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Once Upon Another Time #1
Once Upon Another Time
Storybook characters collide in this first book in a new trilogy of twisted fairy tales from New York Times bestselling author James Riley, set in the world of his popular Half Upon a Time series--perfect for fans of Fablehaven and Chris Colfer's A Tale of Magic series!
Lena, has always stood out from the rest of her family of giants because of her tiny size. Unfortunately for her, a tiny giant looks just like a regular human...and giants hate humans. Lena has been forced to mask her true size by using a growth ring, which allows her to grow tall enough to blend in with other giants. But she has never outgrown her wish things could change and she could be accepted for who she really is. So when the time comes for her to attend a special ceremony for giant children and to touch the Spark, a powerful source of giant magic, she believes the time has also come for her true self to be revealed to her peers, once and for all. But her right to participate in the ceremony is denied by the king of giants, which is the last straw for Lena. She sets out on a brave journey to fulfill her true destiny.
Jin is the first young genie in thousands of years. Like every young genie before him, he has been put into the service of a human to learn humility. But Jin serves King Midas, a very un-humble and greedy man eager to exploit the full extent of Jin's cosmic power for his own gain in his quest to conquer the Cursed Kingdom. When Jin is sent to steal the Spark for Midas's use, his actions set off a war between giants and humans.
Lena is caught in the middle of the conflict and between two worlds, determined to save both. But she can't do it alone. Can Lena convince Jin to put their differences aside and work together for a greater good?
Lena, has always stood out from the rest of her family of giants because of her tiny size. Unfortunately for her, a tiny giant looks just like a regular human...and giants hate humans. Lena has been forced to mask her true size by using a growth ring, which allows her to grow tall enough to blend in with other giants. But she has never outgrown her wish things could change and she could be accepted for who she really is. So when the time comes for her to attend a special ceremony for giant children and to touch the Spark, a powerful source of giant magic, she believes the time has also come for her true self to be revealed to her peers, once and for all. But her right to participate in the ceremony is denied by the king of giants, which is the last straw for Lena. She sets out on a brave journey to fulfill her true destiny.
Jin is the first young genie in thousands of years. Like every young genie before him, he has been put into the service of a human to learn humility. But Jin serves King Midas, a very un-humble and greedy man eager to exploit the full extent of Jin's cosmic power for his own gain in his quest to conquer the Cursed Kingdom. When Jin is sent to steal the Spark for Midas's use, his actions set off a war between giants and humans.
Lena is caught in the middle of the conflict and between two worlds, determined to save both. But she can't do it alone. Can Lena convince Jin to put their differences aside and work together for a greater good?
1 pages, Audio CD
Published April 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 4, 2022
Lena is small for a giant, but she is still ready to participate in her first Ritual of the Spark ceremony. However, when she does go, things don’t go the way she thought they would, and she finds herself running to visit her friends in the Cursed City. Meanwhile, Jin, a genie in training, finds himself on a mission for his current master, the Golden King. The king is trying to capture the Last Knight, the leaders of the rebels, and his current hiding place is supposed to be the Cursed City. What will happen when both Lena and Jin get there?
I’ve been reading author James Riley since his first book came out, and when I found out he was returning to that world for a new trilogy, I was thrilled. This book stands on its own, although there are a few references to things from the earlier books. We alternate chapters from Lena and Jin’s points-of-view, so we get to know them both well. I liked them and several of the other characters here. The further into the book I read, the more I was hooked on the story as the characters faced more obstacles. With that ending, I’m glad the next is coming out this fall. The target middle grade audience will love this series, and anyone looking for a fun take on familiar characters will be glad they picked it up no matter what their age.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’ve been reading author James Riley since his first book came out, and when I found out he was returning to that world for a new trilogy, I was thrilled. This book stands on its own, although there are a few references to things from the earlier books. We alternate chapters from Lena and Jin’s points-of-view, so we get to know them both well. I liked them and several of the other characters here. The further into the book I read, the more I was hooked on the story as the characters faced more obstacles. With that ending, I’m glad the next is coming out this fall. The target middle grade audience will love this series, and anyone looking for a fun take on familiar characters will be glad they picked it up no matter what their age.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
August 19, 2022
Cute. Action packed. Magically thrilling. Cliff hanger ending.
July 15, 2022
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.*
Lena held her breath as she slipped beneath a door that was easily one hundred feet tall and caught sight of the giant, snoring loudly in the kitchen as a fire flickered in the dim light.
- first line
Verdict: I loved this book as much as the original Half Upon a Time series. It’s clever, fast paced and twisty. I can’t wait to read book 2 and hopefully find out more of the truth about the Golden King and the Last Knight. With Riley, good and evil are never as clear-cut as you might think.
The story alternates between Lena and Jin’s POV. At five and half feet tall, 12-year-old Lena is short for a giant. She has to hide her secret from the giant community because they might not accept her. Lena tries to be herself, but when her secret is revealed, she escapes to her friends in the Cursed City. The Cursed City is filled with characters from other fairy tales that readers will find familiar. Jin is a genie who is bound to the Golden King. Jin doesn’t have access to his full powers until he does something selfless and learns humility. Jin is frustrated by the restraints placed on him and feels he is entitled to his full powers. Jin hates the Golden King and longs for him to use his second and third wishes. It won’t be hard for readers to figure out who the Golden King is (if they know fairy tales).
My favorite character is Luna’s cat, Rufus, who is a fraidy cat who tries very hard to be brave. Overall I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fans of fractured fairy tales and readers who enjoy books by Chris Colfer and Liesl Shurtliff.
Lena held her breath as she slipped beneath a door that was easily one hundred feet tall and caught sight of the giant, snoring loudly in the kitchen as a fire flickered in the dim light.
- first line
Verdict: I loved this book as much as the original Half Upon a Time series. It’s clever, fast paced and twisty. I can’t wait to read book 2 and hopefully find out more of the truth about the Golden King and the Last Knight. With Riley, good and evil are never as clear-cut as you might think.
The story alternates between Lena and Jin’s POV. At five and half feet tall, 12-year-old Lena is short for a giant. She has to hide her secret from the giant community because they might not accept her. Lena tries to be herself, but when her secret is revealed, she escapes to her friends in the Cursed City. The Cursed City is filled with characters from other fairy tales that readers will find familiar. Jin is a genie who is bound to the Golden King. Jin doesn’t have access to his full powers until he does something selfless and learns humility. Jin is frustrated by the restraints placed on him and feels he is entitled to his full powers. Jin hates the Golden King and longs for him to use his second and third wishes. It won’t be hard for readers to figure out who the Golden King is (if they know fairy tales).
My favorite character is Luna’s cat, Rufus, who is a fraidy cat who tries very hard to be brave. Overall I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fans of fractured fairy tales and readers who enjoy books by Chris Colfer and Liesl Shurtliff.
April 5, 2023
I love when I get to come back to my favorite genre: middle grade fairy tale. This book takes place in the same world as one of James Riley's other series, and it was so fun to revisit that world again! This book ties in with those books, but I read them so long ago that I definitely do not remember what happened in them, haha. I could tell when this book was referencing the Half Upon a Time series, but there were times when I just couldn't remember the reference. Anyway, you don't need to read Half Upon a Time to read this book, but the connections are cool.
I liked this book because all of the characters were great. The witty banter between Jin and the Cosmic Knowledge is comedy GOLD. And Lena is just so relatable and funny as well. Also, her animal companion is a cat, which I LOVED. It's always the villain that has a pet cat, and it was nice to see the hero have a pet cat for a change. So yeah I can't wait to read the next one.
The one thing about this book that kept me from giving it five stars is that the ending was kind of chaotic and confusing, and everything kind of tied up weirdly. I'm not really sure what is happening, which is, I guess, part of the reason why I want to read the next one.
But overall this was really good! I have always been a fan of James Riley.
I liked this book because all of the characters were great. The witty banter between Jin and the Cosmic Knowledge is comedy GOLD. And Lena is just so relatable and funny as well. Also, her animal companion is a cat, which I LOVED. It's always the villain that has a pet cat, and it was nice to see the hero have a pet cat for a change. So yeah I can't wait to read the next one.
The one thing about this book that kept me from giving it five stars is that the ending was kind of chaotic and confusing, and everything kind of tied up weirdly. I'm not really sure what is happening, which is, I guess, part of the reason why I want to read the next one.
But overall this was really good! I have always been a fan of James Riley.
May 10, 2024
While I understand that this is middle grade and I am not the target audience, this book was just missing something. I don't quite know what it was though. I do have to mention that I didn't like Lena. She was so abrasive and went around hitting and punching EVERYTHING. I am just not fond of that behavior.
3 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
3 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
August 20, 2022
I liked the premise of the book. But I really had difficulties liking the story. Perhaps I should have read the other series’ by this author first. Although this story is supposed to be a first in a new series.
To be fair, many of the sentences were a paragraph long and I kept losing my train of thought frequently. Perhaps that’s my problem.
To be fair, many of the sentences were a paragraph long and I kept losing my train of thought frequently. Perhaps that’s my problem.
December 12, 2021
This book is a followup to the Half upon a Time series and makes two very different characters the main foci of its installment.
Jin is a human-hating genie with a serious chip on his shoulder. Lena is a giant who’s determined to be seen as a giant…except she’s the wrong size. She looks like a 12-year-old human girl (albeit one who’s tall for her age) but she’s determined to take her place in the giant world.
Both have something to prove, to gain and to lose. They have WANT, which many writers will tell you is a vital engine in storytelling. Jin wants to be free of the human world and gain access to the mighty power he thinks is his by birthright. He chafes under what he considers to be restrictive rules that limit his magical abilities. He thinks it’s mightily unfair that he has to prove himself with a selfless deed—all because some magic mirror nearly caused worldwide destruction centuries ago. What does that have to do with him?!
Lena is a far kinder individual but she, too, thinks the cards she’s been dealt are grossly unfair. She’s a giant. Why won’t her parents and the giant king let her be one? She also hates hiding who she really is. Her human friends are afraid of the huge beings who nearly crushed them and giants see humans as being murderous, thieving bandits—like that no-good Jack who climbed a beanstalk. After the giant’s wife showed him hospitality and hid the boy from her husband, Jack repaid her kindness by stealing from his host and killing the giant for good measure. Because of their prejudice, Lena must hide her association with giants from her human friends and hide her giant parentage from her human allies. What a nightmare!
Once again, James turns fairy tale tropes inside out, letting us know that there are two sides to every story and that the bad guys aren’t always the ones grasping for power or turning people into statues. He brings us adventure, humor, magical battles, questions of morality, the annoyances of love at first sight and unexpected plot twists.
Just what does the Last Knight really want? What is that irritating voice constantly babbling in Jin’s head? Who is the mysterious ghost haunting Jin? Is the Golden King really evil or is he being manipulated by outside forces? Read this book for all these puzzling questions and wait for the sequel. Or perhaps re-read the first three books for a refresher. That’s the great thing about Mr. Riley: he keeps you riveted.
Jin is a human-hating genie with a serious chip on his shoulder. Lena is a giant who’s determined to be seen as a giant…except she’s the wrong size. She looks like a 12-year-old human girl (albeit one who’s tall for her age) but she’s determined to take her place in the giant world.
Both have something to prove, to gain and to lose. They have WANT, which many writers will tell you is a vital engine in storytelling. Jin wants to be free of the human world and gain access to the mighty power he thinks is his by birthright. He chafes under what he considers to be restrictive rules that limit his magical abilities. He thinks it’s mightily unfair that he has to prove himself with a selfless deed—all because some magic mirror nearly caused worldwide destruction centuries ago. What does that have to do with him?!
Lena is a far kinder individual but she, too, thinks the cards she’s been dealt are grossly unfair. She’s a giant. Why won’t her parents and the giant king let her be one? She also hates hiding who she really is. Her human friends are afraid of the huge beings who nearly crushed them and giants see humans as being murderous, thieving bandits—like that no-good Jack who climbed a beanstalk. After the giant’s wife showed him hospitality and hid the boy from her husband, Jack repaid her kindness by stealing from his host and killing the giant for good measure. Because of their prejudice, Lena must hide her association with giants from her human friends and hide her giant parentage from her human allies. What a nightmare!
Once again, James turns fairy tale tropes inside out, letting us know that there are two sides to every story and that the bad guys aren’t always the ones grasping for power or turning people into statues. He brings us adventure, humor, magical battles, questions of morality, the annoyances of love at first sight and unexpected plot twists.
Just what does the Last Knight really want? What is that irritating voice constantly babbling in Jin’s head? Who is the mysterious ghost haunting Jin? Is the Golden King really evil or is he being manipulated by outside forces? Read this book for all these puzzling questions and wait for the sequel. Or perhaps re-read the first three books for a refresher. That’s the great thing about Mr. Riley: he keeps you riveted.
May 30, 2022
Lena knows that she's a giant at heart, but at only 6 feet tall, she's one of the smallest giants who's ever lived. Jin, on the other hand, is meant to be an all-powerful genie, but until he can prove himself to be humble and selfless, the rules won't let him access his ultimate powers. Due to a certain greedy king, the two of them find themselves on the opposite sides of a complicated battle. Since all sorts of fairy tale characters are involved, it's no wonder things get chaotic. If these characters can find their true selves and solve the mysteries of the magical objects they find, perhaps it won't be too late to save everyone they care about from certain destruction.
This is a humorous and past-paced story full of familiar characters. There's a bit of nonsense and chaos sprinkled in for good measure. I was disconcerted by how much evil and hopelessness there is in this story, despite being a funny tale full of quirky magic. I was about 10 pages from the end, wishing that there were a simple answer but knowing that there was no way everything could be resolved in time. It's not a true cliffhanger (thank goodness!) but the ending didn't make all that much sense and left me with more questions than answers. I liked the story, but it was so fast-paced that I didn't get much chance to get to know the characters. This is fine for a book in this style, but it doesn't suit my personal tastes. I hope it finds its way into the hands of kids who like a quick silly adventure full of mysterious shadows, nonsensical riots, unexplained powers, and surprising magical objects.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aladdin books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This is a humorous and past-paced story full of familiar characters. There's a bit of nonsense and chaos sprinkled in for good measure. I was disconcerted by how much evil and hopelessness there is in this story, despite being a funny tale full of quirky magic. I was about 10 pages from the end, wishing that there were a simple answer but knowing that there was no way everything could be resolved in time. It's not a true cliffhanger (thank goodness!) but the ending didn't make all that much sense and left me with more questions than answers. I liked the story, but it was so fast-paced that I didn't get much chance to get to know the characters. This is fine for a book in this style, but it doesn't suit my personal tastes. I hope it finds its way into the hands of kids who like a quick silly adventure full of mysterious shadows, nonsensical riots, unexplained powers, and surprising magical objects.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aladdin books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 6, 2023
3.5 stars
My feelings about this book are a jumbled-up mess. Without further ado, I present my fractured thoughts.
The premise was good all around, but for some reason, I couldn't get into it. Tiny giants (ha, oxymoron) and genies are both creative additions to a saturated fantasy genre. An interesting cast of lesser-known fairytale creatures add humor to a rebel town besieged by the tyrannical Golden King, or as we might know him, Midas. A magic artifact with mysterious powers can heal a person or destroy the world. Unfortunately, it all felt a bit random and not fleshed out enough. I rounded my rating down because I think I would have enjoyed it considerably less if I hadn't just re-read the Half Upon A Time trilogy (which is amazing) and understood all the references. I appreciated these, but the world felt very different than the original. Almost more whimsical. Yes, the Half Upon a Time series was also magical and sarcastic, but I felt the stakes more as well. It had grit. Luckily, the end of this book has left the door open for more exploration of this world and some mysterious shadowy happenings.
Lena is a good character, but I never connected to her. Born to two giants who live in the clouds, Lena is an anomaly because she's not giant—she's human-sized. Despite this, Lena is never insecure about who she is. She likes being small and she also likes being a giant. It is never a contradiction for her. Unfortunately, her parents want to keep her height hidden, and for good reason: giants, especially the giant king, hate humans, and, well, vice-versa. Lena is characterized as being very headstrong and resilient. Physically, she is incredibly strong and not afraid to face her giants (haha), but I didn't necessarily like her. I can't really explain why. Beyond the surface-level desire to be accepted, I did not understand her motivations. She definitely experiences development, but it felt but it all felt a bit forced and inorganic to me. I knew where that character arc was heading from the beginning.
Jin was a much more interesting character to me. In line with some of James Riley's other characters, he is snarky and sarcastic. He also has questionable morals, which makes him an intriguing character to follow. Because he is a young genie, Jin must spend time fulfilling wishes for humans to learn humility, something that Jin is not sure he needs. Unfortunately, Jin's human master is the Golden King, a tyrannical ruler who turns his political opponents to gold with a touch of his magic gauntlet (and a pretty good backstory). Jin, in being mostly concerned with fulfilling his three wishes and getting free of him, is not afraid to serve his master through questionable means, even though he despises the man. Jin's "ultimate cosmic knowledge" is a side character in itself, posing as a benevolent but sometimes mischievous foil who tries to encourage Jin to grow in his humility and morality. The inner exchanges between Jin and his knowledge are the funniest part of the book and pose as a clever way to reveal Jin's thought processes and details about the world. Jin also experiences some character development but definitely has room to grow in future installments.
The relationship between Lena and Jin was not what I was expecting. I really thought that the two would meet and become companions despite their differing goals. Though their meeting results in the final conflict and their paths intertwine throughout the second half, they never actually get to know one another. Because they each find out the other's secret without developing any sort of relationship first, I felt that there was a missed opportunity for conflict and mutual growth.
Side characters were not as engaging. None of the denizens of the Cursed City enraptured me, mostly because they get very little page time. I thought Mrs. Hubbard, especially, who Lena continuously references, should have had more development. I barely knew who the woman was. I did enjoy Rufus, Lena's giant pet cat, even though it took me embarrassingly long for me to realize he was supposed to be like Puss in Boots. Unswervingly loyal despite his scaredy-cat and slightly clumsy nature, Rufus was very endearing. I would give him all the treats.
One good thing, though: James Riley knows how to write an intriguing ending, especially for fans of Half Upon A Time. My spoiler-ridden reaction follows.
Not my favorite book, but I believe in the power of James Riley's writing. I am also very excited about the revelations at the end. I will definitely be reading the next one!
My feelings about this book are a jumbled-up mess. Without further ado, I present my fractured thoughts.
The premise was good all around, but for some reason, I couldn't get into it. Tiny giants (ha, oxymoron) and genies are both creative additions to a saturated fantasy genre. An interesting cast of lesser-known fairytale creatures add humor to a rebel town besieged by the tyrannical Golden King, or as we might know him, Midas. A magic artifact with mysterious powers can heal a person or destroy the world. Unfortunately, it all felt a bit random and not fleshed out enough. I rounded my rating down because I think I would have enjoyed it considerably less if I hadn't just re-read the Half Upon A Time trilogy (which is amazing) and understood all the references. I appreciated these, but the world felt very different than the original. Almost more whimsical. Yes, the Half Upon a Time series was also magical and sarcastic, but I felt the stakes more as well. It had grit. Luckily, the end of this book has left the door open for more exploration of this world and some mysterious shadowy happenings.
Lena is a good character, but I never connected to her. Born to two giants who live in the clouds, Lena is an anomaly because she's not giant—she's human-sized. Despite this, Lena is never insecure about who she is. She likes being small and she also likes being a giant. It is never a contradiction for her. Unfortunately, her parents want to keep her height hidden, and for good reason: giants, especially the giant king, hate humans, and, well, vice-versa. Lena is characterized as being very headstrong and resilient. Physically, she is incredibly strong and not afraid to face her giants (haha), but I didn't necessarily like her. I can't really explain why. Beyond the surface-level desire to be accepted, I did not understand her motivations. She definitely experiences development, but it felt but it all felt a bit forced and inorganic to me. I knew where that character arc was heading from the beginning.
Jin was a much more interesting character to me. In line with some of James Riley's other characters, he is snarky and sarcastic. He also has questionable morals, which makes him an intriguing character to follow. Because he is a young genie, Jin must spend time fulfilling wishes for humans to learn humility, something that Jin is not sure he needs. Unfortunately, Jin's human master is the Golden King, a tyrannical ruler who turns his political opponents to gold with a touch of his magic gauntlet (and a pretty good backstory). Jin, in being mostly concerned with fulfilling his three wishes and getting free of him, is not afraid to serve his master through questionable means, even though he despises the man. Jin's "ultimate cosmic knowledge" is a side character in itself, posing as a benevolent but sometimes mischievous foil who tries to encourage Jin to grow in his humility and morality. The inner exchanges between Jin and his knowledge are the funniest part of the book and pose as a clever way to reveal Jin's thought processes and details about the world. Jin also experiences some character development but definitely has room to grow in future installments.
The relationship between Lena and Jin was not what I was expecting. I really thought that the two would meet and become companions despite their differing goals. Though their meeting results in the final conflict and their paths intertwine throughout the second half, they never actually get to know one another. Because they each find out the other's secret without developing any sort of relationship first, I felt that there was a missed opportunity for conflict and mutual growth.
Side characters were not as engaging. None of the denizens of the Cursed City enraptured me, mostly because they get very little page time. I thought Mrs. Hubbard, especially, who Lena continuously references, should have had more development. I barely knew who the woman was. I did enjoy Rufus, Lena's giant pet cat, even though it took me embarrassingly long for me to realize he was supposed to be like Puss in Boots. Unswervingly loyal despite his scaredy-cat and slightly clumsy nature, Rufus was very endearing. I would give him all the treats.
One good thing, though: James Riley knows how to write an intriguing ending, especially for fans of Half Upon A Time. My spoiler-ridden reaction follows.
Not my favorite book, but I believe in the power of James Riley's writing. I am also very excited about the revelations at the end. I will definitely be reading the next one!
February 6, 2023
I have not been this hurt by the ending of a book since Rick Riordan dangled his main characters off a cliff over the edge of Greek mythology's hell.
James Riley, congratulations, but also, I don't need your sad tromboning in the acknowledgements (though the sentiment is appreciated). I just really need Books A Million to have the next book in stock, like right now, because my library doesn't have it and I also I would like to own so I could throw it across the room and not feel guilty.
hahahahaha guys i'm totally fine everything is great this book won't ruin your life at all ahahahaha
also p.s books a million doesn't have a copy in my area please i want to screech
James Riley, congratulations, but also, I don't need your sad tromboning in the acknowledgements (though the sentiment is appreciated). I just really need Books A Million to have the next book in stock, like right now, because my library doesn't have it and I also I would like to own so I could throw it across the room and not feel guilty.
hahahahaha guys i'm totally fine everything is great this book won't ruin your life at all ahahahaha
also p.s books a million doesn't have a copy in my area please i want to screech
July 26, 2022
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Overall
I’ve previously read James Riley’s The Revenge of Magic series and really enjoyed that. Plus, I love twisted fairy tales and seeing what unique, different things authors can come up with for known tropes and characters. So of course I was always going to pick up this book! The fact that there’s a strong-looking female character on the cover doesn’t hurt, too, especially in middle grade books. Yes to strong female leads!
Once Upon Another Time is a twisted fairy tale featuring a giant and a genie, both who have lots of personal growth to do. This book is filled with adventure, humor, fun characters, and an incredibly unique twist to familiar tropes.
