Okay, so, here’s the thing. For someone who’s written a retelling, or reimagining, or whatever, I... I don’t really read them? I mean, not as a focus. I don’t say “I’m gonna read a retelling today,” but if I come across one I like, then there we go. That has happened before.

I loved The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh, which is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights. I actually got to read that one a little early on, then purchased two copies because that’s how I roll, and was absolutely blown away by how stunning it was. Renée wrecked my entire life with that book. The world building, the characters, the witty banter—I love her witty banter—it was such a fun read!

I recently read Sea Witch by Sarah Henning, which is a retelling of the original "Little Mermaid" (not the Disney version). It focuses on the Sea Witch (not Ursula!), and it was great. Magical and rich, it makes you fall in love with mystery and the sea, which was a big surprise for me because water and I do NOT get along.

Oh! Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao, which tells the story of the evil queen from “Snow White” but in an East Asian setting. Another author put her love of this book into a very relatable phrase I’m gonna try and remember: “I’ve never rooted for someone to eat hearts before.” Or “eat hearts so much”? Either way, it’s a strange then to be, like, “Yeah! You... you eat those hearts!” But that was me. Whad’ya gonna do?

There’s Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones, which I think counts as a retelling of... well, lots of stuff. Labyrinth, of course, but there’s some Beauty and the Beast vibes, some Phantom of the Opera vibes; it’s an awesome, sexy book. What, books can be sexy! It’s also got this darkness about it that I enjoy in my books from time to time. 

I’m trying to think of other ones that I’ve read, but like I said, I don’t really read that many! I know there are lots out there, though. Can I talk about some I’m excited for? I’m gonna talk about some I’m excited for.

There’s Blanca and Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore, which is a retelling of “Snow White” that I hear has some Swan Princess-esque themes as well, and it sounds amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. It comes out October 9, so there’s plenty of time to get your preorders in.

Can I say I’m excited about my book, which is coming out soon and available for preorder, an Alice in Wonderland reimagining, which I think it pretty awesome. Yes? No? Moving on.

And I’m gonna cheat a little with this last one because it’s technically not a book and technically more an interpretation than an actual retelling, but I don’t care, I DO WHAT I WANT! October 19, everyone needs to get to a movie theater because that’s when The Hate U Give drops. It’s not exactly like the book, so I count it as a retelling. It’s such an important story with such an important message for current times—all times, really—and you will likely be a better person for having seen this film. Also get the book, which is life-changing. You won’t be sorry.

That’s kinda it. Yeah. I really need to read more retellings, it looks like, especially since I’m planning more. Was I supposed to say that?

Oh well, it got said!

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A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head... literally.

Debut author L.L. McKinney delivers an action-packed twist on an old classic, full of romance and otherworldly intrigue.

On sale: September 25, 2018