I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.
This is only the second Twisted Tale I’ve read (the other being Reflection, which coincidentally has a somewhat similar storyline) so I can’t rank it in comparison to the others.
This was such a fun read!
I love that the book focused on Meg instead of Hercules. Meg is one of my favorite Disney characters and is so underrated. This book not only gave Meg her own story, but also dove into her past and showed more of her relationship with Hercules that we didn’t see in the movie.
Other characters from the movie are also in the book including Phil, Pegasus, Zeus, and of course Hades. There are also plenty of new characters. I would have liked to have seen a little more of Hercules, but given that this is truly Meg’s story, his lack of presence was justified.
As for the story, I found it entertaining and full of adventure, while also still having a lot of heart.
Lastly, I loved that it is revealed (on page 252) that Meg’s last name is Egan. In case you didn’t know, Egan, is the last name of Meg’s voice actor (Susan Egan).
Overall, if you are a fan of the movie or Meg, I recommend this book!
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PRINCE OF SONG & SEA by Linsey Miller Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway!
For fans of Twisted Tales and Villains is a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes’ perspectives.
Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart, or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.
Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch’s legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.
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Rating: ★★★★★
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
I was really impressed with this retelling! I know a lot of people take issue with the Twisted Tales Disney series because it follows the movie too closely, so I was worried that this new Disney Prince series would be similar. Fortunately, this book does add a lot more to the movie. Prince Eric gets an entire backstory involving a curse which gives him so much more depth than he has in the movie. There are also a bunch of added scenes including a ton developing Eric and Ariel’s relationship. Their love story in the book is a lot less insta-lovey than it is in the movie.
I also loved that the book managed to solve common plot issues of the movie. For example, it explains why Ariel doesn’t write what she wants to say and why Ariel didn’t read her contract with Ursula.
This book is also inclusive without feeling forced. One character, Gabriella, is a lesbian, while another character, Sauer, uses they/them pronouns. Both Gabriella’s sexuality and Sauer’s pronouns are no big deal. It’s treated so normally that it actually took me a while to notice Sauer’s pronouns.
Lastly, let’s just take a minute to appreciate that gorgeous cover. It’s perfection.
Overall, I loved this retelling of The Little Mermaid! If you’re a fan of The Little Mermaid, I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
About Linsey Miller:
Once upon a time, Linsey Miller studied biology in Arkansas. These days, she holds an MFA in fiction and can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there is coffee. She is the author of the Mask of Shadows duology, Belle Révolte, The Game, What We Devour, and the upcoming Disney Princes books for Eric and Phillip. Visit her at linseymiller.com.
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Rating: ★★★★★
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.
When I first heard about this book I was beyond excited because I actually have the old One Day at Disney book that Disney put out in 2000. That book shows one day at the Disney parks.
This book goes above and beyond the parks and shows cast members in all areas of the company. I loved the range of people and jobs they showcased. One of my favorites was Thomas Self, who checks the underwater mechanics of The Jungle Cruise. Who knew that Disneyland had divers to do that? My other favorite was Cyril Soreau, who is a fruit and Vegetable sculptor at Disneyland Paris. Aside from park jobs, jobs in Imagineering, television/film, hospitality, and live entertainment were all featured.
The write-ups on each person were incredibly well done. I felt like I really got to know each person and what made them and their job unique.
The book itself is a massive coffee table book that is absolutely gorgeous. The pictures are stunning. It is definitely a book you will want to proudly display.
Overall, this book is perfect for fans of all things Disney. It gives fans an exclusive behind the scenes look into the magic of Disney.
Discover what it’s like to report to work every day for The Walt Disney Company. Step behind the scenes to immerse yourself in one “ordinary” day at Disney. In addition to the book, the Disney+ team was on hand to capture stories along the way. A full-length documentary and 52 short-form episodes expand the profiles and delve deeper into the essence of what it’s like to be a Disney cast member.
