Ever After High: Diary of an Evil Queen: A Guide to Living Evilly Ever After

by Stacia Deutsch

This book is your glimpse into the delightfully twisted mind of the Evil Queen... find out what really makes her tick, and what malevolent lessons she wants to pass along to her daughter Raven.

© 2016 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Fairy Tales

160 pages, Hardcover

Published February 2, 2016

About the author

#1 New York Times Best Selling Author, Stacia Deutsch has written more than 300 books.

In addition to her award-winning creative chapter book series entitled Blast to the Past, Stacia has also ghostwritten for a popular girls' mystery series, published non-fiction texts, and penned a young adult romantic comedy called In the Stars. She has also penned popular titles for Girls who Code Books 1 & 2 and several Spirit: Riding Free books.

Additionally, Stacia has written junior movie tie-in novelizations for summer blockbuster films, including HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, the New York Times Best Seller: CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS JR. MOVIE NOVEL, and THE SMURFS MOVIE NOVELS.

Check out Stacia's website for more titles!

A bit more about me:
✥ Lives on a Ranch with 4 horses, 2 cats, 2 dogs and a lot of lizards
✥ Has an Masters in Fine Arts from Western State Colorado in Genre Fiction
✥ Was recently awarded a Doctor of Divinity honorary degree from Hebrew Union College
✥ Grew up in Denver, lived in Cincinnati, and now lives in California

Find her at www.staciadeutsch.com.
Email: staciadeutsch.writes@gmail.com
Twitter: @staciadeutsch, www.facebook/staciadeutsch, and www.instagram.com/staciadeutsch_writes/
Stacia lives in Temecula, California.

Reviews

[Short Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The first rule of evil is not to get caught. Say it with me, Raven: Never get caught.'

I had this huge goofy grin on my face while reading this! I just love Ever After High and this book was no exception! Even if was just a re-telling of the Dragon Games episode, only in diary format.

4.5 stars. A funny read containing the actual thoughts and words of the one and only Evil Queen herself! Read this diary if you dare.

This book was essentially a guide to Living Evilly Ever After, in 7 simple steps! Just for Raven Queen, the daughter of the diary's owner, Evil Queen. Raven has always been a Rebel, and so she choose not to follow in her mother's evil footsteps, and proudly wants her own destiny.
Evil Mum on the other hand, isn't one bit happy with her daughter's choice, and from her mirror-prison, wrote a whole guide of wicked wisdom.

Then as it happens on the show, Apple White, daughter of Snow White, releases the Evil Queen from her prison! The Evil casts a spell on herself, making her a high school student again and tells Apple White to introduce her to the other girls as - Mira Shards... The Evil Queen, I mean Mira, has a hard time adjusting to being a student again at first.



But she gets the hang of it really quick, and goes about causing mayhem throughout the book. Things get so eevviill, Mira Shards ends up becoming Head Mistress of the whole school!

'I am head mistress of Ever After High. See how effective evil is at getting things done, Raven? I went from student to Head Mistress in the blink of an eye. Just try to tell me that's not impressive.'

Raven Queen is certainly not impressed one bit, but eventually (pretends to) goes along with her mum's evil plans after the Evil Queen poisons Apple White.



In the end, the Evil Queen is cast back into her mirror prison, and doesn't learns her lesson - she remains the pushy, evil stage-mum.

'I refuse to believe this is my fate. Being cast back into mirror prison was never supposed to be how my story ended! I've read all the fairy tales. The Evil Queen is supposed to live a long life, plotting and planning and terrorising her neighbours until she succeeds in the eventual takeover of Ever After. That's my destiny!
If only Raven could join me, evil would triumph. We could rule Ever After and more.'

No, I don't think so Evil Queen. Raven's got her own destiny, remember?

A short, entertaining read.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can learn a thing or two from this book... not me... I'm good.




Power and Money.

[Amaranta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta historia me sacó unos buenos chascarrillos mientras leía. Básicamente es el diario que Evil Queen escribe durante la trama de Dragon Games, con palabras sabías de cómo su hija debe volver a su lado y cómo deben de reinar juntas, habla del resto de los niños como patéticos, dice que los profesores no enseñan bien, critica al sistema de cuentos, y se vanagloria en su narcisismo y su capacidad para la maldad, todo, de una manera divertida y graciosa, y con actividades de por medio.

Es narcisista, grosera, egoísta, pedante, manipuladora y siniestra, pero tiene razón en algo: no hay mejor villana en Ever After.

O mejor madre, porque la vara esta muy, pero que muy baja, no podemos decir, Charming, criando a sus hijos del lado del machismo, Red Hood, criando a su hija con tamaño peso de secreto, o Snow White, y sus expectativas e ideas sobre su hija, hacen un mejor trabajo con sus hijos.

Algunas hermosas frases que quiero conservar por siempre:

You have rejected your destiny and, by extension, me.

No one ever took over the world by being nice. It's better to be feared than forgotten.

Evil is a science. It's a way of life that includes how to dress, what to eat, how to cast dark spells. There is the evil training of dragons and rulers. Evil isn't just one thing. It's everything!

No evil means no villains. No villains means no heroes. No heroes means no adventures.

Evil is much more clever. It's more purposeful. It's smarter than just being cruel. Evil must serve a great, personal good. Think big.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It helps to have read Ever After High: Dragon Games before reading this book. The Evil Queen will stop at nothing to get her daughter, Raven, to become evil like she is. Her diary is filled with her plots to try to accomplish this.

[Kimia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked writing in it and it's based on the Ever After High series Dragon Games on Netflix.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diary of an Evil Queen: (Updated)
(This is meant to be read with “Dragon Games”). It starts off with a letter from the Evil Queen to Raven. The Evil Queen tells Raven that this is her gift to Raven. It’ll teach her how to be an Evil Queen and embrace her destiny so she can hopefully follow in her footsteps. She feels like things have gotten off track because Raven has rejected her destiny and her and she was the best mother she knew how to be.

She says she might have been working in the dungeons on her next plot, but if the nannies didn’t take good care of her it was their backsides. So, they’ll start over with a clean slate and she’ll give her all the knowledge she has all over again. She tells her the first rule of Evil 101 is NEVER GET CAUGHT! It’s okay to let people know subtly that you were behind the act. Just don’t get caught IN the act and go to prison.

She tells Raven to harness her evil before its too late. Its better to be feared than forgotten. She explains that evil isn’t something to be wasted. It’s not a gift (like the puppy her father gave her). It’s something that you be planted and nurtured until it rots. Evil is a science. It’s a way of life that includes how to dress, what to eat, how to cast dark spells. Basically evil is EVERYTHING!

She tells her they aren’t so evil. Then tries to get her to come closer to the glass (so she can break her out). Ah well can’t fault her for trying right? She says one day she might find a way to break free on her own. Chapter 1 talks about The Importance of Evil. The Evil Queen starts off by describing a day that sounds like it belongs to Apple (birds singing, clothes picked out, hair falls just right, eggs and bacon for breakfast). It’s absolutely PERFECT! But after a while it gets REPETITIVE! Without evil nothing interesting would ever happen!

*(Ever After would be a kingdom of boring princesses and dull princes humming with the birds and smiling their way through bland days of sunshine and rainbows) Mr. Badwolf would lose his job. There’d be no Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. The Candy Witch and Badwolf would both be looking for homes. All the good endings would go to “the good” only. The Queen says evil is the new good and it’s good for everyone!

Evil is happiness! It doesn’t hurt people like they want you to believe. People hurt people. She says evil is tired to truth, honesty, and dignity. Then uses the example that at the end of the story, the villain always tells the whole story. No lies. No embellishments. She gives herself as an example and says she’s told the truth thousands of times and she should be admired for it. Then she gives Raven a test. There are some sentences that you’re supposed to match of evil deeds that good came out of them.

Chapter 2 is about the Evil Queen deserving freedom “Who Deserves Freedom? (I Do Of Course).” This is telling Raven how Apple freed her (in the book “Dragon Games”). She outlines the steps in the plan she took for her alter ego “Mira Shard” (At first, she considers getting the Grimm Brother’s to hire her as a new teacher) There’s some EAH slang to help the Evil Queen fit in.

Chapter 3 tells us some “Tips and Tricks to be Evil at School”. The Evil Queen says that evil isn’t putting tacks on people’s cars, or putting KICK ME signs on people’s backs, or stealing people’s lunch money. It’s not being MEAN. It’s more purposeful and clever than that. It’s bigger than that. It’s about getting what you deserve. And don’t we all deserve the best? Ok then. Then it gives some things to rate from NOT NASTY to ROYALLY ROTTEN.

She goes on to describe evil as exercise. It keeps the mind and body fit, alert, and prepared. She encourages Raven to try one evil thing. Even if it’s just a Barely Bad Prank. Then she gives a list of suggestions. She says that “ One half-horrible prank leads to another, bigger, and more terrible task, which leads to a long list of Royally Rotten deeds—and from there, it’s a tiny step to fully embracing EVIL”.

There’s an exchange about how The Evil Queen keeps trying to slip Raven her diary but she won’t read it. Then Raven sees it from her and says she won’t read it and she’s wasting her time (how did she even get the diary to her from mirror prison she wonders) and throws the diary in the garbage. The Evil Queen (tho losing patience) tries another tactic and invites all the students to a party and makes sure Raven will be there.

In Chapter 4 “Casting Spells”, the Evil Queen shares some spells with Raven that she learned when she was “home schooled”. She’s invited Madeline, Sparrow, Blondie, Poppy and Holly, Faybelle, and Raven to meet with her in the Dragon arena. She invited Apple but she had to meet with Snow about the Booking Glass (and yes she knows all about Snow’s plan to trap her in the mirror again but it’s not gonna happen).

The first spell is a rain spell. Only Raven wanted to dry everyone and make a rainbow. A RAINBOW? But the Evil Queen does do a small one (if you blinked, you’d miss it). The next spell is the gibberish speaking spell. Another is to trip and stub your toe. Another is a truth telling spell. Yet another is the make your hair fly up spell. The students don’t quite use them to the Evil Queen’s satisfaction. *Maddie didn’t sound any different than before. Blondie used the truth spell for investigative reporting and is now up for a journalism award. Poppy cast the hair spell and got such great results that she wants to try it out on her clients at the salon. *

*Only Faybelle really paid attention. Her toe-stubbing spell sent Sparrow to the nurse’s office*. Even as Mira she can’t get Raven to join in the fun. Chapter 5 has to do with “Care and Feeding For Your Dragon”. The rules of the Dragon Games are explained. The Evil Queen gives some ways to cheat. You’ll also find these in the book “Dragon Games”. She reveals herself in the diary just as she did in the book and her plans of taking over the school. (These are some REALLY GOOD dragon names!)

In Chapter 6, “Evil Rules” The Evil Queen shares some of the paper’s she had the students write about her now that she’s the Headmistress (Faybelle’s, Apple, Raven, Daring) In Chapter 7, it shows “How to Convince Someone to Be Evil”-Especially If They Don’t Want To Be Evil”. She gives the students new side kick names. Then suggests they wear all black. She asks about the interest of all Raven’s friends (so she can take them away). She says she’s going to push Apple’s story forward also.

She gets a text from message and decides to mark the day “Raven Queen Day”. The message says give her the diary. She’ll read it. Chapter 8 “Hand Over The Diary Mom” I’m not even sure why this is in it. It’s one of the last chapters from “Dragon Games” shortened and it’s Raven’s thoughts about the take over and the take down.

The last chapter, Chapter 10 is “Unjust Unfair Return To Prison” The Evil Queen says it’s not over. She’ll find a way to triumph and then asks for suggestions what to do to entertain herself while she’s in prison. Then she gives some ideas to rank.

My Thoughts
This amused me. Seriously. Sometimes villains in all their wickedness can be a little comical. And this had its funny moments in The Queen's creative logic to why Raven should embrace her wickedness. I'll give you some of my favorites.

"Good things would happen to good people. Who would all get what they wanted in the end. What excitement is there in that?"

"Evil is GOOD for everyone! Evil brings happiness. More happiness for some, obviously but happiness."
"Think about it. Evil is a part of that goodness you love so much. It's based on truth, honesty, and dignity. At the end of the story when the villain confesses they tell the whole story no lies no embellishment. Nothing but the truth."

Then there was one about “Don’t you deserve the best? Well evil is about getting what you deserve.”
But it was a good, quick, fun little story. I actually was disappointed the diary wasn't longer. If my mother was the Evil Queen & she gave me this as something she wanted to pass on to me I would have loved to have her diary passed down to me. Even if I didn't want to follow in her footsteps (and I probably would be that fairy tale princess) I'd at least read it out of curiosity.

Actually I wish Raven and the Evil Queen would see each other’s sides more. I wish the Evil Queen would stop pressing up on Raven so much to be like her. But I also wish that Raven would stop being so against… Ok so yes. Maybe not encase your teachers in an aquarium and take over Wonderland but maybe it’s just me and my dark side but there is SO MUCH you can lean from having the Evil Queen as a mother. Raven just doesn’t see the potential in this like I do. Some of the spells she could pass down could ABSOLUTELY come in handy. Just to have that kind of magic and not use it (shaking my head). But that’s just me.

Rating: 6

[Ziggi Starr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly expected a little more from this book. I was not completely convinced by the motivations of the Evil Queen. In addition to the fact that there are some discrepancies between all the authors involved in Ever After High and the series.

Suddenly the author goes around a few obvious things, it seems that they were put deliberately just to lengthen the book enough, I guess..

