The modern fairy tale
921443
Went to see this movie in town last night and i was waiting for it since my kiwi friend from Auckland mentionned it.
God i wasn't disappointed, the story is unique, the fairy tale kind without the fairy aunts help, the photography is amazing , Pai is bound to a great career,
I was moved by the characters connection, strength and weakness, faith in destiny , awaiting the prophet , the tribe leader that turned out to be ... a girl. She then has to fight her grandfather reluctancy , to prove herself wise and strong to be the chief (with the support of Nanny Flowers and her uncle)
I recommend the movie for whom wants to dream for 105min
2787126
If you like well-written modern-day fairy tales, you just might want to check out ENCHANTMENT.
Our Ukrainian protagonist actually gets to travel into a different time and place where Sleeping Beauty is real. But hey, he doesn't get stuck there. He even manages to take Beauty back to the present with him.
If you're interested in the twists and turns that can come up in such a story, read ENCHANTMENT. It looks like one of the best novels Orson Scott Card has written.
1113802
This was an interesting book. It was twist on beauty and the beast in modern times. Without deeply going into the fairytale. It was it's one story. Really well done.
4444364
The Binding is a neatly wrapped package of fairy tale romance and sci-fi grit. It is a major sensory book, as you will discover as you get into the main crisis of the story, and this more than anything binds the reader to the plot experience. A couple of characters feel stock and predictable, but the majority are well designed and authentic. Though the setting is positively medieval, the language, inferences and interactions are quite post-modern and would easily appeal to today's teens. Highly recommend as a clean read for ages 14-18.
4282750
"Irregular Fairy Tales" a book with a modern twist
Irregular Fairy Tales by Scott Teel is a fun book to read I would recommend this book to anyone who has a dry sense of humor and does not believe in happily ever after.  The stories are a modern version to old fairytales I read as a child, they are wickedly good, realistic and refreshing.  Scott Teel truly knew is audience and was not thinking about the traditionalist when writing Irregular Fairy Tales. C.B
2139445
I loved fairy tales as a child, and would spend hours pouring through the original Hans Christian Anderson and Brothers Grimm I found in my mom's study. These stories were very dark and years too old and mature for me, but I didn't care. Now, as an adult, I'm still hooked on the growing genre of novels that seek to recreate and pay homage to these childhood tales. Beastly is a great example -- a modernization of Beauty and the Beast told from the perspective of the Beast, a 15-year-old boy that's been turned into a monster by an enchantress because of his ugly-on-the-inside behavior and his focus on physical beauty.

The book follows Kyle Kingsley through his transformation over the course of two years, which he spends in solitude reading and becoming a real person. In the course of this, the story recreates the key plot points of the original fairy tale. The best needs to find a girl to love him and share a kiss of true love within two years -- a tall task when you're covered in fur. One night, a drug addict crashes into the Beast's brownstone to rob him, and when he's caught, offers to give his 16-year-old daughter to the Beast as a companion. The girl turns out to be a shy scholarship student at Kyle's former school, and of course, they do eventually fall in love and get their happy ever after.

This is a fun and fast read that fairy tale lovers of any age will enjoy. My favorite modern element added to the story was chat transcripts with other mythological beings -- funny stuff.
2649721
Many modern authors are toying with the history, reality, and meaning of beloved fairy tales. This retelling is quite new; I enjoy how the author pulled characters in from all walks of literature and not just the Grimm tome that Disney destroyed.

I enjoyed the prequels to this series and will likely be following the rest of the world. It's no Wicked or Alice, but it's worth a read.
3920069
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Royal Rock is a modern fairy tale. A tough heroine and her parents are invited to an unknown kingdom ... the king a dominant Alpha.
The story contains a lot of royal banter, quite a bit of action, some moments of surprise and of course a happy ending, like all fairy tales.
I was captivated from the first moment and could not put down the story.
4530565
Great story that incorporates a fairy tale and it is nicely done! Modern mixed with fantasy made for a fun read! Thoroughly enjoyed it!
3573739
The tune from the Disney version of the Fairy Tale croons in my ears as I read the blub for this story. I love twists on Fairy Tales and Cinderella is a classic. Except this one doesnt want to get marriedand shes not a poor scullery maid.
Interesting.

I love Charlie (aka Cinderella) from the instant she steps out of the cab into the rain. Shes no pitiful poor-me, covered-in-ashes, awaiting her fairy God-mother version thats for sure. Shes a quip-cracking, spit-fire with a head on her shoulders, talent in her fingers, a dream in her heartand a pair of red shoes.
With tongue-in-cheek story telling (Kings, Royals, and the main male lead with the nickname of Prince Charming) the author launches into a humorous light read that isn't easy to put down. The characters are given a contemporary makeover, (figuratively as well as literally) and are pleasingly three dimensional. Yes even the wicked step-mother who, while I don't agree with her reasoning or her greed, gets to be a real person and not totally a villain for the sake of being a villain...mostly. (Shes still a villain and winner of the not a very nice person award, so she gets the part.)

I enjoyed the fact that the story doesn't waste time with copious amounts of sex-scenes and just gets on with the story. Thats not to say there isn't the sexual tension that a romance novel is famous forthere is. And poor Alex (aka Prince Charming) is not a saint.

In my opinion, there is only one point of contention within the story and thats the decision Alex makes (on his own!) for the solution to their problems. That decision came out of nowhere, with not even his thoughts (as written by the author) to give a foretelling of the bombshell. It made the climax a little stiff, but apart from that minute stumble, the story was brilliant, well-written and well-executed.

I also love, that like all good fairy tales, there is a moral to this story. A warning to ensure that the dream we have and are working towards is, in fact, our dreamand not a dream we inherited from others.

And there is even a taste of Book 2 in the series Waking Sleeping Beauty at the end of this story. While Im not off to find any sort of wizard, I am off to find the second bookand I hear tell  there is a third.
3647792
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
I loved this book. I have been a big fan of the modern fairy tale twist books. This one is at the top. It's very refreshing and a new point of view I haven't seen before.
Brie is a not so typical high school girl who has discovered she can make things into gold. Adopted by a couple who only want her for her talents, she moves around a lot, anytime someone discovers her golden touch. She decided to show someone she trusted what she can do but was seen by someone she didn't intend. Now she is on the run again. Only this time she has an ally, or does she? This new friend takes her into a new world she didn't know existed and finds herself in more danger than ever.
It's a quick read and well worth it! You won't be able to put it down.
927196
No matter what our age, we all love fairy tales.  There is something primal about their nature, they hint at the world beyond the pale, a world that despite the logical way of our adult brain still has the power to haunt and chill us on cold winters night.  They make sure we still keep all of our arms and legs safely tucked up in bed, they stop us from staring into the mirror for too long, and they make us watch  the dancing shadows with fear and trepidation.

Snow from Paul Kane is a modern reworking of the classic fairy tale Snow White is a clever, well written adult version of the much loved classic story.

Angela's life has been a lonely one, kept secluded from others by her cruel mother and wicked Uncle her family life has never been a happy one, and when she starts to have suspicions about the death of her father, she is taken into the forest with the sole purpose of being disposed off,  but when she manages to escape the clutches of her evil uncle and falls into an old discarded mine she finds allies to her plight in the most of unlikely of allies.

With Snow, Paul Kane has delivered a unique take on a classic fairy tale, while the over all story will be apparent as it unfolds Kane cleverly weaves in the tropes of the original story in modern and deft way.  A fast paced narrative that barely stops for breath will keep the reader enthralled throughout as the story unfolds, aided along by some strong characterizations and brilliant spin on the Dwarf's of the original story.

While the overall story will be familiar, Kane has injected enough original ideas of his own to ensure that the Snow reads like a fresh new story.  There is a nice layer of dread that resides over this story, one connects to the primal part of your brain that is still susceptible to things that go bump in the night, making this a fast paced and chilling story.

You won't be whistling while you work after reading this, you'll be whistling to keep the darkness away.
908968
a fairy tale than can truly be applied to present life and times - not only one of the best stories for middle school students as an exercise in 'critical thinking' but one that adults can also appreciate - looking forward to reading the next story
2323509
An enjoyable collection of fables and fairy tales for the modern child.  The stories range from the fantastic to realistic.  Each one is chosen with a specific moral or lesson, which is clearly described.  I was incredibly impressed with how some of the morals were handled in the stories.  None seemed overly preachy, but were extremely entertaining.
4076898
The Sevenfold Spell by Tia Nevitt
Carina Press, 2010
70 pages
Fairy Tale; Adult
4/5 stars

Source: Netgalley

Summary: When Princess Aurora had a curse placed on her, all of the spinning wheels in the land were destroyed.  What happens to the women dependent on them for their living?  For Talia, a very plain girl, a new future is self-created no matter the whispers and rumors and begets the legend of the Sleeping Beauty.

Thoughts: I love fairy-tale retellings so requesting this was a no brainer.  I was a bit shocked at the romantic aspects that occur almost from the start.  When Talia is unable to marry her betrothed due to the loss of her income, she invites him in to her bed.  Continually.  And when he goes off to a monastery, she meets many other men who become her lovers.  I still think of fairy-tales as more meant for children so the descriptions were shocking to me. They made up a larger portion of the narrative, I felt, and that detracted from the quality.  After all there are only seventy pages, so you have to make them count.

But I soon got past it, eager to see how Nevitt would twist the Sleeping Beauty story.  It seems as if the curse is compelling certain events to occur, such as the creation of a spinning wheel and the introduction of Rose, unlike in the Disney film.  I liked all of those changes and I sped through the story.  And of course there's a happy ending!

Overall: Quick-moving, for the mature lover of fairy tales.

Cover: I think the cover is lovely, capturing several of the ideas of the book.
2925532
This reimagining is a wonderful modern remake of the beloved fairy tale. The "hardware" of Rebecca's writing is attention getting- detailed description of sights, sounds, tastes, etc., and the "software," the characters and their development, is much more 3D than the original fairy tales we're used to. I loved how Rebecca pulled more of Belle's backstory from the original, as well as gave a more in-depth look at the Beast's emotions and thoughts throughout his growing relationship with Belle. The addition of many characters that will seem new because modern movies don't include them add an extra sprinkle of magic. If you don't want to read B&B because you think you know the story already, you won't have to worry about boredom, because there is so much in this rendition you won't have expected, and an ending that sets up for a sequel. Everyone needs a little fantasy!
2964689
For me, professor Tolkien's tale is the best tale, I know.

Though it has in many ways served to define the fantasy genre, it is wrong to call the book a fantasy in itself. This a fairy-tale of the old kind - but also myth and legend. The reader clearly senses the depth of history in world that Tolkien describes, and this current of untold stories, myths and legends from earlier ages draws the reader into the world.

Foremost, however, this is the story of how the deeds of the small is what changes the world and defeats evil rather than the great or might of arms, and finally it is, for me, the greatest tale ever told.