"A Flame Shall Spring from the Embers" by Heidi Pekarek

This is a lovely retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story.  It's set in a fantasy realm, but there is minimal magic involved -- only female members of the royal family who are gifted with the ability to foresee future events.  Aside from that, everything is grounded in reality, which makes overcoming obstacles a lot more interesting, in my humble opinion.  I really dislike stories where people can just magic their way out of things.  

Dissension sweeps the land ruled by King Llwellyn.  A group called the Dunorii are convinced they should be ruling instead, and they rise up against the king, who is growing old and has yet to father an heir.  His sister Rhiannon wants to be named his successor, and when the queen gives birth to a daughter, Rhiannon curses the child.  Meanwhile, an heir to the Dunorii royal line grows up in obscurity.  When the time is right, will he be able to rescue the princess, unite both factions, and eventually rule in peace?

Heidi Pekarek and I are friends online and off, and I really enjoy  her writing -- she's got a gift for describing settings that makes me feel as if I was really there.  Since that's something I struggle with in my own writing, it's definitely a trait I admire in her!

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It:  PG for some non-gory medieval-style violence.