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Fables Retold
Tales as old as time…reimagined.
What if your favorite fairy tales…kicked some serious, urban fantasy ass?
Fueled by magic, steam, and scorching men, this MM romance anthology has just the thrill you’re looking for.
6 paranormal and urban fantasy authors.
6 fairy tales retold in modern day.
6 gorgeous couples to fall in love with.
Over 1,200 pages.
A limited edition anthology you don’t want to miss.
Comes with happy-ever-afters guaranteed!
Grab your copy of Fables Retold today!
Stories included:
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast)
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes (Bluebeard)
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns (Puss in Boots)
Gruff by Morgan Brice (Three Billy Goats Gruff)
The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow (Rumpelstiltskin)
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White)
1134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2021
About the author
Rhys Lawless
20 books143 followersRhys Everly-Lawless is a hopeless romantic who loves happily-ever-afters.
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
Currently reading
April 23, 2021I requested an ARC of this because I love fairy tale adaptations, and I've read and enjoyed a couple included authors previously.
This anthology is listed at 1200 pages, so these are more like novellas than short stories, which I think is ideal a for fairy tale retellings: enough for character development, but not so long that one runs out of material.
I'm starting with Sam Burns because the Rowan Harbor series was a comfort read for me. This adaptation of Puss and Boots is a little sadder, because of course it starts with the dead parents and the good and honest lad becoming homeless. The cat pov was very well done; I find it very believable that an older cat would think of a human teen as a stupid but well-meaning kitten to care for. I was always more interested in the "talking cat" part of the story than the "scamming a rich wife" plot, so I was pleased that Burns focused on the backstory rather than the schemes. Great job ding something new and interesting with the story, while staying true to the original material. Would read more about these characters/world 4.5 stars
Next I read Lawless' take on Beauty and Beast, because he's an author who had been on my radar. I'm not totally ruling him out based on this, but it definitely was not to my taste. Possibly it suffered a bit from being read right after something I really liked (which was my choice, not the order the stories occur in the anthology) but also I really didn't get any fairy tale vibe. If it hadn't been so labelled I don't think I would even had picked up that it was intended to be Beauty and the Beast. Everything about this screamed "gay X-Men" to me. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing! I think this might have been fun as a film with special effects and high speed fight scenes (I guess the x-rated parts would have to be toned down) but it wasn't so interesting to read and I didn't like most of the major characters. The attraction between the MCs was instalust rather than romance and the sex scenes made me cringe. "Man meat"? "Big boy"? Tiresomely long screaming orgasms and ponds of cum. I finished because the table of contents isn't active links on my chromebook so I have to skip ahead one page at a time. 2 stars
This anthology is listed at 1200 pages, so these are more like novellas than short stories, which I think is ideal a for fairy tale retellings: enough for character development, but not so long that one runs out of material.
I'm starting with Sam Burns because the Rowan Harbor series was a comfort read for me. This adaptation of Puss and Boots is a little sadder, because of course it starts with the dead parents and the good and honest lad becoming homeless. The cat pov was very well done; I find it very believable that an older cat would think of a human teen as a stupid but well-meaning kitten to care for. I was always more interested in the "talking cat" part of the story than the "scamming a rich wife" plot, so I was pleased that Burns focused on the backstory rather than the schemes. Great job ding something new and interesting with the story, while staying true to the original material. Would read more about these characters/world 4.5 stars
Next I read Lawless' take on Beauty and Beast, because he's an author who had been on my radar. I'm not totally ruling him out based on this, but it definitely was not to my taste. Possibly it suffered a bit from being read right after something I really liked (which was my choice, not the order the stories occur in the anthology) but also I really didn't get any fairy tale vibe. If it hadn't been so labelled I don't think I would even had picked up that it was intended to be Beauty and the Beast. Everything about this screamed "gay X-Men" to me. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing! I think this might have been fun as a film with special effects and high speed fight scenes (I guess the x-rated parts would have to be toned down) but it wasn't so interesting to read and I didn't like most of the major characters. The attraction between the MCs was instalust rather than romance and the sex scenes made me cringe. "Man meat"? "Big boy"? Tiresomely long screaming orgasms and ponds of cum. I finished because the table of contents isn't active links on my chromebook so I have to skip ahead one page at a time. 2 stars
May 12, 2021
3.5
Rhys Lawless – Blake and the Beast 3
Much more urban fantasy than fairytale and not exactly a retelling either. The author takes some pieces of the original fairytale and creates an AU for mutants where the X-men call themselves fae. It has the making of being even darker and more at the brink of war. I really could enjoy a story in such a world. The Beast as the leader of a terrorist group and his savior a geneticist working on a cure? Why not, bring it on. I don't even mind the new approach on the mate concept, not at all. What I mind is trying to make me believe that terrorists are no terrorists but good guys inveigled by their organization and that being a world-class geneticist in his twenties isn't enough but he's also able to develop computer viruses easily. So the world-building needs more sincerity and a bit of work-over to make the darkness shine but the story focusing on the ragtag group of mutants works quite good. Their banter and interaction, their obvious friendship was was great and the reason why I like to read another story, maybe about Shae or Nicky; Hunter not so much.
Sam Burns – The Cat Returns to Adderly 3.5
Here now a strong fairytale vibe at the beginning with a naive but good-hearted hero in a terrible family situation and Sam Burn's brand of cuteness. It dragged a bit when the fairytale turned into urban fantasy and although we got witches I somehow missed a bit of action but if you ever wondered what's in a cat's mind who's slowly coming into consciousness, then it's right here in the chapters from the cats PoV and I enjoyed those the most.
W.M. Fawkes – The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell 4
I enjoyed this take on Bluebeard. It gives the fairytale archetypes life and reason without loosing the fairytale vibe. The loneliness, the looming threat and the creepy situation with Bell as abuser and mentor are always evident but also the reason why Elio is staying and soft-pedaling. I would have liked it a bit more scary but the reason why this is a bit of a weak 4 star rating lays with Dutch. Not so much his restrained relationship with Elio but because what he is and how he became what he is. While magic is an integral part of that world the author doesn't take enough effort to include his type.
Morgan Brice – Gruff 2.5
I don't really warm to the Fox Hollow stories. It's too cozy small-town with quirky-cute characters for my taste and Gruff doesn't really keep it's promise about being a fairytale or a retelling. It might be inspired by the Three Billy Goats Gruff but only loosely in a way that we have 2 goat shifters and danger on a bridge to cross but that's it. The crossing itself is a bit darker and there's potential for fable retelling but it comes too late and is too short and although the cuteness takes a break it's never the soul searching situation that it's meant to be in fairytales and legends.
Meghan Maslow – Demon's in the Details 4.5
Meghan Maslow goes for a deconstruction of Rumpelstilskin and sets all the important parts together again in a compelling tale about an alternative Baltimore with a dystopian touch. It's recognizable as a retelling and also as something new with a twist and a political chess game. A raven shifter bad boy and a demon twink, power hungry mobster and found family and a world-building that nearly leaves nothing open. Wouldn't mind to visit that world again, wouldn't mind at all. What would you say, Ms. Maslow, are you able to give Carter or Ollie something equally good, maybe even a bit longer with more details about the Baltimore, more Baltimore?
Richard Amos – Spirit of Snow
Guess this is one of the It's-Me cases. I don't like the writing style and can't connect to any of the characters and because I'm a bit in a kind of reading-slump I didn't finish this story about snow white and golem in London with strange magic and snakes. So, no rating.
Rhys Lawless – Blake and the Beast 3
Much more urban fantasy than fairytale and not exactly a retelling either. The author takes some pieces of the original fairytale and creates an AU for mutants where the X-men call themselves fae. It has the making of being even darker and more at the brink of war. I really could enjoy a story in such a world. The Beast as the leader of a terrorist group and his savior a geneticist working on a cure? Why not, bring it on. I don't even mind the new approach on the mate concept, not at all. What I mind is trying to make me believe that terrorists are no terrorists but good guys inveigled by their organization and that being a world-class geneticist in his twenties isn't enough but he's also able to develop computer viruses easily. So the world-building needs more sincerity and a bit of work-over to make the darkness shine but the story focusing on the ragtag group of mutants works quite good. Their banter and interaction, their obvious friendship was was great and the reason why I like to read another story, maybe about Shae or Nicky; Hunter not so much.
Sam Burns – The Cat Returns to Adderly 3.5
Here now a strong fairytale vibe at the beginning with a naive but good-hearted hero in a terrible family situation and Sam Burn's brand of cuteness. It dragged a bit when the fairytale turned into urban fantasy and although we got witches I somehow missed a bit of action but if you ever wondered what's in a cat's mind who's slowly coming into consciousness, then it's right here in the chapters from the cats PoV and I enjoyed those the most.
W.M. Fawkes – The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell 4
I enjoyed this take on Bluebeard. It gives the fairytale archetypes life and reason without loosing the fairytale vibe. The loneliness, the looming threat and the creepy situation with Bell as abuser and mentor are always evident but also the reason why Elio is staying and soft-pedaling. I would have liked it a bit more scary but the reason why this is a bit of a weak 4 star rating lays with Dutch. Not so much his restrained relationship with Elio but because what he is and how he became what he is. While magic is an integral part of that world the author doesn't take enough effort to include his type.
Morgan Brice – Gruff 2.5
I don't really warm to the Fox Hollow stories. It's too cozy small-town with quirky-cute characters for my taste and Gruff doesn't really keep it's promise about being a fairytale or a retelling. It might be inspired by the Three Billy Goats Gruff but only loosely in a way that we have 2 goat shifters and danger on a bridge to cross but that's it. The crossing itself is a bit darker and there's potential for fable retelling but it comes too late and is too short and although the cuteness takes a break it's never the soul searching situation that it's meant to be in fairytales and legends.
Meghan Maslow – Demon's in the Details 4.5
Meghan Maslow goes for a deconstruction of Rumpelstilskin and sets all the important parts together again in a compelling tale about an alternative Baltimore with a dystopian touch. It's recognizable as a retelling and also as something new with a twist and a political chess game. A raven shifter bad boy and a demon twink, power hungry mobster and found family and a world-building that nearly leaves nothing open. Wouldn't mind to visit that world again, wouldn't mind at all. What would you say, Ms. Maslow, are you able to give Carter or Ollie something equally good, maybe even a bit longer with more details about the Baltimore, more Baltimore?
Richard Amos – Spirit of Snow
Guess this is one of the It's-Me cases. I don't like the writing style and can't connect to any of the characters and because I'm a bit in a kind of reading-slump I didn't finish this story about snow white and golem in London with strange magic and snakes. So, no rating.
Read
April 28, 2021Come and take a dive into this epic anthology! Inside these pages you'll find Spirit of Snow by me, along with five more awesome tales! WHOOP!
Happy reading! :-)
Happy reading! :-)
April 16, 2021
5 stars for Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless
This story was fresh and so interesting. I loved the science parts and the variation of Seelie and Unseelie. I really want it to continue and I feel like it's been left in a position to do so. Blake and Austin were great characters and I really felt the connection between them. Loved everything about it
3.5 for Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos
It started at a frenetic place with a battle and just didn't really stop. There weren't many pauses and because of this I didn't really get to grips with Alec. Tristan was a little too downtrodden for me to sympathise with. The writing was good and the story interesting with some elements of Snow White in there. I just didn't love it
I'm giving the whole collection 5 stars because I'm looking forward to reading the Morgan Bruce story and Meghan Maslow one.
This story was fresh and so interesting. I loved the science parts and the variation of Seelie and Unseelie. I really want it to continue and I feel like it's been left in a position to do so. Blake and Austin were great characters and I really felt the connection between them. Loved everything about it
3.5 for Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos
It started at a frenetic place with a battle and just didn't really stop. There weren't many pauses and because of this I didn't really get to grips with Alec. Tristan was a little too downtrodden for me to sympathise with. The writing was good and the story interesting with some elements of Snow White in there. I just didn't love it
I'm giving the whole collection 5 stars because I'm looking forward to reading the Morgan Bruce story and Meghan Maslow one.
May 31, 2021
Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless ☆☆☆
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns ☆☆☆☆
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes ☆☆
Gruff by Morgan Brice ☆☆☆
The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow ☆☆☆☆☆
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos ☆☆
If I average out all the stars, it only comes to just over three, but, execution aside, the overarching theme of the anthology is a good one, and it's a zillion pages so it's a good value even if you didn't get it on KU. I think the re-read value of the Sam Burns and Meghan Maslow stories helps out, too. Plus, there's no discounting the cuteness of a fainting goat shifter. So four stars it is.
Parts of this were a bit clichéd and some parts were pretty predictable and some parts were a little too preachy. Plus, the kink additions seemed out of place. Still, it's an interesting world and an interesting concept and the fight scenes were reasonably well done. Not a bad start to this anthology.
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns ☆☆☆☆
This one was adorable. The ending was a bit rushed and there were a couple of plot threads left hanging, but it was still super enjoyable. A clever take on Puss in Boots.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes ☆☆
This one was a bust. I was never really able to warm up to Elio, and his cluelessness was just frustrating.
Gruff by Morgan Brice ☆☆☆
I think a fainting goat shifter is the cutest frickin' idea, ever. I wasn't sold on the execution, but I appreciate the cuteness and the way the author made the story fit with the original fable.
The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow ☆☆☆☆☆
This story was a delight. I loved every minute of it, even though Rumpelstiltskin was never one of my favorite childhood stories.
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos ☆☆
I didn't like the writing style of this one at all. The plot itself was pretty good, and the world building was interesting, but the cartoonish, cutesy writing just bugged me. I feel a little bad about it, because I'm always saying the problem with dual first-person POV is that both voices sound too much the same and that writers should try harder to make both voices unique, and now here I am saying, "No, wait, not like that."
If I average out all the stars, it only comes to just over three, but, execution aside, the overarching theme of the anthology is a good one, and it's a zillion pages so it's a good value even if you didn't get it on KU. I think the re-read value of the Sam Burns and Meghan Maslow stories helps out, too. Plus, there's no discounting the cuteness of a fainting goat shifter. So four stars it is.
April 21, 2021
This compilations is fantastic fun!!! Each of these stories is actually quite a good length where you get to know the characters, the plot development is paced and the scenery is vivid!! Have to say I have been wanting a Puss in Boots Story!! and here we have it by Sam Burns! Loved that it is told from Luke's POV as well as Wentworth his Cat's of View!! This is a very descriptive story and well of course a slow burn as as "someone" is a cat!! Don't want to give too much away there!! LOL. Super enjoyed this tale!!! On to my Favorite Tale.. GRUFF by Morgan Brice!! This one is Tons of Fun!! We have the Older Sophisticated shall we call him "Red Haired Fox".. well GOAT actually - Adiel - and our young hot Fainting Goat - Joel.. And YES both of them are in FOX HOLLOW on the same project.. Adiel as a Scholar researching haunted places and Joel as his photographer!! This is light hearted fun as it is told in both of their POV and their inner conversations with their Own Goats are Hilarious!!! I received and ARC of this Compilation and based on the stories I have read so far I highly recommend to those who love Fairy tales with a Paranormal Twist!! Witches, Shifters.. the list goes on!!! Very Original Takes our some classic Fables!!! Enjoy!!
April 28, 2021
My favorite story in this was the Rumpelstiltskin retelling, followed by The Cat Returns. Those two were able to follow a loose fairytale format that I felt fit the prompt better of the anthology. The rest of them felt super loose and barely applied at all to what they were supposed to be retelling. Like the first one that I guess was supposed to be Beauty and the Beast. Least favorite were Gruff and the final one that was for snow white. I decided to cut down the middle and give a 3 stars for the whole thing :)
April 11, 2021
Blake and the Beast
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this original retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The world building is done extremely well and the two main characters of Blake and Archer are so likeable. They have an undeniable attraction from the very first meeting and things soon get hot and steamy. Throw in an extremely interesting cast of side characters, some action, some feels, minimal angst, an intriguing plot and a hard earned HEA, and you’re left with an exciting urban fantasy read.
I’m looking forward to more in this universe.
The Cat Returns to Adderley. By Sam Burns.
4.5 stars.
What a treat this very original retelling of Puss In Boots is.
Luke and Wentworth/Alistair do have a hurdle of two to jump over before they get their well deserved HEA. Circumstances leave Luke homeless with very little funds, but he does have his cat. So begins a magical journey involving horrible brothers, a loving sister and a dust filled house.
A very enjoyable and engaging read that gave me some feels and left me overly happy at the end.
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this original retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The world building is done extremely well and the two main characters of Blake and Archer are so likeable. They have an undeniable attraction from the very first meeting and things soon get hot and steamy. Throw in an extremely interesting cast of side characters, some action, some feels, minimal angst, an intriguing plot and a hard earned HEA, and you’re left with an exciting urban fantasy read.
I’m looking forward to more in this universe.
The Cat Returns to Adderley. By Sam Burns.
4.5 stars.
What a treat this very original retelling of Puss In Boots is.
Luke and Wentworth/Alistair do have a hurdle of two to jump over before they get their well deserved HEA. Circumstances leave Luke homeless with very little funds, but he does have his cat. So begins a magical journey involving horrible brothers, a loving sister and a dust filled house.
A very enjoyable and engaging read that gave me some feels and left me overly happy at the end.
May 23, 2021
I’m not usually a fan of anthologies because they are usually just too short. But I really enjoyed these, they all had real depth for me, six full stories. It was fun to read the new twists they had on some classic fables.
The most outstanding one was Gruff, the retelling of Three Billy Goats Gruff. It was absolutely priceless with the goat shifters. And not your average goats, one was a Boer goat, the other was a fainting goat. I had to google fainting goats, they are for real! Loved the humor!
Second runner up was Cat returns to Adderly, a Puss in Boots retelling. The cat’s POV always had me laughing. Great story.
The most outstanding one was Gruff, the retelling of Three Billy Goats Gruff. It was absolutely priceless with the goat shifters. And not your average goats, one was a Boer goat, the other was a fainting goat. I had to google fainting goats, they are for real! Loved the humor!
Second runner up was Cat returns to Adderly, a Puss in Boots retelling. The cat’s POV always had me laughing. Great story.
April 17, 2021
If someone had set out to write an anthology specifically for me, this would definitely be the result. I absolutely loved this! It was also nice to have an anthology with full length stories, you definitely get the bang for your buck here. Overall 4 stars!
Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless-3.5 Stars
I’m a complete sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings so I’m always eager to start a new one. This one was fun and interesting with a lot of very new ideas. I liked the overall plot and the characters, but wasn’t completely sold on the relationship. It is a fated mates story, so that is expected, I just would’ve enjoyed more time with these two that wasn’t fighting for their lives or boinking (sorry for using this word LOL). The way genes work and the whole fae world was so intriguing that I will definitely continue this series if Rhys publishes more.
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns-4 Stars
I’ve never read the original Puss and Boots story so all I had to go off of was Shrek (this is nothing like shrek lol). This story was actually one of my favorites by Burns. I really loved the main characters, and especially loved getting chapters from the POV of Wentworth the cat. It was cute, mostly fluffy even with some darker themes, and just overall a very good story
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by WM Fawkes-4 Stars
Another fable where I had zero background knowledge going into it but definitely was completely intrigued by the story. I don’t think I’ve read any of Fawkes solo works but have loved everything they’ve written with Sam Burns and will now definitely keep a lookout for future solo works. This was fascinating, slightly suspenseful, and just overall a highly enjoyable story. Recommend so much!
Gruff by Morgan Brice-3.5 Stars
GOAT SHIFTERS!! 🐐 not only that but one is a fainting goat! It’s like this anthology was like ���make sure each story has something Amanda loves” and then absolutely delivered. This story ran the gamut from light hearted and little silly, to suspenseful and a little dangerous, but every bit of it was fun and interesting. There was an 80% breakup, which I don’t mind but know others do, but it all worked out in the end and Adiel was able to face his fears for his mate in an epic showdown. A little something of everything in the magical town that is Fox Hollow
Demon’s in the Details by Meghan Maslow-4 Stars
A little darker than the others in the series (and Maslow’s other works), but that’s totally fitting for a Rumpelstiltskin retelling! This was a very interesting take in a magical world filled with shifters, demons, mages, and vampires. For a fairly short tale, the world building was well done and really did a good job of transporting the reader to this fantastical world. I loved both Tommy and Poe so much, and really enjoyed getting to read about all the craziness they had to go through before they could be together.
Sprit of Snow by Richard Amos-3.5 stars
Remember how I said the last book was dark? HA. This one definitely fits more along the lines of original fairytales with some dark themes (although there is a HEA, even if it is completely different than you would expect). It took me a while to see the Snow White connection, but once it got there it was fascinating to see how Amos reimagined the story to be something completely different than anything I expected.
Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless-3.5 Stars
I’m a complete sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings so I’m always eager to start a new one. This one was fun and interesting with a lot of very new ideas. I liked the overall plot and the characters, but wasn’t completely sold on the relationship. It is a fated mates story, so that is expected, I just would’ve enjoyed more time with these two that wasn’t fighting for their lives or boinking (sorry for using this word LOL). The way genes work and the whole fae world was so intriguing that I will definitely continue this series if Rhys publishes more.
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns-4 Stars
I’ve never read the original Puss and Boots story so all I had to go off of was Shrek (this is nothing like shrek lol). This story was actually one of my favorites by Burns. I really loved the main characters, and especially loved getting chapters from the POV of Wentworth the cat. It was cute, mostly fluffy even with some darker themes, and just overall a very good story
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by WM Fawkes-4 Stars
Another fable where I had zero background knowledge going into it but definitely was completely intrigued by the story. I don’t think I’ve read any of Fawkes solo works but have loved everything they’ve written with Sam Burns and will now definitely keep a lookout for future solo works. This was fascinating, slightly suspenseful, and just overall a highly enjoyable story. Recommend so much!
Gruff by Morgan Brice-3.5 Stars
GOAT SHIFTERS!! 🐐 not only that but one is a fainting goat! It’s like this anthology was like ���make sure each story has something Amanda loves” and then absolutely delivered. This story ran the gamut from light hearted and little silly, to suspenseful and a little dangerous, but every bit of it was fun and interesting. There was an 80% breakup, which I don’t mind but know others do, but it all worked out in the end and Adiel was able to face his fears for his mate in an epic showdown. A little something of everything in the magical town that is Fox Hollow
Demon’s in the Details by Meghan Maslow-4 Stars
A little darker than the others in the series (and Maslow’s other works), but that’s totally fitting for a Rumpelstiltskin retelling! This was a very interesting take in a magical world filled with shifters, demons, mages, and vampires. For a fairly short tale, the world building was well done and really did a good job of transporting the reader to this fantastical world. I loved both Tommy and Poe so much, and really enjoyed getting to read about all the craziness they had to go through before they could be together.
Sprit of Snow by Richard Amos-3.5 stars
Remember how I said the last book was dark? HA. This one definitely fits more along the lines of original fairytales with some dark themes (although there is a HEA, even if it is completely different than you would expect). It took me a while to see the Snow White connection, but once it got there it was fascinating to see how Amos reimagined the story to be something completely different than anything I expected.
August 21, 2021
Blake and The Beast - Rhys Lawless
Setup as first in a series. About a group of terrorists on the "good" side. Liked but didn't love and won't be racing to read further. 3.5 points
The Cat Returns To Adderly - Sam Burns
Loved it! Really enjoyed Wentworth's view of the world. Glad to see Luke's fortunes turn for the better and great to see him get the better of his brothers. 5 stars
The 7th Ring of Bertram Bell - W. M. Fawkes
I have never before heard of Bluebeard as a fairytale, always knew it as a pirate's name so had to read a quick synopsis. Due to the time in the story spent on Elio and Bertram it was hard to feel any bond between Elio and Dutch. Liked the ever after ending. 3.5 stars
Gruff - Morgan Brice
Love Madden!! A good story with fainting goats. 4 stars
Demons In the Detail - Meghan Maslow
My favourite of the anthology. Loved Poe and Tommy, especially together.The strong secondary characters helped make this a great story. I would love to find out if Garrett and Ollie get together. Brilliant. 5+ stars
Spirit of Snow - Richard Amos
Sorry, but this was a bust for me. 3 stars
Overall a great anthology, thanks to Rhys and others for putting it together.
Setup as first in a series. About a group of terrorists on the "good" side. Liked but didn't love and won't be racing to read further. 3.5 points
The Cat Returns To Adderly - Sam Burns
Loved it! Really enjoyed Wentworth's view of the world. Glad to see Luke's fortunes turn for the better and great to see him get the better of his brothers. 5 stars
The 7th Ring of Bertram Bell - W. M. Fawkes
I have never before heard of Bluebeard as a fairytale, always knew it as a pirate's name so had to read a quick synopsis. Due to the time in the story spent on Elio and Bertram it was hard to feel any bond between Elio and Dutch. Liked the ever after ending. 3.5 stars
Gruff - Morgan Brice
Love Madden!! A good story with fainting goats. 4 stars
Demons In the Detail - Meghan Maslow
My favourite of the anthology. Loved Poe and Tommy, especially together.The strong secondary characters helped make this a great story. I would love to find out if Garrett and Ollie get together. Brilliant. 5+ stars
Spirit of Snow - Richard Amos
Sorry, but this was a bust for me. 3 stars
Overall a great anthology, thanks to Rhys and others for putting it together.
August 15, 2021
LOVED this m/m urban fantasy romance anthology!!
Really enjoyed this anthology! It's written by different authors, who all took the fable prompt and RAN with it! This is not for children, haha. I liked how each author had their own original voice, and were great at world building in a short amount of pages. And all the steamy parts were fantastic!
I especially loved the shifter romance between Blake and Archer, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I always associated with Belle, and Blake is a fantastic POC character with a love of books, but also some deep charm within him. I love his bravery, and how protective Archer is of him.
Spirit of Snow, with Alec and Tristan, was the funniest story, and I loved the humor that they brought to their romance.
There is some action-violence throughout the stories, but nothing super intense. I liked that each individual story had content warnings.
Definitely recommend this anthology for all m/m fantasy fans!
Thank you GRR for this ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.
Really enjoyed this anthology! It's written by different authors, who all took the fable prompt and RAN with it! This is not for children, haha. I liked how each author had their own original voice, and were great at world building in a short amount of pages. And all the steamy parts were fantastic!
I especially loved the shifter romance between Blake and Archer, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I always associated with Belle, and Blake is a fantastic POC character with a love of books, but also some deep charm within him. I love his bravery, and how protective Archer is of him.
Spirit of Snow, with Alec and Tristan, was the funniest story, and I loved the humor that they brought to their romance.
There is some action-violence throughout the stories, but nothing super intense. I liked that each individual story had content warnings.
Definitely recommend this anthology for all m/m fantasy fans!
Thank you GRR for this ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2021
Fables Retold - Gruff - a retold fable by Morgan Brice (Gail Z Martin) was more pleasant than the fairy tale I remembered. I certainly enjoyed the love story of two goat shifters more than just hearing about some goats getting to eat on the other side of the river.
Morgan’s setting of the story in Fox Hollow ( a nice little town in New York) gave it more substance, and then she flipped the story line around. Not three goats but three challengers to getting off the island, not onto it.
You can always count on Morgan Brice to give you a great build up to the climax and then find a creative resolution. You’ll get your HEA
Fables Retold - Demons in the Details - Meghan Maslow
In a collected group of books called Fables Retold, it was my first time reading Megan Maslow. I was pleasantly surprised with the level of writing. She not only writes good romance, she also wrote a very complex plot that keeps you wondering how the two main characters will get out of the situation that seems to continue happening around them.
The setting is Baltimore, but the cast of characters is nothing like you would find on vacation in that city. You’re dealing with Raven shifters, werewolves, vampires, mages, snake shifters and fairies. That’s just a quick list. Then you have demons and humans, magic and legal contracts. The legal complexities reminded me of some of our recent American politics on what can be done, and what the law really says. You have to read the fine print.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy, and felt it’s worth telling you what to expect. Now that I’ve read two of the 6 books in the set, I’m off to finish the entire collection. It certainly is worth my time, I think you’ll find it worth yours
Morgan’s setting of the story in Fox Hollow ( a nice little town in New York) gave it more substance, and then she flipped the story line around. Not three goats but three challengers to getting off the island, not onto it.
You can always count on Morgan Brice to give you a great build up to the climax and then find a creative resolution. You’ll get your HEA
Fables Retold - Demons in the Details - Meghan Maslow
In a collected group of books called Fables Retold, it was my first time reading Megan Maslow. I was pleasantly surprised with the level of writing. She not only writes good romance, she also wrote a very complex plot that keeps you wondering how the two main characters will get out of the situation that seems to continue happening around them.
The setting is Baltimore, but the cast of characters is nothing like you would find on vacation in that city. You’re dealing with Raven shifters, werewolves, vampires, mages, snake shifters and fairies. That’s just a quick list. Then you have demons and humans, magic and legal contracts. The legal complexities reminded me of some of our recent American politics on what can be done, and what the law really says. You have to read the fine print.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy, and felt it’s worth telling you what to expect. Now that I’ve read two of the 6 books in the set, I’m off to finish the entire collection. It certainly is worth my time, I think you’ll find it worth yours
April 26, 2021
This anthology of MM Urban Fantasy retelling of classic fairy tales is so much fun to read!
I am starting my review with the first and last stories:
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast).
Interesting spin on Beauty and The Beast. Blake is an extremely clever and gifted scientist who has found a “cure" for underlie fae. Archer (code name Beast) is a member of a fae black ops group intending to destroy the cure. Soon they find themselves fighting side by side, when they find out they are somehow biologically mated, and also find out who their real enemies are. A brilliant story, full of action and steamy as all get out!
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White).
Talk about action-packed. This story is fast-paced, intriguing, full of weird beings, horrible serpents and deceit! Everyone in London seems to possess some form of magic, whether it is used for good or bad, you only discover while reading on. Alec Snow and Tristan Fox seem to be on opposite sides of the good/bad fight, but they are also inexorably drawn to each other. So many things happen and I really don’t want to spoil anybody’s fun by giving anything away, just know, you need to read this!
The end is bittersweet; let’s just say it has a HEA, but it’s much more Grimm-style than Disney!
April 26, 2021
I'm making my way through this anthology, so I will update this review as I get through the stories. Each is reviewed in the order in which they appear.
Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless : 3 stars
This started out strong and then went in unexpected directions and sort of fell apart. The premise involves a world where there are “fae” and “humans.” Fae are discriminated against, so when a human scientist invents a “cure” for being fae, a team of fae kidnap him. The romance is between the scientist, Blake, and the leader of the group of kidnappers, Beast AKA Archer. The plot was okay, with a nice romance developing a la Beauty and the Beast, and then it got hijacked--one minute I was reading about fae and the next it felt like I was in a YA superhero novel. The development of the romance fell at the wayside at some point, with insta-love and irrational decision-making taking over instead. I had trouble keeping track of all the characters, and this became a huge problem in a later action sequence. Ultimately, this showed a lot of promise at the beginning and the writing itself wasn’t bad. If the author had just kept it simple and focused on the two main characters, this would have been a lot better.
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns : 5 stars
I am actually obsessed with this MM Puss in Boots retelling by Sam Burns. I loved the style—a back and forth between the POV of a cat (hilarious) and Luke, his owner, plus a third perspective that I will leave a surprise. Luke was such a sweetheart, I really felt for him. This was a quiet romance, but utterly charming. It has a fairy tale feel that allowed me to suspend disbelief and get drawn into the story. I left this book feeling the warmth of a fairy tale HEA along with a dash of swoon-worthy MM romance. Highly recommend! Simple, sweet, charming—I loved it. Also, the cat. You must read this for those chapters alone.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Faukes: 4.5 stars
This was an enjoyable and suspenseful Bluebeard retelling. I put off reading this because I don’t always like the direction authors take with Bluebeard retellings, but this one stayed close to the spirit of the original, which I appreciated! The premise is that the magician Bertram Bell cured Elio’s father of cancer, and in return, Elio’s parents promised that their son would go live with Bertram and become his apprentice upon turning 18. This had a fairly straightforward plot, with Elio going to live with Bertram in his mansion. There were supernatural happenings and the author did a good job of making the setting seem ominous. I was excited to find out all of the pieces of the mystery. Elio’s romance was with his best friend, Dutch. I saw Dutch’s secret coming a mile away, but I think we’re kinda meant to because the hints are heavy handed. How everything came together, though, was unexpected and worked for me. I sometimes wished I could get to know Dutch better as a character, but the plot stayed focused and on track, so I’m ok with it. Overall I recommend this one because it’s a good retelling that keeps the suspense of the original and combines it with exciting updates.
**I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless : 3 stars
This started out strong and then went in unexpected directions and sort of fell apart. The premise involves a world where there are “fae” and “humans.” Fae are discriminated against, so when a human scientist invents a “cure” for being fae, a team of fae kidnap him. The romance is between the scientist, Blake, and the leader of the group of kidnappers, Beast AKA Archer. The plot was okay, with a nice romance developing a la Beauty and the Beast, and then it got hijacked--one minute I was reading about fae and the next it felt like I was in a YA superhero novel. The development of the romance fell at the wayside at some point, with insta-love and irrational decision-making taking over instead. I had trouble keeping track of all the characters, and this became a huge problem in a later action sequence. Ultimately, this showed a lot of promise at the beginning and the writing itself wasn’t bad. If the author had just kept it simple and focused on the two main characters, this would have been a lot better.
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns : 5 stars
I am actually obsessed with this MM Puss in Boots retelling by Sam Burns. I loved the style—a back and forth between the POV of a cat (hilarious) and Luke, his owner, plus a third perspective that I will leave a surprise. Luke was such a sweetheart, I really felt for him. This was a quiet romance, but utterly charming. It has a fairy tale feel that allowed me to suspend disbelief and get drawn into the story. I left this book feeling the warmth of a fairy tale HEA along with a dash of swoon-worthy MM romance. Highly recommend! Simple, sweet, charming—I loved it. Also, the cat. You must read this for those chapters alone.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Faukes: 4.5 stars
This was an enjoyable and suspenseful Bluebeard retelling. I put off reading this because I don’t always like the direction authors take with Bluebeard retellings, but this one stayed close to the spirit of the original, which I appreciated! The premise is that the magician Bertram Bell cured Elio’s father of cancer, and in return, Elio’s parents promised that their son would go live with Bertram and become his apprentice upon turning 18. This had a fairly straightforward plot, with Elio going to live with Bertram in his mansion. There were supernatural happenings and the author did a good job of making the setting seem ominous. I was excited to find out all of the pieces of the mystery. Elio’s romance was with his best friend, Dutch. I saw Dutch’s secret coming a mile away, but I think we’re kinda meant to because the hints are heavy handed. How everything came together, though, was unexpected and worked for me. I sometimes wished I could get to know Dutch better as a character, but the plot stayed focused and on track, so I’m ok with it. Overall I recommend this one because it’s a good retelling that keeps the suspense of the original and combines it with exciting updates.
**I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review**
May 19, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
stars
Fables Retold is a collection of six novella-length (or longer) stories, each built around the conceits of fairy tales. Camille and Jovan each reviewed three stories from the collection and have included mini reviews below. The overall anthology ratings reflect each reviewers’ average individual ratings for the three stories that they read, rather than the collection as a whole.
Read Camille’s and Jovan's review in its entirety here.
stars
Fables Retold is a collection of six novella-length (or longer) stories, each built around the conceits of fairy tales. Camille and Jovan each reviewed three stories from the collection and have included mini reviews below. The overall anthology ratings reflect each reviewers’ average individual ratings for the three stories that they read, rather than the collection as a whole.
Read Camille’s and Jovan's review in its entirety here.
July 11, 2021
I was happy to read another Fox Hollow book!
So far I’ve only read Gruff by Morgan Brice so my rating is based only on that book. It’s part of her Fox Hollow world and can be read as a standalone. I’ve really enjoyed all of the stories set in the Fox Hollow world and Gruff was no exception.
Adiel first spots Joel in a gas station while on his way to a new job. Along the way they seem to play a game of leap frog and trade glimpses of each other. They are both surprised when they end up in the same town and becoming partner working on a project together.
I really enjoyed reading this story. It does have romance, and a bit of sexy time, but what I really liked was the exploring that Adiela and Joel do together. Both are goat shifters (albeit different kinds) and their goats recognize something right away that their human side doesn’t.
While this isn’t a long book, I felt like it had a fair amount of depth to it and I thought the characters were well developed for such a short novella.
So far I’ve only read Gruff by Morgan Brice so my rating is based only on that book. It’s part of her Fox Hollow world and can be read as a standalone. I’ve really enjoyed all of the stories set in the Fox Hollow world and Gruff was no exception.
Adiel first spots Joel in a gas station while on his way to a new job. Along the way they seem to play a game of leap frog and trade glimpses of each other. They are both surprised when they end up in the same town and becoming partner working on a project together.
I really enjoyed reading this story. It does have romance, and a bit of sexy time, but what I really liked was the exploring that Adiela and Joel do together. Both are goat shifters (albeit different kinds) and their goats recognize something right away that their human side doesn’t.
While this isn’t a long book, I felt like it had a fair amount of depth to it and I thought the characters were well developed for such a short novella.
April 25, 2021
This is an anthology of six novellas written by six talented authors. I had only read Meghan Maslow's work in the past, but I definitely found new authors to enjoy.
Overall, each story was unique, with excellent world building. I think with the selections being novellas instead of short stories, the authors were able to really delve into these fantasy worlds and develop great characters and full stories.
My three favorites were Demon's in the Details, by Meghan Maslow, The Cat Returns to Adderly, by Sam Burns, and Gruff by Morgan Brice.
I already knew that I would like Demon's in the Details because I've liked everything Maslow writes. Poe and Tommy are so sweet together and the secondary characters are almost as interesting. I also was very happy to see Rumplestilskin retold. I've always thought he got a bad deal.
I had never read anything by either Burns or Brice and I loved their retellings.
Brice bases their story on The Three Billy Goats Gruff and I loved seeing goat shifters as the main characters. The story itself had my two favorite things: sweet moments and a lot of humor. I'm a fan of fated mates, and Brice uses this beloved trope well. I'm moving their books up my TBR list. :)
Burns is another author I've been meaning to read and after their story, they're moving up my TBR list too. This was such a unique take on Puss in Boots and I really enjoyed the inclusion of a ghost. I don't normally see that a lot, so this one was especially enjoyable.
All in all, I highly recommend this anthology.
I received an ARC of Fable's Retold in return for an honest review.
Overall, each story was unique, with excellent world building. I think with the selections being novellas instead of short stories, the authors were able to really delve into these fantasy worlds and develop great characters and full stories.
My three favorites were Demon's in the Details, by Meghan Maslow, The Cat Returns to Adderly, by Sam Burns, and Gruff by Morgan Brice.
I already knew that I would like Demon's in the Details because I've liked everything Maslow writes. Poe and Tommy are so sweet together and the secondary characters are almost as interesting. I also was very happy to see Rumplestilskin retold. I've always thought he got a bad deal.
I had never read anything by either Burns or Brice and I loved their retellings.
Brice bases their story on The Three Billy Goats Gruff and I loved seeing goat shifters as the main characters. The story itself had my two favorite things: sweet moments and a lot of humor. I'm a fan of fated mates, and Brice uses this beloved trope well. I'm moving their books up my TBR list. :)
Burns is another author I've been meaning to read and after their story, they're moving up my TBR list too. This was such a unique take on Puss in Boots and I really enjoyed the inclusion of a ghost. I don't normally see that a lot, so this one was especially enjoyable.
All in all, I highly recommend this anthology.
I received an ARC of Fable's Retold in return for an honest review.
May 2, 2021
Fables Retold is an Anthology with 6 retold with a more modern day vibe.
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast):
I loved Blake and Archer's story. Their story was sweet, sexy, fun and very well written. I loved the mix of fairytale and X-Men (I LOVE X-Men).
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes (Bluebeard):
This story was about Elio. I've always really liked Bluebeard and I loved this spin on it.
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White):
Unfortunately this story wasn't for me.
The other 3 stories are The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns (Puss in Boots), Gruff by Morgan Brice (Three Billy Goats Gruff) and The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow (Rumpelstiltskin).
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast):
I loved Blake and Archer's story. Their story was sweet, sexy, fun and very well written. I loved the mix of fairytale and X-Men (I LOVE X-Men).
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes (Bluebeard):
This story was about Elio. I've always really liked Bluebeard and I loved this spin on it.
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White):
Unfortunately this story wasn't for me.
The other 3 stories are The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns (Puss in Boots), Gruff by Morgan Brice (Three Billy Goats Gruff) and The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow (Rumpelstiltskin).
July 5, 2021
Sam Burns - The Cat returns to Adderly - This story was absolutely delightful. Luke has lost his parents, kicked out of his home by his nasty brothers and is now homeless. With his cat Wentworth resting on his shoulder, they find an abandoned home that was a home to witches. I adored Luke. There is magic in the air, in the gardens and at the garden market. I giggled a few times, especially at the ending where there is a a naked man sitting on Luke's lap and a wonderful hea.
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Morgan Brice- Gruff: A Three Billy Goats Gruff Retelling - This was so cute! Two shifter goats, one of which is a fainting goat, have painful past relationships. I loved the flirting on the highway, the Teardrop trailer and Joel's first shift among strangers, one who just so happens to be Adeil. This book is set in the Fox Hollow world, which I highly recommend. Of course, past hurts tear them apart but Adeil fights the fae's to save Joel and HEA happens.
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Morgan Brice- Gruff: A Three Billy Goats Gruff Retelling - This was so cute! Two shifter goats, one of which is a fainting goat, have painful past relationships. I loved the flirting on the highway, the Teardrop trailer and Joel's first shift among strangers, one who just so happens to be Adeil. This book is set in the Fox Hollow world, which I highly recommend. Of course, past hurts tear them apart but Adeil fights the fae's to save Joel and HEA happens.
August 4, 2021
Overall, the stories average 3 Stars. My personal favorite was definitely Demon’s in the Details by Meghan Maslow. I loved Tommy and Poe and would love to read more from their world, especially the hinted story of Ollie and Garrett. Least favorite was Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos. I just didn’t connect to it at all.
May 12, 2021
Usually when I read an anthology, there is nothing definitive I can say about every story. Yet, for “Fables Retold” I can honestly say that each author took their fable, made it their own and gets an A+ for effort. From sci-fi to fantasy, each tale puts a unique spin on the “original”. Even if the story doesn’t really work for me or strays so far into its own world that its tie to the fable is tenuous at best (looking at you “Blake & Beast”), I respect their creativity.
Blake & the Beast - Rhys Lawless: 2⭐️
This is basically an in name only version of the fable that takes place in an alternate reality where fae are a marginalized group because they have to feed on humans, and Unseelie Fae are most hated because unlike Seelie, they have no human form and usually have animalistic features. As a human with Unseelie parents, Blake witnessed the cruelty against the fae firsthand but when his cure to help Unseelie becomes weaponized, he ends up targeted by a black-ops team for the Independent Fae Alliance led by Archer "Beast". But nothing is as it seems and Blake and Archer find themselves standing together against humans and fae alike.
The story has WAY more in common with different version of the X-Men than B & the B so if you’re a big fan, you may be disappointed. I like the general premise (natch since I enjoyed it in X-2 too) and some concepts, but the story feels like it was written as a standalone and retrofitted for the anthology. While Blake loves both Archer’s forms, the getting to know each other love is replaced by soulmate insta-love. The story is heavy on genetics/sci-fi, which hindered my enjoyment. The general concepts and science are cool, but as a scientist, there’s enough glossed over that the quote “Genetic soulmates. Apparently, it’s a thing.” is the only sciency thing I loved. E.g. Fae “came out” only 90 years ago, yet humans and fae must have been interbreeding for centuries if two Unseelie fae can produce a “human” child. The fae are all magical, which I guess is genetic as well, (though the most magical element of this story is the basic microscope that can be carted around in a backpack with the capability to see individual COLORCODED genes). I tried to read one of Lawless’s works before but the dialogue and writing were a bit too clunky and forced to me; unfortunately, that remains true. After an initial intro of the characters, it’s very one-note fated mates interactions and bad diatribes from another character until the action picks up in the back half (to set up the sequels).
The Cat Returns to Adderly - Sam Burns: 4⭐️
When Luke’s parents are killed in a car crash and his older brothers seize everything, Luke finds himself on the streets with only a few possessions and his cat, Wentworth. Having recently graduated high school and with no place to go, Luke has no clue what he’s going to do. The only thing he’s certain of is that he won’t lose Wentworth too, so when the cat takes off and enters an abandoned mansion, he follows. Soon not only does Luke have a roof over his head, but a way to make money…and ghostly visitations from the sinfully hot owner of the mansion.
This tale is a good example of one that manages to incorporate core themes of the fable, but also adds a missing piece. In many versions of Puss, the displaced son is passive and in ones where he’s aware his cat is special and helping him, sometimes totally ungrateful. In Burns’s take, Luke may not be aware Wentworth is aiding him but he is as loyal to the cat as Wentworth is to him. In addition, Luke is grateful for all his blessings and does his best to be a blessing in return by cleaning the abandoned home he’s squatting in. There is also an added connection to Wentworth and Luke’s bond that show Luke’s inherent kindness and virtue, making him worthy of his good fortune for reasons other than he’s the fable’s MC. I really enjoy how Burns develops the eponymous Puss in this story, and how their mutual loyalty and respect transform into an HEA.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell - W.M. Fawkes: 3.5⭐️
Once upon a time, a newlywed couple was given terrible news—the husband had terminal cancer. When a magician named Bertram Bell offers to save him if they give him their son as an apprentice on his eighteenth birthday, it seems like a no-brainer. For most of his life, Elio lived in the shadow of this promise, but when eighteen came and went, he thought he could finally focus on his goals. Unfortunately, other than his best friend, Dustin, Elio has no idea what he wants and is content to help his mom and younger siblings live out their dreams. When Bell comes to claim Elio’s brother, he convinces Bell to take him instead; if nothing else, apprenticing will give him a direction, improve is limited and unreliable magic and possibly help secure his family’s future. Between feeling valued and special for the first time and his go-with-the-flow nature, Elio tries to ignore his doubts and embrace his life with Bell despite his questionable training methods and creepiness. However, Dutch is not so quick to dismiss his misgivings, and only when he and Elio are on the same page can they face Bell’s horrifying legacy.
I was keen to read this story’s take on Bluebeard; it’s a fave as it’s uncommon among fables with similar themes of patriarchal ownership and anti-feminine intellect as it warns against unquestioning obedience and “knowing your place”, the heroine rewarded when she breaks the rules instead of dying horribly. I like a lot of what Fawkes does with this tale: while a child is still bargained away like chattel, Elio actually has choice and agency; he’s self-sacrificing and willing to ignore his instincts like his archetype but its grounded in his personality and insecurities; he’s charmed by the mansion and Bluebeard/Bell but again because of his nature not because he’s a gullible ingénu. Fawkes also elaborates on the themes and explores the insidiousness of the methods used by domestic abusers.
All the corollaries, Bell’s backstory, etc. are compelling. Unfortunately, I didn’t love Elio and Dutch’s relationship development or the pacing. Most of the story establishes Elio’s character and his life with Bell, while dropping clues to the truth. Reasonable and well done. But then, the narrative ramps up the red flags to “Molly, you in danger girl” bluntness…only for the story to pivot and focus on mixed signals, sulking and other relationshippy things like a “GET OUT NOW” bomb wasn’t dropped. This dissipates tension, derails the flow and just makes Elio look stupid. Simply moving the scene to after all of Dutch’s and Elio’s dithering would have done wonders. By the time the story remembers that it did the ABSOLUTE MOST to shake Elio out of his complacency, it speeds into the finish to wrap things up with a fairytale bow.
Gruff - Morgan Brice: 1.75⭐️
When historian and Boer goat shifter Adiel stops to get gas on his way to Fox Hollow, he doesn’t expect to catch the flirtatious eye of an attractive twink, for said twink to play a game of road tag with him, or for his thoughts to be almost completely obsessed by him. When hot twink happens to be the photographer hired to work with him to chronicle Fox Hollow's supernatural sites and people and seems to share his attraction, Adiel is alternately elated and dismayed. It’s risky enough hooking up with coworker, hooking up with a coworker as gorgeous and free-spirited as his cheating ex screams disaster. Joel, a Tennessee fainting goat (of course), feels the same way except his baggage comes from his ex always accusing him of cheating. Each man’s goat, however, shares no such hesitation and recognizes their mate. When their insecurities lead them into danger, the only thing that can save them is learning to trust themselves and their fated love.
This story just didn’t work for me. I have a complicated relationship with Brice’s writing; I admire her enthusiasm for the genre and usually the worldbuilding and lore in her stories. Where I tend to struggle is execution. Sometimes, the humor falls flat; or the writing is a bit sloppy in its repeated beats or choppy pacing. But the most prevalent culprit is that, as imaginative as her work can be, she has a tendency to use “the big misunderstanding” in the most obvious, unimaginative ways. And I hate to say it, but her worst tendencies are present here. “Gruff” seems to be the shortest of the novels and it doesn’t use its time wisely; e.g. there’s almost as much time spent on Adiel “chubbing up” thinking about the jailbait looking stranger and Joel’s perspective of their tag game as there is with them on their only date. The story relies so heavily on them being fated mates, they’ve fallen in love after a few interactions.
To be fair, everything in this story is pretty insta: insta ride-or-die friendship, insta-oh these things are definitely what you’ll be facing, etc., while too much time is given to try-hard banter, repetitive inner monologues and unnecessary conversations. Moreover, Joel and Adiel are too similar in their insecurities (which is the bulk of their personality development)—both are out of touch with their beast, want to settle down but feel inadequate, had a long term relationship that created the perfectly opposite baggage to explode in their faces for the BM trope, etc., making new information feel redundant. Imo, the other Fox Hollow entries are much more engaging and entertaining.
Demon’s in the Details - Meghan Maslow: 4.25⭐️
As a very accomplished thief, raven shifter Poe is well-acquainted with living in the moral grays when it comes to protecting his roost from the consequences of their alpha’s selfishness. However, when the alpha (Poe’s stepfather) gets so far in debt there’s no way to keep the roost’s territory from the ruthless criminal, Briggs’s, Poe turns to the demon, Tommy for help. Tommy can make your dreams come true—for a price. Punishment for welshing is brutal, but Poe is desperate, and for all his scary reputation, Tommy isn’t what Poe expects. Even when Tommy’s power and pitilessness are on full display, Poe can’t fear him. However, Poe’s willingness to do anything for his roost is put to the ultimate test when he is asked to give up his most personal and precious possession to save them.
Full disclosure, I’m a Maslow stan so I was primed to enjoy this story, and it doesn’t disappoint. To me, it’s also the best example of mirroring and honoring a fable’s core themes and archetypes, while creating a completely unique world, tone and protagonist. I love raven shifters, and haven’t seen enough stories with them so that’s a plus as well. I also liked Maslow’s less traditional concept for alpha dynamics and powers in a roost compared to most shifters; specifically as it creates a validly insurmountable obstacle to the stepfather problem.
The chemistry between Tommy and Poe is scorching, and Maslow’s skill with creating funny, natural-sounding sarcastic dialogue and banter is a treat. Comedy is an art and not easy to create. With the increasing trend of comedy/snarkiness in pnr/fantasy stories, I’m reading more and more forced banter and formulaic Lorne Michaels-esque humor, so I appreciate Maslow’s talent with a turn of phrase all the more. I enjoyed this alternate reality Baltimore where territories are called Neighborhoods and controlled by Rogers. At times, the scale of the worldbuilding overwhelms the story so some elements aren’t as clearly defined as they need to be to avoid seeming like contradictions/holes, but overall a gem.
Spirit of Snow - Richard Amos: 3⭐️
When former copper and bookstore owner Alec Snow and his bf, Kayleigh go searching for a missing coworker, he finds himself entangled with a creepy snake cult and on the hit-list of an exiled evil wizard. He also doesn’t expect the mysterious stranger he boned in the woods two years ago to reappear in his life or to feel such an overwhelming and inexplicable need for him.
Tristan is a tortured soul—created to be the key in his master’s plan to regain wealth and renown, Tristan is abused, tortured and forced into murdering those in his master’s way. He’s also literally haunted by his victims’ ghosts and his own cowardice. When his beautiful stranger, Alec is predicted to gain the power his master has been plotting for decades to achieve, Tristan’s love for Alec may be the only things that can save Tristan’s soul…and the world.
This story is an interesting mixed bag that I have complicated feelings about. The elements Amos chooses from the Snow White tales and how he shapes them for his world is imaginative; he also incorporates dashes of other mythologies and legends that add richness to the storytelling (but at times can detract from it). As a character, I found Alec to be as compellingly erratic as the story he’s in; they definitely contain multitudes. The narrative seems to introduce elements in an attempt to show different sides of Alec’s personality, but after his first few chapters, he feels less defined as the story goes on. When the story shifts from urban fantasy to more Arthurian fated legend, Alec as a person is kind of swallowed and swept along to the end with only his wisecracks as reminders.
Tristan (the Huntsman) is the ultimate poor unfortunate soul whose only purpose is to be used as a tool. He’s given a more tragic backstory and life than his counterpart and technically more depth, but he functions similarly and is mostly just there to do the narrative’s bidding. The writing quality and pace is a little all over the place as well. Alec’s “quirky” humor plus cringeworthy scenes with the completely flat villain and his monotonous “why do you make me hurt you”/evil monologuing are interspersed with some genuinely entertaining and fluid writing. Additionally, Alec and Tristan’s connection is, at first handled, in a somewhat realistic way (for the world) but is forced by the pacing into literally destined by fate. While at times frustrated with the story, I feel like Amos made some intriguing choices, and I can see a lot of people really liking it.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Gay Romance Reviews.
Blake & the Beast - Rhys Lawless: 2⭐️
This is basically an in name only version of the fable that takes place in an alternate reality where fae are a marginalized group because they have to feed on humans, and Unseelie Fae are most hated because unlike Seelie, they have no human form and usually have animalistic features. As a human with Unseelie parents, Blake witnessed the cruelty against the fae firsthand but when his cure to help Unseelie becomes weaponized, he ends up targeted by a black-ops team for the Independent Fae Alliance led by Archer "Beast". But nothing is as it seems and Blake and Archer find themselves standing together against humans and fae alike.
The story has WAY more in common with different version of the X-Men than B & the B so if you’re a big fan, you may be disappointed. I like the general premise (natch since I enjoyed it in X-2 too) and some concepts, but the story feels like it was written as a standalone and retrofitted for the anthology. While Blake loves both Archer’s forms, the getting to know each other love is replaced by soulmate insta-love. The story is heavy on genetics/sci-fi, which hindered my enjoyment. The general concepts and science are cool, but as a scientist, there’s enough glossed over that the quote “Genetic soulmates. Apparently, it’s a thing.” is the only sciency thing I loved. E.g. Fae “came out” only 90 years ago, yet humans and fae must have been interbreeding for centuries if two Unseelie fae can produce a “human” child. The fae are all magical, which I guess is genetic as well, (though the most magical element of this story is the basic microscope that can be carted around in a backpack with the capability to see individual COLORCODED genes). I tried to read one of Lawless’s works before but the dialogue and writing were a bit too clunky and forced to me; unfortunately, that remains true. After an initial intro of the characters, it’s very one-note fated mates interactions and bad diatribes from another character until the action picks up in the back half (to set up the sequels).
