‘Blossom was a child of the sun. She sought heat and light, rather than the cool of the Alderwood’

Pages: 320

Published: May 31,2016

Genre: Paranormal 

Rate: 4 stars 

Goodreads Synopsis

Blossom Frane is only weeks away from her transformation. On her eighteenth birthday, she’ll find out her future branch of society and her totem, the animal form she’ll be able to take at will for the rest of her life. Like her brothers, she’s expected to be a brown bear of the religious branch known as Terra. 

In the Alderwood forests, Blossom’s bear blood is a valuable asset. Any day now, a rival clan leader will step forward and offer her father a hefty bounty in exchange for her hand in marriage. Blossom can do nothing more than sit back and wait to be traded to the highest bidder.

Determined to spend her last weeks exploring the Alderwood, Blossom sneaks away and manages to find Kaide Landel, a rising political star of the Pyro branch. Known for his violence and disregard for the religious teachings of the Terra branch, he’s all wrong for the bear clan’s prized daughter. But when the politician uses his wealth and influence to secure her hand, Blossom has no choice but to leave her family and marry him—if she lives that long. 

First book in the Alder Tales 

My Take 

A retelling of beauty and the beast? You bet I was excited to read this book. We meet Blossom, a strong willed girl, who never does what she’s told. Being the only girl among three brothers, she’s very much overprotected and this is her basis for rebelling. 

Blossom is of the bear clan and being married of to Kaide from the Pyro branch leaves her not all too happy about it but has no choice but to accept. 

‘Blossom thought this must be what swimming was like. A constant motion around you as you flailed.’

Kaide’s totem is that of the beast and he finds himself having fallen for Blossom and tries to win her over, but will she accept him? Well that’s what the story centers around. 

We follow their daily lives and the challenges they both face as he tries to make her comfortable and she tries to accept her new life with the excitement of finding out her totem in 12 days. 

This is one of those sweet stories that I found quite enjoyable. McCoy’s writing is splendid and easy to grasp and I found the plot flowed well. 

At some point I found the story cheesy and predictable but it all adds up to its charm. A quick fun read with an ending that will blow your mind and have you wanting the second book immediately. 

If you’re a fan of retellings, then this is a book right up your alley.