3. An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series
By: Chanda Hahn
In this retelling, the stories are based mainly around Gimm's fairy tales. What society thought were two gentlemen's storytelling attempts to scare children into obedience and teach violent, but valuable lessons... turns out to be two men chronicling their unimaginable battle for survival. The brothers Grimm's stories weren't fiction, they were the reality of a deadly family curse. The Grimms and their descendants are doomed to find their life imitating fairy tales, but in all the worst ways.
Mina is living her life as a regular, but invisible high-schooler when she discovers the truth behind her ancestors' curse, her curse... and now it's her turn to finish all the stories -- or die trying. Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White and many other famous tales weave their way into Mina's previously monotonous existence. Somehow she has to manage to pass all her classes, wander through the stress of first loves, and overcome the unexpected peril thrown her way by each fairy tale she must face. Don't all teenagers feel like they have it this rough? Haha.
Chanda Hahn gives readers an enjoyable read while somehow managing to be original in her fairy tale incorporation. The thing that impressed me most about this modern fairy tale adaptation is that while Mina is thrust into story after story (a fact easier for the reader to recognize than the heroine), is that just because Mina is the protagonist of our novel doesn't mean she's always the hero in the fairy tale. Surviving the stories means overcoming her anger, hurt, and jealousy that could lead her down the path of these tales most famous villains. It was refreshing to see that transformation within a story. Sometimes the greatest villain we have to overcome... is ourselves.
4. The Clockwise Series
By: Elle Strauss
Casey Donovan is a witty, resourceful, and believable heroine, who just happens to have this little problem with unplanned time travel back to 1860s Boston. A strenuous time in American history... a time when the emotions leading up to the American Civil War hang in the air. Still, nothing Casey can't handle, that is until when in the middle of her first school dance she accidentally takes her crush, high school quarterback Nate, back in time with her. Talk about an awkward moment! Now Casey has to make sure they both survive to make it home alive... oh, and work to try and not change the course of American history. No pressure, right?
Clockwise deals with a lot of teenage struggles from trying to fit in to navigating all sorts of change. All the while keeping the focus on the importance of sacrifice, love, compassion, and standing up for what you believe in. I would definitely recommend this series to teens and adults.
5. The Ruby Red Trilogy
By: Kerstin Gier
A cool fact about this series is that the author Kerstin Gier is German so these books were translated into English. Apparently, the series is so popular in Germany the first two novels have already been turned into films!
The main character, teenage Londoner, Gwyneth Shepherd has stood by and watched as her elegant, gorgeous, and adored cousin Charlotte was prepared as the sole inheritor of the ancient ability of time-travel. When out of the blue one day, Gwyneth suddenly finds herself suddenly spinning to a different era! With the discovery that Gwyneth is actually the heir, she finds herself caught in the center of centuries of conspiracy and plotting. Her whole past has been a lie and she feels completely unprepared. Many powerful members of the time-traveling society are suddenly trying to influence how and why Gwyneth will use her ability leaving her unsure who to trust. Gwyneth unexpectedly finds herself in a world she hasn't been trained to face with a power that many want to take advantage of. The only person she should be able to relate to is the handsome and confident Gideon--a fellow the time traveler with the inherited gift--however, Gideon turns out to be the most selfish and unbearable person she's ever met. For now it seems Gwyneth is on her own, for the first time she's going to learn how strong she really is.
This series is a fantastic balance of action, mystery, fantasy, history, and romance! Another definite recommendation.