POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL By Serena Valentino

December 30, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL By Serena ValentinoPoor Unfortunate Soul by Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #3
Published by Disney Press on 7/26/16
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 140
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

The tale of the sea king's daughter Ariel is a beloved one of losing-and then finding-one's own voice. The story has been told many times and in many ways. But always the mergirl wants more than her world can offer, and her father demands that she live within the confines of his domain. Her rebelliousness costs the little mermaid her voice and nearly her soul. But the power of good prevails, and Ariel emerges proud and unchanged.

And yet this is only half the story. So what of Ariel's nemesis, Ursula, the sea witch? What led to her becoming so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred? Many tales have tried to explain her motives. Here is one account of what might have shaped the sea witch into a detestable and poor unfortunate soul.

Short and Sweet Review

Poor Unfortunate Soul follows everyones favorite Sea Witch, Ursula. In this book we see Ursula express her anger and frustrations about how her brother Triton has treated her over the years and how her anger has consumed her over the years. Ursula comes up with a plan to get revenge by going after Tritons younger daughter, Ariel, and from there I think we all know how the story goes.

Unfortunately this book was a let down. There was more of a focus on the Odd sisters and Princess Tulip than there was on Ursula. The Odd sisters seek out Ursula and ask for their help in finding their sister Circe, and princess Tulip and her Nanny are involved because Circe has been helping them. Things could have been better if there was more of a focus on Ursula than everything else the author had going on. The previous books showed the Odd sisters but the focus was more on our title characters than them. Hopefully the next book in the series sticks to the actual main character and their story line rather than the secondary characters. The story was okay, I understand what the author was trying to do but this book was just too short to make it work.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE BEAST WITHIN By Serena Valentino

December 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE BEAST WITHIN By Serena ValentinoThe Beast Within by Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #2
Published by Disney Press on 7/22/14
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 164
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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A cursed prince sits alone in a secluded castle. Few have seen him, but those who claim they have say his hair is wild and nails are sharp--like a beast's! But how did this prince, once jovial and beloved by the people, come to be a reclusive and bitter monster? And is it possible that he can ever find true love and break the curse that has been placed upon him?

The Beast Within follows Prince Adams transformation into the beast and his quest to find true love. In the beginning we see that the prince is engaged to Circe but once he sees her covered in mud he decides that she’s no longer good for him. What the prince didn’t know is that Circe is a witch and she curses him and turns him into the beast. The prince needs to find love before time runs out. We see the prince try to fall in love with a girl but he was just trying to use her to break the curse which is why it didn’t work. In the story we also see Belle and how it takes time but eventually falls in love with the beast. What was also interesting was seeing more of the odd sisters and how they meddle in peoples affairs.

This was a good book, I’m interested in reading more about the villains and seeing how they became who they are.

Filed Under: Reviews

FAIREST OF ALL By Serena Valentino

December 8, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FAIREST OF ALL By Serena ValentinoFairest of All by Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #1
Published by Disney Press on 2/14/12
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 268
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Why exactly is the wicked Queen so nasty, particularly to Snow White? Perhaps it has something to do with the creepy-looking man in the magic mirror who's not just some random spooky visage...

Short and Sweet Review

Fairest of All tells the story of the Evil Queen before she became the Evil Queen. We see the queen earlier in life when she marries the king and becomes Snow Whites step mother. Snow White and the queen have a good relationship she tries to be a mother to Snow White while also trying not to replace memories of Snow Whites mom. The King goes off to war but before he leaves he gifts the queen with a mirror that ends up being enchanted. I feel like we all know what happens from here but the Queen begins talking to the mirror and that’s when her descent into the Evil Queen begins. The Evil Queen wants more power and beauty and eventually she becomes unrecognizable to those who she used to love the most.

This was a short book and easy to read. It was an interesting retelling and I liked seeing the beginning of her story and how she became the villain we know her as today.

Filed Under: Reviews