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A Villains Collection
This collection includes all three books in Serena Valentino's Villains trilogy. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked QueenWhy 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.The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's PrinceA 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?Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea WitchThe third novel in Serena Valentino's Villains trilogy features the story of the Little Mermaid from the perspective of the sea witch Ursula.
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Published December 18, 2016
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About the author
Serena Valentino
153 books5,952 followersSerena Valentino is best known for weaving tales that combine mythos and guile with her work on the comic book series GloomCookie and Nightmares & Fairy Tales, and her best selling Disney Villain Novels which have earned her critical acclaim for her unique style of storytelling, bringing her readers into exquisitely frightening worlds filled with terror, beauty and extraordinary female protagonists.
Her Disney Villain novel series would be best enjoyed if read in this order: Fairest of All: The Story of the Wicked Queen, The Beast Within: The Story of Belle’s Prince, Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch, Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy. Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch and The Odd Sisters: A Villains Book to be released in Summer 2019. Book 7 will be out Summer 2020, Book 8 summer of 2021, and Book 9 Summer of 2022.
Serena lives in New Orleans with her dog Gozer, and a very tiny kitty named Momma.
Contact: Serena@serenavalentino.com
Her Disney Villain novel series would be best enjoyed if read in this order: Fairest of All: The Story of the Wicked Queen, The Beast Within: The Story of Belle’s Prince, Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch, Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy. Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch and The Odd Sisters: A Villains Book to be released in Summer 2019. Book 7 will be out Summer 2020, Book 8 summer of 2021, and Book 9 Summer of 2022.
Serena lives in New Orleans with her dog Gozer, and a very tiny kitty named Momma.
Contact: Serena@serenavalentino.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
December 8, 2019
"This collection includes all three books in Serena Valentino's Villains trilogy. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked QueenWhy 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.The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's PrinceA 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?Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea WitchThe third novel in Serena Valentino's Villains trilogy features the story of the Little Mermaid from the perspective of the sea witch Ursula."
April 10, 2020
SO good!! Such a different perspective as to why the stories that we grew up with happened the way they did. Just a fun read!!
May 21, 2020
What a great read! It was fun to see the past of the Villians , they were human in the end!
December 1, 2022
I'll have to come back at a later with a more in-depth review but what makes this series truly entertaining is the level of depth/nuance added to these classic characters. Valentino expertly weaves in iconic lines and actions of these Disney villains while adding more details that make the reader sympathetic to them for them while not justifying their actions. Excited to continue this series.
December 12, 2022
I started this series towards the end and have now come back and read the first three books. They are intriguing because Serena Valentino takes the original Disney stories we know and love and twists them to be just a little bit different. THEN on top of that she has underlying stories through all of the books that tie them all together. I really enjoy her writing style and look forward to reading more of her books.
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August 23, 2022Narrator is great! Books are fun twists on traditional ties and all tied together which gave this collection remarkable flow.
March 29, 2023
This was a fun little series! I’m excited to read the next one.
I like listening to the villains side of things, and also being proven right - that villains will always be villains. But that’s why we love them, right?
I like listening to the villains side of things, and also being proven right - that villains will always be villains. But that’s why we love them, right?
July 19, 2021
Fairest Of All - 4 stars
The Beast Within - 2.5 stars
Poor Unfortunate Soul - 2 stars
The Fairest of All was by far my favorite of this collection. It was about the witch from Snow White and how she became evil. The three odd sisters are in each of the stories, but I felt they were more focused on The Beast Within and Poor Unfortunate Soul, which I didn't love. They are especially the focus in Poor Unfortunate Soul and I feel that the story gets so jumbled and becomes so far off track of the story of Ursula. I wish that the last two stories in the collection were more like the first in which it is the story of why and how the witch became evil and disturbed. The last two stories gloss over that quickly and it's like a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid in the perspectives of the villains. I was so excited to listen to the last two collections after listening to the first but was disappointed.
The Beast Within - 2.5 stars
Poor Unfortunate Soul - 2 stars
The Fairest of All was by far my favorite of this collection. It was about the witch from Snow White and how she became evil. The three odd sisters are in each of the stories, but I felt they were more focused on The Beast Within and Poor Unfortunate Soul, which I didn't love. They are especially the focus in Poor Unfortunate Soul and I feel that the story gets so jumbled and becomes so far off track of the story of Ursula. I wish that the last two stories in the collection were more like the first in which it is the story of why and how the witch became evil and disturbed. The last two stories gloss over that quickly and it's like a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid in the perspectives of the villains. I was so excited to listen to the last two collections after listening to the first but was disappointed.
February 11, 2023
A cute retelling of the fairytales
November 11, 2021
A telling of classic fairy tales told from the villains perspective. The first three of Serena Valentino’s retelling scare in this volume. In Snow White we learn that her stepmother was not always evil but came to the castle very much in love with the King and enjoyed the time she spent with her new daughter. After growing up with a father who was renowned for the beautiful mirrors he created, the King thought the perfect wedding gift would be one of the last remaining creations left by her father. Evil forces are at work however and soon a strange man appears in the mirror and she finds herself seeking his reassurance that she is the most beautiful woman in the land. Until the day she is not. The second story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast which does not offer much that differs from the original tale. Lastly, we hear from Ursula and learn why she hated her brother Triton and tried to enlist the help of three sister witches to harness hatred to finally become the ruler of the seas.
This was an interesting attempt to try to understand why someone may turn bitter or lash out at others. I could see it being a good opportunity to read to your child, the length of the stories could allow you to set a number of pages daily and be finished in a short time. There are four more to the series that I own but I think the collection may have grown. I love the artwork on the covers and they would make a gorgeous addition to any collection.
This was an interesting attempt to try to understand why someone may turn bitter or lash out at others. I could see it being a good opportunity to read to your child, the length of the stories could allow you to set a number of pages daily and be finished in a short time. There are four more to the series that I own but I think the collection may have grown. I love the artwork on the covers and they would make a gorgeous addition to any collection.
January 17, 2023
Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
This book was my introduction to this style of backstory for famous (or infamous) Disney characters. I enjoyed it, but at the same time, Queen Grimhilde was a very complicated character. Flawed, and it was almost difficult not to get frustrated with her. I wanted her to be different, do different, even though I knew how it ended for her on that cliff. That being said, the fact that she and Snow are able to have a relationship postmortem via the mirror is an ending I hadn't expected. In this book, we meet the Odd Sisters- who seem really vile for the way they spoke to child aged Snow White. Their voices are annoying too, but I think that's on character for them.
The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince
Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney tale, so this was interesting. I think I would have liked more from the Beast's point of view from when Belle was living with him, even though that wasn't the point of this portion of the story. It was an awesome twist that he couldn't see his servants as their teapot/candelabra/clock selves... but terrifying statues. This story also introduces us to Circe, who becomes a catalyst.
Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch
This story was complicated, and Ursula was a complicated character. I wanted to feel bad for her, but it was almost like there was a rushed ending of her going mad with power. The way her human father died was truly heartbreaking.
This book was my introduction to this style of backstory for famous (or infamous) Disney characters. I enjoyed it, but at the same time, Queen Grimhilde was a very complicated character. Flawed, and it was almost difficult not to get frustrated with her. I wanted her to be different, do different, even though I knew how it ended for her on that cliff. That being said, the fact that she and Snow are able to have a relationship postmortem via the mirror is an ending I hadn't expected. In this book, we meet the Odd Sisters- who seem really vile for the way they spoke to child aged Snow White. Their voices are annoying too, but I think that's on character for them.
The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince
Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney tale, so this was interesting. I think I would have liked more from the Beast's point of view from when Belle was living with him, even though that wasn't the point of this portion of the story. It was an awesome twist that he couldn't see his servants as their teapot/candelabra/clock selves... but terrifying statues. This story also introduces us to Circe, who becomes a catalyst.
Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch
This story was complicated, and Ursula was a complicated character. I wanted to feel bad for her, but it was almost like there was a rushed ending of her going mad with power. The way her human father died was truly heartbreaking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5️⃣—> I rate this 4 out of 5 stars.
I absolutely love the concept of providing a background story of the different Disney villains. All of the stories provided more insight into the overall Disney story and made them all come together. It is helpful to have already watched each Disney movie that the villain is tied to or else some of the things referenced may not make the most sense. I also would recommend reading the books in order because they reference the story that came before theirs.
My favorite story of these three was the story of the Beast Prince. I felt that his story made the most sense regarding it being tied back to the story of Beauty and the Beast. I do wish Ursula’s story was better as I found it to be a little confusing and a bit drawn out. Ursula is my favorite Disney villain and I was looking forward to her story the most and I was a little disappointed with it. The common thread in all of these stories were the three sister witches which I felt weren’t needed and didn’t seem to add much. Each of their stories could’ve made sense and have been told without their characters.
Overall I very much enjoyed each of the stories and would read the others to follow. These books are definitely written for young adults and I wish they were bit more sophisticated, but they were still very entertaining.
I absolutely love the concept of providing a background story of the different Disney villains. All of the stories provided more insight into the overall Disney story and made them all come together. It is helpful to have already watched each Disney movie that the villain is tied to or else some of the things referenced may not make the most sense. I also would recommend reading the books in order because they reference the story that came before theirs.
