If you’re looking for your next favourite read, then why not pick a series based on your favourite childhood Barbie movie?

As it happens, all of my fairytale retellings can be linked back to a Barbie movie. So if you loved any of the following movies while growing up, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy diving into its paired fairytale retelling duology.

If you loved Barbie in a Mermaid Tale…

…then you should read the Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters duology.

By the time this movie came out, I was actually in high school so it’s one I haven’t yet seen. But it actually shares a similar premise to my mermaid-fantasy duology which may make Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters all the more enjoyable for you.

Both stories feature a surfer protagonist, both of whom discover that they are actually a mermaid, and both are faced with a choice to head to the Undersea to save members of their family.

But unlike Barbie in a Mermaid Tale, Coral’s mother is long-dead, and so her incentive for heading to the Undersea to save her family centers around helping her father and sister. There, she encounters strange characters, discovers family curses, and uncovers devastating secrets.
If you enjoy stories with romance, royalty, animal friends and interesting magic systems, then give Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters a try!

If you loved Barbie Rapunzel…

…then you should read the Blood Magic duology.

This was my favourite Barbie movie growing up, and the Blood Magic duology is loosely inspired by this classic Barbie movie. 

Both of these stories are retellings of the original fairytale, Rapunzel. But story wise, that’s where the similarities end. Still, if you love Rapunzel in any shape or form, and if Barbie Rapunzel was a beloved film for you growing up, you’ll likely enjoy Blood Magic.

The duology follows Fleur, a vampire hunter, who is forced to hide and help her rival hunter, Percy Renaud, when he is turned into a vampire. As they search for a vampirism cure, Fleur begins to unravel a mystery deeply entwined in the fabric of her own reality, revealing a scheme that will change her life forever.
Since Blood Magic is a new adult duology, you can expect dark academia vibes, spicy scenes, enemies-to-lovers with plenty of tension and banter, and a world full of paranormal characters who form a found-family vibe.

If you loved Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses…

…then you should get on the waitlist for Midnight Curses.

Everybody remembers the iconic, 12 dancing princesses movie with the dancing shoes and the secret portal to another land. This was one of the most enchanting and fun movies of the franchise!

My upcoming duology, Midnight Curses, is also loosely inspired by this movie. It follows Katrina, a changeling, who has spent most of her life in Faerie posing as the Princess of Glaciroria. Determined to keep her place, she competes amongst 12 eligibles in a competition to win Prince Kyran’s heart, seeking a bond that will tie her to Faerie for good. But she soon discovers that Prince Kyran is hiding a dark secret that will threaten the fate of Faerie—and change the outcome of the competition forever.
Since the first installment of this duology isn’t due to be released until 2026, you can get on the waitlist here if you’re interested in being notified when pre-orders open.