As a life-long lover of fairy tales, I believe the reason these timeless stories resonate so deeply is because they speak to an unquenchable desire in the center of each of our souls: the hope for a grand romantic adventure that will change our lives from the inside out. As an author, I strive to create those kinds of soul-speaking stories, crafting characters my readers relate to as friends... and respect as heroes. When my readers adventure alongside these fictional friends, I hope they are encouraged to bravely face the real-life challenges of our modern world, while being emboldened toward acts of everyday and exceptional heroism.
Olivia Atwater’s Half a Soulis an absolute delight that deserves much more attention than it has yet received. The story features Dora, a young, faerie-cursed woman who lost the half of her soul responsible for feelings like fear, sadness, and embarrassment. Without the ability to be embarrassed, Dora gets into quite a bit of trouble—especially verbally—as she tends to make some rather scandalous remarks. These idiosyncrasies cause significant distress for her mother, whose hope rests on Dora finding a husband during the London Season.
Dora’s dry, matter-of-fact take on the world—and love—is one of the most unique character voices I’ve had the pleasure to encounter. I enthusiastically recommend this Regency-set story to all my friends who enjoy romantic fantasy or character-driven tales featuring faerie/fae mythology.
“Whimsical, witty, and brimming over with charm” (India Holton), Olivia Atwater’s delightful debut will transport you to a magical version of Regency England, where the only thing more meddlesome than a fairy is a marriage-minded mother!
It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.
Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment—an unfortunate condition that leaves her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season—but when Elias Wilder, the strange, handsome,…
A.G. Howard’s Splintered is one of my all-time favorite books to recommend. If words on a page could be blacklight-reactive, it would be those in Splintered, and its sequels. Never before or since have I come across such a harmoniously creepy juxtaposition of dark and bright within a fantasy world.
While questioning her sanity, Alyssa adventures through a vividly reimaginedAlice in Wonderland world that pits gorgeous neon emotions against oppressive and enticing darkness. The two love stories interwoven through the series are an atypical love triangle, but don’t let a prejudice against the love triangle trope stop you from reading this book. That triangle resolves in an unexpected and utterly satisfying way at the series’ conclusion. Fans of reimagined fairy tales or romantic horror fiction will adore this book.
A descendant of Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 16-year-old Alyssa Gardner fears she is mentally ill like her mother and predecessors until she discovers that Wonderland is real and, if she passes a series of tests to fix Alice's mistakes, she may be able to save her family from their age-old curse.
Wolves and Roses is a fun and snarky start to a big series in which humans exist in a modern world alongside shifters, witches, and fairies. Sounds fun, right?
Bryar Rose is expected to follow the Sleeping Beauty story template for her life. Unfortunately, something glitched in her personality, because no part of that story appeals to who she truly is, or what she wants out of life. When Bryar meets Knox, a powerful werewolf shifter in the midst of his own identity crisis, sparks fly.
If you enjoy strong, rebellious female leads and bad-boy heroes (yes, please!), this book has all those vibes, plus intrigue, witty banter (my fave), and action. Fans of alternate-history fantasy, paranormal romance, and modern-set fairy tale retellings should add this book to their TBR.
Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.
Should being the key word.
Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to…
An unexpected detour lands Alyssa, the daughter of a woodcutter, in the royal family’s household. By accepting a position as companion to the king and queen’s rambunctious young daughters, she joins the family’s circle of trust.
When Alyssa witnesses a traitorous plot to overtake the kingdom, she’s forced to face her growing feelings for Max, the crown prince—which he reciprocates. But Max is duty-bound to marry for alliance instead of love.
With only mild fantasy elements, the story is driven by its romantic plot and the idea that true nobility resides in a person’s heart more than their bloodline. If you’re looking for a reimagined fairy tale that’s lighter on the fantasy elements, Melanie Cellier’s sweet retelling ofThe Princess and the Pea is the perfect choice.
Danger and romance await a woodcutter's daughter in a royal palace.
One dark and stormy night, lost and alone, Alyssa finds herself knocking on the door of a castle. After a lifetime spent in the deep forest, Alyssa has no idea what to expect on the other side.
What she finds is two unruly young princesses and one very handsome prince. When Alyssa accepts the job of Princess Companion she knows her life will change. What she doesn't know is that the royal family is about to be swept up in unexpected danger and intrigue, and that she just might…
If you’re a fan of reimagined classic fairy tales, you’ll love C. J. Redwine’s Robin Hood-esque take on Snow White (with dragons!)
Unlike the classic Princess Snow White of old, Princess Lorelai is no simpering miss. She’s a powerful magic-wielder with a cause. As Lorelai learns to control and develop her magic, friends (and dragon-shifters!) join the quest to rid her kingdom—and the young shifter king she loves—from its menace: her wicked aunt, who used magic to take over the land.
With some imagery loosely borrowed—and creatively adjusted!—from the classic Snow White story, this new tale features a fresh heroine who doesn’t expect anyone to rescue her kingdom for her. The Shadow Queen is a romantic and epically-reimagined fairy tale with beautiful themes of sacrificial love.
PERFECT FOR FANS OF VICTORIA AVEYARD AND SARAH J. MAAS Lorelai, crown princess and fugitive-at-large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. She'll have to be stronger, faster and master more magical power than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen. When the queen's huntsman - a dragon-shifting king - tracks down Lorelai, sparks fly between them. Can the king overcome his predator side - and can Irina's dark magic be defeated?
A centuries-old prophecy foretells of a young woman who will defeat E’veria’s ancient enemy, the Cobelds. But when the child is finally born, a curse accompanies her birth. Disguised and hidden away, the girl’s true name is a closely guarded secret—kept even from her—until a chance meeting with an injured knight reveals her identity and her prophetically-assigned task. For Rynnaia to succeed, she must come to terms with not only who she is, but for whom she must be willing to die. The kingdom’s survival depends on her.
The Ryn begins the first duology of the 4-book Eyes of E'veria series. This epic re-imagining of Grimm’s classic fairy tale Snow White & Rose Red concludes in Eyes of E'veria book two, The Remedy.
My favorite fantasy novels tend to be rather complex. Winding plotlines, mysteriously interconnected characters, whimsical settings, and intricate, thoughtful worldbuilding combine to create immersive stories that stick in the mind like overworn folklore. Time travel or interworld travel lend additional layers of intrigue and mystery, forcing the inescapable contemplation of a more thrilling, alternate reality. And if it’s all packaged in artful, breathtaking prose that breeds full-color images, audible noises, indelible flavors, nose-crumpling odors, and tangible textures, I will happily lose myself in the pages, truly forgetting about the strictures of everyday life… at least until I get hungry and remember I need to consume more than books to survive.
An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction.
Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to Ride, but her destiny will pit her against her uncle and king, who have scorned her since before her birth.
In the Exchange, the waystation between realms, Emmelyn fights the G’Ambit, a gambling ring with members more intent on lining their pockets than protecting the realms—or their own lives.
Realm-devouring parasites threaten all existence. The Exchange is desperate to destroy them. But could their radical plans endanger the realms, too?
Soul-sucking parasites are overwhelming the realms.
Rhoswen of Stanburh is of age to train as a Realm Rider—a defender of the realms. Riders and their dragons work together to burn away infiltrating Narxon as they swarm in through tears in a realm’s fabric. But it’s not an easy battle: the mere touch of the smoky, dragon-like adversaries can reduce the lively winged beasts—and their Riders—to ash.
Becoming a Realm Rider is Rhoswen’s dream, but she carries far more responsibility…
