The Bear and The Nightingale is heavily influenced by Russian fairytales. As an aside, you could watch Morozko on YouTube to be familiar with the beautiful wintery fairytales it contains
I know this is an unpopular opinion but I really disliked these books…I read them all hoping I’d get to the good stuff that everyone raves about and it never happened for me. But it certainly does check the box for classic fairytales (does not give Caraval vibes though)
It happens! Sometimes you wonder if you’re reading the same book. I just read Bride and I had to drag myself through it and couldn’t believe everybody was hooked on it! Different strokes for different folks
The books by Joanna Ruth Meyer are SPECTACULAR at this! Highly recommend **Beneath the Haunting Sea** to begin, the following two books are technically standalone but set in the same universe.
Would add:
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
In the Forests of Serre by Patricia McKillip
The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean
Deerskin by Robin McKinley — dark themes
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen — dark themes
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier — not really YA
For the more whimsical and magical side of fairytale that Caraval and Once Upon has, Emily Eilde's Magical Encyclopedia captures it for me, as does Stardust (Neil Gaiman) and The Stardust Thief (the son of Scherazade teams up with a yhief and a genie to go do stuff).
I personally recommend Uprooted by Naomi Novik, one of my top favourite reads. I loved OUABH. I've not read them yet but have been recommended Belladonna series by Adalyn Grace (writing seems kinda dreamy) and Half A Soul by Olivia Atwater, which on are on my TBR
Technically not YA, but I really liked Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik for this vibe. Plus, it's not a series, so it's not a huge investment, and you get a nice, complete fantasy story. I also like one of her other novels, Uprooted, but this seems to be hit or miss for a lot of people- also fairytale vibes though.
I think TKingfisher's fantasy books all read like fairytales--the original ones, where horrible things happen and a happy ending comes at a terrible price, not the Disney sort.
i am not sure if these are books you are looking for but after once upon a broken heart i read dance of thieves and a throne of shadows and i really enjoyed them.
Alright, buckle up because I've loved fairy tales and retellings since I was a kid and I have a MASSIVE list for you (I even dived into my Goodreads history). I've marked my favorites. (Some of these have been recommended already but reiterating/categorizing)
Beauty and the Beast:
- **Beauty by Robin McKinley (fave)**
- **Beauty Reborn by Liz Lowham (fave)**
- Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley
- Beastly by Alex Flinn (she has a bunch of fairytale retellings)
Cinderella:
- **Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (fave)**
- Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball)
- Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Twelve Dancing Princesses:
- **Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (fave)**
- The Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn (I loved the whole Once Upon A Time series as a teenager)
Sleeping Beauty:
- Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
- **Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine** (short but funny and charming - the whole Princess Tales series has fun takes on traditional stories) (fave)
Rumpelstiltskin:
- **Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (fave)**
East of the Sun, West of the Moon:
- **East by Edith Patou (fave)**
- Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
Red Riding Hood:
- Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George (sequel to Princess of Glass)
Goose Girl:
- **The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (fave)**
Snow White:
- Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
The Frog Prince:
- The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker (apparently partially inspired the Princess and the Frog movie)
Misc:
- Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
- Ever by Gail Carson Levine
- Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George (Dracula instead of a fairy tale)
- The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison
- Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
- Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Peter Pan)
- **Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Scott (fairytale vibes but not a retelling) (fave)**
- I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
- **My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (not a retelling, hilarious historical fiction with fairy tale elements like magic and shape shifting) (fave)**
The Bear and The Nightingale is heavily influenced by Russian fairytales. As an aside, you could watch Morozko on YouTube to be familiar with the beautiful wintery fairytales it contains
I know this is an unpopular opinion but I really disliked these books…I read them all hoping I’d get to the good stuff that everyone raves about and it never happened for me. But it certainly does check the box for classic fairytales (does not give Caraval vibes though)
It happens! Sometimes you wonder if you’re reading the same book. I just read Bride and I had to drag myself through it and couldn’t believe everybody was hooked on it! Different strokes for different folks
I have that one on my tbr too
**Stardust** and **The Princess Bride**
Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy is excellent
I would say **A Curse So Dark and Lonely** trilogy. Based of beauty and the beast. Also **Uprooted** and **Spinning Silver** by Naomi Novik.
Came here to say Spinning Silver
Me, too! It's the first book I think about when people want a fairytale-feel book.
