What if Nala was compelled to team up with Scar for a secret mission?
In this twisted tale featuring characters from the beloved Disney classic The Lion King, see the characters you know and love in a different light as you venture across the Pride Lands to save Pride Rock!
A native of south Louisiana, Farrah Rochon officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at Xavier University of Louisiana. After earning her Bachelors of Science degree and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University, Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist. She was named Shades of Romance Magazine's Best New Author of 2007. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers series, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers' Choice Awards.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
What a huge disappointment. Although the question „What if Nala had to team up with Scar“ sounds very intriguing, in the end it’s just a huge letdown. Most of the book is about Nala and how she is suffering under her mother’s overprotectiveness. Her mother never lets her out of sight, resulting in her falling behind the other cubs regarding hunting skills and gathering experience.
After that it’s about Nala and how she tries to escape to go and look for Simba. At that time she is still a cub though since only six months have passed instead of years. The big „secret“ is Scar following her, hoping to kill Simba once and for all if they were to actually find him. It only starts at around 70%, so you can guess how „exciting“ the 69% percent before are.
When they finally arrive and find Simba, Scar tries to kill him but is very easily defeated by the combined forces of Nala, Simba, Timon and Pumbaa. It only lasts about 5 sentences and then it’s off again to a very happy end at Pride Rock.
All in all, I expected much more and personally can’t understand where all these 5 star reviews are coming from. I’m very disappointed and wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.
'The Lion King' is my favourite Disney film by miles. The little 4 year old me fell in love with it (and lions in general) when it came out in 1994 and it still means a great deal to me. I was looking forward to this Twisted Tale as it's mainly from Nala's POV. Though Scar and Sarabi have POV's too. I loved that about the book, especially Sarabi's she's the queen the pride deserves and I love her even more now!
It follows along with the original Disney film which I love, and takes place six months after Mufasa's death and Simba running away. The story follows the aftermath of the stampede and what life is like for the lionesses and their cubs in the pride with Scar as leader. You don't see much of that perspective in the film with the focus being on Simba. So while we know what happens to Simba after he runs away, it's interesting to read the aftermath from the pride's POV and Scar's leadership.
I loved that we got to know some of the other cubs and what life for Nala is like without Simba. It turns out it's very difficult for her, her mother Sarafina has become incredibly overprotective of Nala and prevents her from joining other cubs on adventures and hunting lessons. This causes bullying from the other cubs and an eventual fall-out between Sarafina & Sarabi.
After some information comes to light about a sighting of Simba that makes sense to Nala for different reasons, she decides to set out on an adventure to find him and prove her pride wrong, in that she can't do anything alone. I thought the story would really get going from there but when a tag-along gets cold feet and they then have to go back it stumbled a little for me. But I liked that Abena taught Nala valuable skills so I don't feel too mad about that 😂
It's only after half way that we get Scar deciding to track down Nala himself (for his own selfish reasons of course!) And learning about why Nala has gone in the first place. He's just as cunning as in the film but his demise was a bit underwhelming compared to the film, although much deserved 😂
I would've liked more from the hyenas and more to take place in Garumba. I felt it was rushed between them getting there, finding Simba and heading home. Whereas, the journey there took up a lot of the story.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read it again, it's a very easy read. I love Nala's arc, she goes through a lot but learns a lot and ultimately becomes a stronger lioness. As much as I love the film, this book is also a very satisfying ending without Simba going through years of struggles.
I’m not the biggest Lion King fan but this was a good, fresh perspective on the events after Mufasa’s death. However, the “what if” statement was a bit misleading as it didn’t happen until the last hundred pages of the book and the secret reason didn’t stay secret.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
To be honest I can't say that I loved this book but I surely LIKED it. This retelling had woken up my obsession with The Lion King and had brought me the action that I needed to make new scenarios with my childhood characters and also brought me the most SAVAGE AND STRONG QUEEN I HAVE EVER SEEN: ✨❤️SARABI❤️✨ LOVED HER AND NALA. Can't say the same thing about Scar but I appreciate that this book didn't make him without feelings. Though he is still the most selfish lion I know.
* You can read the books in this series as standalone. I've seen Disney's The Lion King and will refer to that in my review.
Six months after the death of Mufasa and the disappearance of Simba, the pride of Pride Rock is still in disarray. Scar has taken over as King and since he has invited the hyena's to Pride Rock, the lack of prey and the everlasting drought has taken down morale between of the lionesses even more than ever. Nala is being smothered by her overprotective mother and the only way she sees a way out is to leave the pride and search for Simba by herself. But Scar manages to find her and they set out together to find Simba, each with their own motives for finding him.
Pro's: + This book really ties in with the movie and serves us more perspective on what is happening to the pride when Simba is with Timon and Pumba in the jungle. Life was not easy for the lionesses and their cubs and we see the full extend of Scar's failure as a leader. + The dynamics is this books are really prevalent and I feel like this book does a much better job than the movie in showing these bonds. Nala has all kinds of connections with other cubs and the adult lionesses and her life was not easy after Simba's disappearance.
Con's: - I'm not sure if I like the alternate ending that this book provides us with. It feels hasty and the ending altogether was way less impactfull as the ending in the movie. I guess it fits the story, but I wish there was more drama to it.
I found this another fun story in the 'Twisted Tales' universe. We get a look behind the scenes, when Simba is in the jungle with Timon and Pumba, into how the pride tries to go on with their daily lives as best as they can. But we also see the fall-out of Mufasa's death and how Nala's mother handles that loss and the harm she does to Nala in her grief. The story is super easy to read and I read through this in a couple of hours. It was fun and I will keep up with this series from now on.
I was so utterly excited for this book and am sad to say it was a legit letdown.
Poor plot. Simple Writing. No charicter depth
Nothing happens even remotely close to the books description until about 70% in. The book attempts to twist TLk after Simba runs away from the stampede, killing Mufasa putting the story through Nalas eyes instead.
As someone who loves the song "Shadowland" and the side story of Nala's life with the lioness without Simba, this story just feels very flat.
This book was wonderful, I really enjoyed reading it but I didn’t think the what if statement fit the story. Again wonderful book but just needed a different what if statement in my opinion.
i actually really liked this book. finished in one sitting. ive seen reviews complaining about scars fast death and it mainly being about serafina’s protectiveness over nala, but personally, i did really enjoy the book and the suspense as to whether simba was alive
As a lifelong Disney fan, I couldn’t resist diving into the Twisted Tales series. This book instalment is focused on Nala with the intriguing premise of “what if she teamed up with Scar to find Simba? It’s a clever idea on paper, and one that promises a fresh perspective on a beloved story.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to its potential for me. The central “twist,” which is really the main draw, doesn’t come into play until about two-thirds of the way through the book. Until then, the story largely follows Nala’s struggles and her relationships with her friends. While these moments add some emotional depth, they lack the tension and excitement I was hoping for, and at times the pacing feels a bit slow.
compared to other entries in the series, this one feels less inventive and not quite as engaging. I do understand that these books are aimed at a younger audience, but having read other Twisted Tales that balance accessibility with clever storytelling, I know the series can offer more. This installment had a strong concept—it just didn’t fully deliver on it. Overall, it’s a pleasant enough read for fans who want to spend more time in this universe, but it may not be the most memorable entry in the collection.
I was sold a book about Nala setting to find Simba and having to work with none other than Scar to achieve her goal. I got the story of Nala being sad and bullied because of her helicopter mom preventing her to learn to hunt.
If I wanted that, I would've picked a book about high-school drama. I don't understand how this book got such a goot rating.
J’ai adoré ce roman qui donne une voix à Nala et à son histoire. 🦁
Ce Disney est un de mes préférés et je n’ai vraiment pas été déçue par ce Twisted tale qui reste vraiment très en adéquation avec ce qu’il aurait pu se passer !
