My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Savannah's having a rough time after her boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her for her older sister, Jane. Things should have been looking up when she gets three wishes from a fairy godmother, except that she gets stuck with Chrissy - and she's only a "fair" godmother because she only made average grades in fairy godmother school. Chrissy's misunderstandings send Savannah back to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. As if that isn't bad enough, her third wish sends Tristan - her current crush - to the Middle Ages where he is faced with a series of life-threatening challenges. Now Savannah must figure out how to get both of them back to modern times...and survive her godmother's "help."

This book was a fun change from the usual "fairy godmother" stories and put a bit of a spin on the retelling of the fairy tales into which Savannah is thrust. I personally found the prologue material (including the narrative from Chrissy, correspondence from her teachers, etc.) to be a little tedious even though it does provide some context, but I enjoyed the story once I got to the main narrative. I also liked the way that the story mixed some Middle Ages realism with various aspects of magic. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy slightly-twisted fairy tales, or stories about magic in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Prophecy, Dark Lord of Derkholm, The Frog Princess, or A Kiss in Time

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Sunday is the youngest child of Jack and Seven Woodcutter and the seventh daughter (named in order for the days of the week). With so many siblings, Sunday particularly enjoys spending alone time in the Wood writing in her journal. When she meets a talking frog named Grumble, she's happy to have a friend all her own. One night she kisses him goodbye and leaves, without realizing that she has turned him back into Prince Rumbold - the crown prince who is hated by her family for an altercation with one of her older brothers, now shrouded in secrecy. Rumbold realizes that it will be challenging to convince Sunday to fall in love with him as a human, but he's sure that it will be worthwhile...

This book was a lot of fun and a fairly quick read, though that was mostly because I had trouble putting it down once I started it. Although it first appears to be a retelling of The Frog Prince (and it kind-of is), this book actually references quite a few fairy tales and nursery rhymes. One of my favorite things is that even though the fairy tale elements make parts of the book predictable (it's fairly obvious what will happen when one of Sunday's brothers is sent to the market to sell a cow), how the story turns out in the end is always a surprise. I would absolutely recommend this to fantasy fans of all ages who are looking for something light and fun to read, particularly readers who love retellings of fairy tales and stories with a bit of romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Frog Princess, Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, or Cloaked

Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey

Isabella Beauchamps spends her time managing her father's household, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that her stepmother and twin stepsisters are comfortable. Her life changes drastically when she is bitten by a werewolf on her way home from Granny's house. Suddenly she is packed up and moved to the local duke's castle, where she discovers that he's the werewolf and she's required to stay for at least three months, until they can be certain that she won't turn as well. No one lives at the castle except the duke -- a sorcerer who spends his time as a human trying to find a way to break his curse -- and the unfriendly Gamekeeper, as well as the invisible servants summoned to keep house. Bella slowly finds ways to stay occupied during her time at the castle, but she starts to realize that unraveling the mysteries of the duke's castle may be more dangerous than any of them expected.

This book is part of the Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series; it's helpful to read the first book for context, but most of the books (including this one) stand alone fairly well. I will say that this is not one of the best in the series and the ending feels a bit forced, but it was a good read overall and the melding of Little Red Riding Hood with Beauty and the Beast was particularly interesting. I would recommend this to older teens who enjoy retellings of fairy tales or who want something a little bit light with lots of magic.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Rose Daughter, The Prophecy, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, or The Two Princesses of Bamarre

The Dragon Princess by E. D. Baker

Millie is not an ordinary princess - whenever she gets angry, she turns into a dragon. It was merely annoying as a child, but now that she's fifteen, it's causing all sorts of problems when she tries to find a suitor. No matter the magics and potions, Millie can's seem to control her temper. Then a friend suggests that Millie seek out the Blue Witch who lives in the Icy North to help her learn to deal with her emotions. Along with her best friend, Zoe, and her cousin, Frances, Millie sets out to find answers, but discovers that they might find themselves along the way.


This book works very well as a stand-alone, but is also the sixth book in the series that starts with The Frog Princess (Millie is the daughter of the main character in the first books). This book is light-hearted and a fairly quick read, but it also has interesting characters and good plot development. I would recommend this to younger fantasy fans and those who are looking for a quick read with a bit of adventure.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: East, Dragon Slippers, Of Two Minds, or Spirit Fox

Ella Enchanted, and Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

Ella Enchanted tells the story of Ella of Frell. Her life is a bit out of the ordinary because she received a fairy 'gift' when she was born; as a result, she must be obedient when anyone gives her an order. Her mother has told her that she mustn't share her secret with anyone, but when she dies unexpectedly, Ella is left alone with her father, who does not know and does not understand his daughter. When he chooses to remarry, Ella's life changes even more and she must learn whom to trust and how to take care of herself. Will she be able to make her life turn out happily ever after?


Fairest, a retelling of Snow White, returns to the world of Ella Enchanted, to the country of Ayortha where people sing more than they speak. Aza was adopted as a baby by an inn-keeping family. Despite her "ugliness," Aza has an amazing voice which she can even use in ways that others cannot. When Aza has a chance to go to the capital for a royal wedding, her abilities are discovered by the new, foreign queen who befriends her. Aza soon learns more about royalty, politics, friendship, and true beauty as she becomes entrenched in the personal life of a queen who wants to be the fairest in the land.


Ella Enchanted is one of my all-time favorite books; it's the one that helped me discover fairy tale retellings. I love all of the characters and the way that the story all comes together, and, the way that an old story is made completely new again. For those who have seen the movie, I have to mention that it bears only passing resemblance to the book (mostly just the names), so don't let that stop you from enjoying the book. Fairest continues the tradition, although I have to admit that it doesn't quite have the energy of Ella Enchanted. It's still a wonderful retelling, however, with more well-written characters. I would absolutely recommend either of these to any fantasy fan, and particularly to those who love retellings.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Elemental Masters Series, Bound, or Once Upon a Marigold

Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms

I am definitely a fan of Mercedes Lackey in general, but I truly enjoy her Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series. The premise is that all of the stories take place in a world where magic is ruled by the Tradition - which refers to common fairy tales. Daily life tends to take the shape of the fairy tales that the people tell. Note that although all of the stories are linked in some way, each one is written to be stand-alone. In fact, each story looks at different kingdoms which have different stories so every book has a unique voice, despite the fact that they are all in the same series.

The first, The Fairy Godmother tells the story of Elena Klovis, who was supposed to be a Cinderella. Unfortunately, however, her prince was still a child and so the Cinderella story could not be fulfilled. Instead, Elena gets the chance to become a fairy godmother and carry on the work of 'herding' the magic of the Tradition to keep evil from creeping in. As a godmother, Elena faces many challenges, most notably, a prince needing to be reformed. Godmothers always have something going on! I love this story because it's a unique look at fairy tales, and also because the story and characters are richly developed.

In the next story, One Good Knight, Princess Andromeda lives in a kingdom reminiscent of Greece. Her mother, Queen Andromeda has enough ambition for the whole of the kingdom, while Andromeda is rather bookish wishes that she could measure up to her mother's standards. Andromeda's life changes drastically, however, when her name is drawn in a lottery forcing her to be sacrificed to the dragon that has invaded their kingdom. I have to admit that this book doesn't feel quite as 'deep' and engaging as the first. However, the story and characters are just as unique and interesting. I would definitely recommend this book, particularly to book lovers who will empathize with the bibliophiles in the story.

The third, and newest installment, Fortune's Fool, looks at the Russian tradition. This story follows two characters: Prince Sasha Pieterovich, the seventh son in the kingdom of Led Belarus and Princess Ekaterina, the seventh daughter of the Sea King. As a Songweaver, Sasha keeps his kingdom safe by creating songs that reflect pleasant ways of life, and also by drawing on his extraordinary 'luck' by virtue of being the seventh son. Although few know it, Katya serves as her father's spy: as someone who can come and go as easily on land as in the sea, she is uniquely suited to scout out problems on land before they reach the sea kingdom. The two meet and fall in love, only to be separated when Katya is captured by a Jinn, leaving Sasha to find some way to get her back. This book definitely has the feel of the first - any lack of depth in the second is not present here. Once again, the book has a unique style reflecting the 'Tradition' of the kingdoms, and the characters and story are well developed and fun to read.

These are some of the most creative books I have read - drawing on 'traditions' and fairy tales, but also turning them around to make completely different stories. Mercedes Lackey creates life-like characters and intriguing story lines. I definitely recommend all of these books to fantasy readers.

For more information about the author and her books, check out her website.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Cecelia and Kate, Wicked Lovely, or Black Pearls