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Once Upon A Kiss: 17 Romantic Faerie Tales (Once Upon Series Book 2) by [Alethea Kontis, Yasmine Galenorn, Kate Danley, Devon Monk, Hailey Edwards, Debra Dunbar, Nikki Jefford, Sarra Cannon, Mandy M. Roth, Anthea Sharp, Jennifer Blackstream, Julia Crane , Jenna Elizabeth Johnson , Alexia Purdy, C. Gockel , Phaedra Weldon, Shawntelle Madison ]

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Alethea Kontis

Yasmine Galenorn

Once Upon A Kiss: 17 Romantic Faerie Tales (Once Upon Series Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Alethea Kontis (Author), Yasmine Galenorn (Author), Kate Danley (Author), Format: Kindle Edition

527 ratings

Book 2 of 6: Once Upon Series

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17 magical stories from NY Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors that will warm even the coldest hearts. Inspired by old favorites as well as lesser-known tales, find retellings of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Old Rinkrank, King Thrushbeard, The Princess and the Pea, and many more - all with fresh, romantic twists. *Volume 2 in the Once Upon Anthologies Series.

THE GLASS MOUNTAIN - Alethea Kontis
On the way to her wedding, brave and clever Princess Sabine falls into a Glass Mountain, where she is trapped with a crotchety man she calls “Old Rinkrank.” The two form a unique, unlikely friendship while working to escape.

THE BAKERS GRIMM - Hailey Edwards
When two struggling business owners compete for the contract of a lifetime, it’s all bakers on deck. Mix in a dollop of rivalry, a tablespoon of romance, and a pinch of magic, and you’ve got the recipe for one heck of a bake-off. May the best decorator win!

GALATEA AND PYGMALION - Kate Danley
A young woman in ancient Greece is tasked with carving a new statue for Aphrodite's temple. But what happens when she falls in love with her art?

RED– Sarra Cannon
Charlotte is searching for a cure to save her sister, but what she finds in the woods is not at all what she expects...

PRINCESS CHARMING – Yasmine Galenorn
Sometimes, the road to Happily Ever After leads a girl right past Prince Charming... into the arms of his sister.

MAD ABOUT YOU – Jennifer Blackstream
Alice doesn't want to marry the Mad Hatter. Will an unexpected trip to Wonderland change her mind?

THE SEA KING'S DAUGHTER—Anthea Sharp
A mermaid gives up everything to be with the mortal man she loves – but can there be a happy ending when the Sea Witch intervenes?

ROMEO AND JULIET: THE AFTERLIFE – Julia Crane
Juliet enters the afterlife and discovers the truth behind her relationship with Romeo and Paris - and that their greatest challenge is yet to come.

SOOT AND STONE: A Fae Tale of the Otherworld - Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
Aisling, a young Faelorehn artist, finds herself falling for the son of one of the famed Tuatha De Danann. The only problem is, she’s unaware of his true identity, and her selfish uncle will do anything to keep her from realizing her dreams.

THE HUNTSMAN'S SNOW – Mandy M. Roth
Sometimes, a prince isn’t as charming as history would like you to believe. And sometimes, a princess needs an alpha male shifter to find her happily ever after.

RUMPELIMPSKIN - Debra Dunbar
An imp finds herself in a fairytale world without her infernal powers facing an impossible task. Will Sam barter away her firstborn? Will her angelic main-squeeze save her? Or will she come up with a devilish solution of her own?

THE GLASS SKY - Alexia Purdy
Star’s refusal of suitors lined up for her hand has her family in knots, but when the city is bombed and overthrown, she loses everything. After she’s rescued by a handsome stranger named Clyde, she sneaks away to save her parents but finds herself trapped in the new president’s clutches.

RUSH - C. Gockel
Misogyny is a beast.
When the incarnation of Creation gets angry at Rush for innocently stating his opinion, she curses him to find true love in two weeks … or else.

PERCHANCE TO DREAM – Phaedra Weldon
Her first love has been placed under a spell. But will her kiss wake him… or kill him?

