#TopTenTuesday: Ten Must-Read Tales Retold, Re-imagined


Today's TTT was a freebie and since well... I've a great giveaway associated with Alethea Kontis and Leanna Renee Hieber, today is all about the retold, re-imagined.




That's right... You can win a hand-signed poster by Alethea Kontis AND Leanna Renee Hieber from their Florida signing this winter. It's the Barnes & Noble sign behind them in this video with their photos on it, announcing their visit and personalized by them. A perfect addition to any bookish hoards or library. Also, I have some signed bookplates that I will send to runner-ups. All you have to do is comment below on what story is your favorite that has been retold or re-imagined or anywhere on the site between now and the next TTT. 

Thank you to the Broke & the Bookish for hosting.

1}  Cinder ~ Marissa Meyer adds a sci-fi bent to Cinderella's story that's absolutely brilliant and allows her to play off the rest of some really popular fairy tales. Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood), Cress (Rapunzel), Fairest (Sleeping Beauty) and Winter (Snow White). Honestly, if you aren't following, reading the Lunar Chronicles, it's a shame.

2}  Woodcutter Sister Series ~ For someone who has three younger sisters, you'd think I'd be too traumatized to read these books. LOL! Nope. They're adorable, fun, snarky and edgy with plot twists that are not meant to shock but just take into account reality even if there's magical happenstance everywhere in these stories. Alethea Kontis knows how to spin a tale of happily ever after and make it seem possible even in this modern age.

3}  A Thousand Nights ~ The cover of this book is beautiful and E. K. Johnston has a good track record. Oh yeah... I wanna read this one too! 

4}  Ella Enchanted ~ Pshhhh... do not be looking to the movie as a good summation of the intelligent story found inside this book by Gail Carson Levine. Also, for another great read, check out her Fairest novel.

5}  Return to Oz ~ I actually read the book for this movie before watching the movie. They both were spectacularly creepy and felt very much in tune with the Frank L. Baum I read and loved. Yes, all the titles were mine via the library. If you aren't interested in a movie adaptation novel, check out the Dorothy Must Die books by Danielle Paige. They fit the bill quite scarily too. 

6}  The Looking Glass Wars ~ Frank Beddor writes a Wonderland plagued by political maneuverings that benefit very few people, but the readers. Clever and devious, this reworking of the Alice stories definitely have a Machiavellian bent. If you're a gamer, not giving a shout-out to American Mcgee's Alice would be criminal. LOVE THAT GAME.

7}  The Sleeper and the Spindle ~ Even though this is Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell, I still have not read this retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I want to read it though! Right now... if you have not read The Graveyard Book , a retelling of the Jungle Book by Neil, I feel you're missing out. It's lovely.

8}  Snow White and Rose Red ~ If you ever want someone who can write pretty much anything in a spectrum of types, genres and fiction; you only have to look at Patricia Wrede's bevy of books. This story is no exception to her brilliance and still reads just like a fairy tale of old. Check out her Dealing with Dragons series too... while you're looking.

9} Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast ~ Sometimes I forget about this beautiful book only to find and reread it again every so many years. I think it is time to pull it out again. Robin McKinley how is this one of your first books?! So talented even starting out!

10}  The Isle of the Lost ~ Call it a fun addition to some very serious stories, but Melissa de la Cruz evokes the Disney ruse of making things lighthearted and heavy in the same scenes to offer up a delightfully good read about all your favorite fairy tale villains and their children.

Comments

  1. Wow that's a pretty cool topic! I haven't read all of these yet. I think my favorite retelling is (I say this all the time) Linden Hills, by Gloria Naylor. It's a postmodern retelling of The Inferno. But I will read just about any Cinderella retelling out there.

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    Replies
    1. Oh... yeah... that's a heartbreaking one. My list stays within the YA parameters and for the most part are not school reading books for analysis, although I always think YA gets underestimated in that respect.

      Thanks for stopping by and consider yourself entered to win.

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  2. Oh, fun list! I LOVE retellings! :) I am also super, super picky about them (call it a storyteller's standards), but there are definitely some good ones :) The Lunar Chronicles, most of all. So full of Easter eggs...
    Cheers! Thanks for the recommendations! :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary

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    Replies
    1. There is so much out there nowadays that you can be picky! Retellings could even be considered a trend. Like you, I ADORE the Lunar Chronicles too. It's such a different, quirky reboot of these fairy tales spun in a way that's very hard to put down until you get to the end. I cannot wait for WINTER!

      Thanks for stopping by and consider yourself entered to win.

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  3. Great topic choice! I love retellings! My favorite is Beastly by Alex Flinn (the book, NOT the horrible nlmovie they turned it into). I'm going to read The Lunar Chronicles soon (finally). Great list! Thanks for the contest!

    Michelle @ Michelle's Minions

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    1. My daughter adores Beastly by Alex Flinn too and has a couple of her other books (retellings) and was appalled by the movie. I felt so bad for her because she really wanted to like it since the book was such a favorite of hers.

      Thanks for stopping by and consider yourself entered. :)

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  4. Hi! I loved Cinder and the illustrations in The Sleeper and The Spindle were gorgeous! I hadn't heard of A Thousand Nights but I will definitely be checking that out. Have you read Uprooted by Naomi Novik yet? Its a beautiful fairytale, kind of a mash up of a few of the classics but its amazing. I would definitely recommend it!

    Happy Reading
    Rachel @ Paein-and-Ms4Tune.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. So jealous of everyone who has held The Sleeper and The Spindle. No luck finding it around here and have been so busy I forgot to look online for it. I have not read Uprooted but it is definitely going on my TBR pile. Thanks for the rec.

      Happy Reading to you too. :)

      Delete
    2. Consider yourself entered to win too. Sorry I didn't say that in my last reply. The contest doesn't close until next TTT. :)

      Delete
    3. You have won a signed bookplate! One of the other winners dropped out and so your name was drawn out of the hat. :)

      Contact me at bjhwhatever@gmail.com with your address and I will send out your prize right away. Thanks.

      Delete
  5. Oh, I LOVE retellings, and I actually haven't read many of this list. I actually have two Beauty and the Beast retellings (A Court of Thorns and Roses and Cruel Beauty) and Uprooted sitting in my TBR pile right now - You've definitely got me in the mood to dig them out!
    Beth x
    www.thequietpeople.com

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    Replies
    1. So excited to read A Court of Thorns and Roses but no time right now to do so. Which stinks! I had not even heard of Uprooted until the Rachel above brought it to my attention. It looks like my kind of read for sure! Cruel Beauty is good. Happy Reading!

      Thanks for stopping by. Consider yourself entered to win too.

      Delete
    2. Hi Beth, you've won a signed bookplate. Send me your address at bjhwhatever@gmail.com and I will send it out to you right away. :)

      Delete

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