Two Monarchies Sequence Series by W.R. Gingell

An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here. She’s not a princess . . . but then, he’s no prince. Polyhymnia is deep in enchanted sleep. High in a tower, behind an impenetrable barrier of magical thorns, she sleeps, dreams, and falls ever deeper into her curse. Woken by a kiss, Poly finds herself in an alien world where three hundred years have passed and everyone she has ever known is dead. Luck, the enchanter who woke her, seems to think she is the princess... moreAn alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here. She’s not a princess . . . but then, he’s no prince. Polyhymnia is deep in enchanted sleep. High in a tower, behind an impenetrable barrier of magical thorns, she sleeps, dreams, and falls ever deeper into her curse. Woken by a kiss, Poly finds herself in an alien world where three hundred years have passed and everyone she has ever known is dead. Luck, the enchanter who woke her, seems to think she is the princess. Understandable, since he found her asleep on the princess’ bed, in the royal suite, and dressed in the princess’ clothes. Who cursed Poly? Why is someone trying to kill her and Luck? Why can’t she stop falling asleep? And why does her hair keep growing? Sometimes breaking the curse is just the beginning of the journey. less

Bad luck is the least of their worries…. Annabel has never wanted a cat. She certainly didn’t want a secretive, sarcastic black cat who takes over her pillow and makes remarks that no one else ever seems to hear. Despite that, Blackfoot manages to slink into her life like a small, furry shadow. Now Annabel and her friend Peter are being over-run by cats. More and more arrive each day, turning up at the old castle ruins where Annabel and Peter spend most of their time... moreBad luck is the least of their worries…. Annabel has never wanted a cat. She certainly didn’t want a secretive, sarcastic black cat who takes over her pillow and makes remarks that no one else ever seems to hear. Despite that, Blackfoot manages to slink into her life like a small, furry shadow. Now Annabel and her friend Peter are being over-run by cats. More and more arrive each day, turning up at the old castle ruins where Annabel and Peter spend most of their time. And some of those cats aren’t as…friendly…as Blackfoot. When someone tries to kill Annabel and a spell goes very badly wrong, they find themselves trapped in the castle ruins, which are now growing back at an alarming rate. Even more alarming is the fact that the person who tried to kill Annabel is rapidly gaining control over the magical ruins. Worst of all, Blackfoot knows more than he’s telling, and what he’s not telling could be enough to get them all killed. less

Three years have passed since Annabel defeated Mordion in the Royal Castle and became the Queen Heir of New Civet. That’s a good thing, since the Castle spat her out three years into the past. Three years of statecraft, politics, and meeting important people are over. Now, before she is officially acknowledged as the Queen Heir, Annabel will face her biggest challenge: Trenthams Finishing School for Young Ladies... moreThree years have passed since Annabel defeated Mordion in the Royal Castle and became the Queen Heir of New Civet. That’s a good thing, since the Castle spat her out three years into the past. Three years of statecraft, politics, and meeting important people are over. Now, before she is officially acknowledged as the Queen Heir, Annabel will face her biggest challenge: Trenthams Finishing School for Young Ladies. To win her Staff and Crown, Annabel had to deal with a deadly foe, a slightly self-aware castle, and a more-than-slightly-potty wizard. Now she will contend with corsets, diets, and sharp-tongued socialites; not to mention the Old Parrasian revolution that seems to be brewing in the bowels of the school itself. In fact, Trenthams might be even more dangerous and cryptic than the Royal Castle. It’s a good thing Annabel has the staff, her cat, and her trusty advisor, Isabella…. less

It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse. In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman... moreIt’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse. In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman. And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman. The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain. Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger. Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him. . . . Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlour floor? less

Peter has lived most of his life in the assurance of two comfortable convictions. One, that he is always the cleverest person in the room; and two, that when it comes to magic, he does not make mistakes... morePeter has lived most of his life in the assurance of two comfortable convictions. One, that he is always the cleverest person in the room; and two, that when it comes to magic, he does not make mistakes. His ability to make—or keep! —friends has been less successful, and despite the fact that Peter enters the University of Mechanics as the youngest student in all of his classes, the disquieting conclusion that he might not always be the cleverest person in the room slowly begins to creep over him. When he tries to impress his classmate, Miss Stoneflange, with his latest time-altering device, things go disastrously wrong. Now, Peter has a new conviction: namely, that whenever Miss Stoneflange is involved, something will inevitably go wrong. Worse, it doesn’t seem possible for him to stop making mistakes around her. Peter will need to decide who is the biggest threat to the timely continuation of the Two Monarchies: Miss Stoneflange and her ability to set things wrong, or himself and his own rash determination to be always right…. less

A groom with a beard of blue, a bride in lace of gold, and a house running red with blood…. Returning to Glause from a diplomatic mission with her own personal cohort of Horselords, Susan Farrah is looking forward to a hot meal and a good night’s sleep at the closest inn. Once ensconced in her room, however, what she finds is a frightened young woman in golden lace hiding in her wardrobe... moreA groom with a beard of blue, a bride in lace of gold, and a house running red with blood…. Returning to Glause from a diplomatic mission with her own personal cohort of Horselords, Susan Farrah is looking forward to a hot meal and a good night’s sleep at the closest inn. Once ensconced in her room, however, what she finds is a frightened young woman in golden lace hiding in her wardrobe. The next morning, Susan learns that her late-night visitor was a new bride, passing through the town on her way to the castle on the hill—the latest in a long line of castle brides, and the only one still alive. No one seems to know if the house itself is consuming bride after bride, or if the groom is marrying and then murdering his brides for reasons of his own. Obviously, someone needs to do something—and luckily, the castle has an opening for a maid. All Susan needs to do is stash her favourite Glausian Horselord in the pantry for a few nights to watch her back while she solves the mystery, and avoid any unnecessary household drama…. less