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Two Tales Dark and Grim: An Anthology
Venture back to a time when fairy tales were dark and terrifying in these modern-day adaptations of classic stories from two New York Times bestselling authors. In The Key by Rachel Hawkins, a girl uses her psychic abilities to look where she has been forbidden to look. And in The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa, a chubby, insecure boy falls for a beautiful girl, with dangerous and devastating results.And look for the full anthology, Grim, edited by Christine Johnson, featuring some of the hottest authors in the young adult market, out March 2014.
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Christine Johnson
7 books233 followersThere is more than one author with this name
I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. While I was in the “away” part of that adventure, I was living in Chicago, Illinois, where I went to DePaul University and met my husband. I majored in Political Science. For the record, Political Science is a totally useless degree. But it’s also totally fascinating and I loved studying it. I fall into that trap a lot. I graduated with about nine million extra credit hours because I was forever taking classes that seemed “interesting” instead of classes that I needed to fill requirements.
After college, I lived in Chicago for several more years with my husband. I had a string of jobs – some I liked, some I hated, but none of them ever stuck with me as a career. Writing is different. For this job, I could be a workaholic! Anyway, after several more years in Chicago, my husband and I moved back to Indianapolis. (We got tired of constantly looking for street parking in Lakeview.)
Now, I live in an old house in an old neighborhood with my husband and kids. I have too many books and a weakness for anything sweet. I love yoga and cooking, but I’m not much of a movie person. I like watching soccer, and always look forward to the first sweater-worthy days in the fall. But mostly, I like making things up and writing them down and having people read them. So, that’s what I do, and I’m very, very lucky to be doing it!
I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. While I was in the “away” part of that adventure, I was living in Chicago, Illinois, where I went to DePaul University and met my husband. I majored in Political Science. For the record, Political Science is a totally useless degree. But it’s also totally fascinating and I loved studying it. I fall into that trap a lot. I graduated with about nine million extra credit hours because I was forever taking classes that seemed “interesting” instead of classes that I needed to fill requirements.
After college, I lived in Chicago for several more years with my husband. I had a string of jobs – some I liked, some I hated, but none of them ever stuck with me as a career. Writing is different. For this job, I could be a workaholic! Anyway, after several more years in Chicago, my husband and I moved back to Indianapolis. (We got tired of constantly looking for street parking in Lakeview.)
Now, I live in an old house in an old neighborhood with my husband and kids. I have too many books and a weakness for anything sweet. I love yoga and cooking, but I’m not much of a movie person. I like watching soccer, and always look forward to the first sweater-worthy days in the fall. But mostly, I like making things up and writing them down and having people read them. So, that’s what I do, and I’m very, very lucky to be doing it!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 24, 2016
3.5 strange and intriguing stars.
Read this in the anthology a while back.
Read this in the anthology a while back.
October 29, 2023
Not the biggest fan of this.
The first story was interesting but cut off way too soon, thus made it feel very incomplete.
The second one was better, but here the ending was rushed and it didn't make much sense to me while the MMC did nothing wrong.
Both concepts were interesting, but I would have loved just a few more pages to nicely wrap them up instead of these messy endings.
The first story was interesting but cut off way too soon, thus made it feel very incomplete.
The second one was better, but here the ending was rushed and it didn't make much sense to me while the MMC did nothing wrong.
Both concepts were interesting, but I would have loved just a few more pages to nicely wrap them up instead of these messy endings.
August 26, 2024
These were pretty ok short stories but they felt too rushed and like they weren't finished
August 18, 2014
These two short stories are retellings of fairy tales. I won't say the tales that are being retold because that could spoil the reading.
The first story is The Key by Rachel Hawkins. A young girl dreams of leaving her life behind. She wants to run away from her trailer home and her mom who gives psychic readings. But even a psychic can be surprised by what the future has in store for them.
The second story is The Brothers Pigget Julie Kagawa. (OK, you can probably guess what storythis is retelling.) A shy young man that works for his two over protective big brothers falls for a beautiful young girl.
I enjoyed the twist that both authors gave these classic tales. They are grim without being overt horror stories. They also both have that nice little lesson that all good fairy tales are meant to have. These two stories make a nice preview of the full collection of stories to come.
The first story is The Key by Rachel Hawkins. A young girl dreams of leaving her life behind. She wants to run away from her trailer home and her mom who gives psychic readings. But even a psychic can be surprised by what the future has in store for them.
The second story is The Brothers Pigget Julie Kagawa. (OK, you can probably guess what storythis is retelling.) A shy young man that works for his two over protective big brothers falls for a beautiful young girl.
I enjoyed the twist that both authors gave these classic tales. They are grim without being overt horror stories. They also both have that nice little lesson that all good fairy tales are meant to have. These two stories make a nice preview of the full collection of stories to come.
October 26, 2018
I really enjoyed The Brothers Piggett in this reimagined fairytale. I was totally captivated from the beginning to the end.
March 18, 2019
A Harlequin freebie that was helluva better than I expected.
I’ve never read anything from either of the authors and now, I am eager to read more of their work.
The stories were short but amazingly done. I went searching to see if there were full versions of them. Sadly, there isn’t.
A quick, wonderful read that are great introductions to the authors.
I’ve never read anything from either of the authors and now, I am eager to read more of their work.
The stories were short but amazingly done. I went searching to see if there were full versions of them. Sadly, there isn’t.
A quick, wonderful read that are great introductions to the authors.
October 28, 2019
awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 25, 2023
Okay so I read this book on my kindle. It was much shorter than I realized. I'm a sucker for a fairy tale relation. Or a fairy tale twist. But I couldn't figure out which fairy tale the first story was suppose to be based on. If anyone has any clue, please end my curiosity.
October 15, 2017
It was alright but I don't think I could sit through a whole book of these.
March 4, 2020
G:FAMILY: Minimal violence and no gratuitous frightening descriptions. No profanity, sex or nudity, though it may contain offensive slang.
E: Easy: 3rd grade Vocabulary
E: Easy: 3rd grade Vocabulary
Read
March 3, 2024A
March 16, 2017
This book made me laugh a lot. It was very interesting and I could definitely read it again.
January 12, 2014
As I eagerly await the anthology, Grim, an anthology of fairy tales retold, I downloaded Two Tales Dark & Grim by Rachel Hawkins and Julie Kagawa for free! Two of my favorite authors who are in the big collection and I read their stories early!
I love fairy tales, I believe in some twisted way it's what spawned by love of paranormal stories. What with witches and curses and spells and fairies...that's Urban Fantasy in the making! And what was great about these two stories--and what I hope to see in the others once the full anthology releases--is that these fairy tales are true grim ones. We all know traditional fairy tales weren't really meant for children's entertainment. They were dark and well, grim!
Rachel Hawkins' The Key is peculiar story. I can't say what it's retelling, because that will spoil the surprise. But I have to say it was definitely a surprising read! Lana is a young girl who's mother is psychic. Lana herself has her own set of psychic abilities, but her mother's lies in telling futures while Lana can see bits of the past and present. When some kinds from her school come to see her mother, she sure it's a recipe for disaster. If only she knew...
The ending has a bit of a cliffhanger, sadly. I am left wondering what was going to happen next. But since I try to be optimistic, I'm going to go with that kind of ending!
Julie Kagawa's The Brothers Piggett, is surprisingly, a retelling of the Three Little Pigs. And as I said, it's a much darker version. We have people in this one, not talking pigs. But it has quite the spin. It kind of reads as an ordinary story at first, much like The Key. It has a few fairy tale like elements and possible hints at what might be happening, but it's not until the very end that the truth is revealed! My suspicions ended up being wayyy off, but I was glad for that! Julie's ending is much more fit!
If you're like me and LOVE fairy tales and fairy tale retellings and are DYING to read Grim, then I highly recommend downloading this one! It's an ebook only, but as you might know you can read ebooks without an ereader and this read is FREE! I would say I am sated until Grim releases, but that would be lying, but at least I was able to read two fantastic tales from the collection!
Overall Rating 5/5 stars
I love fairy tales, I believe in some twisted way it's what spawned by love of paranormal stories. What with witches and curses and spells and fairies...that's Urban Fantasy in the making! And what was great about these two stories--and what I hope to see in the others once the full anthology releases--is that these fairy tales are true grim ones. We all know traditional fairy tales weren't really meant for children's entertainment. They were dark and well, grim!
Rachel Hawkins' The Key is peculiar story. I can't say what it's retelling, because that will spoil the surprise. But I have to say it was definitely a surprising read! Lana is a young girl who's mother is psychic. Lana herself has her own set of psychic abilities, but her mother's lies in telling futures while Lana can see bits of the past and present. When some kinds from her school come to see her mother, she sure it's a recipe for disaster. If only she knew...
The ending has a bit of a cliffhanger, sadly. I am left wondering what was going to happen next. But since I try to be optimistic, I'm going to go with that kind of ending!
Julie Kagawa's The Brothers Piggett, is surprisingly, a retelling of the Three Little Pigs. And as I said, it's a much darker version. We have people in this one, not talking pigs. But it has quite the spin. It kind of reads as an ordinary story at first, much like The Key. It has a few fairy tale like elements and possible hints at what might be happening, but it's not until the very end that the truth is revealed! My suspicions ended up being wayyy off, but I was glad for that! Julie's ending is much more fit!
If you're like me and LOVE fairy tales and fairy tale retellings and are DYING to read Grim, then I highly recommend downloading this one! It's an ebook only, but as you might know you can read ebooks without an ereader and this read is FREE! I would say I am sated until Grim releases, but that would be lying, but at least I was able to read two fantastic tales from the collection!
Overall Rating 5/5 stars
April 9, 2016
The Key by Rachel Hawkins
This story didn't seem as "fairy tale" like to me. Yes, there were magical elements to the story, such as the main character and mother having psychic abilities. The love interest was not what he seemed and immediately the reader knew that something odd was happening. This read more like a paranormal thriller and the ending was left open for the reading to imagine what was going to happen. While looking up this story, I came to realize that it was supposed to be based on the story of Bluebeard. I can see some resemblance to that story but there was not enough for me to appreciate the retelling.
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa
I liked this story more. This one read more like a fairy tale. It was eerie, mysterious, and predictable. This story was a combination between the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. I really enjoyed how the two stories were combined. I have to say, I am somewhat satisfied with the ending. That booger deserved what he got. Is that wrong of me to say? lol
This story didn't seem as "fairy tale" like to me. Yes, there were magical elements to the story, such as the main character and mother having psychic abilities. The love interest was not what he seemed and immediately the reader knew that something odd was happening. This read more like a paranormal thriller and the ending was left open for the reading to imagine what was going to happen. While looking up this story, I came to realize that it was supposed to be based on the story of Bluebeard. I can see some resemblance to that story but there was not enough for me to appreciate the retelling.
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa
I liked this story more. This one read more like a fairy tale. It was eerie, mysterious, and predictable. This story was a combination between the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. I really enjoyed how the two stories were combined. I have to say, I am somewhat satisfied with the ending. That booger deserved what he got. Is that wrong of me to say? lol
January 22, 2014
This is a two story sneak peek at the anthology Grim. It includes The Key by Rachel Hawkins and The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa.
While they were both full of fairy tale fun, I preferred Rachel's eerie and suspenseful Bluebeard retelling over Julie's silly and bloody Three Little Pigs retelling. In fact, I find myself wishing Hawkins would expand the world from her short story into a full novel.
Based on my enjoyment of both of these, I will most likely be picking up this anthology when it's released in February.
While they were both full of fairy tale fun, I preferred Rachel's eerie and suspenseful Bluebeard retelling over Julie's silly and bloody Three Little Pigs retelling. In fact, I find myself wishing Hawkins would expand the world from her short story into a full novel.
Based on my enjoyment of both of these, I will most likely be picking up this anthology when it's released in February.
May 6, 2014
i got these two stories for free on ibooks, and i'm really happy about that. i have read books by rachel hawkins before (the hex hall series is one of my favorites, i may add), but julie kagawa is new to me. however, the first story by rachel hawkins delivered. i quickly got invested in her main character, lana, and i wish there was more to the story. it had a great twist and i could have read a whole book. the brothers piggett by julie kagawa was a neat twist with a mature romantic feel, though it was quite predictable, it was a good story.
January 5, 2014
These were pretty good short stories by two good authors. Personally, I love Kagawa's Iron Fey series, and her short story in this book felt a bit flat compared to her other books. However, the first story by Rachel Hawkins delivered. I quickly got invested in her main character, Lana, and I wish there was more to the story. It had a great twist and I could have read a whole book.
February 23, 2014
2.5 stars for Rachel Hawkins's story, which had a lot of seen-before elements but was fairly well-written.
1 star for Julie Kagawa's story, which was not a bad idea but was executed in a frustratingly predictable way, with lackluster writing. Also, Pedro means Peter, so those are not good names for brothers.
1 star for Julie Kagawa's story, which was not a bad idea but was executed in a frustratingly predictable way, with lackluster writing. Also, Pedro means Peter, so those are not good names for brothers.
October 22, 2014
This was a lunch hour read. I liked the first story, but it was a bit predictable and too short. I did like the fact that it was modern and well written. The second tale was a bit dull for me. I knew the characters were all selfish and evil, so they were hard to like. I'm not sure if I would want to read an entire collection of these a Grim Tales.
June 24, 2015
The Key by Rachel Hawkins:
Rachel Hawkins always brings such an element of humor to her books, and this was no different. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa:
While I didn't like this quite as much as The Key, it was still a fantastical, if a bit predictable, journey.
over-all, both stories were good.
Rachel Hawkins always brings such an element of humor to her books, and this was no different. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa:
While I didn't like this quite as much as The Key, it was still a fantastical, if a bit predictable, journey.
over-all, both stories were good.
February 3, 2024
it was great, but it lacked plot ig?
idk i felt like the first story was incomplete, like it cut off way too soon.
like this is my fav genre of book but idk this just didnt stick out to me.
the characters actions felt unmotivated(??) and it was rly awkward in a way idk.
3 stars bc the overall concept was really good.
idk i felt like the first story was incomplete, like it cut off way too soon.
like this is my fav genre of book but idk this just didnt stick out to me.
the characters actions felt unmotivated(??) and it was rly awkward in a way idk.
3 stars bc the overall concept was really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2014
The Key was quite interesting in terms of its plot twists but it felt a bit unbelievable in terms of character development and choices. The Brothers Piggett was a neat twist of "The Three Little Pigs" with a mature romantic feel.
January 10, 2015
I thought that this was a good little collection of two entertaining short stories. Give this a go if you're on the fence on reading from either of these talented authors. Definitely looking forward to read more stories and books by these talented ladies.
August 30, 2015
Partial
This book was only two stories of a full anthology. I didn't realize until after I had read "The Key". The story just ended. I knew the e-book wasn't over. I wanted more of that story I really liked it. I didn't care so much for the second one.
This book was only two stories of a full anthology. I didn't realize until after I had read "The Key". The story just ended. I knew the e-book wasn't over. I wanted more of that story I really liked it. I didn't care so much for the second one.
December 31, 2015
A short, fun collection of two stories from two great authors. Though both were surprising and well written, I loved Kagawa's contribution the most. It had the most mythology and best turns. Something for fairytale lovers!
October 5, 2016
The first story, "The Key", by Rachel Hawkins, was definitely the stronger one. Julie Kagawa is a very talented writer, but her version of The Three Little Pigs never quite took off for me, and I felt it was weak and absolutely not her best work.
I got this for free on Kindle.
I got this for free on Kindle.
March 3, 2024
Short
This book contains 2 short stories.1st the key, I felt it was in a modern-day setting.the ending was a cliffhanger or in suspense of a kind.but I really liked it. the 2nd book, the brothers' pigget, was a dark fairytale story . I really liked that story.
This book contains 2 short stories.1st the key, I felt it was in a modern-day setting.the ending was a cliffhanger or in suspense of a kind.but I really liked it. the 2nd book, the brothers' pigget, was a dark fairytale story . I really liked that story.
January 7, 2014
I loved this little two books but i wish they were bigger defiantly the fisrt one which was my favorite. 5/5
February 2, 2014
love both rachel and julie very much. they are both good writer and I enjoy their works very much.
February 28, 2014
Really loved these two stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews