My Favorite Sub Genres to Read! // Bookworm

I've been thinking a lot about books. I'm pretty sure I check Netgalley and First to Read every. single. day. Netgalley I check multiple times per day. I'm always reading at least two books... buying ebooks on sale, looking in Little Free Libraries, and checking for jobs at my local library... the book lust is strong my friends.

Anyhow, today I was thinking about specific sub genres that I have been really into lately or for quite a while, and thought it would be fun to share! Here are my top 6 sub genres to read, and a few recommendations within each genre.

Magical Realism 

I love dreamy stories with little bits of magic and symbolism woven in. 

Anything by Sarah Addison Allen
Chocolat

Fairy Tale Retellings

Re-write a fairy tale and I will read it. #nevergrowup

I have two whole posts about this, Vol. I and Vol. II! :)

Travel Fiction (romantic comedy) 

Exotic destinations + Romance = I'm in.

Destination Thailand
Happiness for Beginners
On The Island (survival-y)
Girl off The Grid.

Christmas Fiction (romantic comedy)

These books give me the warm fuzzies!

Merry & Bright
Trading Christmas
Christmas Letters - technically part of a series, but you don't need to read the others to "get it".


Travel Memoirs/Essays

Please let me live vicariously through your travels!

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World
No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering
A Fork in the Road - currently reading
Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Way - currently reading


Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Myths from Around the World

Collections of tales from around the world are so much fun to read! Especially ones about mermaids.

Mermaid Tales from Around the World
Mermaids: The Myths, Legends, and Lore
The Book of the Goddesses

What are some of your favorite sub genres to read?!

Have you read any of these books?!

XO,

Alexandra

6 (More) Fairy Tale Retellings to Add to Your TBR! // Bookworm

Since I've spent a lot of time over the past few years reading fantasy, and specifically fairy tale retellings, I wanted to share a second volume of 6 fairy tale retelling recommendations today! (check out Volume I, here)

Here are six highly rated Fairy Tale Retellings from my list to add some magic to your TBR. All links lead to Goodreads!

1) East by Edith Pattou

Retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon

This book follows Rose, who was born facing North, by her mother's superstitions that predestines her to be wild and always seeking adventure. Fearing that life for her, she lies, and says she was born facing East, meaning she will be level headed and happy at home. However, Roses's destiny will be that of a North child, and everything sets into motion one day when a white bear comes to take her away from her home. Rose must leave with the white bear, figure out his curse, and then journey to the ends of the earth to save him. I absolutely loved this adventurous fairy tale. It was woven together with so much research on things like early navigation tools, Inuit culture and customs, sailing, weaving, etc. etc. This was fascinating, and I am so excited that 13 years later she is releasing a sequel, West. (Netgalley did not give it to me, *SOBS*)

2) Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

Retelling of Rapunzel

I read this AGES ago, and would love to re-read it. This is a re-telling of Rapunzel that is quite dark (from what I'm reading in the reviews) , and focuses heavily on the toxic mother-daughter relationship in the Rapunzel story. I am itching to re-read this now so I can weigh in! It's been years since I read it. But I remember quite liking it!

3) Piper by Jay Asher and Jessica Freeburg 

Retelling of The Pied Piper

This graphic novel is a re-telling of the Pied Piper, and follows Maggie, a deaf girl who is shunned by her village. She just wants to live a normal life, but comforts herself by imagining up (rather dark) stories. When her village is facing a rat infestation along with the diseases they carry, the Piper shows up just in time to save them. Maggie is accepted by the Piper, but is he what he seems? I really enjoyed this dark graphic novel, the art was especially lovely as well! I highly recommend if you are looking to get into graphic novels!

4) Just Ella by by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Retelling of Cinderella

This story follows Ella, a commoner who has won the affection of the prince. She's taken to the castle to learn the way of the royals before her wedding. However, life in the castle and with the prince isn't what it seems, and Ella doesn't like it very much at all. This was one of my very favorite books in middle school. One of the handful of middle-grade novels that I still own. I wasn't sure what it would be like to re-read it. I certainly knew that the contents that had shocked and surprised me back when I was 10, would not now in the same way. I don't think I'd ever read anything quite like it. I'm happy to report... that after a second read, I still love it. 16 years later. I'm excited to check out the companion books, and someday recommend this to my youngest sister. I would recommend this if you like middle-grade novels, or have a kiddo who might like it!

5) The Winternight Trilogy (The Bear and The Nightingale, Girl In the Tower, and The Winter of the Witch) by Katherine Arden 

Retelling of various Russian Fairy Tales

Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming. If you've spent any time on my blog... you know I'm obsessed with The Bear and the Nightingale. I read it a second time, and it's sequel again in January of this year, and I am still so in love with the writing, world, and series. These books are slow wintertime stories, and they are lovely, but require you to take your time with them. I took a Slavic folklore course in college and loved "seeing" medieval Russia come to life in these books, and the tales that I learned in the course re-imagined within the pages of these books. 