My favorite story of these three was the story of the Beast Prince. I felt that his story made the most sense regarding it being tied back to the story of Beauty and the Beast. I do wish Ursula’s story was better as I found it to be a little confusing and a bit drawn out. Ursula is my favorite Disney villain and I was looking forward to her story the most and I was a little disappointed with it. The common thread in all of these stories were the three sister witches which I felt weren’t needed and didn’t seem to add much. Each of their stories could’ve made sense and have been told without their characters.
Overall I very much enjoyed each of the stories and would read the others to follow. These books are definitely written for young adults and I wish they were bit more sophisticated, but they were still very entertaining.
July 4, 2023
This is a fun little collection of backstories that adds some depth to some villainous characters, while also introducing some new ones. Its not particularly deep or poignant, but is dark, spooky, and fun.
Ursula's story is the weakest of the three. A lot of its content is line by line narration of lines from the movies, including Poor Unfortunate Souls in its entirety. The book struggles with this a lot, sometimes weaving in lines from the animated movies in ways that feel awkward or disjointed. Its strongest where the dialogue is original, particularly for the Evil Queen, which is almost entirely original, with subtle nods to the film.
I like the concept of all of the Disney movies existing in the same world, but at different times.
I don't recommend the audiobook. The narrator is good, but she has only three voices- "man," "older woman," and "high pitched squeaky whine" used for all children and the three witches. The high pitched whining voice is EXTREMELY grating and difficult to listen to.
Ursula's story is the weakest of the three. A lot of its content is line by line narration of lines from the movies, including Poor Unfortunate Souls in its entirety. The book struggles with this a lot, sometimes weaving in lines from the animated movies in ways that feel awkward or disjointed. Its strongest where the dialogue is original, particularly for the Evil Queen, which is almost entirely original, with subtle nods to the film.
I like the concept of all of the Disney movies existing in the same world, but at different times.
I don't recommend the audiobook. The narrator is good, but she has only three voices- "man," "older woman," and "high pitched squeaky whine" used for all children and the three witches. The high pitched whining voice is EXTREMELY grating and difficult to listen to.
September 16, 2023
This collection was a wonderful opening to the world of the villains by Serena Valentino. I love how she takes the original fairy tales that we all know and love and shows you a different perspective of those stories to see how these characters became the villains we knew from the fairy tales. Seeing this fresh take on the world and the stories of the villains was a wonderful literary experience. I have always been a "Disney" girl, with a dark side, so I found these books right up my alley. I am looking forward to finishing the series and enjoying the stories that will come with the other books. I am currently reading all these books and recommend them to anyone who is a fan of villains, or the original fairy tales they come from. I highly recommend that you read these books in order, as the story and references to earlier events do grow from book to book.
February 13, 2023
4.5 stars!
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The first story, "Fairest of All," was my favorite. The Wicked Queen's descent into cruelty and selfishness, in an arc stemming from her own emotional wounds, was well done and believable. I enjoyed the connections the author draws between the three stories. She makes these villains sympathetic while never letting them off the hook for their own bad choices. I wish she had spent a little more time on Ursula's childhood, and less time repeating the scenes from The Little Mermaid we're all familiar with. It's a great movie, but I've seen it fifty times and don't need the dialogue repeated--and every time dialogue was taken word-for-word from the films, it took me out of the story. Overall, though, this was lots of fun.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The first story, "Fairest of All," was my favorite. The Wicked Queen's descent into cruelty and selfishness, in an arc stemming from her own emotional wounds, was well done and believable. I enjoyed the connections the author draws between the three stories. She makes these villains sympathetic while never letting them off the hook for their own bad choices. I wish she had spent a little more time on Ursula's childhood, and less time repeating the scenes from The Little Mermaid we're all familiar with. It's a great movie, but I've seen it fifty times and don't need the dialogue repeated--and every time dialogue was taken word-for-word from the films, it took me out of the story. Overall, though, this was lots of fun.
June 17, 2019
I love a good villain backstory, and appreciated that this one is actually Disney produced so that I can allow my mind to "believe" this as part of the story canon. These three stories definitely should be read in order (snow white/beauty and the beast/little mermaid) because they are all intertwined with one another. I loved how the three sisters have played a roll in all three stories and seem to be the master puppeteers of many of the Disney stories we have come to love. Poor Unfortunate Soul was my least favourite but overall still a great trilogy.
November 26, 2022
My favorite series of back stories for the "BAD GUYS". I have always wanted to know the why, in every story, and this series not only gave an explanation but brought stories I grew up reading and watching on film to life.
I am sure you will not want to put these books down until you've consumed every single one! I am looking forward to reading the next collection and will report back with another testimony.
If you are in tune with your dark side, and can see past the so called hero journey in most genres this collection is what you have been dreaming of.
I am sure you will not want to put these books down until you've consumed every single one! I am looking forward to reading the next collection and will report back with another testimony.
If you are in tune with your dark side, and can see past the so called hero journey in most genres this collection is what you have been dreaming of.
February 27, 2023
I listened/read this one as an audiobook (that's all my e-library had!) but put the titles separately in my reading challenge. I absolutely adore how Valentino connects all the stories with the Odd Sisters and how all the different kingdoms know or know of each other. I never thought of most of them as intermingling stories save for the newer ones like "Tangled" and "Frozen". She did an amazing and believable job of weaving these stories into each other and I love it. Off to "read" Malificent now!
September 25, 2024
I generally like the Disney retellings, and this series doesn't disappoint. A Villains Collection is the first three books in the series. The first one is retelling of Snow White, focused on the backstory of the Evil Queen. There were a few characters that I was confused on at first, but as I finished the next two books, I realized these characters tie the series together. The villains have always interested me, so being able to get a new perspective on their back story is refreshing. And I love how the books tie all the stories and lands together.
February 15, 2021
I liked the book but I couldn't get fully into the book.
Each Story you knew the ending, the how they got there was just a series of events that led to the inevitable conclusion. You knew that there was no way the character could make any other choice, so there was no sense of wonder in the story.
I thought the one about Snow White was way too drawn out.
The one about Ursula was the most original.
If you like Disney then this might be a good read for you but don't get your hopes up
Each Story you knew the ending, the how they got there was just a series of events that led to the inevitable conclusion. You knew that there was no way the character could make any other choice, so there was no sense of wonder in the story.
I thought the one about Snow White was way too drawn out.
The one about Ursula was the most original.
If you like Disney then this might be a good read for you but don't get your hopes up
April 5, 2024
I could NOT finish the trio set. The first part was good about the Evil Queen. Then it started slowly down for the beast. But the Ursula one was AWFUL! It was the one I was looking forward to the most. There was so much potential for it. Shes barely in it. One chapter was literally the lyrics to poor unfortunate souls. It was really almost just a connector book and mentioning characters from the prior stories and upcoming stories.
May 20, 2024
I liked these! I know the purists disney-files seemed to hate it but i liked that they changed things from the originals. I needed a break from the darker stuff I was reading and this was perfect. Also liked how they connected the odd sisters. I think what made it seem rushed to some was knowing that there was a whole other story and it basically sums that up with a “and they lived happily ever after” near the end.
February 15, 2025
The narrator does an amazing job of bringing this book to life. She sounds exactly like what I would have pictured each character to sound like and she does an amazing job of making each character sound unique. I loved the story line and hearing it from the villains perspective. Very different but interesting. You find yourself rooting for the villain in some cases. I’m excited to read the next books.
January 13, 2020
I used to never get why people liked or even loved villains they were bad and always hurt the heroine. I found no reason to like them. Though when you read these books you really do see the TRUE intentions of the villain. Their hearts, dreams, desires. You come to LOVE them as you would the heroine. I LOVE THE EVIL QUEEN now!! Can't get enough of these books.
May 28, 2022
These were quick (for me) entertaining reads. A Great twist on those classic stories we all know and love, and it was fun to see them all tied together in one "fairytale world." If you love seeing your favorite stories turned on their heads or just enjoy Disney stories in general these are great easy reads!
March 13, 2023
This was a rather interesting view of three well-known stories. It's interesting how the author wove them together tying them in using these three witches, but also interesting to see potentially what some of the actions may have been that the people participated in. Definitely worth the listen, but listen to all of them
June 7, 2023
Book 1 was my absolute favorite of the 3. I may be bias because Snow White was my favorite Princess as a child.
Book 2 gives a great background to the life of the Beast and how he came to be.
Book 3 was my least favorite
In all three books the odd sisters characters are built beautifully and I can’t wait to read the rest of the villains series!
Book 2 gives a great background to the life of the Beast and how he came to be.
Book 3 was my least favorite
In all three books the odd sisters characters are built beautifully and I can’t wait to read the rest of the villains series!
October 1, 2024
This collection includes three books. I enjoyed Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch. I would give it four stars and I really enjoyed how it tied in so closely to the Disney Little Mermaid story.
The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince was a two-star for me. Lots of A Portrait of Dorian Gray overtones.
Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen was a one-star. Too evil for me.
The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince was a two-star for me. Lots of A Portrait of Dorian Gray overtones.
Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen was a one-star. Too evil for me.
June 16, 2018
So I’ve read each of these books separately and now collectively. While I enjoyed them as separate pieces, the masterful cohesion of all these stories coming together into one epic world is beyond words! So thrilled for each new addition to this Wonderland.
November 8, 2018
Three stories in one book. Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid. The book fills in the space as to why things are happening. Why some of the witches are mean and why they want to get back at some people. We already know the stories, but the added part are great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews