The Otherside of the River

June Berry is a round peg in an increasingly square human society. She’s viewed unfavorably by her classmates, schoolmistress, and the townsfolk of Thurngerd for being a Fool Girl, Poor Farmer’s Daughter, and the latest, an Attention-seeker for accidentally falling into the fast-current Ombi River. Even her own best friend, Anne Bellworth, had abandoned her for a new love.  But to the fair folk on the other side of the river, June is none of those things; in fact, she might even be one of them!  Then one day, Anne comes to June fearful she might be pregnant. In one of June’s good-hearted but not-so-bright ideas, she invites her friend to the other side of the river. This proves disastrous as they encounter the Usurper, a fairy who embodies unearthly beauty and power, who effortlessly wins over Anne. The strained friendship between Anne and June finally snaps, and June finds herself teleported by the Usurper to a pile of hog dung.   Now, lost and furious, June Berry must journey along a hungry river in a land full of risk, where even a beguiling milk thistle can be trouble, to rejoin her fairy friends and maybe, just maybe, get a chance at revenge. This story is a dark fairy tale, fantasy adventure set in early 18th-century alternate Europe, that may appeal to fans of RETURN TO OZ and LABYRINTH. ------------------------------------- What you can expect: -traditional fantasy adventure -cozy-paced -character-driven -female protagonist -fairies based on folklore -romance subplot