Reese's Book Club Pick 'Lady Tremaine' Is a Fun Fairy Tale Retelling

We all know how the story is supposed to go: Girl meets prince, glass slipper fits, happily ever after ensues. But what if the wicked stepmother weren’t so wicked? Or the sea witch had a point? A wave of authors have flipped our favorite fairytales on their heads—giving villains their due, heroines a backbone and creating endings we never saw coming. Fair warning: Not all of these retellings end with a “happily ever after.” But they’re every bit as magical and addictive as the originals. Keep scrolling for the best fairytale retellings to add to your list, starting with ‘Lady Tremaine,’ Reese Witherspoon’s latest book club pick.

‘Lady Tremaine’ by Rachel Hochhauser

Orion

The September Reese’s Book Club pick is a feminist retelling of Cinderella from the stepmother’s perspective. After her husband’s death, Lady Tremaine struggles to support her two daughters, stepdaughter Elin and a crumbling manor. When a royal ball offers financial salvation, she’s devastated when Elin—not her own daughters—captures the king’s heart. But Lady Tremaine soon discovers a dark secret about the royal family. Now she must decide: expose the truth and ruin the wedding, or protect her stepdaughter’s happiness?

What readers are saying: “What a story! It really does turn the story of Cinderella upside down in a wonderful way. In this story, Lady Tremaine is a devoted mother, hard-working, fierce and striving in a world with very limited choices for women. Cinderella is quite aloof, somewhat lazy and seems very disconnected. Nothing is what it seems, and that’s what makes this novel so amazing.”

‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ by Sarah J. Maas

This Beauty and the Beast retelling is the spicy and seductive retelling we never knew we wanted. When 19-year-old huntress Feyre Archeron kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying beast-like creature arrives and drags her to the mysterious faerie land of Prythian. Upon her arrival, Feyre discovers her captor, the powerful High Fae lord Tamlin, isn’t the monster she expected. Elsewhere, a wicked shadow is growing and Feyre might be the only one who can stop it. What follows is an epic tale of love, sacrifice and courage.

What readers are saying: “Without a doubt, this book was the best one I’ve read so far this year. It’s a tale of romance and breaking curses, of freeing yourself and finding the happiness you deserve. Just trust me on this one and read this beautiful book, then come talk to me about it so we can squeal and cry and fangirl until our hearts explode.”

‘Heartless’ by Marissa Meyer

This bestselling book by Marissa Meyer is the heartbreaking villain origin story of The Queen of Hearts, made famous in Alice in Wonderland. Catherine might be the prettiest girl in Wonderland, but marriage is the last thing on her mind…until she meets Jest, the mysterious court joker. Soon, secrets begin to unravel and Catherine transforms from a girl full of heart to one who is heartless. A dark retelling that sheds new light on one of the world’s most popular fairytale villains.

What readers are saying: “Marissa Meyer just writes the best retellings! And the story she wrote for the Queen of Hearts in this book was amazing! Even though this book made me bawl my eyes out, I loved it! It was such a fun read with great characters, and I enjoyed following Cath on her journey as she navigated her predetermined destiny of becoming the Queen of Hearts. I highly recommend it!”

‘Cinderella is Dead’ by Kalynn Bayron

This retelling begins 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, a story 16-year-old Sophia knows by heart. She must recite it nightly until the royal ball—an event where women are chosen by men for marriage. But Sophia doesn’t want to be chosen; she’s in love with her best friend Erin. On the night of the ball, desperate for escape, she flees to Cinderella’s tomb. There she discovers someone who shows her how to remake her world into something she truly wants. A powerful tale of choosing your own fate.

What readers are saying: “If you enjoy fantasy, dystopia, smashing the patriarchy, twists and turns and women being warriors, please read this book. I couldn’t put it down or stop talking about it. The writing created such vivid images in my head. And the taking of a classic fairytale and turning it on its head was just plain entertaining.”

‘Kiss the Girl’ by Zoraida Córdova

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Cordova - Hyperion Avenue — Hyperion Avenue

Every poor unfortunate soul will love this Little Mermaid retelling. Ariel del Mar and her sisters belong to one of the most popular bands in the world. But lately, Ariel finds herself wanting more for herself—even if her father, head of Atlantica Records, has other plans. That doesn’t stop Ariel and her sisters from sneaking out one night, where they meet Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band, who invites Ariel on a cross-country road trip with him—and soon sparks fly.

What readers are saying: “I knew from the moment that I read the description and saw that Zoraida Córdova would be the creative genius behind the plot that I was going to love this story. I mean, I’m a sucker for any Disney themed retelling, but The Little Mermaid has a very special place in my heart. So, going into this novel, I had some expectations and I have to say they were met! I was so, so happy by the time I finished this book!”

‘Tangled Up In You’ by Christina Lauren

Bestselling author duo Christina Lauren reimagines Disney’s Tangled in this fun tale. Ren Gylden, who grew up sheltered with no technology, gets her first taste of freedom in college, and she’s surprised: She hadn’t expected it to be so different and exciting. These feelings are further elevated after she meets Fitz, a handsome pre-med student who has his whole life planned. Soon an assignment in their immunology seminar leads to the pair taking a road trip that causes magical sparks to fly between them.

What readers are saying: “Reading this book made me feel the same emotions as 9 year-old me seeing Tangled for the first time. I cried, giggled and fell in love with this story. As simple as it could be, this story has been added to my top favorite things. If you really love Tangled, this is totally for you.”

‘The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detectives’ by Michael Buckley

Karsell Collagen Hair Mask for Deep Conditioning, Keratin Hair Treatment with 4 Hydrolyzed Proteins, Moroccan & Avocado Oils Conditioner for Nourish, Calendula Gentian Extracts Care Dry & Damaged Hair

Deal of the Day

This Deep Conditioning Collagen Hair Mask for Has 4.9 Stars and Is 80% Off — Get It for $20! View Deal

The first book in Michael Buckley’s bestselling series that reimagines all of our favorite fairytale characters follows orphaned sisters Sabrina and Daphne after they are sent to live with their grandmother Relda Grimm in a strange town called Ferryport Landing. Upon their arrival, the sisters are shocked to learn that they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm and that every fairy tale creature created by the brothers lives in town. And that’s not all. A giant is terrorizing the town and the sisters are determined to figure out who’s behind it—before it’s too late.

What readers are saying: “This is FILLED with every character from every Fairytale you can think of. I had a lot of fun bumping into them all and getting to interact with them (as much as you can through a book. Even some that are lesser known. It genuinely felt like reading a modern fairytale and made this book so whimsy, magical, thrilling, enjoyable and an action packed, page turning read.”

Ready for more? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.

Tags:

Books

Conversation

All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.