Be Prepared

by Farrah Rochon

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!

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Novels

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2024

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This made my 90s baby heart so happy!

Complete Lion King nostalgia and I loved every moment!

This story follows Nala and Scar primarily with some amazing Sarabi POVs in there that’s just icing on the cake!

[Becca Aycock · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Anna Saval · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

:(

[Laura.has.too.many.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

* 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.

[Yashoda Jaikaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Nicola Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! Was a tad disappointed that the blurb gave so much of the story away though

[Miranda Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute concept but it just felt very repetitive

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the Pride Lands, Nala sets out to Garamba to find Simba.
Rochon’s plot stays close to the story line of Disney’s animated classic.

This would be a good complement to the recent Mufasa.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Jazzy Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

-Jazzy @ Occult Library Co

[Shannon M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual: 3.5

This was my first Twisted Tale by Farrah Rochon. I was super excited because Lion King was always my favourite Disney movie growing up. I was more than disappointed with this story however. It was actually incredibly boring if I'm being honest. I only finished it because I didn't want the Lion King to be on my TBR, basically. I am glad I did though, because I did enjoy the ending. I definitely got a little emotional. Going to give this author another try with another Twisted Tale though!

[Hadeshy · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[James Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Farrah Rochon's Disney novels have been a mixed bag for me. However, she continuously gets to write Disney novels that tackle my favorite properties. Almost There, Fate Be Changed, and Bemused were all tackling some of my favorite Disney films. However, each novel lagged in the middle with pacing and the characters seemed a little off in each novel. But, that didn't mean that I didn't like them. They were some fun novels, but she is not one of my favorite Disney authors as of right now. However, I do not have a deep connection with the Lion King. I think that is why this novel was better than her previous offerings to me. I'm not a huge Lion King fan, so the character inconsistencies in this novel weren't too glaring. So, I will talk about what I liked, what could be better, and what I hope to see from Rochon's Disney offerings in the future.

The plot line of the novel as a whole is very strong. I liked how it followed a Nala who was not allowed any freedom. That was a somewhat relatable plot line. Zazu, Scar, and Sarabi all seemed very on brand. In fact, the writing for those three characters in particular seemed very right to me. Nala's characterization was only okay, but she seemed pretty okay. I also liked how we got some more world building with Garamba and the other tribe's members that we get to see. That was very nice. In fact, it all was very fleshed out. In fact, it kinda made me want a YA Lion King novel prequel about Mufasa in the style for Disney's Queens Council. I can't describe why I need it, but I do. I also liked the journey as a whole. There was a lot going on for a lot of the time, so I liked how the pacing issues of Rochon's previous novels weren't as prevalent. I know there are a lot of reviews that say that the pacing was off, but I would say the pacing isn't nearly as off as novels like Fate Be Changed. I also really liked to see the other cubs and how they interacted. Also, the world building when it came to the hunting games was also great. Overall, Lion King world building was very good in this novel!

Now, I may have had a good time with this novel, but there were some problems in this book. So, Firstly, it almost didn't read as YA at all. This novel falls into the trap where it tries to add YA elements by adding unnecessary gore in random scenes. I also didn't like how we had to backtrack the journey in the middle of the book. That was the only time that the pacing was off. I audibly groaned when they said that they were going to go back to Pride Rock. But, that was okay. I REALLY could have used some more scenes with Scar. Rochon really gets Scar, and I wish that there would've been more of him. I could've used some more of the novel! I really wanted Scar to have followed the group back at the end. The climax just didn't seem like the climax at all. It was just really odd how Scar had to have a battle with the whole pride in the original film, but he was beaten by two cubs and a bird in this novel. But, the novel was okay as is.

So, the pacing in this novel was better than before, and I liked the plot. However, the novel just didn't do much for me. Like, I was ultimately underwhelmed. However, I've read all of the Twisted Tales, and I will continue to read Rochon's Disney offerings. But, if the pacing could get a little better, we would be golden.

[Nicholas Abdelnour · Rating 3 out of 5]

