From The Shelf: Retellings

Like most writers, I also absolutely love reading, and today I’m embarking on the first installment of what I hope to be a long series of bringing y’all books from my own shelf that y’all might enjoy. I’ll also be including the romantic content for each book and relevant trigger warnings, so that readers can find what books fit them best, using this following scale:

• No Spice: Just kisses here
• Low Spice: Kissing + Closed Door/Fade To Black
• Medium Spice: The door is open, but the there’s no explicit description
• Spicy: Multiple sex scenes with explicit description

Today I want to kick things off with books featuring retellings, and this go round, I’m focusing on retellings that I don’t see done super often. 

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: to save her favorite Starfield character, Princess Amara, from being killed off. On the other hand, the actress who plays Amara wouldn’t mind being axed. Jessica Stone doesn’t even like being part of the Starfield franchise—and she’s desperate to leave the intense scrutiny of fandom behind. 

Though Imogen and Jess have nothing in common, they do look strangely similar to one another—and a case of mistaken identity at ExcelsiCon sets off a chain of events that will change both of their lives. When the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, with all signs pointing to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. The deal: Imogen will play Jess at her signings and panels, and Jess will help Imogen’s best friend run their booth. 

But as these “princesses” race to find the script leaker—in each other’s shoes—they’re up against more than they bargained for. From the darker side of fandom to unexpected crushes, Imogen and Jess must find a way to rescue themselves from their own expectations…and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

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Sworn enemies stranded on a deserted island.

The Reaper’s name is whispered throughout Norseland–the infamous sea captain who visits the frozen kingdom with each rising tide to collect a shipful of unfortunates. No one knows where he’s from or where he takes them, only that he leaves wreck and ruin in his wake.

After a terrible tragedy, Brynn wakes on the Reaper’s ship. Bloody, broken, and with nothing left to lose, she vows she’ll avenge her family before they reach the Reaper’s homeland.

But the gods of old play wicked games, and when the Reaper and Brynn are stranded together, destiny weaves an epic, unforgettable love story of pain, passion, and jaw-dropping discoveries. 

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A haunted tower, a mysterious instructor, and the lure of the music of the night. . .

After the death of her father, Aria is left penniless and destitute. To avoid working the streets, she becomes the ward of a Count and moves to a remote town called High Tower.

High Tower is a gloomy place with one vivid attraction: the theater. Lords and ladies come from afar to be seduced by a night of unforgettable entertainment.

Many are warned to stay away from High Tower’s dangerous enchantments, but it’s a warning Aria is forced to ignore. Determined to take her life back into her hands, she and the Count make a deal. She can avoid an arranged marriage if she learns to sing for him.

When Aria stumbles across a mysterious man in a dark tower, she begs to learn the power of song from him. Although reluctant, the man agrees to teach her the music of the night. Between midnight meetings and emotional singing lessons, Aria falls in love with her alluring instructor despite his shadowy past.

But something deadly stirs, awoken by the desire of its master.

Evening reveries become haunted with terror, blood, and murder. Rumors claim the man in the tower is behind the madness that haunts High Tower, a truth Aria is loath to believe. For she just gained the desire of her heart.

What she doesn’t know is that her haunted instructor intends to use her for his own purposes. . .

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The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It’s losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.

As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn’s–her brother’s–magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong–the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it’s too late–for her and for her entire kingdom.

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Finding your happily ever after is complicated when your matchmaker is a cat…

Etta’s happy with her simple life in the mill, but when her aunt passes and leaves her a very peculiar cat, everything goes awry. Now, determined to find her place in the world, Etta’s learning to hunt, having audiences with a king, and falling for a man who’s keeping something from her.

Beau’s happy at sea until his father passes and leaves him with an odd last request. Now he’s setting up shop in a small town, searching for ogres, and, inconveniently, falling for the miller’s sister—who just happens to be taken with someone else.

It soon becomes clear that if Etta and Beau want to get anywhere, they’ll need not only each other’s help, but the cat’s as well. But putting your trust in a feline is difficult, especially when you’re not exactly sure what it is he has planned…

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Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, they are determined that she know only contentment.

But Sorcha’s joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift–by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever.

When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all…