10 Retellings You Should Read This Winter

Heyo everyone! I don't know about y'all, but where I live, we've finally seen snow flurries! If there's one thing I love more than snow, it's reading indoors with a cup of hot chocolate and a fairytale/classic retelling in my hand (or on my Kindle). And as those of us who are in college inch closer to the beginning of the semester, tis the season to get some books on our "read" shelf before studying and midterm prep sucks away all of our time. So without further ado, here are 10 classic and fairytale retellings that you should read during this winter season. #1 - Girl in the Red Hood by Brittany Fichter (Classical Kingdoms Series) The girl who's bitten by a wolf and marked for life. A boy, shrouded in secrecy, who watches over her.
This was my introduction to the amazing writing of Brittany Fichter. Girl in the Red Hood is such a beautifully written retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. This could technically be classified as a paranormal dark fantasy, since it features werewolves and takes place in a forest location with no sunlight. No matter what you call it, this book has redemptive arcs, a strong heroine, and a clean romance that will sweep you off your feet. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28011839-girl-in-the-red-hood #2 - Fated: Cinderella's Story by Kaylin Lee (Destined Series) How much is Cinderella willing to risk to save the city that has always hated her?
This is one, if not my ultimate, favorite Cinderella retelling. Kaylin Lee did an incredible job retelling and reworking certain elements of the original story, while still keeping the beauty of the original story. This book features a cute mage, a disabled protagonist, and plenty of thrills and sweet romance to keep you invested. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35846895-fated #3 - Dust (+ Shadow) by Kara Swanson ​(Heirs of Neverland) The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.
Y'all didn't think I was going to leave this duology out, did you? ;) I have read Dust six times and Shadow a whopping... two times; both are amazing books (I'm a tad partial to Dust, because I think the whole book was AMAZING) featuring a Peter Pan unlike the one you've read (and possibly hated) from the original tale, and a strong heroine with fairy dust in her veins. A need to read for all Peter Pan fans. :D
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53590130-dust #4 - Bronwyn by Grace J. Croy (Magical Regency Series) He will make her happy, but she will make him everything.
If y'all have known me for long enough, then you know that I'm a total Mansfield Park girl. This fantastical retelling of Mansfield Park was such a new type of book for me in 2024, and I loved every bit of it. If best friends to lovers, Jane Austen, and characters with special powers are up your alley, then Bronwyn is totally for you.
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/54951275-bronwyn #5 - Everything by Bethany Willock (What Came After Series) (There isn't a tagline for this book, so just take my word on this one please. XD)
This wouldn't be a complete retelling list if there weren't some Sherlock Holmes books here. This whole series is a whimsical and utterly delightful series written by a fellow Sherlockian! (Plus, the main character's name - Cathryn - is spelled exactly like mine! Do you guys know how hard it is to find that anywhere?) Sherlockians, if you need some short novelettes to boost your total read books for this month, I've got you covered with these. 
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/209236705-everything #6 - Man of Shadow and Mist​ by Michelle Griep (Of Monsters and Men Series)
“The world seems full of good men—even if there are monsters in it.”
I am a total Michelle Griep junkie, and with Dracula being one of my favorite gothic novels of the 19th century, this book shouldn't be a huge shock to anyone who's stalked me on Goodreads for very long. This book doesn't have any of the creepy/fantastical vampiric vibes of Stoker's tale, but it still holds the thriller aspect of the original tale. For a beautifully written gothic romance about overcoming fear and prejudice (and featuring a librarian protagonist!), check out Man of Shadow and Mist now! 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62877850-man-of-shadow-and-mist #7 -The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella (The Curious Realities Series)
Solve the clues. Face your fears. Survive the Trials. 
The older I get, the less I enjoy Alice in Wonderland and its sequels. This is an exception to that rule, though, because this book captured me from the start and I had to pull an all-nighter in order to finish it (would recommend you start this one early at night if you follow in my footsteps to avoid a huge book hangover; they seem worse after 10pm XD). If you enjoyed K.E. Ganshert's The Contest and love Carroll's original classic, this is your kind of book.
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60059437-the-wonderland-trials
#8 - The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer (Enola Holmes Series) When Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared—and on her 14th birthday, to make matters worse—she knows she alone can find her.
If y'all thought I wasn't including this unique twist on the Sherlock stories... If you guys enjoyed the final plot twist of a certain show (iykyk) but without the unnecessary (and mostly psychopathic) drama, then this upper middle grade/young adult series is your cup of tea. I've been a faithful reader since 2020, and this series has failed to disappoint in the 18 years it's been alive. 
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/606928.The_Case_of_the_Missing_Marquess
#9 - A Noble Heart by Jewel Windall (Cornerstone Series)
Faith, trust, and pixie dust are gone. Can two lost souls save their broken land?
This is actually one of two Cornerstone books on here. This is one of the newest Peter Pan retellings to hit the market, and I'm very glad I saw Jewel's announcement in the KDWC bulletin board about ARCing this book, because she fulfilled every expectation I had for this book. (I was also a huge fan of the designated romance ship in this one, so thank you Jewel for that!)
GR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214243930-a-noble-heart
#10 - A Noble Comfort by Katja H. ​Labonté (Cornerstone Series) (I also couldn't find a good tagline for this one, so just pretend there's one here.)
My good writing friend and fellow Sherlockian Katja is releasing A Noble Comfort in a month and a half, and if you're looking to read a retelling of a lesser known (and very underrated) fairy tale, then this book is for you! I was hooked with The Three Musketeers vibe during my stint as a beta reader for this book. If you want to read this book during spring break (if y'all get those, I don't always XP), the pre-order for this book is still going! 
GR Link: www.goodreads.com/book/show/219300060-a-noble-comfort
Pre-order on Amazon: https://a.co/d/bK11Xb8 That's all for now! Do you have any classic/fairytale retellings that you enjoy? What books will you be reading from this list? Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time!
​~Cate