On a Thursday in 2019, a small army of photographers and videographers scattered across the globe to capture what goes on beyond those tantalizing “Cast Members Only” doors – whether eavesdropping on historic endeavors or typical tasks. All the photos in this book were taken on that single Thursday, beginning early in Tokyo and following the sun around the world through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and dozens of places throughout the United States. More than 40 hours after it began, the day ended as the sun set on the Aulani resort in Hawaii.
On that day, some 80 Cast Members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, kitchens, cubicles, TV studios, labs, locomotive engines – and some even more surprising and diverse work spaces. They also shared their stories: childhood dreams and chapters, career pivots and triumphs, workaday hurdles and joys. It was just a day in the life, as extraordinary as any other day at Disney. As any Cast Member can tell you, a Disney job is less a destination than a limitless journey. And for just One Day at Disney, we can all tag along for the ride.
Book & Documentary Trailer:
About Bruce:
Bruce C. Steele is a journalist and Disney fan with a long career of profiling the famous and the unheralded, from the pastry chefs at the Biltmore Estate to the stars of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns. A Pennsylvania native and University of Alabama graduate, he started his career at a daily newspaper in Louisiana and most recently worked at the paper in his current home of Asheville, North Carolina. In between he was the executive editor of Out magazine and the editor in chief of The Advocate newsmagazine and also took time to get an MFA in film studies from Columbia University. He has lived in New York City and Los Angeles, where his husband was a Disney animator. He’s now a freelance writer and regular contributor to Disney’s twenty-three magazine. Apart from this book, some of his favorite past interviews have been Emma Watson, Sir Ian McKellen, Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson and crawfish farmers in the Louisiana bayou.
Robert A. Iger Chairman and Chief Executive Officer The Walt Disney Company Robert A. Iger is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. As Chairman and CEO, Mr. Iger is the steward of one of the world’s largest media companies and some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe. His strategic vision for The Walt Disney Company focuses on three fundamental pillars: generating the best creative content possible; fostering innovation and utilizing the latest technology; and expanding into new markets around the world.
Mr. Iger has built on Disney’s rich history of unforgettable storytelling with the acquisitions of Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009), Lucasfilm (2012) and 21st Century Fox (2019), as well as the landmark 2016 opening of Disney’s first theme park and resort in Mainland China, Shanghai Disney Resort. Always one to embrace new technology, Mr. Iger has made Disney an industry leader through its creative content offerings across new and multiple platforms, most recently leveraging cutting-edge direct-to-consumer technology to successfully launch the Disney+ streaming service on November 12, 2019 and ESPN+ in 2018.
Disney’s exceptional entertainment experiences, widely diverse content, and unique skill in managing businesses in an integrated manner have led to strong results. During Mr. Iger’s tenure, The Walt Disney Company has been recognized as one of the “Most Reputable Companies” in both America and the world by Forbes magazine (2006-2019); one of the “Best Employers” in both America and the world by Forbes magazine (2019 and 2018, respectively); one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” by Fortune magazine (2009-2019); one of the “World’s Most Respected Companies” by Barron’s (2009-2017); one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career” by BusinessWeek magazine (2006-2010); and as “Company of the Year” by Yahoo Finance (2013).
Prior to his current role, Mr. Iger served as President and Chief Executive Officer beginning October 2005 and President and Chief Operating Officer from 2000-2005. Mr. Iger officially joined the Disney senior management team in 1996 as Chairman of the Disney-owned ABC Group and in 1999 was given the additional responsibility of President, Walt Disney International. In that role, Mr. Iger expanded and coordinated Disney’s presence outside of the United States, establishing the blueprint for the Company’s international growth today. As Chairman of the ABC Group, Mr. Iger oversaw the broadcast television network and station group, cable television properties, and radio and publishing businesses and also guided the complex merger between Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. During Mr. Iger’s years with ABC, he obtained hands-on experience in every aspect of the television business—including news, sports, and entertainment—as well as in program acquisition, rights negotiations, and business affairs. He began his career at ABC in 1974.
Mr. Iger has been named one of the “World’s Most Powerful People” by Forbes magazine (2018); one of Fortune magazine’s “25 Most Powerful People in Business” (2006, 2007); one of the “Top Gun CEOs” by Forbes magazine (2009); one of the “Best CEOs” by Institutional Investor magazine (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011); MarketWatch CEO of the Year (2006); and “CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive (2014). Mr. Iger serves on the boards of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Bloomberg Philanthropies. In 2012, Mr. Iger became a member of the Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies, which recognizes some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists, and civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders.
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Rating: ★★★★
This was another fun installment in the Tales from the Haunted Mansion series. I don’t think it was as good as the second one, but it was still enjoyable.
The tales in this book were not as scary or chilling like in the previous volume. They were entertaining but didn’t stand out. The tales focused on the stories of some of the objects on the ride like the breathing door and the piano. Given the title of the book, I wish it would have focused on the backstories of the hitchhiking ghosts. That would have been awesome. But the hitchhiking ghosts do make an appearance.
As usual, I love the style of the book. It is made to look like an old book both inside and outside. I also liked the nods to the ride.
Overall, if you are a fan of this series or the ride, then you will probably like this book!
This month started out super promising in terms of reading. It was by far my best reading month. I was in such a reading groove for most of July. I read a total of 9 books.
Then, on July 26th, I watched the series finale of Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, and I was completely decimated. I’m still not over it and am holding onto hope that Hulu will pick it up. I literally haven’t read a page of any book since I watched the finale.
I bought this book a few weeks ago, but when I heard about Cameron Boyce’s (who plays Carlos in the movies) passing, I knew I just had to read it now. My heart ached every time I came across Carlos in the book. Carlos is such a precious character and from what I hear, Cameron was an amazing person off-screen.
Like the other book in this series, this book was a lot of fun. These books aren’t meant to be much more than a marketing and promotional tool and I am 100% okay with that. I just love seeing more of the characters and their lives!
This book does a nice job setting up the new characters of Hades and Celia. It also shows what Uma has been up to since we last saw her at the end of Descendants 2. I’m very excited to see what they’ll all do in the third movie.
As always, I love the little Disney references throughout the book. For example, I loved the names of the colleges like Agrabah State University, Magical Institute Training (MIT), and Sherwood Forest University. Students even have to take the SAT (Salagadoola Abracadabra Test). How clever!
Overall, if you’re a Disney Descendants fan, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book.
Yesterday I was perusing the Internet and found a new mug that Disney released. It’s called Belle Books Mug and OMG it is beautiful! It’s a mug that looks like a stack of books.
Amazing, isn’t it? Here’s the link to it if you want to check it out and maybe buy it. I know I’ll probably end up buying it at some point. It would look perfect on my shelf next to my Chip mug.
For the longest time I’ve been debating whether or not to read the Twisted Tales from Disney. Typically, I’ll read any Disney related book, but the first two books in the series got such mixed reviews, that it deterred me from picking one up. Then the Beauty and the Beast one and this one came out and they got better reviews. So I finally decided to try one out. I’m so glad I did because this was really good!
First off, I was really happy that Disney choose a Asian author to write this book. I think #OwnVoices literature is so important. You can tell that the author knew the culture so well. She did a great job incorporating the Chinese underworld and mythology into the story.
I also have to give the author major props for doing her homework. It was very clear that she watched the direct-to-DVD Mulan 2 movie. There was one part where Shang says, “Perhaps when I marry, I’ll combine the ancestral temples so my bride won’t have to leave her family” (175). That is exactly what ends up happening in Mulan 2. When I read that line, I immediately remembered that part in the movie.
Since the book starts during the battle against the huns on the mountain, I was happy that it still referenced earlier events in the movie. They were woven into the story nicely.
Overall, I just think the whole book was so well done. From the writing style to the incorporation of mirrors and reflections, it hit all the checkboxes.
I was tagged by Rebecca at Bookishly Rebecca to do the Mulan book tag. You can check out her post here. Thank you so much to Rebecca for tagging me! I am so excited to do this tag because Mulan is my favorite Disney Princess.
REFLECTION: “WHEN WILL MY REFLECTION SHOW WHO I AM INSIDE?” -AN INACCURATE BOOK COVER THAT DOESN’T REFLECT WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT
Living the Dream by Lauren Berry
Based on the cover, you would think that characters would be drinking a lot of coffee in this book. Nope. They never drank coffee. Instead they were always drinking some sort of alcoholic beverage. I’m still confused as to why they decided to stick a coffee cup on the cover.
MUSHU: A CHARACTER WITH A LOT TO PROVE
Magnus Chase from the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan
Magnus is the son of a Norse god who ends up in Hotel Valhalla. He is expected to fight in Ragnarok when it finally happens. While he’s waiting, he has to save the world multiple times, so I guess you could say he has a lot to prove.
“I’LL MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOU”: A CHARACTER WHO DEVELOPS THE MOST OR A BOOK WITH SOME KICK-ASS TRAINING SCENES
No book really jumps out to me, but I guess ACOMAF by Sarah J. Maas. Feyre learns a lot in that book.
“A GIRL WORTH FIGHTING FOR”: A SHIP YOU WILL DEFEND TILL YOUR LAST BREATH
Lara Jean and John Ambrose McClaren from the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy by Jenny Han
I actually really love these two together. Sorry Peter, but John is way better. I hold on to hope that later on in the future, Lara Jean will break up with Peter and realize she belongs with John.
HUNS: A BOOK/CHARACTER THAT GIVES YOU THE CREEPS
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
That book is probably one of the creepiest books of all time because of the subject matter, but I loved it regardless.
MULAN: YOUR FAVORITE BAD-ASS FEMALE PROTAGONIST
Squirrel Girl from The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Squirrel Girl is hands down my favorite. She’s a total boss. I could go on and on about her. Seriously, go read her comics and the YA book.
I tag…
So this is the first of many tag posts I have coming so I’m not going to tag anyone directly. If you want to do this tag then go for it (and be sure to tag me so I can check it out)!
I saw Ashley over at Thrifty Bibliophile do this tag, and since it is Disney, I just had to do it too! You can check out her post here.
A whole new world – Pick a book that made you see the world differently.
Incarceration Nations by Baz Dreisinger. I read this for a social justice class and it was mind blowing. It tackles the issue of mass incarceration all over the world and really humanizes the issue. Dreisinger also gave a talk to our class and she is so passionate about this issue. It’s inspiring.
Cruella De Vil – Pick your favorite villain.
Jack Merridew from Lord of the Flies. I read this in high school and I LOVED Jack for some reason.
I won’t say I’m in love – Pick a book you didn’t want to admit you loved.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Not only did I love it, I liked it way more than Fangirl. Sorry not sorry.
Gaston – Pick a character that you couldn’t stand
Katniss in Mockingjay. I read this back in high school so it was quite a while ago. I can’t remember much specifics, but I do recall being annoyed with Katniss so much in this book.
Part of your world – Pick a book set in a universe you wish you could live in.
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I would love to go to the Wood between Worlds because then I could go to all the worlds!
A dream is a wish your heart makes – describe what the book of your dreams would be like
How can I even answer this question? I don’t even know because it changes every day depending on my mood.
Someday my prince will come – What book character would you marry if you could?
John Ambrose McClaren from the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy. He just seems like husband material. And I love his name. I would love to become Mrs. John Ambrose McClaren.
I see the light – Pick a book that changed your life
Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters. This book is my everything. So dark, so twisted, it touched me in an intimate way.
When you wish upon a star – Pick a book you wish you could reread for the first time.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I had so many feels when I read it.
I just can’t wait to be king – Pick a book with some kind of monarchy in it
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze. This book takes place in post-apocalyptic England where a dictator is trying to overthrow the British throne.
Colors of the wind – Pick a book with a beautiful colorful cover.
Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz. All the books in this series have a gorgeous cover but this one is the most beautiful, especially in person. The mirror part of the cover is reflective so it captures the light and creates a rainbow of color. So pretty!
I tag…
Anyone who loves Disney!
Thanks for reading! I hope you have a magical day!
Odd and Bookish 