The Cat Returns to Adderly - Sam Burns: 4⭐️
When Luke’s parents are killed in a car crash and his older brothers seize everything, Luke finds himself on the streets with only a few possessions and his cat, Wentworth. Having recently graduated high school and with no place to go, Luke has no clue what he’s going to do. The only thing he’s certain of is that he won’t lose Wentworth too, so when the cat takes off and enters an abandoned mansion, he follows. Soon not only does Luke have a roof over his head, but a way to make money…and ghostly visitations from the sinfully hot owner of the mansion.
This tale is a good example of one that manages to incorporate core themes of the fable, but also adds a missing piece. In many versions of Puss, the displaced son is passive and in ones where he’s aware his cat is special and helping him, sometimes totally ungrateful. In Burns’s take, Luke may not be aware Wentworth is aiding him but he is as loyal to the cat as Wentworth is to him. In addition, Luke is grateful for all his blessings and does his best to be a blessing in return by cleaning the abandoned home he’s squatting in. There is also an added connection to Wentworth and Luke’s bond that show Luke’s inherent kindness and virtue, making him worthy of his good fortune for reasons other than he’s the fable’s MC. I really enjoy how Burns develops the eponymous Puss in this story, and how their mutual loyalty and respect transform into an HEA.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell - W.M. Fawkes: 3.5⭐️
Once upon a time, a newlywed couple was given terrible news—the husband had terminal cancer. When a magician named Bertram Bell offers to save him if they give him their son as an apprentice on his eighteenth birthday, it seems like a no-brainer. For most of his life, Elio lived in the shadow of this promise, but when eighteen came and went, he thought he could finally focus on his goals. Unfortunately, other than his best friend, Dustin, Elio has no idea what he wants and is content to help his mom and younger siblings live out their dreams. When Bell comes to claim Elio’s brother, he convinces Bell to take him instead; if nothing else, apprenticing will give him a direction, improve is limited and unreliable magic and possibly help secure his family’s future. Between feeling valued and special for the first time and his go-with-the-flow nature, Elio tries to ignore his doubts and embrace his life with Bell despite his questionable training methods and creepiness. However, Dutch is not so quick to dismiss his misgivings, and only when he and Elio are on the same page can they face Bell’s horrifying legacy.
I was keen to read this story’s take on Bluebeard; it’s a fave as it’s uncommon among fables with similar themes of patriarchal ownership and anti-feminine intellect as it warns against unquestioning obedience and “knowing your place”, the heroine rewarded when she breaks the rules instead of dying horribly. I like a lot of what Fawkes does with this tale: while a child is still bargained away like chattel, Elio actually has choice and agency; he’s self-sacrificing and willing to ignore his instincts like his archetype but its grounded in his personality and insecurities; he’s charmed by the mansion and Bluebeard/Bell but again because of his nature not because he’s a gullible ingénu. Fawkes also elaborates on the themes and explores the insidiousness of the methods used by domestic abusers.
All the corollaries, Bell’s backstory, etc. are compelling. Unfortunately, I didn’t love Elio and Dutch’s relationship development or the pacing. Most of the story establishes Elio’s character and his life with Bell, while dropping clues to the truth. Reasonable and well done. But then, the narrative ramps up the red flags to “Molly, you in danger girl” bluntness…only for the story to pivot and focus on mixed signals, sulking and other relationshippy things like a “GET OUT NOW” bomb wasn’t dropped. This dissipates tension, derails the flow and just makes Elio look stupid. Simply moving the scene to after all of Dutch’s and Elio’s dithering would have done wonders. By the time the story remembers that it did the ABSOLUTE MOST to shake Elio out of his complacency, it speeds into the finish to wrap things up with a fairytale bow.
Gruff - Morgan Brice: 1.75⭐️
When historian and Boer goat shifter Adiel stops to get gas on his way to Fox Hollow, he doesn’t expect to catch the flirtatious eye of an attractive twink, for said twink to play a game of road tag with him, or for his thoughts to be almost completely obsessed by him. When hot twink happens to be the photographer hired to work with him to chronicle Fox Hollow's supernatural sites and people and seems to share his attraction, Adiel is alternately elated and dismayed. It’s risky enough hooking up with coworker, hooking up with a coworker as gorgeous and free-spirited as his cheating ex screams disaster. Joel, a Tennessee fainting goat (of course), feels the same way except his baggage comes from his ex always accusing him of cheating. Each man’s goat, however, shares no such hesitation and recognizes their mate. When their insecurities lead them into danger, the only thing that can save them is learning to trust themselves and their fated love.
This story just didn’t work for me. I have a complicated relationship with Brice’s writing; I admire her enthusiasm for the genre and usually the worldbuilding and lore in her stories. Where I tend to struggle is execution. Sometimes, the humor falls flat; or the writing is a bit sloppy in its repeated beats or choppy pacing. But the most prevalent culprit is that, as imaginative as her work can be, she has a tendency to use “the big misunderstanding” in the most obvious, unimaginative ways. And I hate to say it, but her worst tendencies are present here. “Gruff” seems to be the shortest of the novels and it doesn’t use its time wisely; e.g. there’s almost as much time spent on Adiel “chubbing up” thinking about the jailbait looking stranger and Joel’s perspective of their tag game as there is with them on their only date. The story relies so heavily on them being fated mates, they’ve fallen in love after a few interactions.
To be fair, everything in this story is pretty insta: insta ride-or-die friendship, insta-oh these things are definitely what you’ll be facing, etc., while too much time is given to try-hard banter, repetitive inner monologues and unnecessary conversations. Moreover, Joel and Adiel are too similar in their insecurities (which is the bulk of their personality development)—both are out of touch with their beast, want to settle down but feel inadequate, had a long term relationship that created the perfectly opposite baggage to explode in their faces for the BM trope, etc., making new information feel redundant. Imo, the other Fox Hollow entries are much more engaging and entertaining.
Demon’s in the Details - Meghan Maslow: 4.25⭐️
As a very accomplished thief, raven shifter Poe is well-acquainted with living in the moral grays when it comes to protecting his roost from the consequences of their alpha’s selfishness. However, when the alpha (Poe’s stepfather) gets so far in debt there’s no way to keep the roost’s territory from the ruthless criminal, Briggs’s, Poe turns to the demon, Tommy for help. Tommy can make your dreams come true—for a price. Punishment for welshing is brutal, but Poe is desperate, and for all his scary reputation, Tommy isn’t what Poe expects. Even when Tommy’s power and pitilessness are on full display, Poe can’t fear him. However, Poe’s willingness to do anything for his roost is put to the ultimate test when he is asked to give up his most personal and precious possession to save them.
Full disclosure, I’m a Maslow stan so I was primed to enjoy this story, and it doesn’t disappoint. To me, it’s also the best example of mirroring and honoring a fable’s core themes and archetypes, while creating a completely unique world, tone and protagonist. I love raven shifters, and haven’t seen enough stories with them so that’s a plus as well. I also liked Maslow’s less traditional concept for alpha dynamics and powers in a roost compared to most shifters; specifically as it creates a validly insurmountable obstacle to the stepfather problem.
The chemistry between Tommy and Poe is scorching, and Maslow’s skill with creating funny, natural-sounding sarcastic dialogue and banter is a treat. Comedy is an art and not easy to create. With the increasing trend of comedy/snarkiness in pnr/fantasy stories, I’m reading more and more forced banter and formulaic Lorne Michaels-esque humor, so I appreciate Maslow’s talent with a turn of phrase all the more. I enjoyed this alternate reality Baltimore where territories are called Neighborhoods and controlled by Rogers. At times, the scale of the worldbuilding overwhelms the story so some elements aren’t as clearly defined as they need to be to avoid seeming like contradictions/holes, but overall a gem.
Spirit of Snow - Richard Amos: 3⭐️
When former copper and bookstore owner Alec Snow and his bf, Kayleigh go searching for a missing coworker, he finds himself entangled with a creepy snake cult and on the hit-list of an exiled evil wizard. He also doesn’t expect the mysterious stranger he boned in the woods two years ago to reappear in his life or to feel such an overwhelming and inexplicable need for him.
Tristan is a tortured soul—created to be the key in his master’s plan to regain wealth and renown, Tristan is abused, tortured and forced into murdering those in his master’s way. He’s also literally haunted by his victims’ ghosts and his own cowardice. When his beautiful stranger, Alec is predicted to gain the power his master has been plotting for decades to achieve, Tristan’s love for Alec may be the only things that can save Tristan’s soul…and the world.
This story is an interesting mixed bag that I have complicated feelings about. The elements Amos chooses from the Snow White tales and how he shapes them for his world is imaginative; he also incorporates dashes of other mythologies and legends that add richness to the storytelling (but at times can detract from it). As a character, I found Alec to be as compellingly erratic as the story he’s in; they definitely contain multitudes. The narrative seems to introduce elements in an attempt to show different sides of Alec’s personality, but after his first few chapters, he feels less defined as the story goes on. When the story shifts from urban fantasy to more Arthurian fated legend, Alec as a person is kind of swallowed and swept along to the end with only his wisecracks as reminders.
Tristan (the Huntsman) is the ultimate poor unfortunate soul whose only purpose is to be used as a tool. He’s given a more tragic backstory and life than his counterpart and technically more depth, but he functions similarly and is mostly just there to do the narrative’s bidding. The writing quality and pace is a little all over the place as well. Alec’s “quirky” humor plus cringeworthy scenes with the completely flat villain and his monotonous “why do you make me hurt you”/evil monologuing are interspersed with some genuinely entertaining and fluid writing. Additionally, Alec and Tristan’s connection is, at first handled, in a somewhat realistic way (for the world) but is forced by the pacing into literally destined by fate. While at times frustrated with the story, I feel like Amos made some intriguing choices, and I can see a lot of people really liking it.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Gay Romance Reviews.
April 23, 2021
Fables Retold is an MM Urban Fantasy anthology composed of six stories written by six different authors. This collection is over 1,200 words, which makes these stories more novella length rather than shorts. So far, I’ve read two of these stories and will base my review of this book on those two. As I finish the others, I will adapt the rating.
The two stories I chose to read first were The Demon’s in the Details by Megan Maslow, and Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless.
I received an ARC from one of the authors. I’m leaving an honest and unbiased opinion about the stories. I’ll also add to this review about the other ones as I finish reading them.
The two stories I chose to read first were The Demon’s in the Details by Megan Maslow, and Blake and the Beast by Rhys Lawless.
I received an ARC from one of the authors. I’m leaving an honest and unbiased opinion about the stories. I’ll also add to this review about the other ones as I finish reading them.
April 28, 2021
so good.. it was sexy and fun.. it was a lot of fun to see retelling of fun stories from my childhood. i really liked it and these authors did amazing.
April 30, 2021
I've read several recreations of traditional fables, but the authors in this anthology pulled out all the stops to make each story in this one fascinatingly unique. I found each adventure captivating in its own way, with enough threads of the original fable to keep me oriented but with plenty of unexpected surprises as well. I was especially impressed by how the authors managed to incorporate a believable romance into some of these decidedly unromantic tales.
Blake & the Beast: 5/5 stars
This paranormal take on Beauty and the Beast was really interesting, and I especially loved the genetics discoveries that Blake and Archer had to unravel throughout this story. Blake, a human scientist with good intentions at heart, stumbled across a "cure" for fae that landed him in hot water when Archer's team of Unseelie fae took on a mission to stop the research in its tracks. What should have been an easy hit-and-run turned into something much more chaotic when Blake and Archer sparked an inexplicable connection. From there on, it was a fast-paced, adventurous journey to figure out what was going on with Beast and what the nature of his bond with Blake was. Their romance heated up quickly as both men kept being drawn together again and again. It was fascinating and deliciously steamy to see the way Blake and Archer reacted to each other, and despite knowing it was a bad idea to get involved they just couldn't stay away from each other. I loved every illicit moment they shared and was equally captivated by the IFA vs HRL conflict. Archer's team was full of fascinating characters, and it was fun to see how they worked together to get themselves out of a sticky situation. Blake's scientific breakthroughs were really exciting, and overall I'm just really impressed by how all the independent threads of this story came together. The romance was on-point, the action scenes had my adrenaline pumping, and the intriguing mystery kept me guessing until the very end.
The Cat Returns to Adderly: 5/5 stars
I'll admit that I was skeptical about how anyone could turn Puss in Boots into a romance, but I should have known better than to underestimate Sam Burns. Luke and Alistair's story was incredibly captivating, with enough tantalizing mysteries to make my brain spin with curiosity. I fell in love with Luke and sweet Wentworth from the very start, and as the two of them struggled to find their place in the world it broke my heart to see them so lost. The more that Wentworth seemed to guide Luke to safe places, the more curious I got about his true nature. In a story with witches and familiars, there were a number of explanations for his almost human-like intelligence, and Sam kept feeding me breadcrumbs until I was desperate to know the full truth. As if that wasn't enough of a mystery, Luke's increasingly vivid dreams of Alastair transformed this story from sweet and innocent to deliciously steamy. I wanted to find a way for the two of them to be together so desperately, and despite all my guesses I still couldn't have predicted how things would actually turn out. Major kudos to Sam for taking this traditional fable and flipping it on its head to create this wonderfully unexpected romance.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell: 4/5 stars
I'm not familiar with the story of Bluebeard, but even I could tell that something was off about Bertram Bell at the start. Everything about him screamed manipulative and untrustworthy, so when Elio began his apprenticeship I was just waiting for something sinister to happen. As Elio encountered multiple creepy and unexplainable things around the estate, I was both fascinated and increasingly alarmed at what was actually going on behind the scenes. From Bertram's general creepiness to his unwanted advances and weird insistence on Elio wearing his ring, I feel like Elio missed a lot of warning signs along the way. Thank goodness for Dutch's insistence on keeping Elio safe, because without him I think this story would have ended a lot differently. As much as I loved Dutch and Elio as friends, I have to admit that I couldn't buy into their romance. I don't know if it was because I was on high-alert from the rest of the story or because their connection seemed so sudden, but I never felt that spark of chemistry between them. Regardless of the believability of their romance, only Dutch and Elio together were capable of taking Bertram down, and it was darkly satisfying to see him get what he deserved after all those years of horrific deeds.
Gruff: 4/5 stars
Adiel and Joel weren't my favorite couple, but I still enjoyed their surprisingly suspenseful romance. I haven't read any of the Fox Hollow books by this author, and I thought this story still worked well as a standalone. I'm not a huge fan of this author's writing style, but the overall storyline was interesting and I have no complaints about the romance. It was fun to see how sassy Adiel and Joel's shifter sides were, and the townspeople of Fox Hollow seem like a great bunch.
The Demon's in the Details: 5/5 stars
This paranormal take on Rumpelstiltskin was fascinating, and I enjoyed every second of Poe and Tommy's journey. The idea that a baddie demon turned into a total softie for his raven lover was so freaking cute, even if Poe didn't recognize it at the time. Their attraction was potent from the start, and it only got better after they started exploring their fiery hot chemistry. Poe's situation with the roost was awful, and every time his gross step-dad beat him down I was rooting for Poe to snap back and stand up for himself. It takes a strong individual to put family first even when personal sacrifice is on the line, but Poe chose others over himself every single time. I think that's why it felt so satisfying to see him find something deliciously steamy with Tommy just for himself. I wish I had been able to sneak a peek at what was going on in Tommy's head throughout this story, because he was such an elusive guy with a perfect poker face. I never quite knew what to expect from his bargains, and though everything turned out okay in the end there were some moments when I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest with fear. Heart palpitations notwithstanding, I was elated to see Poe and Tommy find a way to make things work with each other, and the fact that their friends and family ended up with a sweet deal was just the icing on the cake.
Spirit of Snow: 4/5 stars
Out of all the stories in this anthology, this one felt the least like a romance. Was Alec and Tristan's journey full of excitement, suspense, and unexpected danger? Yes, but I couldn't buy into their love connection. Don't get me wrong--I still really enjoyed the storyline, and I think this is one of the most creative interpretations of Snow White that I've ever read. I was fascinated by Tristan's relationship with his master, and though the things he was forced to do were horrific I could sense a spark of goodness in him that was waiting to come out. Where I started to lose the plot was when Alec and Tristan embarked on their mystical quest to keep the kingdom safe. Maybe it's because I was already struggling to believe in their romance, but that whole section of the story just whooshed right over my head. It was still really cool to see the epic showdown Tristan and Alec had with the "big bads", and I thought the aftermath was surprisingly sweet after how harrowing the rest of their journey had been.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this anthology. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
Blake & the Beast: 5/5 stars
This paranormal take on Beauty and the Beast was really interesting, and I especially loved the genetics discoveries that Blake and Archer had to unravel throughout this story. Blake, a human scientist with good intentions at heart, stumbled across a "cure" for fae that landed him in hot water when Archer's team of Unseelie fae took on a mission to stop the research in its tracks. What should have been an easy hit-and-run turned into something much more chaotic when Blake and Archer sparked an inexplicable connection. From there on, it was a fast-paced, adventurous journey to figure out what was going on with Beast and what the nature of his bond with Blake was. Their romance heated up quickly as both men kept being drawn together again and again. It was fascinating and deliciously steamy to see the way Blake and Archer reacted to each other, and despite knowing it was a bad idea to get involved they just couldn't stay away from each other. I loved every illicit moment they shared and was equally captivated by the IFA vs HRL conflict. Archer's team was full of fascinating characters, and it was fun to see how they worked together to get themselves out of a sticky situation. Blake's scientific breakthroughs were really exciting, and overall I'm just really impressed by how all the independent threads of this story came together. The romance was on-point, the action scenes had my adrenaline pumping, and the intriguing mystery kept me guessing until the very end.
The Cat Returns to Adderly: 5/5 stars
I'll admit that I was skeptical about how anyone could turn Puss in Boots into a romance, but I should have known better than to underestimate Sam Burns. Luke and Alistair's story was incredibly captivating, with enough tantalizing mysteries to make my brain spin with curiosity. I fell in love with Luke and sweet Wentworth from the very start, and as the two of them struggled to find their place in the world it broke my heart to see them so lost. The more that Wentworth seemed to guide Luke to safe places, the more curious I got about his true nature. In a story with witches and familiars, there were a number of explanations for his almost human-like intelligence, and Sam kept feeding me breadcrumbs until I was desperate to know the full truth. As if that wasn't enough of a mystery, Luke's increasingly vivid dreams of Alastair transformed this story from sweet and innocent to deliciously steamy. I wanted to find a way for the two of them to be together so desperately, and despite all my guesses I still couldn't have predicted how things would actually turn out. Major kudos to Sam for taking this traditional fable and flipping it on its head to create this wonderfully unexpected romance.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell: 4/5 stars
I'm not familiar with the story of Bluebeard, but even I could tell that something was off about Bertram Bell at the start. Everything about him screamed manipulative and untrustworthy, so when Elio began his apprenticeship I was just waiting for something sinister to happen. As Elio encountered multiple creepy and unexplainable things around the estate, I was both fascinated and increasingly alarmed at what was actually going on behind the scenes. From Bertram's general creepiness to his unwanted advances and weird insistence on Elio wearing his ring, I feel like Elio missed a lot of warning signs along the way. Thank goodness for Dutch's insistence on keeping Elio safe, because without him I think this story would have ended a lot differently. As much as I loved Dutch and Elio as friends, I have to admit that I couldn't buy into their romance. I don't know if it was because I was on high-alert from the rest of the story or because their connection seemed so sudden, but I never felt that spark of chemistry between them. Regardless of the believability of their romance, only Dutch and Elio together were capable of taking Bertram down, and it was darkly satisfying to see him get what he deserved after all those years of horrific deeds.
Gruff: 4/5 stars
Adiel and Joel weren't my favorite couple, but I still enjoyed their surprisingly suspenseful romance. I haven't read any of the Fox Hollow books by this author, and I thought this story still worked well as a standalone. I'm not a huge fan of this author's writing style, but the overall storyline was interesting and I have no complaints about the romance. It was fun to see how sassy Adiel and Joel's shifter sides were, and the townspeople of Fox Hollow seem like a great bunch.
The Demon's in the Details: 5/5 stars
This paranormal take on Rumpelstiltskin was fascinating, and I enjoyed every second of Poe and Tommy's journey. The idea that a baddie demon turned into a total softie for his raven lover was so freaking cute, even if Poe didn't recognize it at the time. Their attraction was potent from the start, and it only got better after they started exploring their fiery hot chemistry. Poe's situation with the roost was awful, and every time his gross step-dad beat him down I was rooting for Poe to snap back and stand up for himself. It takes a strong individual to put family first even when personal sacrifice is on the line, but Poe chose others over himself every single time. I think that's why it felt so satisfying to see him find something deliciously steamy with Tommy just for himself. I wish I had been able to sneak a peek at what was going on in Tommy's head throughout this story, because he was such an elusive guy with a perfect poker face. I never quite knew what to expect from his bargains, and though everything turned out okay in the end there were some moments when I thought my heart would beat right out of my chest with fear. Heart palpitations notwithstanding, I was elated to see Poe and Tommy find a way to make things work with each other, and the fact that their friends and family ended up with a sweet deal was just the icing on the cake.
Spirit of Snow: 4/5 stars
Out of all the stories in this anthology, this one felt the least like a romance. Was Alec and Tristan's journey full of excitement, suspense, and unexpected danger? Yes, but I couldn't buy into their love connection. Don't get me wrong--I still really enjoyed the storyline, and I think this is one of the most creative interpretations of Snow White that I've ever read. I was fascinated by Tristan's relationship with his master, and though the things he was forced to do were horrific I could sense a spark of goodness in him that was waiting to come out. Where I started to lose the plot was when Alec and Tristan embarked on their mystical quest to keep the kingdom safe. Maybe it's because I was already struggling to believe in their romance, but that whole section of the story just whooshed right over my head. It was still really cool to see the epic showdown Tristan and Alec had with the "big bads", and I thought the aftermath was surprisingly sweet after how harrowing the rest of their journey had been.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this anthology. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 1, 2021
I really enjoyed these authors' takes on the fairy tales. They easily incorporated the themes into a regular story that didn't have crazy exaggeration or totally unbelievable storyline like many I have read. Blake & The Beast had a great beginning to a new world and I am interested to see if the author continues it into a series. Gruff is set within the Fox Hollow universe so we got a chance to see some established characters we already love.
I received a copy of this book and am giving an honest review
May 1, 2021
Wow! What a wonderful and amazing urban fantasy anthology! Five of the six authors featured in this amazing bundle pack recently participated in the Magic Emporium series. Each author wrote a full-length novel about a fable with an urban fantasy twist. I really enjoyed reading this series and what a wonderful, action-packed anthology with something for everyone to enjoy!
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast) - 5 stars
Wow! What a story! Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless was a unique and interesting Beauty and the Beast retelling in a world of science and the Seelie/Unseelie. Blake is a scientist who discovered a “cure” to turn the Seelie and Unseelie into humans. Since the 90s, Seelie and Unseelie have been discriminated against by the humans and many of them have been placed in concentration camps. Persecution, discrimination, and hate are common in a world where humans don’t understand them. Some can’t even find jobs or assimilate due to their unusual appearances which makes their lives harder. The Beast aka Archer is an Unseelie who leads a team of Seelie to stop Blake’s science company from mass producing the cure. From evil government agencies, scientists creating evil cures, secrets, underground Fae movements, romantic smexy times, this is one action-packed Beauty & the Beast urban fantasy! Absolutely brilliant :)
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns (Puss in Boots) - 5 Stars
This was one of my favorite stories in the anthology. I’ve never read a Puss in Boots contemporary re-telling and Sam Burns did a brilliant job! There were three different POVs in this story told through the eyes of Luke, Wentworth, and Alistair. Luke and his stray cat, Wentworth aka Dub, are kicked out of their home when Luke’s parents pass away in a tragic car accident. His older brothers are the evil-doers of this story as they sell all of their parent’s items and the house and steal Luke’s share of his money. With only a duffle bag and his cat, Luke tries to survive on the streets, homeless, until his cat discovers an old and abandoned manor. Luke and Wentworth end up squatting at the manor and discover a mystery and magic left behind by the former owner. The world building is wonderful and I love how Wentworth the Cat had his own POV about the human and life with him. Very charming, sweet, and amazingly romantic story with a great HEA that left me sighing with happiness.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes (Bluebeard) - 4 Stars
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell is a contemporary, magical, and slightly dark Bluebeard re-telling by W.M. Fawkes. There was a lot of strange, weird, and murderous scenes happening. A young man is “sold” to a mage after said mage saved his father from cancer when he was a baby. Elio was told by his parents that Bertram Bell would collect him on his 18th birthday, but when his father disappeared in a gruesome and horrific manner, he forgets about it as his 18th birthday passed with no mage. Elio has been in love with his best friend for several years now but he knows that he is straight and continues to pine for him. When his younger brother turns 18, Bertram Bell shows up to fulfill a promise. Elio decides to trade himself for his younger brother who is supposed to start at Marshal in the fall. When Elio settles into Bertram’s manor, he begin his mage training with Bertram and there are definitely some strange and creepy moments. The manor hides secrets and there are mysterious forbidden rooms that are locked. When Elio meets a strange dog named Grim, everything starts to unravel. What he discovers sets him on a path of magic, murder, love, and a surprising HEA with his best friend by his side. This was definitely a slightly darker read but a hard-fought and hard won HEA for Elio :)
Gruff by Morgan Brice (Three Billy Goats Gruff) - 5 stars
It was great returning to Fox Hollow with two different goat shifters. Adiel and Joel discover that they’re partners on a work assignment and that they’re both goat shifters in a town of magic, shifters, ghosts, and other paranormal activity. I love Morgan Brice’s Fox Hollow world and it was wonderful seeing a very familiar red squirrel shifter introduces himself to Joel and becomes his friend. If you remember from another one of Morgan Brice’s story, the squirrel shifter There are some misunderstandings, confusion, a magical bridge, Fae, and old gods that appear. There definitely is a troll underneath the bridge as a billy goat goes trip-trapping over it :) Loved this story!
The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow (Rumpelstiltskin)
I love Meghan Maslow’s stories so I was thrilled to hear that she was participating in another anthology especially right after the Magic Emporium series. This was my first Rumpelstiltskin contemporary re-telling and it was amazing! Poe is a raven shifter whose roost is being mis-managed by his incompetent step-father. He makes a deal with Tommy the local demon aka Rumpelstiltskin to try and save his roost from bankruptcy and homelessness. What starts out as a quickie hook-up and wheel-dealing turns into something more. Tommy and Poe are a little bit broken inside but both of them fit together. Wonderful, slightly dark, and romantic story with an amazing HEA :) The author also has a bonus short available told from Tommy’s POV that readers will also enjoy.
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White) - 3.5 stars
Richard Amos is a new author that I found from this anthology. Spirit of Snow. This was definitely the grimmest re-telling of Snow WHite that I’ve read for a while. Tristan is a golem of sorts who is controlled by his abusive and cruel Master. People have been disappearing and Alec Snow is a Finder which is someone with magic that can find people. He remembers the one-night hook-up he had a few years ago in the woods with someone who had red eyes and is surprised to run into Tristan again. Alec and Tristan learn to work together after something major (no spoilers) occurs in the middle of this story. There are strange ghosts, cultist snake people, horrible cops, and magic. This was really dark, mysterious, and strangely weird and romantic because it took place in the UK with a different royal family. The ending was not what I was expecting but it strangely seemed to fit given the nature of the story.
Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless (Beauty & the Beast) - 5 stars
Wow! What a story! Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless was a unique and interesting Beauty and the Beast retelling in a world of science and the Seelie/Unseelie. Blake is a scientist who discovered a “cure” to turn the Seelie and Unseelie into humans. Since the 90s, Seelie and Unseelie have been discriminated against by the humans and many of them have been placed in concentration camps. Persecution, discrimination, and hate are common in a world where humans don’t understand them. Some can’t even find jobs or assimilate due to their unusual appearances which makes their lives harder. The Beast aka Archer is an Unseelie who leads a team of Seelie to stop Blake’s science company from mass producing the cure. From evil government agencies, scientists creating evil cures, secrets, underground Fae movements, romantic smexy times, this is one action-packed Beauty & the Beast urban fantasy! Absolutely brilliant :)
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns (Puss in Boots) - 5 Stars
This was one of my favorite stories in the anthology. I’ve never read a Puss in Boots contemporary re-telling and Sam Burns did a brilliant job! There were three different POVs in this story told through the eyes of Luke, Wentworth, and Alistair. Luke and his stray cat, Wentworth aka Dub, are kicked out of their home when Luke’s parents pass away in a tragic car accident. His older brothers are the evil-doers of this story as they sell all of their parent’s items and the house and steal Luke’s share of his money. With only a duffle bag and his cat, Luke tries to survive on the streets, homeless, until his cat discovers an old and abandoned manor. Luke and Wentworth end up squatting at the manor and discover a mystery and magic left behind by the former owner. The world building is wonderful and I love how Wentworth the Cat had his own POV about the human and life with him. Very charming, sweet, and amazingly romantic story with a great HEA that left me sighing with happiness.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes (Bluebeard) - 4 Stars
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell is a contemporary, magical, and slightly dark Bluebeard re-telling by W.M. Fawkes. There was a lot of strange, weird, and murderous scenes happening. A young man is “sold” to a mage after said mage saved his father from cancer when he was a baby. Elio was told by his parents that Bertram Bell would collect him on his 18th birthday, but when his father disappeared in a gruesome and horrific manner, he forgets about it as his 18th birthday passed with no mage. Elio has been in love with his best friend for several years now but he knows that he is straight and continues to pine for him. When his younger brother turns 18, Bertram Bell shows up to fulfill a promise. Elio decides to trade himself for his younger brother who is supposed to start at Marshal in the fall. When Elio settles into Bertram’s manor, he begin his mage training with Bertram and there are definitely some strange and creepy moments. The manor hides secrets and there are mysterious forbidden rooms that are locked. When Elio meets a strange dog named Grim, everything starts to unravel. What he discovers sets him on a path of magic, murder, love, and a surprising HEA with his best friend by his side. This was definitely a slightly darker read but a hard-fought and hard won HEA for Elio :)
Gruff by Morgan Brice (Three Billy Goats Gruff) - 5 stars
It was great returning to Fox Hollow with two different goat shifters. Adiel and Joel discover that they’re partners on a work assignment and that they’re both goat shifters in a town of magic, shifters, ghosts, and other paranormal activity. I love Morgan Brice’s Fox Hollow world and it was wonderful seeing a very familiar red squirrel shifter introduces himself to Joel and becomes his friend. If you remember from another one of Morgan Brice’s story, the squirrel shifter There are some misunderstandings, confusion, a magical bridge, Fae, and old gods that appear. There definitely is a troll underneath the bridge as a billy goat goes trip-trapping over it :) Loved this story!
The Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow (Rumpelstiltskin)
I love Meghan Maslow’s stories so I was thrilled to hear that she was participating in another anthology especially right after the Magic Emporium series. This was my first Rumpelstiltskin contemporary re-telling and it was amazing! Poe is a raven shifter whose roost is being mis-managed by his incompetent step-father. He makes a deal with Tommy the local demon aka Rumpelstiltskin to try and save his roost from bankruptcy and homelessness. What starts out as a quickie hook-up and wheel-dealing turns into something more. Tommy and Poe are a little bit broken inside but both of them fit together. Wonderful, slightly dark, and romantic story with an amazing HEA :) The author also has a bonus short available told from Tommy’s POV that readers will also enjoy.
Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos (Snow White) - 3.5 stars
Richard Amos is a new author that I found from this anthology. Spirit of Snow. This was definitely the grimmest re-telling of Snow WHite that I’ve read for a while. Tristan is a golem of sorts who is controlled by his abusive and cruel Master. People have been disappearing and Alec Snow is a Finder which is someone with magic that can find people. He remembers the one-night hook-up he had a few years ago in the woods with someone who had red eyes and is surprised to run into Tristan again. Alec and Tristan learn to work together after something major (no spoilers) occurs in the middle of this story. There are strange ghosts, cultist snake people, horrible cops, and magic. This was really dark, mysterious, and strangely weird and romantic because it took place in the UK with a different royal family. The ending was not what I was expecting but it strangely seemed to fit given the nature of the story.
May 16, 2021
I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale retelling, especially when there are a few twists or modernizations thrown in wisely. Four of the included stories really caught my interest and two were written by a couple of my must-read authors so I was pretty excited for this anthology.
Below are reviews for only four of the stories: The Cat Returns to Adderly, Sam Burns; The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell, W.M. Fawkes; Gruff, Morgan Brice; and The Demon's in the Details, Meghan Maslow.
The Cat Returns to Adderly, Sam Burns
This was a really unique take on Puss in Boots, that the boots were the tool used to bring back the element of humanity in a supernaturally altered cat. The romance itself took a back seat to Luke's making a home in the mansion of a missing witch while making sense of the life he's trying to gain. In and amongst all the little discoveries there's something going on between him and the Alastair of his dreams, but none of that really comes together until the very end and by then we're supposed to believe there's a romantic connection, though it's a bit of curiosity, lust, and desperation all mixed up in a way that's okay for a start, but not a good way to end the story. While the epilogue bit was cute and shows a far more settled couple, it doesn't really deepen the believability of the romance. I wished there were more magic, more romance, and more of a build, but overall the unique take and interesting premise was passable. 3 stars.
Gruff, Morgan Brice
I love Fox Hollow! Each story in this world fits the setting and adds interest to a town I wish I could visit in real life. Adiel and Joe are new additions to the town and their meet-cute was a good intro to Adiel, getting to know Joe came a bit later. My favorite bit was probably the first shift where they meet one another's goats...adorable! Their hesitance was endearing until Adiel let his fear and insecurity get the better of him.
The romantic conflict was super predictable and the way they both flew off the handle and stomped off full of self-righteousness and hurt feelings was definitely not appreciated, but what made it excusable was that during their separation both truly reflected on their overreactions and made really astute observations that led to believable resolutions.
And the introduction of the Three Billy Goats Gruff aspect was far more dramatic than I expected, they were powerfully different, violent, and challenging. Very little resembled the Norwegian fairy tale beyond the desire to consume the challenger and I liked the intent behind the changes. They were a little repetitive, but still quite effective. The whole experience helped Adiel to prove, not only to Joe, but to himself that he was stronger than he thought, that he was deserving of more than he's been given or had accepted up to now. And the assists from Joe were just right; a partnership and a non-verbal show of just where his own heart and hopes lay. Definitely unique and great addition to the Fox Hollow stories. 4 stars.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell, W.M. Fawkes
Quite grim nearly from the start with a whole lot of loss and apprehension about huge life changes for everyone, Elio had a lot to come to terms with over the course of the story. The creepy nature of Bertram, the house setup, the mystery...all of it was fitting to the original tale. While I was glad things worked out as they did, I didn't connect with any of the characters much at all even though I really wanted to. I was more interested in Grim, the random dog who was a mystery on their own and left unexplained to the very end.
There was a lot that was unresolved by the end, most the minutiae of consequences from the climax, and I would have really appreciated seeing some of the transition because Elio had two more huge changes coming at him; the hopeful expectation regarding those changes just wasn't enough to satisfy me. Between the magic that I wanted more of and the friends-to-lovers setup with Dutch that I also didn't get enough of, the story was fine, I just didn't feel there was enough. 3 stars.
The Demon's in the Details, Meghan Maslow
By far the best book I have ever read from this author. Poe and Tommy are fascinating and memorable on their own and together they are incendiary and fickle and salty and sweet too. I enjoyed their roller coaster, though I wish it had been an alternating POV and not just Poe's. From the very beginning I was intrigued and engaged and interested in the MC's and rooted for their HEA, which they most definitely got.
The plot was clear and focused, it progressed well without too many complications thrown in just to make things more interesting. There was drama, of course, but it was resolved in a way that fit the characters and the family they surrounded themselves by. There weren't any true surprises along the way, but neither was it exactly predictable; it was just right, in my opinion. There was a strength in the subtleties, the bad guys were clear, and the good guys were a lot of fun while also being clever and deadly.
There was compassion, heart, passion, and family in all the right ways. I really want more from this world. If you sign up for the author's newsletter you could gain access to a short story from Tommy's POV from when he met Poe and while it was kinda nice, it was incredibly short and I thought it was underwhelming. I'd recommend not reading it after the story, read it as part of the story where it belongs chronologically if you really want to read it, I just think it was unnecessary. 4.5 stars.
Below are reviews for only four of the stories: The Cat Returns to Adderly, Sam Burns; The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell, W.M. Fawkes; Gruff, Morgan Brice; and The Demon's in the Details, Meghan Maslow.
The Cat Returns to Adderly, Sam Burns
This was a really unique take on Puss in Boots, that the boots were the tool used to bring back the element of humanity in a supernaturally altered cat. The romance itself took a back seat to Luke's making a home in the mansion of a missing witch while making sense of the life he's trying to gain. In and amongst all the little discoveries there's something going on between him and the Alastair of his dreams, but none of that really comes together until the very end and by then we're supposed to believe there's a romantic connection, though it's a bit of curiosity, lust, and desperation all mixed up in a way that's okay for a start, but not a good way to end the story. While the epilogue bit was cute and shows a far more settled couple, it doesn't really deepen the believability of the romance. I wished there were more magic, more romance, and more of a build, but overall the unique take and interesting premise was passable. 3 stars.
Gruff, Morgan Brice
I love Fox Hollow! Each story in this world fits the setting and adds interest to a town I wish I could visit in real life. Adiel and Joe are new additions to the town and their meet-cute was a good intro to Adiel, getting to know Joe came a bit later. My favorite bit was probably the first shift where they meet one another's goats...adorable! Their hesitance was endearing until Adiel let his fear and insecurity get the better of him.
The romantic conflict was super predictable and the way they both flew off the handle and stomped off full of self-righteousness and hurt feelings was definitely not appreciated, but what made it excusable was that during their separation both truly reflected on their overreactions and made really astute observations that led to believable resolutions.
And the introduction of the Three Billy Goats Gruff aspect was far more dramatic than I expected, they were powerfully different, violent, and challenging. Very little resembled the Norwegian fairy tale beyond the desire to consume the challenger and I liked the intent behind the changes. They were a little repetitive, but still quite effective. The whole experience helped Adiel to prove, not only to Joe, but to himself that he was stronger than he thought, that he was deserving of more than he's been given or had accepted up to now. And the assists from Joe were just right; a partnership and a non-verbal show of just where his own heart and hopes lay. Definitely unique and great addition to the Fox Hollow stories. 4 stars.
The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell, W.M. Fawkes
Quite grim nearly from the start with a whole lot of loss and apprehension about huge life changes for everyone, Elio had a lot to come to terms with over the course of the story. The creepy nature of Bertram, the house setup, the mystery...all of it was fitting to the original tale. While I was glad things worked out as they did, I didn't connect with any of the characters much at all even though I really wanted to. I was more interested in Grim, the random dog who was a mystery on their own and left unexplained to the very end.
There was a lot that was unresolved by the end, most the minutiae of consequences from the climax, and I would have really appreciated seeing some of the transition because Elio had two more huge changes coming at him; the hopeful expectation regarding those changes just wasn't enough to satisfy me. Between the magic that I wanted more of and the friends-to-lovers setup with Dutch that I also didn't get enough of, the story was fine, I just didn't feel there was enough. 3 stars.
The Demon's in the Details, Meghan Maslow
By far the best book I have ever read from this author. Poe and Tommy are fascinating and memorable on their own and together they are incendiary and fickle and salty and sweet too. I enjoyed their roller coaster, though I wish it had been an alternating POV and not just Poe's. From the very beginning I was intrigued and engaged and interested in the MC's and rooted for their HEA, which they most definitely got.
The plot was clear and focused, it progressed well without too many complications thrown in just to make things more interesting. There was drama, of course, but it was resolved in a way that fit the characters and the family they surrounded themselves by. There weren't any true surprises along the way, but neither was it exactly predictable; it was just right, in my opinion. There was a strength in the subtleties, the bad guys were clear, and the good guys were a lot of fun while also being clever and deadly.
There was compassion, heart, passion, and family in all the right ways. I really want more from this world. If you sign up for the author's newsletter you could gain access to a short story from Tommy's POV from when he met Poe and while it was kinda nice, it was incredibly short and I thought it was underwhelming. I'd recommend not reading it after the story, read it as part of the story where it belongs chronologically if you really want to read it, I just think it was unnecessary. 4.5 stars.
February 9, 2022
WOW. Just WOW.
These stories were fantastic blends of action, paranormal, romance and supernatural. I loved it.
5 of the 6 were absolute 5 star page-turners with only Gruff by Morgan Brice being a disappointment.
First up was Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless. I have to confess that Rhys is not a common name to me so it's taken me awhile to realize that Rhys Everly, Rhys Ford and Rhys Lawless are all different writers in the MM romance genre. I mention this because one of the first ebooks I ever bought and read was by Rhys Ford and it was such a massive disappointment that I've shied away from books by Rhys ever since. That was so wrong of me because I loved what Rhys Lawless did in this story and cannot wait to read more of their work now. As a fan of both Beauty & the Beast and Rogue from the X-Men, I loved how this story felt like The Last Stand movie with the mutant cure debate. (I know it's not a popular entry in the fandom, but I loved the cast and many plot elements.) The way it was handled, both Archer and Blake's side, as well as the take on corporate interests and sinister intentions was just so well done. All the characters and scenes were written with a depth that had me engrossed. It was better than X3.
Second and third are The Cat Returns To Adderly by Sam Burns and The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes. I know I shouldn't lump these two together, but I'm just so used to reading what these authors write together that I'm not separating them. The themes are very different, with The Cat having an overall cuter tone and sweeter romance than the dark intrigue of Bertram Bell, but the quality of writing is excellent, as always. Again with great characters, vivid depictions of events and just riveting stories that made it hard for me to take any break in reading despite having to for work and sleep.
Fourth is Gruff by Morgan Brice. The 3 star entry, in my opinion, and it is such a shame. There was cuteness in the beginning with the roadway leapfrog, which I have done without romantic intent on long drives. The development of Fox Hollow and the story of Avery's Island were wonderfully done. Adiel and Joel are even ok characters. Their romance, though, was completely uninspired. If they had just been two guys getting the stories of Fox Hollow told, I would have loved it and read so much more, but their inner dialog with their shifter sides and the almost compulsory feel of their "fated mates love" was just tedious. Shifter romances can honestly get repetitive on their tropes and this one relies heavily on those themes with nothing to make the romance elements memorable. The backstory was the highlight and that makes this a fail because the romance is supposed to be the main feature if you can’t manage to bring it all together like every other story in this anthology did.
Fifth, Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow. It's hard to pick a favorite among so many loved stories, but as I live near Baltimore, this one really takes a lead for me. I loved how the city was incorporated into the story and feel that same kind of connection to my hometown that Poe does. Tommy as Rumpelstiltskin was just inspired. I agree with the author that old Rumpel got a bad deal in the old fables so I absolutely adored this retelling on every level.
Finally, Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos. What a story to end on! The twists on Snow White, the sticking to the dark tones of the Grimms' fairytale version and the characters were just stellar. Again, if I had to put an order on my favorites this would be a tie for first and take the win if I put aside my personal affinity for the previous entry. It's just such a journey and I was in it the whole way. Alec and Tristan were such richly developed characters that I love/hate how their story played put. It's the kind of story you have to read then read again and again. Evan's story is also such a gutpunch and the glass mannequin was so vividly described that that'll haunt me. It reminded me of the Barbie styling head I had as a child. I'll never remember that toy with the same nostalgia now when I can imagine combing her hair and having her awaken as a creepy af fortune-teller of unknown intentions. This story packed in laughter, tears, action, horror and memorable ghost cameos. It seriously deserves more than 5 stars on its own.
Altogether, there are so many reasons why this was my vote for Best Anthology in the 2021 Goodreads MM Romance Group Members' Choice Awards and I can't believe it wasn't the winner by a landslide. There is such value in this for the length and quality of the stories in the anthology. Collections like this are almost always limited in some way so I absolutely encourage you to get it while you can.
These stories were fantastic blends of action, paranormal, romance and supernatural. I loved it.
5 of the 6 were absolute 5 star page-turners with only Gruff by Morgan Brice being a disappointment.
First up was Blake & the Beast by Rhys Lawless. I have to confess that Rhys is not a common name to me so it's taken me awhile to realize that Rhys Everly, Rhys Ford and Rhys Lawless are all different writers in the MM romance genre. I mention this because one of the first ebooks I ever bought and read was by Rhys Ford and it was such a massive disappointment that I've shied away from books by Rhys ever since. That was so wrong of me because I loved what Rhys Lawless did in this story and cannot wait to read more of their work now. As a fan of both Beauty & the Beast and Rogue from the X-Men, I loved how this story felt like The Last Stand movie with the mutant cure debate. (I know it's not a popular entry in the fandom, but I loved the cast and many plot elements.) The way it was handled, both Archer and Blake's side, as well as the take on corporate interests and sinister intentions was just so well done. All the characters and scenes were written with a depth that had me engrossed. It was better than X3.
Second and third are The Cat Returns To Adderly by Sam Burns and The Seventh Ring of Bertram Bell by W.M. Fawkes. I know I shouldn't lump these two together, but I'm just so used to reading what these authors write together that I'm not separating them. The themes are very different, with The Cat having an overall cuter tone and sweeter romance than the dark intrigue of Bertram Bell, but the quality of writing is excellent, as always. Again with great characters, vivid depictions of events and just riveting stories that made it hard for me to take any break in reading despite having to for work and sleep.
Fourth is Gruff by Morgan Brice. The 3 star entry, in my opinion, and it is such a shame. There was cuteness in the beginning with the roadway leapfrog, which I have done without romantic intent on long drives. The development of Fox Hollow and the story of Avery's Island were wonderfully done. Adiel and Joel are even ok characters. Their romance, though, was completely uninspired. If they had just been two guys getting the stories of Fox Hollow told, I would have loved it and read so much more, but their inner dialog with their shifter sides and the almost compulsory feel of their "fated mates love" was just tedious. Shifter romances can honestly get repetitive on their tropes and this one relies heavily on those themes with nothing to make the romance elements memorable. The backstory was the highlight and that makes this a fail because the romance is supposed to be the main feature if you can’t manage to bring it all together like every other story in this anthology did.
Fifth, Demon's in the Details by Meghan Maslow. It's hard to pick a favorite among so many loved stories, but as I live near Baltimore, this one really takes a lead for me. I loved how the city was incorporated into the story and feel that same kind of connection to my hometown that Poe does. Tommy as Rumpelstiltskin was just inspired. I agree with the author that old Rumpel got a bad deal in the old fables so I absolutely adored this retelling on every level.
Finally, Spirit of Snow by Richard Amos. What a story to end on! The twists on Snow White, the sticking to the dark tones of the Grimms' fairytale version and the characters were just stellar. Again, if I had to put an order on my favorites this would be a tie for first and take the win if I put aside my personal affinity for the previous entry. It's just such a journey and I was in it the whole way. Alec and Tristan were such richly developed characters that I love/hate how their story played put. It's the kind of story you have to read then read again and again. Evan's story is also such a gutpunch and the glass mannequin was so vividly described that that'll haunt me. It reminded me of the Barbie styling head I had as a child. I'll never remember that toy with the same nostalgia now when I can imagine combing her hair and having her awaken as a creepy af fortune-teller of unknown intentions. This story packed in laughter, tears, action, horror and memorable ghost cameos. It seriously deserves more than 5 stars on its own.
Altogether, there are so many reasons why this was my vote for Best Anthology in the 2021 Goodreads MM Romance Group Members' Choice Awards and I can't believe it wasn't the winner by a landslide. There is such value in this for the length and quality of the stories in the anthology. Collections like this are almost always limited in some way so I absolutely encourage you to get it while you can.
April 27, 2021
BLAKE AND THE BEAST
Blake and Archer story was an interesting retelling of Beauty and the beast where the beast is a fae with beastly appearance and the beauty is a geneticist that wants to create a cure for the fae which appearance makes them rejected by the society. Is a story full of action and adrenaline where the cure is hunted to be used as a weapon, old friends turn to enemies when greed and need of power tales a forefront.
It was an interesting rendering of the story and I'm looking forward to see if some if the characters will find their happiness also.
THE CAT RETURNS TO ADDERLY
Wentworth and Luke story is an interesting retelling of Puss in boots with a side of magic and mystery that makes the read an entertaining and funny one. The relationship between the cat and owner is extremely sweet, their connection and support unmistakable and unconditional. When Alastair joins the story things start to get interesting, we learn more about witches, familiars and dreams that are part of reality.
It was an unexpected and enjoyable experience to see the fairy tale from this perspective and I'm looking forward to see what happens next.
THE SEVENTH RING OF BERTRAM BELL
It was interesting to read this retelling of Bluebeard with a side of magic and paranormal. Elio, a magician that doesn't has a lot of power, was promised as apprentice before he was born to a magician with lot of power that saved his father's life. He grown fearing the day he will ne taken away. Dutch was the good friend that support him in everything and to whom Elio has a crush. Dutch has a secret of his on and he disappears on nights of full moon.
Bell, the magician, finally comes, but he wants to take his brother instead of him. He ends up sacrificing himself to save his brother and goes with Bell to start his apprenticeship. From here on out things starts taking a turn to the spooky and dangerous side. Uneasiness, strange things happening, secrets, nightmares and a closer with Bell that makes him apprehensive and weirded out.
He is reunited with Dutch, their relationship blooms and together they discover the secret of the house and succeed in stopping Bell fir doing more harm.
It was an intriguing story where you're kept on the edge until the end in hopping for evil to be defeated and the characters to find their happiness.
GRUFF
Adiel and Joel story is a retelling of The three billy goats gruff that takes us back to Fox Hollow where we meet old friends, along with ghosts, gods, evil fairies, and shifters. Our protagonists were deeply hurt by past relationships so they are pretty apprehensive and insecure in this new relationship even if their animal side insist they are mates. After a big misunderstanding Joel life is put in danger and the only one who can save him is Adiel.
This story show us the importance of trust, communication, forgiveness and courage to fight for what the one you love.
It was entertaining and full of mystery and danger and I'm looking forward to see what happens next in this world.
DEMON'S IN THE DETAILS
Tommy and Poe story is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling that takes us to the world of shifters and demons that. The whole story is viewed from Poe perspective, how he struggles to take care of his 2 half siblings, how he endures bag things for his people, his impressions about his stepdad that makes his life a nightmare, the threats to his life, and how he meets the one who will help him and also fall in love.
It was a story full of danger and action that will keep you on the edge, challenges that become more difficult to overcome, greed, and revenge. It was a very hard won happiness and in the end justice was served.
SPIRIT OF SNOW
Alec and Tristan story tell us a Snow white retelling that will blow your mind. Is a dark version of the fairy tale that has danger, adrenaline, ghosts, power hunger alchemists, and a lot of challenges that will keep you on the edge until the end. In this version all seems against the two characters, death plays a key point in the story as well as a pocket of dimension that can bring them happiness.
It was an exhilarating read and their journey was full of surprises and hardships that keeps us guessing at what happens next.
Blake and Archer story was an interesting retelling of Beauty and the beast where the beast is a fae with beastly appearance and the beauty is a geneticist that wants to create a cure for the fae which appearance makes them rejected by the society. Is a story full of action and adrenaline where the cure is hunted to be used as a weapon, old friends turn to enemies when greed and need of power tales a forefront.
It was an interesting rendering of the story and I'm looking forward to see if some if the characters will find their happiness also.
THE CAT RETURNS TO ADDERLY
Wentworth and Luke story is an interesting retelling of Puss in boots with a side of magic and mystery that makes the read an entertaining and funny one. The relationship between the cat and owner is extremely sweet, their connection and support unmistakable and unconditional. When Alastair joins the story things start to get interesting, we learn more about witches, familiars and dreams that are part of reality.
It was an unexpected and enjoyable experience to see the fairy tale from this perspective and I'm looking forward to see what happens next.
THE SEVENTH RING OF BERTRAM BELL
It was interesting to read this retelling of Bluebeard with a side of magic and paranormal. Elio, a magician that doesn't has a lot of power, was promised as apprentice before he was born to a magician with lot of power that saved his father's life. He grown fearing the day he will ne taken away. Dutch was the good friend that support him in everything and to whom Elio has a crush. Dutch has a secret of his on and he disappears on nights of full moon.
Bell, the magician, finally comes, but he wants to take his brother instead of him. He ends up sacrificing himself to save his brother and goes with Bell to start his apprenticeship. From here on out things starts taking a turn to the spooky and dangerous side. Uneasiness, strange things happening, secrets, nightmares and a closer with Bell that makes him apprehensive and weirded out.
He is reunited with Dutch, their relationship blooms and together they discover the secret of the house and succeed in stopping Bell fir doing more harm.
It was an intriguing story where you're kept on the edge until the end in hopping for evil to be defeated and the characters to find their happiness.
GRUFF
Adiel and Joel story is a retelling of The three billy goats gruff that takes us back to Fox Hollow where we meet old friends, along with ghosts, gods, evil fairies, and shifters. Our protagonists were deeply hurt by past relationships so they are pretty apprehensive and insecure in this new relationship even if their animal side insist they are mates. After a big misunderstanding Joel life is put in danger and the only one who can save him is Adiel.
This story show us the importance of trust, communication, forgiveness and courage to fight for what the one you love.
It was entertaining and full of mystery and danger and I'm looking forward to see what happens next in this world.
DEMON'S IN THE DETAILS
Tommy and Poe story is a Rumpelstiltskin retelling that takes us to the world of shifters and demons that. The whole story is viewed from Poe perspective, how he struggles to take care of his 2 half siblings, how he endures bag things for his people, his impressions about his stepdad that makes his life a nightmare, the threats to his life, and how he meets the one who will help him and also fall in love.
It was a story full of danger and action that will keep you on the edge, challenges that become more difficult to overcome, greed, and revenge. It was a very hard won happiness and in the end justice was served.
SPIRIT OF SNOW
Alec and Tristan story tell us a Snow white retelling that will blow your mind. Is a dark version of the fairy tale that has danger, adrenaline, ghosts, power hunger alchemists, and a lot of challenges that will keep you on the edge until the end. In this version all seems against the two characters, death plays a key point in the story as well as a pocket of dimension that can bring them happiness.
It was an exhilarating read and their journey was full of surprises and hardships that keeps us guessing at what happens next.
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