This book was so incredibly fun. As I said, I’m a fan of twisted fairy tales in general, but Riley does some fun, unexpected things with these beloved characters. I was constantly guessing who was going to appear next or in what context, and I was always pleasantly surprised! There were times when things were settled a little easily or a little too simple, but given the target audience (and the basis on fairy tales), this makes sense. I doubt middle grade readers will even notice after being swept into this adventure.
My Thoughts
- The lead character in Once Upon Another Time is a strong (literally!) female character named Lena, who is a tiny giant grappling with where she belongs and who she really is. If that’s not the most relatable sentence I could type, I don’t know what is. The reason I love Lena so much is really twofold.
First, she’s strong—more than just physically (but also that—remember, giant!). Lena doesn’t back down from the difficult things, and she’s always throwing herself in the fray to protect others. She’s got a very strong moral code about what’s right and what’s wrong, though over the course of this book, as the line between the two blurs, she starts to question some of what she thought she knew.
Second, Lena is absolutely out there trying to be her best self . . . she’s just not entirely sure what that means just yet. Lena is very tall . . . for a human 12-year-old. For a giant, though? She’s tiny. Worse, the bad blood between the humans and the giants means that she doesn’t really fit in either place. She’s too short to be considered a giant (even though she is), but if the humans found out she was a giant, they would be afraid of her (or so she’s been told, even if she doesn’t necessarily believe it). As someone who’s biracial, I really related to this struggle of finding a place to fit in! Part of Lena’s journey is really discovering who she is and who she wants to be.
- The secondary main character is a genie named Jin, and he’s a hot mess, but I absolutely love him anyway. As far as genies go, Jin’s really just a baby. His whole 12 years of existence doesn’t really stack up against the thousands that lay before him. Just like human children, though, genie children need to learn. Sometimes the hard way. In order to teach him humility, Jin has been bound to an item and forced to grant wishes for humans for 1,000 years or until he learns humility, whichever comes first. Most people seem to be betting on the millennia.
Jin is absolutely a hot mess, but that’s sort of the point. He’s extremely sarcastic (which, okay, I love and I’m not going to pretend otherwise) and entirely selfish. Not only does he not have humility, but he thinks he shouldn’t need to do anything for anyone else if it inconveniences him.
Jin also happens to be able to tap into the cosmic knowledge, which in this case is actually an entity that all genies have access to. Jin’s access is limited, because the whole point is for him to learn and not be handed all the knowledge of the universe. Which he does. Slowly and painfully. His arc is fun because he’s easy to dislike from the very beginning, so it’s easy to see where he can stand to grow. That makes it all the more satisfying when he finally does, even a little bit!
- Riley takes familiar stories and characters from fairy tales and twists them in the most delightful way, always with some fun surprises or in a way that subverts expectations. I don’t want to say too much about this, because that’s sort of the point of subverted expectations. Needless to say, this book is filled with characters that you will recognize but which aren’t quite the way you remember! Puss in Boots, for example, is actually Lena’s cat, who is large enough for her to ride on (which is awesome and I want one) and wears Seven-League Boots (which you may or may not recognize as well).
Part of the fun of this book (other than the sarcasm and adventure, of course) was seeing this reimagining of beloved characters in ways that felt surprising and new, yet still familiar. I can’t wait for the next book to see who else we might discover (especially since there have already been hints at a much larger force at work here!).
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Overall
I’ve previously read James Riley’s The Revenge of Magic series and really enjoyed that. Plus, I love twisted fairy tales and seeing what unique, different things authors can come up with for known tropes and characters. So of course I was always going to pick up this book! The fact that there’s a strong-looking female character on the cover doesn’t hurt, too, especially in middle grade books. Yes to strong female leads!
Once Upon Another Time is a twisted fairy tale featuring a giant and a genie, both who have lots of personal growth to do. This book is filled with adventure, humor, fun characters, and an incredibly unique twist to familiar tropes.
This book was so incredibly fun. As I said, I’m a fan of twisted fairy tales in general, but Riley does some fun, unexpected things with these beloved characters. I was constantly guessing who was going to appear next or in what context, and I was always pleasantly surprised! There were times when things were settled a little easily or a little too simple, but given the target audience (and the basis on fairy tales), this makes sense. I doubt middle grade readers will even notice after being swept into this adventure.
My Thoughts
- The lead character in Once Upon Another Time is a strong (literally!) female character named Lena, who is a tiny giant grappling with where she belongs and who she really is. If that’s not the most relatable sentence I could type, I don’t know what is. The reason I love Lena so much is really twofold.
First, she’s strong—more than just physically (but also that—remember, giant!). Lena doesn’t back down from the difficult things, and she’s always throwing herself in the fray to protect others. She’s got a very strong moral code about what’s right and what’s wrong, though over the course of this book, as the line between the two blurs, she starts to question some of what she thought she knew.
Second, Lena is absolutely out there trying to be her best self . . . she’s just not entirely sure what that means just yet. Lena is very tall . . . for a human 12-year-old. For a giant, though? She’s tiny. Worse, the bad blood between the humans and the giants means that she doesn’t really fit in either place. She’s too short to be considered a giant (even though she is), but if the humans found out she was a giant, they would be afraid of her (or so she’s been told, even if she doesn’t necessarily believe it). As someone who’s biracial, I really related to this struggle of finding a place to fit in! Part of Lena’s journey is really discovering who she is and who she wants to be.
- The secondary main character is a genie named Jin, and he’s a hot mess, but I absolutely love him anyway. As far as genies go, Jin’s really just a baby. His whole 12 years of existence doesn’t really stack up against the thousands that lay before him. Just like human children, though, genie children need to learn. Sometimes the hard way. In order to teach him humility, Jin has been bound to an item and forced to grant wishes for humans for 1,000 years or until he learns humility, whichever comes first. Most people seem to be betting on the millennia.
Jin is absolutely a hot mess, but that’s sort of the point. He’s extremely sarcastic (which, okay, I love and I’m not going to pretend otherwise) and entirely selfish. Not only does he not have humility, but he thinks he shouldn’t need to do anything for anyone else if it inconveniences him.
Jin also happens to be able to tap into the cosmic knowledge, which in this case is actually an entity that all genies have access to. Jin’s access is limited, because the whole point is for him to learn and not be handed all the knowledge of the universe. Which he does. Slowly and painfully. His arc is fun because he’s easy to dislike from the very beginning, so it’s easy to see where he can stand to grow. That makes it all the more satisfying when he finally does, even a little bit!
- Riley takes familiar stories and characters from fairy tales and twists them in the most delightful way, always with some fun surprises or in a way that subverts expectations. I don’t want to say too much about this, because that’s sort of the point of subverted expectations. Needless to say, this book is filled with characters that you will recognize but which aren’t quite the way you remember! Puss in Boots, for example, is actually Lena’s cat, who is large enough for her to ride on (which is awesome and I want one) and wears Seven-League Boots (which you may or may not recognize as well).
Part of the fun of this book (other than the sarcasm and adventure, of course) was seeing this reimagining of beloved characters in ways that felt surprising and new, yet still familiar. I can’t wait for the next book to see who else we might discover (especially since there have already been hints at a much larger force at work here!).
July 22, 2022
I will first preface by saying that I love the Half Upon a Time series. I am a teacher and read it to my students' every year. I was so excited to see that James Riley had written another fractured fairytale book. I had to keep reading because I felt like I needed to know what happened, but now I have to wait until the next book comes out.
The author points out in his notes at the end that the reader doesn't have to be familiar with the Half Upon a Time series to enjoy this book, but I do think it would be a good idea not only because the reader will have a better idea of some of the world and its characters, but also because I feel that you will get even more enjoyment seeing some familiar faces come back into play.