⸻
⭐⭐⭐☆☆ — A Bold Concept That Roars… But Doesn’t Always Land
Farrah Rochon’s Be Prepared dares to ask a provocative question: What if Nala had to team up with Scar to save the Pride Lands? It’s a bold twist on the classic Lion King narrative, and while the premise is rich with potential, the execution is uneven—delivering moments of brilliance alongside stretches that feel underdeveloped or overly familiar.
⚠️ Spoilers Below! ⚠️
The story begins with a familiar tragedy: Mufasa and Simba are presumed dead after the wildebeest stampede. Nala, devastated by the loss of her best friend, is left to navigate a Pride Lands ruled by Scar. But when rumors surface that Simba might still be alive, Nala sets off on a secret journey to uncover the truth.
Along the way, she meets Abena, a rogue lioness from the Hatari pride, who becomes both a mentor and a mirror to Nala’s own inner conflict. Their bond is one of the book’s strongest elements, offering emotional depth and a fresh dynamic outside the original film’s canon.
The twist comes when Nala is forced into an uneasy alliance with Scar himself. He claims to want redemption and offers to help her find Simba—but his motives are murky. This morally gray partnership is the novel’s most intriguing thread, but it’s not explored as deeply as it could be. Scar’s manipulations are predictable, and his eventual betrayal lacks the emotional punch it aims for.
The climax sees Nala and Simba reunited just in time to confront Scar, who launches a final, desperate attack. The battle is intense, but the resolution feels rushed. Scar’s defeat is too clean, and the emotional fallout—especially for Nala—is glossed over in favor of a tidy ending.
🌟 Why 3 Stars?
Pros:
Nala is given real agency and emotional complexity.
The introduction of Abena and the Hatari pride adds new layers to the Pride Lands.
The concept of a Nala-Scar alliance is genuinely compelling.
Cons:
Scar’s character arc is undercooked; his motivations feel recycled.
The pacing drags in the middle, with repetitive internal monologues.
The final act resolves too quickly, missing opportunities for deeper emotional payoff.
⸻
Final Verdict: Be Prepared is a daring twist on a beloved classic that roars with potential but doesn’t quite deliver a full emotional or narrative bite. It’s worth reading for fans of The Lion King and the Twisted Tale series, but it may leave some readers wishing for a little more depth and danger.

[bea · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star because my expectations were ultimately let down.
Although I was drawn in by the setting—the life in the savannah after Mufasa's death and Simba's disappearance, the uneasy coexistence with the greedy hyenas, and the unhealthy competition between Nala and the other cubs (which I admittedly found somewhat upsetting)—I felt that the real focus of this book gradually slipped out of sight. It's fine to delve into the dynamics of the pride and the daily challenges they face, but the collaboration between Nala and Scar—which, as the subtitle suggests, should be the very heart of the story—felt increasingly sidelined. That was the point at which my expectations began to waver.
That said, I did truly enjoy witnessing Nala's growth. She has always been one of my favorite characters in this story, and seeing things from her perspective—especially regarding Simba's presumed death—initially felt like reliving my favorite Disney classic through someone else's eyes. I also greatly appreciated the development of Sarabi's character, whom I never truly understood until the recent film "Mufasa: The Lion King". There, she was still a young lioness, not yet dealing with motherhood or the grief of losing both a mate and a son. This book offered a valuable opportunity to get to know her better.
And now we come to the ending—the part that unfortunately compromised my overall impression. I understand this is a retelling of the story we all know, but I expected that, wherever the original storyline and this new narrative overlapped, the latter would remain faithful to the former. Aside from the scene retold in the prologue—Simba and Nala's adventure in the Elephant Graveyard—the final chapters completely rewrote the foundational events.
I was caught off guard and didn't know how to react. I had expected the book to explore "The Lion King"'s events with a certain loyalty, when necessary. I was wrong. My expectations clashed with what I actually found. Still, looking on the bright side, I did get to rediscover and better understand Nala—a character who means a lot to me.

[Celeste1984 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My opinion about this story.

As a Disney lover, you will find out what happened in the time that Simba grew up in the Jungle with Nala in the meantime and that they will meet each other later in the Jungle when they are young adults. But as a reader, you will also find out how Simba's mother is under all the goings-on (husband and son who are no longer visible) and how protected Nala has become by all the goings-on and how Scar does everything to remain the leader and that is really fun and fascinating to read.
It is a smoothly written story, that is told by different characters and as a reader that is fun, because she gets to know the other characters better.
This is already the twentieth part that you can read separately from all the other parts. All parts of the series are stadalone.
This writer has also written in this Disney series almost there, which is about Tiana.
I love this series so much and can't wait for the next one to come out.
This part of the a twisted tale series gets 4.0 stars from me

[The Tiny Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disney Classics: The Lion King – Be Prepared is a fun and visually appealing addition to the Disney Classics collection. The artwork is vibrant and captures the spirit of The Lion King well, especially the darker, more dramatic tone of the “Be Prepared” sequence. It’s clear that a lot of care was taken to stay true to the style and atmosphere of the original film.

However, while the book is engaging, it feels quite brief and somewhat surface-level. The storytelling doesn’t dive very deeply into the characters or emotions behind the iconic song, which might leave some readers — especially older fans — wanting a bit more. Younger audiences will likely still enjoy it for the colorful illustrations and familiar story beats, but it may not leave a lasting impression for those looking for a richer or more nuanced retelling.

Overall, it’s a charming, quick read that serves as a nice companion to the film, but it could have offered a little more depth to truly stand out.

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this one a lot - it's set during the Lion King - what if Nala chose to go away and try to find Simba when they were both still cubs? And what if Scar and Zazu came with her? I also loved the fact that this book explored the affects parent's overbearing protection can have on their kids. Serafina gets so scared for Nala after Simba and Mufasa die that she doesn't let her do anything so Nala is unprepared for adult life - in the end they do talk it over and Serafina realizes how much harm she did to Nala and I loved that for them - that was probably my favourite part of the book besides Nala bonding with Scar and even saving his life... only for him to attack Simba and trying to kill him. I just wish that she had a stronger reaction to him turning on them because they bonded so much during their travelling. Overall an interesting book that adds a new plot twist to Lion King and one of my favourite Twisted tales so far.

