Recent Reads: Fairest and Half-Empty

I have two contrasting stories this week on the blog, by K.S. Trenten and Alexa Milne. One is a Sapphic fairytale fantasy and the other, an MM contemporary romance. Yet they both deal with the origin story of the main characters and their process of self-discovery so thoughtfully, completely engaging this reader.

Fairest by K.S. Trenten is a beautifully layered amalgamation of three different fairytales with an LGBT slant which proves to be an imaginative and lyrically written delight.

Princess Rose, a Sleeping Beauty figure, is far from a two-dimensional heroine as she learns, grows and reacts to her apparent fate. This interwoven story is about romantic love, but rather than a simple fairy tale romance, emotions are complex and devastating past mistakes are revealed.

I really enjoyed how Oriana’s and Blanche’s history, combining Cinderella with Snow White, influenced Rose’s story and how her understanding of the past allowed her to make positive choices in the present. K.S. Trenten‘s storytelling was sure, precise and elegant as the themes intertwined and the writing was engaging with more than a touch of magic. Fairest is a beautiful story that lingers in the mind.

Half-Empty is a gorgeous heart-warming story told with typical sensitivity by Alexa Milne. This story is all about family, belonging, disabilities, resolving the past and finding that special someone. Alexa has written two fabulous MCs to explore these themes in the carefully drawn background of rural Norfolk.

Out and proud, larger than life Linc is simply glorious. Having been thrown out of his home as a teenager, Linc has completely reinvented himself in adulthood, as a skilled woodworker and Am-Dram panto regular, surrounded by a found family and keeping his deeply-held insecurities under the surface. When he meets David, the attraction is immediate.

But David has his own issues. As a mixed-race child with a physical disability, he was adopted by a middle-class white family. He may have come from a loving home but he still has questions about his identity.

These two lovely men have far more in common emotionally than they might first realise. They are very real and human, leading to miscommunications and misunderstandings but are also mature enough to talk things through. I grew to care so much for both of them.

The rural surroundings are very much part of the story, as is the cast of family and friends that provide an emotional sub-text. Half-Empty is such a rewarding read from Alexa Milne, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next part of this couple’s story.