The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

When she was just five years old, Lucinda Chapdelaine’s parents left her home while they attended a ball and never returned. Ever since that fateful day she has been stuck in servitude in her evil Aunt’s jewelry shop.

One fateful day though, Lucinda’s life takes a new turn. First a mysterious woman named Beryl comes in looking for a new setting for her even more mysterious emerald-like stone. Then a perfectly dreamy man comes in looking for the perfect wedding gift that says “forever” for his bride to be. The thing is this man just isn’t just any customer, he happens to be the crown Prince of the kingdom and he seems to find something very familiar in Lucinda’s face.

These two strangers set Lucinda on a journey beyond her wildest dreams. She befriends a thief named Peter, inherits a pet goat named Dog, attends royal balls, deals with the Amaranth Witch, discovers herself, has a few run ins with the law, and even finds the truth to the mystery behind her parent’s death.

A tad reminiscent of Cinderella, but yet still its own fairy tale, THE AMARANTH ENCHANTMENT is truly a delightful read. It has every aspect needed to create the perfect story. There’s love, adventure, a dashing prince, thieves, a witch, evil relatives, and of course the ever loyal pet goat Dog! I loved how the author pieced together the story, never letting out too much at a time and letting the reader really get a chance to take the whole story in. While at times it was a little bit predictable, the story line was still unique and magical and made you crave more. I loved how Lucinda slowly uncovered her past and seeing it mesh up with her current life. It made the story that much better. Younger teens would get the most out of this novel, but readers of all ages are sure to still feel the magic of the story. Julie Berry surely outdid herself with her debut novel and definitely has a knack for story telling. I am very curious to see what she has in store for us next!