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The Unfortunate Souls Collection : Books 1-3
Fairy tales with a twist!
What turned an exalted mermaid princess into a fabulously villainous sea witch?
How did a tortured soul find himself trapped within a magic mirror?
Who is the Cat with the mad grin who can’t recall where he’s been?
Find these answers and more as you tumble down the rabbit hole in the award winning Unfortunate Soul Chronicles written by Stacey Rourke. Fall under the spell of this enchanting series featuring three full length novels:
Rise of the Sea Witch
Entombed in Glass
Pursuing Madness
Praise for The Unfortunate Soul Chronicles:
Utopia Award Winner Author of the Year 2018
Utopia Award Winner for Best Villain 2018 for Rise of the Sea Witch
“A Clever and Compelling Origin Story of Classic Fairy Tale Villains.” -Movies, Shows, and Books
“The writing was flawless, everything blended so well. I haven't had a reaction this strong from a book on a very long time. I honestly couldn't recommend this book enough. Read it. Love it. Feel it.” -Red Hatter Book Blog
“Romance, heartbreak, deception, and betrayal, this story has it all.” -Paranormal Tendencies
What turned an exalted mermaid princess into a fabulously villainous sea witch?
How did a tortured soul find himself trapped within a magic mirror?
Who is the Cat with the mad grin who can’t recall where he’s been?
Find these answers and more as you tumble down the rabbit hole in the award winning Unfortunate Soul Chronicles written by Stacey Rourke. Fall under the spell of this enchanting series featuring three full length novels:
Rise of the Sea Witch
Entombed in Glass
Pursuing Madness
Praise for The Unfortunate Soul Chronicles:
Utopia Award Winner Author of the Year 2018
Utopia Award Winner for Best Villain 2018 for Rise of the Sea Witch
“A Clever and Compelling Origin Story of Classic Fairy Tale Villains.” -Movies, Shows, and Books
“The writing was flawless, everything blended so well. I haven't had a reaction this strong from a book on a very long time. I honestly couldn't recommend this book enough. Read it. Love it. Feel it.” -Red Hatter Book Blog
“Romance, heartbreak, deception, and betrayal, this story has it all.” -Paranormal Tendencies
- GenresFairy TalesFantasy
616 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 3, 2020
Book 1 ~ Is it too early to beg for a sequel?
The Rise of the Sea Witch brought back all of the feels from one of my favorite cartoons & made that whole world feel more tangible than ever. Every page opening more possibilities & giving us new insight to a few of my favorite characters of all time. If you are familiar with Ariel & Triton's tale then surely you wonder how the Sea Witch came to be.
This particular tale spins that particular story into a magical whirlwind that plunges us to the deepest darkest depths of the sea, through the most beautiful oceanside, & back again. We are transported back in time as Rourke paints a stunning picture of her past, & made absolutely everything I always wanted to love about Ursela that much more real. I was so wrapped up in it all that the emotion snuck in & tears betrayed me. But...they were so very worth it!!!!!! You definitely want to read this book!
————
Book 2 ~ Rourke weaves her magic once again transporting us through time & space on a journey we won’t soon forget.
After book 1’s ending I could hardly stand the wait, but as always it was well worth it. Entombed in Glass picks up where Rise of the Sea Witch left us although this merman’s journey is far from what he’d envisioned. The gods varying agendas bring a kaleidoscope of horrors, worries, visions, & hopes to Alastor’s path but also adventure as well as friend & foe. Rourke’s twisted spin on this classic will have you questioning everything you know & love about Neverland & all who pass through it. We get a glimpse of many different times, realms, & beings as Sterling travels with his new companion. This is one you don’t want to miss.
——————
Book 3 ~ THIS SERIES!!!!!!
I simply can not get enough of this series!
Rourke's vision came to life in all it's splendor with this twisted version of fairytales we have heard our entire lives with characters more unique than we once believed in worlds grander than we ever dreamed. All three books in this collection have a special place in my heart, but Pursuing Madness truly stole my breath away.
If you have not yet travelled to the sea, spied through the glass,
or hopped down this rabbit hole the time has come!
No time to spare ... venture now ... if you dare!!!
My favorite quote .....
"It's not always an epic battle, my love. Sometimes the greatest war we will ever fight is with ourselves."
The Rise of the Sea Witch brought back all of the feels from one of my favorite cartoons & made that whole world feel more tangible than ever. Every page opening more possibilities & giving us new insight to a few of my favorite characters of all time. If you are familiar with Ariel & Triton's tale then surely you wonder how the Sea Witch came to be.
This particular tale spins that particular story into a magical whirlwind that plunges us to the deepest darkest depths of the sea, through the most beautiful oceanside, & back again. We are transported back in time as Rourke paints a stunning picture of her past, & made absolutely everything I always wanted to love about Ursela that much more real. I was so wrapped up in it all that the emotion snuck in & tears betrayed me. But...they were so very worth it!!!!!! You definitely want to read this book!
————
Book 2 ~ Rourke weaves her magic once again transporting us through time & space on a journey we won’t soon forget.
After book 1’s ending I could hardly stand the wait, but as always it was well worth it. Entombed in Glass picks up where Rise of the Sea Witch left us although this merman’s journey is far from what he’d envisioned. The gods varying agendas bring a kaleidoscope of horrors, worries, visions, & hopes to Alastor’s path but also adventure as well as friend & foe. Rourke’s twisted spin on this classic will have you questioning everything you know & love about Neverland & all who pass through it. We get a glimpse of many different times, realms, & beings as Sterling travels with his new companion. This is one you don’t want to miss.
——————
Book 3 ~ THIS SERIES!!!!!!
I simply can not get enough of this series!
Rourke's vision came to life in all it's splendor with this twisted version of fairytales we have heard our entire lives with characters more unique than we once believed in worlds grander than we ever dreamed. All three books in this collection have a special place in my heart, but Pursuing Madness truly stole my breath away.
If you have not yet travelled to the sea, spied through the glass,
or hopped down this rabbit hole the time has come!
No time to spare ... venture now ... if you dare!!!
My favorite quote .....
"It's not always an epic battle, my love. Sometimes the greatest war we will ever fight is with ourselves."
April 5, 2020
Meet the unfortunate souls and their supporting cast of characters from fairy tales and Disney movies reimagined in a fantastic and unique light. Ms. Rourke offers phenomenal character development and superb world building. She is an incredibly talented writer who isn't afraid to step outside the box and take a completely different, unique, and higher risk approach to writing. It's so refreshing to come across a writer such as this.
Rise of the Sea Witch is an imagined origin story for Ursula, the infamous villain who has it out for a certain little mermaid. Before she became Ursula, she was Princess Vanessa, the daughter of King Poseidon and sister to Triton, with dreams of one day getting her father's acceptance and ruling the kingdom. After a series of unfortunate events, Vanessa finds her life taking a turn to the dark, vengeful side. Readers will find themselves on a roller coaster ride of emotions that peaks to a tremendously dark and delicious climax.
Entombed in Glass follows from the events of the first book and focuses on what happens with Alastor after the epic battle of the first book. He is a merman with legs seeking a way back to the sea and the one he loves. Enter Hades with an agenda that ultimately leads to Alastor finding himself in a far away land in a seemingly impossible mission. Along the way, he runs into characters with qualities reminiscent of the Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Smee, and others.
Pursuing Madness is the final installment in the Unfortunate Soul Chronicles fairy tale retelling series. It picks up where Entombed in Glass, the previous installment, left off. Readers interested in this series should read the books in order. Events in this book revolve around Sterling as he journeys through realms in search of his mind. This realm hopping uncovers secrets and twists, taking readers on an action packed journey through fairy tale lands. He meets some interesting characters along the way, some of which help him rediscover who he is and some of which present him with some challenges. Who can he trust as he uncovers his memories? Can they all find their happily ever after?
I highly recommend this collection of books for fans of fairy tale retellings, Greek mythology, and those that like a good story about a villain's rise to power.
Rise of the Sea Witch is an imagined origin story for Ursula, the infamous villain who has it out for a certain little mermaid. Before she became Ursula, she was Princess Vanessa, the daughter of King Poseidon and sister to Triton, with dreams of one day getting her father's acceptance and ruling the kingdom. After a series of unfortunate events, Vanessa finds her life taking a turn to the dark, vengeful side. Readers will find themselves on a roller coaster ride of emotions that peaks to a tremendously dark and delicious climax.
Entombed in Glass follows from the events of the first book and focuses on what happens with Alastor after the epic battle of the first book. He is a merman with legs seeking a way back to the sea and the one he loves. Enter Hades with an agenda that ultimately leads to Alastor finding himself in a far away land in a seemingly impossible mission. Along the way, he runs into characters with qualities reminiscent of the Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Smee, and others.
Pursuing Madness is the final installment in the Unfortunate Soul Chronicles fairy tale retelling series. It picks up where Entombed in Glass, the previous installment, left off. Readers interested in this series should read the books in order. Events in this book revolve around Sterling as he journeys through realms in search of his mind. This realm hopping uncovers secrets and twists, taking readers on an action packed journey through fairy tale lands. He meets some interesting characters along the way, some of which help him rediscover who he is and some of which present him with some challenges. Who can he trust as he uncovers his memories? Can they all find their happily ever after?
I highly recommend this collection of books for fans of fairy tale retellings, Greek mythology, and those that like a good story about a villain's rise to power.
April 4, 2020
Love fairytales? Love a good retelling? Love humor? Love a good storyline that will have you flipping these pages to find out what happens next? Then this is a collection you must have because well the stories are amazing and covers are to die for.
In book 1 The Rise of the Sea Witch, we learn exactly how Uruseal became well Ursueal, you can't truly hate her if you know the true story behind how she became cold-hearted.
Book 2 Entombed in Glass Alastor bless his heart is in love and yet has to be on land away from the woman he loves. He vows to get back to her but can he? Will it be too late? Why is he trapped in the glass? Also, what does Neverland have to do with it?
Book 3 Pursuing Madness we finally get to the end of it all. We get the answers we seek, we see what truly happens to Sterling....why he became the Cheshire Cat. Everything is a mystery until the very end and let me say at the end I was left with my mouth agape. The author did a great job with the stories from the beginning to the end. I am sad to see it end!
In book 1 The Rise of the Sea Witch, we learn exactly how Uruseal became well Ursueal, you can't truly hate her if you know the true story behind how she became cold-hearted.
Book 2 Entombed in Glass Alastor bless his heart is in love and yet has to be on land away from the woman he loves. He vows to get back to her but can he? Will it be too late? Why is he trapped in the glass? Also, what does Neverland have to do with it?
Book 3 Pursuing Madness we finally get to the end of it all. We get the answers we seek, we see what truly happens to Sterling....why he became the Cheshire Cat. Everything is a mystery until the very end and let me say at the end I was left with my mouth agape. The author did a great job with the stories from the beginning to the end. I am sad to see it end!
April 30, 2022
Such a fun read!!
I absolutely love how the author wove so many stories together! Gods, goddeses, fairytales this has it all! I read a lot of fairytales retold in a number of ways but this is just absolutely clever and wonderful! I couldn't put it down. The storyline weaves together so many characters we know and love, encompassing villains and thier backstories, tying them to each other so neatly and wonderfully. I usually have a favorite character and in this case it's very hard to choose because there are so many characters that I enjoyed. I can say that as retellings go, this is an excellent one that gives the reader such a wide assortment of stories and characters its really quite amazing. It goes from Little Mermaid, to Peter Pan. Alice in Wonderland, touching on Cinderella and mentioning others. I'd very much recommend it to anyone, and it's suitable for young readers as well. Incredible well done!
I absolutely love how the author wove so many stories together! Gods, goddeses, fairytales this has it all! I read a lot of fairytales retold in a number of ways but this is just absolutely clever and wonderful! I couldn't put it down. The storyline weaves together so many characters we know and love, encompassing villains and thier backstories, tying them to each other so neatly and wonderfully. I usually have a favorite character and in this case it's very hard to choose because there are so many characters that I enjoyed. I can say that as retellings go, this is an excellent one that gives the reader such a wide assortment of stories and characters its really quite amazing. It goes from Little Mermaid, to Peter Pan. Alice in Wonderland, touching on Cinderella and mentioning others. I'd very much recommend it to anyone, and it's suitable for young readers as well. Incredible well done!
April 3, 2020
Note: This review contains NO spoilers
Stacey has out done herself with this poignant and twisted fairytale retelling set of books! I absolutely loved getting immersed into this world that took favorite fairytales and mythology and gave it a twisty tale of its own.
From the first book to the last book, this is a page turner that kept me at the "edge of my seat" with anticipation wondering what's going to happen next, and wondering if these characters will ever get their "happily every after." What was unique about this series that made it such an addicting read was that is told the stories in the point of view of the villains, not the heroes. Crazy... Right!?!? But... Definitely, this set of books is an amazing read!
Seriously... Don't miss this "must-read."
Reviewer: Jasmine
Stacey has out done herself with this poignant and twisted fairytale retelling set of books! I absolutely loved getting immersed into this world that took favorite fairytales and mythology and gave it a twisty tale of its own.
From the first book to the last book, this is a page turner that kept me at the "edge of my seat" with anticipation wondering what's going to happen next, and wondering if these characters will ever get their "happily every after." What was unique about this series that made it such an addicting read was that is told the stories in the point of view of the villains, not the heroes. Crazy... Right!?!? But... Definitely, this set of books is an amazing read!
Seriously... Don't miss this "must-read."
Reviewer: Jasmine
April 9, 2020
Stacey Rourke has truly treated us to a whole new world with the Unfortunate Soul Chronicles series! Each of the books were eye opening origin stories for "Villains." I didn't know how much this series would completely change my outlook on them. Despite all that we would come to know of what each of these characters do, not all is what it appears to be and they all were very innocent before life dealt them a cruel hand. I recommend reading the series in order as the characters introduced in one will continue into the other, even though each book focuses on another main villain. I fell in love with this series and I am actually looking forward to re-reading it as I feel that it will be a completely wild ride a second time through and I'll probably catch more the second time.
December 16, 2022
A must read
I don’t leave reviews often but I felt I needed to this time. After finishing this collection I am so glad that I read it. The story at first is hard to stay with but as time goes by you can’t put the books down. The twists and turns are fantastic. You will be glad you read it. My thanks to the author
I don’t leave reviews often but I felt I needed to this time. After finishing this collection I am so glad that I read it. The story at first is hard to stay with but as time goes by you can’t put the books down. The twists and turns are fantastic. You will be glad you read it. My thanks to the author
February 21, 2023
All the conspiracy theories and then some
Remember the theory that King Triton and Ursela were actually siblings? Start there and throw in a little Peter Pan, some Snow White, a glimpse of Cinderella, and add a dose of Alice in Wonderland and you have a story full of twists and turns that is utterly amazing!
Remember the theory that King Triton and Ursela were actually siblings? Start there and throw in a little Peter Pan, some Snow White, a glimpse of Cinderella, and add a dose of Alice in Wonderland and you have a story full of twists and turns that is utterly amazing!
April 3, 2020
This series is one of my all time favorite fairytale re-tellings. The way the author twists well known fairytales together into completely new adventures is fantastic. I was captivated from start to finish and did. Not want to stop reading. I definitely found a new one-click author
April 4, 2020
These are not your average fairy tales! Stacey Rourke has given some old favorites a new twist! She pulls you into a world of make-believe that you never want to leave. The characters spring to life as you read, and pull you into their stories. You definitely won't be disappointed by this series!
July 31, 2020
Awesome trilogy!!
I absolutely adored this trilogy! I loved that the "villians" got a back story.I also loved how the most loved fairytales and legends got blended together so well.
This trilogy was an awesome journey and I am glad I got to travel its path of twists and turns!
I absolutely adored this trilogy! I loved that the "villians" got a back story.I also loved how the most loved fairytales and legends got blended together so well.