THE TOAD PRINCE - Nikki Jefford
Isabel Ivers’s stepfather will do anything to secure his place as Far North’s new ruler, even if it means marrying her off to the depraved prince of the lowlands.

CRAFTED WITH A KISS - Shawntelle Madison
Despite fighting in countless battles to bring peace to warring kingdoms, Pynnelope, a warrior maiden made of wood, knows no fear. Becoming human is all she desires until she discovers she can have so much more.

A SMALL MAGIC - Devon Monk
A cursed princess, a talking pea, and a wish that changes everything.

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589 pages
Language

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Publication date

January 30, 2017
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1329 KB
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Editorial Reviews

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Winner of the 2017 UTOPiA award for Best Anthology~

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01MYDRO61
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fiddlehead Press (January 30, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 30, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1329 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 589 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #357,907 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #658 in Greek & Roman Myth & Legend
- #811 in Greco-Roman Myth & Legend Fantasy eBooks
- #1,029 in Fantasy Anthologies & Short Stories (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
527 ratings

About the authors

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Alethea Kontis
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New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, storm chaser, and Saturday Songwriter. Author of over 20 books and 40 short stories, Alethea is the recipient of the Jane Yolen Mid-List Author Grant, the Scribe Award, the Garden State Teen Book Award, and two-time winner of the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award. She has been twice nominated for both the Andre Norton Nebula and the Dragon Award. She was an active contributor to The Fireside Sessions, a benefit EP created by Snow Patrol and her fellow Saturday Songwriters during lockdown 2020. Alethea also narrates stories for multiple award-winning online magazines, contributes regular YA book reviews to NPR, and hosts Princess Alethea’s Traveling Sideshow every year at Dragon Con. Born in Vermont, she currently resides on the Space Coast of Florida with her teddy bear, Charlie.
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Yasmine Galenorn
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New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
She is the author of the:
The Moonshadow Bay Series
The Wild Hunt Series
The Whisper Hollow Series
The Fury Unbound Series
The Bewitching Bedlam Series
The Indigo Court Series
The Chintz & China Series
The Bath and Body Series
The Otherworld Series
The nonfiction Shamanic Witchcraft Series
With over seventy-five books on the shelves, she wrote in traditional publishing for twenty years and now indie publishing since 2016. Make sure you don't miss any releases by signing up for her newsletter at http://galenorn.com/newsletter/ (copy and paste link into another browser)
Yasmine lives in the Seattle WA area with her husband and is the mother of four cats.
Because so many people ask, you pronounce her name this way: Yaz-mihn (NOT Jasmine--it's a "Y", not a "J"). Last name is pronounced: Gal-eh-norn The accent is on the first syllable.
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A good collection of Romantic Faerie Tales

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2020

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A collection of (mostly) sweet romances. One or two cross over into something I wouldn't pass to a teen, but for the most part this leans to sweet. Rumpleimpskin crosses the line into erotica, whereas some of the others remain in the YA realm.

As several of these tales also are sold as stand alones (this anthology was first brought out in 2017, so the authors have their rights back) - I'm going to review them individually.

The Glass Mountain by Alethea Kontis - A retelling of Old Rinkrank. Princess Sabine learns to temper her reckless habits and privileged past when she falls into a natural prison with no way out and finds a fellow prisoner who has been there far too long. Can two overcome where one failed or will they forever be locked in the Glass Mountain? (great story - five star)

The Bakers Grimm by Hailey Edwards - Their mothers are next door rivals in the baking business. Can two star-crossed cooks overcome the family feud and find love, while working day and night, creating cookies and cakes? (I could have handle an entire novel of this one - five star)

Galatea and Pygmalion by Kate Danley - Artists and their art - the mistress that rules their souls, and their only love. It was only a commission - two statues for the local temple. Then Galatea asks Aphrodite to guide her hands. (As an artist who has lost days to a project, this timeless tale always haunts me.)

Red by Sarra Cannon - City folk are so cute in the woods, but they need to be careful when they go off the path and find a wolf. This romantic retelling is set in Ms. Cannon's greater world. (Solid fantasy romance of shifter and witch.)

Princess Charming by Yasmine Galenorn - A young-adult flavor FF retelling of Cinderella (and Beauty in the Beast) via an exchange of correspondence between two females. Clever and moves well.

Mad About You by Jennifer Blackstream - A retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Are you crazy when you are crazy in love but denying it? Or crazy when you worried you are crazy but fighting it? Alice has more than the Mad Hatter to contend with when her heart is involved and the Cat comes visiting. (A fun read and romance.)

The Sea King's Daughter by Anthea Sharp - A retelling of the Little Mermaid that keeps well to the original tragic love story, yet Sharp adjusts it just enough to make it her own.

Romeo and Juliet: The Afterlife by Julia Crane - Romeo and Juliet have been done to death .. very literally in this case. Read it for a fresh take on their romance. I would love to see a followup story to this.

Soot and Stone: A Fae Tale of the Otherworld by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - Another Cinderella version story, crossed with art and Herme-like creatures. Layers and nuanced. I loved the visuals of this story. It would be beautiful to make into a video.

The Huntsman's Snow by Mandy M Roth - A Snow White retelling. Since reading it, I've been wanting to write my own version along these lines. Roth makes shifters come alive.

RumpelIMPskin by Debra Dunbar - This is the story that kept me from going - oh, this is a great bunch of YA romances. I could recommend this to older teens. And, nope. An imp tale that bashes through a Rumpelstiltskin retelling. I think it would work much better as a stand-alone or related to Ms. Dunbar's IMP world, than as part of this anthology.

The Glass Sky by Alexia Purdy - My least favorite story of the lot - heroine is too-dumb-to-live, escaping her saviors. Has a very Hunger Games feel, but crossed with the Matrix, and a Faerie Tale. Nothing really works, lacks internal consistency and tries to be too many things at the same time.

Rush by C. Gockel - When is a love story not a romance? Misogynistic Rush gets a curse to find true love in two weeks. Returning home he runs into a half-dozen of women (or thereabouts); can he find a woman of worth and be worthy of her in time? (Perhaps the most complicated story of the lot; worth a read)

Perchance to Dream by Pahedra Weldon - More false trails and cross-purposes than a Shakespeare Comedy, this Sleeping Beauty retelling has a villain. The question is who is he? And will our heroine defeat him to wake her love?

The Toad Prince by Nikki Jefford - This YA retelling of the Toad Prince follows Isabel dealing with unwanted suitors. Well, unwanted by her. Her stepfather (and now king) would love to use her for treaties. (I did not Isabel and kept wanting her to group up a bit more. Very Young Adult story.)

Crafted with a Kiss by Shawtelle Madison - A retelling of Pinocchio/Pygmalion. One of the better stories from a stand-on-its-own-merits. A wooden doll is slowly becoming more human, but like most miraculous things, the ruler of her country is using her for war. When captured, can she escape intact, or will she lose her heart? (The character development of the hero and heroine was engaging.)

A Small Magic by Devon Monk -A retelling of the Princess and the Pea. Now, I've always hated this story because of the complete lack of agency in the princess. Her only value is her prettiness and her daintiness and her inability to handle even the smallest hardship. The creator took this story in a very different direction, while still remaining true to its faerie tale origins. A story worthy of the "clean-up" position, leaving readers happy and excited about the anthology. (One of the most creative variations of magic in the book.)

5 people found this helpful

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K. Bird Lincoln

get ready to learn about some new authors you will want to follow in this mixed bag of romantic tales

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2017

Verified Purchase

As a vehicle for a reader to introduce themselves to a variety of fantasy/paranormal authors through retellings of romantic fairy tales...this was awesome. I wouldn't want to read a book like this too often, because short stories often lack the necessary time/space for the romance to blossom and build in the way I like, but once in a while, stretching out of your reading boundaries is great.

