A Sharpened Axe

By: Jill M. Beene

Narrated by: Sybil Johnson

A cursed nation. An unlikely heroine. Deadly stakes. This love could kill...

A jaded fae princess and a few words whispered in the dark...that’s all it took for the prosperous country of Leiria to fall under a curse. Disease, famine and calamity followed. Fifteen years later, Samiris is one of the Chosen, a group of young women brought to the palace to try and break the curse. But if they fail, one of them will die.

Unlike the rest of the girls, who see living in the palace with the Crown Prince as an exciting privilege, Samiris is indifferent to the social whirl and offended by the sumptuous wealth present in the capital. She just wants to go home to take care of her sick father and younger sister.

Can Samiris survive the social intrigue at court, deadly plots against the Chosen, a seemingly unlovable Crown Prince, and a stubborn adversary to break the curse?

A Sharpened Axe is a stand-alone, young adult fairy tale retelling with intrigue and romance. If you like a strong female lead, fast-paced action, and slow-burn romance, then you’ll love this exciting book!

Buy A Sharpened Axe and be swept away to the magical land of Leiria today!

©2018 Jill Marie Beene (P)2022 Jill Marie Beene

Clean and Enchanting Slow Burn

5⭐.5🌶️
I originally won A Sharpened Axe from a Goodreads giveaway and absolutely loved it. At the time, I wasn’t fully in my Bookstagram era, so I didn’t give it the attention it deserved. When the chance came to listen to the audiobook—narrated by the incredibly talented Sybil Johnson—I was ecstatic. At 13.5 hours, it’s on the longer side, but it was such a brilliant listen that the time flew by.
Samiris, the eldest daughter of a disgraced nobleman, is left to care for her ailing father and younger sister while living under a twenty-year-old blight. She’s stubborn, hardworking, straightforward, and driven by a fierce desire to help others and fix problems.
Artem, tall, athletic, handsome, and broody, is Captain of the Royal Guard and the Crowned Prince’s most trusted confidante and advisor. His opinion carries weight with everyone—except Samiris. A free-thinker, she refuses to accept the Kingdom of Leiria’s corrupt and illogical status quo. Artem tries to make her conform, but her cleverness and determination constantly outmaneuver him.
It’s a story we’ve heard and read a thousand times, but what sets this story apart is Beene’s vivid, immersive storytelling. The writing paints lush, layered pictures I couldn’t help but fall into. But if you go in understanding that the world of Leiria and those in it have been stagnant for years, trapped under a curse from a snubbed Fae princess, you’ll see that although their relationship beginnings rocky, Samiris’s drive for change and answers pushes Artem out of his comfort zone and builds a beautiful relationship.
Beyond the main pair, the supporting cast is diverse, fun, and occasionally frustrating. Samiris naturally inspires action in those around her. While some rise to the challenge and are anxious for change, there are others who would rather stay the status quo.
And as a horse girl through and through, I have to mention Behemoth. The giant black horse with a personality of his own stole my heart—he deserves way more attention!
Thank you to Jill M. Beene for the gifted audiobook. I absolutely adored it.
What to Expect:
⚡Snarky Banter
💞Enemies to Friends to Lovers
☀️Opposites Attract🌘
✨Clean and Wholesome YA Fantasy Romance
👁️‍🗨️Single POV
🔥Slow Burn
🪓Epic Fantasy for Teens
🌹Fairytale Retelling
💫Cat and Mouse / Push and pull
🐺Mild Violence and Gore
🩷💚🩷💚

Too many glitches

I’ve read this as a kindle book and enjoyed the storyline. The audiobook was ok. The narrator wasn’t my favorite, but it’s still a fun story. My biggest complaint is that the audio wasn’t edited well. There were many times that a couple seconds were repeated or skipped. At first I thought it was my connection or something, but I replayed those sections and it happened every time.

This is a cute story with twists and turns

Hunger games Katniss character meets beauty and the beast, the little mermaid and a bit of Robin Hood mixed in. Great book for people who are just dipping their toes into the fantasy world. No sexy scenes, just cute fun entertaining dialogue with a fun story about love and jealousy and stupid social norms.

Strong Female Characters

Love that this was a new world and that several females were not too stupid to live and realistic in their portrayal. my husband I both enjoy listening to this book. This is a favorite to listen too while on road trips, doing housework, or at work. Can't wait to hear book two- Bone Dagger!!

The banter was great. It had me smiling and laughing.

Good story, good characters and good dialogue, what more can you ask for? I like the book so much, I got the audio while I was still reading so I didn't have to stop the story while I was cooking lol.