The Princess Blog

Charms and Cinders  by Amanda Thompson is my last Fairytale Summer review . I received an ARC of this gender-bent "Cinderella" retelling and was intrigued because I haven't read many gender-bent versions of this story. Aside from that change, it's a fairly direct retelling without too many twists. The romance is sweet and follows the same trope as most modern "Cinderella" stories  in which the couple forms a bond with each other before the ball. It borrows elements primarily from the Perrault version of the story, with the classic fairy godmother  and two balls. Overall, it was a light and enjoyable read. Since  Charms and Cinders  is split between the perspectives of the male Cinderella archetype and the princess character, I was confused by the girl featured on the cover of the book. Even though Cinderella is generally a more female-oriented story, the titular role went to the male lead of the book, so I'm not sure why he wouldn't be featured mor...

The Summer 2026 anime season has begun, and with it comes many new fairytale-inspired shows, some more original than others. The broken engagement trope  is still a big one, as well as the fake villainess trope , which seems to have a new series every season. One thing we don't see as much in modern anime is shows based directly on well-known fairy tales. That's why one of the most anticipated shows of the new season was Goodbye, Lara , an original take on "The Little Mermaid."  There are also two new "Cinderella" inspired shows that offer unexpected twists on the classic tale of the abused maiden. Goodbye, Lara  premiered last week, with its second episode out later today. Although its pilot followed all the major beats of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about a young mermaid who made a deal with a sea witch to win over a human prince, this show is a far cry from the 1975 anime movie adaptation . Many visual queues set it apart, such as giving Lara...

There is a ton of new princess content coming your way this summer, so it seems like a good time for a quick media roundup. Despite what Hollywood might want you to believe , princesses and girly media are still thriving all around the world, and it seems like every country is trying to get in on the action. From France's Lolirock announcements to Italy's Winx Club continuation to Japan's fairy tale-inspired anime premieres, this summer is going to be packed with princesses. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming princess releases worldwide. Before I get to the summer premieres, the biggest new announcement is that Lolirock , the beloved French Magical Girl idol series, is officially getting a third season . It's been almost ten years since Iris restored her home world of Ephedia, and now she's back for new adventures with her friends, Auriana, Talia, Carissa, and Lyna, to face a vengeful Praxina, who blames them for the death of her brother. Thi...

In a surprising announcement from Deadline yesterday , we learned that Disney+ is planning to turn Ella Enchanted  into a streaming series. Before you get excited about seeing a new adaptation of the beloved Gail Carson Levine novel that many of us grew up with , keep in mind that the press release specifically states "a TV series based on the 2004 Miramax film." This is troublesome considering that the movie has many flaws that prevent it from topping a list of live-action "Cinderella" adaptations , as well as the fact that the streaming services are currently oversaturated with new adaptations of the classic fairy tale . Since the project is still in its early stages, there is also a possibility that it won't even, considering Disney's track record of announcing new princess projects that never see the light of day. Whenever a movie gets adapted into a series, the biggest issue is whether there's enough additional content to stretch into an episodic...

Slippers and Thorns  is the first book in the Roumaterra Chronicles, a series of combined fairy tale retellings by Erin Halbmaier . This book is different from other combined retellings because it takes place during the aftermath of both stories. It is a loose retelling and sequel to "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty"  with similar themes to Just Ella  and Glass and Feathers . According to the author's notes, this book was intended to be a short story and was expanded into a 90,000-word novel. Regrettably, the combination of slow pacing and frustrating character decision detract from the extended length of the book. This book begins after the events of "Cinderella." Princess Ella's marriage to Prince Mike is on the rocks. Similar to the Disney sequel , Ella has a difficult time adjusting to palace life due to having more experience as a maid than as a princess. Meanwhile, Mike is overwhelmed by his princely duties and doesn't have time for his...

With the recent announcement of not one , but two upcoming movies about Cinderella's stepsisters, I thought it would be fun to make a post about princess footwear. This was also suggested by a reader some time ago, but I put it on the back burner because I hardly consider myself an expert on shoes. Still, no princess outfit is complete without the perfect pair of shoes, and no princess knows her shoes better than Cinderella . It's thanks to her famous glass slippers that I decided to wear clear rhinestone-encrusted shoes to my prom. To me, shoes don't look good unless they have something extra on them, like bows, gems, or silk rosettes. When it comes to princess-inspired shoes, there is a fine line between fashion and comfort. Most royal shoes that accompany ballgowns don't look authentic without a heel, but large heels can be uncomfortable, especially for cosplayers who are walking all day around convention halls . I like to find a happy compromise by wearing flats wi...

If there's one fairy tale that's been adapted more times than most people can count, it's "Cinderella."  With a rumored Disney spinoff on the way , this timeless rags-to-riches story has even more film adaptations than "Snow White." That's not even counting books , musicals , television , and other media ! Therefore, I thought it would be fun to rank ten different movie interpretations of the beloved tale, including some you might not be familiar with. In fact, I just learned about my number ten spot earlier this week! As always, my rankings are subjective and may change based on my mood, so don't take them too seriously if you don't agree with all of them. 10. The Glass Slipper (1955) The Glass Slipper  is a lesser-known Cinderella adaptation, and for a good reason. This film lacks many of the qualities that make Cinderella movies great. There's one mediocre song, and the main actress was cast more for her ballet abilities than for her...

Falling for the Wolf  by Megan Charlie is the next ARC I read from To Win a Dark Heart , which brings together villains from different fairy tales. This book combines "Cinderella" and "Little Red Riding Hood" with slightly more focus on the latter. The story involves a werewolf, but his transformations have little to no effect on the plot. The espionage and criminal activity make the book feel more like an urban fantasy than a fairy tale. Overall, I thought this book was okay in comparison to the other ones I've read so far in this series. Tasia is exiled to a foreign land after revealing a secret to a prince and is forced to deliver goods for her extended family. Her poor sense of direction makes this a difficult task for her to follow without a guide, so she seeks the aid of Mitch, who she later learns is a werewolf. Mitch takes an instant dislike to Tasia's family, who are manipulative and abusive. He continues to aid Tasia until an even more dangerous...

The holiday season  is upon us, which means it's almost time to start a new year filled with new princess content. Within the past few weeks, there has been a slew of announcements regarding upcoming princess properties, and very few of these came from Disney. Netflix is currently the best place for original animated content . They have at least two new animated princess movies coming out in 2026. On the gamer front, a trailer was recently released for a tie-in video game of the new Winx Club reboot . The upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie has also been confirmed to introduce a popular princess from the franchise who has yet to make her theatrical debut. Let's dive into a new year of princesses. Last week, Netflix released the first screenshot from Steps , a fractured retelling of "Cinderella" focusing on one of the ugly stepsisters . Although a similar made-for-TV movie came out in 2002 based on the Gregory Maguire novel, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister , this ada...

As promised in my review of the Disney Magic  cruise ship, I am taking the time to write a full review of Twice Charmed , the long-running "Cinderella" musical that is exclusive to the Disney Magic and serves as the inspiration for the 2007 direct-to-DVD sequel, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time . Though many people are familiar with Cinderella III  since the DVD was more accessible to the public, Twice Charmed predates it by two years and contains many key differences from the film, including original songs and an original character, Franco, the wicked Fairy Godfather to Lady Tremaine. While the plot of Lady Tremaine using magic to turn back time so Prince Charming will choose one of her daughters resembles the animated sequel, the stage show is an entirely different experience that takes full advantage of its live medium. The show begins with the same projection technology that Disney has been using for all their live shows for the past decade or so. An image of a storybook...

There are nearly as many "Cinderella" retellings as there are stars in the sky , but only a select few explore the hardships this abused peasant girl would have inevitably faced after her rags were turned to riches overnight. Disney attempted to do this with Cinderella II: Dreams Come True  and failed miserably. Just Ella  by Margaret Peterson Haddix portrays a much more engaging depiction of Ella's difficult adjustment to palace life, which spawned two excellent sequels . More recently, Lissa Sloan  took on this harrowing task with Glass and Feathers , a dark take on what happened after "happily ever after" that is heavily rooted in the Brothers Grimm adaptation of the tale. Glass and Feathers  is a darker take on "Cinderella" that isn't suitable for all readers. Although the book contains no spice, there is some body horror reminiscent of the ending of the Brothers Grimm adaptation , in which the stepsisters cut off pieces of their feet to fit...

The Glass Gate  by Hanna Sandvig  is a lovely portal fantasy from her Faerie Tale Romance series of fae retellings about characters from the real world who enter gateways to the land of the fae where they live out classic fairy tales. This book is similar to others I've read  from this series and includes a few fun cameos. Hanna's books are unique because they all feature modern protagonists who are relatable to us as readers, allowing us to vicariously live out their fairy tales. This story draws inspiration from "Cinderella,"  though it has many unique elements that stand apart from other retellings. Ella is an aspiring fashion designer who wants a break from her daily grind of helping out her stepfamily. Her mixed Japanese heritage has always made her feel like an outsider in the real world. It seemed like a no-brainer when her bestie Amber took her out for a nighttime getaway to the hidden land of Tír Na nÓg  to party with the fae and finally have a chance t...

It's been three years since the announcement  that Jennifer Lopez was working on a serial adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella . At this point, it seemed like the project was cancelled, given that nothing else was announced since then. Impossible things are happening every day, and  Disney+ has landed the rights to it after a bidding war with Amazon. It looks like the pumpkin is still fresh. When it was first announced, three other Cinderella adaptations  were released within the same year. Enough time has passed that it isn't as derivative now as it was at the time. Still, the serial format is perplexing, not to mention the fact that it has been in production for at least three years and still doesn't have a release window. There have been new developments since the project was first announced, namely that it will be the backstory of the Fairy Godmother, which is reminiscent of another series that got announced years ago. The Deadline article states th...