Don't judge a book by the cover. This is very true. I fell in love with this book from the cover. What I didn't know was the world within Jason Robert Macumber's Never After.

This is a 'true' story of Snow White. It is not of just pure innocence. The story behind the story was dirty and sordid. White became scarred emotionally with a desire to exact revenge and will kill anything in her sight.

See what I mean by not judging a book by the cover. This is a serious or darker look at the fairy tales.

Mr. Macumber is an excellent writer with a vivid imagination. I was impressed with is ability to keep the various fairy tale characters in order and with just different personalities.

I have to really warn people. When I said dirty and sordid, I meant it. White has a foul mouth. Scenes are graphic and the language is extremely crude. Don't go into this expecting something different you might be disappointed.

The truth is that if you can get past all that, you have an excellent book about the psychology of a person. Sounds twisted, I know, but that part will stood out to me.

This is not my genre or a book I would have rushed out to buy, but the concept is extremely interesting and the deeper subject matter thought-provoking.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides

Fantasy books are not always my thing, but Beth Barany could change my mind with Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. I found myself....Let's into the review first.

Henrietta is....a dragon slayer. She is a dragon slayer with issues. When called to a quest that could save the man who taught her so much, she realizes she has to face the fears and let everyone around her see them. That 'everyone' includes the strangest mixture of traveling companions.

This story has a very steady pace that keeps you wanting to read while not being too fast where you can't put the book down to eat dinner. It is also not too slow where you can put it down and never care if you pick it up again.

The storyline you might argue has been done before. In a way it has. A person is called to a quest, has to face their own fears, and has a mixture of companions to go with them. Like that, yes, it is a familiar story, the characters are what make it so different.

These characters are what make the story in my opinion. They are very engaging, very real, and very unique. I'd tell you more but that might ruin what you read. I don't want that.

Beth Barany takes a story that Tokein and others have used and given it new life and a much lighter world. Though heavy in its own right, it is much easier to read than the epics.

I highly recommend giving this book a chance. I enjoyed and want more.

Note: This book was provided as part of a book tour through www.mistressesofpassion.com with no expectation of a positive review.