Book Review: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Publisher: originally George M. Hill company
Publication date: originally 1900
Pages: 78
Source: free e-book
For: a classic double pair
Series: Oz Series, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Follow the yellow brick road!
Dorothy thinks she's lost forever when a tornado whirls her and her dog, Toto, into a magical world. To get home, she must find the wonderful wizard in the Emerald City of Oz. On the way she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. But the Wicked Witch of the West has her own plans for the new arrival - will Dorothy ever see Kansas again?

Things I Liked:
It felt so lovely and old fashioned! It definitely had a timeless quality to it, despite it feeling so different from modern-day tales. I thought it was weird how very indifferent sometimes the characters were to tragedy or difficult things happening to them or their friends. Oh, I shall cry for them. Oh well. Having based my entire knowledge of the book on the movie, I was quite surprised to find things very different - why did they make her shoes red? Plus, a huge part of the book comes after the witch is dead. They have lots of further adventures. And it is quite obvious along the way how each of Dorothy's companions get what they are asking Oz for, and rather humorous how he gives it to them. I'm glad to have read this one finally and hope to share it with my daughter when she's ready.

Things I Didn't Like:
Some of the same things above detracted from my enjoyment, most notably the way the characters would respond to certain situations. Well, nothing we can do for them, let's just leave them or cry about it and move on. Some of the things they said felt a little strange too, like Dorothy talking about how cowardly the lion is, on a regular basis. Sometimes she didn't feel like such a "sweet" little girl.

Read-alikes:
can't think of anything :)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel AND Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie

Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
Publisher: Gutenberg Project
Publication date: originally published in 1911
Pages: 162
Source: Free e-book
For: Classic Double Challenge

Second Star by Alyssa B. Scheinmel
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication date: May 2014
Pages: 256
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Classic Double Challenge

Summary of Peter and Wendy (PW) from amazon:

Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang, the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, Native Americans, fairies, pirates, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside of Neverland.

Summary of Second Star (SS) from goodreads:

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

Things I Liked about PW:
The story is so much more quirky than the movies have made it out to be.  More humor for the adults who read it than fun for the kids who enjoy it, I think.  Still, it's whimsical and fun and has some interesting thoughts about kids and their nature. The basic story is still there, though, with some added other adventures most movies have left out.
 
Things I Liked about SS:
I was really enjoying this book, like loving the twist on Peter Pan that it played - a surfing story complete with a Neverland beach of perfect waves.  I even enjoyed the James Hook character and his evil, but not too evil feel.  I was sucked into the story.  But I kind of found the ending disappointing.

Things I Didn't Like about PW:
Sometimes it was just trying too hard to be a book about adults talking about kids who never grow up.  I think this was more of my own expectations of what Peter Pan's story is really about.  Peter isn't really all that likeable, is he?
 
Things I Didn't Like about SS:
As I mentioned, the ending kind of threw me off.  I liked the concept, got sucked into the drama and the update and really liked seeing the elements of Peter Pan that made it in.  But, found the ending wasn't as satisfying. Not that I didn't think it could end any other way, necessarily, but I just thought it was weird (trying not to be spoilery here).  Also, Wendy kind of bugged me throughout.

Read-alikes:
Lots of Peter Pan spin offs out there, tho this one seems a bit different than others
  
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for PW:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for SS:
s-factor: !@
some

mrg-factor: X
mostly just kind of implied stuff

v-factor: ->
it does get a bit intense in sections

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for August & September

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done or will do in August or September (or really any time, it doesn't matter)! I finished Second Star, a retelling of Peter Pan, and I managed to start Peter Pan, but haven't gotten very far.  Anybody out there working on this challenge still?  Hopefully you are still reading retellings and their originals, even if you aren't doing it for my challenge!

 

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

On Retellings: A Guest Post by Jessica Lawson

I'm happy to welcome Jessica Lawson, author of The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher to my blog today!  She's planning to tell us more about retellings and some rules to follow if you plan to write one!

 
Rules for Retellings/Reimaginings
 

Recycled stories are popular nowadays (just take a look at this epic chart of 162 YA retellings). Authors vary widely in their approach, from Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted (a take on the Cinderella fairy tale) to Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which is pretty much what the title implies—a zombie-fied version of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice). My own debut middle grade novel, The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher, is a retelling/origin story mix, with old/new characters blending with old/new plot elements…and with the original tale’s author (a young Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain) thrown in as a happenstance observer.

All this to say, there are lots of ways to go about creating a new version of something that’s already been written. Fiction, by nature, is open to interpretation and there aren’t too many true instances of “you can never do that!” Still, if you’re thinking of writing your own story based on an already-established tale, there are a few things that you may want to keep in mind:

Three Rules for Retellings/Reimaginings

1. First, you should love the original work as written and have respect for the author. Basically, retell the story because you love it, not because you loathe it. In my opinion, a retelling shouldn’t be undertaken in order to “fix” something that the original author did wrong, but rather to bring fresh attention and a new perspective to a well-loved tale.

I love Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer exactly as written. I love the story so much that I found myself thinking of its characters often, and eventually that emotional closeness to the story prompted me to revisit the world I loved so well.

2. There must be at least one large twist. But the twist should be a playful/thoughtful/deliberate one that has meaning within the original elements, not just a random item. In the words of Mark Twain, “know the facts and then distort them as you please.” Know why you’re changing a key element of the story and be confident in your reasoning. A version of Charlotte’s Web in space? That’s fine! But you need to be able to justify the twist being necessary in order to bring something new to the context of the original. Utilize the twist to strengthen your version of the story and let it inform your plot and characters. Choose your twist deliberately and with attention to the plot/characters of the original.

3. Keep the heart of the original in mind and try your best to honor it. Even if you’re retelling Cinderella to make the wicked stepmother character the heroine and her stepdaughter a horrible conniving brat, the basic idea is the same—one person is unfairly treated and must find their own journey to happily-ever-after, while the baddie gets punished.

While my own retelling of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer alters personalities and changes plot elements, the themes of learning what it means to grow up and struggling with losing pieces of childhood are still there and are recognizable.

Happy writing and reading! And if you haven’t read a retelling lately, my blog hostess Melissa’s own Classic Double Challenge is a wonderful way to get motivated.

Thank you so much, Melissa!

Jessica Lawson’s debut middle grade novel, The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher is available now. You can visit her at http://jessicalawsonbooks.com and on twitter. 

Thanks for the post, Jessica!  I've always wanted to write a retelling and now I have some lovely guidelines (for if I eeeeever get around to it).  You can check out my review of Jessica's book, The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher. 

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for June and July

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done or will do in June or July (or really any time, it doesn't matter)! I posted my review of Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer in May, but haven't done any challenge reading since (though, I've just started Second Star, a retelling of Peter Pan, and I might just have to read the original).  Anybody out there still working on this challenge still?  Sorry I'm such a slacker at posting pretty much anything :)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain AND The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson

 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Publisher:
Publication date: 1876
Pages: 209 (my kindle edition)
Source: Free e-book
For: Classic Double Challenge

The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 2014
Pages: 224
Source: ARC from the author
For: Classic Double Challenge (and review)

Summary of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (TS) from goodreads:

From the famous episodes of the whitewashed fence and the ordeal in the cave to the trial of Injun Joe, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is redolent of life in the Mississippi River towns in which Twain spent his own youth. A somber undercurrent flows through the high humor and unabashed nostalgia of the novel, however, for beneath the innocence of childhood lie the inequities of adult reality—base emotions and superstitions, murder and revenge, starvation and slavery.

Summary of The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher (BT) from goodreads:

In 1860, eleven-year-old Becky Thatcher is the new girl in town, determined to have adventures like she promised her brother Jon before he died. With her Mama frozen in grief and her Daddy busy as town judge, Becky spends much of her time on her own, getting into mischief. Before long, she joins the boys at school in a bet to steal from the Widow Douglas, and Becky convinces her new best friend, Amy Lawrence, to join her.

Becky decides that she and Amy need a bag of dirt from a bad man’s grave as protection for entering the Widow's house, so they sneak out to the cemetery at midnight, where they witness the thieving Pritchard brothers digging up a coffin. Determined to keep her family safe (and to avoid getting in trouble), Becky makes Amy promise not to tell anyone what they saw.

When their silence inadvertently results in the Widow Douglas being accused of the graverobbery, Becky concocts a plan to clear the Widow’s name. If she pulls it off, she might just get her Mama to notice her again and fulfill her promise to Jon in a most unexpected way . . . if that tattle-tale Tom Sawyer will quit following her around.

Things I Liked About TS:
It is nice to read classics now and again, because books are (mostly) not written like this anymore (ok, maybe just the books I usually read).  I love the language and the way stories are told, things are more implied it seems and there is more flowery description.  Tom was a fun character, I love his self-pitying feelings and his mischievous side and the way his mind worked.  There are a number of iconic scenes like the white washing of the fence and going to their own funerals that are just such great stories it's impossible not to smile about them. 

Things I Liked About BT:
I thought this was a really fun way to retell Tom Sawyer.  Lawson has kind of flipped the story on its head and imagined what it might be like to have Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) seeing real people and writing them into a story, but getting things all muddled up.  I love how Tom and Sid are pretty well switched up.  Even though this kind of bothered me at first, it was fairly humorous.  Also, I loved Becky.  She was a handful and her adventures, as a girl in that time, were so great.  She let us see just what girls could do and what they did even if they weren't supposed to.  And it was nice to see a friendship with Amy in the story too.  It was a clever plot and I liked it.

Things I Didn't Like About TS:
It did feel kind of disjointed, like the story was just a bunch of funny vignettes cobbled together with very little transition.  Don't get me wrong, I love the stories, but there wasn't much connecting them together except the same old Tom.  He doesn't change much over the course of the book either, just does a lot of funny kid things and stays pretty much the same.

Things I Didn't Like About BT:
At times it really stretched belief.  I mean, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is kind of a story that stretches believability, but Becky Thatcher made it even more of a stretch.  Her time in the cave with the bandits was just too much for me.  Also, I was a bit bothered at first, as I mentioned, with the mixing up of characters and story and details.  But, I ended up liking how Mark Twain would have seen and heard all of this and mixed it up for his own writing fun.  Great retelling!

Read-alikes:
Sometimes it reminded me (maybe because of the title) of The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for both):
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for May

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done or will do in May (or really any time, it doesn't matter)!  Still haven't reviewed Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher.  Must. Get. It. Done.  How's everyone else doing? Haven't seen many reviews...

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for April

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done or will do in April (or really any time, it doesn't matter)!  I'm happy to report that I've made progress.  I read both Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher!  Now it's a matter of actually getting the reviewing done.  I've got to do a better job of that :)  How are you all doing?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for March

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done (or will do) in March!  Sorry I'm slacking on remembering to post about the challenge.  I know Jessica of Books: A True Story is doing great with the challenge so far!  Check out her comparisons of The Scarlet Pimpernell with Across a Star-Swept Sea and Life After Theft.  I finally started Adventures of Tom Sawyer to pair with The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher that the lovely Jessica Lawson was so kind as to send to me!  So there's that :)  How are you all doing?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge Link-Up for January & February

Sign up for the Classic Double Challenge.

Link up with any reviews/thought posts you've done in January or February!  Hope you are all doing better than I am - I haven't even chosen my book pairs yet :(  Any good suggestions?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge, 2014: Sign Up!

I'm so excited to bring back the Classic Double Challenge for another year!  Despite my spotty at best blogging of late, I wanted to do this challenge again for any of you looking for motivation to read a retelling or classic.  I love the idea of new retellings bringing love to our old favorites.

By "classics" I'm being very loose in my definition, as this challenge lets you read fairy tales, mythologies, classics, any kind of original story to compare with a retelling. Also "retelling" is pretty loose too - the original and the newer book have to relate in some way that you can define; it doesn't have to be a straight-forward retelling.  Hopefully these definitions allow you the wiggle room needed to find something to fit your fancy.

Here are a few examples:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.  
The first is kind of a "classic" and in the second, the main character loves A Wrinkle in Time and it plays a part in the plot, but this is not a retelling. 
 
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 
The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein series by Kenneth Oppel.
The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein is a prequel series to Frankenstein. 
 
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Jane by April Lindner.
Jane is a retelling of Jane Eyre, set in a modern day.

