A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Ever since I read Beastly, I've wanted to read more from Alex Flinn. Especially another retold fairy tale. I got my chance with A Kiss in Time.

What if an American teen boy is in Belgium as part of a European tour his parents forced on him? What if he comes across an abandoned old castle when he slips away from the tour for a day? What if he happens to find a sleeping princess in that castle and awakens this princess who has been asleep for over 300 years? What if she now thinks he's her true love and that they should marry? What happens when she goes home to Miami with him?

This contemporary retelling of Sleeping Beauty answers these questions and more. It's funny, but with serious undertones. Talia's struggle to accept and adapt to all the changes brought about in 300 years add a humorous tone tot he story. While Jack's dysfunctional relationship with his family is only emphasized when Talia is added to the family dynamics. While the story is engaging, there are a few spots where I felt like it dragged a bit. But, fortunately they didn't last and it quickly picked up again.

A Kiss in Time doesn't quite match Beastly in my opinion, but it's still a great story. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes to read retold fairy tales. It's a 'B' book for me.

Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde

When I pick up a Vivian Vande Velde book, I know I'm going to be reading something that takes a unique view on a familiar theme, plot or idea. Cloaked in Red is no exception, being a collection of short stories, all based on the traditional fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) humor and jokes written into the stories, primarily related to the traditional Little Red Riding Hood tale or other fairy tales or even the Grimm brothers. If the reader isn't familiar with these stories, some of that humor may be lost on them. Most of the stories in this collection are extremely short and that's probably my biggest complaint. I wanted more. More details, more descriptions, more background, more story. I know, these are short stories based on a short fairy tale, but I've become so spoiled with all the novels published recently based on fairy tales.

While I love a couple of these stories, overall it's just average fare. That's why I give this story collection a C. I'd recommend this only to those that love reading retold fairy tales.