Fairest

Author: Gail Carson Levine

First line: I was born singing.

Why you should read this book: A completely fresh and gripping reimagining of the Snow White myth, this engrossing novel describes a land where singing is both a high form of expression and a way of life, and a heroine who, while surprisingly ugly by her cultural standards, possesses the most remarkably and beautiful voice. Aza has spent her life behind the scenes at her adoptive parents' inn, but when she is chosen to attend the King's wedding as the companion to a Duchess, she and her amazing voice are thrust center stage into a world of handsome princes, narcissistic queens, intriguing gnomes, and terrible ogres. Throw out all your preconceived notions about beauty, love, and evil, and join Aza on her brilliant journey to self-actuation.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Wherever you go, you need to be the fairest of them all.