Books in Once-upon-a-slime series

"ONCE UPON A TIME" IS TIMELESS The Duchess Jessica's childhood began with a tragedy: her mother's death. Her father, heartbroken at the loss of his beloved wife, could not bear to raise the child. Largely ignored, Jessica spent the first eleven years of her life running free on the family estate, cared for only by the servants. Then her father decides to remarry, bringing an end to Jessica's independence. At first her new stepmother just seems overly strict. But as Jessica grows into a beautiful young woman, it becomes clear that her stepmother is also wildly -- and murderously -- jealous of her. Jessica escapes to London. Going by the name Snow to hide from her family, she falls in love with an odd band of outcasts who accept her into their makeshift family. But when her stepmother appears in the city, repentant and seeking her forgiveness, Jessica will have to decide whom to trust...with her life.

Gen and her twin brother, Jack, were raised with their mother's tales of life in the World Above. Gen is skeptical, but adventureous Jack believes the stories--and trades the family cow for magical beans. Their mother rejoices, knowing they can finally return to their royal home.When Jack plants the beans and climbs the enchanted stalk, he is captured by the tyrant who now rules the land. Gen sets off to rescue her borther, but danger awaits her in the World Above. For finding Jack may mean losing her heart....

Seventeen-year-old Violet is amazed when a storm brings the dashing Prince Richard to her impoverished family’s farm. The two fall in love at first sight, but although Richard has given his heart to Violet, his parents will only let him marry a princess of their choosing, a lady of the highest nobility and sensitivity. Now on a quest to be reunited with her true love, Violet must rely on her wits—and a little help from an unexpected source—to compete with princesses, pass the king and queen’s tests, and prove herself worthy of being Richard’s bride.

"Once upon a Time" Is Timeless The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold." Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns -- with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious....

"Once upon a Time" Is Timeless Before Rapunzel's birth, her mother made a dangerous deal with the sorceress Melisande: If she could not love newborn Rapunzel just as she appeared, she would surrender the child to Melisande. When Rapunzel was born completely bald and without hope of ever growing hair, her horrified mother sent her away with the sorceress to an uncertain future. After sixteen years of raising Rapunzel as her own child, Melisande reveals that she has another daughter, Rue, who was cursed by a wizard years ago and needs Rapunzel's help. Rue and Rapunzel have precisely "two nights and the day that falls between" to break the enchantment. But bitterness and envy come between the girls, and if they fail to work together, Rue will remain cursed...forever.

A new spin on "The Magic Flute" by an acclaimed author! In a time when the world was young and many things were quite commonplace that are now entirely forgotten, Sarastro, Mage of the Day, wed Pamina, the Queen of the Night. And in this way was the world complete, for light was joined to dark. For all time would they be joined together. Only the ending of the world could tear them apart. In other words, in the days in which my parents married, there was no such thing as divorce.... Thus begins the tale of Mina, a girl-child born on the longest night of the darkest month of the year. When her father looked at her, all he saw was what he feared: By birth, by name, by nature, she belonged to the Dark. So when Mina turned sixteen, her father took her away from shadow and brought her into sunlight. In retaliation, her mother lured a handsome prince into a deadly agreement: If he frees Mina, he can claim her as his bride. Now Mina and her prince must endure deadly trials -- of love and fate and family -- before they can truly live happily ever after....

Absence makes the heart grow fonder—and love grow stronger—in three romantic fairy tale retellings from the author of Once.Belle lacks her sisters’ awe-inspiring beauty, so she withdraws from society to focus on her art in Belle. But when her father is held captive by a terrifying Beast, Belle is the only one with the courage and creativity to save him...though she must first believe in herself. In Sunlight and Shadow, Princess Mina is kidnapped. Desperate to be reunited with her daughter, the Queen of the Night promises Mina’s hand in marriage to the prince who can rescue her. Yet as Mina and her prince encounter trials of love and fate, Mina must summon the strength to find her own happiness. In Winter’s Child, Grace’s best friend is lured from home by a dazzling Snow Queen. Grace sets out on a dangerous, mystical journey to find him, and along the way, she discovers the meaning of true love.

Belle is convinced she has the wrong name, as she lacks her sisters' awe-inspiring beauty. So she withdraws from society, devoting her time to wood carving. Secretly, Belle longs to find the fabled Heartwood Tree. If carved by the right hands, the Heartwood will reveal the face of one's true love. During a fierce storm, Belle's father stumbles upon the mysterious Heartwood -- and encounters a terrifying and lonely Beast. Now Belle must carve the Heartwood to save her father, and learn to see not with the eyes of her mind, but with the eyes of her heart.

After the Russian Revolution, Empress Marie, the czar's mother, who escaped to Paris, offers a reward for the return of her missing granddaughter, the princess Anastasia. Eager to collect the large sum, two friends hatch a plan to fool Empress Marie and convince Nadya, a mischievous and quick-witted kitchen girl at a Russian tavern, to accompany them to France. Nadya resembles the famous Anastasia, but can't remember her life before the revolution. Eager for the future, Nadya and her new friends venture across Europe, discovering new terrain of friendship, family, and love.

A teen must face the mysterious family secret of a new friend in this lively reimagining of The Little Red Riding Hood.Ruth’s grandmother lives in the forest, banished there for the “evil” that the townsfolk believed she practiced. But if studying the stars, learning about nature, and dreaming of flying is evil, then Ruth is guilty of it too. Whenever Ruth took food and supplies to her grandmother, she would sit with the old woman for hours, listening and learning. When she wasn’t in the woods, Ruth was learning the trade of her father, a blacksmith, now that her brother would never return from the Crusades. Amidst those dark days, a new man enters Ruth’s life. William is a noble with a hot temper and a bad name, and he makes her shiver. But the young man is prey to his heritage, a curse placed on his family ages ago, and each male of the family has strange blood running in his veins. Now Ruth must come face-to-face with his destiny at Grandma’s house.

After the Russian Revolution, Empress Marie, the czar’s mother, who escaped to Paris, offers a reward for the return of her missing granddaughter, the princess Anastasia. Eager to collect the large sum, two friends hatch a plan to fool Empress Marie and convince Nadya, a mischievous and quick-witted kitchen girl at a Russian tavern, to accompany them to France. Nadya resembles the famous Anastasia, but can’t remember her life before the revolution. Eager for the future, Nadya and her new friends venture across Europe, discovering new terrain of friendship, family, and love.