For Fictionate’s first-ever short fiction contest, we’re asking authors to submit fairy tale retellings. Fairy tale retellings have become increasingly popular over the last few years, especially in YA fiction.

Fairy tale retellings keep the “bare bones” or foundation of the story, keeping the main plot points, but changing other details. The author might write it from a different POV, swap gender roles, or make the hero the villain instead.

Disney has also jumped on the retelling train, with their hit show Once Upon a Time, a mashup of the most popular fairy tales in pop culture, and Maleficent, a retelling of the Grimms’ “Briar Rose” story from the point of view of the villain instead of the princess.

If you’re looking to write your own retelling for the contest but can’t seem to find the inspo, check out this article on how to craft your own, then kick back and read some of these modern fairy tale retellings you’re sure to love.

I’ve compiled a list of both indie and bestselling authors for your reading pleasure. If you’re looking for inspiration for your story for the contest, look no further!

Indie Picks

These books are published by the authors themselves or through an indie publisher. Supporting indie authors means your money goes directly to the author instead of to a major publishing house, and you can support indie publishing houses as well.

Bluebeard and the Outlaw by Tara Grayce

Robin of the Wood and her merry band of men spend their days stealing from the rich to give to the poor. But the more they steal, the more the corrupt Lord “Bluebeard” increases taxes on the already taxed-out villagers.

When Bluebeard announces his plans to marry again, Robin begins planning the penultimate heist: marriage. As his wife, she’ll have access to all his riches, the biggest score of her life. But there’s one problem: all of Bluebeard’s previous wives mysteriously end up dead. But Robin doesn’t plan to end up a victim like Bluebeard’s previous wives, yet she still considers herself in danger when she starts to fall prey to his good looks and charm. Will she be able to steal his riches before he steals her heart?

Read this unique take on The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood for free with Kindle Unlimited.

Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast by Kelsey Josephson

Because of her superhuman strength and odd appearance due to ether poisoning, Belle’s father sells her as a slave to a circus. She believes she’ll spend the rest of her life doing feats of strength while people gawk at her like she’s a freak. But one night, a strange beast comes into her campsite, changing her life forever. She knows there’s more to the beast than meets the eye…but can she help him escape the fate of the cruel Ringmaster, while saving herself at the same time?

Fans of “Beauty and the Beast” will love this steampunk retelling full of romance and excitement from Fictionate’s beloved author Kelsey Josephson. Read on Fictionate.Me for $2.99 (first four chapters free).

Lost Girl by Chanda Hahn

Wendy is struggling to live a normal life. But her past won’t let her.

She doesn’t remember anything about Neverland, or the experiments that were performed on her. Seven years later, she’s haunted by shadows. When the shadows attack a football game she’s attending and a boy disappears right in front of her eyes, she realizes the shadows haven't been haunting her. They’re hunting her instead.

Wendy’s life changes forever when a boy named Peter shows up to take her away to Neverwood Academy, where her memories might start coming back…

Read book 1 of the Neverwood Chronicles for free on Smashwords, and revisit this coming-of-age tale—this time with a unique twist.

The Mystery Princess: A Retelling of Cinderella  by Melanie Cellier

When Daria flees her kingdom to save her own life, she is rescued by traveling merchants, who offer her safety in return for labor. She’s spent her life caring for others, so she doesn’t mind the work. Yet her past hounds her—and his name is Prince Percy. While she’s hiding as a servant, she discovers her kingdom is in danger. Will Daria put herself in harm’s way to save her kingdom, or will she stay in hiding forever?

This “Cinderella” retelling is part of a series of four interconnected books. Read free with Kindle Unlimited.

 Contemporary Bestsellers

The Hazel Wood: A Novel by Melissa Albert

Seventeen-year-old Alice is used to moving around from place to place with her mother as they constantly try to escape the bad luck that seems to follow them. But Alice’s luck deteriorates even more when her grandmother dies. Her grandmother, the hermetic author of extremely dark fairy tales, dies alone at her estate, the Hazel Wood. After she dies, Alice’s mother is suddenly taken by an entity from the cruel and mysterious world of the Hinterland, where her grandmother’s stories are set. Her mother’s only message before she disappears is to stay away from Hazel Wood.

To save her mother from a dark fate, Alice teams up with her friend, a superfan of her grandmother’s fairy tales. Then she must journey to Hazel Wood and then the Hinterland to try to figure out how her grandmother’s stories went so wrong.

Read this Grimms fairy tale mash up free on Kindle Unlimited.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Cursed by an enchanter to relive his eighteenth year repeatedly, Prince Rhen is hoping for a girl to fall in love with him to break his curse. But at the end of each autumn in his Groundhog Day-esque life, he turns into a vicious beast and ends up destroying his castle, his family, and everything he holds dear.

In the modern-day real world, Harper knows what it means to have a tough life. Differently abled protagonist Harper is trying to keep her family together, as her mother is dying, and her father is long gone. Her brother, who also helps out, underestimates her because of her cerebral palsy. But one day, when she’s trying to help someone on the streets of Washington, D.C., she is inexplicably transported to Rhen’s world.

Read this lush retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” for $3.99 on Amazon.

Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember, the village of Oakvale has been surrounded by a dark forest, one so dark no light can even penetrate. It’s also rife with monsters. Everyone in her village avoids the forest—but she cannot.

Adele comes from a long line of female guardians who morph into wolves to patrol the dark wood and keep Oakvale safe. But when becoming a guardian means giving up the life she had planned for herself and giving up the boy she loves, she begins to question how far she’ll go to save her neighbors’ lives.

Read this feminist “Little Red Riding Hood” retelling for $9.99 on Amazon.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn  by Melissa Bashardoust

Soraya is a princess burdened by an unusual curse—she poisons anyone she touches. She must live apart from her family, away from other people, only taking comfort in her beautiful gardens. But as her twin brother’s wedding day draws near, she begins to question if she should emerge from the shadows. After all, she wants to see her brother get married, there’s a demon in the dungeons with knowledge she craves, and a cute boy whose eyes linger on her with understanding instead of fear. Throughout it all, she questions who she is becoming—human or demon, a princess or a monster. Will Soraya be able to navigate the world with her curse and learn its strengths as well?

Read this Kirkus-reviewed feminist retelling of the Grimms Brothers “Little Snow-White” for $10.99 on Amazon.

If you’re inspired to write your own fairy tale, check out our short fiction contest! The theme is fairy tale retellings, so you can rewrite your favorite fairy tale with a twist. To learn more about the contest, click here.

Happy writing!

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