Lightkeepers: A Modern Rapunzel Retelling (The Ever Afters)

Couldn’t stop reading it, so sweet and so well done I’m inlove with this retelling 💕Can’t wait to see what else the author has written or if there’s even an update on these characters

Very unique spin on tangled, I really loved the story. Both main characters were charismatic and well developed. I would have liked to see more bonding between Ryder, Traci and Travis. There were some parts I felt I couldn’t connect to the characters due to their age, I do think this would be a great book for teens though! I will be recommending it to my daughter in a couple of years. :)

I really enjoyed it and read it in one day. It was a bit quick on the foster system schedule but I think it is sweet nonetheless.

Before I even begin to dive into everything I loved about this book, I should start off by saying that “Tangled” is/was/will forever be my favorite Disney movie. Period. I had never considered the possibility of reading a retelling of any kind but when I saw this book, I knew I needed it in my life immediately. The cover is adorable, and I will admit, I have been known to purchase books based on that sole reason. But this story delivered! The alternating POV kept me engaged and I did not want to put it down! It was such a fun, exciting, & enchanting story. The way that Kennedy Plumb weaves metaphorical magic into the mundane is simply spellbinding. And Ryder, where to even begin? He is an absolute doll. I could not get enough of his story. It is clear that the author has a love for foster kids that came through the pages in such a heartwarming way. I cried actual tears for Ryder. If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced, feel-good story, this is the real-life fairytale you need.

I was really excited by the concept of this book, Rapunzel stuck in a cult?! Yes please! The story flowed very well and I enjoyed having both characters perspectives. Some of the twists that were thrown in I genuinely wasn’t expecting, especially for something so short. I wished there was just a little more info on the resolution, it felt like we could’ve spent more time on it. Overall I really liked this and thought it was a cute, easy read!

If you love modern retellings of Disney or other fairytale stories, this is the perfect book for you!After being on a reading slump for months, I came across Lightkeepers on the clock app. I immediately purchased it and after just about three hours of beginning the novel, I found myself turning the last page and messaging Kennedy Plumb, applauding her on such an interesting take of Rapunzel’s story.Zella and Ryder are extremely lovable characters, but I found myself drawn to Ryder’s storytelling slightly more than Zella’s. Both voices are unique to the character and you really feel immersed in the time they spend together - and separate.I’m excited for what Plumb comes up with next!

I enjoyed this book precisely because it was just so weird. I expected a little weird when I read the blurb, but it was even more out there than I anticipated. It was interesting to see a cult basically treated as a plot driver in a teen romance, but it somehow worked even though the book never got very serious about the cult. I wasn't sure where things were going, and that kept me reading. The characters weren't super developed, but there was enough there that it was an enjoyable read.

I absolutely LOVED this book so so much, I literally was so sad when I finished it. I loved the telling of the cult views- that was extremely interesting and also to see Zella and Ryder become closer and closer <3 Tangled is my most favorite movie/story of all time and so I knew I needed this. I would love a 2nd installment to this just to see what their life is like :) thank you so much for writing this, words can’t explain how much I love this.

I’ve got to admit I was a little sceptical about this book. In my opinion, it’s a brave author who publishes a retelling of a relatively recent Disney movie with the serial numbers barely even filed off – and this is a Tangled retelling, not the Grimm Brothers’ Rapunzel, despite what it says on the cover. But on the other hand, I do have a morbid fascination with cults, and once I read the sample for Lightkeepers, I was hooked on the writing.Plumb has a really easy-to-read writing style. It’s conversational, but not annoyingly so. The two POV characters, Zella and Ryder, have distinct voices that made it easy to always tell whose chapters I was in.The cult aspects are well developed, with Zella’s mother preying on vulnerable women and children to bring them into the fold. Zella had a good balance of curiosity and hesitation as she made it into the outside world. I also really enjoyed Ryder’s characterisation as the troubled foster kid, used to being a burden and shocked when his newest family actually cares.The reason this is four stars rather than five is that there were a few things at the end that didn’t quite add up for me. I couldn’t work out how Ryder figured out his parentage, which was quite an important plot point but seemed to come from nowhere. And it was never explained why Mother had her child taken away, leading her to kidnap Zella. While the ending is very sweet in a realistic way, I was left with a few too many questions.