author S.G. Rogers. The humor with which I tried to imbue Changeling’s Crown was a homage to her, to the works of Kathy Carmichael, and of Meg Cabot, who I also love. ☺

Any cool projects you’re working on right now? Maybe that Ianthe and Briak sequel? *wink wink*

I’ve kicked the idea of a sequel around a bit, to be sure. Foremost at present, I have three books itching to go to my editor—four, really, as I’m about finished with the next book in my Antique Magic paranormal fantasy series. I hope to have that one out before the end of summer. *fingers crossed*

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Don’t fall for the idea that you only must read whatever’s popular this last five years. Read everything. Reading and not limiting myself to what I read is what got me writing.  Don’t say “I just like romance” and leave it at that. Mystery, classics, mythology, horror, fantasy, epic poetry, SF. Even non-fiction. Just read. Ignore the genres, and you find a truth: stories are stories and this nebulous thing called genre is just a marketing construct of the last 80 or so years. Readers of past generations never considered whether or not the nameless storytellers were telling them fantasies, or if Wells wrote SF or Mary Shelley wrote a horror novel or Dickens wrote slice of life. They just read and enjoyed the story.  It should be the same today but we get tied in knots over these marketing trends and how much do we fail to see that way? That’s the way to learn; to see what makes a story a story you must read as much as you can. Get a sense of story, then worry about the window dressings. Reading everything will give you a better grasp of the flow of stories than limiting yourself to one genre and it will keep your mind active, which is also good.

Outside that, take a look at videos about writers on youtube or wherever you can find them. I find listening to writers speak of their craft, no matter if they’re writing novels or even scriptwriters talking about their movies, intriguing. It doesn’t matter if I’ve ever even read their books or seen their movies, I find them very educational. By that I don’t mean books about writing: the: “this is how you do this correctly” genre, but those that tell “this is how we did it. This is what our vision for our story is.”

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of being an author?

Favorite part is definitely creating the story, and of course, hearing that a reader loved it. Least favorite parts, edits! *LoL*

Alright, now it’s time to get really serious: Are you team Jacob, or Team Edward? (If you haven’t read Twilight, answer this one — If you could travel anywhere in the world –or any world– where would you go and why?)

I have read it, but I don’t have feelings for either, either way. Edward is a bit of a drip. His family, on the other hand, them, I like. So, can I jump ship and start Team Carlisle? I find Carlisle far more interesting than Edward and Jacob. I’m also quite fond of Alice. As for their vampire-ness, I’d much rather join Team Lestat. Now, he would blow them all away. Hehe ☺

If I could travel anywhere? I’d love to go to Italy. I studied Renaissance Italy in college and I’d just love to see the Florentine works and buildings in real living color. I’d also like to visit the ancient monuments of Greece, Rome, and the British Isles. If I could time travel I’d go back to the Celtic era. Just to see what it was really like among the Celtic tribes and to get a peek at what we really don’t know about them, would be awesome.

Thanks so much to Juli Revezzo for spending time with us here at Ramblings on Readings!