Freaky Fairytales Volume One: A Short & Spicy Story Collection

by Ellis Worth, Dani Staro

Short. Spicy. Exhilarating.

Story One- Ariana & the Kraken King

From a young age, Ariana Dinglehopper always believed she was from another world. Drawn to the sea for reasons she cannot explain, she’s torn between wanting to appease her father, and wanting to explore her destiny; until one night changes everything.

Killian of Atlantica, the Kraken King, has been searching the seas for his fated mate for centuries. What he did not realize is that fate gifted her to land, not the sea. With the help of a Sea Witch, bonds and secrets are revealed, and Ariana must choose which wave to ride.

Story Two- Kiss Me, Little Witch


Hanson Grim is not the average, pretty rich boy. Sure he’s hot, a football star, and has loads of friends; deep down, he prefers solitude and building legos.

Gretchen Wittich is the new girl in town looking for a fresh start with her recently divorced mother.

When Hanson meet Gretchen at a pool party, he is instantly drawn to her, but their first encounter is nothing short of a disaster and their instant connection fizzles. That is until they discover they are about to become step siblings.

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2026

Reviews

[Melissa McAvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author

If you love a good collection of short stories that hook you, reel you in, throw you back out, only to reel you in again, you'll love this collection! It is volume 1 of fairytales reimagined. Ellis Worth collaborated with Dani Staro in these 2 short stories. Ellis Worth is an amazing author who has a knack for spice and Dani Staro is a narrator with a voice that melts like butter, making her author debut! It's the best of both worlds here!

Story #1: Ariana and the Kraken King: ooh this story hits hard and fast! Ariana has always been drawn to the sea but can't quite figure out why...until the Sea Daddy of all sea daddies waltzes into her life. Killian has been searching for his fated mate for centuries. Just when he thinks he may never find her, enter Ariana. These 2 are steamy from the start! Along comes a Sea Witch with some secrets of her own that forces Ariana to choose between the land and the sea. This story will leave you wanting more!

Story #2: Kiss Me Little Witch: Step-sibling trope alert in FULL SWING y'all!! This story was my favorite of the 2 stories! Hanson is the football star. He stumbles into Gretchen at a pool party where everything goes wrong! When they discover their parents are getting married, tension and sparks ignite! They try to deny it, but when they're accidentally trapped in their cellar, all alone, all bets are off!! When Hanson tells her "This won't be a rush job" and "I'm going to take my time with you", the spice is so hot it will leave you blushing and sweating 🥵

This collection was the perfect quick read with just the right amount of spice! I personally love these amazing, quick reads in between the longer reads. I HIGHLY recommend this one! A big "Thank you" goes out to Ellis Worth and Dani Staro for allowing me to be a part of the process! Congrats and much love ladies! I can't wait to see more from you! Much like this collection, you've left me wanting more!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Daddy. That is all. Are you looking for a book where you don't have to think just read? Look no further cuz this is it. I swear to you the stuff I have been reading lately is questionable but I love it lol.
Part 1 Ariana and The Kraken King: Insta bang (if thats a thing, nope I decided thats the word we are going with because that is what happened) cuz 😮‍💨 Ariana has always been called to the sea, she finds solace in it and it feels like home to her. One night a stranger offers a "good time" 🌶️ if you know what I mean 😉 and to show her the true sea that calls to her. Killian has always been alone and hiding his true self as the Kraken King, feeling as though he will never find love, until he comes across Ariana, his mate...his little siren. He knows there is something special about her and is determined to help her find out and to keep her. Do they find out why the sea really calls to her, can she leave the human world behind to be the true mate to the Kraken King?

Part 2. Kiss Me Little Witch... When Gretchen and Hanson first meet they get hot and heavy and then all of the sudden Gretchen ends it and Hanson gets embarrassed and resents her from then forward. A chance meeting again because of their parents getting married. Will their attraction implode again?

Read along to find out how both of these conclude!

[Felecia Rodney · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:

If you love imaginative, fresh spins on classic tales, this collection is an absolute must-read. Freaky Fairytales Volume 1 brings together two incredibly distinct short stories that perfectly balance sweet romance with a fantastic dash of spice.

Story #1: Ariana and the Kraken King – This gave off fantastic paranormal vibes. Ariana is torn between her father and her unexplainable draw to the sea, until she meets Killian, the Kraken King who has searched centuries for his fated mate. With a Sea Witch revealing secrets, Ariana has a choice to make. I loved her determination: “I’d rather live believing in the impossible, than turn into a shell of the woman that I’d eventually become.”

Story #2: Kiss me, little Witch – A step-siblings romance? I mean, why not, right?! Hanson is a hot football star who secretly loves building Legos, and Gretchen is the new girl in town. Their pool party introduction is a disaster, but the connection sparks when they realize their parents are blending their families.

Both stories were so sweet, had some great spice, and made for a perfect quick read. A huge thank you to Ellis Worth and Dani Staro for the ARC, and congratulations to Dani Staro on her fantastic author debut!

[Rhonda Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first short story of Ellis Worth and Coauthor Dani Staro who is also an awesome Audiobook narrator.

We start off with story of Ariana and the Kraken King .

Ariana loves the ocean and wants to be in the depths of the waves but her Father keeps her on land. Killian is searching for his true love. You will love how this story also has a touch of mystery and the Sea witch who tried to give Ariana hints of the family secret that has been hidden. This is a spicy fast burn and you will want more after this.

