Entwined by Heather Dixon

by:  Heather Dixon
published by:  Greenwillow Books
publish date:  March 29, 2011

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.  But there is a cost:  The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Are you in a funk after the season finale of Downton Abbey?  Wish you had something to tide you over and lift your spirits after the questionable ending of Season 3?  Entwined by Heather Dixon might be the answer.  It seemed to have all of the same kinds of drama, but with a little bit of Harry Potter magic sprinkled throughout.

It tells the story of Azalea and her need to find a suitable husband, because as the eldest princess her husband will be King.  The kingdom is losing money and she doesn't have a suitable dowry so she's worried that Parliament might make her choice for her.   But in the midst of that she has to look after her 11 sisters while her father is at war.  Also, there might be a malevolent spirit lurking in the walls of the castle.

I listened to the audiobook for Entwined and really enjoyed it.  I found that it got overly long and times and some of the subplots could have been eliminated, but other than that it was a lovely fairy tale story and well told.  Suitable for all levels of YA.