Back of Book: 

A charming everyman and a mysterious something-under-the-bridge cross paths in a short fairy tale by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park and the Simon Snow series.

It’s fate when a man accidentally drops his phone off the bridge. It’s fortune when it’s retrieved by a friendly shape sloshing in the muck underneath. From that day forward, as they share a coffee every morning, an unlikely friendship blooms. Considering the reality for the man above, where life seems perfect, and that of the sharp-witted creature below, how forever after can a happy ending be? 

Book Number: One 

Genre:  Young Adult | Fantasy | Romance | Short Story

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

The first in the "Faraway" Collection, a series of Amazon original short stories featuring fairy tales retold in a modern way. 

A young man by the name of Adam comes across a troll creature under a bridge on his way to work and the two form an unlikely connection. 

This was a sweet short story that showcases loneliness, hope, and friendships that form under the strangest of circumstances. Though this one reads like a fairy tale, I feel it is a story that many can relate to. It definitely has a contemporary feel, but it set in some sort of magical world in which some sort of road seems to be king. Not exactly sure what's up with that, but intriguing. 

After a bit of research, I learned that this is a retelling of a popular Norwegian fairy tale known as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." Though these stories have little in common besides that they each have a troll that lives under a bridge and a price that needs to be paid, I can sort of see the inspiration. 

I can't claim to know all of what Rowell was trying to do with this story, but I feel this one is a melancholic tale that is still beautiful despite the confusion it caused me personally. It comments on quite a few things, some that I've already mentioned, such as loneliness and unlikely bonds, and a few others such as global warming and the extent and consequences of charity. This is a lot for such a short story to conquer, but it leaves a lingering feeling of all these things a while after one reads the last word. I think if this story would have been longer it would have been more effective, but it isn't bad how it is. 

The overtness of Starbucks in this one is a tad strange. It sort of feels like a big Starbucks ad, but I think Rowell may have been trying to use coffee to showcase that the smallest acts of kindness can go a long way and/or that people bond over the simplest things. Adam does view himself as superior to the troll, though; one can tell by the way he talks about the amazingness of the road, how he acts as though he can save her, and how he constantly comments on how dirty and smelly her dwelling is. This ties a bit into the ending, so let's move onto that. 

The ending is mostly unsatisfying, but it could be worse. I think that it's good that the troll gets to do her own thing and not be controlled by Adam, but the ending is so ambiguous it sort of leaves me wondering, "What was the point of it all?" Maybe Rowell wants us to think about how fragile relationships are and how quickly the Earth can succumb to human evils?  I'm really not quite sure, but I'm definitely confused, nonetheless. 

Overall, "The Prince and the Troll" was an intriguing short story retelling of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." I'm not one hundred percent sure what I'm supposed to get out of this one, but I enjoyed the discussion it brings to the table about climate change, mental health, loneliness, charity, and so much more. It is a bit saturated for a short story, but it definitely left me with some lingering thoughts to try to digest. A decent intro to Rowell's work; I really need to check more out in the future! 

Audiobook Note: This one is narrated by Rebecca Lowman. I feel as though they did a great job of bringing this story to life. In my opinion, there is a correct way to read a fairy tale out loud, and I feel that Lowman did it masterfully. They also did a fantastic job of making the ending feel very melancholy and unfulfilled, which I think helped make this story quite a bit more impactful. Overall, a great narrative performance and I would definitely listen to more of their work! 

Back of Book: 

Two anxious young lovers lost in the woods. A beckoning mansion in a dark clearing. A short modern-day retelling of Hansel and Gretel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin.

It’s bad enough that Hazel and Gray have defied the demands of Hazel’s foul stepfather. The Monster has forbidden their romance. Now they’ve awakened in the forest, phones dead, hours past curfew. But not far away is a grand estate in the middle of nowhere. The door is open. In this short story about choosing your own path, the fury of the Monster that awaits them back home may be nothing compared to what lies ahead. 