This book introduces two new characters, Lena and Jin. Lena is a giant who is only human-sized. This issue sets a lot of this story into play. Jin is a genie in training, who is currently serving humans for over 1,000 years until he can gain his true power. One thing I really like about both of these characters is that they are flawed. Lena, though in the story shows that she cares deeply for others and has a good sense of right and wrong, does have some struggles with controlling rage and anger. I am interested to see how this plays out later. Jin's personality reminds me a lot of Jack, with the attitude and sarcasm. He has to learn humility and is really struggling with that. Normally, we like our heroes to be humble, so I think it will be interesting to watch Jin learn about true humility and selflessness and see what he will (hopefully) eventually do to prove that.
I read the Half Upon a Time series to my third-grade students as our class read aloud. I recommend the series as a read-aloud book beause that way the teacher can guide the students through ideas or concepts that may be tricky for them to identify and understand, especially if they are not the strongest readers (i.e. sarcasm, perspective). I would recommend the same thing for this story. If a student is older, or a higher reader, then I think they would be fine reading it independently.
The author points out in his notes at the end that the reader doesn't have to be familiar with the Half Upon a Time series to enjoy this book, but I do think it would be a good idea not only because the reader will have a better idea of some of the world and its characters, but also because I feel that you will get even more enjoyment seeing some familiar faces come back into play.
This book introduces two new characters, Lena and Jin. Lena is a giant who is only human-sized. This issue sets a lot of this story into play. Jin is a genie in training, who is currently serving humans for over 1,000 years until he can gain his true power. One thing I really like about both of these characters is that they are flawed. Lena, though in the story shows that she cares deeply for others and has a good sense of right and wrong, does have some struggles with controlling rage and anger. I am interested to see how this plays out later. Jin's personality reminds me a lot of Jack, with the attitude and sarcasm. He has to learn humility and is really struggling with that. Normally, we like our heroes to be humble, so I think it will be interesting to watch Jin learn about true humility and selflessness and see what he will (hopefully) eventually do to prove that.
I read the Half Upon a Time series to my third-grade students as our class read aloud. I recommend the series as a read-aloud book beause that way the teacher can guide the students through ideas or concepts that may be tricky for them to identify and understand, especially if they are not the strongest readers (i.e. sarcasm, perspective). I would recommend the same thing for this story. If a student is older, or a higher reader, then I think they would be fine reading it independently.
September 22, 2022
A sort of sideways sequel to the Half Upon A Time series, Once Upon Another Time follows Lena, a human-sized 12-year old girl whose parents are giants. Anyway, she's grown up in seclusion because she doesn't look like a giant and is struggling to find her place among her people, particularly when the humans that she sneaks off to meet down below are far more friendly to her. Things go rather for the worse when at the ceremony where all young giants are given their descriptive names (you know so-and-so "the such-and-such") she's driven off by the human-hating King of the Giants and runs away to the human lands below. Unfortunately, not all is well down below, as there's a real jerk with a glove that turns anything it touches into Gold who's set himself up as King and is eagerly crushing anyone who gets in his way, of whom few remain, mostly Lena's friends, who are protected inside a city guarded by magic, particularly the mysterious Last Knight who wields the Sword of an Eye of the former Wicked Queen, and is basically a one-man resistance force dedicated to overthrowing the Golden King. That is easier said than done though as apart from his Golden Touch, the King also wears the ring of a genie, our second protagonist Jin, who is a very young genie and has been sent to the human world by the ancient Ifrits in order to learn humility, in hopes that he won't turn out to be a murderous megalomaniacal all-powerful psychopath. So far it isn't working out terribly well. For one thing his ring got picked up by pretty much the worst possible person and for another the only thing he seems to be learning is a detached distaste for humanity in general.
As a follow-up to the Half Upon A Time series, Once Upon Another Time is pretty good though it doesn't exactly knock it out of the park. I liked the new protagonists for the most part (and Rufus Lena's talking giant cat who wears 7 league boots and The Invisible Cloud of Hate are both lots of fun whenever they're around). I didn't think the opening provided as effective a hook as that of the previous series as the personal stakes just don't seem as high (Lena trying to find a place to belong, Jin frustrated that he's forced to learn humility vs. "OMG there's a magical world and monsters from there just kidnapped my grandmother!"); however, James Riley still has a lot of fun bashing together a whole slew of fairy tales (Thumbelina, Midas, Aladdin, Puss in Boots, and a bunch of Mother Goose stuff), and while I didn't have as many laugh-out-loud moments as in Half Upon A Time (I mean, the first couple chapters with Jack and his grandpa and the villagers are hilarious, and while there's some good stuff here, it's just not as irreverently funny for the most part) it was still entertaining and by the end of the story things had begun to take some interesting twists (including growing connections to the first series), which have me intrigued about book 2 (which, amusingly enough, came out today...).
As a follow-up to the Half Upon A Time series, Once Upon Another Time is pretty good though it doesn't exactly knock it out of the park. I liked the new protagonists for the most part (and Rufus Lena's talking giant cat who wears 7 league boots and The Invisible Cloud of Hate are both lots of fun whenever they're around). I didn't think the opening provided as effective a hook as that of the previous series as the personal stakes just don't seem as high (Lena trying to find a place to belong, Jin frustrated that he's forced to learn humility vs. "OMG there's a magical world and monsters from there just kidnapped my grandmother!"); however, James Riley still has a lot of fun bashing together a whole slew of fairy tales (Thumbelina, Midas, Aladdin, Puss in Boots, and a bunch of Mother Goose stuff), and while I didn't have as many laugh-out-loud moments as in Half Upon A Time (I mean, the first couple chapters with Jack and his grandpa and the villagers are hilarious, and while there's some good stuff here, it's just not as irreverently funny for the most part) it was still entertaining and by the end of the story things had begun to take some interesting twists (including growing connections to the first series), which have me intrigued about book 2 (which, amusingly enough, came out today...).
July 21, 2025
Spoiler free, TLDR review: Alright kids book if you've already read Riley's other series or fairytale amalgamations. I wouldn't buy it for my own library but it's clean and paced well enough for children. NOTE: some content warnings I've heard about later in the series for children/romance. Good thing to review before getting too invested with your kids.
Spoiler-riddled review:
Things done well: I liked the two characters (Lena and Jin). They had very distinct voices and interesting goals. While Jin was a little crush-y for my own taste (I get that he's twelve but it just wasn't my thing), his snark and relationship with the wealth of the universe's knowledge was cool. They both had fun motivations.
On the fence/Room for growth: I was just bored. That's my fault; I picked up a middle-grade book about fairy tales that is technically the first installment of the second series, which is never a recipe for success. So that was my bad. The cover is kind of gross, to be totally shallow. I felt like we aren't really given any time with either the townspeople or the giants to care if either is destroyed. The stakes were kind of high (end of the world just doesn't hit like it used to), the king was mostly threatening, and Jin's workarounds for the wishes were interestingly painful (come on, BE COVERT WHILE HE'S STANDING RIGHT THERE). It wasn't for me, but I can see the charm.
I also recognize that I'm coming in to a series with a lot going on in the background (never read a James Riley book before so I wasn't expecting it). That's not a bad thing by any means, and my little author heart is so happy for Riley being able to keep his characters going. For a series many will read on its own, though, the final page was a liiiiitle "plug the merch," if you get what I mean. Not a bad thing. Just something I noticed.
Main character: Lena and Jin were the most interesting characters. There weren't many others I cared about. The cat was fun; it's fun to have a cat be dopey rather than smart and cunning like other forms of media. I had a hiccup, though; the narration described Rufus as the size of a horse in the first few chapters. My brain somehow morphed Rufus into a cat/horse hybrid, and I spent the entire novel constantly reminding myself that Rufus was an ACTUAL cat, not some gangly mutant horse/cat.
Reason for rating: This was fine. I wasn't dazzled by the exposition drops or stilted dialogue, but kids' books will be kids' books.
Content Warnings (spiciness, swearing, etc.): No swearing, sex, etc., though there are a few mentions of swearing ("he swore") and snarky, sarcastic jokes. Very clean, but there are scenes where a twelve-year-old boy is tortured. This goes into quite a bit of detail. I also read that the third book includes some romance between pre-teen boys, so that's a thing to think about.