Then we have Kiss me little witch

This is a different take of Hansel and Gretel. We have Gretchen and Hanson who find out their parents are getting married and neither knew until they come face to face. I truly loved reading these and am so proud of Dani Staro she is my top audiobook narrator and now she has gained a spot for top reads can not wait to read more of Eli’s and Dani what a dynamic duo!


I am honored to be a ARC/ALC for Ellis Worth and Dani Staro!

[Norahsbookworld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Ellis Worth & Dani Staro
Book: Freaky Fairytales Volume One: A Short & Spicy Story Collection

★★★★★ (5 Stars)

Thank you, Ellis Worth and Dani Staro, for this freaking delicious book!

Two fairy tale retellings in one book!!
Be still my heart. Ellis does it again! The queen of why-choose romance and curvy FMCs proves, once again, why she’s one of my favorites.

Ariana and the Kraken King delivers a sea-soaked romance with Killian, a protective Kraken King, and Ariana, whose mysterious pull toward the ocean hides more than she ever imagined. Then Kiss Me, Little Witch flips Hansel and Gretel on its head with Hanson, a football star who secretly loves building LEGO® sets, and Gretchen, whose unexpected family surprise leads to a sweet, funny, and spicy romance.

Both stories are quick, clever, and packed with the perfect balance of heat, heart, and humor. I finished this collection wanting Volume Two immediately. Hands down, this is a five-star read!

[Charity Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Cow, you had me at "Sea Daddy" !!!! What a spicy, spicy spin on childhood fairytales. They are definitely not your bedtime fairytales.You get two different fairytale reimaginings in one book.
I love the reimagining of the Little Mermaid. It was such a great twist. You get insta love/fated mates and monster/human smutt. That all mixes extremely well.
Plus, this is the first time I have read a Hansel and Gretel reimagining. And it did disappoint. Yes, they are stepsiblings. But they were not raised together.
Ellis Worth is the Queen of spicy fairytale reimagining. And Dani Staro is an amazing narrator who has done some of my favorite books. Together, they have transported me into a world I love. I would recommend these fairytales to anyone who likes some spice added to your stories.

[Aimee C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana and the Kraken King
Ariana longs for the lost voice of the sea it seems so familiar when it calls for her. This twist on a fairytale was a spicy one to read.Never thought of seagulls as rats with wings until now either. A short read with a sweet kraken and a family secret.

Kiss me, little Witch
Gretchen and Hanson find out their single parentsare not only dating. They are engaged and getting married this weekend. I love that Hanson has a ton of Lego creations as a grown man (reminds of my partner). I think its kind of nice to see the adult children happy about their parents marriage. That doesnt happy very often with step sibling books. Their was some spice to it but i feel it was mainly sweet story.

[Jen Wycech · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick easy read with great imagination behind these short stories.

These are such easy reads that I finished in one sitting.

Story #1 Ariana and the Kraken King
Ariana is searching for belonging not feeling as if she fits in her world. Finding her fated mate and that she is not what she thought she was is a wonderfully enthralling read.

Story #2
Kiss me, little witch
A spin on Hanson & Gretel that will have you entertained throughout the story.

Both stories are well written and have great characters. I found them to be enjoyable.

[O.C. Rockwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freaky Fairytales was everything I hoped for and then some! Twisted fairytale vibes, deliciously unhinged characters, and enough tension to keep me glued to the pages. I laughed, gasped, blushed, and questioned my sanity more than once—and I loved every second of it. Ellis Worth has a talent for taking familiar stories and turning them into something dark, addictive, and impossible to put down. If you like your fairytales with a wicked twist and characters you'll happily obsess over, this one deserves a spot on your shelf.

[Selena Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this in one sitting.

The fact that this book has TWO completely different spicy stories kept everything feeling fresh, and I never once felt like I was reading the same thing twice.

I was hooked from the very first line:
“I’ve known since I was a little girl that I was different. I’m not made to live a life on the land.”

And can we talk about the quotes before each chapter? Such a small detail, but I loved them. They added so much to the vibe. If you’re looking for a quick, addictive, spicy read that’ll have you saying “just one more chapter”… this is it.

[Lisas_little_book_corner513 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved these short spicy fun reads!! There are 2 different stories in here.

Book 1 is Arianna and The Kraken King!! It gives us Little Mermaid vibes with an instabang!!! Idk if thats a word but we're going with it. These 2 burn hot and heavy and he uses his tentacles to do some spicy delicious things!!!

Book 2 is Kiss Me Little Witch and follows Gretchen and Hanson and this is a steamy stepsiblings second chance romance.

[Molly Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Two incredibly creative fairytale retellings that are the perfect mix of spice and story. You have a Little Mermaid retelling where the prince is actually a Kraken King, and yes, he does use his tentacles to pleasure her! While the second is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel with a step-sibling twist and attraction neither can deny! Vol. 2, where are you?

[♥︎Obsidian°Scorpio°Reads♥︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis & Dani what world did you pull me into?

The way this captivated me was something surreal, honestly just ride the waves in this book. The more you get immerse yourself in this store the more you dont want to leave. Exceptionally good!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

[Stacy Denison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your average fairytale stories! Steamy renditions are sure to please the spicy palate. First is a retelling similar to the Little Mermaid and second is a stepbrother/sister with a Batman fan. I actually would like to read their story further!