Pale

“What was that about?” he demanded.

“I needed some air,” Fae managed, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry, Evan.”

Without a word, he hauled her to feet and, as he held her shoulder with one hand, smacked her across her face with the other. The shock came a moment too late and Fae pressed her cold hand to her stinging face and pressed her teeth into her lower lip to keep from crying again.

“Learn to behave yourself, Fae,” Evan said, reaching out the hand he slapped her with and stroked her hair. Fae suppressed a shudder as her step-sibling said, “Things are going to change around here soon.” Then, he took her wrist and dragged her back to the castle.

Pale is written by a very talented author who conveyed a typical fairytale into something much more. Aside from a king and a princess, the story tells a tragic story of a father and daughter. Fae is a princess who lost her mother at a young age. Like any true fairytale, she gets a new stepmother. A stepmother who only wants Fae's kingdom for herself. Beyond that, something lurks in the back of the mind of every resident of the kingdom. Something not completely normal.

Nevermind the evil stepmother, selfish stepbrother or ignorant father; be aware of the sea. A place that holds evil and scares every resident of the kingdom. No one dares to go near the sea and being on the coast, everyone is reminded of the danger every single day. Fae can hear it, they speak to her and the mysterious creatures welcome her. It's a growing dread that is inside her body. Then if that wasn't enough, everything shatters when her father gets deathly ill. What it seems, by the hands of Fae's new stepmother. Pale, none the less, proves that there is always something lurking behind every corner.

Alexander Bernadotte has the rare talent, she is able to write as if we are right there with her characters. We are there as Fae slowly grows, as she cries, and as her sorrow deepens. The author is able to make readers become empathetic with Fae and the other characters. Not only that, Pale is one of those rare stories that can be read over and over again. It's a magnificent piece of art that everyone should know about.

Warning, the story may cause people to lose sleep, have the burning desire to read more, cry with Fae or cyber stalk Alexander Bernadotte and her stories. I highly suggest and recommend this story to anyone who likes fantasy, or a twist of horror. It's unique, well written, and just gorgeous to stare at.