Fairy Tale Lust - book discontinued by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Darklyvan

Fairy Tale Lust edited by Kristina Wright promised to "deliver sizzling work" but I didn't even feel a slight burn.

The stories that were within this compilation tried hard to make me smile and squirm at the same time but I found that the authors just didn't do it for me. From stories about a woman wearing a mermaid tale to a girl touring a collage dorm building and finding three rooms unsatisfactory to masturbate, these stories tried to put a new spin on the fairy tales of our youth but did so poorly.

Let me give you a synopsis of a few of the stories to guide you through the book:


The Obedient Wife Delilah Devlin
The story of Beauty and the Beast but with a twist. It starts out with a father parading his beautiful, naked daughter around to men to find her a husband. The test her out in all ways but make sure not to soil her virginity. Finally a man pays a fortune for her and the tale continues in a manner that you would suspect for Beauty and the Beast but if it were an X rated version of course. I'll leave the twist for you to find.
page 1-14

How the Little Mermaid Got Her Tail Back Andrea Dale
A newly divorced woman discovers new love and kinkery with a new lover. Leaving the bed of a man who "thought her desires were disgusting and degrading" she finds herself being excepted with open arms by Philip. But he has grander ideas about her fetishes then she can imagine. She finds her self in a giant aquarium in the center of a party exploring boundaries to her body that she never knew she could cross.
page 15-23

Duckling Craig Sorensen
An ugly duckling finds herself fantasizing her young neighbor and "his tight shorts,flip-flops and nothing else". Every turn she makes she can smell him and this drives her crazy. After a make over she finds her fantasies coming true.
page 16-36

Three Times Justine Elyot
Selena, a bar maid hears rumors "that whosoe'er should free the Princess from the shackles of vine would win her hand". After many of a man has tried and failed to free the Princess Selena finds her way to her and has her try. I she successful, and if so how does she do this impossible feet?
page 37-47

Ellie and the Shoemaker Louisa Harte
Ellie finds herself hired by a sexy cobbler. To impress him she starts anonymously creating shoes late at night while he sleeps. Not only does business thrive but so does their relationship.
page 48-58

The Pub Owner's Daughter Alegra Verde
The Pub owner's Daughter blessed his life and thus he named her Treasure. Treasure has come of age and needs to find someone suitable for her to marry. She proceeds to sleep with villager after villager to discover the right man.
page 59-72

Sleep Tight Janine Ashbless
A care taker of an old Victorian called the Gable finds his way into the house and gets more than he was expecting. This story has the feel of a haunted house tale but is it?
page 73-83

Her Hair Is a Net, Woven Shanna Germain
In the market he sees her. Knowing he shouldn't go to her he still desires her..."the daughter of a waterman". Will he be willing to pay the price for the fulfillment of his desires or will he heed the warnings of his hearts desire?
page 84-90

Mind Your Peas and Qs Allison Wonderland
An interpretation of The Princess and the Pea. Following The Handbook for the Highborn the Princess and her parents test suitors to find her a worthy husband, a "genuine prince, who will be able to feel the pea more acutely" but with a twist.
page 91-97

In the Dark Woods Kristina Wright
A man finds himself chancing everything he knows and everything he has for a new beauty that he can't resist. But this story isn't really about him but about a young painter how finds her muse and may just destroy his life in the process...or his he really what he seems?
page 98-108

Gildi and the Unwieldy, Ineffectual Committee of Bears Jeremy Edwards
Goldy Locks and the Three Bears, not at it's finest. Gildi, a performer, finds herself performing on campus and has been given a room to stay at in the male dorm rooms. Finding herself randy she explores rooms until she finds one that is just right.
page 109-119

Over all I would have to say save your money. These stories aren't worth the money to purchase or the time to read them. Purchase something like Shades of Grey. At least then your getting an interesting plot for your money.

The shining glory of the collection was the story Three Times written by Justine Elyot. I found this one to be very different than all the rest and it kept my interest all the way through. The story unfolded like a true fairy tale should but the hero was an unlikely individual that was truly inspired.

My least favorite of all the stories was Sleep Tight written by Janine Ashbless. Unfortunately I found it so bad I couldn't finish reading the story and only found out later by my best friend who purchased the same book how it ended. All I'll say is I'm glad I didn't finish reading it.


I will say this: My favorite books from this genre is the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice so I'm kind of spoiled to others that try to keep up or perform next to these stories because they are so good. I found these stories to be very tame and left me wanting more. Please stop teasing me authors and give me the smut I want!!!