27 Must-Read Retellings

A debut novel for fans of Jane Austen, Elin Hilderbrand, and Gilmore Girls, Worse Than Strangers is a beachy retelling of Austen’s Persuasion set against the backdrop of a cottage on Nantucket about finding romance, second chances, and a new path in life.
 

This fresh and whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice—from the authors of the “great beach read” (Bookreporter) Emma of 83rd Street—transports you to summer in the Hamptons, where classes clash, rumors run wild, and love has a frustrating habit of popping up where you least expect it.
 

In this witty and romantic debut novel, Jane Austen’s Emma meets the misadventures of Manhattan’s modern dating scene as two lifelong friends discover that, in the search for love, you sometimes don’t have to look any further than your own backyard—perfect for fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Clueless.
 

Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets the Big Apple in this swoon-worthy holiday romance from the authors of Elizabeth of East Hampton and Emma of 83rd Street.
 

A dark, bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance—the perfect read for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Circe.
 

A New York Times bestseller!
Sunnie Reads’ Inaugural Book Club Pick—Sunnie Select!
Five starred reviews!

Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this “brilliantly snappy…electrifying” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

In this wildly creative, horror-soaked reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, nothing is as it seems in Dorothy’s dystopian nightmare. Fans of Tender Is the Flesh and Maeve Fly will want to follow her twisted journey down the yellow-brick road.
 

This bighearted rom-com debut reimagines My Fair Lady, as two women team up to make over a sexy hustler and take down one of Atlanta’s most corrupt men. Along the way, their story sizzles with unexpected friendship and swoony love.
 

In this queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne classic gothic story, Rappaccini’s Daughter, a young woman is lured to a lush estate owned by a botanist who might be hiding dark secrets.
 

A modern retelling of Little Women, this contemporary romance reimagines Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic through the lives of four sisters coming of age on a New Orleans military base.
 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Central Park Pact comes a reverse My Fair Lady for the modern era about a pampered and privileged Manhattan socialite who must teach an unpolished and denim-loving nobody from the Louisiana Bayou how to fit in with the upper crust of New York City. Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne.
 

The acclaimed author of Finn “digs down to the bones of a classic and creates must-read modern literature” (Charles Frazier, New York Times bestselling author) with this “clever riff” (The Washington Post) on Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol that explores of the relationship between Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley.
 

From the author of Bunny, which Margaret Atwood hails as “genius,” comes a “wild, and exhilarating” (Lauren Groff, New York Times bestselling author) novel about a theater professor who is convinced staging Shakespeare’s most maligned play will remedy all that ails her—but at what cost?
 

A NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Chloe Gong’s adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, is a “smart, imaginative, and brutal” (Wesley Chu, New York Times bestselling author of The War Arts Saga) collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Chloe Gong returns with power plays, spilled blood, and lethal romance in this “dark, dazzling, deliciously depraved” (Ann Liang, New York Times bestselling author) fantasy sequel to New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra.
 

A sizzling standalone fantasy of second-chance love inspired by Sleeping Beauty and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur from the author of The North Wind.
 

Inspired by Chinese myths of ancient dragon gods and threads of fate, Katrina Kwan’s dazzling fantasy debut is a propulsive adventure perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tan and Hannah Whitten.
 

Discover the full story of the sorceress Medea, one of the most reviled and maligned women of Greek antiquity, in this “haunting, deeply moving” (Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author) debut in the tradition of Circe, Elektra, and Stone Blind.
 

Book Riot’s Best New Book Releases

A 2025 Latino Book Award Winner, Gold Medal for Best Novel — Historical Fiction — English

“A vivid and unprecedented journey into the Spanish invasion of Aztec Mexico.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, acclaimed author of The House of Broken Angels

A “wild, unforgettable adventure” (Reyna Grande, author of A Dream Called Home) about the triumphs and sorrows of one of the most controversial and misunderstood women in Mexico’s history and mythology, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow and Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

In this darkly romantic reimagining of the Minotaur myth, a sorceress and a demon are entwined in sensual battle to escape a deadly maze and reclaim their freedom.
 

In this lyrical and “profound” (Dr. Resmaa Menakem, New York Times bestselling author) companion to the “spellbinding” (Harper’s Bazaar) Shallow Waters, Oya—the Yoruban deity of the weather—is brought to life during 1870s America.
 

THE INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Felicia Day, actress and New York Times bestselling author returns with a “stirring, beautifully illustrated hero's journey overflowing with heart and a wicked sense of humor” (Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author) about the lost mythical character of Philonoe—Helen of Troy’s sister.
 

In this thrilling sequel to Exquisite Ruin, AdriAnne May’s darkly romantic reimagining of the Minotaur myth, Sadaré and Daesra are torn apart in the underworld—and new relationships may complicate their way back to one another.
 

Named a Best Book of the Year by Oprah Daily

* “Mesmerizing.” —Town & Country * “Twisty and unsettling.” —People * “Ancient Greece meets Succession by way of Emma Cline…deliciously dark.” —Ruth Gilligan *

A “superb…refreshing” (The New York Times Book Review) reimagining of the myth of Persephone and Demeter set on a lush private island, exploring themes of addiction and sex, family, independence, and who holds the power in a modern underworld.

“It’s a literary gift to see gender expansiveness depicted in an ancient myth with such grace and ease.” —Electric Literature

Fans of Circe and Black Sun, “prepare to be astonished” (R.O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries) with this bold and subversive feminist and queer retelling of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros.

This “can’t-miss historical epic” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) reimagines the legends of King Arthur by resurrecting the real historical figures who inspired these enduring tales.
 

From the bestselling author of Like Water for Chocolate, an extraordinary retelling of the passionate and tragic love affair during the conquest of the Aztecs between the conquistador Cortés and his interpreter, Malinalli.
 

A riveting retelling of one of the great adventure stories of antiquity—when Greek philosopher-warrior Xenophon led a stranded band of the “Ten Thousand” mercenary soldiers on a treacherous escape from the Persians.
 

“The only thing hotter than a character written by Chloe Gong is a betrayal written by Chloe Gong.” —Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

The action-packed finale to Chloe Gong’s New York Times bestselling Flesh & False Gods trilogy—inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra—brings readers the ultimate showdown for power among gods and men.