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:

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

Title: The Wood at Midwinter

Author: Susanna Clarke

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2024

Genre: Fantasy Short Story

Pages: 64

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Where I Got It: Library

A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.'

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scot is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees-and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst-and the path of her life is changed forever.

Featuring gorgeous illustrations truly worthy of the magic of this story and an afterword by Susanna Clarke explaining how she came to write it, this is a mesmerizing, must-have addition to any fantasy reader's bookshelf.

Beautifully illustrated and constructed book, that ultimately didn’t give me enough of anything to get more than 3 stars. This is a short, and I mean short, story about an unusual woman in the woods at Midwinter. It got the fairy tale like quality of the story. I even got the Christian allusions and allegories (even if I didn’t like them). What I didn’t get was the entire point. The author’s note at the back shed some light on that conundrum, but not enough to make up for the lack of story. (Or it’s possible that I just don’t love short stories at all…)

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:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight #1)

Author: Katherine Arden

Publisher: Del Rey 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 319

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; In Case You Missed It - 2017

Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.

Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.

But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Plodding. That’s the one word that comes to mind in attempting a review of this book. I just couldn’t seem to stay engaged in the story or the characters. Most of the characters are highly unlikeable. It doesn’t help that we really don’t get to see much of them except of glimpses through Vasya. The main character isn’t even that interesting. Most of the story is things happening to her, not her doing things. And for that, I was just not that interested in the story at all. I do like a good Russian folk tale redone, but this one was too slow and not engaging enough to make me want to read the rest of the series.

Winternight

#1 The Bear and the Nightingale
#2 The Girl in the Tower
#3 The Winter of the Witch

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Title: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Publisher: William Morrow & Company 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Featuring Mythology

Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believed they would live happily ever after—and in exchange for her love, Indigo extracted a promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.

But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams, the bridegroom will soon find himself unable to resist. For within the crumbling manor’s extravagant rooms and musty halls, there lurks the shadow of another girl: Azure, Indigo’s dearest childhood friend who suddenly disappeared. As the house slowly reveals his wife’s secrets, the bridegroom will be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage . . . or their lives.

I had such high hopes for this book. I was very intrigued by the idea of a reverse Bluebeard story with lots of references to fairy tales and mythology. Unfortunately, this particular book really fell flat for me. Super disappointing as I have loved Chokshi’s Aru Shah series for middle grade. Back to this book… I enjoyed the descriptive prose for about 1/3 of the book. And then it got really repetitive and distracting. The prose seemed to mask the fact that there is no real plot and the characters are all terrible. I had to force myself to keep reading this book. Every time I put it down, I simultaneously felt relief (for not reading it anymore) and despair (after effects of reading the book). The summary really made this book sound like the perfect one for me, but it turns out that I was bored almost the entire time.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Title: Girl, Serpent, Thorn

Author: Melissa Bashardoust

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 325

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Currently Reading RC - Takes Me to Another World; Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

Now this is an excellent fairy tale retellings incorporated different myths and legends. I have read so many not well executed retellings and was hesitant to pick this one up. Thank goodness I did! In it, we get a beautiful combination of various Persian tales as well as elements of more western tales like Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. Bashardoust weaves a beautiful story that feels both historical and fantastical. We follow Soraya on her journey of identity from the poisoned princess locked away to the poisoned princess free. I was so hoping that her ending would not involve being a simple human and thankfully we get a very different ending. Beyond Soraya we get wonderful characters including my favorite cameo, Nasu. If you read this, make sure to read the end notes about Bashardoust’s inspirations. I learned so much and now really want to read a book of Persian tales.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

Title: The Girl in Red

Author: Christina Henry

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 292

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Motif - Color; Horror

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

I picked this one up at the suggestion of the Reading Glasses podcast and sped through it on edge the entire time. I love dark fairy tale-esque stories and this one really packed on the dark. Red is such a compelling character. The world building is complex and yet relatable. Often I am not a fan when a character and/or author mentions something, but doesn’t explain, but clearly is leaving it until later in the book. This story did that a few times and yet I wasn’t annoyed. Perhaps because I really enjoyed Red’s voice I couldn’t wait for her to reveal the entire story of how she got to the current point in her journey. I loved the play on the Red Riding Hood story complete with “wolf.” And then we get the final horrifying twist to the story. I was here for every single reveal. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spinning Straw into Gold by Joan Gould

Title: Spinning Straw into Gold: What Fairy Tales Reveal About the Transformations in a Woman's Life

Author: Joan Gould

Publisher: Random House 2010

Genre: Nonfiction - Fairy Tales/Folklore

Pages: 330

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

What’s your favorite fairy tale? Whether it’s “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Hansel and Gretel,” or another story, your answer reveals something significant about you, your experiences, and your soul. In this penetrating book, Joan Gould brings to the surface the hidden meanings in fairy tales and myths, and illuminates what they can tell you about the stages in your own life. As Gould explores the transformations that women go through from youth to old age–leaving home and mother, the first experience of sexuality, the surprising ambivalence of marriage, the spiritual work required by menopause and aging–her keen observations will enrich your awareness of your inner life.

Another long shelf resident that I finally decided to pick up. I enjoyed this exploration of fairy tales, but I caution that this is not for the feint of heart. The text is very dry and academic. The analysis of each fairy tale is deep and very long. And yet, I really did like the insights I gleamed from the text. If you really like fairy tales and literary analysis, pick this one up.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Title: The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood #1)

Author: Melissa Albert

Publisher: Flat Iron Books 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 359

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Reading Assignment; Share-a-Tea; Seasonal Series - Someone Travels

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away—by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began—and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

I've been waiting for this book to come off hold at the library. I've heard such good things about this volume. A dark fairy tale sounds right up my alley! Thankfully this book delivered on an amazingly creepy story with great characters and full of twists and turns. It took me awhile to move through this book not because it was bad but because I savored every paragraph. For most of the book I was a bit unclear as to whether the events I was reading were real or in some weird dream state. Sounds bad, but I loved it! I loved the questioning and dream-like state that most of the books existed in. Loved it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The End of Oz by Danielle Paige

Title: The End of Oz (Dorothy Must Die #4)

Author: Danielle Page

Publisher: HarperCollins 2017

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 309

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I love Libraries

My name is Amy Gumm. You might remember me as the other girl from Kansas. When a tornado swept me away to the magical land of Oz, I was given a mission: Dorothy must die. That’s right, everyone’s favorite Wicked-Witch-slayer had let the magic of Oz corrupt her. She turned evil. So I killed her.

But just when we thought it was safe to start rebuilding the damaged land of Oz, we were betrayed. Now I’m following the Road of Yellow Brick as it helps me escape toward the mysterious land of Ev, where the Nome King rules a bleak and angry world. And what I’m about to find is shocking: My original mission may not have been successful.

I thought my job was over, but it’s only just beginning. And it’s up to me to foil Dorothy’s plans for revenge—and finally save the land I’ve come to love.

What an end to the series! I must admit that I was very worried when Paige re-ntroduced Madison in this volume. I couldn't see how she would fit into the storyline or with the characters. Thankfully Madison had a part to play in Amy's journey. I would have liked a bit more time in Oz proper and with the Order, but it was nice to get some new(ish) characters involved. The ending was a bit stilted, but I think it fits with the overall story. This was such a fun series. I'm going to miss Amy and Oz.

Dorothy Must Die

Next up on the TBR pile:

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:

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

Title: The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die #2)

Author: Danielle Page

Publisher: HarperCollins 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 309

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings; I love Libraries

My mission? Kill Dorothy. Except my job as assassin didn’t work out as planned. Dorothy is still alive. The Order has vanished. And the home I couldn’t wait to leave behind might be in danger.

Somehow, across a twisted and divided land, I have to find the Order, protect the true ruler of Oz, take Dorothy and her henchmen down—and try to figure out what I’m really doing here.

The first book was good, but holy crap the second book was so much better. The twists and turns were great. I loved seeing Amy explore more of Oz and encounter new and old characters. Meeting the Magril was especially interesting. I loved getting the glimpse into the inner workings of Oz. The cliffhanger ending was torturous (but in a good way). My only issue was the seemingly non-event of the Scarecrow's demise. I wanted more of climax to that one...

Dorothy Must Die

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2014

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 552

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA); Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker; unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

This may be my favorite book of the series. I loved the continuation of Cinder and Thorne and Wolf and Scarlet and Kai. But even more I loved Cress's story and growth. And we get to see more from Sybil and Levana, an appearance from Dr. Erland, and an introduction to Jacin and Princess Winter. So many characters in this one! If felt like the story was finally coming together. Plus we get some real movement in the plot to overthrow Queen Levana. I sped through this volume in a matter of three days. Can't wait to get to the library and pick up the next volume!

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2013

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 454

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA #49); Fairytale Retellings; I Love Libraries

Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison―even though she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive if she does. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

Sped through this volume in just a few days. I love how on-the-go this story is. there's hardly a quiet moment. Sometimes the breakneck pace can get old, but I really enjoyed racing throughout the world with Cinder and Scarlet. Plus we get to finally see Queen Levana's plan to take over Earth. Loving the new developments and characters. Thorne is a great foil to Cinder and it's nice to see Wolf after reading The Queen's Army. Definitely need to pick up the third book soon and re-checkout the short story collection to read Thorne's story.

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2012

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Based on a Fairytale; Fairytale Retelling; Perpetual (365 YA #49, YA Retelling #25)

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Another middle of the night read. Somehow I forget that I had added this book to my Kindle at some point. Glad I rediscovered it a few nights back. I loved this retelling of Cinderella set in a distant future. I immediately fell in love with Cinder. Such a great character! And the side characters, including the androids, were a treat. But my favorite character was definitely Queen Levana. Very intriguing villain. I can't wait to read more from this world and follow Cinder's journey. Such a great start to a series.

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Fairest: The Clamour for Glamour

Title: Fairest 5: The Clamour for Glamour

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2015

Genre: Fantasy Comics

Pages: 168

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel Challenge; Fairytale Retellings; 52 Books in 52 Weeks -- W1

A nice ending to the Fairest series. We get conclusions for a few characters. We get more of what was going on at the farm during the events of Fables Vol. 21. We meet a few new characters that contribute to the story. I'm sad that the Fables world is ending, but have really enjoyed the main series and all of it's spinoffs.

Fairest:

Fables: Happily Ever After

Title: Fables 21: Happily Ever After

Author: Bill Willingham

Publisher: Vertigo 2015

Genre: Fantasy Comics

Pages: 197

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W52

Holy cow! I am floored by this volume. I know there's only one last volume in this series, but wow! There were so many ends and revelations in this volume, I have no idea how this one ends. But I can't wait to read it! Now to see if the local library has it on the shelves...

Fables

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After Alice by Gregory Maguire

Title: After Alice

Author: Gregory Maguire

Publisher: William Morrow 2015

Genre: Reimagined Classic

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; 52 Books - W44

In this brilliant work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit-hole herself.
Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Eurydice can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next is “After Alice.”

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books of all time. I was very much looking forward to reading this reworking of this story. I enjoyed reading about Ada and Lydia's experiences after Alice disappeared down the rabbit hole. It was an interesting little book. Maguire even wrote the book in a style that reminded me of Lewis Carroll's style. Recommended for lovers of the original.

Saga Volume 2-4

Title: Saga Volume 2-4

Author: Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Publisher: Image 2013, 2014, 2014

Genre: Comics

Pages: 144; 144; 144

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Fairytale

Volume 2: Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and alien monstrosities, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters her family's greatest challenge yet: the grandparents.
Volume 3: In volume 3, as new parents Marko and Alana travel to an alien world to visit their hero, the family's pursuers finally close in on their targets.
Volume 4: Visit new planets, meet new adversaries and explore a very new direction, as Hazel becomes a toddler while her family struggles to stay on their feet.

I continue to love this series! It just keeps getting better and better. And the twists and turns! And all the side characters! I'm especially in love with Kiara. Such a great character and we've seen so much of her lately. I can't wait to read Volume 5. The library doesn't have it, but J said he might get it for me... Yeah more Saga!

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Title: First Frost

Author: Sarah Addison Allen

Publisher: St. Martin's Press 2014

Genre: Magical Realism

Pages: 291

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; 52 Books - W36; Fairytale

It's October in Bascom, North Carolina, and autumn will not go quietly. As temperatures drop and leaves begin to turn, the Waverley women are made restless by the whims of their mischievous apple tree...and the magic that swirls around it. But this year, first frost has much more in store.
When a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of their family, each of them must make choices they have never confronted before. And through it all, the Waverley sisters must search for a way to hold their family together through their troublesome season of change, waiting for that extraordinary event that is First Frost.

I love Sarah Addison Allen's books. Every single one of them is a breath of fresh air. I love diving back into her fairy tale world of subtle magic and great characters. First Frost was a sequel of sorts to Garden Spells. I loved checking back in with Claire and Sydney Waverley 10 years on. And we get a story that revolves around Bay. I sped through this novel not wanting to wait to see how the story progressed. Loved it!