Book Number: Two

Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Romance | Short Story

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

A modern retelling of "Hansel and Gretel" that take a twist that is somehow even darker than the original story's ending.

Hazel and Gray are in love, but they are also lost in the woods. Hazel's stepfather disapproves of their relationship, but that doesn't stop them from caring for one another or sneaking out to spend time together. When the two find themselves lost in the woods at night with only a strange mansion filled with scantily clad young women, they have no choice but to enter. What awaits inside is nothing that the two ever could have imagined. And a Monster that they have both been trying to avoid but now must face head on if they are to survive.

This story was certainly not what I expected. With Hazel and Gray lost in the woods and their names being what they are, I knew this was a "Hansel and Gretel" retelling almost immediately. Due to this, I presumed that they would come across some sort of house with a danger in it, and that was most certainly true. I wasn't expecting it to be a party filled with young girls wearing lingerie and other sexy attire. What an odd reading experience.

This horror house was truly creepy. I felt my unease rise exponentially throughout this story, and I give Stone much kudos for that. The scenes where Hazel reminisces about her family life and the disturbing way that her new stepfather looks at her also filled me with such dread. I was a bit scared that the worst was going to happen to Hazel in one timeline or the other, but she luckily makes it out physically unscathed.

This one does have a decently steamy scene in it, which I felt wasn't really in this story's best interest. I feel that the bond that Hazel and Gray shared was deep enough that they didn't have to make it physical in a thirty-page short story to show me this fact. The way that Gray stays by Hazel's side through everything is so sweet, and it's simple to tell that he would do anything for her. I don't know much about these two as individuals due to the nature of this story, but the bond between them is certainly more the point.

Once again, I think this one mainly suffers due to how short it is. Tackling a subject as huge as human trafficking in such a short story (especially one that is also fairy tale coded) is certainly no easy task. I think that this story could be taken the wrong way in so many ways, but if one doesn't think about it too hard and knows what to expect from it, I feel it is a decent read.

Overall, "Hazel and Gray" was a disconcerting retelling of the classic fairy tale "Hanzel and Gretel." This story was much spookier and sultrier than I first anticipated, but that's not exactly a bad thing. This story just felt way more mature than the last one, even though the characters are probably younger in this one than "The Prince and the Troll." It wasn't the most entertaining read, but it definitely made me feel a ton of different things. One definitely should be aware that this one covers some dark topics, so reader advisory is certainly advised.

Audiobook Note: Kimberly Woods is the one that narrates this story. I am actually familiar with Woods' work through some video game projects that she lent her voice to, so it was nice hearing her voice out of the blue. I personally think that Woods has such a unique way of speaking that I find to be just beautiful. She did a great job of narrating Hazel and Gray's story and building the suspense when needed. I honestly probably only enjoyed this one as much as I did because she was the one reading it. I definitely need to check out more of Woods' narration work in the future.

Back of Book: 

There are no happy endings for the Princesses of Chaminade High in this short, twisty tale of teenage murder games by the New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil series.

The victims are the most popular girls in school, each murdered and arranged in a grim fairy-tale tableau. To find the killer, rookie detective Callum Pederson has gone undercover where the Princes hold court. He’s found enough secrets among the bros to bring them in for questioning—but he could very well get lost in the games the Princes play. 

Book Number: Three

Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Mystery | Short Story

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

An exciting murder mystery that brings to life iconic fairy tale princes in a dark new way. 

At Chaminade High School, the Princes rule. A group of jocks have everyone wrapped around their fingers, including the Princesses, the hottest girls in school. When five of the school’s Princesses are murdered by a killer who arranges their bodies in iconic scenes from fairy tales, the school’s principal calls in some backup. Now it is up to two detectives posing as a Prince and a chemistry teacher to try to crack the case before another Princess is murdered. 

I did take quite a long break while reading this collection, but it’s honestly been one of my favorite of Amazon’s short story series, so I was excited to get back to it. I grew up reading Soman Chainani’s work, so I was super excited to read this one! 