This trilogy was an awesome journey and I am glad I got to travel its path of twists and turns!
September 2, 2020
Amazingly good read
Wonderful twisting of fairy tales showing from the other side. I absolutely loved this book set!!! It’s very well written and a great for young adults and adults alike.
Wonderful twisting of fairy tales showing from the other side. I absolutely loved this book set!!! It’s very well written and a great for young adults and adults alike.
January 24, 2022
Awesome take on the classics
I love this version of background stories for some of the most unforgettable characters in the fairytales every child loves. Learn the reasons behind the villains, and maybe learn to love them in a new way.
I love this version of background stories for some of the most unforgettable characters in the fairytales every child loves. Learn the reasons behind the villains, and maybe learn to love them in a new way.
June 8, 2023
Beautifully done
I love how all three books worked seamlessly together. I loved how a lot of the fairy tale characters were weaved into the story and it all make sense. The ending was beautifully done as well.
I love how all three books worked seamlessly together. I loved how a lot of the fairy tale characters were weaved into the story and it all make sense. The ending was beautifully done as well.
March 4, 2024
Book 1 - 3 stars
Book 2 - 4 stars
Book 3 - 5 stars
It really hooked me a bit into book 2. I wanted to devour book 3. The whole series was intertwining fairy tales and gods. Never knew which world was next or gods or how any of it linked together until you got there. I was at the edge of my seat!!
Book 2 - 4 stars
Book 3 - 5 stars
It really hooked me a bit into book 2. I wanted to devour book 3. The whole series was intertwining fairy tales and gods. Never knew which world was next or gods or how any of it linked together until you got there. I was at the edge of my seat!!
April 3, 2020
Simply love this series. Great imagination. Incredible story line. This author knows how to tell a story! Don't miss it!
April 4, 2020
This is a remarkable box set and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. This will be a series that I will cherish for years to come.
May 2, 2020
Absolutely wonderful
O loved these stories the twists turns highs and lows and the wonderfully blending of tales I couldn't put it down.the best retelling I've read to date
O loved these stories the twists turns highs and lows and the wonderfully blending of tales I couldn't put it down.the best retelling I've read to date
July 26, 2020
I read this full series back to a back and loved how when I knew where something was going it would hit me with a surprise. I also deeply enjoyed the blending of mythology and fairy tales.
October 2, 2020
Absolutely loved getting lost in this world!
This was the best series for just getting lost in reading. I couldn’t put them down and just loved being whisked away.
This was the best series for just getting lost in reading. I couldn’t put them down and just loved being whisked away.
April 13, 2021
Not what I expected, but so much better
This series was amazing with so many twists and new takes on some well loved stories. Definitely recommend giving it a try.
This series was amazing with so many twists and new takes on some well loved stories. Definitely recommend giving it a try.
December 19, 2021
DNF at 10%
I tried but the character/story just didn’t appeal to me.
I tried but the character/story just didn’t appeal to me.
January 17, 2023
LOVE!!!
This was incredibly well written. I am absolutely enamored by these characters. Very, very well done. Thank you for these wonderful stories!!
This was incredibly well written. I am absolutely enamored by these characters. Very, very well done. Thank you for these wonderful stories!!
May 2, 2023
So Amazingly Wonderful!!!
All the fairy tales blended together so uniquely and flawlessly that it was quite exciting. I absolutely loved this book!!!
All the fairy tales blended together so uniquely and flawlessly that it was quite exciting. I absolutely loved this book!!!
July 17, 2023
Recommended
September 7, 2023
Interesting
I wasn't sure I would like this book but i loved it! Worth the read! Nothing turns out as you think it would in this book which makes it good
I wasn't sure I would like this book but i loved it! Worth the read! Nothing turns out as you think it would in this book which makes it good
November 16, 2023
Spelling and grammar mistakes kept pulling me out but otherwise, loved these!
November 27, 2023
Loved!!!
Amazing books from beginning to end. I found it hard to put down. I loved the mash up of all the stories.
Amazing books from beginning to end. I found it hard to put down. I loved the mash up of all the stories.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews