Fairy Tale

What can't Stephen King do? This epic quest starring a 17 year old boy and his ailing dog is masterful; it's a wonderful homage to fairy tales and legends. When Charlie helps the grumpy old man down the street he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. He's convinced that he has to help this grumpy old man and his adorable dog and despite his initial thoughts, comes to like the crotchety old man and adore his dog Radar. Little does he know that another world awaits and an adventure beyond anything he's ever read or seen in the movies is about to occur. So much fun, Fairy Tale combined so many elements from the Wizard of Oz, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Shrek, Rumpelstiltskin, and more. Dark at parts, but come on, it's a fairy tale. The audiobook narration was SUPERB. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one! I don't want to spoil anything, but it's so good!

Ella Enchanted

I've always assumed that I read this book and have seen the movie but after listening to the charming audio version of it I really don't think I have. The story was new and fresh and fantastical. I loved it. I'm a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings and the superb narration (the narrator sounds like an honest to god kid!) kicked this middle grade fantasy into overdrive. When Ella was a newborn a fairy placed a curse on her - she would be obedient. Ella cannot disobey an order - which make it dangerous if the wrong people found out! After her mother dies she is sent to finishing school and two odious girls proceed to make her life a living hell. She runs away to try and find the fairy who cursed and along the way she has many an adventure. There is romance, action, adventure, humor, and fun. All around great storytelling. Empowering for young girls!

Snow, Glass, Apples

A really dark, twisted, and satisfying twist on the old Snow White tale told in gorgeous graphic novel illustrations and written by the insanely talented Neil Gaiman. It honestly sells itself. I can't get over how beautiful it was, very art deco and intricate; the illustrations jump right off the page. Told from the "evil" Queen's perspective, this reversal of storytelling leads to some very surprising twists and finds readers definitely siding with the Queen. I will say there is a lot of nudity and sexual content so this is for mature teens and up; I personally didn't mind it, but I can see a parent's head exploding if they caught their 6th grader reading it. I hope Neil Gaiman does more fairy tale spin offs like this one; I really really liked it!

Damsel

Wow, what a blistering take on the age old tale of rescuing a damsel. This dark, thematic young adult book is really NC 17 - there is a lot of sexual abuse, self-harm, and harassment in this book - spoiler alert. The book opens with Prince Emory traveling to a far off land to slay a dragon and rescue a damsel. He must successfully bring a damsel back to his kingdom to be wed or he will never be king. For as far back as anyone can remember, the cycle has always remained the same; slay a dragon, rescue a damsel, wed her, impregnate her with one son, who will then turn around and repeat the process when it is his turn to be king. For Ama, this is all new. She has no memories before being rescued by Prince Emory; she has to take his word for everything and trust that he knows best. As she tries to adjust to her new place in the castle with her pet lynx; Ama realizes that she is unhappy, why shouldn't she get a say in her? She is constantly talked down to, bossed around, taken advantage of, and demeaned; Prince Emory doesn't seem so heroic anymore. Ama wishes she could just remember what life was like before he "rescued" her. Dark, twisted, and wonderful; the ending alone is worth reading this book for!

Uprooted

Naomi Novik is quickly approaching favorite author status. She writes fantasy as it's MEANT to be written. It flows right off the page and into the reader's imagination that you can't help believe or wish it all to be true. Uprooted tells the story of a young village girl who is sent to live in a sorcerer's tower for a decade. Agnieszka, never thought much beyond her village and her dangerous, yet well loved forest, so when she is chosen as tribute, it comes as a complete shock. What can he see in her?!? Well magic, that's what he sees, unbeknownst to her, there is a vein of magic running through her and with a little nourishment and training she may surpass the sorcerer himself. It's very auspicious timing really, because the wood is angry. It's been lobbying attacks for years, but now the wood is on a mission and the sorcerer can barely keep it at bay. Can Agniescka help keep the wooded monsters in check? Beautifully written, it's like a song. I adored this book and can't wait for more from this author!!!

Maresi

Translated from Finnish, this book is a combination of the horrifying possibilities in The Handmaid's Tale with ancient pagan tales. It's a wonderfully feminist, empowering, dark teen novel. Maresi is a 13 year old novice at the Red Abbey. The Abbey is located on a remote island and only women are allowed. They worship the goddesses and are completely self sufficient from men. Everything changes the day that Jai comes to the island. Maresi takes the scared girl under her wing and shows her the wonders and beauties of an island filled with only women. Little does Maresi know that she may have to take on role as savior for the Abbey and stop hiding behind her books and her new friend Jai. Very fairy tale-esque.

Sirena

As a kid I LOVED this book, as an adult it's good, but not nearly as amazing as I remember. It's a bit on the depressing side and could honestly, pass for an adult book rather than a teen one. Sirena tells the story of a mermaid who falls in love with a man, sleeps with him, becomes immortal, and then must face a decision on whether or not to let him leave their private island. The part I liked most about it was all the Greek gods and legends tied in with it. Odysseus even makes an appearance. Also, as far as mermaid books goes, this one still holds up the best. It's written brilliantly, but it is on the short side. I wanted to go to their private island and hang out with Sirena and her mortal lover. They sounded pretty chill. Still solid and now I want to read more by Donna Jo Napoli, I love her fairy tale retellings!

Cinder

I could not put this book down, I LOVED it! I enjoy reading fairy tale adaptations and "Cinder" is hands down the most exciting and inventive version of Cinderella I have ever read, hands down! The story opens in an apocalyptic future of Earth. After the fourth World War every continent merged to form huge provinces, there are five Earthen provinces and one Lunar colony. Technology has evolved to support hovercrafts, net-screens, androids and cyborgs. Young Cinder lives with her stepmother and two sisters, but she has NOTHING in common with them. She is a cyborg. Orphaned at eleven her stepfather took her in but was then tragically killed. Cinder is forced to work as a mechanic to support her "family" but all that changes when the prince stops by her stall and her stepsister is infected with the plague. Suddenly, everything in Cinder's small world is thrown off kilter and she must overcome everyone's prejudices about cyborgs and prove that she matters. Fantastic, unique, and well worth a read. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

The Grimm Legacy

Shulman, Polly. The Grimm Legacy. 8 CDs. unabridged. 9 hrs. 19 mins. Dreamscape Media. 2013. ISBN 9781624068454. $59.99. 

What if fairy tales and legends weren't just stories, what if they were real? Elizabeth finds out first hand at an after school job at an unusual lending library in New York City. The library houses the mysterious Grimm collection containing: Cinderella's slippers, magic carpets, Puss's boots and every other imaginable magical object. The adventure begins when magical objects start to go missing and Elizabeth and her new friends take it upon themselves to try and track down the thief and preserve the magic before others steal items and use them for evil. The bizarre escapades that Elizabeth and her friends get in will have young reader's hearts pounding and begging for more. Romantic intrigue also ensues as the friends find themselves turning to each other for support. Earphones Award winner, Julia Whelan does a masterful job of switching between characters and conveying their youthful tones and excitement. For young fans of fairy tales and fantasy, both boys and girls will get into the action, adventure, humor, and fairy tale intrigue.  - Erin Cataldi, Franklin College, Franklin, IN