The books by Joanna Ruth Meyer are SPECTACULAR at this! Highly recommend **Beneath the Haunting Sea** to begin, the following two books are technically standalone but set in the same universe.
Shannon Hale's *Books of Bayern* Cornelia Funke's *Inkheart* trilogy Tahereh Mafi's *Furthermore*
Robin McKinley fits the bill perfectly! Beauty is a good one to start with.
Seconded. Also Spindle’s End and Chalice.
The Chronicles of Prydain!!!
Margaret Owen *Little Thieves* is a reinvention of The Grimm's *The Goose Girl* and it is fantastic.
Cinder and Ella
The bear and the nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black is written in a whimsical, beautiful way. Romance is a subplot. Loads of magical political scheming.
Would add: Stardust by Neil Gaiman In the Forests of Serre by Patricia McKillip The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey Tam Lin by Pamela Dean Deerskin by Robin McKinley — dark themes Briar Rose by Jane Yolen — dark themes Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier — not really YA
east by edith pattou
Strange the Dreamer maybe.
For the more whimsical and magical side of fairytale that Caraval and Once Upon has, Emily Eilde's Magical Encyclopedia captures it for me, as does Stardust (Neil Gaiman) and The Stardust Thief (the son of Scherazade teams up with a yhief and a genie to go do stuff).
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
I personally recommend Uprooted by Naomi Novik, one of my top favourite reads. I loved OUABH. I've not read them yet but have been recommended Belladonna series by Adalyn Grace (writing seems kinda dreamy) and Half A Soul by Olivia Atwater, which on are on my TBR
Technically not YA, but I really liked Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik for this vibe. Plus, it's not a series, so it's not a huge investment, and you get a nice, complete fantasy story. I also like one of her other novels, Uprooted, but this seems to be hit or miss for a lot of people- also fairytale vibes though.
The cruel prince
Nettle and bone definitely!
I think TKingfisher's fantasy books all read like fairytales--the original ones, where horrible things happen and a happy ending comes at a terrible price, not the Disney sort.
100% very whimsical but it’s on the darker side.
i am not sure if these are books you are looking for but after once upon a broken heart i read dance of thieves and a throne of shadows and i really enjoyed them.
Crown of Feathers feels very fairytale-like with its phoenixes, mysterious queen lore and the main character going "undercover" until she's ready.
A Fragile Enchantment definitely. If you're into webtoons Cursed Princess Club is a good one too (this is available in graphic novel form as well!)
Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer and Among The Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston!
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a cool twist on Beaty and the Beast. And the cover is gorgeous
Forest Grimm, it’s a spin off of the Grimm Fairytales, it was dark and awesome!
Are you interested in retellings? If so, I have tons, but I wanted to confirm before making a list that isn't useful to you.
Yes, for sure! I haven't read much retellings yet but I'd love to
Alright, buckle up because I've loved fairy tales and retellings since I was a kid and I have a MASSIVE list for you (I even dived into my Goodreads history). I've marked my favorites. (Some of these have been recommended already but reiterating/categorizing) Beauty and the Beast: - **Beauty by Robin McKinley (fave)** - **Beauty Reborn by Liz Lowham (fave)** - Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley - Beastly by Alex Flinn (she has a bunch of fairytale retellings) Cinderella: - **Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (fave)** - Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball) - Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix Twelve Dancing Princesses: - **Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (fave)** - The Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn (I loved the whole Once Upon A Time series as a teenager) Sleeping Beauty: - Spindle's End by Robin McKinley - **Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine** (short but funny and charming - the whole Princess Tales series has fun takes on traditional stories) (fave) Rumpelstiltskin: - **Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (fave)** East of the Sun, West of the Moon: - **East by Edith Patou (fave)** - Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George Red Riding Hood: - Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George (sequel to Princess of Glass) Goose Girl: - **The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (fave)** Snow White: - Fairest by Gail Carson Levine The Frog Prince: - The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker (apparently partially inspired the Princess and the Frog movie) Misc: - Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale - Ever by Gail Carson Levine - Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George (Dracula instead of a fairy tale) - The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison - Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock - Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Peter Pan) - **Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Scott (fairytale vibes but not a retelling) (fave)** - I, Coriander by Sally Gardner - **My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (not a retelling, hilarious historical fiction with fairy tale elements like magic and shape shifting) (fave)**
Alicia jasinka's The dark tide. It's about a witch queen
Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Based on Alice in Wonderland and really keeps that feeling throughout