Hello Booklings <3
With 2020 being the nasty bitch she was, I think I speak for all of us when I say-- Thank the gods for literary escapism! No, not the blog, although that is a fantastic site and you should check it out. Here's the link.
But... pandemics and narcissistic citrus fruits aside, I thought it might be nice to acknowledge a Paranormal Romance trope that I absolutely can't get enough of. Fairy-tales with a twist. ♡
Here are my recommendations for twisted fairy-tales I bet you haven't read yet!
#5 Goldie Lox Prophecy by Amy Star
Yes I read Reverse Harems and hell yes, I enjoy it. Granted, a reverse harem about Goldie Lox and her three bear shifters sounds like shameless smut… Don't get me wrong, it is. But it's also got a really entertaining story, strong lovable characters, and a surprising absence of misogyny. I read all of them and hope to see more! Granted, it could use a round of edits.
#4 Darkly Ever After by Zoey Xolton
This one is less Romance and more a dark little anthology. But I it was worth mentioning because I kind of like little bite sized horror stories. These are beautifully written, some almost flash-fiction style, all with a fairy-tale twist.
#3 How To Kill a Street Rat by Jennifer M. Eaton
This is technically YA. No it’s not particularly steamy. In fact it’s squeaky clean, but I loved it, so I'm including it. Handsome Jafar definitely grew on me which I didn't expect. And Princess Badroulbador, or Badra (the author actually did her research and used "Jasmine's" real name) is a total badass.
#2 Into Madness by A. K. Koonce
I picked this little sweetheart up on a whim and got way more than I bargained for. This author writes with grit and dirt that you don’t normally see in a Romance but you’re immediately drawn into the character despite the fact that she’s not particularly nice… You know those typical male characters that are kind of dicks, but you find yourself falling for them anyway. It’s really rare that a female character with that same kind of baggage gets executed with such finesse. This author might be one of my new favorites.
#1 Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
First off… woman of color on the cover and LGBTQ+ inclusiveness? Uh, yes please!. This is a horrifying dystopian twist on Cinderella that has so much to say. And yet it's not preachy… In fact it takes these extremely heavy topics and adorns them in a highly entertaining story which is everything we celebrate at Raven's Muse. It's priced a little higher than average but it's 100% worth it.
Well Booklings, that's all I've got for you today. If you're reading, keep those pages turning. If you're writing, keep those keys clacking and we'll see you next time.
<3
Bye, friends!
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