Retellings
Why do I always forget how much I love retellings? Or rather, it's not that I forget but more ... okay, yeah, I forget how much I love retellings. I've read several lately, and they are giving me new reading joy.
- Incense & Sensibility (Sonali Dev) ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4 1/2 stars)
This is the third of Dev's Jane Austen's retellings, and I love this series. This installment tackles Sense and Sensibility, and I think it handles modernizing some of the elements beautifully. Because there are definitely some unique challenges to modernizing that story. I'm hoping for more books/one for each of Jane's original six novels! - Of Princes and Promises (Sandhya Menon) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)
Fairy tales are my weakness. In general I rank "The Frog Prince" somewhere toward the lower middle of my favorites, but this retelling is delightful. A direct follow-up to Of Curses and Kisses {aka: definitely read that one first; bonus: it's basically "Beauty and the Beast"}, this has a touch of magical realism to make the prep school rich kid scene even more spectacular. - The Beast of Beswick (Amalie Howard) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)
This was actually TWO retellings in one book: "Beauty and the Beast" mashed up with The Taming of the Shrew ... because of course things get better if you mix Shakespeare with your fairy tale - why did I never think of that before?!
***Note: this one does get rather steamy, so if open door romances {aka: detailed romantic scenes} are not your thing - beware. - If the Shoe Fits (Julie Murphy) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)
The first in a new series reimagining classic Disney movies for adults, and I devoured this take on Cinderella. This is the update and modernization we have been waiting for - with a really fun reality dating show spin and so much in the way of body positivity and women supporting women. - The Lady in the Coppergate Tower (Nancy Campbell Allen) ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4 1/2 stars)
Another series I've thoroughly enjoyed is Allen's steampunk take on fairy tales. These are "proper romances" {meaning they're very chaste; nothing steamy to worry about}, but still pack a punch when it comes to the relationships between characters. This, the third installment, is a spin on "Rapunzel"
The Most Bizarre Book I've Read in a Long Time
Okay, I read this book for a book club on Instagram and immediately pushed it into a friend's hand and said "read this!" I'm not going to give you any kind of plot details or in-depth review, except to say this is so bizarre but also so hilarious and it was exactly what I needed the week I read it. There's a sequel coming out in the spring, and I cannot wait!
Okay, I read this book for a book club on Instagram and immediately pushed it into a friend's hand and said "read this!" I'm not going to give you any kind of plot details or in-depth review, except to say this is so bizarre but also so hilarious and it was exactly what I needed the week I read it. There's a sequel coming out in the spring, and I cannot wait!
To DNF or Not to DNF
If you're not familiar with the term, "DNF" stands for Do Not Finish - a fancy way to say you stopped reading a book before the end. I usually don't have many DNF books {mostly because I try to only start books I'm really interested in/feel certain I'll like enough to finish}, but I marked my first 2021 DNF title this week. It took me a few days to make the decision official, in part because I really wanted to like the book - the premise was interesting, it was a retelling (and you know I like those!), and I'd already read 40% of the book ... but ... it was going so slow; I was having a hard time staying focused on the reading; and several holds I'm very excited about came ready. So. I did it. I officially have a DNF title on my list for the year ... although I may still go back to it someday, because it did sound so good.
If you're not familiar with the term, "DNF" stands for Do Not Finish - a fancy way to say you stopped reading a book before the end. I usually don't have many DNF books {mostly because I try to only start books I'm really interested in/feel certain I'll like enough to finish}, but I marked my first 2021 DNF title this week. It took me a few days to make the decision official, in part because I really wanted to like the book - the premise was interesting, it was a retelling (and you know I like those!), and I'd already read 40% of the book ... but ... it was going so slow; I was having a hard time staying focused on the reading; and several holds I'm very excited about came ready. So. I did it. I officially have a DNF title on my list for the year ... although I may still go back to it someday, because it did sound so good.
Do you like retellings? How do you feel about not finishing a book?
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