fairy tale retelling

Review of Fractured Beauty by Adrienne Monson, Angela Corbett, Angela Brimhall, Lehua Parker

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Beauty and the Beast may be a tale as old as time, but in this collection by the Fairy Tale Ink you’ll meet five newly imagined Belles and the Beasts they love.

Angela Brimhall’s beast is a terrifying sea monster cursed by a scorned gypsy. He must risk all to save the strong-willed princess before losing his last chance at love and redemption, becoming forever damned to the briny deep.

Lehua Parker’s Nani is trapped by Indian and Hawaiian traditions and a fiancé locked in stasis in a medi-mod. Cultures and expectations collide in this sci-fi futuristic world where nano-bot tattoos and dreams reveal the secret of Nani’s heart.

Angela Corbett’s Ledger is determined to find out more about the mysterious woman who saved him from certain death and uncover the secrets of  Withering Woods, but some beasts are better left caged.

Adrienne Monson’s Arabella rushes to an enchanted castle to pay her father’s debt, but is met with a burly beast with a mysterious past. It’s a howling paranormal regency romp that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.

Review:
Brimhall’s– Quite enjoyed this story, the way that it twisted and curved, with everything twined together.

Parker’s- I loved this story. I didn’t necessarily think of it as Beauty and the Beast, but it was brilliant, unique, and I quite enjoyed it.

Corbett’s– It was an alright short story, but I didn’t quite see a big Beauty and the Beast theme, except for one character’s appearance. My least favourite of the stories.

Monson’s– I quite enjoyed the way she delivered an enchanted castle, and the way the romance developed. I also really enjoyed why Arabella’s father was sent away, and what it meant to and for her, and the Beast, ultimately.

All in all, an alright compilation, but most would have been better if allowed to shine on their own, without being considered a “Beauty and the Beast” novel.

Star Rating: 

Review of Spin by Genevieve Raas

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
A necklace, a ring, a child…There is always a price one is willing to pay. 

Laila sees her impending death in the mountains of straw waiting to be spun into gold. Faced with the impossible, she makes the impossible decision to survive, no matter what the cost.
A shadowy stranger sees an opportunity for vengeance. 
Born to a nightmarish destiny that crushed and embittered his faith in humanity, he devotes himself to dealing in dark desires and desperate souls, and Laila’s is ripe for the trade.
When the stranger asks his price, Laila is bound by blood and magic to pay. 
His own heart was never supposed to be part of the deal, but when honor drives Laila to break their bargain, he ends up tangled in his own web of deceit and destruction in a desperate attempt to save her life. In the black of night, there are no fairytales, only choices.
One choice makes a queen. One choice consumes a soul. It’s a roll of the dice in a game where love is everyone’s undoing. 

Review:
I thought the way Laila and Rumpelstiltskin’s relationship developed was great, but I was vastly disappointed in the way he reacted, and in how this book ended. While it is the beginning of a series, I greatly disliked the middle to end of this book so much that I have no intention of reading the rest.

Star Rating: 

Review of Disparity – a Rumpelstiltskin story by Sonya Writes

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
King Cameron regrets the decision he made when Marvin Bellemont declared his daughter could spin straw into gold, but if he goes back on his decision he fears he will look weak before the kingdom. Still, he thinks he knows how to make things right. He will spin the straw into gold himself, in the form of a tiny disheveled man named Rumplestiltskin.

Review:
A very unique take on Rumpelstiltskin. I wanted her to see past appearances, and while I was glad of a happy ending, it was sad that she couldn’t be the one to create it. Her reaction to learning that he was Rumpelstiltskin was frustrating, because she should have realized the connection herself, and shouldn’t blame him for what had been done to him.

Star Rating: 

Review of An Inconvenient Princess by Melanie Cellier

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Penny knows all about expectation. After all, she’s a seventh child and they’re always blessed, especially in a fairy-favored family like Penny’s. But Penny also knows all about disappointment. Because there’s nothing magical about her at all. She’s perfectly ordinary, even outshone by her own twin, Anneliese.

But maybe being ordinary is a good thing in this case, since gifts from the family’s fairy godfather, Mortimer, tend to lead to disaster. Which is why Penny is filled with dread when she discovers her twin has called on Mortimer for help. Anneliese ran away to find adventure, but now it sounds like she needs rescuing—if only Penny knew where to find her.

But soon Penny has far more problems than the location of her missing sister. When she’s forced to call on Mortimer herself, she’s soon embroiled with a rogue fairy, a tower without doors, a charming prince, and one highly inconvenient princess. With more and more people looking to Penny to secure their happily ever afters, will Penny ever have a chance to find one for herself? Find out in this twist on the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel.

An Inconvenient Princess is a romantic fairy tale novella. It can be read on its own, but is more fun when read as a part of the Entwined Tales, a series of interconnected fairy tales by six different authors. Each story follows the adventures of one of seven children from the same family as they seek out their own happily ever afters in spite of their reluctant fairy-godfather.

Review:
Penny is pragmatic. She doesn’t want to find trouble,but she knows her sister lives in a realm of tall tales and being extravagant, so when she sets off, Penny knows she will have to follow. Penny is an intelligent heroine, which makes her interesting. Despite being the younger twin, she feels responsible for Anneliese, and it drives her to great lengths. Finding her courage to become a leader instead of a follower, and try to do what is right makes this a great ending story for the series, especially since the happy ever after isn’t what you’d expect it to be.

Star Rating: 

Review of A Little Mermaid by Aya Ling

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
All Clio wants is to make her crush—a fellow merman prince—notice her. She isn’t interested in the people on land, much less a certain Prince Lukas, who was stupid enough to fall off a ship on his birthday. But when a bumbling fairy godfather misunderstands her, Clio finds herself in the worst situation imaginable—stranded on land with her tail and voice gone.

And her troubles are just beginning. Not only must Clio learn how to behave like a human, but she also needs to discover the identity of a mysterious assassin, all while guarding herself against flirtatious advances from Lukas, the very person she wants to avoid.

A Little Mermaid is a romantic fairy tale novella. It can be read on its own, but is more fun when read as a part of the Entwined Tales, a series of interconnected fairy tales by six different authors. Each story follows the adventures of one of seven children from the same family as they seek out their own happily ever afters in spite of their reluctant fairy-godfather.

Review:
Clio got a wish, but it wasn’t what she had wanted. While she got the opportunity to experience another land, she hadn’t disliked the one she came from. Clio learns to make the best of her situation, trying to learn how to act human, knowing all the while she doesn’t intend to stay that way. Having to find a mysterious assassin gives her a purpose she likely wouldn’t have ever experienced in the merkingdom. Sometimes, what you want isn’t what you need.

Star Rating: 

Review of A Beautiful Curse by Kenley Davidson

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Follow your heart…
But you might just end up snacking on flies.

When a bumbling fairy godfather gifts a humble woodcutter’s fourth child with extraordinary beauty, she spends the next eighteen years trying to hide it—behind a book. Now, Elisette is ready to follow her dreams and become a scholar, but her admirers keep getting in the way of her ambitions. Ellie knows better than to rely on her fairy godfather, but she’s desperate enough to risk asking him for help. The trouble is, Mortimer isn’t feeling very helpful. In fact, he’s downright irritated…

After a bit of vengeful fairy magic, Ellie discovers that webbed feet and green skin are even harder to manage than beauty. No one cares what happens to a frog, except maybe quiet, unassuming Prince Cambren, who has enough troubles of his own.

Will Ellie find a way to break her curse and live happily ever after? Or will she spend the rest of her life eating flies and living in a pond at the back of the palace garden?

A Beautiful Curse is a romantic fairy tale novella. It can be read on its own, but is more fun when read as a part of the Entwined Tales, a series of interconnected fairy tales by six different authors. Each story follows the adventures of one of seven children from the same family as they seek out their own happily ever afters in spite of their reluctant fairy-godfather.

Review:
Ellie finds life hard because no matter how smart she is, how well spoken, educated, most will not see beyond her looks, and believe that she is a capable person. While Mortimer offers a… different… solution, she finds that if someone can take her seriously when she isn’t even human, perhaps not all is lost for her. This is a unique take on usual frog prince story, and while the lesson learned is somewhat the same, the way in which Ellie has to learn it is unprecedented.

Star Rating: 

Review of A Bear’s Bride: A Retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon by Shari L. Tapscott

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Don’t judge a prince by his fur.

After her father threatens to marry her to a dull farmer, free-spirited Sophie runs away from the only home she’s ever known and sets off into the world, seeking adventure and romance. But instead of excitement, she finds a forlorn castle and the solitary prince who lives there.

For twenty years, Henri has been shrouded in mystery and speculation. He’s a legend, a nightmare, a blight upon his fair kingdom. Though Sophie knows it would be wiser to return home, she’s inexplicably drawn to the man of shadows.

But it doesn’t take Sophie long to realize that falling for the cursed prince might prove to be more of an adventure than she ever bargained for…

A Bear’s Bride is a romantic fairy tale novella. It can be read on its own but is more fun when read as a part of the Entwined Tales, a series of interconnected fairy tales by six different authors. Each story follows the adventures of one of seven children from the same family as they seek out their own happily ever afters in spite of their reluctant fairy-godfather.

Review:
Sophie is spirited and she has a path she wants to travel, and when her father threatens to end any chance of adventure, she knows she has to go out on her own. Not cut out for the long winding adventure she believed herself setting out for, she asks for help and finds herself thrown into more of a mystery than she expected. Sophie is tested in many ways throughout the novel, having to grow and shift from a girl who is determined to go her own way, to protecting and holding tight to what she loves. I truly hadn’t wanted this story to end.

Star Rating: 

 

Review of An Unnatural Beanstalk by Brittany Fichter

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Some fairies ruin everything.

Eva never doubted her place in her happy little world. Born second to a former woodcutters-turned-wealthy merchants’ family, all she ever wanted was to care for her siblings and to play the harp. Unfortunately, when her fairy godfather’s gift-giving goes awry, Eva receives an unusual talent that gets her abducted and betrothed to a loathsome duke with giant plans for the kingdom.

Jack never ventured far from his mother’s farm. But when Eva’s fairy godfather, in an attempt to fix his goddaughter’s plight, forces Jack to take some magic beans and responsibility for saving Eva, Jack finds himself in as much danger as the girl he came to save.

In this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, follow Jack and Eva as they attempt to outsmart the duke, save the kingdom, and just possibly find their own happily ever after as well.

An Unnatural Beanstalk is a romantic fairy tale novella. It can be read on its own but is more fun when read as a part of the Entwined Tales, a series of interconnected fairy tales by six different authors. Each story follows the adventures of one of seven children from the same family as they seek out their own happily ever afters in spite of their reluctant fairy-godfather.

Review:
Eva has a wonderful ability to play the harp that she’s worked hard to master and get good at. When someone ends up in a bad situation, she cannot help but offer to help, and that causes her fairy godfather to “reward” her.  While Eva’s family life is unconventional, Jack’s is too. Finding Jack and Eva’s stories entwining is amusing and endearing as both go through unique trials and tribulations in their attempt to free Eva. Unique, it’s good to see Eva realize that just because she isn’t the exact size and shape that is considered most desirable, doesn’t mean she ISN’T a desirable and capable woman.

Star Rating: 

Review of Poison and Mirrors by Holly Hook

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment


Synopsis (from Amazon):
Mara’s always had to have an attitude. There’s no room to be a pushover when you’re the bottom rung of the social ladder and you live in an orphanage. Her crush, Eric, probably doesn’t realize she exists. Or he’s too afraid of her black makeup and warped sense of humor.

But when she finally draws Eric’s attention, strange stuff happens to Mara and they’re right out of a fairy tale. A teacher’s tie nearly chokes him to death and classmates turn into donkeys…and it seems all this dark magic is aimed at her. Worse, she’s been having a nightmare about a very red and dangerous apple. Someone’s trying to keep her away from Eric at all costs—someone jealous. Could her best friend, Sara, be trying to eliminate her?

Mara must get to the bottom of this fairy tale nightmare if she is to survive. And it might take more than an attitude to learn the truth.

Review:
Oh, my heart! What happens when best friends are torn apart, despite having spent all their lives together? This novel had an amazing twist, and I absolutely loved it. Nothing is at all what it seems, and it seems that all are able to be manipulated, especially when key facts are left out about who they are.

This novel does call into question the people working for the king attempting to overthrow Fable– is everyone as complacent as he believes?

Star Rating: 

Review of Towers and Braids by Holly Hook

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment


Synopsis (from Amazon):
Rae’s world is safe. Her tower is all the shelter she needs from all the scary men, beasts, and other dark forces her mother says roam the world of Fable.

Or is it? And what are men, anyway?

And why did she overhear her mother saying a young man might try to take her away soon? But when Henry sneaks into her tower, he’s not so bad, and he makes Rae feel strange in ways she doesn’t understand. Only after Henry gets chased off by her mother does Rae learn she has the gift of light. And a certain dark wizard wants to destroy her before she can combat the darkness he’s spreading through Fable.

Forced to leave her home when the dark wizard comes knocking, Rae’s only hope of survival is to venture into the dangerous world, find Henry, and claim her happily ever after.

Review:
Oh, an adorable fairy tale that takes place entirely in the world of fairy tales. Rae is refreshing in her naivety and simplicity. While Rae’s story is in many ways the Rapunzel we already know, the novel does a good job of showing how children (or a teenager in this case), without stimulus and learning, grow restless and rebellious. Henry also shows Rae that sometimes the prejudices given to us or taught to us are wrong, and that sometimes it’s better to spread your wings and see if you can fly, and learn how things are for yourself.

Rae, despite her upbringing, goes through quite a tumultuous experience to do what she believes is right. Her growth and understanding are brilliant to watch expand.

Star Rating: