Bargain Ebook: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones for $1.99

Because it is a fine book at a deal of a price today, I am sharing Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Castle Book 1) by Diana Wynne Jones for $1.99 in ebook format. Definitely filled with fairy tale tropes, but no specific tales necessarily.

Book description:

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Fairytale Gloom

Fairytale Gloom, by Atlas Games, is part of their Gloom series but is standalone and doesn't require the other versions of Gloom or familiarity with them. Here are some of the game cards. There are definitely familiar fairy tales included.

The biggest criticism I am seeing for the game is that it is better to play with creative people. That is my same observation with my beloved Dixit. It's my family's favorite game but when I tried it with a bunch of teenagers, it wasn't as successful. Not a failure, just not as creatively fun as when my family (ranging in ages from 8 to 69) plays it.

Game description:

The Game of Grim Incidents
and Unhappily-Ever-Afters

A fairytale toad in a prince's crownLet's face it: Fairy tales are awful. Wolves and old women eat children, giants fall from the sky, and even young girls break-and-enter to steal porridge from unsuspecting families.

In Fairytale Gloom, custom collections of fairy tale characters like Jack, Gretel, Puss in Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood do their best to stay happy, but circumstances conspire to rain woe on their sad, benighted heads.

These heroes become beasts, give up on Grandma, and cry wolf once too often. Even though they look into magic mirrors and kill golden geese, most end their days living in giant shoes… or worse.

Eventually, enough Unhappy Endings come to pass that the game ends. And then? The most miserable collection of characters wins.

Fairytale Gloom is a stand-alone game that's also compatible with all existing Gloom core games and expansions.

In Fairytale Gloom…
Each player chooses their own collection of fairy tale protagonists.
Modifiers add or subtract points. You could play "Dwelt With Some Dwarfs" on "Rapunzel," for example.
Unhappy Endings lock in points for good or ill. Perhaps "Goldilocks" "Cried Wolf Once Too Often."
It's all about storytelling: Players weave tales around what comes to pass. What happened, exactly, when "Joe the Giant" "Married a Murderer?"
With transparent cards, the points you can see are the points in play — it's that simple!

Designer: Keith Baker | Artist: Jaume Fabregat
Stock Number: AG1332 | ISBN: 978-1-58978-158-0 | MSRP: $24.95 US
Format: Two decks of 55 transparent cards, and a rules sheet in a tuckbox
Release Date: June 2015

Crafty Friday: To Grandma's House by Melissa Schaschwary

Today I am sharing To Grandma's House by Melissa Schaschwary available from Ravelry. I love this reversible caplet which allows you to be Little Red or the Wolf!

Description:

Perfect for this year’s holiday knitting!

Every sweet Red Riding Hood has a big, bad wolf hiding inside.
This reversible caplet appeals to the gentle, whimsical child, as well as the adventurous spirit who’d rather to bare her ferocious teeth. And who says you can’t be both? There is nothing more fun than living a fairytale to its fullest.

And yes, there is an adult version coming soon!

Fairy Tale Gift Shop Discoveries at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

As I mentioned last week, I was blessed to go on vacation in October--mine and John's first vacation in four years, almost to the day. We were LONG overdue. Our vacation was long and eventful and occasionally I saw fairy tale things.

One of the best sightings was on our first day of the trip when we were in Barcelona at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The gift shop had lots of fun things in it. I was so tired and jetlagged at that point that I also didn't care about taking pictures and the gift shop staff didn't say me nay either. So here are my photos for my own reference and where I found them later online for more information and better pictures.

It was an amazing museum, too, by the way. I really was exhausted and John ended up sleeping on a couch for a bit because his body just shuts down on him. He wasn't bored, just couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

These Build Your Own Bobble Head - Fairy Tales were something new to me and looked like fun. If I was still working in a library, I would have snatched these up and assembled them for a display in the children's room. I had a few fun displays back in my day.

This Prince Philippe with the frog prince is by Djeco Toys--apparently made by France's Papo which I see has many fairy tale themed items--some I've investigated before. I will research and share more in a separate post soon! The Djeco site has that animated stuff you are forced to load and watch before you can really see much which is followed up by mystery meat navigation which I don't have time to mess with today. Or any day for that matter. Sells and informs absolutely nothing to anyone. 

These Shrinkables - Fairy Tale were perhaps the most tempting but on the first day of a trip, I was very reluctant to add ANYTHING to my luggage. Fortunately, I found these online and now have them in my wishlist for a possible splurge someday in the future. These reminded me of the Shrinky Dinks I loved when I was in 4th grade, many moons ago.

Again, I am a school supplies and stationary junkie, so I wanted these Fairy Tale Color Pencils and the erasers pictured above them, too. But I practiced self control yet again!

Finally, there were a few pieces from the UK's Tyrrell Katz brand. With further research, I've learned these are part of the Princess line and include many items, such as the backpack at the top of this post and more. The museum didn't have the Tyrrell Katz Princess Beaker, which is a good thing because I bet I would have bought that to hold pencils on my desk. Which may have convinced me to buy the Fairy Tale Color Pencils and then the self mastery would have been sliding down that slippery slope of indulgence. I ended up with room in my luggage by the end of the trip, but I didn't know that at the beginning! And since international delivery is very cost prohibitive for a beaker, I think this will remain as an image in my files instead of a pencil holder on my desk! 

New Book: Tower of Thorns: A Blackthorn & Grim Novel by Juliet Marillier

Tower of Thorns: A Blackthorn & Grim Novel by Juliet Marillier was released earlier this month. It is the sequel to Dreamer's Pool: A Blackthorn & Grim Novel which has been on my reading list for too long. It is tempting to think maiden in tower tales have inspired this one but I won't know until I've read both books.

Marillier has been wonderfully writing under the influence of fairy tales and folklore since her debut book, Daughter of the Forest (The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 1), which was when I found her for my own shelves. Daughter of the Forest is still my sentimental favorite since it retells the Six Swans fairy tale so wonderfully and inspired me to add the annotated tale to the SurLaLune site. Although specific tales may not be the full impetus of her books, they definitely make appearances with nuance and plot devices.

But all of the reviews are leading me to believe that this series may rival for my affections. I have now moved it up my own reading list.

Book description:

Award-winning author Juliet Marillier’s “lavishly detailed”* Blackthorn & Grim series continues as a mysterious creature holds an enchanted and imperiled ancient Ireland in thrall.

Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges. But trouble has a way of seeking out Blackthorn and Grim.

Lady Geiléis, a noblewoman from the northern border, has asked for the prince of Dalriada’s help in expelling a howling creature from an old tower on her land—one surrounded by an impenetrable hedge of thorns. Casting a blight over the entire district, and impossible to drive out by ordinary means, it threatens both the safety and the sanity of all who live nearby. With no ready solutions to offer, the prince consults Blackthorn and Grim.

As Blackthorn and Grim begin to put the pieces of this puzzle together, it’s apparent that a powerful adversary is working behind the scenes. Their quest is about to become a life and death struggle—a conflict in which even the closest of friends can find themselves on opposite sides.

*Publishers Weekly

New Book: The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson is officially released this week. As you can guess from the title and cover, this is a Rapunzel retelling. Dickerson is an inspirational fiction writer who has written numerous fairy tale retellings now.

Book description:

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?