#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.