Heartless by H.G. Parry

Title: Heartless

Author: H.G. Parry

Publisher: Subterranean Press 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 141

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings - Villain

Where I Got It: Library

At the age of seven, in a London workhouse, newly-orphaned James meets ten-year-old Peter. Mysterious, mercurial, thoughtless to the point of cruelty, Peter nonetheless takes a liking to James. The two forge a strange friendship, bound together by theirshared love of stories...But one fateful night, Peter vanishes from his bed, and in the morning James is found lying alone and broken in the courtyard outside...Over twenty years later, on the deck of a whaling ship in the frozen wastes of the Arctic...James's obsession with finding his childhood friend will lead him to mutiny and murder, beyond the edges of the world, and finally to an island that shouldn't exist.

I always enjoy a villain retelling usually because the villains of fairy tales are much more interesting than the heroes. In this slim novella, we get the story of Peter Pan told from the point of view of James who becomes Hook. We see the creation of Neverland and the birth of the story we know while understanding the sacrifices James made to survive. I really enjoyed this one. The overall tone of this book is very emotional and sad but it was a good fit for my mood this week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

Title: How to Be Eaten

Author: Maria Adelmann

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company 2022

Genre: Magical Realism

Pages: 291

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling

Where I Got It: Library

In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina's love story will shock them all.

Though the women start out wary of one another, judging each other’s stories, gradually they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they supposed . . . What really brought them here? What secrets will they reveal? And is it too late for them to rescue each other?

I cannot remember who exactly recommended this book to me, but I want to say thank you! This was the weird feminist rage book that I had been looking for. We get to see a group of fairytale characters wrestle with their trauma and how they are perceived by the public. We don’t get a resolution to their troubles, but a realistic portrayal of their issues. I found myself raging right alongside them. From the ways that the public treats their truth to how they treat each other. I loved the weird little pieces of insight the characters gain along the way. The biggest reason that I took off a star from my rating is the ending. I just really hated the big reveal of Will and how it impacted the women. Annoying.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle

Title: A Ship of Bones and Teeth

Author: Karina Halle

Publisher: Karina Halle 2023

Genre: Romance Fantasy

Pages: 508

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Lighthouse: Fairytale Retelling - The Little Mermaid

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

Princess Maren is a woman with a secret.

When she was just 16-years old, she sold her soul to the sea witch Edonia, giving up a life underwater in exchange for the love of Prince Aerik on land. But after a decade of abuse and misery inflicted by the cruel prince, Maren wants nothing more than to leave him and her royal role behind and find Edonia to reverse the spell.

An opportunity for escape presents itself when the prince and princess are traveling overseas and are taken hostage by a band of notorious pirates, led by the fearsome Captain Ramsay "Bones" Battista. Maren has heard the sordid stories about the infamous pirate--not only is his ship supposedly haunted and crewed by the damned, but that no prisoners ever survive. Fortunately for Maren, she learns that the captain also has a score to settle with the sea witch. With any luck, Maren may be able to get her old life back, even if it's being held in the captain's wicked hands.

But Ramsay gets more than he bargained for when he learns who--and what--Maren is, and that her appetite for revenge, freedom, and bloodlust rivals his.

Meanwhile Maren finds herself falling for the pirate's dark nature, even as she discovers that Ramsay has a secret more deadly than her own.

When it comes to the high seas, not all monsters lurk beneath the surface.

I grabbed this one as a dark, adult retelling of The Little Mermaid and it really hit the spot for me this week. I dove in not quite knowing what to expect, but very quickly I got my feet underneath me and the plot hit full steam. Trying to figure out exactly who Maren and Ramsay were was an added bonus to the storyline. We get a contentious relationship between our main characters until larger forces bring them together. I was fully immersed in the world and wanted to see more from all of the other characters. I must say that the steamy scenes are very steamy and very riské; be forewarned. While I really enjoyed this book, I might have actually been a bit sad that this is a standalone.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Alice in Borderland Vol. 2-3

Title: Alice in Borderland Vol. 2

Author: Haro Aso

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC 2021

Genre: Comics

Pages: 344

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.

Life in Borderland can be grim, but after completing two games Arisu feels like he might be getting a handle on how his new world works. Chota’s and Shibuki’s visas are expiring soon, however, so the group doesn’t have time to be picky about their next match. And the arena they stumble upon is a lesson in just how treacherous the rules in Borderland can be.

Diving back into this series and it just doesn’t let up. This particular volume really hit me in the feels. I did not see the events coming at all. The game depicted was absolutely brutal. I was completely slack jawed by the end. I am obsessed with this series.

Title: Alice in Borderland Vol. 3

Author: Haro Aso

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC 2022

Genre: Comics

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.

Aguni now has control of the Beach, and one of his first actions as king is to lock Ryohei in a room on one of the empty floors of the hotel to die of an expired visa. But Ryohei gets an unexpected stay of execution when the Beach becomes the arena for a brutal game of Hearts! Can he survive a witch hunt and get his visa extended, or has he just traded one terrible death for another?

And on to the next volume… with a change of venue and new characters. I wasn’t sold on the beach resort plot line, but it grew on me. The volume got even better when a game began at the beach. I cannot wait to see what happens next and how this particular game concludes.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: The Never King (Vicious Lost Boys #1)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 192

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Dark; Fairytale Retellings - Peter Pan

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.

But it’s pointless.

Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

Finally picked up this series after my interest in darker romance. I am a bit disappointed, but not enough to stop reading the series. Really this is very focused on the steamy scenes as opposed to plot or really characterization. We dive immediately into the world and have to very quickly understand what is happening without a lot of explanation. As the book progresses, we get some little bits, but then we focus on the physical aspect again. Winnie is not my favorite, but I am very interested in all the men involved. I really want to get more backstories and world building in the next book.

Vicious Lost Boys:

#1 The Never King
#2 The Dark One
#3 Their Vicious Darling
#4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

Title: The Kingdom of Sweets

Author: Erika Johansen

Publisher: Dutton 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 354

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Fairytale Retellings; Spooky Season - J

Where I Got It: Unread Shelf

Twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against one another on a fateful Christmas Eve

Light and dark—this is the cursed birthright placed upon Clara and Natasha by their godfather, Drosselmeyer, whose power and greed hold an entire city in his sway. Charming Clara, the favorite, grows into a life of beauty and ease, while ignored and unloved Natasha is relegated to her sister’s shadow.

But the opportunity for revenge announces itself one Christmas Eve, when Drosselmeyer arrives at their family gala with the Nutcracker, an enchanted gift that offers entry into an alternate world: the Kingdom of Sweets.

Following Clara into the glittering land of snow and sugar, Natasha discovers a source of power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who offers her own wondrous gifts . . . and deadly bargains. But as Natasha unspools the truth about a dark destiny crafted long before her birth, she must reckon with forces both earthly and magical, human and diabolical, and decide to which world she truly belongs.

A bit of a mess of a book. I was very intrigued by the Nutcracker retelling and loved the first act. We set the stage and add in a mystery twin to Clara. Act 2 was even a lot of fun twisting around the idea of the Kingdom of Sweets. But then the book started to lose me. Clara and Natasha are both terrible. Their entire families are terrible. Conrad is a wet blanket. Why should I care about any of these people? The person I cared the most about was Anastasia the cook. She at least seemed like a real person. The rest were caricatures; all black and white without the gray that real people have. I was ready for the Sugar Plum Fairy to take them all. Overall, the book really lost me after the second section and the ending was downright confusing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Desperate Measures by Katee Robert

Title: Desperate Measures (Wicked Villains #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings; She Reads Romance - Guardian

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 6

Once upon a time, I was a sheltered princess. Now he owns me, body and soul.

One night, and my entire life went up in flames. All because of him. Jafar. As my world burned around me, he offered me a choice: walk away with nothing but my freedom…or rise to his challenge and win my fortune back.

I bargained.

I lost.

Now Jafar owns me, and even as my mind rails against him, my body loves the delicious punishments he deals out. It's almost enough to believe he cares. But a gilded cage is still a prison, and I'll do anything to obtain my freedom.

Even betray the man who captured my heart.

Another romance novel that explores the idea of consent. I was warned off of this book years ago by a friend. I understand her hesitations over this book. The opening chapters are brutal. We are not eased into this story. We have to immediately confront the brutality that Jafar brings to the situation. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this one, but noticed that this version includes Robert’s footnotes and commentary. I was intrigued, so I dove in. I actually ended up enjoying this novel. We get a progression on a relationship that I wouldn’t want to be in, but plays itself out on the pages for the reader. I enjoyed seeing the communication and boundary lines solidified as the pages pass. Yasmina is such a sheltered character that it hurt to read her reactions in many of the chapters. Once she started to grow, I started to really root for her as a character. The ending was absolutely perfect for these two characters. And Robert’s footnotes add great commentary to the story and her writing process and growth. I hope that the rest of the series will be released in the same way.

