Recent Retellings!
Hey, guess what? This is not the actual topic, but I have been reading a bunch of retellings lately, and many have been really, really good. I am going to tell you a little secret. I had not read the original version of many of these retellings, but I love being able to figure out which elements the author kept and which elements they added. So, I sort of cheat. As if I was in high school, I read the Cliff's Notes, and from there, I evaluate. The following is a list of some retellings I have recently read and enjoyed. Do you see any favorites on my list?
- The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston - The Prince and the Pauper
- The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson - Much Ado About Nothing
- If I'm Being Honest by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka - The Taming of the Shrew
- Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins - Mansfield Park
- We Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan - Cyrano de Bergerac
- Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh - Sense and Sensibility
- Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo - Roman Holiday
- Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George - Much Ado About Nothing
- Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson - The Importance of Being Earnest
- Geekerella by Ashley Poston - Cinderella
Do you like retellings?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
I loved the Ashley Poston ones!
ReplyDeleteI was so excited that we got a second novel in that world, and I hope she writes another
DeleteSome cool ones here!
ReplyDeleteLotte | www.lottelauv.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks!
DeleteIt's not too often that I haven't read *any* of the books you share but that's the case this week. Boo. Some I'm familiar with (Geekerella has always looked so cute) but some are new to me. And some - like Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things - I didn't even know was a retelling!
ReplyDeleteHS&OBT isn't out yet, so I cannot fault you on not knowing about that one. I just loved it so much, I had to include it on the list. I didn't know it was supposed to be a retelling, but as soon as I saw the name of the town and the story started to unfold, it felt familiar, and sure enough, when I looked into it, I found my answer.
DeleteI haven't read any of the original books or the retellings-well, a short fairy story for kids of Cinderella but that's about it!
ReplyDeleteI have read many fairytales, so those stories I am really familiar with, but many of the others, I have only seen the films.
DeleteI love re-tellings, especially when they are done well and have their own spin on the story. I need to check some of these out!
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting for me to try and find the original in there, but I have read a few, that really took the bones of the original and made something so fresh and new.
DeleteI loved Geekerella, and have a copy of The Princess and the Fangirl that I still need to read. I like retellings too, so this was a fun list! I did the bookmarks this week, and you can see my post HERE.
ReplyDeleteThe Princess and the Fangirl was fun. I did like Geekerella a wee bit more, but both were worthy of my time.
DeleteI need to read a retelling to finish a challenge before the end of the year, so thanks for the ideas!!
ReplyDeleteHope one of these sounds interesting to you. Good luck with your challenge
Deletei used to pass over retellings but after i read the first one i found i was missing some good stuff. these are all new to me
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
I love them, especially if I am familiar with the original story. I read mostly contemporaries, and Jane Austen seems to provide a bulk of the source material. I must admit, I have read NONE of her books, but the films are abundant.
DeleteI haven't read any on this list yet, but Somewhere Only We Know, and If I'm Being Honest are on my TBR!
ReplyDeleteBoth were so, so good. They were fun and funny and left me really happy
DeleteHahaha I love your twist of today's theme Sam! And you should try A Curse So Dark and Lonely! I know you don't seem to read lots of fantasy but it was excellent (Beauty and the beast)
ReplyDeleteI love Kemmerer, but I am not that into fantasy books, which is why I skipped it. Fantasy is such a commitment. They always tend to turn into series.
DeleteAh this is a lovely list! I adore If I'm Being Honest so much and Ordinary Girls is on my TBR, it sounds so good :)
ReplyDeleteBoth those books were fun, cute, and happy inducing. I hope you get a chance to read them
DeleteI just adored Speak Easy, Speak Love. I need to pick up some more retellings and you have quite a few here to her me started too.
ReplyDeleteThat book is so underrated. I wish more people were screaming about that. It's an older read for me, but I really wanted to showcase it, because it deserved more love.
DeleteYAY! Retellings are my favorite and I haven't read ANY of these! Thanks for all the recs! The Princess and the Fangirl is one I've meant to read forever.
ReplyDeleteWell, they are all contemporaries. Both Poston's books are really fun, and she does a nice job taking us to the Con.
DeleteHaha, I often have not read the original, either!
ReplyDeleteI would be better off reading SFF retellings, because more of them are based on fairytales, which I have read.
DeleteI loved Geekerella - I'm going to have to read more Poston.
ReplyDeleteThat book was so cute, and I just remember smiling until my face hurt
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but Lauren Layne has a series that's all NA retellings and I loved those.
ReplyDeleteI love Layne. I have to research that
DeleteGeekerella and Speak Easy, Speak Love are two of my favorite retellings.
ReplyDeleteThey are the oldest books on this list, but I needed to throw a spotlight on them, because I loved them so much
DeleteI haven't read Taming of the Shrew, but I've loved film re-tellings so I'd like to give one a go. I've read several Jane Eyre re-tellings and also the original, and there's only one modern version I actually love: Jane by April Lindner. At the time I liked it better than the original. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was not one the plays we read in school, but I have seen many movies based on it and the stage productions. I think it's good I haven't read the originals, because I go in with no expectations. Some of these retellings are based on some well revered books, and I know people often have *feelings* about these retellings.
DeleteRetellings of awesome that should all be movies (instead of another that I got ranty about this week sighs)
ReplyDeleteLW has been done a lot, but honestly, so have Austen's books. I think it's a challenge for an author to redo something that has been done so many times before and for them to still make it fresh and new.
DeleteI love that you're another blogger picking their own theme for this week and that you're doing retellings as it fits with your reading lately. I also love that you read the cliff notes to figure out how close to the original some of these books were! I suppose it's far quicker than attempting to read the stories some of these books were based on. Especially if it was a classic as some of those books are long!
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not feeling the topic, I am still doing TTT, because I love making lists of books that are related in some way and it let's me shout about a bunch of great books I read. I am always curious about choices the authors made - did they make that choice or were they being true to the source material? Hearts, Strings, and other Breakable Things had this one thing happen, which I was sort of sad about, though, it was in the original. I needed to verify the author didn't make that terrible choice on her own.
DeleteI enjoy a good retelling! I haven't read any of these books, but was really interested in checking out Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things! A pretty recent retelling that I( read and enjoyed was Ayesha At Last. It was a Pride and Prejudice retelling!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Ayesha was great. I also enjoyed that book. I stuck to only YA, but I have read some amazing adult contemporary retellings too, though I don't feel like they are as popular, other than P&P. I feel like there were 5 or 6 P&P adult contemporary retellings this year alone.
DeleteIf I'm Being Honest is on my wishlist, and Speak Easy Speak Love is actually on my kindle waiting for me to read. You know I love Shakespeare and fairytale retellings so this list is perfect for me. I also have Geekerella waiting for me on my shelves. I didn't know that the Maureen Goo book was a retelling though D: And of a unique pick to retell as well!
ReplyDeleteBoth the Wibberley/Sigmund-Broka books are fabulous. I can't wait for their next release. If you have the time, you should give Speak Easy a try. It was so good. Geekerella made me so happy. I you are looking for a feel good book, that one will do it.
DeleteI usually shy away from retellings if I haven't read the original. I feel like I'm going to miss all the nuance of a retelling if I don't have a firm grasp of the story it's based on. Googling plot summaries is a good way to familiarize yourself, at least a little bit, with the original.
ReplyDeleteI can understand that, but I sort of just look at it as a story new to me. I sort of think it makes it better, because I go in with no real expectations, whereas a purist might be frustrated with the way the author "retold" the tale.
DeleteI have no words to explain how much I love retellings. <3 Sadly, I haven't read a single one that you mentioned - nevertheless, I've been eyeing Speak Easy, Speak Love.
ReplyDeleteHappy readings! ;)
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
You read a lot more fantasy. These are all contemporaries, except Speak Easy, which is historical fiction. If you get some time, Speak Easy was wonderful!
DeleteGeekerella is on my kindle but I haven't read it yet. I love the idea of it and the cover but the mood has never struck to get stuck in. Same with The Princess and The Fangirl... Except it's not on my kindle, lol.
ReplyDeleteI love re-tellings. I want to read more of them.
If you need a super cute, fun read, read Geekerella. It just made me smile so much.
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