First published 2025
A young orphan in Victorian New Orleans plots revenge against her mother's abuser. A girl discovers her family once owned enslaved people. A pregnant woman learns about Celtic selkie lore while yearning for freedom. Jack the Ripper's wife uncovers her husband's crimes and decides to act. These women populate thirteen stories where fairy tale heroines refuse to stay passive victims. They shapeshift into bears and wolves, commune with bees, and explore haunted attics during thunderstorms. A graduate student pregnant with her first child uncovers her family's connection to a home for unwed mothers. Suburban mothers battle postpartum depression while longing for childhood magic. The Queen from Snow White transforms into a wolf to protect an attacked girl and hunt down her abuser. Each story places bold female characters at the center, whether they face supernatural threats, family secrets, or the psychological challenges of modern life. These women step directly into danger rather than waiting for rescue.
Genres: fiction, abuse, fantasy, 21st-century, 19th-century, fairy-tale-retellings
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, shapeshifters
Setting: New Orleans, Victorian England
Period: 19th Century, 21st Century
300 pages · Paperback · MT Open Press
Content warnings: abuse, violence