This story was nothing like I expected it to be. I was not prepared for a murder mystery starring modern versions of iconic princes such as Adam, Philip, Naveen, Kristoff, Flynn, and Eric. It was super trippy to see their personalities mirrored in these toxic douche bags, but I really respect Chainani for going for it. Taking something so beloved by many and flipping on its head requires a ton of guts and I give him kudos for it. 

The format of this one is rather unique. It is told in a series of voice notes from Callum Pederson, a rookie cop, who is posing as a new student at Chaminade High. Unbeknownst to the students, Callum worked undercover to try to catch the Princess Killer. That is, until he begins interviewing the Princes along with his fellow colleague, Detective Chang. I thought that this format made it super interesting and it kept me engaged the whole way through. Seriously, I let this audiobook keep playing even after I finished prepping dinner because I wanted to know how it ended. 

The themes that Chainani is trying to impart on the reader with this one are super solid. Toxic masculinity, rape culture, abusive relationships, and so much more are explored in this short story. I can’t say that it goes the most in-depth and I know this pissed a ton of people off because they thought it felt too gimmicky, but I think it added to the creepy factor of this one. And besides, I think most of us are already aware how horrible men can treat women before starting this one. 

I had such a fun time piecing this one together in real time. I completely called the ending and the guilty party, but I still had a great time with the reveal at the end. Honestly, I love the ambiguous ending of this one, because Callum has a huge decision to make and I could seriously see him going either way (especially after the comment that Eric made to him at the final game). I would literally read a full length novel of this one just to see what happens next. 

Overall, “The Princess Game” has been one of my favorite Amazon Original Stories to date. This one was so trippy with its modern and morbid take on Disney/Grimm princes. The voice note format was super cool, and I really felt for Callum due to us following him so closely. Piecing the mystery together was such a joy, and I’m proud to say that I one hundred percent nailed solving this one. Soman Chainani’s work has been such a joy to read and I’m happy to announce that his short stories are still quite to my liking! 

Audiobook Note: This audiobook has a full cast, which I thought was really unexpected and cool. In a voice note format, it could have gotten very confusing to keep the characters straight if they weren’t voiced by different actors, so I’m glad they decided to go this route. I did find myself recognizing Detective Chang’s voice and I remember thinking to myself “Is that Greg Chun?”  When the credits rolled around, I was desperate to listen to them and see if I knew who any of the actors were. And Chang was indeed Greg Chun! So that was fun. Back to the main point, the entire cast did such an amazing job with this one! The acting really added to the suspense and I feel the experience was definitely enhanced by listening to the audiobook. I think my favorite performance was by the guy who played Kristoff; they had such a fun bumpkin vibe, even if they were playing a jerk face. Super impressed with the quality of this audiobook! 

Back of Book: 

Touch the past or wash it away? Two sisters have a choice in this unforgettable short story of everyday magic and the power of memory by the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Ken Liu.

Gui is a professional cleaner at A Fresh Start, scrubbing away the unpleasant layers of memory that build up on the personal objects of his customers. Memory-blind himself, he can’t feel those wounds. Clara can, and she prefers them irretrievable. Until her sister, Beatrice, ultrasensitive to memory, raises one that could change Clara’s mind. For Gui, the past is gone. For Clara and Beatrice, deciding what to remember reaches to the heart of their shared history. 

Book Number: Four 

Genre: Young Adult | Science Fiction | Speculative | Short Story

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

A speculative fiction story loosely inspired by “The Princess and the Pea.” 

In a world in which memories coat everything, Gui can’t remember any of them. He works as a memory cleaner at A Fresh Start and helps his clients forget things they no longer wish to remember. Clara wants to forget the past and her broken relationship, so she commissions Gui to clean all her possessions. Beatrice is hypersensitive to memories, and she begs her sister to hold on to the past for better or for worse. 

I’ve been meaning to read “The Paper Menagerie” for years, so I guess I’m glad that I’ve now read something by Ken Liu. Wasn’t what I expected to find in a YA fairy tale collection, but oh well. 

