Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: All Time Favorite Fairy Tale - Fantasy Books (March 11)


Top Ten Tuesdays is a great weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where you get to share fun book related topic top ten lists. It is also another great meme for finding great new books, authors and blogs! 

This week is 


Top 10 All Time Favorite Fairy Tale/Fantasy Books
(or so, maybe a few extra)

    
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. (Goodreads)

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then, on the very same day, a mysterious visitor and an even more bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop, setting in motion a string of twists and turns that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance at the royal ball, fall under the Amaranth Witch’s spell, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince. (Goodreads)

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign land, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her.
Becoming a goose girl for the king, Ani eventually uses her own special, nearly magical powers to find her way to her true destiny. Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can become queen of the people she has made her own. (Goodreads)

    
A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
In the same vein as Flinn's Beastly, this clever and humorous retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" follows an aimless American boy who awakens a princess who has been slumbering for 300 years. Jack is on a European tour mandated by his parents ("What they don't tell you about Europe is how completely lame it is") when he breaks an ancient curse by kissing the slumbering Princess Talia. Instead of rejoicing, she and other awakened members of their magical kingdom are confused and perturbed to find themselves in the 21st century. In order to escape the wrath of her father, who blames her for causing the curse, Talia flees with Jack to his home in Florida. While acclimating to the modern world-cell phones, television, Jell-o shots-the princess manages to charm everyone she meets and help Jack sort out his life. Alternating between the teenagers' distinctive points of view, Flinn skillfully delineates how their upbringings set them apart while drawing parallels between their family conflicts. Fans of happily-ever-after endings will delight in the upbeat resolution, which confirms the notion that "love conquers all." (Publishers Weekly via Amazon)

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally." When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella's life and well-being seem to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery as she tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along the way. Yes, there is a pumpkin coach, a glass slipper, and a happily ever after, but this is the most remarkable, delightful, and profound version of Cinderella you'll ever read. (Goodreads)

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.
Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.
When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned. (Goodreads)


   
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
In the kingdom of Ayortha, who is the fairest of them all? Certainly not Aza. She is thoroughly convinced that she is ugly. What she may lack in looks, though, she makes up for with a kind heart, and with something no one else has–a magical voice. Her vocal talents captivate all who hear them, and in Ontio Castle they attract the attention of a handsome prince – and a dangerous new queen. In this masterful novel filled with humour, adventure, romance, and song, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine invites you to join Aza as she discovers how exquisite she truly is. (Goodreads)
  
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.
Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew. (Goodreads)

Stork by Wendy Delsol
Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything.
Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life. (Goodreads)

      

Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
Every night, Shahrazad begins a story. And every morning, the Sultan lets her live another day -- providing the story is interesting enough to capture his attention. After almost one thousand nights, Shahrazad is running out of tales. And that is how Marjan's story begins....
It falls to Marjan to help Shahrazad find new stories -- ones the Sultan has never heard before. To do that, the girl is forced to undertake a dangerous and forbidden mission: sneak from the harem and travel the city, pulling tales from strangers and bringing them back to Shahrazad. But as she searches the city, a wonderful thing happens. From a quiet spinner of tales, Marjan suddenly becomes the center of a more surprising story than she ever could have imagined. (Amazon)

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
In a secluded village, magic sparkles on the edges of the forest. There, a young girl named Evie possesses unusually strong powers as a healer. A gypsy's charms—no more than trinkets when worn by others—are remarkably potent when Evie ties them around her neck. Her talents, and charms, have not escaped the notice of the shy stonemason's apprentice. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next-door. When the young king's carriage arrives one day, and his footman has fallen ill, Evie might just get her chance after all . . .

Berry's debut novel garnered glowing reviews and strong sales—and now she's done it again with a beautifully woven tale to keep all readers, young and old, absolutely charmed. (Goodreads)

Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
High in the mountains, Zel lives with her mother, who insists they have all they need -- for they have each other. Zel's life is peaceful and protected -- until a chance encounter changes everything. When she meets a beautiful young prince at the market one day, she is profoundly moved by new emotions. But Zel's mother sees the future unfolding -- and she will do the unspeakable to prevent Zel from leaving her... (Goodreads)


Okay, so that was more like Top 12…but some were by the same author so I'm going with it. Too many great books! :)
How about you: anyone read any of these fairy tale-esque fantasies? What genre did you choose?
 Please feel free to comment and link up so I can visit your Top Ten!


Jenn
 Tale of Two Doxies

33 comments:

  1. OOoh very nice! These are practically all new to me! Sound great though!

    Here's my Tuesday post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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    1. I really enjoy fairy tale retelling types - and I figured a few of these might be new to most because they were a bit older. Thanks for stopping by! :)

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    2. My YA Book club is nominating books for what we will read in May and the theme is fairy tale retelling... I will have to keep this list in mind!

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  2. I love fairytales--but I haven't really read many of these. I definitely need to add some of these to my TBR list. I actually bought Scarlet the other week, though, so I'm eager to dive into that. (:

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    1. Scarlet was so good my favorite so far! Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

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  3. The Lunar Chronicles is definitely a good one to have on this list :)

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    1. It's definitely a great and unique take on retellings :)

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  4. Oh my, Ella Enchanted used to be my favorite back in the day (I was obsessed with that film as well). I really need to read The Lunar Chronicles - I own the first two books, just haven't got around to reading them yet.
    Have a great day! :)

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    1. Ella Enchanted is amazing - it still hasn't gotten old even though my first reading took place in elementary school :) the Lunar Chronicles are great - thanks for stopping by!

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  5. Love the Lunar Chronicles. great list!
    here's our TTT

    Janhvi @ The Readdicts

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    1. Lunar Chronicles are really great - so sad that I'm almost done Cress and will have to wait for Winter. Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Ohh I love fairy tales. I'll definitely have to check some of these out!

    And seriously, how great are The Lunar Chronicles?!

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    1. Lunar Chronicles are really great! Finishing Cress now but can't wait for Winter :) thanks for stopping by!

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  7. Amazing list! Amazing books! I'd never heard of Stork before but I'm off to find a copy as it sounds great and always love seeing other people who've read/heard of Zel :)

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    1. Stork was one of my favorite newer discoveries - it's a really great trilogy! I'm always impressed when people have heard of/read some of my older/mire obscure fave titles like Zel or Shadow Spinner. Thanks for stopping by :)

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  8. WOW! I love this! Favorite Fairy Tale retellings!! What a great choice!!! I've been wanting to read some retelling but it was hard to find titles. Not anymore! I have a list right here :) Thank you for sharing ♥ I have Goose Girl sitting in my bookcase that I've been meaning to read, I will soon, eventually, LOL!! Also the Lunar Chronicles is a must on my TBR list! I'm actually on the hold list at the library for Cinder, which I can not wait to get my hands on! Tomorrow it should be here, it better be dammit! LOL!
    check out my list of fantasy favorites TTT @ Book Hangovers Blabs Books

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    1. Glad I could help :) I love retellings but I've also found it hard to find a good collective list, hope you'll get to try some of these and enjoy them as much as I have! Goose girl is amazing and the Lunar Chronicled are really great - hope you're able to get a hold of Cinder and start soon - thanks for stopping by! :)

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  9. I've only read one Julie Berry book and it was absolutely, without a doubt, one of my favorite books of 2013. I can't wait to give her other books a try. I love the Lunar Chronicles. I wasn't really big on fantasy/retelling books before then but now I just want more.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Julie Berry is definitely gifted and the Lunar Chronicles are so great :) hope you'll get to try and enjoy some of these retellings - thanks for stopping by! :)

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  10. I finished Scarlet yesterday and LOVED it. But, other than that and Ella Enchanted, I actually don't think I've heard of any of these other books. How crazy?! I'll have to go find some of these in the future.

    My Top Ten Tuesday!

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    1. Scarlet was my favorite by far but Cress is pretty awesome too. Hope you'll get to try some of these out, obviously a bit biased but I think they're all pretty great. Thanks for stopping by!

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  11. I read ELLA ENCHANTED so long ago that I don't even remember much of it. As for SCARLET, have you read CRESS? Because it's ten times better. SO GOOD! Thanks for stopping by!

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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    1. Yeah, Ella is an oldie bout goodie that I retread every few years. I LOVED Scarlet and I'm reading Cress now - equally amazing :) thanks for visiting!

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  12. This is the first list I have come to where I have not read any of the books... this has to change! I do have the first three Lunar Chronicles books on my shelf waiting to be read, which I plan to do very soon. Nice picks and thanks for checking out my list :)

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    1. Well the Lunar Cheonicles are definitely amazing and I may be a bit biased but the rest of these are pretty amazing as well. Hope you'll get a chance to read some and thanks for stopping by :)

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  13. I love Scarlet so much! I will have to check out the other ones on your list!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

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    1. Scarlet is my favorite from the series so far :) love her and Wolf. Hope you get to try and enjoy some of these as well. Thanks for stopping by!

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  14. Great choices!! I've read most of these, but a few are still on my tbr. Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my top ten! Always happy to hear others are reading or TBR piling some of the same :)

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  15. Shadow Spinner! OMG, I love that book! It's been years since I read it, but I used to reread it all. the. time. Although I could never pronounce Sharazad (or spell it, for that matter). And SCARLET YES YES. Absolutely love that series. ;)

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    1. Wow! I'm soooo excited that you have heard of and read Shadow Spinner - I love it but almost no one has ever heard of it :) and Scarlet is definitely my favorite so far - glad to hear someone else loved that one too - thanks for stopping by! :)

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  16. What a nice choice! I need to read more in the genre I suppose. There are a lot on your list that I have looked at many times! Thanks for stopping by earlier!

    Kristalyn @ The Sarcastic Palmtree

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    1. Thanks - hope you'll get to try some and enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

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