It's confusing, as the Evil Queen embraces evil but rejects cruelty. Although it explains the reasons, it is contradictory. It is as if they want to emphasize how "evil" she is, but that she continues to being charismatic, this does'nt have a clear direction. And the mother-daughter relationship is going nowhere, stuck in the same repeating dynamic. It doesn't really add much to the story line, suddenly it complements the Dragon Games special a bit, but nothing more.

The worst, without a doubt, were the activities that came in the book, they were superfluous and how they cut off the action. It was not necessary, they should have simply kept an epistolary format...

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not read this book before The Dragon Games. If you do, it ruins the plot of the book. This book wasn't very good at all. It didn't take very long to read and I was happy about that because I just wanted to finish it and be done with it. The writing was choppy and there wasn't really a story to the book. The author also made the Evil Queen the narrator but the book jumped back and forth between the Evil Queen talking to Raven and talking to the reader which was very confusing. Also there were activities in the book that the reader was supposed to do that were just annoying because they interrupted the book and didn't add to the story at all. I was not impressed by this book at all and was glad that it didn't take very long to read so that I can start reading my next book instead of wasting more time on this book.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Ever After High: Diary of an Evil Queen: A Guide to Living Evilly Ever After by Stacia Deutsch was an amazing book. I really enjoyed this book because the evil queen (Raven's mom) has been trapped in a mirror for a very long time and in this book the evil queen finally escapes because of Apple White the good girl in school. Raven Queen does not want to follow her destiny because she does not want to be evil, so while her mom is out and free the evil queen tries to make Raven Queen sign the Story Book of Legends. I would 100% recommend this book if you need a good book to read right now.

[Gina Guesby Mays · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not a bad book. The Evil Queen wants to break out of mirror prison and take over Wonderland. Her daughter, Raven, is not as evil as she needs to be. The diary is supposed to have instructions on how to be evil at school and then break her mom out of prison. So many evil deeds and plots happen in this book and yes, the evil queen does get out. But will Raven join her? What about her friends? Will her friends be manipulated by The Evil Queen herself? This is a neat little book and I do understand it's in a series. I will need to see what my niece thinks of it.

[Taylor Manookian · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was cute. was kinda surprised that something as profound as "you can't appreciate the good if you dont have the bad" in a kids book but hey maybe thats why im so smart now if i grew up reading things like this HAHA. anyway i thrifted this today for 25 cents and then i realized this wasn't one that i've already read before so i had to just go through and do it now.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever quick read told from the Evil Queen's perspective.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sense of humor

[Archibald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool, I liked seeing the Evil Queen’s pov :)

[Aspen Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book to see the evil queens thoughts throughout this book.

[Molly Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you whount to be evil this is the book to have

[•SAM• · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an entertaining book to read in one sitting. Although, I'm no longer part of the targeted demographic, I was still amused by the evil Queen's attitude.

[Courtney Holcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the story so much yet again I'm a huge fan of this series 😀

[Bara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spíš 2 a něco hvězdy, než celé 3*.
No je to pro malé děti, co nadělám. Ale je to vtipné. Prostě zlo je cool a bez zla by byla nuda a nebylo by dobro. XD

Je to v podstatě takové převyprávění filmu Dragon games z pohledu Zlé Královny. Ale jsou tam momenty, které nejsou ani ve filmu.

Například: Potom, co Zlá Královna převzala kontrolu nad školou, změnila všem jména. Z Maddie byla na chvilku Nightshade Who Is Feared By All (což se jí moc líbilo). Taky zadala všem úkol, aby napsali esej o tom, proč je ona, Zlá Královna, nejdůležitější osobou v zemi. Napsat to musel i Daring, kterým byl chudák uvězněn v zrcadle. Psát to museli dokonce i učitelé!

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a quick and fun read. However this is less a diary than a retelling of the plot of the DRAGON GAMES movie (which I haven't seen) from the Evil Queen's perspective. At any rate, it ties in with events previously written about in other EVER AFTER HIGH stories and also contains some games and writing sections for children to help participate in the story.

[Simran · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5
This is exactly what happened in Ever After High: Dragon Games. The only thing different is the narration of the Evil Queen is in this and not the Narrators. The points the Queen made were actually accurate and how she views evil is realistically.

[Kelly Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The evil queen's verision of the story.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book to read

[Yuiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Bookkitten (collector of nice things) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A better title would have been "The Evil Queen reveals: Dragon Games - My evily ever after masterplan", because that´s what it is.

*sigh* It´s a nice book, but I feel disappointed....

[BookAscension · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun an humorous light read.