So, you can see there are lots of options for you.  If you need some inspiration for retellings, I've compiled a rather extensive list of retellings.  I have another list for fairy tale retellings.  Also, during the Retell Me a Story celebration next month I will be highlighting some newer retellings that have been released or are coming out soon. 

And, of course, there are levels of participation, so you can choose how much or how little you'd like to commit to:

Small: You read 2 related books.

Medium: You read 4 books (2 sets of related books).

Large: You read 6 books (3 sets of related books).

Super Size: You read 8 books (4 sets of related books).

Once you decide on your level of participation, post your pledge on your blog/tumblr/goodreads/in the comments and maybe give us some possibilities of what you want to read (obviously, these aren't set in stone).  When you complete a pair, feel free to write reviews/reactions/comparisons/whathaveyou about the books and I'll have a monthly link up here to share our progress.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson AND Bluebeard

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication date: March 2013
Length: 12 hrs, 28 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: YA Audiobook Challenge

Summary of Strands from goodreads:

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .
When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi. 

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world. 

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

Things I Liked (about both):
I really enjoyed falling into the sort of creepy fairy tale feel of Strands.  Watching Sophia try to figure things out was both frustrating and fascinating.  I was especially creeped out by her tendency to forget what bad things her guardian had done just a little bit before.  It wasn't unbelievable, but rather terrifying.  I was intrigued throughout, especially as I hadn't read Bluebeard before.  I got a hold of two different Bluebeard fairy tales after that.  What a creepy fairy tale!  Definitely one of the more depressing and horrifying fairy tales I've read.  One of the versions sort of glossed over the gory details, but there isn't much you can do to cover up a husband who kills off multiple wives.  The other original telling was quite creepy and Strands could have really drawn on that, but I think fell short.  Strange, fascinating, and disturbing are very good descriptors for this tale.

Things I Didn't Like (about both):
I had some issues with Strands.  I wasn't really fond of the narrator, Caitlin Prennace, though she kind of grew on me (her drawn out s's were annoying).  The book didn't really start to be creepy until the very end, which I thought was a waste of all that building up.  Could have been more suspenseful and scary.  One thing I never would have noticed if I hadn't read Bookshelves of Doom's review is the fact that Sophia didn't talk like someone in that time period would, while the slaves and some others did.  It was jarring, but I probably wouldn't have noticed otherwise.  Overall, I thought it was good, but not outstanding.  Also, Bluebeard is not exactly an endearing fairy tale, what with the murdering of wives and all that.  Glad I got a chance to read an unfamiliar fairy tale, but sometimes I just need one that is a bit happier (ok, I know most of the originals were quite depressing and disturbing, but still).

Read-alikes:
Here's a list of some other really good fairy tale retellings

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for Strands):
s-factor: !
a few mild ones

mrg-factor: X
mostly innuendo, though some rather sensual moments

v-factor: ->->
mostly just disturbing, but there is some gore near the end

Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: July-December

I know, it's ridiculous to have the last six months in one post, but I really want to have a place for people to link if they are still reading for the Classic Double Challenge :)

Hopefully you have all been reading so much better than I have.  I did manage to finally finish The Turn of the Screw and I also listened to Strands of Bronze and Gold (though that was AGES ago and I'm just now working on the review) and read a few short versions of the Bluebeard fairy tale (so, so disturbing).

Anybody out there want to see this challenge back next year?  I'm thinking I'd like to do it, but if interest has waned, then I might skip it and just read for my own enjoyment.  How are you all faring with the challenge?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer AND Little Red Riding Hood

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: February 2013
Pages: 464
Source: Purchased
For: Classic Double Challenge
Series: Lunar Chronicles, Book 2

Summary for Scarlet:
*Spoilers are inevitable for Cinder*
Scarlet's grandmother has been missing for weeks and the police aren't helping much. Scarlet decides she's better off searching by herself and sets off, in the uneasy company of Wolf, a street fighter with more than a few secrets. Cinder is breaking her way out of prison and hopes to escape the wrath of the lunar queen. With the help of the quirky Captain Thorne, she goes in search of someone who might know more about herself than she does. When Cinder's and Scarlet's paths cross, they will discover a lot more secrets than either one knew before.

