Ellie and the Prince - J.M. Stengl

Ellie and the Prince

J.M. Stengl

Faraway Castle, #1

Where to Purchase: Amazon

Official Blurb:

 She should resist him . . . but to rescue the unicorn, Ellie needs the prince's help.

Serving as Controller of Magical Creatures at the illustrious Faraway Castle resort, Ellie Calmer knows her place. She is a servant, and she has no business thinking about handsome Prince Omar, a regular visitor at the resort, much less talking to him!

But then a unicorn on the resort grounds attacks a party of riders, frightening the guests, and a band of young and adventurous nobles decide to hunt it down. Suddenly Ellie needs Omar's help. She knows something must be wrong to have driven the unicorn to such desperate extremes. Can she and Omar find the unicorn before it's too late? And will she somehow protect her heart against the irresistible attraction she feels for the kind and gentle prince?

As a Retelling:

This retelling is set at a luxury resort for royalty, and Cinderella is a servant with a talent for calming and understanding animals. The prince is a regular visitor who she's had a crush on for years. Though there's a lot of build-up and meander to get there, the story does eventually arrive at a traditional ball, provided by a Fairy Godmother figure, and there are two girls who fill a step-sister role, though, having no direct relation to Cinderella, have less of an impact on the story. Ultimately, the story does have a different twist to the end, but deepens the outcome rather than chances it.

Arista's Thoughts:
A definite favorite from the moment I read it. There is a small element of convenience to the romance, resulting in a small bit of frustration at the lack of communication it lead to. Also, the unicorn plotline in the blurb seemed more of a side-plot, especially since it was resolved quite a ways before the ending. Not really a complaint, but the blub did have me expecting it to be more of a focus. I did love the story we got, and even though I guessed the ending's plot twist ahead of time, it was really well done and I rather enjoyed it.

True Retelling - Cinderella

Magical

Indie

Medieval Contemporary

Cameo - The Little Mermaid

Alternate Covers: 

Have you read Ellie and the Prince? If so, leave a comment below with your own short review to help future readers!

The Princess Test - Gail Carson Levine

The Princess Test

Gail Carson Levine

The Princess Tales, #2

Where to Purchase: Amazon

Official Blurb:

King Humphrey has decided it's time for his son, Prince Nicholas, to marry. But he must make sure the bride is a real princess. So he devises a series of princess tests, designed to weed out the phonies and the fakes. Meanwhile, Nicholas has fallen in love with Lorelei, a mere blacksmith's daughter. She's no princess, but he wants to marry her all the same--but how will she ever pass the terrible tests? 

As a Retelling: This is a retelling that seeks to explain the history behind the poor little princess, caught in the rain. And, turns out, she's not a princess, but a blacksmith's daughter who just happens to be very sensitive, and happens to have caught the prince's eye. His parents are the ones determined that he'll marry a "true" princess, and so she winds up competing alongside several actual princesses.

Arista's Thoughts:
It's a quick, short, and sweet story that turns the fairy tale on its head in a hilarious way. While not my favorite of the collection, I highly recommend it.

True Retelling - The Princess and the Pea

Magical

Traditional European

Have you read The Princess Test? If so, leave a comment below with your own short review to help future readers!

The Fairy's Mistake - Gail Carson Levine

The Fairy's Mistake

Gail Carson Levine

The Princess Tales #1

SPOILER WARNING For "As a Fairy Tale"

Where to Purchase: Amazon

Official Blurb: Two very different sisters have two very different encounters with the fairy Ethelinda. Rosella is kind and helpful. Her reward: Jewels and gems tumble out of her mouth whenever she speaks. Myrtle is rude and spiteful. Her punishment: Bugs and vipers slither out of her mouth. The fairy Ethelinda feels she's meted out justice just right--until she discovers Rosella has been locked up by a greedy prince and Myrtle is having the time of her life!

As a Retelling: This short little story, like the others in the series, seeks to expand and explain the fairy tale more than to present any great changes. It does, however, present it with a view "maybe things aren't always as they seem," allowing for both girls to grow over the course of the book and end in a better place. Oh, and it also employs the "false bride" trope that is sometimes found connected to fairy tales similar to Toads and Diamonds. 

Arista's Thoughts: While it isn't quite my favorite of the collection, it's a sweet little story about unforeseen consequences and a fairy tale that deserves more retellings.

True Retelling - Toads and Diamonds
Magical
Children's
Illustrated
Traditional European


Have you read The Fairy's Mistake? If so, leave a comment below with your own short review to help future readers!

Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

Ella Enchanted

Gail Carson Levine

SPOILER WARNING
for "As a retelling"

Where to Purchase: Amazon

Official Blurb: At her birth, Ella of Frell receives a foolish fairy's gift—the “gift” of obedience. Ella must obey any order, whether it's to hop on one foot for a day and a half, or to chop off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not accept her fate...

Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse forever.

As a Retellling: This is a slow-burn retelling that takes its time to establish its characters and setting. In fact, it's only within the last few chapters that the Cinderella story unfolds with the ball, glass slippers, and midnight deadline, though many of the pieces were set on the board ahead of time. Ella's curse of obedience provides both a compelling reason for her stepmother and stepsisters to take advantage of her and make her their servant and motivation for her to run from the ball.

Note: There is a movie adaptation of this book, starring Anne Hathaway, but the plot was changed and most of the Cinderella elements removed. It would be considered a general fairy tale parody instead.

Arista's Thoughts: This was the book that taught me what a retelling was capable of. Having read it multiple times, it's definitely one of my favorite books and well worth its Newberry Honor Award. Ella was an inspiration to me in a difficult

True Retelling: Cinderella
Magical
"I'll Save Myself"
Traditional European

Alternative Covers:

Have you read Ella Enchanted? If so, leave a comment below with your own short review to help future readers!