Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature brought to you by the Broke and the Bookish.

So this week’s topic was a Halloween-inspired freebie, and since I’m not a horror aficionado and have not read nearly enough vampire/werewolf books to come up with ten possibilities, I decided to stick with something I would actually read for Halloween, namely fairy tale adaptations. Fairy tales, with their gruesome, creepy, and eerie atmospheres (not to mention more than occasional witches, ghouls, and other creatures) make perfect reading for this particular holiday, but if you’ve already heavily perused your copy of the Grimm tales, here are some adaptations that might satisfy your fairy tale leanings.

After Hamelin by Bill Richardson–I remember reading this book as a kid and being fascinated by its point of view. It was one of the first books that made me want to write fairy tale adaptations. (Pied Piper)

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth–I just checked this book out from the library, and am excited to read it. I can’t vouch for it yet, but I thought I’d share anyway. (Rapunzel)

Uprooted by Naomi Novik–This book…well it’s hard to describe just how good this one is. I’ll be writing a post on this one soon, but in the meantime, just know you should read it. (Beauty and the Beast)

Once Upon A Time Series by various authors–These YA books are short and sweet, with creative takes on beloved fairy tales. There are a whole bunch of them and you can easily read them in a single sitting. (various)

Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C Wrede–An interesting adaptation of an unusual fairy tale.

Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi– It’s completely different from the original story, yet manages to be just as chilling. (Snow White)

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (or really anything by her)– Though terrible things happen to her, no one could call Ella a victim. Feisty and intelligent, this heroine will save herself, with or without a prince. (Cinderella)

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire (or anything else by him)– Maguire’s unique perspectives on fairy tales show that villains, too, are misunderstood. (Cinderella)

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter– This collection of short stories is true to the nature, the gruesome heart and soul of fairy tales. They’re also exceptionally well-written and awesome. (various)

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card– A rich, vibrant retelling that expands the boundaries of the story. (Sleeping Beauty)

Still looking for something to read for Halloween and not into fairy tales? These are my other Halloween picks:

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Suitably depraved.

The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Nice and gloomy.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. He turns into a bug. Enough said.

If you liked this post, I’ll have another one up tomorrow that has my movie picks for Halloween–all fairy tale adaptations. What do you like to read for Halloween?