And I knew that with authors like Alethea Kontis and Devon Monk in the anthology that there would be at least a couple stories that I liked. And I also liked a few more stories enough to click on the author website and go check out some of their other work-- so win-win right?

That said, there were definitely stories in there that I mostly skimmed or didn't have enough emotional angst or development to keep my interest.

The stand-out stories I like the most were:
Alethea Kontis's Glass Mountain: Not only was this one a lesser known fairy tale for me (Rinkrank), but also it was long enough that the romantic build was believable! Lovely and meaningful.

Hailey Edward's The Bakers Grimm: This one had enough fun, snarky dialogue between two competing bakers (plus baked goods yum!) that I went and got her first Black Dog book based on the quality of the writing. Hoping for more romantic banter :)

Anthea Sharp's The Sea King's Daughter: This one also had enough time to develop the relationship, but confession, I'm already an Anthea fan from the historical romances she writes. The quirky attention to details and slightly nerdy heroines I love from her romances are in this short story as well.

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson's Soot and Stone: After finishing this one, I went and looked at the author's other series online because of the developed quality of the world and the characters in the story, something that made it stand out from other fae stories set in the pseudo-medieval magical world.

C. Glockel's Rush: I didn't think I'd like this one. It's more of a paranormal story based in Glockel's world where SEALs had to go to Asgard to fight Loki and his bunch in a Ragnorak type situation. Not quite by cup of tea...but then what happened is that the main character, Rush, has to learn about love, not only romantic, so I did end up liking it. And I did end up clicking on Glockel's website to learn more about the world Rush lived in. Lots of potential, I would think, especially if you're a fan of Shelly Laurentson's Viking paranormals.

Devon Monk's A Small Magic: This one and the Glass Mountain vied for favorite in this anthology. I never thought I would be shipping the Pea and the Princess in the iconic story, but the heroine Monk created here...with the ability to hear inanimate objects, but not people, was just so cool!

Worthwhile overall, but be prepared to do some skimming over some stories and possibly being introduced to new authors on the strength of their stories here!

27 people found this helpful

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Lorelei Taylor

Too many liberal liberties for me.

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

I don't mind reading fairy tales that have been modernized, but excessive cursing and changing classic characters to homosexuals was too much for me. DNF. Yes, I'm conservative, but I have finished books in the past with these themes that were the author's original characters. I didn't enjoy the classics being changed in this way.

31 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2017

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. Very well written and edited and interesting stories. I like the idea of rewritten fairy tales and this book did an excellent job. I like to be surprised and multiple stories in this book did that. Also very nice to find a book of short stories that was just that - short stories. All too often lately on amazon I have picked up what I thought was a book of short stories only to find out they were short stories all tied in to multiple authors' series. Nothing wrong with that, I've found some great new-to-me authors that way, but sometimes I just want plain short stories and amazon doesn't seem to distinguish between the two very well sometimes.

10 people found this helpful

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Mrs. Mica

Very enjoyable anthology with surprising diversity in tone and subject

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2017

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In this gorgeous anthology, an author's note accompanies each story, noting the original fairy tale inspiration and thoughts behind changes made to the original source material. Many of the original fairy tales will be familiar to readers--such as the little mermaid in "The Sea King's Daughter," a beautiful retelling by Anthea Sharp. Kontis' tale is based on a folk tale I'd never read before and is even more enjoyable for it, complete with strange spells and princesses who fall into them. The stories range in length from short stories to novellas with chapters. A very enjoyable anthology with surprising diversity in tone and subject.

12 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Lyn & Nino

Best Anthology!!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2017

Verified Purchase

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book and i am so so glad that i did. This anthology is amazing, i have found new authors that i am a huge fan of now due to this book. The best anthology i have read!!!