6) Beauty and The Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

A re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast that takes place in a fictional Victorian England. This book has some heavy steampunk elements to it, complete with vampires, specters, shifters, airships, ray guns, and 'tons. The story follows our very independent and academic heroine, Lucy Pickett as she visits her ill cousin in her new home, the spooky Blackwell Manor. When she meets the lord of the manor she finds him extremely disagreeable, and he cannot stand her. Think Pride and Prejudice. As Lucy's cousin's condition worsens, she must work with Lord Blackwell to figure out who or what is behind the mysterious deaths and illnesses at the manor. This book was an absolute delight to read! I loved Lucy and Lord Blackwell, their relationship is so funny and steamy for a proper romance. This one reminded me of Edenbrooke meets Soulless. See my full review during June's SUYB! Coming soon the next book in the series: Kiss of the Spindle.

Of course I have another volume of this coming your way before the end of the year, and I have a TON of fairy tale retellings on my TBR!

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Do you have any to recommend to me?!

Check out Volume I, here.

Interested in Other Booklists? Check out 12 Witchy Reads!

Let's be friends on goodreads!

XO,

Alexandra

6 Fairy Tale Re-tellings to Add to Your TBR // Bookworm

Did you know that Monday was "Tell A Fairy Tale Day"? I didn't either! Since I've spent a lot of time over the past few years reading fantasy, and specifically fairy tale retellings, I wanted to share this post of 6 fairy tale retelling recommendations today!

Everyone loves a good story. Fairy tales, myths, and legends filled with love, adventure, and danger captivate as children into adulthood. C.S. Lewis said, "Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." He brings up a point that fairy tales stand the test of time and have no one audience. You can fall in love with the magic of a good tale at any age, and learn from them whether you are 5 or 85. That being said, sometimes a twist on a classic is a good way to go.

Here are six highly rated Fairy Tale Re-tellings from my list to add some magic to your TBR. All links lead to Goodreads!

1) The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Retellings Of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Snow White

Imagine classic fairy tales that take place in a futuristic setting. Earth is threatened by a horrible plague, androids, cyborgs, and humans must coexist, and an evil queen living on the moon poses a huge threat to Earth. This series starts with Cinder and along the way you will be swept up in a fantastic world, fall in love with so many characters, and enjoy little bits of familiar tales woven into these novels. I highly recommend if you are looking for quick reads!

2) Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood

When two sisters lose their grandmother to a wolf attack, they make it their mission to fight off the wolves, and keep them from harming others. When their old friend comes back to town, he tells them they embark on a mission to find out who the new wolf recruits are and kill them. Scarlett is dedicated to her task, but Rosie finds herself wanting to follow a different path. I really enjoyed this spin on Little Red Riding Hood, and enjoyed that this story wasn't all fantasy, or romance, but focused on sisterhood too. I see that Pearce has a lot of other fairy tale retellings as well, I would be interested in picking them up!

3) Entwined by Heather Dixon

Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Azalea and her siblings are mourning their mother's death. While in mourning they can't do their favorite thing: dance. When they discover a magic that allows them to dance at night, they don't realize what darkness they are dealing with. This tale is one part fairy tale retelling, another part regency-esque family tale. I really enjoyed how different it was, and would honestly like to read it again.

4) A Court of Thorns and Roses (Series) by Sarah J. Maas 

Retellings Beauty & the Beast, and more.

This series follows Feyre, a human huntress in a poor family. She's desperate to feed her sisters and father, so one day she kills a wolf, however she doesn't know that there is a price for killing it. When a mysterious beast comes to claim her and take her into the faerie realm she must use her instincts to survive. It is SO impossible to sum up this series without giving away too much.. so I won't try. But this series has a high fantasy feel, with quite a bit of romance, and a decent chunk of action as well. It's very vividly written, and I'm absolute trash for it!

5) Throne of Glass (Series) by Sarah J. Maas

Retellings of Cinderella, and more.

This series follows Celaena, an assassin who is pulled out of life in prison to compete in a competition to become the king's champion. She must defeat 23 other contestants in order to win her freedom. During the competition, something evil is manifesting inside the castle.I have not read this entire series yet, but I am sure that once I do, I will be in love with it. Especially since I love ACoTaR so much! Plus all of you say it is fantastic!

6) Scarlet (series) by AC Gaughan

Retellings of Robin Hood

Will Scarlet is a part of Robin Hood's band of Merry Men... however, Will is not a man at all, but a woman. Scarlet keeps her identity among the town of Nottingham a secret, as she's hiding from a dangerous past. When a new sheriff comes to Nottingham, Scarlet and the town are in more danger than ever before. This is a three part series, and I absolutely loved it. This story is told in first person with a dialect, which I found charming, and Audrey hated! hehe So do with that info what you will. I really enjoyed this retelling and found the whole series to be good, no last book slump. It reads a little more like action-packed historical fiction, and there isn't any magic for those who are not into that kind of thing!

A Few I Would Not Recommend:

Summerlong by Peter S. Beagle a retelling of Hades & Persephone
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen a retelling of Sleeping Beauty

Of course I have another volume of this coming your way soon, and I have a TON of fairy tale retellings on my TBR!

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Do you have any to recommend to me?!

Interested in Other Booklists? Check out 12 Witchy Reads!

Let's be friends on goodreads!

XO,

Alexandra