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Sharper Than Thorns: An Anthology
Blood, Beasts, and Betrayal... A forest lies under the thrall of fear. Wolves stalk their prey in the night and curses plague the land. A woman and a monster forge an unlikely friendship while two royals face off over a crown. In Sharper Than Thorns , authors and poets band together to offer their own takes on the fairytale canon. These renditions may have you rethinking the stories that were once so familiar.
After all, when it comes to fairytales, beware what you think you know. For the truth can be sharper than thorns...and even stories full of roses can make you bleed.
After all, when it comes to fairytales, beware what you think you know. For the truth can be sharper than thorns...and even stories full of roses can make you bleed.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published July 30, 2022
100 people want to read
About the author
Anne J. Hill
43 books64 followersAnne J. Hill is an author who enjoys writing fantasy for all ages. Her love of words has also led to her career as a freelance writer and editor. She spends her days dreaming up fantastical realms, talking out loud to the characters in her head, and rearranging her personal library, which has been affectionately dubbed the “Book Dungeon.”
Where to find Anne:
www.annejhill.com
@anne.j.hill.editing
Where to find Anne:
www.annejhill.com
@anne.j.hill.editing
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 22, 2022
At thirty stories, this is one of the most extensive anthologies of fairy tale retellings out there. Sharper than Thorns could've been at least two separate anthologies with so many stories, but it is laid out in such a way that it is like a series of dedicated anthologies for a given fairy tale in one single book: a first section for Beauty and the Beast retellings ("Braver than Beauty"), a second for Snow White ("Stronger than Poison"), a third for Little Red Riding Hood ("Fiercer than Fangs"), and a fourth ("Mightier than Magic") for three different tales: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel.
The way the anthology is organised in parts grouping together the retellings of the same tale is neat, but if it had been up to me, I'd have saved the Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel retellings for another anthology that wasn't as thematic-heavy but a salad of different tales like most are. That last section breaks the smooth thematic layout as there's no thematic thread running through them, "magic" is not exactly a theme; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel have too different typologies to work together in a grouping, so them in the same section doesn't quite feel like it belonged here.
As to the stories themselves, I think that Part One and Part Three had the strongest writing and best stories, but each of the four parts had at least one story that stood out. For me, the outstanding ones were:
From "Braver than Beauty":
THE ROSE AND THE BULL by Tasha Kazanjian
5 stars
By far, my favourite retelling in the entire book. When it opens, it seemed as if it was going to be a Tam Lin retelling, and then a Black Bull of Norroway retelling, and finally Deirdre of the Sorrows from Scottish and Irish folklore. It's a bittersweet story that touches on dark themes and personal trauma dealt with tastefully and sensitively, with a heartwarming love story that is very low key but beautiful.
I think Tasha Kazanjian should publish this one as its own book, with perhaps a few additions by the end, because stuff like what happened to Muira and Madragh isn't shown, not that it matters because it's implied anyway.
THE BEAST IN ME by Annie Kay
4 stars
I don't care for poetry myself, and haven't liked a poetic retelling of a fairy tale since Roald Dahl, but this one took me by surprise. After the first couple of verses, I was ready to get up in arms over the claims Beast makes in this poem and was ready to fight him in defence of the original fairy tale, but by the end I was laughing out loud on realising what was going on. Clever, Annie Kay, very clever!
THORNS OF WINTER by Moriah Chavis
4.5 stars
Genderbent Beauty & Beast retellings can be a beast to pull off successfully, pun intended, ask me how many of them I've read and hated. Usually, it's the motive for the curse what kills the plot for me, and this story gives a motivation I can go along with even if there's no redemption for the Beast figure in the traditional sense.
This was my second favourite story in the anthology. I liked William, the understated Beauty figure, so brave and selfless, and I liked the world this story hints at without much need for expansion. It's a story that doesn't need it because it's one of the few self-contained and wrapped up satisfyingly.
LADY OF THE ROSES by Cassandra Hamm
4 stars
Not sure I'd count a story where the Beast figure is a domestic abuser as a retelling of Beauty & Beast, but as a story inspired by elements of this tale, it does work. I was very appreciative of the psychological understanding of the mindset of both abuser and abused, which was so well done I'm starting to think the author has first-hand knowledge. This is the second B&B-inspired story with this theme of abuse in this anthology, and whilst the other one was also done well, this was better to me because the rendition of the mindset of an abuser is so startlingly on point I had to pause at some passages and stare blankly at the wall. Might be hard to read for victims of abuse, physical and emotional, for this realism, but it's such a well-written character study!
From "Stronger than Poison":
THE SLEEPING DRAGON by Beka Gremikova
4 stars
The plot idea with Snow White's biological mother is one I've never seen before. I've seen all sorts of retellings playing with every possible family member, but never one with the biological mother and the stepmother. More can be said for Gremikova's retellings, and I will later ahead, but from this one specifically I liked also the interpretation of the poison apple. These Snow White retellings are spoiling me with their creative interpretations of the infamous apple!
QUEENSIDE by T. H. Foster
3.5 stars
An Elizabethan-like court drama that read like a crossover between The Tudors and Snow White. I mean, the king is even called Henry! It's rough on the edges in some parts, and I wish the Evil Queen figure had a different name instead of basically the same name as the stepdaughter but in another language, but overall it was such a fast-paced and enjoyable take.
FAIREST VILLAIN by Kaitlyn Emery
4 stars
This story had the same vampire interpretation of dear, creepily sweet Snow as its plot that Tanith Lee and Neil Gaiman pioneered. But this has one element neither Lee nor Gaiman thought of: what happens to the stepmother once she gets rid of the princess via apple? Read this and find out. Well, get a lead in as to the answer at least.
From "Fiercer than Fangs":
LIKE A FOX by Beka Gremikova
4.5 stars
To me, the cutest story in the anthology, and for once I put aside my aversion to werewolf stories. I have seen Little Red Riding Hood as a wolf before, but I don't think I've ever seen a Little Red Riding Fox, and it was hilarious to notice this by the end (foxes have reddish fur, you know, so...). Yes, there's still a Big Bad Wolf here, and he hasn't got the memo on what the "bad" part in Big Bad Wolf stands for, heh.
BEAST OF LORE by A. J. Skelly
3.5 stars
Yes, yes, I don't care for poetry and all that fuss, but fair is fair and this poem was good. Rhymed, even! Skelly has the talent to pull a full-novel retelling all in verse if she wanted, and even I would read her. She is able to do the "animal voice" for the predator as narrator so well, and I thought it'd continue, but it ended a tad abruptly.
THERE ARE WOLVES IN THESE WOODS by Erin Della Mattia
5 stars
Oh, boy, oh, boy, was this story painful. Beautifully written, perfectly crafted eerie setting, great psychological characterisation, excellent storytelling... but so painful! I blame Anne Applebaum for all my starvation-related nightmares, but I ain't complainin' if I get new ones from Della Mattia's story, as much as happy endings are the best endings, sometimes the greatest stories are the tragic ones. This was my third favourite, and the one that filled me with such ache that's still not gone away as I write my review.
NIGHTMARES OF SILVER AND SHADOW by Hannah Carter
4 stars
If they give a prize for original plot ideas here, Hannah Carter has won it. I don't know how she was able to come up with a Peter Pan + Little Red Riding Hood crossover, but I want to be as imaginative as her when I grow up. The villain is so punchable you'll want to volunteer your fist to meet his face, but the last lines he has before he's vanquished by our tragic hero are a bit confusing to me and took me a bit to understand what it was implying.
From "Mightier than Magic":
A TASTE OF GRACE by Beka Gremikova
4 stars
Would you ever have visualised Rapunzel's mother as an addict to (magical) rampion when you read the Perrault fairy tale? Me neither. Without spoiling it for you, I'll only add that the interpretation of the Rapunzel storyline as one of addiction was brilliant, and now I'm so wanting to read a retelling with a recovering drug addict plot but in our own times and minus magic. When I think of it, it fits so well I can't believe no one else imagined this possibility before this author did.
And speaking of Beka Gremikova, I wanted to add a few comments on her work. She was the only author that had stories in each of the four parts that stood out to me, including one in the B&B section I haven't reviewed individually entitled "Above Beauty," that also had a twist rarely done. Her stories, albeit short, sometimes too short, hint at already developed and fleshed-out backgrounds, worlds you can glimpse through that window on the wall in the back, so to speak. And because of that, with each of her stories I wanted to know more. In "Above Beauty," there's a glimpse of a world where it's a vengeful goddess that curses the heroine whilst the hero is also "cursed" by another deity that intended to bless him in reality (shades of Eros and Psyche, anyone?), but the story itself leaves so much out that it reads like a scene in a longer story, which is the reason I didn't include it above, wanting to use it to illustrate my point. I would earnestly encourage Beka to work on this one some more, and republish it, it's too good a premise to let it as is.