The Glass Mountain - Althea Kontis - 5*
Wow...I loved this story!!! This is the first book i have read by this author and i am super super impressed and will definitely be following this up with reading more of her work, especially if it is the same quality as this story.
If you want a super imaginative, descriptive and vivid fairy tale then this story is definitely for you! I can't recommend this story highly enough! While reading this book you see it's not just words on paper but an insight and a view into a magical world that you see in your mind's eye that takes you back to all the old fairy tales that i know that i grew up with, a feeling that anything is possible and for me this shows the quality and talent of the author.
The characters in this book are so realistic in a fantasy world, you can relate to them as you get to know them, their thoughts, feeling and motivations i won't give anything away but i adore how this story ended! A must read!!

The Bakers Grimm - Hailey Edwards - 5*
Brilliant!!! I loved this story, i couldn't stop reading this book, it really taps into your imagination and into the hopeless romantic in me, i also loved the fact that the story is based in a small family run business as it shows the struggles and trials people go through to keep businesses afloat. The descriptions in this book, especially the small details are very realistic and i think that's one of the reason this book is so good, because us as readers can visualise the settings of this story and all the different aspects in it.
The characters are very easy to relate to and i believe that we can all imagine ourselves in each character's shoes, knowing their feelings and intentions that are very human. Reading this definitely makes me want to read moe of this author's work and i would highly recommend this author to other readers!!

Galatea and Pygmalion - Kate Danley - 5*
This is another author that i have never read before so i had no idea what to expect, this story surpassed all my expectations!!! This book gave me physical goosebumps at the end and i would say that is a definite sign of an amazing weaver of words!!
I fell in love with everything about this book. This story just spoke to me spoke to my imagination and the belief of true love and finding your soulmate and this book definitely ticks those boxes. The descriptions are very detailed and very descriptive, especially for the world and the time that this story is based in. I loved Galatea, she lives in a world that there are not a lot of options and she buries herself in the art that she loves, deep down she is a strong independant woman who knows her mind but she has to act and behave in a certain way. I especially loved the way this story concluded, it made me smile a lot! This story and this author is a must read!!!

Red - Sarra Cannon - 5*
I have been meaning to read this authors work for a while so i am so so glad that this story was part of this anthology. I adored this story and i am now dying to read the rest of her work. It impressed me so so much and i couldnt stop reading this story and i was sort of gutted when it finished! This author has a serious talent for writing, the way that the details were described in this story was so detailed it did spark my thirst for fairy tales which i have always loved so much.
The way that this story played out was brilliant and i loved how vivid it is, it really just makes me want to read more of this authors books, i would love to now where this story would go next. I also adored the characters in this book, the two main characters are very different but they also have many similarities, they are both very strong, and independant with a side of them that is extremely protective of those people they care about. I loved reading about their connection together.

Princess Charming - Yasmine Galenorn - 4*
I really enjoyed this story, it was a different way to get all the information wanted across by doing it through letters between very close friends and i thought this was a very clever way for the story to stand out. The other thing i loved was not only did you get intimate details on two different fairytales, others were also mentioned, they all live in the same world! The story of Belle and Beast has always been my favourite and i have always had a soft spot for cinderella so i think that's one of the reasons i enjoyed it so much.
I also loved the thread running through this of the strength of women, that you don't have have to be what others want, you can break the mold and love is love no matter who the other person is, when you fall in love, you don't care what others think of how unconventional the relationship is.
Reading this had definitely made me want to read more of this authors work as i loved the details in this, you really saw who the people were, even though it was through letters. A definite must read for fairytale lovers!!

Mad About You - Jennifer Blackstream - 5*
This is the first book i have read by this author and i absolutely adored it!!! I loved how the author has taken the original story and put a spin on it but still kept the feeling of Wonderland, i think the idea was simply brilliant!!!
I loved that Alice was grown up, trying to live her own life, the way she wants to but having pressure from her family at the same time, so she is always warring with herself inside, but she has a determination and a strength inside her. I adored Jasper!!! And the twist with the cat, i never saw that coming but it made so much sense to me at the same time. This book is very respectful to the original and i loved the way it is such a unique book with the author's imagination in full swing. The way this author writes is so vivid, the descriptions are so colourful and you see it all in HD the whole way through, i am now dying to read more of this authors work, i am so so impressed with her work!!!