Le roman se lit très vite car on est sur une histoire plutôt courte et bien rythmée ! On connaît déjà l’histoire de base donc on a pas besoin de trop revenir sur le passé et tout est vraiment ancré autour du personnage de Nala.
J’ai aussi vraiment apprécié retrouver le personnage de Scar sous une autre facette bien qu’il soit finalement toujours aussi détestable !
Bref, c’était une chouette lecture qui m’a permise de replonger le temps de quelques instants au cœur de l’un de mes Disney préférés, sous l’angle d’autres personnages. 🥹
À lire si tu aimes : - Le roi lion 🦁 - Nala 🤍 - Les Twisted tale 👀
I seen a lot of reviews were people were mad because simba wasn’t a big part of this book.
This book is about Nala and the aftermath that happened with her and the rest of the pride when mufasa died and simba ran away. This book was never supposed to be specifically about simba.
As an OG Lion King fanatic, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this based on the title. But. It was exactly what I was hoping for and scratched an itch I didn’t know I had, Nala’s perspective! What a great addition to the story 🥹
I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Igloo Books for the opportunity to read and review Be Prepared. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Igloo Books for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.
I have never been a huge fan of The Lion King but I think Farrah Rochon might’ve just converted me. This book was honestly great.
I had to seize the opportunity to review a Disney book because hello?! Disney adult right here. But did it have to be one based on The Lion King? Yes, yes it did. But I’m eating my words and my thoughts now because I couldn’t have enjoyed this reading experience more. This book was amazing and the journey that twist sent us on was a page turning one. I quite literally devoured this book.
I love that Be Prepared was a lot more Nala focused than Simba because let’s be real, we’ve all seen enough of him and it was really interesting to see how the animals at Pride Rock carried on and dealt with life after Mufasa’s tragic demise.
Nala was an absolute girl boss in this book and I’m so here for it. I loved getting to read about her experience in this twisted version of events.
And of course, I have to mention Scar. I think that Farrah Rochon portrayed him perfectly. He was still as obnoxious as ever.
Overall, I really loved reading this book and I’m so glad it found it’s way to me. I can’t wait to see what else Farrah Rochon has in store for us in the future!
I feel really let down by this book! So much so that I sat down and speed-read this for most of the evening just to be done with it and move on.
Of all the “what if” scenarios to choose from The Lion King universe, this felt really off. I didn’t enjoy it, which is a shame because this series of books is either the best book ever or I really don’t like it and there’s zero in between for me.
I don’t know whether it was all animals that put me off? But I don’t think it was. The story just felt weak and it limited itself in many ways. Like I said, it’s a real shame.
They’ve announced a Cruella one next! Hopefully it comes to the UK, as that sounds full of great potential.
My favourite in this series will always be Reflection - it’s fantastic!
Also, please bring back the Chills series, Disney Books. They were 10/10 every single time!!
The "What if?" is completely wrong and misleading, it should just be "what of Nala went to find Simba after 6 months." Or maybe "what if we took every impactful moment from the source material and hit delete."
I really liked the POVs showcasing the grief of the pride and how they had to deal with the exchange of power, so I enjoyed the beginning. Like other reviews say, the "what if" as written doesn't happen until 70% into the book. But the first 70% has Nala and other cubs interacting and practicing hunting - and it really reminded me of Kiara and her hunting event in TLK2. I REALLY would love novels like this that actually added to the plot, side stories and such, not this silly erase-all.
There is so much potential, Disney!!! And it's all wasted!!
P.S. - real animal lovers will be appalled at how many times hyenas are referred to as "dogs" in here.
I did not necessarily dislike the story. It just felt a bit boring. Although the pace was good and not to slow, it took to long before anything actually happened.
I wish we would have seen a bit more of Scar and some evil plan of his. The battle at the end was a disappointment.
This was disappointing. I loved Almost There and enjoyed Fate Be Changed by this same author. This one didn't really have a twist on The Lion King.
The cover says the twist is "What if Nala was compelled to team up with Scar for a secret reason?" But they didn't actually interact with each other until the last 120 pages and it wasn't really her teaming up with Scar as expose she was looking for Simba and Scar deciding to go with her instead of taking her back to Pride Rock. This was more like what Nala's life was like until Simba was back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I felt this was very lack luster. I was very excited as the Lion King is one of my favorite movies, but this book was not dark or twisted at all. Nala appeared to whine too often and was not at all as brave as she was in the movies. Even her journey with scar was meh. This could have had a lot of potential but fell flat
What if Nala was compelled to team up with Scar for a secret reason?
I feel like a better prompt would have been “what if serabi knew simba was still alive?” We seemed to spend a lot of time on rafiki’s visions.
I liked the different POVs so we can see what everyone was going through during the time simba was gone. We could have cut down a bit because it did seem repetitive
- Sad when her team reacts to her being placed (not chosen) on a hunting team - Nala’s mom has been super overprotective since the accident. Won’t let her participate in anything because it’s too far from the rock - Nala asks serabi to talk to her mother. The overprotectiveness will cause her to not be independent when she grows. She won’t know any skills - Rafiki says he had a vision and a simba sighting. It seems unlikely he made it that far. She no longer wants to search for him - Serabi’s sister’s kid would be next of kin - Nala thinks that if she can find simba then her mom will be forced to see her as a brave cub - Nala leaves to find simba. Continues to meet other animals that say she’s heading in the right direction. - Scar is having a hard tome getting people to listen to him as king - The cub hat left with nala came back to the rock. Serabi grills her and finds out nala was close and now knows how to hunt - Scar wants to stop nala from finding simba. He goes to catch up with her. She lets him come with because he never did anything bad to HER - Nala wants to find simba herself because she feels it’s her fault for not going with that day when he asked. Scar wants to find if he’s still alive and if yes, then kill him - Nala sees scar raising a rock while talking to simba. She knows he wants to kill him - Nala’s mom finally gives her some slack
💛💛🧡💛💛🧡
Prior to reading, i watched the following movies: The Lion King Timon & Pumbaa (series) The Lion King 1 1/2 The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride The Lion Guard (series) The Lion King (2019 Live Action) Mufasa: The Lion King I also watched Animated and Remake comparison video by Ms. Disney for The Lion King
Summaries to compare are below. I also read the Twisted Tales anthology story “A New Dawn” and the Never After novel “Scarred.” See goodreads for those
Other books based on the story of The Lion King include: Circle of Terror-ROAR (Disney Chills) Scar vol #1 (and additional volumes)
The Lion King - Scar is so mad about not being king that he didn’t come to the birth ceremony. How would mufasa even change that? Just step down? - Scar baits simba into going beyond the horizon/cliff or something. Brings nala with - ran into pack of hyenas. Mufasa saved them - Scar comes up with his plan during song. He has simba wait on a rock and send a stampede while he gets mufasa. saves simba and almost himself but scar throws him off. Did the stampede actually kill him or was it the force of the fall? - Scar convinces simba to run away. Sends hyenas after him but they chicken out when he goes outside the boundary - timon and pumbaa find simba in the desert. He grows up as a vegetarian - Zazu has been scar’s prisoner the whole time - Rafiki (the monkey guy) catches tuffs of hair in the wind and is able to tell they’re simba’s - Nala comes into the jungle to look for help with scar. Finds simba - Rafiki is also there. This crazy monkey really made me think mufasa was still alive. Also made simba realize he has his father inside him always - scar has run the kingdom down to nothing. No resources. No food. Only option is to relocate but scar would rather stay and everyone dies - When simba comes back, even scar and serabi think he is mufasa - Simba finally learns that scar killed mufasa - Scar is killed by his own followers after being caught in a lie - Simba embraces being king. Grows to have his own son
Timon & Pumbaa (series)
The Lion King 1 1/2
The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride
The Lion Guard (series)
The Lion King (2019 Live Action)
Mufasa: The Lion King
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.