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Once Upon A Realm: Remixed Fairy Tales by Diverse Voices
A biracial teen is forced into a betrothal with an enigmatic lord. A Latina teen races to recover her stolen identity and escape a dark fae court. A Black teen with forbidden abilities rescues his lover from a dystopian regime.
In Once Upon A Realm, familiar fairy tales are reenvisioned and reborn as six authors from Black and/or Latina backgrounds create novella-length stories that transport readers to fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds. Each story shatters stereotypes and challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to see themselves reflected in tales of adventure, magic, romance, and strength. Fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead will fall in love with these fresh, fierce takes on fairy tales.
This collection
Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood
Shadow and Song by Montrez, inspired by Peter Pan
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis, inspired by Hansel and Gretel
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles, inspired by Bluebeard
A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey, inspired by Snow White
Waking Up by R. L. Medina, inspired by Sleeping Beauty
In Once Upon A Realm, familiar fairy tales are reenvisioned and reborn as six authors from Black and/or Latina backgrounds create novella-length stories that transport readers to fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds. Each story shatters stereotypes and challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to see themselves reflected in tales of adventure, magic, romance, and strength. Fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead will fall in love with these fresh, fierce takes on fairy tales.
This collection
Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood
Shadow and Song by Montrez, inspired by Peter Pan
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis, inspired by Hansel and Gretel
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles, inspired by Bluebeard
A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey, inspired by Snow White
Waking Up by R. L. Medina, inspired by Sleeping Beauty
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
April 23, 2024
“There is everything wrong with a world that would hurt you for
being what you are.”
Arc Read
This compendium consists of 6 retellings of classic fairy tales, and honestly, you are going to enjoy almost most of them. Also, the fact that it's not the happily ever after with just kisses. My personal favorite is Shadow and Song.
“The world was not a fairy tale, but having the right people around seemed
to infuse the broken earth with a touch of magic.”
Coming to the stories and without giving much away, they have a touch modern world and females as the main protagonists. That feels soo good to see. I love how all the authors touched on topics that are rarely approached. Both Liam and Fable from the first retelling of Red Riding Hood, have each other's backs. The 3rd which is inspired by Hansel and Gretel. It is set in the future with technology flourishing and robots taking almost all jobs efficiently, with people getting threatened by the techs. The 4th story was a little bit boring for me. It was a retelling of Snow White, but couldn't quite relate to the story, the writing, or the character as such. These Sapphire Walls, the 5th story is in my top 3 best-written, with the storyline, a unique one, and the climax being nuts.
““You’re a sunflower. Not a shrinking violet.”
Her sister gripped her hand. “You were made for the light.””
The 2nd story, retelling of Peter Pan, for me, touched me personally with the writing, story, characters, and quotes. Both Lyric and Peter seemed so realistic with their personality and views around them, that just made my favorite story to read, apart from the rest. The last story, Waking Up, is another one of my favorites, again with the storyline and the character and how realistic the author wrote.
“All right, well, here’s one for you. Where there’s a
garden, there will always be weeds. It’s part of life. When there’s weeds,
you pull ‘em. When life gives you shade, you put your feet up, and stop
worrying about stuff you can’t control. Life isn’t always sunny, and it won’t
always be a bed of roses.”
being what you are.”
Arc Read
This compendium consists of 6 retellings of classic fairy tales, and honestly, you are going to enjoy almost most of them. Also, the fact that it's not the happily ever after with just kisses. My personal favorite is Shadow and Song.
“The world was not a fairy tale, but having the right people around seemed
to infuse the broken earth with a touch of magic.”
Coming to the stories and without giving much away, they have a touch modern world and females as the main protagonists. That feels soo good to see. I love how all the authors touched on topics that are rarely approached. Both Liam and Fable from the first retelling of Red Riding Hood, have each other's backs. The 3rd which is inspired by Hansel and Gretel. It is set in the future with technology flourishing and robots taking almost all jobs efficiently, with people getting threatened by the techs. The 4th story was a little bit boring for me. It was a retelling of Snow White, but couldn't quite relate to the story, the writing, or the character as such. These Sapphire Walls, the 5th story is in my top 3 best-written, with the storyline, a unique one, and the climax being nuts.
““You’re a sunflower. Not a shrinking violet.”
Her sister gripped her hand. “You were made for the light.””
The 2nd story, retelling of Peter Pan, for me, touched me personally with the writing, story, characters, and quotes. Both Lyric and Peter seemed so realistic with their personality and views around them, that just made my favorite story to read, apart from the rest. The last story, Waking Up, is another one of my favorites, again with the storyline and the character and how realistic the author wrote.
“All right, well, here’s one for you. Where there’s a
garden, there will always be weeds. It’s part of life. When there’s weeds,
you pull ‘em. When life gives you shade, you put your feet up, and stop
worrying about stuff you can’t control. Life isn’t always sunny, and it won’t
always be a bed of roses.”
May 12, 2024
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Any time fairytales are given a new spin, I’m all for it because of the potential. These are old stories, fully ready for a new coat of paint.
And that’s exactly what these stories do. I was so thrilled to learn there were only six stories because that meant the author could really get in depth and give each story life and the time it deserved. So many times, if I fall in love with a story in an anthology, it felt like it was over too quickly. By limiting the number of stories, it didn’t feel like that was the case here. Each story got the limelight for a long time and I’m here for that!
And I adore the different settings here! Seeing fairy tales in a dystopian, modern or even sci-fi environment really gives the author room to explore and grow. They come up with some interpretations I never dreamed of but wished I had! And there’s even one story that takes place in the 500s! What a unique time period to use!
Each story has its own flavor, its own appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them but must give special credit to A Bloodstained Sun for being my favorite.
Bottom line, if you like fairy tales, you’ll find nothing but enjoyment here.
Any time fairytales are given a new spin, I’m all for it because of the potential. These are old stories, fully ready for a new coat of paint.
And that’s exactly what these stories do. I was so thrilled to learn there were only six stories because that meant the author could really get in depth and give each story life and the time it deserved. So many times, if I fall in love with a story in an anthology, it felt like it was over too quickly. By limiting the number of stories, it didn’t feel like that was the case here. Each story got the limelight for a long time and I’m here for that!
And I adore the different settings here! Seeing fairy tales in a dystopian, modern or even sci-fi environment really gives the author room to explore and grow. They come up with some interpretations I never dreamed of but wished I had! And there’s even one story that takes place in the 500s! What a unique time period to use!
Each story has its own flavor, its own appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them but must give special credit to A Bloodstained Sun for being my favorite.
Bottom line, if you like fairy tales, you’ll find nothing but enjoyment here.
June 29, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up. Several fun and unique fairy tale retellings. I loved it!
June 1, 2024
Wow I really enjoyed this collection of stories! Every remix was different than the last… but each author knew how to pull you into their short stories. I only wished that each of these stories had their book and halfway through started to realize that I would rather read a full fledged out story than an anthology. I had a few favorites and it made me sad when they ended so abruptly!! This was my first ARC and I enjoyed the experience. As a black woman having just a variety of fairytales by POC voices made me very happy! If you like fairytales and anthology and representation then you should give this a shot.
April 25, 2024
What a fantastic anthology! 5 of these are connect to other series by the authors and I've added all of them to my ever expanding TBR. The last isn't as far as I can tell, but all of the author's books are already on my TBR 😂😂
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Super cool twist to Little Red Riding Hood. Never thought that would happen in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi!
Shadow and Song by Montrez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of course Peter Pan smells like cookies, books, and coffee. All the best things. Really cool contemporary fantasy. The magic system reminds me of Shadowshaper.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was so good! A cool scifi tie in to Hansel and Gretel from the Flesh and Metal world.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was pretty loose on the retelling side, but how many times have you read something that combined Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Aztec mythology? Yeah. I think I might have liked this better if I'd read it after some of the related series, to help connect to the MC.
These Sapphire Walls by Kristina Coles
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really interesting magic and storyline. Hopefully there's some backstory *and* a continuation from the ending in the related books because I have questions and curiosities.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW: suicide attempt briefly hinted at
The only story that isn't directly involved with another series, but is an absolutely fantastic standalone. We love a Sleeping Beauty who doesn't need a handsome prince to save her from her demons ❤️
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Super cool twist to Little Red Riding Hood. Never thought that would happen in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi!
Shadow and Song by Montrez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of course Peter Pan smells like cookies, books, and coffee. All the best things. Really cool contemporary fantasy. The magic system reminds me of Shadowshaper.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was so good! A cool scifi tie in to Hansel and Gretel from the Flesh and Metal world.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was pretty loose on the retelling side, but how many times have you read something that combined Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Aztec mythology? Yeah. I think I might have liked this better if I'd read it after some of the related series, to help connect to the MC.
These Sapphire Walls by Kristina Coles
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really interesting magic and storyline. Hopefully there's some backstory *and* a continuation from the ending in the related books because I have questions and curiosities.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW: suicide attempt briefly hinted at
The only story that isn't directly involved with another series, but is an absolutely fantastic standalone. We love a Sleeping Beauty who doesn't need a handsome prince to save her from her demons ❤️
May 14, 2024
Loved this set of 6 diverse (in ethnicity, culture and unique way of doing things rather than sexuality) retellings, which can also partly go under the bipoc tag. The overall feel for the set is - imaginative, wall-to-wall genres united by a common fairytale retelling thread and quite an enjoyable soundbite read if yu’re looking for new indie authors to pick up. Most stories were 30-60-minute reads and some are standalones whoe some are almost excerpts of the author’s fantasy worlds and feed into the universes of other books they’ve written. I always love a good retelling, so 6 of them in one place is a good sample. I will definitely keep an eye out for some of these authors, even though not all stories were my cuppa. Overall rating averaged out: 4.5⭐️.
There are 6 short novellas and my favourites in order of me-likey are as follows:
5/5⭐️#1 Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire - one of the more imaginative Red Riding Hood retellings I’ve read lately - think dystopian after X-men if it had ended in war. The author managed to keep most of the elements of the original Grimm fairytale yet spin it into a convincing postapocalyptic them vs us story. After the Bio Wars, humans live above ground while mutants live in The City Below and are hunted. Liam seems passable as a non-mutant and decides to go above ground at age 6, but things don’t go to plan. Chicago takes the hit again for the dystopian setting and I chuckled over the modern day references and loved the names - Liam and Fable. I can totally see this story woven into a full fledged book of the Divergent variety and was sad it ended too soon.
5/5⭐️#2 Shadow and Song by Montrez - a fab Peter Pan retelling. Think shy singer-songwriter from Coyote Ugly and a barista boy who smells like the bookstore (swoon!) with a dash of Phantom of the Opera (angel of music) - instalove! Adored the Princess Leia Star War reference. Loved the author’s take on the Lost Boys. What if The Shadow was sorrow and Wendy was hope, just like in Barry’s original tale, but in our modern world? A tale of hope and redemption - loved it.
5/5⭐️ #3 Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - ooh, The Matrix meets Into the Beanstalk - a Hansel&Gretel retelling where H&G are lost in a virtual forest where a hacker is after their minds, delish! Very edge of the seat and believable futuristic world building in the vein of Jules Verne - this could be the future. Loved the Skynet nod to Terminator and the revamped digital breadcrumbs but that meat market….brrrr…. I also loved that I could predict the final sentence.
5/5⭐️ #6 Waking Up by R.L. Medina - a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a trigger warning for survivors of attempted suicide and/or their family members - might be difficult for them to read even though the story’s message is of hope. Rosie is stuck in a sleeping curse in fae court, tormented by Princess Maloret (a Maleficent figure), but not everything is as it seems. Loved the author’s way of breaking curses and how you definitely get the feels of bumbling in the dark for amnesiac patients throughout the story. A different take on Sleeping Beauty - what if there was no witch who did this to the princess; what if the witch was a solution, not a problem? The worst torment we can suffer is in our own mind.
4.5/5⭐️#4 A Bloostained Sun by E.M. Lacey - a Snow White retelling set in the cruel Aztec world. An interesting take on the classic fairytale and aficionados of Mexican myths and time-hopping might enjoy this and be happy that the story continues in the author’s other books. Great but cruel world building; nice showdown between an 8yo demigoddess and an Aztec priest; and I loved the genesis story of the obsidian mirror, but this wasn’t my cuppa, tbh.
2.5/5⭐️#5 These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - there were too many unpronouncable names in the first 2 pages and that’s a pet peeve of mine; followed by too much backstory in a short tale that started mid-way after drastic things had already happened - aaand I couldn’t force myself to read it fully, just skimmed. Those who love rare retellings - this is more inspired by than a retelling of Perrault’s Bluebeard and more of an excerpt of the author’s main work, not a standalone story, but if you’re looking to delve into a new epic/gothic author, it’s a good sample to try.
Recommended for lovers of diverse and bipoc fairytale retellings, which is a rare find in itself, and for lovers of wall-to-wall soundbite anthologies who are looking to find new indie authors to love.
There are 6 short novellas and my favourites in order of me-likey are as follows:
5/5⭐️#1 Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire - one of the more imaginative Red Riding Hood retellings I’ve read lately - think dystopian after X-men if it had ended in war. The author managed to keep most of the elements of the original Grimm fairytale yet spin it into a convincing postapocalyptic them vs us story. After the Bio Wars, humans live above ground while mutants live in The City Below and are hunted. Liam seems passable as a non-mutant and decides to go above ground at age 6, but things don’t go to plan. Chicago takes the hit again for the dystopian setting and I chuckled over the modern day references and loved the names - Liam and Fable. I can totally see this story woven into a full fledged book of the Divergent variety and was sad it ended too soon.
5/5⭐️#2 Shadow and Song by Montrez - a fab Peter Pan retelling. Think shy singer-songwriter from Coyote Ugly and a barista boy who smells like the bookstore (swoon!) with a dash of Phantom of the Opera (angel of music) - instalove! Adored the Princess Leia Star War reference. Loved the author’s take on the Lost Boys. What if The Shadow was sorrow and Wendy was hope, just like in Barry’s original tale, but in our modern world? A tale of hope and redemption - loved it.
5/5⭐️ #3 Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - ooh, The Matrix meets Into the Beanstalk - a Hansel&Gretel retelling where H&G are lost in a virtual forest where a hacker is after their minds, delish! Very edge of the seat and believable futuristic world building in the vein of Jules Verne - this could be the future. Loved the Skynet nod to Terminator and the revamped digital breadcrumbs but that meat market….brrrr…. I also loved that I could predict the final sentence.
5/5⭐️ #6 Waking Up by R.L. Medina - a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a trigger warning for survivors of attempted suicide and/or their family members - might be difficult for them to read even though the story’s message is of hope. Rosie is stuck in a sleeping curse in fae court, tormented by Princess Maloret (a Maleficent figure), but not everything is as it seems. Loved the author’s way of breaking curses and how you definitely get the feels of bumbling in the dark for amnesiac patients throughout the story. A different take on Sleeping Beauty - what if there was no witch who did this to the princess; what if the witch was a solution, not a problem? The worst torment we can suffer is in our own mind.
4.5/5⭐️#4 A Bloostained Sun by E.M. Lacey - a Snow White retelling set in the cruel Aztec world. An interesting take on the classic fairytale and aficionados of Mexican myths and time-hopping might enjoy this and be happy that the story continues in the author’s other books. Great but cruel world building; nice showdown between an 8yo demigoddess and an Aztec priest; and I loved the genesis story of the obsidian mirror, but this wasn’t my cuppa, tbh.
2.5/5⭐️#5 These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - there were too many unpronouncable names in the first 2 pages and that’s a pet peeve of mine; followed by too much backstory in a short tale that started mid-way after drastic things had already happened - aaand I couldn’t force myself to read it fully, just skimmed. Those who love rare retellings - this is more inspired by than a retelling of Perrault’s Bluebeard and more of an excerpt of the author’s main work, not a standalone story, but if you’re looking to delve into a new epic/gothic author, it’s a good sample to try.
Recommended for lovers of diverse and bipoc fairytale retellings, which is a rare find in itself, and for lovers of wall-to-wall soundbite anthologies who are looking to find new indie authors to love.
May 18, 2024
I'm always intrigued by fairytale retellings, especially the ones that explore settings vastly different from the original and still manage to retain a touch of the story as we first heard it.
This collection of six tales takes some very well known fairytales and gives them a diverse spin, putting familiar characters in modern/sci-fi/dystopian settings and making the female characters more empowered which I loved.
The first three stories based on Red Riding Hood,Peter Pan and Hansel and Gretel were my favourites. The ones that were based on Bluebeard and Sleeping Beauty were good takes too though A bloodstained sun based on Snow White was probably the one I related to the least.
I instantly liked Liam and Fable in the interpretation of Red Riding Hood that takes place in a setting where those who are different are exiled and have to struggle to survive. It was very well done.
In Shadow and Song, Lyric was a great character and her friendship with Peter and how they helped each other was wonderful. The best part was how Lyric came of age and knew her own strength and her conversations with her grandfather and the advice he gives her.
“How are you always so strong?” she wondered.
“I’m not any stronger than you,” he said, gathering the discarded weeds in a paper bag. “It’s easier to help lift someone else than deal with our own problems. But there comes a time when we have to pull our own weeds and deal with our own shadows.”
“How do you do that? Deal with it?”
Her grandpa’s wise eyes softened when he looked at her. “You ask for help.”
"Where there’s a garden, there will always be weeds. It’s part of life. When there’s weeds, you pull ‘em. When life gives you shade, you put your feet up, and stop worrying about stuff you can’t control. Life isn’t always sunny, and it won’t always be a bed of roses.”
My favourite story was the third Circuit and Nerve, in which Hansel and Gretel are siblings in a world that is overrun by technology and artificial intelligence to the point where humans are struggling to get by. Harlan and Gia, desperate to keep their father's medical treatment going, volunteer as test subjects for a computer-brain interface that takes them into a forest setting and plunges them into unexpected danger when the code is hacked. I was really impressed by the way the elements related to the fairytale here, including the breadcrumbs, all incorporated into this tech world. The author has a series set in this world and I definitely want to check it out.
The Bluebeard and Sleeping Beauty takes were interesting in the way they put the onus on the female protagonist, to figure out and survive.
Overall, this was a good collection that I enjoyed. I received an ARC from StoryOrigin after I requested it, having loved the cover and found the premise interesting. I am glad I did because now there are so many indie authors to explore. These are my honest thoughts about the book.
This collection of six tales takes some very well known fairytales and gives them a diverse spin, putting familiar characters in modern/sci-fi/dystopian settings and making the female characters more empowered which I loved.
The first three stories based on Red Riding Hood,Peter Pan and Hansel and Gretel were my favourites. The ones that were based on Bluebeard and Sleeping Beauty were good takes too though A bloodstained sun based on Snow White was probably the one I related to the least.
I instantly liked Liam and Fable in the interpretation of Red Riding Hood that takes place in a setting where those who are different are exiled and have to struggle to survive. It was very well done.
In Shadow and Song, Lyric was a great character and her friendship with Peter and how they helped each other was wonderful. The best part was how Lyric came of age and knew her own strength and her conversations with her grandfather and the advice he gives her.
“How are you always so strong?” she wondered.
“I’m not any stronger than you,” he said, gathering the discarded weeds in a paper bag. “It’s easier to help lift someone else than deal with our own problems. But there comes a time when we have to pull our own weeds and deal with our own shadows.”
“How do you do that? Deal with it?”
Her grandpa’s wise eyes softened when he looked at her. “You ask for help.”
"Where there’s a garden, there will always be weeds. It’s part of life. When there’s weeds, you pull ‘em. When life gives you shade, you put your feet up, and stop worrying about stuff you can’t control. Life isn’t always sunny, and it won’t always be a bed of roses.”
My favourite story was the third Circuit and Nerve, in which Hansel and Gretel are siblings in a world that is overrun by technology and artificial intelligence to the point where humans are struggling to get by. Harlan and Gia, desperate to keep their father's medical treatment going, volunteer as test subjects for a computer-brain interface that takes them into a forest setting and plunges them into unexpected danger when the code is hacked. I was really impressed by the way the elements related to the fairytale here, including the breadcrumbs, all incorporated into this tech world. The author has a series set in this world and I definitely want to check it out.
The Bluebeard and Sleeping Beauty takes were interesting in the way they put the onus on the female protagonist, to figure out and survive.
Overall, this was a good collection that I enjoyed. I received an ARC from StoryOrigin after I requested it, having loved the cover and found the premise interesting. I am glad I did because now there are so many indie authors to explore. These are my honest thoughts about the book.
April 17, 2024
✨Arc Review✨
Red In The Woods: This post apocalyptic piece is so well written it could be pictured as a reality! This poor child deemed “normal” to then hurt his teacher and another child must’ve been terrifying. Such a beautiful ending too!
Shadow and Song: Lyric is definitely having an amazing day getting a baristas number and a standing ovation all at once 👏🏻 Music heals I love that for this story!
Circuits and Nerve: This story is so good! Even without reading that it’s an Hansel and Gretel retelling you can tell and the twists make it so much more modern and super realistic! Tommy are the twins defeat the witch and shove it to their step mother was a great ending!!
A Bloodstained Sun: I found this story harder to connect with as I struggled with pronunciation of some of the words. I’m not sure what I took from this story. I think maybe the pronunciation guide should’ve been first.
These Sapphire Walls: marry a man as old as your father to save your family?! Man this poor girl can’t catch a break! But then finding out it’s his cute son you marry like yas 👏🏻 This may be a short story but boy does it take you on one heck of a roller coaster ride! I truly loved this one!
Waking Up: I couldn’t imagine being held captive to be released and thrust into a royal court out of what seems like no where. After struggling with my own mental health this story really is beautiful I think almost anyone can relate to this story!!
Red In The Woods: This post apocalyptic piece is so well written it could be pictured as a reality! This poor child deemed “normal” to then hurt his teacher and another child must’ve been terrifying. Such a beautiful ending too!
Shadow and Song: Lyric is definitely having an amazing day getting a baristas number and a standing ovation all at once 👏🏻 Music heals I love that for this story!
Circuits and Nerve: This story is so good! Even without reading that it’s an Hansel and Gretel retelling you can tell and the twists make it so much more modern and super realistic! Tommy are the twins defeat the witch and shove it to their step mother was a great ending!!
A Bloodstained Sun: I found this story harder to connect with as I struggled with pronunciation of some of the words. I’m not sure what I took from this story. I think maybe the pronunciation guide should’ve been first.
These Sapphire Walls: marry a man as old as your father to save your family?! Man this poor girl can’t catch a break! But then finding out it’s his cute son you marry like yas 👏🏻 This may be a short story but boy does it take you on one heck of a roller coaster ride! I truly loved this one!
Waking Up: I couldn’t imagine being held captive to be released and thrust into a royal court out of what seems like no where. After struggling with my own mental health this story really is beautiful I think almost anyone can relate to this story!!
May 21, 2024
I always love reading fairytale retellings, especially another author’s fresh take on them. This book has 6 short retellings, all which are excerpts from books or series.
I really enjoyed them all, but Red in the Woods was a great dystopian retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I’m definitely interested in reading most of the books these excerpts came from, particularly that one.
I found all the stories entertaining, and short enough you could read each one in a sitting. If you like fairytale retellings, you will definitely enjoy this book.
I received an advance reader copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed them all, but Red in the Woods was a great dystopian retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I’m definitely interested in reading most of the books these excerpts came from, particularly that one.
I found all the stories entertaining, and short enough you could read each one in a sitting. If you like fairytale retellings, you will definitely enjoy this book.
I received an advance reader copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2024
This was a powerful anthology, full of strong and determined women and men from diverse backgrounds. Each story was so unique and special. I am a White, cis-woman, and I’ve been reading fantasy and science-fiction for a long time. Unfortunately, there are far too few stories about people of color, differing abilities, Indigenous people, the LGBTQ+ community, or people with different body types. Within the first few pages, I could hear the authors saying to those who haven’t been represented enough in these genres, “I see you, and you are magical.”
The collection contains six short stories, each by a different author and inspired by fairytales. The stories immediately take off and sweep the reader into dystopian, fantastical, or futuristic worlds. Each author’s writing was captivating and engaging. I added many of their standalone books to my TBR list.
Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire is a futuristic Red Riding Hood retelling with humans who have mutations and are hunted down. It was heart-wrenching and beautiful.
Shadow and Song by Montrez is a contemporary Peter Pan retelling about the power of song and the community.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis is a futuristic Hansel and Gretel retelling, where two siblings are trapped in a virtual reality and are hunted by a hacker.
A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey is a Snow White retelling, with an Aztec setting. I love how steeped in history and Mexican folklore it is.
These Sapphire Walls by Kristina Coles is a Bluebeard retelling and deliciously gothic and atmospheric! I enjoyed the world-building.
Waking Up by R. L. Medina is a Sleeping Beauty retelling where Aurora is trapped in a fae court. This story deals with being trapped on two levels, which may be triggering for some people. However, Medina does a wonderful job of showing Aurora’s struggle and her desire to overcome and not let the darkness take her. This was one of my favorites.
Thank you to all of the authors for the ARC! I absolutely loved this collection and cannot wait to read more of your books!
The collection contains six short stories, each by a different author and inspired by fairytales. The stories immediately take off and sweep the reader into dystopian, fantastical, or futuristic worlds. Each author’s writing was captivating and engaging. I added many of their standalone books to my TBR list.
Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire is a futuristic Red Riding Hood retelling with humans who have mutations and are hunted down. It was heart-wrenching and beautiful.
Shadow and Song by Montrez is a contemporary Peter Pan retelling about the power of song and the community.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis is a futuristic Hansel and Gretel retelling, where two siblings are trapped in a virtual reality and are hunted by a hacker.
A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey is a Snow White retelling, with an Aztec setting. I love how steeped in history and Mexican folklore it is.
These Sapphire Walls by Kristina Coles is a Bluebeard retelling and deliciously gothic and atmospheric! I enjoyed the world-building.
Waking Up by R. L. Medina is a Sleeping Beauty retelling where Aurora is trapped in a fae court. This story deals with being trapped on two levels, which may be triggering for some people. However, Medina does a wonderful job of showing Aurora’s struggle and her desire to overcome and not let the darkness take her. This was one of my favorites.
Thank you to all of the authors for the ARC! I absolutely loved this collection and cannot wait to read more of your books!
April 26, 2024
This was such an amazing read.
The diversity and story telling was absolutely captivating. I really enjoyed the book by the various authors.
I highly recommend it and will definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelves.
The diversity and story telling was absolutely captivating. I really enjoyed the book by the various authors.
I highly recommend it and will definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelves.
May 11, 2024
I don't usually like the books where it's multiple separate stories, I probably wouldn't have been an ARC reader for it had I known. That being said the ones I did read were great and I really enjoyed.
October 17, 2024
Difficult to rate because it's a collection of stories by different authors. Great book overall, though :D
June 4, 2024
Once Upon a Realm is a collection of remixed FairyTales by 6 different writers including K.R.S. McEntire and R.L. Medina among others. I enjoyed reading this and I know others will likely enjoy too
September 18, 2024
3.25
This is a collection of fairy tale retellings that are set in the worlds of the novels of these authors. I think its a really cool concept and can kind of give you a taste of their writing and encourage you to pick up the books and series for more.
Just like any anthology, your mileage is going to vary and its going to be very hit or miss. Some stories will resonate more than others. I did write reviews for each of the stories and while I nearly never have spoilers in my reviews, if you want to go in knowing nothing, I will just quickly list my ratings per story and then have the in depth reviews afterwards.
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire - 2.5 ⭐
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 1.5 ⭐
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - 4.5 ⭐
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3 ⭐
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 5 ⭐
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 2.25 ⭐
I averaged up my ratings to get the overall rating for the story collection. Longer reviews below.
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire - 2.5 ⭐
This was fine. The writing is very run-of-the-mill, basic YA dystopian, which I think falls short in getting you invested in the characters in such a short story.
The story itself isn't anything original beyond how it twists the Red Riding Hood fairytale. I liked how it puts the role of the big bad wolf on the Wardens, but it still kept the whole grandmother-wolf thing just in a different way. It was a very fine reading experience, but nothing special.
I think if you're interested in the whole sci-fi dystopian mutant thing, it might be worth picking up the authors novels that this story is related to, as the writing wasn't bad and the world dynamics, while not entirely original, were interesting enough.
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 1.5 ⭐
This was such an awkward length for a story. I would almost say I would have wanted it to be longer but also I didn't really like it very much to begin with, so…. Hey, maybe with a little extra time to develop things I would've ended up liking it, who knows.
We do have a typical chosen one trope thing going on here, which was fine. I mean, don't fix what ain't broken I suppose. I do enjoy the whole music thing. I like the concept of someone using music to defeat an evil but that person also has stage fright. I think that could be a very interesting character arc to follow if it was given the proper weight and time. The anxiety scenes are… I guess basic? They're convincing enough that we get the idea that Lyric has anxiety around singing, but I feel like the scenes where she's experiencing that anxiety could have been written in a way that would have provided greater impact and deeper character development and thus relatability.
This story is lightly inspired by the story of Peter Pan, and I do mean lightly. Other than the name of a character, shadows, a reference to lost boys (which are foster cats in this story how cute is that) and a quick mention that our guy Peter knows friends who tinker with instruments, you aren't getting much Peter Pan here. I think we could've leaned in a bit more, but also I don't know how that would work. Maybe I just want more cats idk.
The shadows that Lyric needs to defeat with her singing are also pretty much directly stated to be representative of depression. This does lead to some important and somewhat touching lines at the end of the story, which were nice but again, didn't carry the kind of emotional weight that they could have had with more time to develop.
This story is linked to one of the author’s other books/series, so there is a very good chance that these themes are explored and developed more in depth there, but as I am reading and reviewing these as individual stories, I feel like the experience here was very lacking. There was potential here but between the very short length and unremarkable (but not bad) writing, I just didn't feel like I got anything from it.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - 4.5 ⭐
I would absolutely pick up the connected series to this one. I'm not even a sci-fi kind of reader, but I am so interested in what this author could do with more time to world build because this was actually really good.
While the writing style wasn't anything special, it felt right at home in the genre of the story. There are small bits of world building that hint at a much larger more expansive world, but since we are following a sibling duo we are only let in to what is necessary to their experiences. The pacing also felt great.
Due to the length of the story, there is sort of a mix of showing and telling when it comes to the characters. I think it's a tricky line to tow, but the characters were always consistent and the author managed to craft clear motivations and personalities in such a short period of time and I think that's pretty impressive. The only character that wasn't really developed was the Web Witch, but it also felt like that was perhaps a character that is more related to the connected series and in the grand scheme of things it isn't THAT important for Web Witch to have full character development in this particular story. I got to the end and actually had an emotional reaction cause I found myself actively wanting the best for our siblings and their father.
This was based on Hansel and Gretel and I think the author does the original fairy tale justice. It would've been so easy to retell the story using a fantasy setting, but leaning into the hard sci-fi meant the author had to get creative and I think she managed to pull it off really well. Is it a perfect retelling? No, but it reimagines and utilizes the most important story beats from the original fairy tale in a way that did not disappoint.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3 ⭐
This felt like such a sharp turn from the stories before it. It definitely leans more into the dark and gritty.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. I enjoyed the overall story, but there were a lot of moments where things got a little messy and confusing and I couldn't entirely tell what was going on. It also is based in Aztec mythology which I know pretty much nothing about so that was probably contributing to the confusion. The glossary was also not helping much there if I'm being honest.
This was inspired by Snow White. It's an interpretation of the story that works and you can see bits here and there that you can directly connect to the original fairy tale, but other aspects are twisted and stretched thin to make them fit. I don't think there's anything really wrong with that here, though, as it is stated before it starts that this is an origin story for a character that appears in one of the author’s other books, so some creative liberties likely had to be taken to make it make sense.
I don't think I'm all that interested in picking up the connected series for this one, but I would be interested in what this author does down the line cause there were moments of really compelling writing and storytelling, there were just also an equal amount of moments that felt really disorienting and confusing in a way that didn't feel intentional.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 5 ⭐
I am so into whatever this was. It was delightfully atmospheric. The writing was stunning and I found myself highlighting so many passages that I thought were absolutely beautiful. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a whole novel in this style cause it might get to be a little too much, but I am absolutely going to pick up the connected book.
The descriptions and atmosphere were very much the focus, but I didn't find the characterization lacking and what world building we did get had me wanting to know more.
I unfortunately am not all too familiar with the fairy tale that this is inspired by. I do vaguely have an idea and based on that I think this is a pretty faithful retelling but idk I may be completely wrong about that.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 2.25 ⭐
I don't have too much to say about this one honestly. It was meh.
It started out with some odd writing choices that I think were supposed to convey panic and desperation but really mostly served as a barrier for me actually getting into the story. Once you get past that it's fine though. I think it does rely a little TOO heavily on the shadows and toothy grins and whatnot when there are other ways to get that same feeling across. I don't think it would be too much of a problem normally but with such a short story you tend to notice when things are being used a lot.
This is another situation where the length gets in the way of effective character building. I think it takes a really rare type of writer to get you to care about characters fully in under 50 pages, so that isn't exactly a knock on the author, but there was a moment that I think was supposed to be emotionally impactful and I just didn't know the characters well enough to care about it so it didn't do it for me.
This is based on Sleeping Beauty mostly, though it doesn't tell you that beforehand like the other stories in the collection do. I figured from the title it would be Sleeping Beauty, but part of me was also feeling like there might have been light Rumpelstiltskin inspo as well so I wasn't sure.
This is a collection of fairy tale retellings that are set in the worlds of the novels of these authors. I think its a really cool concept and can kind of give you a taste of their writing and encourage you to pick up the books and series for more.
Just like any anthology, your mileage is going to vary and its going to be very hit or miss. Some stories will resonate more than others. I did write reviews for each of the stories and while I nearly never have spoilers in my reviews, if you want to go in knowing nothing, I will just quickly list my ratings per story and then have the in depth reviews afterwards.
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire - 2.5 ⭐
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 1.5 ⭐
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - 4.5 ⭐
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3 ⭐
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 5 ⭐
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 2.25 ⭐
I averaged up my ratings to get the overall rating for the story collection. Longer reviews below.
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire - 2.5 ⭐
This was fine. The writing is very run-of-the-mill, basic YA dystopian, which I think falls short in getting you invested in the characters in such a short story.
The story itself isn't anything original beyond how it twists the Red Riding Hood fairytale. I liked how it puts the role of the big bad wolf on the Wardens, but it still kept the whole grandmother-wolf thing just in a different way. It was a very fine reading experience, but nothing special.
I think if you're interested in the whole sci-fi dystopian mutant thing, it might be worth picking up the authors novels that this story is related to, as the writing wasn't bad and the world dynamics, while not entirely original, were interesting enough.
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 1.5 ⭐
This was such an awkward length for a story. I would almost say I would have wanted it to be longer but also I didn't really like it very much to begin with, so…. Hey, maybe with a little extra time to develop things I would've ended up liking it, who knows.
We do have a typical chosen one trope thing going on here, which was fine. I mean, don't fix what ain't broken I suppose. I do enjoy the whole music thing. I like the concept of someone using music to defeat an evil but that person also has stage fright. I think that could be a very interesting character arc to follow if it was given the proper weight and time. The anxiety scenes are… I guess basic? They're convincing enough that we get the idea that Lyric has anxiety around singing, but I feel like the scenes where she's experiencing that anxiety could have been written in a way that would have provided greater impact and deeper character development and thus relatability.
This story is lightly inspired by the story of Peter Pan, and I do mean lightly. Other than the name of a character, shadows, a reference to lost boys (which are foster cats in this story how cute is that) and a quick mention that our guy Peter knows friends who tinker with instruments, you aren't getting much Peter Pan here. I think we could've leaned in a bit more, but also I don't know how that would work. Maybe I just want more cats idk.
The shadows that Lyric needs to defeat with her singing are also pretty much directly stated to be representative of depression. This does lead to some important and somewhat touching lines at the end of the story, which were nice but again, didn't carry the kind of emotional weight that they could have had with more time to develop.
This story is linked to one of the author’s other books/series, so there is a very good chance that these themes are explored and developed more in depth there, but as I am reading and reviewing these as individual stories, I feel like the experience here was very lacking. There was potential here but between the very short length and unremarkable (but not bad) writing, I just didn't feel like I got anything from it.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis - 4.5 ⭐
I would absolutely pick up the connected series to this one. I'm not even a sci-fi kind of reader, but I am so interested in what this author could do with more time to world build because this was actually really good.
While the writing style wasn't anything special, it felt right at home in the genre of the story. There are small bits of world building that hint at a much larger more expansive world, but since we are following a sibling duo we are only let in to what is necessary to their experiences. The pacing also felt great.
Due to the length of the story, there is sort of a mix of showing and telling when it comes to the characters. I think it's a tricky line to tow, but the characters were always consistent and the author managed to craft clear motivations and personalities in such a short period of time and I think that's pretty impressive. The only character that wasn't really developed was the Web Witch, but it also felt like that was perhaps a character that is more related to the connected series and in the grand scheme of things it isn't THAT important for Web Witch to have full character development in this particular story. I got to the end and actually had an emotional reaction cause I found myself actively wanting the best for our siblings and their father.
This was based on Hansel and Gretel and I think the author does the original fairy tale justice. It would've been so easy to retell the story using a fantasy setting, but leaning into the hard sci-fi meant the author had to get creative and I think she managed to pull it off really well. Is it a perfect retelling? No, but it reimagines and utilizes the most important story beats from the original fairy tale in a way that did not disappoint.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3 ⭐
This felt like such a sharp turn from the stories before it. It definitely leans more into the dark and gritty.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. I enjoyed the overall story, but there were a lot of moments where things got a little messy and confusing and I couldn't entirely tell what was going on. It also is based in Aztec mythology which I know pretty much nothing about so that was probably contributing to the confusion. The glossary was also not helping much there if I'm being honest.
This was inspired by Snow White. It's an interpretation of the story that works and you can see bits here and there that you can directly connect to the original fairy tale, but other aspects are twisted and stretched thin to make them fit. I don't think there's anything really wrong with that here, though, as it is stated before it starts that this is an origin story for a character that appears in one of the author’s other books, so some creative liberties likely had to be taken to make it make sense.
I don't think I'm all that interested in picking up the connected series for this one, but I would be interested in what this author does down the line cause there were moments of really compelling writing and storytelling, there were just also an equal amount of moments that felt really disorienting and confusing in a way that didn't feel intentional.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 5 ⭐
I am so into whatever this was. It was delightfully atmospheric. The writing was stunning and I found myself highlighting so many passages that I thought were absolutely beautiful. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a whole novel in this style cause it might get to be a little too much, but I am absolutely going to pick up the connected book.
The descriptions and atmosphere were very much the focus, but I didn't find the characterization lacking and what world building we did get had me wanting to know more.
I unfortunately am not all too familiar with the fairy tale that this is inspired by. I do vaguely have an idea and based on that I think this is a pretty faithful retelling but idk I may be completely wrong about that.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 2.25 ⭐
I don't have too much to say about this one honestly. It was meh.
It started out with some odd writing choices that I think were supposed to convey panic and desperation but really mostly served as a barrier for me actually getting into the story. Once you get past that it's fine though. I think it does rely a little TOO heavily on the shadows and toothy grins and whatnot when there are other ways to get that same feeling across. I don't think it would be too much of a problem normally but with such a short story you tend to notice when things are being used a lot.
This is another situation where the length gets in the way of effective character building. I think it takes a really rare type of writer to get you to care about characters fully in under 50 pages, so that isn't exactly a knock on the author, but there was a moment that I think was supposed to be emotionally impactful and I just didn't know the characters well enough to care about it so it didn't do it for me.
This is based on Sleeping Beauty mostly, though it doesn't tell you that beforehand like the other stories in the collection do. I figured from the title it would be Sleeping Beauty, but part of me was also feeling like there might have been light Rumpelstiltskin inspo as well so I wasn't sure.
May 25, 2024
I received an arc and am willingly leaving a review. This book consists of 6 fairytale retellings told from diverse backgrounds. I enjoyed the fresh take on these stories such as sleeping beauty and Hansel and Gretel. My favorite though was the retelling of Peter Pan.
February 23, 2026
I really enjoyed the introductions to new sci-fi and fantasy authors. These were very distinct from one another but the order flowed well.
May 10, 2024
ARC review! First of all I would love to thank the authors for the opportunity to read your stories!
This anthology features 6 reimagined fairytales with a twist and it worked. I read this so quickly. The stories are captivating and magical. I especially loved Red in the Woods, a dystopian take on Red Riding Hood by K.R.S McEntire and Circuits and Nerves by Alicia Ellis a futuristic Hansel and Grettel. But all the tales had their own vibe and style and kept me reading and captivated.
Definitely a great way to get to know new authors and will have to check out all their other works!
This anthology features 6 reimagined fairytales with a twist and it worked. I read this so quickly. The stories are captivating and magical. I especially loved Red in the Woods, a dystopian take on Red Riding Hood by K.R.S McEntire and Circuits and Nerves by Alicia Ellis a futuristic Hansel and Grettel. But all the tales had their own vibe and style and kept me reading and captivated.
Definitely a great way to get to know new authors and will have to check out all their other works!
March 19, 2025
All of these authors are new to me (except for R.L. Medina). This collection is a great way to learn about new authors as well as perspectives other than those of our childhoods.
REVIEWS:
*Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire (inspired by Little Red Riding Hood)
[set in the world of ‘The Eden Saga’ series]
Never let fear of the unknown turn you to bigotry and hatred.
A light lesson in the dangers of not adhering to bio-ethics – it could happen to us.
*These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles (inspired by Bluebeard)
[a short story in the ‘Moonshadow’ series]
Fave lines:
‘The old magic runs deep’
‘Not every door is meant to be opened’
This was very much darker than the version I read as a kid – well done!
*Sunflowers and Snickerdoodles by Montrez (inspired by Peter Pan)
[set in the world of ‘The Selah Tales’]
Never lose faith in your abilities and talents.
Turn towards your own light (note: it isn’t always the sun).
*Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis (inspired by Hansel and Gretel)
[set in the universe of the ‘Flesh and Metal’ trilogy]
Being ‘a good little soldier’ and “playing the game” too often prohibit using technology for improving lives. I would TOTALLY let CyberCorp into my brain! Where do I sign up?
*A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey (inspired by Snow White)
[set in the world of ‘A Biggs & Myer Brief’]
The ancient cycle: dreams, prophecy, fulfillment, power, destruction.
*Waking Up by R. L. Medina (inspired by Sleeping Beauty)
Beware fairy games – hide-and-seek in the Court of Shadows can be your worst nightmare.
REVIEWS:
*Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire (inspired by Little Red Riding Hood)
[set in the world of ‘The Eden Saga’ series]
Never let fear of the unknown turn you to bigotry and hatred.
A light lesson in the dangers of not adhering to bio-ethics – it could happen to us.
*These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles (inspired by Bluebeard)
[a short story in the ‘Moonshadow’ series]
Fave lines:
‘The old magic runs deep’
‘Not every door is meant to be opened’
This was very much darker than the version I read as a kid – well done!
*Sunflowers and Snickerdoodles by Montrez (inspired by Peter Pan)
[set in the world of ‘The Selah Tales’]
Never lose faith in your abilities and talents.
Turn towards your own light (note: it isn’t always the sun).
*Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis (inspired by Hansel and Gretel)
[set in the universe of the ‘Flesh and Metal’ trilogy]
Being ‘a good little soldier’ and “playing the game” too often prohibit using technology for improving lives. I would TOTALLY let CyberCorp into my brain! Where do I sign up?
*A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey (inspired by Snow White)
[set in the world of ‘A Biggs & Myer Brief’]
The ancient cycle: dreams, prophecy, fulfillment, power, destruction.
*Waking Up by R. L. Medina (inspired by Sleeping Beauty)
Beware fairy games – hide-and-seek in the Court of Shadows can be your worst nightmare.
September 17, 2024
Red: Dystopian Red Riding Hood. Family is King and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Shadow: The power is within you and you are stronger with people by your side helping.
Circuits: First chapter is very dark and triggering, but the rest are better.
Sun: Evil never triumphs over good.
Walls: Neat twist, though felt like I was missing things.
Waking: One day at a time, remembering your strength.
Dark collection of fairy tales, most encourage trusting family.
Shadow: The power is within you and you are stronger with people by your side helping.
Circuits: First chapter is very dark and triggering, but the rest are better.
Sun: Evil never triumphs over good.
Walls: Neat twist, though felt like I was missing things.
Waking: One day at a time, remembering your strength.
Dark collection of fairy tales, most encourage trusting family.
July 16, 2024
I love a fairytale retelling so had high hopes for this anthology, unfortunately I didn't love all of these stories as much as I wanted to.
Red In The Woods by K.R.S. M entire - 2⭐
I thought the worldbuilding with the mutant/human divide was really interesting but I think a lot was lost for me having not read The Eden Saga books to understand more of the world. There were just parts that had me questioning things - like why did Fable's grandmother live alone in the woods but her offspring & granddaughter lived peacefully as humans? Especially when it's established that humans born to mutants is rare, and when the grandmother's sister lives underground. Fable and Liam had a cute relationship though.
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 2⭐
I liked the MC, Lyric, and her blossoming relationship with Peter, as well as her relationship with her sister, Mel. I didn't really get how this was a Peter Pan retelling beyond the fact there was a character called Peter Darling who's aunt has a lod of cats nicknamed the Lost Boys (but, then again, I realise it does just say it's loosely inspired so). I guess the shadows were also a Peter Pan reference but they just read like a very on the nose metaphor for depression with why they were after Lyric'a grandfather and Peter. Also, this was another set in the world of a pre-existing book so, again, it felt like I was missing things and that - maybe - this collection was more of a means of marketing these other works to readers by getting them intrigued on worlds and concepts (which isn't bad, but if I'd known that was the premise for so many stories in this i probably wouldn't have picked it up).
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis -1⭐
Again, set in a pre-existing universe. This was an interesting concept for Hansel and Gretel but it fell so flat for me, especially with the witch just being some unknown hacker. I also found the idea that Harlan & Gia have their rent subsidised for watching ads so ridiculous (I really just forced myself to finish the story after that). Like, companies pay people to show ads to an audience so that others see the product and then buy it. Why would you spend money getting two children - who notable have no money - to watch ads for expensive products??? As I'm writing this, I guess maybe the people paying them are the ones being paid to show the adverts so this artificially inflates the view count and gets them more money and that's how/why they pay?? But, the way it came across when I was reading the story just means it completely lost me.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3⭐
I quite enjoyed this one, I liked Cuicatl as an MC and thought the Toltec was a well-established villain for a short story. The Snow White aspects weren't super obvious - I don't think I'd have clocked them if I weren't told this were a retelling. But, as it's own story with inspiration from Snow White, it was enjoyable.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 3⭐
This was another one where I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I didn't know it was a retelling because I LOVE Bluebeard but I think the MC being left alone and giving in to curiousity to discover the dead wife room is the key part of that story and this just didn't really have that. I really enjoyed the beginning, building up Xeanora's family relationships and situation (he appeared briefly but I love Mysric). I just them found the reveal of what Aeren had done to his past wives a bit abrupt because he was presented as being so sweet, and then Xeanora spoke with the bone with and worked everything out? I'll be honest, I did not follow how she managed that. But, I did enjoy the setting and worldbuilding (which, again, seems to come from a pre-existing series by the author).
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 4⭐
I was pleasantly surprised by this last story because I really, really liked it. I felt fully immersed in the world and enjoyed the dynamic between Rosie/Aurora and Meriwether, as well as the dynamic between Rosie/Aurora and Princess Maloret. I loved the reveal of Maloret having taken Aurora willingly due to what seemed to strongly implied as suicidal ideation/an attempt and thought she was the good guy in this. I'd love a story with a similar concept that has some kind of understanding/friendship/romance grow between the Aurora and Maloret characters. But I also loved the choices made for this story because of course Aurora has to wake up, this is Sleeping Beauty after all. And I liked how her experience serving a fae court, clinging to survival there, will kinda translate to her life outside of it.
Red In The Woods by K.R.S. M entire - 2⭐
I thought the worldbuilding with the mutant/human divide was really interesting but I think a lot was lost for me having not read The Eden Saga books to understand more of the world. There were just parts that had me questioning things - like why did Fable's grandmother live alone in the woods but her offspring & granddaughter lived peacefully as humans? Especially when it's established that humans born to mutants is rare, and when the grandmother's sister lives underground. Fable and Liam had a cute relationship though.
Shadow and Song by Montrez - 2⭐
I liked the MC, Lyric, and her blossoming relationship with Peter, as well as her relationship with her sister, Mel. I didn't really get how this was a Peter Pan retelling beyond the fact there was a character called Peter Darling who's aunt has a lod of cats nicknamed the Lost Boys (but, then again, I realise it does just say it's loosely inspired so). I guess the shadows were also a Peter Pan reference but they just read like a very on the nose metaphor for depression with why they were after Lyric'a grandfather and Peter. Also, this was another set in the world of a pre-existing book so, again, it felt like I was missing things and that - maybe - this collection was more of a means of marketing these other works to readers by getting them intrigued on worlds and concepts (which isn't bad, but if I'd known that was the premise for so many stories in this i probably wouldn't have picked it up).
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis -1⭐
Again, set in a pre-existing universe. This was an interesting concept for Hansel and Gretel but it fell so flat for me, especially with the witch just being some unknown hacker. I also found the idea that Harlan & Gia have their rent subsidised for watching ads so ridiculous (I really just forced myself to finish the story after that). Like, companies pay people to show ads to an audience so that others see the product and then buy it. Why would you spend money getting two children - who notable have no money - to watch ads for expensive products??? As I'm writing this, I guess maybe the people paying them are the ones being paid to show the adverts so this artificially inflates the view count and gets them more money and that's how/why they pay?? But, the way it came across when I was reading the story just means it completely lost me.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey - 3⭐
I quite enjoyed this one, I liked Cuicatl as an MC and thought the Toltec was a well-established villain for a short story. The Snow White aspects weren't super obvious - I don't think I'd have clocked them if I weren't told this were a retelling. But, as it's own story with inspiration from Snow White, it was enjoyable.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles - 3⭐
This was another one where I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I didn't know it was a retelling because I LOVE Bluebeard but I think the MC being left alone and giving in to curiousity to discover the dead wife room is the key part of that story and this just didn't really have that. I really enjoyed the beginning, building up Xeanora's family relationships and situation (he appeared briefly but I love Mysric). I just them found the reveal of what Aeren had done to his past wives a bit abrupt because he was presented as being so sweet, and then Xeanora spoke with the bone with and worked everything out? I'll be honest, I did not follow how she managed that. But, I did enjoy the setting and worldbuilding (which, again, seems to come from a pre-existing series by the author).
Waking Up by R.L. Medina - 4⭐
I was pleasantly surprised by this last story because I really, really liked it. I felt fully immersed in the world and enjoyed the dynamic between Rosie/Aurora and Meriwether, as well as the dynamic between Rosie/Aurora and Princess Maloret. I loved the reveal of Maloret having taken Aurora willingly due to what seemed to strongly implied as suicidal ideation/an attempt and thought she was the good guy in this. I'd love a story with a similar concept that has some kind of understanding/friendship/romance grow between the Aurora and Maloret characters. But I also loved the choices made for this story because of course Aurora has to wake up, this is Sleeping Beauty after all. And I liked how her experience serving a fae court, clinging to survival there, will kinda translate to her life outside of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2024
As with most anthologies, this one comes with a range of very different styles of stories, some of which I found brilliant, while others left me confused or felt unpolished. My favourite story was definitely Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis. The whole collection gets 3.5 stars from me. Here is a breakdown of each story in the collection:
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire
An interesting dystopian future reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood. The world building is very intriguing, and definitely captured my attention. The story itself is interesting although it felt a little rushed. A longer format might have allowed more scope for the characters and dual point of view to really shine.
Shadow and Song by Montrez
A beautiful urban fantasy story about a girl finding the strength and courage to take action towards her dream and help others combat the darkness (shadows) of negative thoughts. It’s a wonderful allegorical tale with some fun winks at Peter Pan.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis
A brilliant Hansel and Gretel retelling that seamlessly combines the original fairytale with a dystopian cyberpunk world. The stakes are brilliant and I loved the characters. Their hopes, dreams, desires, doubts and fears pled off the page and made this story compelling and unputdownable. I loved every moment of it.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey
I love that this short story with a wink at Snow White is set in pre-Colombian Mexico. The setting is vibrant and so very different, which added a lot to the story about Cuicatl and how the priest of the temple,Poe tried to use her power. However, there were some details poorly explained at the beginning that gave me the wrong impression and made me think I had my Aztec history wrong. It turned out I’d just misunderstood, but it through me off for most of the story until it all came together again and aligned with what I’d confirmed with a bit of extra research. I think if the author clarified that the priest in quest happened to be of Toltec ethnicity but living in Tenochtitlan at the height of the Mexican’s power, an outsider disdained for being from a different ethnic group to his peers, things would have been much clearer from the start. Also, it wasn’t clear what ethnicity Cuicatl was, which also didn’t help.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles
This story is so confusing. There’s so much going on and nothing much is explained. I have no idea how the magic works or why the political elements were important. It isn’t even clear which fairytale this one is supposed to be connected to. There’s some random curse, but it’s not properly explained. There are elements reminiscent of Bluebeard, Sleeping Beauty, and even Cinderella, but they are vague and disjointed. I think, as a novel, where there’s space to dedicate to a slower unfolding of events with more time to allow for explanation, this story could probably shine, but it is definitely not suited to a short story.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina
A wonderful and evocative Sleeping Beauty retelling with a powerful message woven in. I love the fae court setting and how the author brings out the classic elements from the Disney version of this tale, while also making it something entirely new and different than one would expect. The way information is slowly revealed made this quite the page turner and I was kept on my toes. The story just keeps you guessing. Rosie is also an interesting character because she’s timid and unsure for most of the story. Finding her determination with a push from a friend was also depicted in a wonderful way.
Red in the Woods by K.R.S. McEntire
An interesting dystopian future reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood. The world building is very intriguing, and definitely captured my attention. The story itself is interesting although it felt a little rushed. A longer format might have allowed more scope for the characters and dual point of view to really shine.
Shadow and Song by Montrez
A beautiful urban fantasy story about a girl finding the strength and courage to take action towards her dream and help others combat the darkness (shadows) of negative thoughts. It’s a wonderful allegorical tale with some fun winks at Peter Pan.
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis
A brilliant Hansel and Gretel retelling that seamlessly combines the original fairytale with a dystopian cyberpunk world. The stakes are brilliant and I loved the characters. Their hopes, dreams, desires, doubts and fears pled off the page and made this story compelling and unputdownable. I loved every moment of it.
A Bloodstained Sun by E.M. Lacey
I love that this short story with a wink at Snow White is set in pre-Colombian Mexico. The setting is vibrant and so very different, which added a lot to the story about Cuicatl and how the priest of the temple,Poe tried to use her power. However, there were some details poorly explained at the beginning that gave me the wrong impression and made me think I had my Aztec history wrong. It turned out I’d just misunderstood, but it through me off for most of the story until it all came together again and aligned with what I’d confirmed with a bit of extra research. I think if the author clarified that the priest in quest happened to be of Toltec ethnicity but living in Tenochtitlan at the height of the Mexican’s power, an outsider disdained for being from a different ethnic group to his peers, things would have been much clearer from the start. Also, it wasn’t clear what ethnicity Cuicatl was, which also didn’t help.
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles
This story is so confusing. There’s so much going on and nothing much is explained. I have no idea how the magic works or why the political elements were important. It isn’t even clear which fairytale this one is supposed to be connected to. There’s some random curse, but it’s not properly explained. There are elements reminiscent of Bluebeard, Sleeping Beauty, and even Cinderella, but they are vague and disjointed. I think, as a novel, where there’s space to dedicate to a slower unfolding of events with more time to allow for explanation, this story could probably shine, but it is definitely not suited to a short story.
Waking Up by R.L. Medina
A wonderful and evocative Sleeping Beauty retelling with a powerful message woven in. I love the fae court setting and how the author brings out the classic elements from the Disney version of this tale, while also making it something entirely new and different than one would expect. The way information is slowly revealed made this quite the page turner and I was kept on my toes. The story just keeps you guessing. Rosie is also an interesting character because she’s timid and unsure for most of the story. Finding her determination with a push from a friend was also depicted in a wonderful way.
July 30, 2024
3.5 stars
I loved the idea binding all these stories together because we absolutely need more diverse stories. And fairy tales are so universal that retelling them with BIPOC protagonists makes so much sense. However, most of the stories being set in an already existing book world weakened their potential by circumscribing them within a particular plot and setting. As always, some of the stories were stronger than the others:
“Red in the Woods,” 2 stars: I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t too fond of this one. It diverged too much from Little Red Riding Hood, which made it sort of confusing and hard to follow. The premise was interesting, though.
“Shadow and Song,” 3 stars: There’s some beautiful prose here, and the characters are well-written, but it was too loosely based on Peter Pan for my liking.
“Circuits and Nerve,” 3 stars: I loved the dystopian setting for Hansel and Gretel, but the way the witch was integrated into the story didn’t make much sense.
“A Bloodstained Sun,” 3 stars: This Snow White retelling was so culturally rich, but it ended so abruptly and the villain was annoying/repetitive at the beginning. Okay, we get it, how many times does he need to be pleased by something bad?
“These Sapphire Walls,” 4 stars: A beautiful tale of gothic horror, with twists and turns despite it being so short, and complete with women supporting women.
“Waking Up,” 4 stars: This Sleeping Beauty retelling is so beautifully complex, containing a touch of horror but also delving into mental health struggles.
I loved the idea binding all these stories together because we absolutely need more diverse stories. And fairy tales are so universal that retelling them with BIPOC protagonists makes so much sense. However, most of the stories being set in an already existing book world weakened their potential by circumscribing them within a particular plot and setting. As always, some of the stories were stronger than the others:
“Red in the Woods,” 2 stars: I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t too fond of this one. It diverged too much from Little Red Riding Hood, which made it sort of confusing and hard to follow. The premise was interesting, though.
“Shadow and Song,” 3 stars: There’s some beautiful prose here, and the characters are well-written, but it was too loosely based on Peter Pan for my liking.
“Circuits and Nerve,” 3 stars: I loved the dystopian setting for Hansel and Gretel, but the way the witch was integrated into the story didn’t make much sense.
“A Bloodstained Sun,” 3 stars: This Snow White retelling was so culturally rich, but it ended so abruptly and the villain was annoying/repetitive at the beginning. Okay, we get it, how many times does he need to be pleased by something bad?
“These Sapphire Walls,” 4 stars: A beautiful tale of gothic horror, with twists and turns despite it being so short, and complete with women supporting women.
“Waking Up,” 4 stars: This Sleeping Beauty retelling is so beautifully complex, containing a touch of horror but also delving into mental health struggles.
May 13, 2024
I received a free advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This anthology features diverse short stories inspired by classic fairytales - Little Red Riding Hood; Peter Pan; Hansel & Gretel; Snow White; Bluebeard; and Sleeping Beauty. The authors are all Own Voices writers and their lived experience and love for their culture shines through each story.
As a big fan of fairytales, especially ones with an urban fantasy or sci-fi twist like many of these, I jumped at the chance to be an ARC reader. And I wasn’t disappointed!
Each story was a good length - long enough to get a satisfying tale out of it, but short enough to dip in and out of on a busy day. My favourite was CIRCUITS AND NERVE, the sci-fi Hansel & Gretel retelling.
There was so much incredible world building and really imaginative spins on classic fairytales. I would have happily have read a full-length novel of each one!
A few of the novellas felt a little rushed at the end, they needed another couple of chapters to keep the pacing smooth. Others could have used a little more backstory to the world building, I felt a little lost at times as I tried to dive in. None of these things took away from what is, ultimately, an excellent anthology.
All of the authors have other books available, and I believe each tale in this anthology is set in their own pre-existing worlds. So, the best thing of all is that I now have 6 new (to me) authors to check out and get up-to-date on!
This anthology features diverse short stories inspired by classic fairytales - Little Red Riding Hood; Peter Pan; Hansel & Gretel; Snow White; Bluebeard; and Sleeping Beauty. The authors are all Own Voices writers and their lived experience and love for their culture shines through each story.
As a big fan of fairytales, especially ones with an urban fantasy or sci-fi twist like many of these, I jumped at the chance to be an ARC reader. And I wasn’t disappointed!
Each story was a good length - long enough to get a satisfying tale out of it, but short enough to dip in and out of on a busy day. My favourite was CIRCUITS AND NERVE, the sci-fi Hansel & Gretel retelling.
There was so much incredible world building and really imaginative spins on classic fairytales. I would have happily have read a full-length novel of each one!
A few of the novellas felt a little rushed at the end, they needed another couple of chapters to keep the pacing smooth. Others could have used a little more backstory to the world building, I felt a little lost at times as I tried to dive in. None of these things took away from what is, ultimately, an excellent anthology.
All of the authors have other books available, and I believe each tale in this anthology is set in their own pre-existing worlds. So, the best thing of all is that I now have 6 new (to me) authors to check out and get up-to-date on!
October 25, 2024
This is a book that was a little out of my comfort zone as anthology of short stories. I’m not a big short story reader, but it’s been a goal of mine this year to take a chance and try more novellas and short stories.
I’m really glad I took a chance on this book. It was a fantastic read. The stories were dark. Some were thought-provoking. Some made me a little emotional. All of the authors included in this had writing styles that were evocative, even vivid. And what really stood out to me was just how fresh and unique they made all of these retellings. The base of each fairy tale is present, but each author truly made each tale their own.
There was only one story that I didn’t really connect with, A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey. I didn’t dislike the story. It just didn’t seem as strong or as fleshed out as the others, and the story itself probably isn’t one I would have picked on my own. These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles also felt a bit rushed and incomplete to me, but I absolutely loved the story. If it were expanded into something longer, I would read it in a heartbeat. I just think it needed more space and time to be fully developed. If I had to pick a favorite story, it might be a tie between Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis and Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire. I loved the other stories as well, but those two just resonated with me a little deeper.
I’m really glad I took a chance on this book. It was a fantastic read. The stories were dark. Some were thought-provoking. Some made me a little emotional. All of the authors included in this had writing styles that were evocative, even vivid. And what really stood out to me was just how fresh and unique they made all of these retellings. The base of each fairy tale is present, but each author truly made each tale their own.
There was only one story that I didn’t really connect with, A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey. I didn’t dislike the story. It just didn’t seem as strong or as fleshed out as the others, and the story itself probably isn’t one I would have picked on my own. These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles also felt a bit rushed and incomplete to me, but I absolutely loved the story. If it were expanded into something longer, I would read it in a heartbeat. I just think it needed more space and time to be fully developed. If I had to pick a favorite story, it might be a tie between Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis and Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire. I loved the other stories as well, but those two just resonated with me a little deeper.
June 19, 2025
Scifi & Fantasy fairytale retellings by BIPOC indie authors. This was a cool idea; each of the authors picked a fairytale and set it in the world of (one of) their main original series, so you get a taste of the author's writing style and some of their worlds, while also getting to enjoy creative standalones.
As usual there were some that I liked more than others, but I liked pretty much all of the ideas even when I had critiques about execution. My favorite was "These Sapphire Walls" by Krystina Coles, but every story had something unique to recommend it. In fact, Coles is the only author whose works I've never encountered before, so I was at least passingly familiar with many of the worlds already. I'm currently reading the Eden Saga by K.R.S. McEntire and R. L. Medina's Silveri Sisters books, so the tie-ins were fun to encounter. And the world of E. M. Lacey's story "Bloodstained Sun" was cool as he(ck), so now I'm curious about that as well.
Something else that was a plus for me: this is a fairytale anthology that *DOESN'T* focus exclusively romance. In fact, romance takes a back seat in most of these stories. For me, that was a plus, as I feel like romance retellings are overdone in this genre. Yes, I know I'm Spiderman-pointing at myself in the mirror. Too bad.
Cool idea, and kudos to K.R.S. McEntire for pulling it together.
As usual there were some that I liked more than others, but I liked pretty much all of the ideas even when I had critiques about execution. My favorite was "These Sapphire Walls" by Krystina Coles, but every story had something unique to recommend it. In fact, Coles is the only author whose works I've never encountered before, so I was at least passingly familiar with many of the worlds already. I'm currently reading the Eden Saga by K.R.S. McEntire and R. L. Medina's Silveri Sisters books, so the tie-ins were fun to encounter. And the world of E. M. Lacey's story "Bloodstained Sun" was cool as he(ck), so now I'm curious about that as well.
Something else that was a plus for me: this is a fairytale anthology that *DOESN'T* focus exclusively romance. In fact, romance takes a back seat in most of these stories. For me, that was a plus, as I feel like romance retellings are overdone in this genre. Yes, I know I'm Spiderman-pointing at myself in the mirror. Too bad.
Cool idea, and kudos to K.R.S. McEntire for pulling it together.
June 26, 2024
"Once Upon A Realm: Remixed Fairy Tales by Diverse Voices" is an absolute gem that I couldn't put down! This collection of stories reimagines classic fairy tales with a contemporary twist, offering a refreshing and enchanting experience for readers of all ages. Each tale is crafted by a diverse group of writers, some of whom I have had the pleasure of reading in other books and stories, and they did not disappoint here. Their unique perspectives and creative storytelling breathed new life into familiar narratives, making the book both magical and fun all around.
The writers deftly weave elements from various cultures and backgrounds into their stories, making each one a unique and engaging adventure. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journeys are both heartwarming and thought-provoking.
The magic of this anthology lies not only in its imaginative plots but also in the strong, authentic voices of the authors. Their individual styles shine through, making each story distinct yet harmoniously part of the whole collection. It is a must-read for anyone who loves fairy tales, appreciates diversity, or simply enjoys a well-told story!
The writers deftly weave elements from various cultures and backgrounds into their stories, making each one a unique and engaging adventure. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and their journeys are both heartwarming and thought-provoking.
The magic of this anthology lies not only in its imaginative plots but also in the strong, authentic voices of the authors. Their individual styles shine through, making each story distinct yet harmoniously part of the whole collection. It is a must-read for anyone who loves fairy tales, appreciates diversity, or simply enjoys a well-told story!
May 29, 2024
Short stories are a fun break from lengthy books at times. These were quick easy reads, and a few of them left me wanting to learn more about the worlds.
Shadow & Song which is loosely based on Peter Pan was probably my favorite. Short stories are hard to write. They're hard to start at the right moment. And Montrez did an amazing job with packing so much into so few words.
These Sapphire Walls, inspired by Bluebeard, which I've never seen or read before, was a fun read, and I want to know what happens after the end (I won't spoil anything for you here).
Waking Up, based on Sleeping Beauty, was a fun journey into what went on in Aurora's mind when she was sleeping.
The other stories were quick reads that weren't really my thing. I'm not a huge dystopian or sci-fi fan, so they didn't resonate with me as much.
I recommend this book for everyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings.
Shadow & Song which is loosely based on Peter Pan was probably my favorite. Short stories are hard to write. They're hard to start at the right moment. And Montrez did an amazing job with packing so much into so few words.
These Sapphire Walls, inspired by Bluebeard, which I've never seen or read before, was a fun read, and I want to know what happens after the end (I won't spoil anything for you here).
Waking Up, based on Sleeping Beauty, was a fun journey into what went on in Aurora's mind when she was sleeping.
The other stories were quick reads that weren't really my thing. I'm not a huge dystopian or sci-fi fan, so they didn't resonate with me as much.
I recommend this book for everyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings.
July 14, 2024
Thank you to the author for the ARC copy!
This was definitely an interesting mashup. It's not quite what I was expecting. And while I didn't love every story, I did thoroughly enjoy a few of them and they blew me away.
I always love finding new authors and I enjoy short fiction because it's faster to get through and gives me a more immediate dopamine rush from finishing a story.
These stories were so wildly imaginative and are all shorter works that fit into series which I thought was interesting. They are a fairytale mashup but also novellas from other series. I might even begin some of those series because these stories were so good.
They were easy to get into and interesting. I was a bit taken aback by some of the descriptions of the stories because I felt it gave away too much of the action, but I did still find I enjoyed the story all the same.
This was definitely an interesting mashup. It's not quite what I was expecting. And while I didn't love every story, I did thoroughly enjoy a few of them and they blew me away.
I always love finding new authors and I enjoy short fiction because it's faster to get through and gives me a more immediate dopamine rush from finishing a story.
These stories were so wildly imaginative and are all shorter works that fit into series which I thought was interesting. They are a fairytale mashup but also novellas from other series. I might even begin some of those series because these stories were so good.
They were easy to get into and interesting. I was a bit taken aback by some of the descriptions of the stories because I felt it gave away too much of the action, but I did still find I enjoyed the story all the same.
January 3, 2025
Fairytales are timeless not because of the simple stories at their surface that we enjoy as children, but because of the deep messages at their core that resound with us long after we leave the sweet dreams of childhood behind. This collection fully embraces the darker, twisted themes deep in the familiar stories and exposes them in ways that pierce deep to the core of what it is to be human in all aspects, including the things we run and hide from. Not just the pretty sweet things that are celebrated. In doing so, the triumphs are that much more satisfying, and the betrayals and shortcomings that much deeper and more painful.
Six stories by six authors who tell the stories differently, because they experience the world differently. this anthology is an experience sure to leave you wanting more.
Six stories by six authors who tell the stories differently, because they experience the world differently. this anthology is an experience sure to leave you wanting more.
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