Not Your Ever After: An Anthology of Crooked Fairy Tales

by Ash Whitaker, Debbie Lynn, Hana Maren Godfrey

In fairy tales, gentle maidens are rescued by dashing princes and happily ever after is guaranteed. The truth, however, is something more crooked.

What if Red challenged the wolf?
What if a vengeful thief wore the glass slipper?
What if beauty became a beast?

In this collection, beloved stories are reborn with fantastical twists and fierce imagination. Spanning multiple genres and styles, it highlights new voices from fantasy, science-fiction, and romance, each offering a daring take on timeless tales. Uncover wicked magic, cunning heroines, and secrets lurking beneath the surface of every enchanted world.

Be warned, this is Not Your Ever After.

Featuring retellings of:
Cinderella
Beauty and the Beast
The Frog Prince
Hansel and Gretel
Red Riding Hood

Contributing authors:
Ash Whitaker, Debbie Lynn, Hana Maren Godfrey, Charlie Morgan, and C. P. Ashton

396 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2025

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, let’s talk about Not Your Ever After: An Anthology of Crooked Fairy Tales.

One thing about me, I absolutely LOVE anything Grimm related and Fairy Tale re-tellings, so I was beyond excited to receive this ARC.

And, Y’all…it did not disappoint. Ash Whitaker starts us off with Ashes & Alibis, a retelling of Cinderalla where Ember and her beloved Stepmother and Sisters work together to pull themselves out of the poverty her father left them in, by being a team of skilled thieves!
I absolutely LOVED it. While the ending is open-ended and not a firm HEA, it leaves enough space for you to come up with your own ending, which I’ve already played out in my mind…(happy sigh) 🤭👑👠

Next we have By Any Other Name by Debbie Lynn.
In this story, the tables have turned…the beast, Ademina, is the reclusive owner of a secluded countryside manor and Beau plays the part of Belle, working on his doctoral thesis he’s determined to replicate the mysterious powers of the roses that grow only at this manor.
It’s a short story, so I can’t say much without giving away a lot of the plot, but I will say this…It was definitely not the ending I was expecting, especially after reading Ashes & Alibis.

Then we have Clever by Hana Maren Godfrey who gives us a mashup/remix of The Frog Prince and The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Y'all, I thought Ashes and Alibis was going to be my favorite story until I read this one. But this, this one is my new favorite fairytale, y’all!
Leonora, the only one of the 12 sisters without magic is the daring heroine we didn’t know we needed.
Fav. Quote from this story: “I do not require rescue, but thank you all the same. I have saved myself as you can see, but I am pleased you are well and have not been eaten.” 🤗

Fourth in this anthology is All That Glitters is Not Gold by Charlie Morgan, a horror origin story inspired by Hansel and Gretel…
Reading the synopsis for this one I was a bit apprehensive but Charlie Morgan knows what they are doing. I might’ve cried a bit on this one and I really felt for what Eira went through, losing her father and in a way her mother. She was the sole provider of the family and had so much responsibility resting on her shoulders, yet she always longed for more and that’s what led to her downfall. It was a really sad story, but I was happy with the way she took control of herself in the end…Well mostly 😉

And last, but certainly not least, is the Little Red Riding Hood reimagining: Code Red by C.P. Ashton.
This one was a sci-fi, tech story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. It was a beautiful story about ‘figuratively’ clawing your way out of the wolfs belly. Which is what Scarlet did as she saw her ex for who he really was and fought to find an antidote to the problem he’d created.

Long review short, would I recommend this anthology? 100% yes! My faves, in order, “Clever”, “Code Red”, and “Ashes and Alibis”.
Overall, this was a five star read and definitely a book I would re-read again and again!

[Gil-Lana Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC copy: I could not put this down.

Not Your Ever After is a darkly enchanting collection of reimagined fairy tales that twist the stories we thought we knew. Each author brings a unique voice and creative spin, turning familiar worlds of princes, princesses, and villains into something thrilling, unexpected, and deeply human.

What makes this anthology stand out is how it blends fantasy with emotion and modern themes. The stories explore love, betrayal, power, and identity—all through fresh perspectives that challenge traditional “happily ever afters.” Some tales are haunting, others hopeful, but all leave a lasting impression.

The writing throughout the collection is vivid and imaginative, drawing readers into worlds both strange and beautiful. Each story feels complete on its own, yet together they form a powerful reminder that fairy tales don’t always have neat endings—and that’s what makes them real.

Overall, Not Your Ever After: An Anthology of Crooked Fairy Tales is a spellbinding and thought-provoking read for anyone who loves fairy tales with a dark twist. Five shining stars for creativity, emotion, and pure storytelling magic. ✨

[Carol Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Your Ever After is a wonderfully twisted collection of fairy-tale retellings that leans into the strange, the sharp, and the unexpected. Each story takes a familiar tale and warps it just enough to feel new, sometimes darker, sometimes more empowering, and always a little crooked in the best possible way.

As with most anthologies, a few stories stood out more than others, but the overall quality is strong, and the authors each bring something unique to the table. The tones range from eerie to whimsical to downright haunting, so there’s always something to keep you turning pages.

If you love fairy tales that bite back or enjoy anthologies that play with genre and mood, this is a fun and imaginative read that puts a clever twist on “happily ever after.”

[Kaely Shepard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your Ever After is a darkly fun twist on fairy tales. Each story was wholly unique and a fun take on well known classics. I wasn’t able to predict what was happening next and each story kept me wanting more.

I enjoyed each authors take on their fairy tales. My favorites were Ashes and Alibis a retelling of Cinderella and All that glitters is not gold a Hansel and Gretel retelling. With dark themes with doses of nostalgia it’s the perfect anthology to snuggle up to on a rainy autumn day.

Perfect for any adult who loves fairy tales and twisted reimagining’s.

***I was honored to have gotten to read this as an ARC. These thoughts and feelings are my own.***

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology of twisted tales was such a quick and fun read!

All five stories had a unique voice, and the authors did a great job at taking elements from the classic tales, making them their own with surprising or dark twists that made for endings of hope and misfortune.

With each read, the stories just kept getting better and better!

Thank you so much to the authors for providing me with an ARC copy of their book! <3

[A. R. Amerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab your winter blankets and a cup of cocoa, these five authors have come together and spun a hauntingly sweet series of twisted fairy tales that are perfect for a mate night by the fire. With mixed elements of mystery, heartbreak, love, and loss, I gobbled up this anthology in 2 days flat. Each author has a distinct voice that intertwines perfectly with the other four co-authors. One of the best anthologies I have read in a long while. Sometimes, happily ever after, isn't so sweet. ;)

[Woody Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun anthology of crooked fairy tales, each one bringing their own voice to the stories! This collection kept the timelessness of the original stories while adding heists, botany (so much botany!), adventure, banter, and true power of distinct characters, making all five stories fun to read and stick with you!
Love it all so much!

[Justene Ortman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be sent this book as an ARC. Each story is a variation on classic fairy tails . The stories gives you enough that you feel satisfied and the beginning introductions tells you what fairy tails inspired them. If you’re someone who likes stories with familiar characters but told in a different way this book is for you.

[Kassie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology of fairy tale retellings is amazing! So well-written, immersive, and unique. I've read my fair share of retellings and these are probably some of the best, freshest takes on classics that I've ever read. I love that the authors weren't afraid to not give HEA endings, too. By Any Other Name is definitely going to stick with me for a bit.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the crooked fairy tale anthology you didn't know you needed. Seriously. Every single story in here was incredible. I wouldn't be upset if the authors decided to put out a second volume of these stories. 😅

Stories include retellings of:

-Cinderella 👠
-Little Red Riding Hood 🐺
-Beauty & the Beast 🌹
-Hansel & Gretel 🍭
-The Frog Prince/Twelve Dancing Princesses 🐸👑

[Hayley Winkles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of these stories were soo good ! These Fairytale retellings will take you through loads of twists and turns ! The plots on the fairytales are like nothing I have read before ! Each author did such an amazing job putting their twist on the stories they told. These are definitely not your normal fairytales 🖤

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of new renderings of old fairy tales and each story is amazing! Each one is imaginative, creative, and written in such a way as to pull you into the narrative. The plot twists are such that you recognize elements of the old stories without feeling that you’re re-reading a tale from long ago. Way to go ladies! Can’t wait for you all to write a sequel!

[vickies_corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this was surprising and fascinating to read. 5 fairy tales told completely different but you still recognize them. 5 different authors, 5 different writing styles. This was nice. So honored to have read this before release.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good read with darker twists on the fairy tales we all know. I loved how each author had their own style and put a unique spin on their story. The mix of fantasy and modern elements worked so well. Ashes and Alibis ended up being my favorite, but I really enjoyed them all!

[sara_explores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's talk about "Not Your Ever After" by Ash Whitaker and others.

I truly enjoyed this anthology of fairy tales with a twist. The retellings were unique, enjoyable to read, well written, and made for a wonderful twist on what we typically see. It's dark, it's electric, it's different in a way that makes you stop and think to yourself "What if it happened this way instead of what it was?"

We get five unique twists on five classic fairy tales and each one is just spot on superb.

Thank you to Ashley and team for the advanced reader copy and for my open and honest review.

✨ Twisty Fairy Tales
✨ Short Story Telling
✨ Found Family Vibes
✨ Dark and Menacing

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice: 🫑
Series: Standalone

[Shauna Pharris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology of fairy tale retellings was fun to read! The reimagining of well known stories is always exciting to me. I loved how the authors didn't mind a not happy ending. My favorite was the Cinderella retelling. I found a new favorite author to follow with that one!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great! Don't really have any complaints.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories in Not Your Ever After. The authors did a great job with reworking fairy tales to have a modern twist. Each story is the perfect length and I loved reading them!