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The Rose Princess Book Tour

Cover Blurb

She was born the only biological child of her father, the King of Rose Mountain. Rosella grew up under the overprotective nature and high expectations of her mother, the queen, knowing that she would one day be queen. While her parents and older half-brothers were born without magical abilities, Rosella showed powerful magical skills from an early age and learned how to use and control them from both of her grandmothers, Lady Margaret and Queen Lea. At eighteen, she inherited the Staff of Light from Lady Margaret and the Amulet of Rose Mountain from Queen Lea at twenty-one, the two most powerful magical artifacts in all the realm.

Unfortunately, when an evil warlock named Mugwort Octavius Nidhoggr petrified her parents and the royal court. The twenty-two-year-old princess was forced to flee with her friends and remaining family and live in exile, traveling from kingdom to kingdom in search of military aid without success. Three years later, when Rosella arrived in the realm of Magnolia, she met Prince Julian. Through him and his friend and royal page, Elias, who is secretly in love with the palace maid, Eliza, Rosella, learns about the tyrannical rule of Julian's older brother, Prince Robert, with their widowed mother, Queen Catrina.

As Rosella and Julian got to know each other, they fell in love while keeping their royal statuses hidden. When they learned about each other's royal status, Rosella and Julian worked together to end Robert's reign of terror and save the kingdom. Will Rosella make sure Julian takes the throne that is rightfully his? Will she finally get the army she needs to reclaim her kingdom? Will she be able to help Elias and Eliza gain their happily ever after?

In the first installment of The Rose Chronicles trilogy, Carly Lakes shows that despite her thorns, Rosella is a true Rose Princess.

Other Titles By the Author

Carly Lakes

Author Bio

Carly was born in Andalusia, Alabama, on the 12th of March, 1994. She loves fiction, fantasy, history, and mythology. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and dyspraxia at a young age, she has dedicated her life to sharing her love of storytelling through the written word, hoping society will accept neurodiversity. Miss Lakes is a 2019 graduate of Western Kentucky University with a BA degree in history. She currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her family.

The Book Tour

Day 1 - Favourite Quotes

He was now wearing a light blue military tunic with gold buttons, embroidery, gold epaulets, black breeches, and black hessian boots. (Eryn McConnell)

“I promise you, Margaret, your secret is safe with me for the time being. You have my word,” Lea said as she placed her hand on Margaret’s shoulder. A queen always keeps her word. (Phoebe Wilby)

"The power, love, and courage you hold inside your heart are stronger than any form of dark magic. Be true to yourself and never try to hide the person who you are, for it's what's on the inside that matters most." (Kirsty McKay)

When a fairy or an elf dies, their earthly bodies disintegrate into dust, and if they have done good in this world, their souls ascend into the heavens as a new star in the night sky. If they have done evil, once their bodies have turned to dust, they cease to exist, and no new star will appear. (Michelle Marshall )

"This caravan holds the private altars and prayer rooms for all the gods and goddesses. My family comes here to present offerings, offer prayers, or ask for divine advice from the gods and goddesses," Rosella explained. (Eileen Tilley)

After her father had finished, Rosella rose to her feet as the people cheered. "Long Live King Edward! Long Live Queen Estrella! Long Live Princess Rosella!" (Tim Marshall)

Before Rosella's family retired for the evening, they all saw a small bird fly out of Rosella's window and fly toward the royal palace. Meanwhile, as both Christopher and Alexander looked at the bird flying away, they smiled as they silently wished their sister luck on her quest. (Yvonne Marrs)

Day 2 - Character Summaries

The Bad Queen: "I intend to keep my word to her. First, after Robert and the princess are married, I will persuade her to allow Robert to lead an army against Mugwort in her name. Then, once Robert has defeated Mugwort, he will damage the statues of the petrified king and queen to prevent the princess from breaking the spell, and once she becomes queen, I will persuade her to sign over control of her kingdom to Robert. That way, my precious son will become king of both Magnolia and Rose Mountain." As a rule I prefer dark fantasy so I’m rooting for the bad Queen. She’s got personality, she’s plotting like mad. I like it. (Eryn McConnell)

Prince Julian: Prince Julian and Princess Rosella are the main characters in this book. As the younger son of the King of Magnolia, Julian is not traditionally the next heir - but his father has named him such in his will. He is truly stuck for a way to ensure his father’s wish will happen while the will remains unfound, and his mother and brother continue a tyrannical reign. I liked that when Julian and Rosella first met, neither revealed who they truly were until they were sure that their attraction was real and not based on any notion of supremacy, one-up-man-ship or gold digging. We cannot help feeling troubled and sorry for poor Julian until he meets Rosella quite by chance and his life changes for the better. His character evolves as the tale unravels, as does his relationship with friend and royal page Elias, who he admits is more like a brother to him. As a ruler, we know he will bring back his father’s ways in his own time as King, although it will take a while to undo the damage that his brother and mother have wrecked!! (Yvonne Marrs)

Eliza: Eliza is a maid in the Court of the Kingdom of Magnolia. Although not a main character, her character path struck me as being most memorable. We first meet Eliza after Rosella and her entourage arrive in Magnolia. We learn that she was raised in an orphanage, having been abandoned as a baby. With the help of her mentors, she secures a post at the palace, and is a handmaiden to Queen Catriona. She is also the love interest of Elias, Prince Julian’s manservant and best friend. Eliza has in her possession a locket, which she cannot open, and a pair of bracelets on her wrist. These bracelets were with her when she was found, and no attempt to remove them has succeeded. They even grow as she grows. Magic! Julian enlists the help of Rosella to see if she can help Eliza find out who she is. We watch in wonder as Eliza learns the truth about her past and comes to terms with her true self. She meets her father, and, as a daughter of a fairy king, she embarks on an education regime to not only learn how to be a fairy, but to also learn what happened to her, her parents, and learn the history of the land of her birth. Through it all, her devotion to Elias and allegiance to Prince Julian never wavers, and her friendship with Rosella deepens. (Phoebe Wilby)

Prince Julian: By far the better brother in my opinion! I couldn't help wondering why he wasn't chosen by Rosella in the first place, without the need to put him to the test. Unlike his elder sibling, he's kind to animals and seems like a genuine person. He shows good character progression throughout the story and I enjoyed seeing his friendship with Elias develop, as well as the feelings he has for Rosella. (Michelle Marshall)

Rosella: I felt sympathy for Rosella. It felt like she had a lot of high expectations and weight placed on her shoulders from the start. As well as her role as a princess, she has an affinity for magic and has to deal with the consequences this gift can have. Circumstances mean she has to leave her home and start a new life elsewhere at a very young age. It must have taken a great deal of bravery to do this. (Eileen Tilley)

Elias: My favourite character was Elias, who serves as a foil to Julian’s older brother Robert, and demonstrates that blood isn’t the most important thing. (Tim Marshall)

Julian: There are many qualities to love about this character, and particular because he bears no resemblance to his tyrannical brother. He is a genuine character, well developed and extremely likeable. I connected and remained invested with him as a character particularly due to his affinity with the animal kingdom and the way in which he cares for their welfare. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts

"If the princess was thinking about outsmarting Queen Catrina and Prince Robert. I would suggest that Her Highness write to Queen Catrina that she will decide between both of her sons through a test of virtues. Along with the mention that she will announce her choice during the Blood Moon Festival at the annual royal ball, which takes place on the festival's last night. I liked the idea of a test of virtues. It’s a very typical fairy tale idea but is usually undertaken by the King or Prince, not the Princess. (Eryn McConnell)

Once Rosella had completed the spell, the golden, magical aura surrounding her and her cousins slowly died, and the altar's fire went out. After Rosella and her cousins had sworn the oath and had taken the magical contract, Rosella gave each of her cousins a small hand-held golden mirror. "These are no ordinary mirrors," Rosella explained as she gave them each their individual mirror. "When you speak the name of an individual you wish to talk to, that person will appear in your mirror from their end. This way, we can all remain in contact with one another. However, there will be times when we can only communicate with each other by letter, so we will have to use secret codes to prevent anyone else from reading our messages," Rosella said as she gave her cousins lists of codes and ciphers. "Please keep these safe and put them in places where only you will find them," Rosella instructed her cousins cautiously. (This is the sort of forward planning that will stand Rosella in great stead when she is Queen of Rose Mountain! Yvonne Marrs)

…I can sense that a great and powerful warlock is on his way here. He not only wants my kingdom, but he also seeks to possess the Staff of Life.” (Phoebe Wilby)

As the celebrations were ending, the front doors of the palace suddenly swung open, letting in the rainstorm brewing outside and snuffing out the candles, making the room dark. Despite the room's darkness, the figure standing in the doorway appeared to be a man wearing a black hooded cloak carrying a Yew-wood staff in the shape of a serpent with black diamond eyes. As the mysterious man entered the palace, Rosella could get a good look at the man's face as he walked up to her father. From his facial features, which showed a middle-aged man with dark graying hair, a short beard, and a hard-cold face with cold gray eyes, Rosella could tell that he was the warlock from her dreams who was after both her staff and her amulet along with her kingdom, spell book, and potion book. (Michelle Marshall)

"But I managed a dangerous situation in a way that Mama says is improper for a princess to act and behave," Rosella upsettingly told her grandparents as tears again formed in her eyes. "No, dear, you managed the situation smart, clever, and courageous like a worthy future queen," said Queen Lea. (Eileen Tilley)

"I'm sorry about what my brother tried to do to you, my friend," Julian said as he apologized to the nightingale. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Julian of Magnolia, the younger son of Queen Catrina, and the late King George." "Talking to another bird you saved from your tyrannical older brother, Julian?" Elias asked as he entered the room and closed the door. (Tim Marshall)

"Mother, what are you saying?" asked Prince Robert. Queen Catrina turned to Eliza and asked her. "Eliza, would you be a dear and show my son the meaning of my words?" Eliza smiled as she finally received a request rather than a demand from Queen Catrina, and replied. "Yes, Your Majesty! As you wish!" (Kirsty McKay)