She should republish her Snow White retelling, too, I think. For the same reasons as the B&B one: the hint at the background is intriguing, and it'd be a shame to not expand it a little bit more. I, for one, want so much to know how come the heroine is Snow White's mother and what happened for the stepmother to have this sway over her as to order her around for criminal purposes. In short, I want the backstory. I want the backstories of all her retellings I've named, in fact, but these two in particular. The LRRH retelling and the Rapunzel retelling do work well even without any expansion on the background, but "Above Beauty" and "The Sleeping Dragon" not so much because they do suffer a bit from this underdeveloped background. Mind, I'm not suggesting a full book, a novelette or novella would do, adding a few paragraphs of additions would do. Beka has mentioned that she's working on revamped re-editions of other stories, so I'm hopeful she might want to add these two to her pile. I sure would buy and read her republished retellings, and wouldn't mind helping with them either.
So, it's been a delightful collection for fairy tale lovers, or at least it does feel like it is. Not all are direct retellings, some are "inspired by" and "based on" tale elements kind of stories, which is why I suspect tale lovers are the ones who'll enjoy them the most. The only downside were the snippets tagged "related to Thorn Tower." One or two would've been fine, but they were scattered all over the anthology, sometimes twice per section, and that I found overly self-promotional. I've never thought much of the inclusion of chapters from books that end directing the reader to said book with a "continued in..." in anthologies, and the very first story in Sharper than Thorns is precisely that, and so it didn't make a positive impression.
Many thanks to the editors for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The way the anthology is organised in parts grouping together the retellings of the same tale is neat, but if it had been up to me, I'd have saved the Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel retellings for another anthology that wasn't as thematic-heavy but a salad of different tales like most are. That last section breaks the smooth thematic layout as there's no thematic thread running through them, "magic" is not exactly a theme; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel have too different typologies to work together in a grouping, so them in the same section doesn't quite feel like it belonged here.
As to the stories themselves, I think that Part One and Part Three had the strongest writing and best stories, but each of the four parts had at least one story that stood out. For me, the outstanding ones were:
From "Braver than Beauty":
THE ROSE AND THE BULL by Tasha Kazanjian
5 stars
By far, my favourite retelling in the entire book. When it opens, it seemed as if it was going to be a Tam Lin retelling, and then a Black Bull of Norroway retelling, and finally Deirdre of the Sorrows from Scottish and Irish folklore. It's a bittersweet story that touches on dark themes and personal trauma dealt with tastefully and sensitively, with a heartwarming love story that is very low key but beautiful.
I think Tasha Kazanjian should publish this one as its own book, with perhaps a few additions by the end, because stuff like what happened to Muira and Madragh isn't shown, not that it matters because it's implied anyway.
THE BEAST IN ME by Annie Kay
4 stars
I don't care for poetry myself, and haven't liked a poetic retelling of a fairy tale since Roald Dahl, but this one took me by surprise. After the first couple of verses, I was ready to get up in arms over the claims Beast makes in this poem and was ready to fight him in defence of the original fairy tale, but by the end I was laughing out loud on realising what was going on. Clever, Annie Kay, very clever!
THORNS OF WINTER by Moriah Chavis
4.5 stars
Genderbent Beauty & Beast retellings can be a beast to pull off successfully, pun intended, ask me how many of them I've read and hated. Usually, it's the motive for the curse what kills the plot for me, and this story gives a motivation I can go along with even if there's no redemption for the Beast figure in the traditional sense.
This was my second favourite story in the anthology. I liked William, the understated Beauty figure, so brave and selfless, and I liked the world this story hints at without much need for expansion. It's a story that doesn't need it because it's one of the few self-contained and wrapped up satisfyingly.
LADY OF THE ROSES by Cassandra Hamm
4 stars
Not sure I'd count a story where the Beast figure is a domestic abuser as a retelling of Beauty & Beast, but as a story inspired by elements of this tale, it does work. I was very appreciative of the psychological understanding of the mindset of both abuser and abused, which was so well done I'm starting to think the author has first-hand knowledge. This is the second B&B-inspired story with this theme of abuse in this anthology, and whilst the other one was also done well, this was better to me because the rendition of the mindset of an abuser is so startlingly on point I had to pause at some passages and stare blankly at the wall. Might be hard to read for victims of abuse, physical and emotional, for this realism, but it's such a well-written character study!
From "Stronger than Poison":
THE SLEEPING DRAGON by Beka Gremikova
4 stars
The plot idea with Snow White's biological mother is one I've never seen before. I've seen all sorts of retellings playing with every possible family member, but never one with the biological mother and the stepmother. More can be said for Gremikova's retellings, and I will later ahead, but from this one specifically I liked also the interpretation of the poison apple. These Snow White retellings are spoiling me with their creative interpretations of the infamous apple!
QUEENSIDE by T. H. Foster
3.5 stars
An Elizabethan-like court drama that read like a crossover between The Tudors and Snow White. I mean, the king is even called Henry! It's rough on the edges in some parts, and I wish the Evil Queen figure had a different name instead of basically the same name as the stepdaughter but in another language, but overall it was such a fast-paced and enjoyable take.
FAIREST VILLAIN by Kaitlyn Emery
4 stars
This story had the same vampire interpretation of dear, creepily sweet Snow as its plot that Tanith Lee and Neil Gaiman pioneered. But this has one element neither Lee nor Gaiman thought of: what happens to the stepmother once she gets rid of the princess via apple? Read this and find out. Well, get a lead in as to the answer at least.
From "Fiercer than Fangs":
LIKE A FOX by Beka Gremikova
4.5 stars
To me, the cutest story in the anthology, and for once I put aside my aversion to werewolf stories. I have seen Little Red Riding Hood as a wolf before, but I don't think I've ever seen a Little Red Riding Fox, and it was hilarious to notice this by the end (foxes have reddish fur, you know, so...). Yes, there's still a Big Bad Wolf here, and he hasn't got the memo on what the "bad" part in Big Bad Wolf stands for, heh.
BEAST OF LORE by A. J. Skelly
3.5 stars
Yes, yes, I don't care for poetry and all that fuss, but fair is fair and this poem was good. Rhymed, even! Skelly has the talent to pull a full-novel retelling all in verse if she wanted, and even I would read her. She is able to do the "animal voice" for the predator as narrator so well, and I thought it'd continue, but it ended a tad abruptly.
THERE ARE WOLVES IN THESE WOODS by Erin Della Mattia
5 stars
Oh, boy, oh, boy, was this story painful. Beautifully written, perfectly crafted eerie setting, great psychological characterisation, excellent storytelling... but so painful! I blame Anne Applebaum for all my starvation-related nightmares, but I ain't complainin' if I get new ones from Della Mattia's story, as much as happy endings are the best endings, sometimes the greatest stories are the tragic ones. This was my third favourite, and the one that filled me with such ache that's still not gone away as I write my review.
NIGHTMARES OF SILVER AND SHADOW by Hannah Carter
4 stars
If they give a prize for original plot ideas here, Hannah Carter has won it. I don't know how she was able to come up with a Peter Pan + Little Red Riding Hood crossover, but I want to be as imaginative as her when I grow up. The villain is so punchable you'll want to volunteer your fist to meet his face, but the last lines he has before he's vanquished by our tragic hero are a bit confusing to me and took me a bit to understand what it was implying.
From "Mightier than Magic":
A TASTE OF GRACE by Beka Gremikova
4 stars
Would you ever have visualised Rapunzel's mother as an addict to (magical) rampion when you read the Perrault fairy tale? Me neither. Without spoiling it for you, I'll only add that the interpretation of the Rapunzel storyline as one of addiction was brilliant, and now I'm so wanting to read a retelling with a recovering drug addict plot but in our own times and minus magic. When I think of it, it fits so well I can't believe no one else imagined this possibility before this author did.
And speaking of Beka Gremikova, I wanted to add a few comments on her work. She was the only author that had stories in each of the four parts that stood out to me, including one in the B&B section I haven't reviewed individually entitled "Above Beauty," that also had a twist rarely done. Her stories, albeit short, sometimes too short, hint at already developed and fleshed-out backgrounds, worlds you can glimpse through that window on the wall in the back, so to speak. And because of that, with each of her stories I wanted to know more. In "Above Beauty," there's a glimpse of a world where it's a vengeful goddess that curses the heroine whilst the hero is also "cursed" by another deity that intended to bless him in reality (shades of Eros and Psyche, anyone?), but the story itself leaves so much out that it reads like a scene in a longer story, which is the reason I didn't include it above, wanting to use it to illustrate my point. I would earnestly encourage Beka to work on this one some more, and republish it, it's too good a premise to let it as is.
She should republish her Snow White retelling, too, I think. For the same reasons as the B&B one: the hint at the background is intriguing, and it'd be a shame to not expand it a little bit more. I, for one, want so much to know how come the heroine is Snow White's mother and what happened for the stepmother to have this sway over her as to order her around for criminal purposes. In short, I want the backstory. I want the backstories of all her retellings I've named, in fact, but these two in particular. The LRRH retelling and the Rapunzel retelling do work well even without any expansion on the background, but "Above Beauty" and "The Sleeping Dragon" not so much because they do suffer a bit from this underdeveloped background. Mind, I'm not suggesting a full book, a novelette or novella would do, adding a few paragraphs of additions would do. Beka has mentioned that she's working on revamped re-editions of other stories, so I'm hopeful she might want to add these two to her pile. I sure would buy and read her republished retellings, and wouldn't mind helping with them either.
So, it's been a delightful collection for fairy tale lovers, or at least it does feel like it is. Not all are direct retellings, some are "inspired by" and "based on" tale elements kind of stories, which is why I suspect tale lovers are the ones who'll enjoy them the most. The only downside were the snippets tagged "related to Thorn Tower." One or two would've been fine, but they were scattered all over the anthology, sometimes twice per section, and that I found overly self-promotional. I've never thought much of the inclusion of chapters from books that end directing the reader to said book with a "continued in..." in anthologies, and the very first story in Sharper than Thorns is precisely that, and so it didn't make a positive impression.
Many thanks to the editors for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
July 12, 2022July 12th, 2022 ETA: IT’S RELEASE DAY!!! 🥳🥳🥳 You can now purchase this beauty on Amazon & other retailers in both paperback and ebook, with a GORGEOUS hardback stuffed with bonus content soon to follow! 🥰
SHARPER THAN THORNS releases 07/12/2022! With retellings of Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, and Little Red Riding Hood, these poems and stories will challenge what you think you know about those familiar tales.
If you love fairytales, you'll want to get your claws into this one... ;-)
*goes back to drooling over the cover*
SHARPER THAN THORNS releases 07/12/2022! With retellings of Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, and Little Red Riding Hood, these poems and stories will challenge what you think you know about those familiar tales.
If you love fairytales, you'll want to get your claws into this one... ;-)
*goes back to drooling over the cover*
June 17, 2022
This is an ARC review and all opinions are my own! Sharper Than Thornes comes out July 12th!
I thought that this book was wonderful! I really enjoyed so many of the different twists each fairytale and short story took! Like Snow White as a vampire and Red Riding Hood as a werewolf! So good! I never would have thought of making those stories like that and I truly enjoyed reading the poems and pieces of Anne J. Hill's novel and characters! Some of my favorites were from Beka Gremikova and Hannah Carter! Specifically Beka's story: Like a Fox and her poem: Warm Welcome. I absolutely hated to love Nightmares of Silver and Shadow by Hannah Carter! It was so good and scary and wonderful! Oh, it was such an interesting spin on Peter Pan and Wendy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the short stories and poems in this book and I'll definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fairytales but are tired of reading the same things over and over! These delightfully wicked twists kept my attention far beyond the end of the book! Well done!
I thought that this book was wonderful! I really enjoyed so many of the different twists each fairytale and short story took! Like Snow White as a vampire and Red Riding Hood as a werewolf! So good! I never would have thought of making those stories like that and I truly enjoyed reading the poems and pieces of Anne J. Hill's novel and characters! Some of my favorites were from Beka Gremikova and Hannah Carter! Specifically Beka's story: Like a Fox and her poem: Warm Welcome. I absolutely hated to love Nightmares of Silver and Shadow by Hannah Carter! It was so good and scary and wonderful! Oh, it was such an interesting spin on Peter Pan and Wendy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the short stories and poems in this book and I'll definitely recommend it to anyone who loves fairytales but are tired of reading the same things over and over! These delightfully wicked twists kept my attention far beyond the end of the book! Well done!
July 9, 2022
I have been thoroughly impressed by the quality of the style and formatting of this book as well as the writing. I haven't gotten through all of the stories yet, but I love that aspect of anthologies, that it can be picked up here and there when you're craving a quick read. I especially love Anne J. Hill's writing! It is so smooth and satisfying, and I appreciate that as both a reader and a writer. Definitely recommend that lovers of fairy tales pick up a copy!
June 30, 2022
This is definitely one of the best anthologies I've read! You can tell how much care went into the selection of the pieces. They are well-written and intense at times, spanning multitudes of worlds and ideas so that there is something to appeal to everyone. I do caution for readers who may need content warnings: some stories include topics such as addiction, abuse, domestic violence, suicide, and depression. That said, I truly found this anthology a delight to read and believe it is greatly worth your time!
I received a copy of this book for review, however, these are my honest opinions.
I received a copy of this book for review, however, these are my honest opinions.
June 11, 2022
This book has something for every fairy tale lover. The stories and poems are filled with exciting drama, touching romance, hair-raising horror, and everything in between. I found myself drawn in by all the creative interpretations of these tales.
This book is the perfect addition to any story collection; I can't wait until I can add the physical copy to mine!
This book is the perfect addition to any story collection; I can't wait until I can add the physical copy to mine!
May 14, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
I really wanted to love this anthology more, but only a few stories (and one poem) really held my attention. Here were those pieces.
From “Braver Than Beauty” (Beauty and the Beast):
“The Rose and the Bull” by Tasha Kazanjian—you know I’m always here for stories that discuss abuse. This was absolutely gorgeous and so powerful. Definitely my favorite story in the anthology.
“Unfamiliar Stars” by Bernadette Lamb—the only sci fi story in the anthology, which makes it a bit out of place tonally but is so wonderful I don’t care. I’m here for two aliens falling in love and a wild, impossible garden on a spaceship and a fascinating religious subplot from the past.
From “Purer Than Poison” (Snow White):
“Soul Poison” by Beka Gremikova—again, I’m drawn to stories that deal with abuse. I loved the way the seven dwarves protected Snow White from the abuser she married.
“Fairest Villain” by Kaitlyn Emery—I never knew I needed Snow White with vampires. That might sound crass, but it’s actually very beautifully and emotionally done. And I mean… Snow White is fair and gorgeous with red lips and dark hair. Sounds like a vampire to me.
From “Fiercer Than Fangs” (Red Riding Hood):
“Like a Fox” by Beka Gremikova—I had read an earlier, shorter version of this story and love the additions. A beautiful piece about fox and wolf shifters, where the MC is born without the ability to shift and is an outsider, and the compassion of the wolves who took her in (plus a hint of romance). Very touching.
“There are Wolves in these Woods” by Erin Della Mattia—deliciously creepy. I don’t generally like stories dealing with cannibalism (hence why I am not putting “Nightmares of Silver and Shadow” by Hannah Carter as one of my favs—too graphic for me), I really loved the atmospheric feel of this piece. I’m not sure about the ending—I thought it was going to go a different way and I’m not sure I liked what actually happened—but it was still a fascinating piece.
From “Mightier Than Magic” (assorted):
“The Wishing Tree” by Beka Gremikova—a beautiful, compassionate look about what it is to deal with depression, the pain when you beg for God to take it away and he doesn’t, and the grace he gives as you live with it.
“World Within a World” by Emily Barnett—I’m fascinated by the concept of Sleeping Beauty finding another world in her dreams and being angry at the entitled prince who woke her and took her away from her beloved people. I want a longer story about this, about her finding that dream world again and fighting to stay there.
“A Taste of Grace” by Beka Gremikova—I’ve always loved this compassionate look at addiction based on Rapunzel’s tale. Hesitant reconciliation and so much grace. It’s so beautiful.
“Warm Welcome” by Beka Gremikova—the only poem I liked in this collection, written from the perspective of Rapunzel’s prince gaining the ability to see again and viewing his children for the first time. So lovely.
Glad I finally got around to this one!
I am a contributor to this anthology (“Lady of the Roses” and “Snow Dark”).
I really wanted to love this anthology more, but only a few stories (and one poem) really held my attention. Here were those pieces.
From “Braver Than Beauty” (Beauty and the Beast):
“The Rose and the Bull” by Tasha Kazanjian—you know I’m always here for stories that discuss abuse. This was absolutely gorgeous and so powerful. Definitely my favorite story in the anthology.
“Unfamiliar Stars” by Bernadette Lamb—the only sci fi story in the anthology, which makes it a bit out of place tonally but is so wonderful I don’t care. I’m here for two aliens falling in love and a wild, impossible garden on a spaceship and a fascinating religious subplot from the past.
From “Purer Than Poison” (Snow White):
“Soul Poison” by Beka Gremikova—again, I’m drawn to stories that deal with abuse. I loved the way the seven dwarves protected Snow White from the abuser she married.
“Fairest Villain” by Kaitlyn Emery—I never knew I needed Snow White with vampires. That might sound crass, but it’s actually very beautifully and emotionally done. And I mean… Snow White is fair and gorgeous with red lips and dark hair. Sounds like a vampire to me.
From “Fiercer Than Fangs” (Red Riding Hood):
“Like a Fox” by Beka Gremikova—I had read an earlier, shorter version of this story and love the additions. A beautiful piece about fox and wolf shifters, where the MC is born without the ability to shift and is an outsider, and the compassion of the wolves who took her in (plus a hint of romance). Very touching.
“There are Wolves in these Woods” by Erin Della Mattia—deliciously creepy. I don’t generally like stories dealing with cannibalism (hence why I am not putting “Nightmares of Silver and Shadow” by Hannah Carter as one of my favs—too graphic for me), I really loved the atmospheric feel of this piece. I’m not sure about the ending—I thought it was going to go a different way and I’m not sure I liked what actually happened—but it was still a fascinating piece.
From “Mightier Than Magic” (assorted):
“The Wishing Tree” by Beka Gremikova—a beautiful, compassionate look about what it is to deal with depression, the pain when you beg for God to take it away and he doesn’t, and the grace he gives as you live with it.
“World Within a World” by Emily Barnett—I’m fascinated by the concept of Sleeping Beauty finding another world in her dreams and being angry at the entitled prince who woke her and took her away from her beloved people. I want a longer story about this, about her finding that dream world again and fighting to stay there.
“A Taste of Grace” by Beka Gremikova—I’ve always loved this compassionate look at addiction based on Rapunzel’s tale. Hesitant reconciliation and so much grace. It’s so beautiful.
“Warm Welcome” by Beka Gremikova—the only poem I liked in this collection, written from the perspective of Rapunzel’s prince gaining the ability to see again and viewing his children for the first time. So lovely.
Glad I finally got around to this one!
I am a contributor to this anthology (“Lady of the Roses” and “Snow Dark”).
June 6, 2022
This collection offers young adult fantasy in short stories and poems with sharp-tipped homage to the original fairytales but there are still sparks of hope. Standouts for me include Emily Barnett's The Garden (I cried), AJ Skelly's Beast of Lore (fun but vicious) and The Rose and the Bull by Tasha Kazanjian (my favorite of the collection) and such a great variety of writing, so look no further for twisted retellings and unique takes on classics!!
June 10, 2022
An incredible collection of poetry and short stories featuring retellings and reimagines of classic fairy tales. It is a fresh take on classic tales with each offering their own twist. A must read.
July 5, 2025
This collection, which includes both prose and poetry, is divided into four parts: Beauty and the Beast retellings, Snow White retellings, stories with Shifters, and other fairytales. There is a great selection of fantasy tales with a couple of stories with science fiction elements.
My favorite section is the stories with nods to Snow White. These stories and poems felt fresh with nods to the well known tell rather than feeling redundant. I did feel the first section came across a little repetitive BUT still enjoyable. I know the publisher has an upcoming Snow White specific collection releasing in the future and I am greatly looking forward to reading it!
Additionally, I love how there are several pieces that give glimpses into the upcoming fantasy novel, Thorn Tower, by Anne J. Hill (one of the editors)—including the opening and closing stories. This touch helped me become even more excited about the novel’s future release!
Overall, fans of fairy tales and fantasy should read this!
My favorite section is the stories with nods to Snow White. These stories and poems felt fresh with nods to the well known tell rather than feeling redundant. I did feel the first section came across a little repetitive BUT still enjoyable. I know the publisher has an upcoming Snow White specific collection releasing in the future and I am greatly looking forward to reading it!
Additionally, I love how there are several pieces that give glimpses into the upcoming fantasy novel, Thorn Tower, by Anne J. Hill (one of the editors)—including the opening and closing stories. This touch helped me become even more excited about the novel’s future release!
Overall, fans of fairy tales and fantasy should read this!
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