This one was a bit too underdeveloped for me. I had a hard time remembering which sister was which and had to look at other people’s reviews to correctly identify them in my recap. I think the idea is strong, but the characters are boring and shallow as dirt. 

The idea that memories coat everything isn’t overly unique, but it is powerful. I think us humans hoard things that are completely useless to us solely because they remind us of a different time of our life or a certain person. I think this story exemplifies this concept so well, even if it isn’t the most remarkable story out there. 

The juxtaposition of a memory blind MMC and a FMC that is oversensitive to memories is a nice touch. It showcases two very different kinds of people living in this universe. It would really suck to not be able to hold memories of things one cherishes close, but I could also see it being hard to feel other’s pain all the time and be forced to remember every horrible thing that has ever happened to you. This is honestly like a magical depiction of people with amnesia versus people with photographic memory. 

The fairy tale vibes are so faint in this one it seems a bit of an odd choice for this collection. It does start with a quote from “The Princess and the Pea,” so at least it steers us in the right direction from the start. Like the princess in that story, Beatrice is overly sensitive, but I don’t think there is much more of a connection than that. 

Overall, “The Cleaners” was a bit of an odd addition to this collection, but it’s a decent enough speculative fiction story that explores memories. It shows how memories cling to everything around us and how humans retain certain objects to remember a different time, place, or person in their lives. This story is a tad depressing and does center on an interesting topic, I just fear the characters aren’t strong enough to make this one all that memorable. This feels like a short story one would read and discuss in literature class, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just weird for a YA fairy tale collection. 

Audiobook Note: This one is narrated by Kate Rudd. I feel they did a good job tapping into their emotions with this one which helped bring out the melancholy nature of this piece. 

Back of Book: 

The reviled villainesses of Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel team up to set the record straight in a subversively funny short story by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay.

Envious queen? Evil stepmother? Kidnapping hag? Elsinora, Gwendolyn, and Marguerite are through with warts-and-all tabloids, ugly lies, and the three ungrateful brats who pitted them against each other and the world. But maybe there’s more to the stories than even the Wickeds know. Is it time to finally get revenge? After all, they’re due for a happily-enough-ever-after. Even if they have to write it themselves. 

Book Number: Five (Last Book) 

Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Short Story

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

A humorous and touching short story that features baddies from three of the most iconic fairy tales out there. 

What do a vain queen, an wicked stepmother, and a kidnapping witch all have in common? The need for revenge. After their reputations were slandered by the ungrateful children Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel, the three decide that it's finally time to take control of their own narrative. 

I'm familiar with Forman's work from the "If I Stay" series, so I was a bit surprised to find how lighthearted and amusing this short story was. It is the final one in the collection, and I can say with a happy heart that I genuinely enjoyed my time with this one. 

This one starts with the three Wickeds, the Evil Queen, the Wicked Stepmother, and Mother Gothel meeting each other and becoming friends. I can’t say that I remember any of the names that Forman gave them, so I’ll refer to them but their titles. Their friendship is actually really sweet due to the fact that they all realize that the entire world misunderstands them and that they all have rebellious daughters who cut them out of their lives. The three eventually decide to take revenge, which is where this story takes a very different turn.

This story also lightly discusses toxic masculinity and men preying on women, which I’m shocked to find is a theme of all but two of the stories in this collection. It doesn’t go super deep, but it’s sweet that this one imparts the idea that women have to stick together and protect one another. 

The narration in this one is cool due to the fact the story is told by a mysterious narrator that refers to a group as “us” and “we.” I first presumed them to be a member of our world, but their true identity wasn’t what I expected it to be. 

Overall, “The Wickeds” was an enjoyable romp in a fairy tale world in which three iconic villains become friends. It has some great themes surrounding things not being what they first appear as, the stages of life, and women empowerment. I don’t think I’ll remember this story for all that long, but I enjoyed my time while I was consuming it. 

Audiobook Note: This one is narrated by Frankie Corzo. I think they did a solid job with this one as it felt as though someone was telling me a story. It fit the narrative tone of this one perfectly.