[Cathryn Davey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm an adult and realise this book was not aimed at my age group, however I felt it was very simplistic and the moral messages were a bit on the nose, perhaps children will not have this issue, I'm not sure. Also the book cover was a little misleading, I was expecting that Nala would team up with Scar and it'd be exciting and perhaps morally ambiguous, it is a 'twisted' tale but Scar and Nala go on a lovely little trip together and the story pretty much aligned with the movie but Simba came home earlier, what was the point?

Also, this may be a bit nit-picky, but the author seems to have little knowledge of African animals; Hyenas are not dogs, Cougars are native to the Americas, Bonobos are not monkeys and don't have tails and many of the other animals whilst native to Africa do not have convergent territories/habitats.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

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!!

[Deztyni · Rating 3 out of 5]

AARON PIERRE, THAT’S MUFASA!! 🤭

Yes, I decided to read this book simply because I’ve been OBSESSED with everything related to Mufasa: The Lion King. I mean, I’ve seen the movie two times now at the theater <3 Nevertheless, I personally found this book to be too twisted for the reason that the characters did not feel true to the movies’ portrayals of the characters, which is fine, but it’s just not what I prefer when it comes to reimaginings. It’s also worth noting that there were several grammatical errors. :/ Regarding the plot itself, I think choosing to write the events of this book (six months after Mufasa’s death) from Nala, Sarabi, and Scar’s perspectives was an interesting choice, that really made this book its own xoxo

[Nickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't love The Lion King?!
When I saw this available on NetGalley I HAD to read it. I love the Disney Twisted Tales and although YA novels they are usually a decent read.

What if Nala was compelled to team up with Scar?
Six months after the death of her best friend Simba, Nala finds herself clinging to a rumour that the young cub might still be alive. Determined to discover if the stories are true, Nala sneaks away one night, leaving the pride in an uproar over her disappearance.

It's a book that fleshes out characters you don't see much in the film but also adds some depth to Scar. Overall it's decent but it didn't draw me in as I expected it to. I wanted Nala to be punchier or feistier and she got further along her journey and it just didn't have the bite I wanted.

Thats not to say this is a bad book - it isn't. It's enjoyable. It's just not the best book for me.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute quick one! I really don't have much to say about it honestly. It was just really good, the conflict was built up really nicely and Nala was so well written as well as Scar and surprisingly Sarabi. I wasn't expecting to see her point of view in this book so that was a nice surprise. Sarabi seems to be a background character in most adaptations so I'm happy Farrah went in and really developed her!

I will say I don't really think the what-if scenario fits here. Like the book is so good I just don't think it follows the what if scenario written down. Other than that though I have no complaints I think this book was really awesome and such a good development of EVERYONE yes...even Scar 😒

[Tiphaine Figeac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot
I had a long break from disney twisted tales as I have been disabled few times but when I saw it was Farrah Rochon who wrote it I knew I had to give a try and I was really surprised. The characters feels a tiny bit different from the movies but since it is a twisted and characters we don’t really see in the movies it is not bothering at all
The story is easy and fluid and coherent, the writing is nice and enjoyable.
I totally recommend it for teen/YA
I can see adult struggling to really enjoy it

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything for a Disney fan who is 30 years old. I felt embarrassed purchasing this at the check out but I'm so glad I did.

After Simba and Mufasa's tragic deaths, the Pridelands are in disarray. Led by the lazy, tyrannical Scar. Nala's mother has become overprotective and refuses to let her out of her sight. Nala hears a rumour that Simba has been sighted and goes on a dangerous journey to find him.

This was easily the best Disney novel I've read. The characters and scenery were written brilliantly. There are some descriptions of hunting but mild.

[Emily Weston ( Frosty ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was amazing!! Lion King is my favorite Disney movie by far! It was so nice to read things from Nala’s perspective! When I got to the part where Scar and Nala teamed up I thought that this was great because it could have happened. Then when they found Simba I was confused like what the heck that didn’t happen in the movie. But I had to remind myself that it is a twisted tale and not the movie. With that I loved it!! I am excited to read all the other twisted tales and see how they are!

[Reese &#x1f30c;&#x1f499; · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first ‘twisted tales’ book and I found it to be a really enjoyable read. The book was fast paced and there was plenty going on which was easy to follow. I enjoyed reading a twist on the classic lion king book which I found the author executed well.

The book is descriptive, easy to read, and has some good twists and turns in the book, which even had me at one point in all fairness.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this book 3.25 stars.
I was shocked to hear that Simba was dead, but I knew he would end up alive.
I understood why Sarafina was so protective over Nala, but it was annoying at the same time. I did feel bad for her though when Nala left pride rock.
I loved Nala. She might not have been good a hunting, but she was made to protect and nurture cubs.
I obviously didn't like when Scar joined Nala, but I was glad when he got the ending he deserved.