Blood is the fifth and final instalment in the Tales from the Kingdom series, a collection of dark fantasy romance books that feature new takes on classic fairytales. The story ties together the four previous books and retells the story of Rumpelstiltskin. I cannot say much without spoiling the other books, so , to sum up my thoughts, I enjoyed seeing all the characters come together and interact, and I felt satisfied with the conclusion to their individual stories. I do wish the book was longer as I managed to read it in one sitting. I would recommend Blood to fans of the TV show Once Upon A Time who would be interested in a darker, more mature version.

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review*

The final book in the tales of the 5 kingdoms see all the lose ends start to come together and here we see the prince finally called on to deliver on his promise from a few books ago. We also get a resolution of Aladdin and beauty. And we finally get to meet a beautiful dragon. Great book with great ending.

Blood is the final book in the Tales from the Kingdom series and it wraps it up nicely.

Difficult to say much without spoiling other books in the series, safe to say I would not read this as a standalone! Catching up with all of the characters we have been introduced to throughout and giving us the dark and twisted ending that our childhood fairytales always deserved!

This series is my first from this author (after they were on my radar for a very long time) but definitely not my last! A very different take on the fairy tales we know so well, this time with a darker edge.

Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for this eCopy to review

Blood is an enthralling addition to her "Tales from the Kingdoms" series. This book, the fifth in the series, reimagines the story of Rumpelstiltskin with a dark and captivating twist.

Blood is set in a world where promises broken long ago have led to a vengeful curse. Eliza, finds herself entangled in a web of deceit and magic. Her father, desperate to save their family, makes a deal with a mysterious figure who can spin straw into gold. However, this deal comes with a heavy price.

As Eliza navigates the treacherous landscape of her kingdom, she encounters dragons, witches, and werewolves, each adding layers of complexity to her journey. The prince, who is not the typical charming hero, has his own dark secrets and motivations. The story explores themes of power, betrayal, and the consequences of one's actions, making it a rich and multi-faceted narrative.

Pinborough's writing is as enchanting as ever, drawing readers into a world that is both familiar and refreshingly new. The characters are well-developed, with Eliza standing out as a strong and relatable. Her struggles and growth throughout the story are compelling and emotionally resonant.

Pinborough masterfully blends dark fantasy elements with a modern sensibility, creating a story that feels both timeless and contemporary. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping my interest.

Overall, Blood is a beautifully written and thought-provoking book that offers a fresh take on a classic story. I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy and those who appreciate a darker twist on traditional tales.

“Imagine a promise broken long ago, a vengeful father, a vicious curse and a mountain ruled by dragons . . .
And then imagine them all again . . .
This is the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, retold as it always should have been.”

When I requested this ARC I had assumed it was a standalone book, and thankfully, I was wrong!! It is the 5th installment of the Tales of the Kingdoms series so I had to backtrack and read the first four books of course, and it has been such a delightful adventure filled with messy, twisted characters and more than a little spice!

Without spoiling anything, this is a wonderful fairy tale finale and I would recommend it to anyone who would be interested in reading about grown up versions of their favorite childhood characters! However, I would not recommend reading this as a standalone, it is very much apart of a larger story.

(I was not able to find this book on Goodreads so I was not able to upload this review to the platform!)

5 magical stars
https://lynns-books.com/2024/11/18/review-blood-by-sarah-pinborough-tales-from-the-kingdom-5/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Don’t Miss This Wonderful Series

Blood reads like a conclusion to the series but I’m not absolutely sure if that’s the case, it certainly has a fairytale style ending. That being said I would happily, nay ecstatically, pick up more books from the Kingdom. If anybody can give me the lowdown then feel free to update me in the comments. I’d actually love to be wrong.

I have to say first and foremost that this series is wonderful. I’ve absolutely loved reading these fairytales reimagined. They’re well written, they’re sassy, they have such twisted characters, everything is on it’s head and you can’t make any assumptions. Disney characters these are not. At the same time there are good characters where you least expect, plenty of magic, castles, dragons and thorny hedges.

If you love fairytales and you enjoy retellings then this series is for you and with a new first book in series (Magic) and this new conclusion it feels like the stories are now complete. Pinborough has pulled the rabbit out of the hat by tying all the stories together, bringing in mysterious characters just barely hinted at previously and giving them all the ending they deserve.

I can’t really say too much more without giving away spoilers so this review will be necessarily short and sweet (much like these little gems).

In conclusion. I’m sad to have read the final book. I’d love to go back and reread the whole collection one by one. These stories fulfil my fairytale need whilst putting a smile on my face. They’re a breath of fresh air filled with creativity, great writing and a little sexy punch.

Highly recommended.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating – 5 of 5 stars for a fantastic series

Unfortunately not my kind of read. I requested it due to.the author and i have read and enjoyed her previous books in the thriller genre. This was a DNF for me I am afraid

Thank you for the opportunity to review

What makes a happy ending? In the old days it’s our hero or heroine settling down, getting married and of course that was it. Fairy tales saying that was the ending all girls should have tells us a lot about how society saw women. For me a happy ending is one that takes characters to where they need to be and stays true to who they are. Ideally all the key plotlines are wrapped up (even if some characters don’t have a happy ending) but I want to go away feeling the journey and the destination worked. In Sarah Pinborough’s final novella in the Tales From The Kingdom series we have Blood which neatly brings a conclusion to the four previous new takes on classic tales and manages to both offer a new take on Rumplestiltskin and impressively brings four different plots into a final adventure and a very satisfying ending.

Lilith formally known as The Wicked Stepmother is now happily married to Snow White. Cinderella also known as Rose is settled down with a charming prince and now having a child. In an enchanted forest there is a kingdom where all are asleep and only Tony who becomes a wolf and the smart Petra are awake. All seems calms until Rumplestiltskin appears at the palace and reminds the Prince that he has promised to give way his first child to him. Everyone needs to work together to stop this but perhaps only a sociopathic genie named Aladdin has the key?

So fans old and new of this revised series with now a new starting point in Magic and this to conclude the series (for now?) brings all four plotlines and groups of key characters back and it’s again really impressive how well Pinborough finds a plot strand and use for all of them. No scene feels like a little winking nostalgia but everyone we meet has a key part to play. The interplay and crossovers work beautifully at novella pace and keeps the story changing tone and direction with ease. This is storytelling to sit back and savour the craft being used.

Character wise fans of the series show reflect how everyone has moved on. Lessons have been learnt and people are in better places. Here the couple are less together because of plot but because they actually work together - couples who communicate, trust and enjoy their lovemaking (yes again these are not YA tales) and importantly treat each other as adults. One theme here is he’s you may have been cruel and selfish but have you now learned from that and grown up? If you have then perhaps you do actually deserve happiness. This time our more dangerous characters Aladdin who loves to murder for the fun of it and the Beast (a Princess cursed with a truly wicked side) return and have major parts to play and even though they’re quite deadly we may find ourselves thinking even they deserve a little forgiveness….a little. Again the story makes these points subtly but adult readers may find some lessons are still here to be learnt.

Lastly, I do have to say there is some gorgeous fantastical magic and scenes to enjoy here. An exchanged palace frozen in time and a powerful scene with a dragon all shone with power that keeps you appreciating the world and that sometimes the magic is real and needed. It’s not simply set dressing it’s part of the story itself.

Blood wraps up stories and characters with joy and a little deviousness that should make fans of the series enjoy their return immensely. A better kind of happy ending awaits us. Perfect for a cold evening when you want warmth and perhaps a wicked smile on your face as you turn the pages. Strongly recommended!

Amazing retelling of rumpelstilskin, Blood has all the components needed to make an absolutely amazing book in my opinion including dragons , a curse , a father who is out for vengence and of course dark fantasy. Yummy !

One should never judge a book by its cover but all of the covers in this series are absolutely gorgeous and will look stunning on any bookworms shelf.

I have been loving my fantasy reads recently, so a retelling of Rumple sounded amazing... and It lived up to my expectations, and more!
I found myself struggling to put this book down at the best of times. The story was paced perfectly and had me fully invested throughout, and the way the characters are developed as the story progresses is wonderful!.

This is so much more fun than the original Rumplesilkskin. Much more of a real adult fairytale, definitely not for the kids. Super series of books.

A little over a decade ago Sarah Pinborough ended the Tales from the Kingdoms trilogy with the unlucky in love prince apparently getting his happy ever after, but with the presence of a mysterious figure suggesting more to come.

Blood picks up shortly after the events of the third, and now not so final, book in the original series, Charm, and the sinister figure is revealed to be none other than Rumplestiltskin who wants the prince to fulfil a promise. A promise presumably made in the other new book is the series, the as yet unread Magic.

The tale that follows takes all the loose ends and characters from the original trilogy, and I guess the new prequel Magic, and weaves them into another of Pinborough's trademark sexually charged fairy tales that's more Grimm than Disney. Does everyone finally get their happy ever after? Well, that would be telling

I can't wait for the publication of Magic, and the opportunity to finally read it and the rest of the series, but this time in chronological order.

Thanks to NetGalley, Gollancz and the author for an advance copy.

Dnf. I struggled with this purely because I did not realise it was part of a series. You have to read the previous parts of the series to know who and what is going on.
From what I read, this is another serving of the romantasy trope that is so popular right now, and will appeal to readers that enjoy fairy tale retellings.
3 stars as average, and dnf.

I have really enjoyed these dark fantasy and sometimes lustful reads.

They are definitely not for the children but are perfect for the dark nights closing in this season.

I loved Rumplestiltskin as a child and this retelling was just perfect.. It is twusty and clever and definitiely worth recommending..

A great continuation of the original series, I loved rejoining the world Pinborough built many years ago with Beauty, Poison, and Charm. For fans of the original trilogy this is a must read! It is easy to sink back into the world and into the prose. Expect lots of unexpected twists and turns in the plot, but everything does end up drawn together in a fitting way at the end. This is the dark fantasy fairytale reimagining we’ve been missing!

I’ve finally finished the series and I feel a little bereft. I’ve loved these twisted, dark and just a little sexy retelling of fairy tales. This one is the perfect culmination to the takes that went before and I really think you would miss out if you tried to read it standalone. This one brings together the other three perfectly. Can’t wait for Magic to add to the set!

Thank you, Netgalley, for this review copy for an impartial review
Bravo 👏 on this dark conclusion to a 'Grimm' and grisly retelling of Fairytales known the world over. I wondered how the author would bring all of the stories together and if it could be done well - I should never have doubted. A great big dark but happy ever after ending for all of the characters in the series. Will definitely be recommending and rereading in the future.

I read and very much enjoyed the original three books in this series quite a few years ago and I hoped that eventually the series would be expanded. And finally it has been! 'Blood' is a sequel to the original series that was made up of Beauty, Poison and Charm. The other new book, 'Magic' is (I believe} a prequel.

It is difficult to say too much about Blood without spoiling the story of the original series, but I feel that I must say that Blood is NOT a standalone tale but s a very natural continuation of the story and readers should know this from the get go. Most of the characters names will be recognisable from fairy tales we all know and love. Snow White, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin to name just a few, but the stories in these books are not what we remember from childhood. These stories are more twisted, mashed-up and messed up than you can possibly imagine, and that is what makes them so wonderful. Oh, and these are certainly not stories for young children as there is more than a little bit of saucy spice sprinkled in.

I really enjoyed Blood, revisiting the world of The Kingdoms, and reconnecting with all the fantastic characters and now I look forward to the prequel, Magic.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for approving me for this book.