Ask anyone what fairytales they know and immediately the typical stories come to mind: Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and more. Many authors are working to recreate these classics. These retellings add an interesting twist to familiar stories we’ve heard as children but these aren’t your mama’s stories. Some are steeped in romance, while others send chills down your spine. Keep reading to learn about 30 fairytale retellings you’ll want to immediately add to your shopping cart.
1. Disney’s Twisted Tales – Once Upon a Dream, by Liz Braswell
Sleeping Beauty should wake up when the prince kisses her and ends in a dead queen, but instead, in a twist of fate, he himself falls asleep and Aurora finds herself fighting a whole new battle.
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2. Into the Madness, by A.K. Koonce
This is for an adult audience that likes a little romance and suspense in their fairy tales. Into the Madness is a take on Alice in Wonderland, but twisted in a way that paints Alice as a mystery.
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3. Villainous: An Anthology of Fairytale Retellings
Villainous tells the classics from the perspective of the villains of each story. From the witch in Hansel and Gretel to the Evil Queen from Snow White, relive ten fairytales through the eyes of evil in this book of fairy tales.
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4. Cinderella’s Dress, by Shonna Slayton
Cinderella’s Dress is more than just a retelling, it’s a continuation of the classic tale but is set in 1944 when a young lady inherits Cinderella’s dress. This is just one of three of the intriguing Cinderella Inheritance Series that you’ll want to pick up.
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5. Disney’s Twisted Tales – What Once Was Mine, by Liz Braswell
This isn’t Rapunzel as you know it. Her hair holds dangerous secrets, and she is no stranger to the meaning of sacrifice stuck in the attic bedroom. Reality is mixed into the world of Rapunzel and Mother Gothel. Rapunzel lovers will really enjoy this familiar, yet unfamiliar tale.
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6. Lost Legends – The Rise of Flynn Rider, by Jen Calonita
Speaking of Rapunzel, whatever happened to her boy-crush Flynn Rider? This tale tells readers where the legendary hero from the beloved story gets his origins. This is a perfect tale for tweens.
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7. Mother Knows Best, by Serena Valentino
Bestselling author Valentino has nine cult-classic books that tell the tales from the villain’s perspective. Like this one, most of them tell the tale of how the Villain actually became the villain, painting them in a light that makes you wonder if evil is born or created.
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8. Above the Sea, by Laura Burton and Jessie Cal
Above the Sea is an interesting intertwining of fairy tale characters from two beloved tales: Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. Bestselling authors Laura Burton and Jessie Cal cleverly weave the pieces and create suspense that will leave you furiously turning pages.
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9. The Frog Prince, by K.M. Shea
Manipulation gets the crown prince into trouble when he decides to turn himself into a frog to avoid certain death. Ariane is in charge of toting him around and starts to fall for him. Shea weaves this story with humor, sweet romance, and magical adventures.
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10. Hooked, by Emily McIntire
This dark, contemporary romance is perfect for adult lovers of fairy tales. McIntire slathers on the drama and paints Hook as a villain after revenge who instead takes a girl hostage.
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11. Cursed Magics, by Lexi Ostrow
This subtle nod to Beauty and the Beast follows two individuals who are both just stubborn enough to not be able to work toward a solution for the curse that burdens them. A twist of fate forces them to work together towards a resolution.
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12. Sinful Cinderella, by Anita Valle
The cruel upbringing by her stepmother and stepsisters is not forgotten. She puts up with it because she wants to rule the entire kingdom and is plotting something deeper and more sinister.
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13. Endlessly Ever After, by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat
Endlessly Ever After takes the Choose Your Own Adventure idea and smashes it together with a collection of fairy tales for a fun, entertaining novel you can read again and again. Choose where you want to start, and where you want to go throughout the book.
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14. Rindercella and the Great Frog Fiasco
Rindercella is a great novel for teens and tweens. Complete with a familiar fairy godmother, Rindercella is promised a magical life; but what does that mean?
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15. Heartless as a Tin Man, by Kendra Moreno
Follow along as brutality and romance connect the story with Neverland and Wonderland in this wildly odd and imaginative branch of common fairy tales.
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16. Empty as a Scarecrow, by Kendra Moreno
Cinderella makes it into book two of the Heirs of Oz. She starts falling for the Scarecrow and as romance ensues, so does the danger.
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17. Cowardly as a Lion, by Kendra Moreno
The last of three from the Heirs of Oz series, Red, otherwise known to us as Little Red Riding Hood enters the scene. Her keen senses and instincts are causing her a desire to feed as she meets the Cowardly Lion.
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18. Midnight in Everwood, by M.A. Kuzniar
In the battle between becoming a ballerina and staving off an arranged marriage, Marietta finds herself in a beautiful, white, enchanted forest but it may not be all that it seems. Will she get the happy ending she is hoping for?
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19. Snow White and the Seven Murders, by Amorette Anderson
This novella-style retelling of Snow White’s story is just similar and different enough to be interesting. Snow White (really named Sarah White) finds her handsome prince but must protect him from a dreadful fate.
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20. The Four Kingdoms (Audio Book, Set 1), by Melanie Cellier
The first set in a series of four, these interconnected retellings offer original plots and sweet romances in faraway kingdoms that any teen or adult would love.
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21. The Wicked Ones, by Robin Benway
Painting these beloved siblings into the roles of victims, Benway unravels the tale of Lady Tremain’s manipulation over the two which reveals why they are who they are today in this version of fairy tale retellings.
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22. The Broken Looking Glass, by S.K. Gregory
From acclaimed author S.K. Gregory, Alyce is finally free of her delusions. As she tries to start over, she finds a familiar face and is once again sucked back into a dangerous life – there is a lot at stake if she doesn’t go back to Wonderland.
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23. The Sorceress in Training, by Shari L. Tapscott
A chance meeting with a sorcerer in a faraway kingdom finds Brynn faced with the decision to ask for help. A dangerous temptation flips the script of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice as Tapscott creates romance and adventure in this flipped fairytale.
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24. The Isle of the Lost (A Descendants Novel), by Melissa De La Cruz
Perfect for teens and tweens, The Isle of the Lost banishes all villains to an island. The heirs of the villains begin to understand that just because their parents were evil doesn’t mean they are doomed to a dangerous life.
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25. The Desert Princess, by Melanie Cellier
This retelling of Aladdin offers readers a deep look at and development of the main character, Cassandra, who is learning to tackle many challenges in order to rescue herself and four entire kingdoms.
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26. The Frog Prince’s Curse, by Benjamin Harper
This one is for the younger readers. A story of friendship and kindness, this graphic novel takes key elements from The Frog Prince and offers up a new retelling.
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27. Disney’s Twisted Tales – Go the Distance, by Jen Calonita
When Meg is offered a spot on Mt. Olympus she must complete a series of challenges to prove her worthiness. Lovers of fairy tales will enjoy the mix of mythology and fairy tales as Meg travels through emotional clarity to figure out what she really wants.
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28. Gender Swapped Fairy Tales, by Karrie Fransman and Jonathan Plackett
This collection of fairy tales flips the script on the beloved fairy tale characters. It does not change the stories, just simply the genders. One of many interesting fairy tale retellings to create the unexpected.
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29. Target, by Darci Cole
This story, like many fairy tale retellings, is inspired by its original, Robin Hood. With twists and turns along the way, Robyn the infamous outlaw who in this case is a female, falls for Lex, and romance ensues.
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30. Sleeping Beauty’s Spindle, by Shonna Slayton
An inherited spindle sets the tone for this extension of Sleeping Beauty which results in hopefully defeating the evil magical fairy once and for all.
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