Cozy Fairytale Retellings for Your Imagination

1. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

OH!! What a Beautiful beautiful beautiful book! It was the first book that introduced me to Naomi Novik and I am grateful. It’s also the reason for this book list. I wanted to have a set of adult fairytale retellings to read from. I have a review on this on the blog so I won’t ramble too much. In Uprooted we follow a Young girl named Agnieszka.

Every ten years there’s this wizard called the dragon who comes into the village to take a girl of age. In return he protects over the village against a dark magical forest. It’s sort of like beauty and the beast because the girl is meant to stay in the castle for ten years without seeing anyone she loves. It also draws inspiration from Eastern European folklore, this story reimagines classic elements of fairytales, making it a must-read for fans of fairytale retellings and fantasy novels.

If you want a more in depth review of Uprooted read here

2. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Even though it’s the same author as Uprooted, both of these are stand alones. Spinning Silver is a masterful retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, this tale centers on a strong female protagonist who must navigate dangerous bargains and magical transformations. Its intricate storytelling and deep character development make it a standout in the realm of fairytale adaptations.

3. Beastly Beauty by Jennifer

This retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale, diving into themes of inner beauty and redemption. Arabella is magically cursed to her castle along with her servants. and they have been for almost a century. Until beau comes along. they all believe he could be the one to break the curse. It’s engaging narrative and relatable characters perfectly fit the mold of fairytale retellings and mythical stories.

If you want a more indepth review of beastly beauty click here

4. The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

The Bright sword isn’t exactly a fairytale retelling but I wanted to add it in because It is still a retelling. Just an arthurian retelling of a young knight to travels to Camelot so he could compete for a spot at the roundtable. Except King Arthur is dead.

I love King Arthur retellings, When I was younger me and my mom used to watch the tv show merlin on the SYFY channel. That’s about as much as I know about the king Arthur mythology but every time I see a retelling for it, it brings me back to those times.

This creative storytelling aligns perfectly with the enchanting elements of fairytale retellings and fantasy novels.

5. Glass and Apples by Neil Gaiman

This retelling of Snow White is an interesting one because snow white is not the sweetheart we know her to be. The “evil” Queen who’s not so evil in this story is sharing her POV on who snow white really is. Snow, Glass and apple presents the tale from a unique perspective, blending beauty and horror. Gaiman’s masterful storytelling adds depth to the traditional fairytale, solidifying its place among fairytale retellings and literary retellings.

6. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic. This story follows Cordeila and the fact that her mother is a sorceress. Her mom doesn’t allow her to have any friends so she mostly keeps to herself. One night Her mom says they have to leave town. They end up at this remote country manor where Cordeila’s mom tries to marry the squire. But the Squire’s sister, Hester, sees right through that witch.

7. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

This dark and twisted tale follows a girl whose family is connected to a mysterious fairytale world. Alice’s grandmother is a known author of a fairytale series dies. And then her mother is basically kidnapped by someone from those books her grandmother wrote. Her only message of her mom is to “stay away from the Hazel Wood” Obviously she’s not going to do that so she enlist the help of her classmate who’s a superfan of the books. Even though he has his own reasons for going to this supernatural world, Alice’s only goal is to save her mom.

The intertwining of real life and enchanted tales makes it a fascinating read in the category of fairytale retellings and magical realism.

8. The Fallen Fruit by Shauntelle Madison

This enchanting story explores the idea of love and transformation through a fairytale lens. Its narrative is rich with symbolism and magic, making it a great addition to your collection of fairytale retellings and dark fairy tales.

9. A Taste of Poison: A Snow White Retelling by Tessaonja Odette

Astrid Snow is half fae and she is being accused of her father’s death by her stepmother. The spring Queen. If you seen the show Once upon a time This book sounds super similar if you know you know.

Torben Davenport is a bear shifter who has no choice but to be the Fae royals personal huntsman. Because he lost everything he had in gambling and to pay off his debts that’s the deal he made. So now he’s on the hunt for Astrid to find her and cut out her heart.

10. Snow White Learns Witchcraft by Theodora Goss

In this clever retelling, Snow White takes matters into her own hands, exploring themes of empowerment and magic. This unique twist on a beloved fairytale offers a refreshing perspective and fits seamlessly into the world of fairytale adaptations.

11. Queen of Snow by Laura Burton

This is another retelling of Snow White, that features a darker twist and a complex exploration of the characters’ motivations. Its fresh take on the classic story makes it a compelling read in the genre of fairytale retellings and modern fairytales.

12. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

A provocative retelling of classic fairy tales, Carter’s stories delve into the darker aspects of these familiar narratives. The themes of power and femininity make this a thought-provoking choice among fairytale retellings and fantasy fiction.