Wicked Villains

#1 Desperate Measures
#2 Learn My Lesson
#3 A Worthy Opponent
#4 The Beast
#5 The Sea Witch
#6 Queen Takes Rose

Next up on the TBR pile:

Alice in Borderland Vol. 1

Title: Alice in Borderland Vol. 1

Author: Haro Aso

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC 2021

Genre: Comics

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings (replacing Rumplestitlskin)

Where I Got It: Library

Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future feels like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.

The first game starts with a bang, but Ryohei manages to beat the clock and save his friends. It’s a short-lived victory, however, as they discover that winning only earns them a few days’ grace period. If they want to get home, they’re going to have to start playing a lot harder.

I’ve had this series on my TBR for years now. Funnily enough, it was watching Katee Robert’s instagram stories that brought it back to the top of the pile. Very quickly, we are dumped into Borderland and attempt to start understanding the rules of the game. I was concerned that Ryohei was going to be super annoying throughout, but very quickly attempts to focus on his new reality and the games. Volume 1 includes the introduction plus two games. We get to see some of Borderland’s other players and begin to understand the implications of the games. Plus there are some tantalizing clues as to the ultimate strategies. Cannot wait to read Volume 2.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

Title: Tangled Up in You (Meant to Be #4)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings

Spice Rating: 3

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fireon a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

For most of this book, I was fully engaged in the story. I do love the forced proximity trope and the sunshine/grump trope, and this one was a great example of those. The beginning was a bit slow, but once we got on the road, the story really got moving. I loved seeing Ren and Fitz begin to trust each other and find themselves on the road trip. The scene in the biker bar was hilarious and just perfect for their story. I was interested to see how their relationship progressed. But then we get to the last fourth of the book. Everything was way too rushed for my tastes. I wanted to sit with the characters a bit more. I wanted to see the characters interact with others (like Mary!) and let those other characters see how they have changed. I wanted to see the main characters in their next place. The epilogue was a complete throwaway. I just really wanted more with this book.

Meant to Be:

#1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
#2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
#3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
#4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
#5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman

Title: We Kept Her in the Cellar

Author: W.R. Gorman

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books 2024

Genre: Horror

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairy Tale Retellings

Where I Got It: Library

Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. Three, never look upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m.

Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. As her stepsister, Eunice is expected to care for her and keep the family’s secret. For years, Eunice has faithfully done so. Her childhood flew by in a blur of nightmares, tears, and near-misses with the monster living in the cellar. But when she befriends the handsome Prince Credence and secures an invitation to the ball, Eunice is determined to break free.

When her younger sister, Hortense, steps up to care for Cinderella, Eunice grabs her chance to dance the night away—until Cinderella escapes. With her eldritch powers, Cinderella attends the ball and sweeps Prince Credence off his feet, leaving behind a trail of carnage and destruction as well as a single green glass slipper.

With Cinderella unleashed, Eunice must determine how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to stop Cinderella. Unsettling and macabre at every turn, this page-turning horror will bewitch horror fans and leave its readers anxiously checking the locks on their cellar doors.

Oh yes! This was exactly the kind of horror I was hoping to read this season. We get a fairy tale turned on its Lovecraftian head. Everything starts normal, but then as soon as Cinderella arrives. we now that things are just a little off. Very quickly things go from bad to worst. I absolutely reveled in Cinderella’s creepy nature and the ways in which she tried to mess with Eunice. And then the second half of the book really kicked into high gear. I was dreading where the story was going, but in for the ride. This boo is not for those that get squeamish easily. There are some horrifying scenes throughout. I was in it until the very last page.

Next up on the TBR pile:

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

Title: By the Book (Meant to Be #2)

Author: Jasmine Guillory

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Romance Author (actually works in book industry) Finds Romance; Fairytale Retelling - Beauty and the Beast

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4

Sometimes to truly know a person, you have to read between the lines.

Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing after college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, still living at home, and one of the few Black employees at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.

All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a pep talk or three. How hard could it be?

But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and―it turns out―just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn't there before.

Ooof. I think I am not a fan of Jasmine Guillory. I desperately want to like her books, but the two that I have read have just not intrigued me. For this one, the characters seem way too young to be the actual ages they are supposed to be. I found Izzy to be way too naive and grating as a character. I found her to be too much at times. Usually I like the grump and sunshine trope, but this one really fell flat for me. Izzy is too much and Beau gives us nothing. In fact, I was super annoyed the revelation late in the book that Beau had been keeping a secret journal this whole time in which he expressed his love for Izzy very early on. I just could not with that part of the book.

Meant to Be:

#1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
#2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
#3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
#4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
#5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lost Boy by Christina Henry

Title: Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

Author: Christina Henry

Publisher: Titan Books 2017

Genre: Horror; Fantasy

Pages: 292

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings; Spooky Season

Where I Got It: Library

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever. Peter lies.

This book has been on my TBR list for years now. I had previously enjoyed Henry’s brand of mixing horror and fairy tales and this one definitely hit the spot. Right away, we know that we are going dive deep into how Jamie become Captain Hook. I was hoping for a villainous portrayal of Peter Pan and I got exactly what I was hoping for. In fact, he was much more horrendous than even I imagined. (I have always very much disliked the Peter Pan character from literature and the movie/tv versions.) We quickly learn how demented Peter is and attempt to navigate his impossible situations alongside Jamie and the other Lost Boys. In a short amount of time, I really came to care for those kids. But I knew that this story was not going to end well. Overall, this one is not for squeamish people and especially not for anyone who cannot handle violence involved children.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Poison by Sarah Pinborough

Title: Poison (Tales from the Kingdom #1)

Author: Sarah Pinborough

Publisher: Titan Books 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 181

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairy Tale - Snow White; Library Love

Meet handsome prince, the jealous queen, and the beautiful girl as you’ve never seen them before . . . Sarah Pinborough’s charming, provocative, and adult spin on Snow White will captivate fans of the classic fairy tale all over again.

Poison is the first of Sarah Pinborough’s three sexy, contemporary retellings of classic fairy tales featuring the heroes and villains we all love.

Such a disappointment! I love a good fairy tale retelling and this was not it. The book tries to make a more risqué Snow White story, but ends up getting confused about what it wants to be. At times, we get a very immature story of a young girl (who’s incredibly annoying I might add). At other times, we get a story of a misunderstood woman rebelling against the bounds of society. And at other times, we get a spicy romance. None of it quite works together for a cohesive narrator. I have incredibly disappointed and left with so many questions. Given my feelings with this volume, I will not be attempting to get those answers in the rest of the series.

Tales from the Kingdom

#1 Poison
#2 Charm
#3 Beauty

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke

Title: Bookshop Cinderella (Scandal at the Savoy #1)

Author: Laura Lee Guhrke

Publisher: Forever 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 323

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Chosen by Its Cover; Fairytales - Cinderella

Spice Rating: 4.5

Evie Harlow runs a quaint little bookshop in London, which is the biggest adventure an unmarried woman with no prospects could hope for. Until Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne, saunters into her shop with a proposition: to win a bet with his friends, he’ll turn her into the diamond of the season. The duke might be devilishly attractive, but Evie has no intention of accepting his ludicrous offer. When disaster strikes her shop, however, she’s left with little choice but to let herself be whisked into his high-society world.

Always happy to help a lady in distress, Max thinks he’s saving Evie from her dull spinster’s life. He’ll help her find a husband and congratulate himself on a job well done. But as shy Evie becomes the shining star he always knew she could be, she somehow steals his heart. And when her reputation is threatened, can Max convince her to choose a glittering, aristocratic life with him over the cozy comfort of her bookshop?

I needed a Cinderella retelling and just loved this cover so much (Check out that dress) that I had to check it out. Thankfully this was a good historical romance for the week. Evie is a great foil for the Duke and his high and mightyness. There's a lot of fun back and forth in this story with some great banter. The actual romance bits came a bit too late for my tastes, but were decent. I just wish we would have gotten more of Evie and Max after they start a relationship.

Scandal at the Savoy

#1 Bookshop Cinderella
#2 Lady Scandal

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Title: A Tale Dark & Grimm (A Tale Dark & Grimm #1)

Author: Adam Gidwitz

Publisher: Dutton Books 2010

Genre: MG Fantasy Horror

Pages: 256

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairy Tales; 52 Book Club - Author Self-Insert

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

A lovely horrifying spin on the Hansel and Gretel stories. I love how Gidwitz mixes up the classic stories into one large narrative. With every story, the situation becomes even more horrifying and my love for this book grew. But I think my favorite story was the story were Hansel tricked the devil. The narrative voice with the author inserts was an added bonus to the book. I will most definitely have to continue reading the series.

A Tale Dark & Grimm

#1 A Tale Dark & Grimm
#2 In a Glass Grimmly
#3 The Grimm Conclusion

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Crimson Bound

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Publisher: Balzer + Bray 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 441

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairy Tales; In Case You Missed It - 2015

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in a vain effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her hunt for the legendary sword that might save their world. Together, they navigate the opulent world of the courtly elite, where beauty and power reign and no one can be trusted. And as the two become unexpected allies, they discover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic . . . and a love that may be their undoing. Within a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Oof this one really did not work for me at all. I picked it up as a Red Riding Hood retelling and was hoping for a good fantasy novel. The world building was interesting if confusing. At times I got very into the weeds trying to figure out if the references were straight out of French lore or if the author made it up. Parts of the story got really convoluted. But my biggest complaint are directly about the romance. Why do we have to have another silly love triangle? I really dislike the female protagonist following her destiny only to find two men standing in her way. The biggest issue was that Armand was a complete nothing burger of a character. I could not imagine why Rachelle would ever fall for him. Really the same goes for Erec. This book may have been saved if the stupid love triangle was dropped.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wild Swans retold by Xanthe Gresham Knight

Title: Wild Swans

Retold By: Xanthe Gresham Knight Illustrated by Charlotte Gastaut

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 48

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Young Eliza and her eleven brothers' lives are transformed when a plague ravages the Kingdom of the North and kills their mother, the Queen. When their father remarries, their brilliant and "unusual" new stepmother becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the plague and protecting her new family - so obsessed that she decides to turn the boys into swans so they can fly away from the plague, and to send Eliza to a far-away village the plague hasn't touched. Years later, the Queen discovers a cure for the plague just before she dies from it herself. With the kingdom in chaos, it's up to teenaged Eliza to find her brothers, break the Queen's spell on them, return home to cure the plague - and claim her rightful place in the kingdom!

Such a gorgeous slim retelling of the 12 Swans fairy tale. The writing is great and the retelling bit was entertaining and engaging. But the real star here is the illustrations. Gastaut pairs the text with gilded images rich in detail and whimsy. I was entranced with the illustrations and had to wrench myself away from those to continue reading the text. A lovely few minutes spent on this volume.

Next up on the TBR pile:

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten

Title: For the Wolf (The Wilderwood #1)

Author: Hannah Whitten

Publisher: Orbit 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 403

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD; Seasonal TBR

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn't learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood—and her world—whole.

I was so excited for this book and it ended up being a very lackluster read. It felt very derivative and overdone. I was intrigued by the concept of a Little Red Riding Hood retelling (I do love my fairy tale retellings). And this one added in elements of Sleeping Beauty and Rose Red and Snow White and lots of other snippets. I really enjoyed the world building and the Wilderwood itself. Seriously, I think the Wilderwood was the best character in the book. I loved seeing how the forest affected our characters and had it’s own presence. But then we get to the human characters and I got a lot less excited. Red was fine, Eammon was fine, Neve was fine. They were just fine. There wasn’t enough there to really make me care about them. Fife and Lyra annoyed me so much throughout the book. And I thoroughly disliked the constant repetitive actions (e.g. “lounging on the doorway” and “hands raking across __’s face”). At times the writing felt very immature. I loved the descriptions, but not when it focused on the characters. Overall, I think I’m really sick of reading these stories about a naive 20ish young woman who has to save the world. I’ll probably end up reading the sequel when it comes out, but I’m not super excited about it.

The Wilderwood

#1 For the Wolf
#2 For the Throne

Next up on the TBR pile:

2017 Reading Challenge Round-up -- Completed

Goal: 20/20 100%

Jane Ashford (1/21/17)
Ginny Baird (12/19/17)
Juliet Blackwell (10/8/17)
John Campbell (11/10/17)
John Connolly (10/27/17)
Juliet Dark (11/28/17)
Imogen Edwards-Jones (4/7/17)
Lia Habel (7/29/17)
Peter Hernon (10/6/17)
Antony Johnston (11/21/17)
Lisa Kleypas (12/22/17)
Marjorie Liu (3/17/17)
Susan Meissner (11/18/17)
Liane Moriarty (7/19/17)
Kim Newman (5/14/17)
Danielle Paige (5/29/17)
Ray Russell (10/25/17)
Jodi Taylor (1/30/17)
Sherry Thomas (2/10/17)
Brenna Yovanoff (10/24/17)

Goal: 24/24 100%

The Runaways Complete Collection Vol. 1 (1/3/17)
A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas (2/10/17)
The Daily Show by Chris Smith (2/10/27)
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (2/17/17)
Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs (2/19/17)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (2/22/17)
A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor (2/28/17)
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey (3/9/17)
Fairest by Marissa Meyer (3/9/17)
Winter by Marissa Meyer (3/15/17)
Monstress Vol. 1 (3/17/17)
Hamilton The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (3/21/17)
Unmentionable by Therese Oneill (3/29/17)
Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates (4/2/17)
Atlantia by Ally Condie (4/13/17)
Mostly Void, Partially Stars by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor (4/28/17)
Dorothy Must Dies Stories Vol. 3 by Danielle Paige (6/14/17)
Wonder Woman: The True Amazon by Jill Thompson (6/19/17)
Zombies: A Brief History of Decay (6/20/17)
The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (7/1/17)
Locke and Key Small World (7/15/17)
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige (7/17/17)
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (7/19/17)
The End of Oz by Danielle Paige (7/22/17)

Goal: 12/12 100%

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (2/17/17)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (2/22/17)
Fairest by Marissa Meyer (3/9/17)
Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (3/15/17)
Winter by Marissa Meyer (3/15/17)
Atlantia by Ally Condie (4/13/17)
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (5/27/17)
Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 1 by Danielle Paige (5/29/17)
Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 2 by Danielle Paige (6/9/17)
Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 3 by Danielle Paige (6/14/17)
The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (7/11/7)
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige (7/17/17)

Goal: 24/24 100%

Revival Vol. 3 (1/2/17)
Runaways Complete Collection Vol. 1 (1/3/17)
Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton (3/10/17)
Monstress Vol. 1 (3/17/17)
The Complete Love Hurts by Kim Andersson (3/18/17)
Pretty Deadly Vol. 1 (3/20/17)
Pretty Deadly Vol. 2 (3/21/17)
Saga Vol. 6 (4/21/17)
East of West Vol. 5 (4/21/17)
East of West Vol. 6 (4/21/17)
The Walking dead Vol. 25 (4/22/17)
The Walking Dead Vol. 26 (4/22/17)
Lady Killer by Joelle Jones (4/28/17)
Step Aside, Pops by Kate Beaton (5/5/17)
Wonder Woman: The True Amazon by Jill Thompson (6/19/17)
Zombies: A Brief History of Decay (6/20/17)
Locke and Key Small World (7/15/17)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 1 (8/16/17)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 2 (8/18/17)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 3 (8/18/17)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 4 (8/18/17)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 5 (9/3/17)
The Coldest City by Antony Johnston (11/21/17)
How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman (11/24/17)

Perpetual Reading Lists Challenge
Goal: 20/20 100%

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (2/6/17)
The Daily Show by Chris Smith (2/10/17)
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (2/17/17)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (2/22/17)
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell (3/24/17)
Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates (4/2/17)
The Bust Guide to the New Girl Order (4/12/17)
The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto (5/26/17)
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (5/27/17)
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (6/23/17)
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (7/8/17)
50 Great American Places by Brent D. Glass (7/19/17)
Dead Feminists by Chandler O'Leary and Jessica Spring (7/27/17)
The Great Quake by Henry Fountain (9/2/17)
The Lost City of Z by David Grann (9/23/17)
The Mummy by Anne Rice (10/18/17)
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (10/20/17)
A Tea Reader by Katrina Avila Munichiello (10/20/17)
Bad Girls Throughout History by Ann Shen (11/19/17)
The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen (11/22/17)

Goal: 92/92 100%

An alphabet book — Take Away the A by Michael Escoffier (February)
A counting book — One, Two, Three, Mother Goose by Iona Opie (April)
Concept book: shapes or numbers or opposites or colors — Happy-pea All Year by Keith Baker (April)
A book set on a farm or in the country -- Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack! by Doreen Cronin (July)
A book set in the city or in an urban area -- Little Elliott Big City by Mike Curato (Nov)
A book set at the beach, in the ocean, or by a lake -- Uh-Oh Octopus by Elle van Lieshout and Erik van Os (June)
A book with human characters — Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel (March)
A book with animal characters — Miss Fox’s Class Shapes Up by Eileen Spinelli (January)
A bedtime book -- Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson (Nov)
A rhyming book — Too Many Moose by Lisa M. Bakos (February)
A book celebrating art -- Matisse's Garden by Samantha Friedman (Nov)
A book celebrating dance -- Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig (Nov)
A book celebrating music -- The Carnival of the Animals by Jack Prelutsky (Nov)
A book celebrating family (parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc.) -- Froggy Goes to Grandma's by Jonathan London (Oct)
A book about feelings, expressing feelings -- How to Mend a Heart by Sara Gillingham (Sept)
A book with a twist (unexpected) ending -- Bluebird by Bob Staake (Sept)
A book about pets (cats, dogs, fish) -- Henry Hodges Needs a Friend by Andy Andrew (Sept)
A book celebrating libraries or reading — My Pet Book by Bob Staake (January)
A book translated into English (originally published in another language/country) -- Blanche hates the night by Sibyl Delacroix (Nov)
A book about trains or planes — Yellow Copter by Kersten Hamilton (February)
A book about cars or trucks -- Demolition by Sally Sutton (Oct)
A book about starting school -- Harry and the DInosaurs Go to School by Ian Whybrow (Nov)
A book about friendship (sharing, caring, forgiving) — The 329th Friend by Marjorie Weinman Starmat (January)
A book about being ME, about being unique, special, loved, etc. — Half of an Elephant by gusti (January)
A fairy tale -- Cinderella by Marcia Brown (Dec)
A twisted (adapted) fairy tale -- There was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann (Nov)
A book about a holiday -- Countdown to Halloween by Patricia Reeder Eubank (Sept)
A new-to-you author — It Came in the Mail by Ben Clanton (April)
A new-to-you illustrator — Zoo Zoom illustrated by Macky Pamintuan (February)
A book about new experiences (dentist, doctor, sleepovers, movies, playing sports, learning to swim, etc.) — Bike On, Bear by Cynthea Liu (February)
A series book — Absolutely One Thing by Lauren Child (April)
A book celebrating food (cooking, eating, trying new foods, eating healthy) -- Gobble, Gobble, Tucker by Leslie McGuirk (Oct)
A book published before 1950 -- Many Moons by James Thurber (Nov)
A book published in the 1950s -- Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss (Dec)
A book published in the 1960s -- Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown (Nov)
A book published in the 1970s -- The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord (Dec)
A book published in the 1980s -- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle (Nov)
A book published in the 1990s -- The Day Jimmy’s Boa ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble (Nov)
A book published in the 2000s -- Word Builder by Ann Whitford Paul (Sept)
A book published 2010-2016 — Poo in the Zoo by Steve Smallman (April)
A book published in 2017 - Monster's New Undies by Samantha Berger (August)
A book by Dr. Seuss -- Hop on Pop (Oct)
A book by Mo Willems — Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late (January)
A book by Jan Thomas -- What Will Fat Cat Sit On? (December)
A book by Eric Carle -- Friends (Nov)
A book by Laura Numeroff -- If You Take a Mouse to School (Oct)
A book by Patricia Polacco -- An A from Miss Keller by Patricia Polacco (Nov)
A book by Jon Klassen -- I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen (Sept)
A book by Beatrix Potter -- The Unfortunate Tale of a Borrowed Guinea Pig (Nov)
A book by Kevin Henkes -- The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes (Nov)
A book written or illustrated by LeUyen Pham -- Real Friends by Shannon Hale (Nov)
A Caldecott winner -- Flotsam by David Weisner (Nov)
A Caldecott honor -- Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds (Nov)
A picture book biography -- The Girl wWho Though in Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca (Nov)
A nonfiction picture book -- The Autumn Equinox by Ellen Jackson (Sept)
A book from your childhood -- The True Story of the Three Littles Pigs by John Scieszka (Nov)
A book you discovered as an adult -- Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman (Sept)
A book celebrating writing, being an author or illustrator — A Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara (March)
A library book — Frankie Stein by Lola M. Schaefer (February)
An audio book -- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (Dec)
A book about dinosaurs OR dragons -- Dinosaurs in Disguises by Stephen Krensky (july)
Nonfiction book about animals (or animal) — Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins (March)
A challenged book OR a controversial book -- In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (Dec)
A book that makes you laugh -- Open Very Carefully by Nicola O'Bryne (july)
A book that makes you cry -- Book by David Miles (Sept)
Hate the text, love the art -- Toy Boat by Randall de Seve (Oct)
Love the text, hate the art — I Wanna Go Home by Karen Kaufman Orloff (February)
A book with a great cover — Monster Park by Annie Bach (April)
A book with an ugly cover -- Molly and Her Dad by Jan Overrod (Oct)
A book about toys — Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins (February)
A book about weather -- Freddy the Frogcaster and the Huge Hurricane by Janice Dean (Nov)
A picture book for older readers -- Enzo and the Fourth of July Races by Garth Stein (Oct)
A book of jokes, riddles, tongue-twisters -- Kitty Riddles by Katy Hall (Oct)
A book about seasons -- Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak (Sept)
A song -- Ten Little Sleepyheads by Elizabeth Provost (Oct)
A poetry book -- WonderFall by Michael Hall (Sept)
A book by a celebrity — Never Play Music Next to the Zoo by John Lithgow (February)
A book published in Australia -- Animalia by Graeme Base (Dec)
A book published in the UK -- Agnes and Clarabelle by Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel (Nov)
A book about science or math -- The Earth Book by Todd Parr (Sept)
A book about history or historical event -- Patience Wright by Pegi Deitz Shea (july)
A book about sports -- Big Kicks by Bob Kolar (August)
A book about celebrating birthdays -- Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt (Nov)
A book about a President or world leader -- Hillary Rodham Clinton by Michelle Markel
A book about another country -- All Aboard for the Bobo Road by Stephen Davies (Sept)
A book celebrating faith -- By the Hanukkah Light by Sheldon Oberman (Oct)
A pop-up book, or, a book with cut-outs or flaps or fold-outs -- Little People Zoo (Oct)
A bilingual book -- Buenas Noches Luna by Margaret Wise (Dec)
A television series that has been adapted to a book — Meet Tracker by Geof Smith (March)
A book that has been adapted to a television series -- Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace (Nov)
An adaptation of a myth or legend — The Sandman by William Joyce (February)
A book about babies — Funny Face, Sunny Face by Sally Symes (March)

Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige

Title: Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3)

Author: Danielle Page

Publisher: HarperCollins 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 270

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings; I love Libraries

My name is Amy Gumm. Tornadoes must have a thing about girls from Kansas, because—just like Dorothy—I got swept away on one too. I landed in Oz, where Good is Wicked, Wicked is Good, and the Wicked Witches clued me in to my true calling: Assassin.

The way to stop Dorothy from destroying Oz—and Kansas—is to kill her. And I’m the only one who can do it. But I failed. Others died for my mistakes. Because of me, the portal between the worlds has been opened. And if I don’t find a way to close it? Dorothy will make sure I never get to go home again. Now it’s up to me to: join the Witches, fight for Oz, save Kansas, and stop Dorothy once and for all.

So I would say that I loved the last 75 pages of this book. The last 1/4 was an amazing ride through Oz's magic. We even get to meet Lurline in person! The first 3/4 of the book was a bit slow. The entire section in Kansas was a bit boring and I kept hoping Amy would get back to Oz soon. This review sounds like I didn't like the book at all, but I did. Just wish the first sections would have moved a bit faster. I loved the characters in this one especially The Nome King and Ozma. Plus we get to see the epic battle at the heart of Oz. Loved it! On to the last book in the series...

Dorothy Must Die

Next up on the TBR pile:

Goal: 20/20 100%

Goal: 24/24 100%

Goal: 12/12 100%

Goal: 24/24 100%

Perpetual Reading Lists ChallengeGoal: 20/20 100%

Goal: 92/92 100%

Perpetual Reading Lists Challenge
Goal: 20/20 100%