Genre: Retellings

Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. If you are looking for a ruthless, black-hearted tale of dark revenge, then Foul is Fair is absolutely the book you need. Before I go any further, I would like to reference the content warning page on Hannah Capin’s website. This book overflows with triggers and before you even consider picking it up, it is absolutely vital you read this page. I do not want anyone picking […]

Posted January 22, 2020 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Just Ella was one of my FAVORITE books growing up, and the reason is so obvious to me. There is so much girl power in this book, especially because it’s a middle grade book about princesses. Something to note: the cover rebranding for this book is a hot mess. The original cover (which I’ve used in this review) shows a medieval-garbed princess with a tearaway to reveal her in common garb. This tearaway affect so much better exemplifies the book and show Ella’s struggle. The rebranded version is a modern looking ballerina princess on a pastel cover and is so […]

Posted December 3, 2019 in Reviews // 2 Comments //

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

I needed The Wrath and the Dawn because we need more unconventional retellings, guys! While I haven’t read The Arabian Nights, I am well aware of its framework. Scheherazade’s stories that run from one night to another, preserving her life on the basis of basic human curiosity, is a fantastic foundation for a retelling. Going into The Wrath and the Dawn, I expected a book full of tales and a lot of tension about will-she-or-won’t-she die. While The Arabian Nights definitely served as the launching pad for this novel, the theme did not continue through the story. We hear the tales of Agib […]

Posted September 8, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

If I’m being completely honest, Vinegar Girl was a bit of a bust for me. I blame most of it on the source material – writing a modern version of The Taming of the Shrew is no small feat. Our climate called for a twist – we want Kate to be a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man to escape and make her happy, and well, let’s just say I didn’t expect the ending? And I know I should have liked it on some level, but I felt a bit let down. Anne Tyler focused a lot of getting Kate’s personality […]

Posted August 24, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George

This was a book I was either bound to love or hate. It’s like a new movie with a lot of big name actors. It’ll either be wonderful or absolute ridiculousness riding on the power of its stars. Speak Easy, Speak Love has a lot of elements I like – it’s set in the 1920s and it’s based on Much Ado About Nothing. That’s my favorite Shakespeare play – a great comedy and light romance with a lot of wit instead of the usual foolishness. Add the glitz and glamour of a ’20s speakeasy, and there are a lot of promises. For […]

Posted August 23, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood

Hag-Seed has a few different things I like, right off the bat. It’s a retelling. It’s an uncommon retelling – Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s a theatre book. It’s a revenge book. It’s a Margaret Atwood book. So without even going into the book itself, this was bound to be a winner for me. None of these aspects promise a pure five-star review, but they do promise I won’t be bored. And honestly? I enjoyed Hag-Seed, as a whole. I think that Margaret Atwood captured the feel of The Tempest so well. There are roundabouts and trickery and malevolent revenge. For those familiar with the […]

Posted August 19, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //