Why am I passionate about this?

A fantasy romance author myself, there's something comforting about seeing my favorite fairy tales retold in new ways. It's so much fun to see how authors can twist the tales into something new and totally unique. Maybe the handsome prince is no longer the prince, but a cursed ogre. Or that dragon flying through the night is a queen in disguise, waiting for that one special true love to unlock their curse. But no matter the journey, we know that true love will win, break the curse and save the day, and here are my recommendations for some of my very favorite books.


I wrote

Foxgloves Are For Deception

By Clair Gardenwell,

Book cover of Foxgloves Are For Deception

What is my book about?

A darkly twisted mixture of Snow White and King Arthur filled with magic, romance, and danger. Regina Laelia was cursed…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Cinder

Clair Gardenwell Why did I love this book?

There are many reasons why Cinder is my number one favorite when it comes to retellings like these. The world building is beautiful. A futuristic world with a powerful race of people capable of casting any image they want, cyborgs, and characters with personalities so unforgettable that I couldn't wait to finish the rest of the volumes in the series. Cinder herself was the perfect Cinderella, including when she lost her cyborg foot trying to stop a sharp-witted prince before an evil queen could blackmail him into marrying her. Plus, Iko alone makes the perfect sidekick to help cross the galaxy and save the empire.

By Marissa Meyer,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Cinder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A forbidden romance.
A deadly plague.
Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.

This is not the…


Book cover of A Court of Thorns and Roses

Clair Gardenwell Why did I love this book?

Once again my love for the Beauty and the Beast-inspired tales surfaced in this novel. Feyre herself was my favorite can-do girl, charging ahead in the adventure no matter the consequences. She certainly proved that she is no shy beauty, carving her way through the fae lands of Prythian and encountering all of the magical beings along the way. Her capture of the Suriel was a particular favorite scene of mine, using a chicken as bait for the snare trap she had laid in waiting. But that was only one of many well-written scenes that brought out the inner facets of Feyre's personality.

By Sarah J. Maas,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked A Court of Thorns and Roses as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

Experience Feyre Archeron's journey all over again with the beautiful collector's edition of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the seductive first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series by Sarah J. Maas, featuring a deluxe new package, an updated map, ribbon pull, and more! When nineteen-year-old Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she…


Book cover of Of Beast and Beauty

Clair Gardenwell Why did I love this book?

The bloodthirsty roses, Isra the blind beauty, and Gem the intriguing beast. It was an intriguing combo that first made me pick up this book and start the beginning of this adventure. That isn't to say that this book is all sweetness, there are most definitely moments that had me seething with anger. The way the 'perfect' Smooth Skins treated the flawed one of their own kind, and the Monstrous struggling to survive outside the dome. But by far my most favorite part was how Gem and Isla bonded over gardening together. Yes, it was originally a lie so that Gem could gather information to help his own people, but it turned into some of the most character-building scenes that tied the whole story together in a rose-shaped bow.

By Chanda Hahn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Of Beast and Beauty as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

Everyone dreams of marrying a prince—except for me. I am nothing more than a pawn in my adoptive mother’s diabolical plot against the seven kingdoms. I was the chosen tool, her sharpened blade that would cut the deepest into the heart of the Kingdom of Baist. But like all deadly weapons, my wedding is two-edged sword that could cost me my soul.For I am Rosalie, one of the adopted daughters of Lady Eville, and it is my duty to enter into a loveless and hate-filled marriage with the narcissistic Crown Prince of Baist. My choices and heart are not my…


Book cover of Flame in the Mist

Clair Gardenwell Why did I love this book?

A retelling inspired by the ballad of Hua Mulan, this tale is not a fairy tale in the sense of princesses, but a powerful legend in its own right. Taking place in feudal Japan, the character Mariko immediately weaved her place as my favorite. Always thinking how she can best escape or twist a situation to her advantage, the beginning of the story featured her setting out to find who was trying to kill her, and never stopped from there. Including finding her own found family of outlaws, and able to use her love of experiments in any way she pleases. Every time Mariko came up with a new idea for an invention, it felt like I could see the thoughts sparking inside her mind. Sometimes they worked, sometimes not, but she never stopped trying. That includes finding the truth to some of the darker events that come into play.

By Renée Ahdieh,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Flame in the Mist as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan where Mulan meets Throne of Glass.

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place-she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort-a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing.…


Book cover of Once Again: Snow; Beauty Sleep

Clair Gardenwell Why did I love this book?

Once Again is actually a combined volume of two stories inspired by Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, but each easily stands out on their own. Snow was by far my favorite, introducing an evil stepmother who has a particular love for the science arts, and the dwarves were inspired into a combination of unforgettable human-animal hybrids that was perfectly brilliant. Raven and Jessica, or Snow as she is known to the Hybrids known as the Lonely Ones, were a cute pairing that made a very sweet ending together. 

By Liz Braswell, Cameron Dokey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Once Again as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Two beloved and timeless tales—Snow White and Sleeping Beauty—find new life in these magical and imaginative retellings filled with romance and adventure.

Snow

After the tragic death of her mother, Jessica’s father finds love again. But as Jessica grows into a beautiful young woman, it becomes clear that her stepmother is wildly—and murderously—jealous of her.

With no choice, Jessica escapes to London and finds herself surrounded by an odd band of outcasts who accept her into their makeshift family. And when her stepmother—repentant and supposedly seeking forgiveness—appears in the city, Jessica must decide whom to trust.

Beauty Sleep

Cursed at…


Explore my book 😀

Foxgloves Are For Deception

By Clair Gardenwell,

Book cover of Foxgloves Are For Deception

What is my book about?

A darkly twisted mixture of Snow White and King Arthur filled with magic, romance, and danger. Regina Laelia was cursed at birth, bound to a dark element of magic that is destined to destroy her, and hunted by the very queen of the kingdom herself. It's only with the help of her friends that she survived a fiery attempt on her life, and sparks a journey that will span the entire land of Myrr as she searches for a way to take back her rightful throne. All while trying not to fall prey to the dark temptations of the magic swirling in her veins, and resisting the pull to one ruggedly handsome blind knight expelled from the Evil Queen's army.

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Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

Book cover of Serendipity

Maria de Fátima Santos Author Of Serendipity

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Maria's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Serendipity is a magical story told by a grandmother to a granddaughter, introducing us to the traditional way of living of the Scottish Travellers and their Cant language.

A fantasy tale for children of 8 years old and older inspired by three real places in Scotland. Serendipity takes us to Helge's Hole in Forres, the Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth on a quest for Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. It's a story of a grandmother's greater love for a granddaughter, a mother for a daughter, and the boundless bounty of the natural realm for each one of…

Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

What is this book about?

Not so long ago, nomadic communities in Scotland told stories around camp fires and slept in bow tents made of hazel and canvas. In this book, their culture is introduced through Cant's vocabulary, a dialect spoken by Scottish travellers. Following them, Serendipity takes you to Helge's Hole in Forres, Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth, meandering through the valleys and cragged peaks of the Scottish Highlands, in a quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Dive into Scottish culture as the old grandmother, Julia, recounts to her granddaughter Gaia the tale of a little girl of pure heart.…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in curses, adoptees, and life satisfaction?

Curses 76 books
Adoptees 14 books
Life Satisfaction 223 books