Day 4 - Video Interview

Day 5 - Reviews

Overall Rating: 4 stars. This is a well presented fairy tale story with the industrious princess, the villainous Queen, the warlock, and the earnest Prince. The events are simply told, in the keeping of a fairy tale, and we have little opportunity to step into the character’s mind. The dialogue was good, perhaps a little forced, but at times it switched to modern speech, freaked out, for example, which didn’t entirely fit within the story. I did like the inclusion of French and another unknown language for spellcasting. (Eryn McConnell)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. Princess Rosella, the only biological child of her father, the King of Rose Mountain, grew up under the overprotectiveness of her mother, the Queen knowing that one day she would be the Queen of Rose Mountain. While her parents and half brothers were born without magical ability, Rosella showed her magic skills from an early age. Learning how to use and control her powers from her grandmothers, Lady Margaret and Queen Lea, at 18 Rosella inherits the Staff of Light from Lady Margaret, and the Amulet of Rose Mountain from Queen Lea when she turns 21. Both magical artifacts are the most powerful in the realm. The Princess is forced to flee her kingdom with her family when evil warlock Mugwort petrifies her parents and the royal court. Travelling from kingdom to kingdom in search of military aid to get together a strong enough army to defeat Mugwort and reclaim her kingdom, will she gain the support she needs? For three years, she has tried to gain support without success - until she and her family arrive at the kingdom of Magnolia, where they meet Prince Julian and his friend and royal page Elias.Through him and Elias, who she learns is secretly in love with palace maid Eliza, Rosella learns about the tyrannical rule of Julian’s older brother, Robert, with their mother, Queen Catrina. Can she help end Robert’s reign of terror by aiding Julian’s right to the throne? Does this mean that she will gain the support of an army desperately needed to reclaim her kingdom? Can she also assist Eliza and Elias in finding their happily ever after? A captivating story, the first of a trilogy, that paints a different picture of the damsel in distress. The romance between lovers and easy friendship extended to once strangers has the reader hoping for a fairytale ending for everyone involved! An engaging and imaginative story you don’t want to end. (Yvonne Marrs)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. Rosella is the only child of the reigning King and Queen of Rose Mountain, and the only one of her step-siblings to have inherited the magical powers of their grandparents. Because of this, the fate of the kingdom rests on her young head. On her eighteenth birthday, she inherits a Staff of Light and will be granted the Amulet of Rose, once she has mastered the magic of the staff. There are the two most magical artifacts in the Kingdom, and indeed, in the whole Realm. However, her magical powers won’t come to their fullness until her 25th birthday. The evil warlock, Mugwort, knows this, and so turns up at a celebration long before this and turns her parents and most of their subjects to stone. Rosella had the foresight to ensure her stepbrothers, their families, and a select group of her cousins, courtiers, and friends escape the kingdom, travelling in magical caravans to neighbouring kingdoms, seeking their aid to overthrow Mugwort, restore her parents to life, and restore the kingdom to them. For various reasons, most refuse her help, but she finally comes to the Kingdom of Magnolia where she meets up with a peasant boy named Julian and his best friend, Elias. She is in disguise, and as it turns out, so are they! Before the big reveal, Julian and Rosella fall in love. Julian lets slip that the evil Prince Robert is planning to marry the Rose Princess and suggests how he thinks the princess can determine which is the worthy prince. Rosella takes his suggestion to heart, and devises a series of tests, which poor Robert fails. The Rose Princess reads better as a children’s story aimed at eight- to ten-year-olds. Tighter writing with less telling of the story and more showing would help this story. The story itself is interesting, with compelling plots and scenes to drive the story along. Carly Lakes is a good storyteller, and I can imagine her telling this story to the nieces and nephews to whom she has dedicated this book. (Phoebe Wilby)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. The Rose Princess is a story full of magic, romance and the battle of good versus evil. All the elements of traditional fairy tales are present here and I think it would work as a book for older children, teens or adults. The book cover is beautiful and invites the reader to want to find out what's within the pages. I wasn't disappointed by what I found there. (Michelle Marshall)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. This was a very pleasant and easy to read book that I comfortably got through in a couple of days. Though not incredibly original, I did find myself wanting to find out what happened next and both the story and characters progressed well. Rosella, the main character, was particularly interesting to me and I'd like to find out what happens next in her adventure! (Eileen Tilley)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. The Rose Princess is an original fantasy narrative set in its own world that draws heavily from real-world mythology. The story harkens in many ways to fairy tales and legends. As a book written by a neurodiverse author, I would recommend it to readers who are interested in this perspective. (Tim Marshall)

Overall Rating: 4 stars. The Rose Princess is an enchanting fairy tale story that Young Adult Readers will enjoy. The characters are likeable and very easy for a reader to connect with. The plot moves at a good pace and keeps the reader invested in the story. The Author does tend to tell the reader rather than show the reader throughout her narrative, which takes a little getting used to, but this may be the Authors particular style of writing and it certainly does not spoil the overall enjoyment of the book. There are a large number of characters introduced together at the beginning of the book which can be a little confusing, however the author's intention is to set the background to Rosella's family and all the different relationships as they do feature in later chapters. (Kirsty McKay)