The Sea King’s Daughter - Anthea Sharp - 4*
The Little Mermaid was always one of my favourites and i still love it today so knowing that this is what this tale is about left me excited and i loved the conclusion to this story, it is really different to the original and i loved that about this.
It is written really well and once you finish this you want to know what happens next in this world, you do want to find out more. I loved the description of the sea witch and how she looked! This is a very descriptive book filled with imagination and an obvious love of fairytales!After reading this book i definitely would want to read more of this author's work, another must read!

Romeo & Juliet : The Afterlife - Julia Crane - 4*
I really didn't know what i would think of this as the story of Romeo & Juliet is an all time classic so i surprised myself when i found that i really really enjoyed this story and i definitely want to know what is going to happen next! I also loved the way that this story is written making me want to read more of this author's work.
The way that this author wrote this story had a completely different spin on it which i didn't expect, it was a nice surprise though and i loved the fantasy aspect of it. I always wanted Romeo and Juliet to have more time together to celebrate their love and this gave it to me in spades, i loved the idea of our environment is a projection of our own minds!
This story and this author's work is a definite must read!!!

Soot & Stone : A Fae Tale of the Otherworld - 5* - Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - 5*
This is the first book i have read by this author so really didn't know what my opinion of this book would be but i absolutely adored this book I have always loved the retellings of Cinderella and i adored the way this book was written, being someone who has always had a passion for art of all kinds i think that is one of the reasons that i took to this book so much. The other thing i adored about this book, which i haven't read in other retellings was the male aspect of her uncle and cousins, i think this gave it a really fresh feeling.
I really enjoyed the way that this author writes, filled with imagination and such vivid and creative descriptions, i will definitely be looking to read more of this author's work after reading this story! It is a definate must read and a major page turner!!!

The Huntsman's Snow - Mandy M Roth - 5*
This author is so so talented and i am really glad this story was in this anthology. Reading fairy tales i never really took to Princes, unlike others around me so i am glad i wasn't the only one that rooted for the huntsman. Add to that a shifter and i was hooked!!! This author has a way of writing that pulls you into her imagination, she is able to mix fantasy and reality in a way that spark the reader's own imagination. I can't rate this story high enough and i think everyone should not only read this story but all of this author's work!
This story is written in a way that although it's a novella, due to the detailed descriptions of the world , the history and the people in it, it feels a lot longer that it actually is. I adored this!!!

RumpellIMPskin - Debra Dunbar - 4*
I really really enjoyed this page turner of a story! It is a quick fun read that gives you an insight into how this author writes, into her imagination and vision. Once reading this readers will definitely want to read more of this author's work if they haven't already! She is a super talented author that is able to take a fairy tale and put a modern twist to it that makes it all her own.
Readers will find that once they start this story they won't be able to stop reading and then won't want the story to end. I loved this spin on the tale of rumpelstiltskin, you can't beat a supernatural fairy tale with new ideas but still being respectful to the original. This is written in a very vivid style, setting of your own imagination as you are reading it. Another classic book by this author!

The Glass Sky - Alexia Purdy - 5*
I am a big fan of this author's work and this story just makes me love her writing even more! The fairytale that this story is based on is not one that i have read so this was a fresh story for me. I love how this author is able combine, fantasy, magic and realism into her stories and they really draw you in, once you have read one of her books you will be hooked on her writing.
I adored this storyline! A strong independant woman who just wants to be left alone without pressure to marry as everyone around her is pressuring her to do so she is a brilliant character filled with defiance, inner fire and stubbornness to do what she thinks is right! I loved how the descriptions were so detailed and vivid, it's a place that you want to be. This is definitely a must read….i can't rate this highly enough...I adored it!!!

Rush - C Gockel - 4*
I really really enjoyed this story, i was a little confused at the beginning because of the history before this book but i understood it all and enjoyed every moment of it. The one thing that i loved about this book was the underlying theme that love, deep love doesn't have to be a romantic relationship and family doesn't have to be blood, you can make your own family if needs be.
I will definitely be looking to read more of this author's work really enjoyed how the author wrote, this is the first book i have read by this author and i loved the world created in this book, it is a very unique way to look at magical beings and i liked that it was different to anything i have read before.

