After their father’s death, and thanks to their older half-brother’s wanderlust, two sisters find themselves caught in the politics of mysterious forest. Elinrose finds herself in direct conflict with the wood’s Mistress, while Snowmari hides a deadly secret that could mean her death if found out. Can their bonds of sisterhood withstand these trying times? Or will they even make it out alive?

Book 1 of The Austen Fairy Tales series.

Rose Petals and Snowflakes begin falling when author Kendra E. Ardnek combines Jane Austen–style storylines with fairy tales. This yields a delightful fantasy romance with callbacks to both genres while creating her own new style. In this story, Elinrose knows the dangers of the Forest, but events keep pulling her back into its dark mysteries. Now she must determine how to protect her family and her kingdom while learning what the Forest wants from her. Rose Petals and Snowflakes invites readers into the Austen Fairy Tales series, challenging a heroine’s conflicting responsibilities to herself, her family, and her society.

Best for: Lovers of fairy tales, romance, and Jane Austen.

Discern: Magic use and magical fantasy creatures, light romantic elements.