What are the politically minded parents of such princesses to do? Wed one to strengthen an alliance, of course. Ellea, the pretty one, will be married off, and Laidra will be kept out of sight. Their ally King Gan is himself a user and abuser of women and he wants to use both maidens to lift a similar curse on two princes. Volen the "normal" looking prince should be the one to marry, but his brother Calen... well, the less said about him the better. Actually, Volen had better wed quickly, before too many rumours spread.

Through Laidra's experiences, we travel by land and sea, meet a giant sea serpent and fetch up at a seemingly deserted castle. The coils of this life or death adventure are just settling about her throat. Demigods are also involved, and they don't play fair.

I enjoyed this adventure very much; the threads of Greek myth, the hint of Beauty and the Beast, the varied personalities. While the tale is suitable for YA readers, any fan of fantasy could have a good time reading COILED. I didn't have any set expectations of how the twists would unravel and was pleased by the eventual strength of the romance that develops. H.L. Burke is a mother of two girls and a lifelong fantasy fan. I can recommend her beautifully written work to anyone who wants to read something different and exciting.