Perchance to Dream - Phaedra Weldon - 4*
There is nothing better than a strong heroine! I love the fact that the roles were sort of reversed in this story, i love a strong female character in books instead of the man being the savior so this story was right up my street. You also can't beat true love and the lengths someone will go to to save and be with the one the one that they love!
I found this storyline to be a very compelling and addictive read making it a page turner and would love to read on in this world, would love to know if this carries on.I loved the magical aspect of this story with the secrets and surprises, the world and the characters written into it were written so well and although i have not read this author's work before i now want to read her other work and this is solely based on reading this story

The Toad Prince - Nikki Jefford - 5*
I adored this book and was gutted when it finished, i am dying to know more and would love to read more of this author's work as i haven't read her books before but after this story i can't wait to read more!!
The vivid and alluring nature of this book hooks you from the first page and the way the author describes the settings, the world and the characters is outstanding! You are given just enough information to keep you thoroughly hooked on every word and it makes you want more! I loved the way this author wrote, in such a way that a re-imagined fairytale feels new and fresh but still a fairytale, i seriously adored this and i can't rate this book highly enough, i would recommend this to everyone!!!

Crafted with a Kiss - Shawntelle Madison - 5*
The thing i loved about this book is the fact that the inspiration was Pinocchio. When you hear about and read retellings of fairytales, the story of Pinocchio is overlooked most of the time so i loved that this story was so unique. This story is inspiring in the fact that i see it that everyone is different and loving someone who others see as different can complete you, everyone is unique!
I loved the way that this was written, that the character is grown up and female, as always i adore my strong female characters and she is definitely that, having nothing to do with the fact that she is wooden, her heart and soul is human. The way this ended just made me want to read on, it's a very compelling book that makes you just want to keep turning the pages and then read more of this author's work! She is extremely talented and i would recommend her to everyone!!!

A Small Magic - Devon Monk - 5*
I have been meaning to read this authors work for a while so i am glad that i have read this! I always felt that the original princess and the pea story was too delicate, what i mean is that just because she is a princess she has to be ‘perfect’. She had to act, dress and think a certain way and i never believed this to be true, to me i always believed a princess to have her own mind and be outspoken so reading this story showed me i wasn't the only one with this opinion. I adored this story and if i didn't already want to read this author's work before i definitely would now. It is such a magical tale with a strong woman even though she can't communicate in a traditional way, this has made her stronger and i loved that!!
I can't recommend this tale highly enough and once i had started i couldn't stop reading, there is such imagination written into this book and i am now dying to read more of this author's work!

2 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

A Mixed Bag.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

Bought this as I'm a huge C Gockel fan, and I wanted to read Rush. This was the best one - loved it! The rest...a mixed bag. I realise I'm probably not in the target audience ( unfortunately not a Young Adult!) so a lot we're a bit simple for me. But in total I liked 12- in varying degrees- and didn't really care for 5. Not a bad ratio for 99p!

3 people found this helpful

Beth8484

Some good updates for standard tales

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2019

Verified Purchase

I like a twist on a standard theme and there are quite a few in this book. Obviously there are different styles of writing but all are readable and most were just the right length for a bus journey. Will have a look at the others in the series.

78thStitch

A little disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2018

Verified Purchase

Rather than the collection of new and modern fairy tales that I was expecting, this book seems to be comprised of regurgitated fairy tales and obscure short stories. It is a shame that there wasn't something a bit different. Also, when did romance come to mean sexy??!!

2 people found this helpful

Tavimama

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who remembers their childhood favourites- ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

There's something special about a faerie tale, and one that has 'grown up' has a charm all of its own. With seventeen such grown-up tales, all with their own special twist in the tale, the romance fan is thoroughly spoilt. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who remembers their childhood favourites- but want something 'more'.