Most fairy tale retellings are pretty broad in background, especially if they take place in a generic pan-European setting. However, Merrie Haskell's "The Princess Curse" cleverly weaves Romanian history and folklore into the traditional fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, adding in a gutsy young heroine and a murky mystery. The problem? No real ending. 
 The twelve princesses of Sylvania go missing every night, and return to their tower exhaused, with holes in their shoes. Anyone who tries to follow and/or spy on them either vanishes or falls into a coma. 
 Herbalists' apprentice Reveka is initially only interested in breaking this curse because a massive dowry is offered to any girl who succeeds, and she wants to become a herbalist at a convent. But when she learns that her friend Didina's mother is one of the sleepers -- and that some of the sleepers are dying -- she becomes more determined than ever. 
 And as Sylvania is threatened by war from all sides, Reveka works on a way of becoming invisible so she can follow the princesses undetected. But then discovers the shocking reason why people fall into comas, and where the princesses go every night. If she has any hope of setting the princesses and the sleepers free, she may have to put herself in peril... 
 "The Princess Curse" reminds me a bit of a Robin McKinley book aimed at a slightly younger audience -- a traditional fairy tale given a clever young heroine, a good witch, and a twist on the story's outcome. And the whole thing is wrapped in Romania history (Hungary, Vlad Tepes and the invading Turks) and folklore (a zmeu, which is a sort of girl-marrying dragon-man). 
 But Haskell also soaks her story in the atmosphere of a medieval castle, particularly the warm herb-scented areas that Reveka frequents, and an eerie underworld with a black-light sun, snow and blighted forests. And she weaves some mysteries and obstacles into the story that you don't see coming, such as the real reason that people fall into comas. 
 And Reveka is a very likable heroine -- she's very mature, unselfish, and clever, as well as a walking encyclopedia of herbal knowledge. Haskell isn't afraid to show that her heroine has some selfish motives at first, but that she blossoms when confronted by someone else's pain and loss. And Dragos... is still quite an enigma, but it's hinted that he's far more cursed than any of the princesses, and that Reveka may be able to help him. 
 The one downside? Well, the book has NO ENDING. The story just sort of... stops, and leaves us dangling on a "to be continued" note. I guess the titular "princess curse" had been dealt with, but Reveka's personal problems are still going strong. 
 Merrie Haskell gives a clever Romanian twist to a traditional tale, and the only way "The Princess Curse" really disappoints is in the ending. Now I have to wait for the sequel to find out what is going to happen.