I am an award-winning and USA Today bestselling South African author, social anthropologist, and transformational life coach. Human transformation and the question of human social nature are key themes in all of my writing, which explores the experiences of people on the margins or with a background of overlapping cultures. I am a book dragon who loves reading adventures in almost every genre and that broad scope of my reading explorations has wormed its way into my writing style which, though broadly defined as fantasy, encompasses elements from other styles in a rich and ‘aromatic’ blend.
From the moment I picked up this book, I was quite literally enchanted—or perhaps it was spellbound. I absolutely adore the quirky style, the banter, and the magical setting, not to mention the very powerful message about breaking away from the control of others, particularly social pressures, to think and choose for oneself. I also love the inventiveness of this Cinderella retelling, which gives you all the events of the original fairytale, but presented in a way that is so utterly new and different.
ELLA ENCHANTED is a witty, refreshing take on the popular fairytale, Cinderella which preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female protagonist. "If you've read HARRY POTTER, try ELLA ENCHANTED" Publishers Weekly
Ella is given a blessing at birth by a very stupid fairy: She gets the gift of obedience! but the blessing turns into a horror for Ella who literally has to do what anyone and everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a prrecious necklace! She has to battle with ogres and wicked stepsisters, make friends…
This is one of those books I love to read over and over again. The deep and powerful emotion, as well as the dreamy historical setting and Austen’s impeccable style never ceases to sweep me away on this grand adventure of the heart. It just hits the spot every time.
Jane Austen's best-loved novel is an unforgettable story about the inaccuracy of first impressions, the power of reason, and above all the strange dynamics of human relationships and emotions.
Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated by Hugh Thomson and features an afterword by author and critic, Henry Hitchings.
A tour de force of wit and sparkling dialogue, Pride and…
I love fairytales, whether the dark originals with their painfully executed morals or the softer ‘children’s’ versions that have become household staples, these fairytales are part of my German heritage and have been a staple in my life from the start. What I absolutely adore about the complete collection is being able to see how different peoples have latched onto different fairytales. There are the household favourites in almost all cultures, like Snow White, but there are also those practically unknown in English that are commonly shared in German, like Brother and Sister. While there are even others that are rarely seen in either culture, like The Nixie of the Mill-Pond. As I’ve grown older, I’ve also come to see the powerful messages of transformation embedded into these fairytales, and that is something I love to revisit and re-analyze over and over again, finding the beauty of hidden messages that passed me by in the early days.
The Brothers Grimm: The Complete Fairy Tales is a collection of more than 200 tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
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The Brothers Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786–1859), were Hessian academics, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors who together collected and published folklore during the 19th century. They were among the first and best-known collectors of German and European folk tales.
Among the most popular tales: "Cinderella" ("Aschenputtel"), "The Frog Prince" ("Der Froschkönig"), "The Goose-Girl" ("Die Gänsemagd"), "Hansel and Gretel" ("Hänsel und Gretel"), "Rapunzel", "Little Red Riding Hood" ("Rotkäppchen"), "The Wolf and…
I love all of Kay’s works, and yet this one maintains a very special place in my heart because it’s set in a fantasy realm steeped in Medieval vibes. Following in the tradition of the first fantasy books, and also the older tradition of the first romances, this book overflows with songs and poetry that bring the culture of this world to life in a way unlike any other. The nostalgia in this book hit me very hard the first time I read it and it definitely took me back to Arthurian legends and Medieval romances.
From the critically-acclaimed author of The Fionavar Tapestry comes an epic fantasy novel of love, both courtly and forbidden, and two kingdoms endlessly opposed...
Blaise of Gorhaut is a warrior. He fought for his king and country, until the king died with an arrow in his eye at the battle of Iersen Bridge, and a dishonorable treaty ceded a good part of his country to foreign hands. He has broken relations with his father, adviser to the king of Gorhaut, and abandoned the use of his family name.
Now, Blaise is a mercenary. He never expected to work for the…
This Pied Piper of Hamelin retelling is one of my favourite retellings of all time. It combines the deeply fairytale feel of thirteenth-century Europe with an action-adventure unlike any other. And the romance. Ahhh, the romance! I’m also deeply impressed with Ivinya because she’s one of the few fantasy authors I’ve read who consistently explores disability and the empowerment of characters finding their way around such obstacles to become mighty heroes in their own unique ways. In this story, for example, the main character, Adelaide, is deaf and therefore the only person who can defeat the Pied Piper. The magical world where the children from Hamelin are taken is both beautiful and terrifying, reminiscent of the older, darker fairytales, while it also captures the charming beauty of days gone by.
When the Pied Piper came, only three children remained. One was deaf and one was blind.
Being deaf meant life was hard for Adelaide in thirteenth century Germany. However, it also saved her from the Pied Piper's music. When the children were stolen, she was left behind.
Now she and her blind friend must risk everything to free the children trapped in an eternal dance. But to rescue them she must face the Heartless Queen, who will do anything to keep them, and survive her twisted games.
Adelaide finds she has no choice but to trust the man she should…
Pride and Prejudice meets Ella Enchanted in this two-times 2019 Literary Classics award-winning fairytale fantasy.
At her mother’s deathbed, Elisabeth learns her mother’s illness is no accident and that her own life is in danger. Evil witches are plotting to take over the kingdom of Vendale. All alone, naive, and untrained, Elisabeth’s determination is all she has to confront her mother’s murderers as she discovers love at the same time. While Richard’s behaviour sends distracting mixed messages, Elisabeth finds herself stuck in limbo: she is treated like a child but is forced to make adult decisions. Meanwhile, the witches’ plot spins a fateful web around her. This is the first part of a two-part story.
I read and write to better understand people. Why do we do what we do, feel what we feel, hide what we hide? Any book that illuminates these questions and their answers draws me in. Reading and writing are ways that I can attempt to walk in someone else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes, expanding my own understanding of the world. Perhaps the books on this list will offer you the same opportunity.
Ava Winston likes her life of routine in Lexington, Kentucky. Then a tornado blows it away. Ava is safe in the basement, but when she emerges, only one corner of her home stands. Rather than crumbling under the loss, she feels a load lifted. Maybe something beyond the familiar is calling to her. Ava seizes the opportunity to find the owner of a suitcase that landed on her lawn during the storm. Meanwhile, Juniper urges her to rebuild, Ava’s employer doesn’t want her to quit, and her ex-husband invites her back into his life. Ava must be courageous if she’s…
"A loving coming-of-age story for women in mid-life. Brava!" -Adriana Trigiani, Author of The Good Left Undone
". . . captures the true meaning of resilience-something so many women strive to know in the depths of their inner-self." -Sister Robbie Pentecost, OSF former Executive Director of the New Opportunity School for Women
Ava Winston likes her life of routine in Lexington, Kentucky. Each day, she goes to the place she's worked for twenty years, then returns home. On Sundays, she has dinner with her daughter, Juniper. It's a little boring, but as Ava nears fifty-five, she deserves a bit of…
