Waiting On Wednesday (June 27th)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine. We all get together to show each other books we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week's can't-wait-to-read-it selection is:

Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses

by Ron Koertge

Writing in free verse honed to a wicked edge, the incomparable Ron Koertge brings dark and contemporary humor to twenty iconic fairy tales.

Once upon a time, there was a strung-out match girl who sold CDs to stoners. Twelve impetuous sisters escaped King Daddy's clutches to jiggle and cavort and wear out their shoes. A fickle Thumbelina searched for a tiny husband, leaving bodies in her wake. And Little Red Riding Hood confessed that she kind of wanted to know what it's like to be swallowed whole. From bloodied and blinded stepsisters (they were duped) to a chopped-off finger flying into a heroine's cleavage, this is fairy tale world turned upside down. Ron Koertge knows what really happened to all those wolves and maidens, ogres and orphans, kings and piglets, and he knows about the Ever After.

So come closer - he wants to whisper in your ear.

This book is definitely a roll of the dice for me. On one hand, I like anything to do with fairy tales. On the other, this looks like the author is planning to fracture them and give them contemporary treatment. That could intrigue me, or it could tick me off. Add to this the fact that I've never actually picked up a book written in free verse before and I think I am safe in saying my thoughts on this certainly won't be boring. I usually try to play it safe, picking things I am confident that I will love. But sometimes risk is necessary to learn more about what will effect us as readers, and I think that this book is worth taking a chance on.

So, what are you looking forward to this week? Link up and I'll do my best to come visit you. :)