Tales Retold is probably one of my favourite tropes.
Can we talk about this artwork though?
I’m absolutely in love with this dust jacket reverse cover art by @sallteas. It is beyond stunning and makes me love these characters instantly. Not me with the crushes on fictional characters *cough*.
I love a good bookish umbrella, and this one inspired by Heartless by Marissa Meyer is pretty spot on. One can never have enough umbrellas. I put one in pretty much every car and one in the hall closet.
I wasn’t too fussed about the book sleeves, but I’ve recently started to appreciate their uses. So I’m kind of excited that they included one in this box as well as updated the material. It’s more of a glossy vinyl (that’s also used for their pencil cases) instead of just a material. This one has characters from Elizabeth Lim’s other series, “Spin the Dawn”.
I LOVE these tins. I’m not sure what I’m going to put in this one (probably spare change) but this one being based on one of my tales retold favourites, ACOTAR is always a win for me.
There’s a foiled print of Maya from the ‘Star-Touched Queen’ series (which I haven’t read yet) so it’s cute. I like the art style, and the colours!
More socks inspired by the ‘Cinderella is Dead’ series! I love the socks. I pretty much only wear these and I’m sad that my Harry Potter ones have a hole so these can replace them.
The monthly tarot cards are the King and Queen of Wands and are based on the characters from Caraval.
The July ‘Tales Retold’ themed book is Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim.
Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.
Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.
Via Goodreads
I AM PUMPED FOR THIS BOOK. I won’t lie, pretty sure I squealed a little when I saw it. I’m a huge fan of Elizabeth Lim’s Spinning the Dawn series and I am a sucker for Asian folktales. The cover is gorgeous, I love the colours. The stencilled edges with the cranes is just *chef’s kiss* cherry on top of an already fabulous cake.
I [obviously] haven’t read this one yet, but it’s on the list next. I’m just reading another quick diversion book (The Bear and the Nightingale) and then I’ll be jumping into this one.
I’ll update when I have a review for this one!
J x