Things I Liked (about both):
I am not sure I can pinpoint one specific thing about this book and series that makes me love it so much.  Maybe it is the fantastic way the original fairy tales are incorporated into the story.  I read a few versions of Little Red Riding Hood (or Little Red Cap) and I just loved seeing how Meyer took such a short, sometimes annoyingly simplistic story and made it into something fabulous.  I kind of hate the original tale, because Red Riding Hood seems to just be so stupid and the moralizing is pretty annoying.  Perrault's version didn't have the mother telling Red Riding Hood to be careful and not stray from the path, but it also did not end with her being freed from the wolf.  She dies at the end.  In the belly of the wolf.  And then Perrault discusses the moral for young ladies to avoid wolves, even the ones that don't appear to be wolves.  The Grimm version does have the moralizing mother and Red Riding Hood is saved from the wolf by a woodcutter.  Either way, not one of my favorites.

I love how the details of the original fairy tale, the significant ones that everyone recognizes, make their way into the story.  We have the girl with her ubiquitous red hood(ie) and a journey to grandmother, the wolf (who may or may not be a bad guy), and even the fantastically iconic "what big teeth you have" scene.  It's absolutely perfect.  Not only does Meyer have these elements incorporated into her story, but the world she built is fascinating and deep and completely stands on its own.  Our favorite characters from the last book come back for more and I loved seeing both old and new interact.  I can't wait to see what happens to Cinder and Scarlet and all their friends next.

Things I Didn't Like (about both):
As I mentioned, Little Red Riding Hood is NOT a favorite fairy tale for me.  The moralizing, the stupidity of the main character, even the obnoxious fact that she has to be saved by some random woodcutter, just make me not like it.  Although, I did hear there are a few versions where she actually gets wise to the wolf and avoids death on her own smarts.  Still, I think the most familiar version of the story is the one where she's eaten and then hacked out of the belly of the wolf.  Bravo to Ms. Meyer for making a version of this story that not only I can stomach (and I LOVE Scarlet) but that I loved every minute of!  I really can't think of anything I didn't like about her book.  :)

Read-alikes:
Start with Cinder by Marissa Meyer
There are loads of other fairy tale retellings, though none quite like this series!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for Scarlet):
s-factor: !
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
there are a few brutal scenes near the end

Overall rating: *****

If anyone is looking for a nice pair for the Classic Double Challenge, these two stories went down real easy (at least the original fairy tale is short :)! (Also, check out my guest post from Marissa about writing fairy tale retellings!)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: June

Another month has flown by! Hopefully your enthusiasm for the Classic Double Challenge hasn't :) June is the month of the baby (I hope). My progress on the challenge, however, is once again pretty slow.  I did manage to finish Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, but I haven't read any Little Red Riding Hood stories yet.  I really ought to do that right away, as they are all pretty short and easy.  I also read one very short version of Bluebeard that skimmed over the horror of the story.  I'm thinking I'll try another version of that soon too.  I'm also still slogging through The Turn of the Screw, which is much less accessible than the retelling, but far more nuanced and better written.  I think I'll finish it before the baby comes (fingers crossed). 

I've no idea what kind of reading progress I'll be making once baby librarian arrives, but I'm hoping a few months will see me back in the groove and reading like crazy (when I possibly can).  Until then, I will continue to devour as much as possible and I'll hopefully get to read about your classic double readings!

Any Classic Double suggested readings that are perfect for summer?  I might need to try a beach read or something light soon.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: May

Friends!  I made a tiny bit of progress over the month of April!  I kind of switched things up, since I'd been struggling to find something I wanted to read for this.  So, I started reading The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, to pair with The Turning by Francine Prose (which I read in January).  It's definitely creepy, but I'm still in the building-of-creepiness stage, so more to come.

Also, I listened to Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson and decided I had to find the original disturbing tale, Bluebeard, as I've never read it before.  As I said, some slight progress.

If you haven't signed up for the Classic Double Challenge yet, there's still time! Head over to the sign up page.

How about you?  Anybody read any fabulous retellings?  Any new or forthcoming retellings you are wanting to read?  I'm still working on my retelling news post (oh, how long will it remain in the works), so keep an eye out for that THIS MONTH.  Promise.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: April

I am seriously such a slacker.  Still haven't picked up anything for the challenge, though a few times I've almost decided to find a retelling I've already read and pick up the original.  We'll see if I pick the easier route.

