Coriana Hope

A contemporary twist on the traditional fairy tale, by author Coriana Hope

Princess Chrisithia (Chris) heir of Agaedith is invited to the birthday party of Princess Coralla in the neighbouring kingdom of SeaCrest. When Chris is attacked by a swarm of bees on the birthday parade float, the horses pulling the float are spooked, and career through the parade, before crashing into the ocean. Princess Coralla is furious and yells at Chris, who responds by punching the birthday girl in the face. Chris flees the scene and is banished from SeaCrest. She meets a strange boy in the forest and learns he is Coralla’s secret brother, Prince Kedrick. Chris and Kedrick become good friends and they meet in the woods one day, where they are attacked by possessed trees and chased by a pack of wolves and their leader, a talking alpha wolf.

Chris’s parents, the Queen SnowWhite and King Orrluxe, are embarrassed by their daughter’s unprincessly behaviour and send her to the Interkingdom Collaborative University for Princesses, in the hope that the boarding school will control her behaviour and secure her a prince for a husband. Chris loathes the school and the wretched princesses that reside there. She tries everything she can to get expelled, skipping classes and being rude to the teachers, but all of her attempts fail. As Chris develops an unlikely friendship with a commoner girl named Rachaella, the wolves who chased her through the woods track her down, and threaten to kill her. Meanwhile, princesses are disappearing across the land and Chris discovers a monstrous evil power roaming through Agaedith. Chris must seek the help of her arch-enemy the alpha wolf, and her old friend, Kedrick, to solve the mystery before the evil power destroys the entire kingdom.

Reign or Shine by author Coriana Hope is a wonderful adventure and fantasy fiction novel for young adult readers, with a contemporary twist on the traditional fairy tale. The book features some familiar fairy tale characters, such as Snow White, but not quite as you might remember them. Chris is a strong and feisty female protagonist, who rebels against her parents and their expectations of good princess behavour. She is a typical teen, with a desire for fun, friendship and adventure, but is abandoned and neglected by her parents, and trapped in a hostile royal castle. Despite her privilege, she experiences many challenges, anxieties and insecurities, that young adult readers will relate to. The book ends on a thrilling cliff-hanger, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A wonderful adventure and fantasy fiction novel for young adult readers, with a strong and feisty female protagonist, and some familiar fairy tale characters.