This princess kills monsters The misadventures of a fairy-tale stepsister : a novel

This charming, comic take on the Brothers Grimm's "The Twelve Huntsmen" from Herman (Love Bites) takes readers on an irreverent tour of fairy tale tropes through the eyes of a wonderfully snarky princess. Melilot, the least magical stepdaughter of the sorceress-queen of Skalla, is surprised when the newly crowned King Gervase of the rundown kingdom of Tailliz asks for her hand in marriage. Afraid of disobeying her stepmother, Melilot agrees to the arrangement, despite learning that Tailliz has no magic and is haunted by unnatural creatures. Melilot gets a read on what she's up against by disguising herself as her own maid to infiltrate Gervase's castle before the wedding. There, mysteries abound; Melilot must learn why someone is plotting to assassinate her, how exactly the king's 12 huntsmen are all identical, why Gervase called off his previous engagement, and what role she plays in the prophesy that a Skallan princess will save Tailliz from peril. Distracting her from her investigations is Gervase's assertive and flirtatious sister, Angelique. Herman zeroes in on the hilarious absurdities of fairy tales writ large while crafting a queer heroine full of heart and self-confidence. Readers are sure to be won over by the cleverly deployed archetypes, snappy prose, and rollicking adventure. (June)

Princess Melilot is tired of quests, especially the ones her stepmother sends her on. In most cases, she has to be rescued by her step- and half-sisters before utter calamity falls upon her. Melilot knows her stepmother likes her least, and when she is told to marry a king she has not met, she realizes she has no choice in the matter. When Melilot is attacked in the forest on the way to the kingdom, a group of 12 huntsmen rescue her, and she decides to tell everyone that she is the princess's maid, so that she might experience a brief period of freedom in which to see the kingdom, before her wedding limits her autonomy. Faced with a talking lion who dictates gender tests, a growing attraction to not only one of the huntsmen but the king's sister, plus more attempts on her life, Melilot must figure out what is going on before not only her heart but the kingdom is lost. VERDICT Herman's (Bleeding Hearts) delightful secondary characters and humorous tone bring this subversive, queer fairy tale retelling to life.--Kristi Chadwick