Book Club Adaptability: Easy read for kids and their parents.
Spoiler-riddled review:
Things done well: I liked the two characters (Lena and Jin). They had very distinct voices and interesting goals. While Jin was a little crush-y for my own taste (I get that he's twelve but it just wasn't my thing), his snark and relationship with the wealth of the universe's knowledge was cool. They both had fun motivations.
On the fence/Room for growth: I was just bored. That's my fault; I picked up a middle-grade book about fairy tales that is technically the first installment of the second series, which is never a recipe for success. So that was my bad. The cover is kind of gross, to be totally shallow. I felt like we aren't really given any time with either the townspeople or the giants to care if either is destroyed. The stakes were kind of high (end of the world just doesn't hit like it used to), the king was mostly threatening, and Jin's workarounds for the wishes were interestingly painful (come on, BE COVERT WHILE HE'S STANDING RIGHT THERE). It wasn't for me, but I can see the charm.
I also recognize that I'm coming in to a series with a lot going on in the background (never read a James Riley book before so I wasn't expecting it). That's not a bad thing by any means, and my little author heart is so happy for Riley being able to keep his characters going. For a series many will read on its own, though, the final page was a liiiiitle "plug the merch," if you get what I mean. Not a bad thing. Just something I noticed.
Main character: Lena and Jin were the most interesting characters. There weren't many others I cared about. The cat was fun; it's fun to have a cat be dopey rather than smart and cunning like other forms of media. I had a hiccup, though; the narration described Rufus as the size of a horse in the first few chapters. My brain somehow morphed Rufus into a cat/horse hybrid, and I spent the entire novel constantly reminding myself that Rufus was an ACTUAL cat, not some gangly mutant horse/cat.
Reason for rating: This was fine. I wasn't dazzled by the exposition drops or stilted dialogue, but kids' books will be kids' books.
Content Warnings (spiciness, swearing, etc.): No swearing, sex, etc., though there are a few mentions of swearing ("he swore") and snarky, sarcastic jokes. Very clean, but there are scenes where a twelve-year-old boy is tortured. This goes into quite a bit of detail. I also read that the third book includes some romance between pre-teen boys, so that's a thing to think about.
Book Club Adaptability: Easy read for kids and their parents.
May 21, 2022
Once Upon Another Time👑📜⚔️🎆
*This is my personal opinion and note that I haven't even finished this book. I wouldn't recommend this book, but don't be discouraged and read it to decide!*
Rating: 1
I'm the only one who gave this one star, but that's probably because everyone else finished it and I only read a third of it before I decided to DNF it. I had very high expectations for this book because most of James Riley books are amazing. This one just wasn't the right book for me. I know I didn't like Revenge of Magic that much-the first book-but then the series got really good and I loved it a lot. Right now I have lots of other books I want to move on to, so I decided to give up earlier.
First of all, the cover is ugly. Lena looks fine, but she's standing on a NOSE that's huge and it just disgusts me.
Second of all, the characters. The plot sounded interesting and the circumstances, but I gave up because of Lena and Jin. Lena was such a loud "rage-it-all" character. She punched things when she got mad, and was reckless and mad when things didn't go her way. I found her immature. Then there was Jin. He was a bit more interesting with his "Cosmic order" and being a genie instead of a giant that's tiny and stomps and screams... I get that Lena wants to be taller-I do too, but the way she makes choices and speaks to others is so annoying and strange. Jin was extremely selfish and sarcastic. I know that this selfishness will be a big part on his character growth-it'll turn into selflessness (hopefully), but I can't stand it right now. He's so sarcastic and proud and selfish. I think the genie order is right. He needs to find some humility-fast. The way he talks to the Cosmic order and other people makes him sound like he's going through a phase in puberty, if that even makes sense for a genie.
Three: The Dialogue. There was something off about the dialogue that really bothered me. It was immature and just off at certain points.
Four: The World. I actually thing the world was the best part in the story. This is the same world as his previous world, which is a big factor. It was creative, interesting, and full of lore and interesting circumstances. It was so original.
Five: I read ahead just to reassure myself this was going to get better. I don't think it really did from what I saw, although the plot twist at the end was pretty interesting.
Conclusion: I don't think it was very fair to just rate it one star and leave it like that forever-as if it really is that, but for now I don't want to continue this book. Hopefully after book 2 comes out, and possibly after book 3 and possible other books, I'll return to this one and give it a chance. Don't let this review discourage you from reading this! This is my personal opinion and I haven't even finished the book, so enter the world and discover how you feel about it!
*This is my personal opinion and note that I haven't even finished this book. I wouldn't recommend this book, but don't be discouraged and read it to decide!*
Rating: 1
I'm the only one who gave this one star, but that's probably because everyone else finished it and I only read a third of it before I decided to DNF it. I had very high expectations for this book because most of James Riley books are amazing. This one just wasn't the right book for me. I know I didn't like Revenge of Magic that much-the first book-but then the series got really good and I loved it a lot. Right now I have lots of other books I want to move on to, so I decided to give up earlier.
First of all, the cover is ugly. Lena looks fine, but she's standing on a NOSE that's huge and it just disgusts me.
Second of all, the characters. The plot sounded interesting and the circumstances, but I gave up because of Lena and Jin. Lena was such a loud "rage-it-all" character. She punched things when she got mad, and was reckless and mad when things didn't go her way. I found her immature. Then there was Jin. He was a bit more interesting with his "Cosmic order" and being a genie instead of a giant that's tiny and stomps and screams... I get that Lena wants to be taller-I do too, but the way she makes choices and speaks to others is so annoying and strange. Jin was extremely selfish and sarcastic. I know that this selfishness will be a big part on his character growth-it'll turn into selflessness (hopefully), but I can't stand it right now. He's so sarcastic and proud and selfish. I think the genie order is right. He needs to find some humility-fast. The way he talks to the Cosmic order and other people makes him sound like he's going through a phase in puberty, if that even makes sense for a genie.
Three: The Dialogue. There was something off about the dialogue that really bothered me. It was immature and just off at certain points.
Four: The World. I actually thing the world was the best part in the story. This is the same world as his previous world, which is a big factor. It was creative, interesting, and full of lore and interesting circumstances. It was so original.
Five: I read ahead just to reassure myself this was going to get better. I don't think it really did from what I saw, although the plot twist at the end was pretty interesting.
Conclusion: I don't think it was very fair to just rate it one star and leave it like that forever-as if it really is that, but for now I don't want to continue this book. Hopefully after book 2 comes out, and possibly after book 3 and possible other books, I'll return to this one and give it a chance. Don't let this review discourage you from reading this! This is my personal opinion and I haven't even finished the book, so enter the world and discover how you feel about it!
April 5, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Once Upon Another Time
Author: James Riley
Book Series: Once Upon Another Time Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, fantasy, retellings, fairytales
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Age Relevance: 7+ (prejudice, scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There is some scary moments in the book and prejudice is discussed.
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 321
Synopsis: Five and a half feet might seem pretty tall for a twelve-year-old, but it’s not when your parents are giants. Lena has kept the fact that she’s a tiny giant secret, using magic to grow when out in the giant village. But hiding who she is has always felt wrong, even though she knows the other giants might not accept her. Fortunately, Lena has friends down in the Cursed City who understand that looking different doesn’t make her less of a giant.
Someone who knows not to judge by appearances is Jin, a young genie currently serving one thousand and thirty-eight years of genie training that requires him to fulfill the wish of whoever holds his magical ring. In Jin’s case, it’s the power-hungry Golden King. At least the king only has two wishes left, one of which is for Jin to go to the Cursed City and capture its protector, the Last Knight—one of Lena’s closest friends.
What Lena and Jin don’t know is how close the Golden King’s plans are to coming together, between his dark magic and his horrible Faceless knights. If Jin does find the Last Knight and bring him to the Golden King, why, that could doom the entire fairy-tale world.
…This sounds like it’ll end badly, doesn’t it?
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I loved the mashup and twist on fairy tale tropes and this would be a fun book for younger readers! The book had some fun themes and it was overall a very fun read. The book also leaves you with lots of questions for the next book. The character development is good and the world building was great!
The only issues I had with the book is that the pacing is a bit wonky in places and it goes from fast to slow in some spots. The book also took a bit for me to get into.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Once Upon Another Time
Author: James Riley
Book Series: Once Upon Another Time Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: children’s readers, fantasy, retellings, fairytales
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Age Relevance: 7+ (prejudice, scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There is some scary moments in the book and prejudice is discussed.
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 321
Synopsis: Five and a half feet might seem pretty tall for a twelve-year-old, but it’s not when your parents are giants. Lena has kept the fact that she’s a tiny giant secret, using magic to grow when out in the giant village. But hiding who she is has always felt wrong, even though she knows the other giants might not accept her. Fortunately, Lena has friends down in the Cursed City who understand that looking different doesn’t make her less of a giant.
Someone who knows not to judge by appearances is Jin, a young genie currently serving one thousand and thirty-eight years of genie training that requires him to fulfill the wish of whoever holds his magical ring. In Jin’s case, it’s the power-hungry Golden King. At least the king only has two wishes left, one of which is for Jin to go to the Cursed City and capture its protector, the Last Knight—one of Lena’s closest friends.
What Lena and Jin don’t know is how close the Golden King’s plans are to coming together, between his dark magic and his horrible Faceless knights. If Jin does find the Last Knight and bring him to the Golden King, why, that could doom the entire fairy-tale world.
…This sounds like it’ll end badly, doesn’t it?
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I loved the mashup and twist on fairy tale tropes and this would be a fun book for younger readers! The book had some fun themes and it was overall a very fun read. The book also leaves you with lots of questions for the next book. The character development is good and the world building was great!
The only issues I had with the book is that the pacing is a bit wonky in places and it goes from fast to slow in some spots. The book also took a bit for me to get into.
Verdict: It was great!
September 21, 2022
The world of giants, genies and fairy tales gets flipped on its head in the most wondrous, unexpected ways and gives the word familiar an entirely new look.
Lena is a giant even if she's only five and a half feet tall. So far, she's been able to hide this from the giants, but if they find out the truth, they won't accept her. And humans don't trust her. When her secret comes out, she escapes to the Cursed City, where the search for her truth begins.
On the other hand, there's Jin, a genie, who hates humans and has a huge chip on his shoulder. He needs to learn humility to gain complete access to his powers, but he's a far way from learning that lesson. But at the moment, he's bound to the Golden King, anyway, and just wishes he would finally use his last two wishes so he could be free.
Both of these characters take charge of this book as the story is told by alternating between their points of view. This works well and never grows confusing, especially since the characters are so different. Lena is sweet and kind, while Jin is just a self-interested disaster. The two clash harshly, and that makes both so much more fun to get to know and like (although in Jin's case, it takes a bit for him to wear in).
The world is well-built, but then, it does carry the very familiar setting of fairy tales and other well-known stories. More than a couple well-known figures pop up, although these aren't exactly the way readers will have thought to have known them. It is fun to see how each one's been changed...and often in very surprising ways. Plus, there are a few reference to the author's early books, so well-read fans will smile at these nods and hints.
It's also a fast-paced read the entire way through and leaves with the desire to read book two...and that without a cliff-hanger ending. Fantasy fans and those who love to see new twists on old characters will enjoy diving into this world. I received a DRC and enjoyed the dive into the fairy tale realm.
Lena is a giant even if she's only five and a half feet tall. So far, she's been able to hide this from the giants, but if they find out the truth, they won't accept her. And humans don't trust her. When her secret comes out, she escapes to the Cursed City, where the search for her truth begins.
On the other hand, there's Jin, a genie, who hates humans and has a huge chip on his shoulder. He needs to learn humility to gain complete access to his powers, but he's a far way from learning that lesson. But at the moment, he's bound to the Golden King, anyway, and just wishes he would finally use his last two wishes so he could be free.
Both of these characters take charge of this book as the story is told by alternating between their points of view. This works well and never grows confusing, especially since the characters are so different. Lena is sweet and kind, while Jin is just a self-interested disaster. The two clash harshly, and that makes both so much more fun to get to know and like (although in Jin's case, it takes a bit for him to wear in).
The world is well-built, but then, it does carry the very familiar setting of fairy tales and other well-known stories. More than a couple well-known figures pop up, although these aren't exactly the way readers will have thought to have known them. It is fun to see how each one's been changed...and often in very surprising ways. Plus, there are a few reference to the author's early books, so well-read fans will smile at these nods and hints.
It's also a fast-paced read the entire way through and leaves with the desire to read book two...and that without a cliff-hanger ending. Fantasy fans and those who love to see new twists on old characters will enjoy diving into this world. I received a DRC and enjoyed the dive into the fairy tale realm.
January 18, 2023
Lena is the smallest giant around. She's so small that no one but her parents believe she's a giant. She is hoping that the Spark ceremony can prove she's a giant and maybe make her a little taller than 5 1/2 ft. But the King kicks her out of the ceremony and when she goes to the Cursed City to look for the Last Knight and see if he has magic that can help her. Jin is also looking for the Last Knight as that is the latest wish of the Golden-King who possesses his ring currently (and the power to wish him to do anything). As Lena and Jin's paths cross, things get super messy. The Spark is accidentally stolen, the giants get mad at the Cursed City, the Golden King's Faceless knights are unleashed, and only Jin and Lena know what started things and who can hopefully straighten everything out.
I listened to some of this on audiobook and I loved the voices the narrators gave to the characters, especially Rufus, Lena's giant cat (he was my favorite character...followed closely by the cosmic knowledge voice Jin hears). There are ties that link this to what happened in the Half Upon a Time series, and you can follow the crazy convoluted ending of this much better if you remember what went on in that series. I'm glad I have the next book in this series already on hand because other than Lena's self-acceptance, not much else is resolved in this book. A fun fairytale mashup, but pay close attention because things move quickly.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are some battles and some magical attacks, the fate of several people is riding on whether or not Jin and Lena can rescue them from their situations in the next book.
I listened to some of this on audiobook and I loved the voices the narrators gave to the characters, especially Rufus, Lena's giant cat (he was my favorite character...followed closely by the cosmic knowledge voice Jin hears). There are ties that link this to what happened in the Half Upon a Time series, and you can follow the crazy convoluted ending of this much better if you remember what went on in that series. I'm glad I have the next book in this series already on hand because other than Lena's self-acceptance, not much else is resolved in this book. A fun fairytale mashup, but pay close attention because things move quickly.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are some battles and some magical attacks, the fate of several people is riding on whether or not Jin and Lena can rescue them from their situations in the next book.
October 23, 2023
Age is just a number. If you want to bring it down, Think like child, Talk like child, Act like a child and READ like a child. If you would like to lock yourself in your childhood for a short time, read the children's fantasy.
Once upon another time, is a well crafted children's fiction fantasy series. To create a perfectly blended work of literature, the author has pulled in and woven various characters from the good old classic folk tales (King Midas, Genie, Lilliputians, Giants, Pinocchio etc. to name a few ) . The best part is that, keeping the young readers in mind, the author ensured to pump in some nice messages along with the plot, like bitter medicine is mixed with honey.
The overall plot is interesting, and with a children's mindset anyone can easily enjoy the progression pretty well. Lena - a 12 year old Giant in all but her size - is trying to prove her true self to her friends and family. But she ends up in entangled with the war between the last Knight and the King Midas, where Lena joins side with the last knight. In spite of the all powerful Genie on the King Midas' side, the king was sent to the dark magic realm. At the end, with one of the last knight's friend's help, Genie is released from King Midas' grasp and handed the ownership to the Last Knight.
Once upon another time, is a well crafted children's fiction fantasy series. To create a perfectly blended work of literature, the author has pulled in and woven various characters from the good old classic folk tales (King Midas, Genie, Lilliputians, Giants, Pinocchio etc. to name a few ) . The best part is that, keeping the young readers in mind, the author ensured to pump in some nice messages along with the plot, like bitter medicine is mixed with honey.
The overall plot is interesting, and with a children's mindset anyone can easily enjoy the progression pretty well. Lena - a 12 year old Giant in all but her size - is trying to prove her true self to her friends and family. But she ends up in entangled with the war between the last Knight and the King Midas, where Lena joins side with the last knight. In spite of the all powerful Genie on the King Midas' side, the king was sent to the dark magic realm. At the end, with one of the last knight's friend's help, Genie is released from King Midas' grasp and handed the ownership to the Last Knight.
August 14, 2024
(Review for whole series) Great .... until it wasn't.
So, don't get me wrong, I really liked this series. It sets up a nice fantasy story with unique enough characters, good world building, funny jokes, ect. Nothing to write home about, but a good middle grade fantasy nonetheless. As the story progresses, it gets more heated, with plot twists that kept me wanting book after book until we got to book 3, the grand finale. (My only complaint up till this point is that it connects back to the author's other books, which I haven't read, and it was a bit confusing but I figured it out eventually.) And when the series ended, it landed on its feet. A climactic finale and a bittersweet ending. So why did I give it such a low review? The epilouge. (Spoilers ahead) A driving element of the story is that the genie, Jin, has a crush on the giant, Lena. Nothing happens here, but it's definitely part of the plot. And the bittersweet end I mentioned? It's made emotional by Jin (temporarily, he's immortal) "dying". So, why, one chapter later, does he come back and make out with a completely different, unrelated character, with no reason or context? This simply ruined the rest if the story for me, I'm sorry to say.
So, don't get me wrong, I really liked this series. It sets up a nice fantasy story with unique enough characters, good world building, funny jokes, ect. Nothing to write home about, but a good middle grade fantasy nonetheless. As the story progresses, it gets more heated, with plot twists that kept me wanting book after book until we got to book 3, the grand finale. (My only complaint up till this point is that it connects back to the author's other books, which I haven't read, and it was a bit confusing but I figured it out eventually.) And when the series ended, it landed on its feet. A climactic finale and a bittersweet ending. So why did I give it such a low review? The epilouge. (Spoilers ahead) A driving element of the story is that the genie, Jin, has a crush on the giant, Lena. Nothing happens here, but it's definitely part of the plot. And the bittersweet end I mentioned? It's made emotional by Jin (temporarily, he's immortal) "dying". So, why, one chapter later, does he come back and make out with a completely different, unrelated character, with no reason or context? This simply ruined the rest if the story for me, I'm sorry to say.
October 20, 2022
Once Upon Another Time is a humorous and fast-paced story full of familiar characters from the author's previous Half Upon Time series. There's a bit of nonsense, and chaos sprinkled in for good measure. Despite being a funny tale full of quirky magic, I was disconcerted by how much evil and hopelessness there is in this story. I was about ten pages from the end, wishing there was a simple answer but knowing there was no way everything could be resolved in time. It's not a true cliffhanger (thank goodness!), but the ending didn't make all that much sense and left me with more questions than answers. I liked the story, but it was so fast-paced that I didn't get much chance to know the characters. I hope it finds its way into the hands of kids who like a quick silly adventure full of mysterious shadows, nonsensical riots, unexplained powers, and surprising magical objects.
June 21, 2022
I read this book to submit as a review for 2023-24 TOME Society for elementary/middle grades.
I would describe it as a fantasy/fairy tale adventure that both elementary and middle grades would enjoy. The main character is female, and although there are many other characters, this seems like a book more enjoyable for girls vs. boys. It is a wonderful story of embracing who you are (she is a tiny giant) and demonstrates how everyone has a purpose.
There are a few "dictionary worthy" words, so be prepared to have your child to ask you about them. I am a self-proclaimed "word nerd", so I love seeing new vocabulary in children's books.
I would describe it as a fantasy/fairy tale adventure that both elementary and middle grades would enjoy. The main character is female, and although there are many other characters, this seems like a book more enjoyable for girls vs. boys. It is a wonderful story of embracing who you are (she is a tiny giant) and demonstrates how everyone has a purpose.
There are a few "dictionary worthy" words, so be prepared to have your child to ask you about them. I am a self-proclaimed "word nerd", so I love seeing new vocabulary in children's books.
September 30, 2023
I went back and forth on this one. Lena is one tenth the size of a giant but she knows she is a giant (her unmatched strength attests to that), but all the giants view her as a "dirty" human because of her size. She insists she is a giant no matter what she looks like on the outside. By the end it gets a bit preachy but what I appreciated was how, in our culture that tells us our outside has to match our inside, the story instead says that doesn't matter. What matters is how you treat people.
Found in L4M YT Volume 62.
Found in L4M YT Volume 62.
May 22, 2022
Riley returns to the world of his Half Upon a Time series and introduces new characters with hints of connections to the prior ones. Readers meet a Giant who is human size, a Genie who is bound to Midas, a Silver Knight who may not be what he seems, and an entire cast of characters from fairy tales.
The usual mayhem with challenges to think beyond differences that happen in a Riley novel. Looking forward to the next in the series.
The usual mayhem with challenges to think beyond differences that happen in a Riley novel. Looking forward to the next in the series.
December 10, 2022
Fun twisting beginning that hooked me as Lena tries to convince her community of her worthiness as a giant, even though she's human sized. The evil king Midas is in control of a genie and they are all on different journeys in search of something. Power, freedom, belonging, truth. A great book 1. While I really did enjoy it I can't nominate it because it refers back to a previous series and leaves all kinds of loose ends purposefully to prepare for book 2.
August 8, 2023
This was a great fantasy book. I'm a total fairy tale mix-up reader so this was a great book for me.
I didn't realize it was part of a multiple series interlinking kinda thing, so I was slightly confused in the beginning but it is easy to be clued in if you know a little about fairy tales. The reason i put this at 4 stars was the ending! I wouldn't say much, but just about the worst possible thing that could have happened, happened! I never was a fan of cliffhangers at the END of books!
I didn't realize it was part of a multiple series interlinking kinda thing, so I was slightly confused in the beginning but it is easy to be clued in if you know a little about fairy tales. The reason i put this at 4 stars was the ending! I wouldn't say much, but just about the worst possible thing that could have happened, happened! I never was a fan of cliffhangers at the END of books!
January 2, 2024
This book is pretty good. I read this before I read the second book, but I forgot to right the review. This book has a very interesting group of characters and they all are awesome. This book does have a lot of plot twists, which is nice. I love the magical feeling it has. The only thing that could have been better was if it explained some more things, but it explains those in the sequel. But at the time of reading it was very annoying to try to figure out those things.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
August 21, 2024I dunno. Lena is awfully aggressive, as shown on the cover flexing her bicep. And Jin's master, the king, is too wicked for me (but not interestingly evil on a deeper level, only just really unpleasant and mean like a certain politician and his sycophants). Other reviews say it's fast-paced and the ending is either a mess or a cliffhanger. I guess there are plenty of other books for me to read & enjoy more.
p. 48 August 2024
p. 48 August 2024
March 23, 2025
A fun middle grade book, especially for readers who know the original fairy tales. Riley takes details from classic tales and weaves them into an entirely new, intertwined story. Because I hadn't read the Half Upon a Time Storybook, I did feel sometimes like I missed out on some of the backstory of the world. But never so much that it stopped my enjoyment of the plot. A good book to recommend to middle grade readers who want a long book but aren't ready for 10-14 year old tales.
March 31, 2022
This one is a throw back to Riley's Half Upon a Time series, and is perfect for fans who want a continuation of that. It is not for fans of his other two series -- Story Thieves and Revenge of Magic. Readers who love fairy tale retellings/mash ups will enjoy this. For grades 3 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
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