A Fortnight to Forever is the first book I’ve ever had the privilege of re-reading before it even released. I’ve covered a couple of Alycia E. Anderson’s books on here before. I’ve enjoyed her Enchanted Isles series so much that I signed up to ARC read any new book she publishes. Several months ago, she let those of us on her street team know she needed beta readers for a new standalone novel she was working on. I was lucky enough to read it at that stage, and then again at the ARC stage after changes had been made. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this one.

A Fortnight to Forever officially publishes on January 8th. Signed copies are available for order (or pre-order) on the author’s website.

Summary:

Quinn is living with a curse. She spends a century asleep, then awakens for a fortnight, during which she must aid someone she finds with their quest. She’s stuck with them for that whole time, magically tethered to them. When they achieve their quest or when the two weeks run out, she returns to her sleep. It’s been this way for over 300 years now. She’s losing hope of ever breaking the curse. This time when she awakes, she becomes tethered to the disgraced former knight, Mav, who doesn’t even have a quest. How could he possibly be the one to finally help her?

My Thoughts:

Obviously I enjoyed this one enough to give it a second read within only a couple months. My first read through (the beta version) was in October, and I read the ARC version at the beginning of December. It was really cool to see the story evolving into its final form. It was especially fun seeing my own feedback incorporated. The end result is a book that’s absolutely incredible.

Fantasy, adventure, and romance roll together into an exciting, squeal-inducing narrative. It reminded me of my days swooning over The Swan Princess as a kid, dreaming about my own happily ever after, or perhaps The Princess Bride. The flawless banter, the found-family bonds, and the epic love story are all there. I’m learning to expect all of those in Anderson’s books, along with amazing animal companions. In this one, Vesper makes me think of Salem the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. (Can you tell I’m a 90s kid?)

I really loved the world in this one as well as the unique magic system, but the characters were my favorite aspect. Even the most minor characters are distinct and recognizable, but they don’t become cartoonish. This is a dual POV story, and character voices are strong enough that a reader would easily know whose perspective they’re reading even without the beautiful chapter headers. Both lead characters are extremely loveable, and so is the rest of their adventuring party. I lost track of how many times I noted “we all need friends like Thistle.”

If you grew up dreaming of becoming a Disney princess, but picked up a heavy sarcasm habit instead, this is the love story you’ve been waiting for. This may well be Anderson’s greatest work so far. I can’t wait for the whole world to get to read this one, and I can’t wait to read what Anderson writes next!

Content Warnings: Graphic Depictions Violence & Injuries, Blood, Graphic Sexual Content, SA, Suicidal Ideation, Confinement, Eugenics, Classism, Blood, Torture, Alcohol, Child Death, Parent Loss, Grief, Animal Death

After I Finished A Fortnight to Forever

This one got a few movies from a certain era swirling through my head, and I liked it. I decided to keep riding that vibe for a bit longer. Along with the ARC for an upcoming release, I was also gifted the first book of that same series. The series self-describes as Underworld crossed with The Matrix. While they were releasing, both franchises fully captivated my young self. To this day, I have weaknesses for vampires and advanced tech in fiction. I was eager to see a combination of the two.

My next review will be for Blood Sings by Denisa Mih.