However, my lack of progress doesn't mean you guys haven't been reading up a storm!  I hope to have some great links for reviews published this month, so show me up!

Anybody read any fabulous retellings?  Any news of forthcoming retellings you are wetting your pants for?  I've been gathering some retelling news here and there, so hopefully I'll be able to share those with you soon.  Very good things coming our way.

If you haven't signed up for the Classic Double Challenge yet, there's still time! Head over to the sign up page.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: March

It's already March?  I still haven't read a book for my challenge, though that might be because I gave up on one of my pairs.  But, I have high hopes for this spring month and what I can accomplish!  Hopefully you will all keep reading for the challenge too.

In case you missed it, I hosted the first annual (well, I hope it's annual) Retell Me a Story event on January 13-19. It was a lot of fun and some really great people were guest posters. Also, we talked about some favorite and some new and upcoming retellings. If you're still looking for ideas on what to read, definitely check out all the Retell Me a Story posts. 

And if you haven't signed up for the Classic Double Challenge yet, there's still time! Head over to the sign up page.

Don't forget to link up your reviews done in the month of March (or January and February if you forgot to do it before).  Happy retelling reading!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Classic Double Challenge: January & February Links

My apologies for not getting a place for you to link up to your reviews/thoughts on any Classic Double Challenge books you might have read for January! But now, you can add them here and any that you talk about in February too. I've not managed to read anything for the challenge yet, but I'm planning to start very soon.

In case you missed it, I hosted the first annual (well, I hope it's annual) Retell Me a Story event on Jan 13-19. It was a lot of fun and some really great people were guest posters. Also, we talked about some favorite and some new and upcoming retellings. If you're still looking for ideas on what to read, definitely check out all the Retell Me a Story posts. 

And if you haven't signed up for the Classic Double Challenge yet, there's still time! Head over to the sign up page.

What books are you hoping to get started with this month?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retell Me a Story: Welcome and Giveaway!

I'm so thrilled to finally be kicking off Retell Me a Story, a celebration of all things retelling! I've got some really fabulous guest posts from authors and bloggers, not to mention reviews and other retelling goodies to share. I hope you'll stop by every day this week to enjoy the fun and to feed your love for retellings. Check back shortly for my first guest post of the week.  But first, a little introduction:

Why Retellings?

Back in November 2011, I began to notice that there seemed to be an upswing of retellings hitting my radar. And not just fairy tale retellings, which are always available. No, there were more classic books and mythological stories making a fresh appearance. I've always been a big fan of classics, though I've really neglected reading them of late. I was really excited to see these often loathed classic books wearing shiny new faces that might actually attract new readers. Thus, my idea for a reading challenge, the Classic Double Challenge, was born. This challenge encourages people to read a retelling (or otherwise related book) and its "classic" predecessor. It is my way of encouraging myself and others to not only enjoy those fancy new retellings, but give some love to those dusty older classics as well. And from there I thought, why not have an entire week dedicated to celebrating retellings? I'm hoping this celebration will light the fire under you to read not only a retelling, but also the original story that was its inspiration.

But enough of the boring stuff, let's start this celebration off right with a giveaway of some retellings!  I'm not usually a fan of earning extra points, but in this case I'll make an exception or two. Everyone gets one free entry, but you can earn one extra entry by joining the Classic Double Challenge and one extra entry by commenting (in a meaningful way) on any of the posts for the Retell Me a Story event this week. Only one comment will count, but do feel free to comment as much as you like :)  Here are the prizes you can choose from (and I can finally open it to international readers!):

The Turning by Francine Prose (HC or ARC)
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter (ARC)
The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler (PB)
Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler (HC)
Catherine by April Lindner (ARC)
Sweet Venom by Tera Lyn Childs (ARC)
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (ARC)
Ten by Gretchen McNeil (HC)
International prize: One book worth up to $10 from Book Depository (must be a retelling of some kind)

The first winner will get to pick two books, the second will get to pick one book, and if I get enough entries I'll add a third winner who will get to pick one book.  All you need to do is fill out the form below before next Sunday, January 20.  Thanks for joining in the celebration and I hope you will enjoy Retell Me a Story! (Giveaway closed: Winners chosen)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage