Rachel > Recent Status Updates

Is it bad that I kinda picture Stone as a beefier Jay McGuiness? I mean, apparently this book was originally published in 2017, so not too far removed from his season of Strictly. Of course, not American, and far from a mountain man, but I guess it's the long hair and fair skin descriptors that keep making me think of him. (I should re-watch his routines, that jive will forever live in my head rent-free.)

The ghost kid definitely died in a fire. That would explain the smoky smell that follows them whenever they're present. Maybe died while playing hide-and-seek too?

Lucy is such a good sister, getting extra candy for Linus when he's not trick-or-treating. Wish my sister did that for me growing up.

The Reluctant Prince (Bambi) - 3.5/10

I think the lack of context from having never seen the film really hurt my enjoyment of this one since it's so aggressively a follow-up to canon. The lush descriptions of the forest were the biggest highlights for me. Otherwise, I just couldn't really get into it.

Call It a Hunch (Hercules) - 7/10

Cute story, though it honestly reads more like a story meant for a picture book sequel to the film than a YA anthology. The morals are just not that deep, you know? It was mildly entertaining, I won't lie, but just like the BATB story, underwhelming as a "twisted" concept.

The Journey Home (Beauty and the Beast) - 4/10

Yeah, it's a no from me. Which sucks because BATB is my favorite Disney film of all time. But this is a very underwhelming concept, and now I'm just sitting here thinking about AU Beast rotting away in his castle while Belle lives it up in the village. 💔 Wish they went with something juicier, like Gaston falling victim to the Enchantress' curse.

A Dragon in the Snow (Sword in the Stone) - 9/10

Didn't think I'd like this one, but it was surprisingly intriguing. Kinda wish it wasn't tied to the Sword canon because it reads like the introduction to a very strong romantasy series. Maybe Disney should turn it into one. I'd definitely read it 👀

Fates, Three (Brave) - 9/10

I'm surprised I keep enjoying these stories for films I've yet to see. I thought this was really good! Took a little too long to get to the "twist" (and was disappointingly magic-less, in the end), but I loved the bond between the triplets and getting to see them as teens. Also, canon queer character! (I mean, that's gotta count as canon despite the "twist", right?) I sure hope it does..)

Gonna Take You There (Princess and the Frog): 10/10

I didn't think I'd score a story a 10/10 when I haven't seen the movie yet, but I really adored this one!cI mean, who doesn't love a road trip story? And I'm sure it's refreshing, compared to the movie, to see Tiana and Naveen fall in love as humans rather than frogs. This is probably the love story they deserved.

Dust to Dust (Peter Pan): 8.5/10

I thought about giving this a 9, but the ending was left somewhat open that I had to deduct half a point. I enjoyed all the fairy lore, and Tink still coming out a hero despite her deal with Hook. I wish THIS were the plot of the Peter Pan Twisted Tale novel rather than the Wendy-centric story, 'cause you know I DNF'd that. I just want a Tink & Peter-focused book, okay?

The Secret Exchange (The Little Mermaid) - 10/10

Yeah, the princess stories in this collection are kind of peak. (Or maybe that's just the magic of Elizabeth Lim, who wrote this and the Mulan one.) I almost wish THIS was how the movie went instead of the canon. It's kind of better and fleshes out Eric & Ariel's relationship more. And that ending--I could read a whole book of those two exploring each other's worlds.

A Royal Game of Chess (Robin Hood) - 7.5/10

The "twist" didn't even occur to me till midway through the story, when it was properly revealed. I like the concept, and the execution was decent, I just didn't feel quite as drawn in as I did with the last story. Maybe that's just me. Would still watch the movie, though. And the ending felt surprisingly saucy for a YA-targeted story. Get it, you kinky foxes!

Rattle the Stars (Treasure Planet) - 9/10

Score based purely off my enjoyment of the story rather than its quality as an AU as I haven't actually seen the film. But I sure want to now! I was surprisingly hooked on this story despite lacking context about the setting/characters. Really enjoyed the relationship between Jim & Silver, even if it was unclear how genuine Silver was at times.

A New Dawn (The Lion King) - 6.5/10

Decent concept, but it took a while for me to get into this story, which is unfortunate as it's actually pretty short. Aaand it doesn't help that I haven't actually seen the film (but I generally know the story), which will also affect my experience with the next two stories. So. Might throw me into a liiiiittle slump here. We'll see.

The Envelope (Cinderella) - 8.5/10

I always love an Anastasia redemption story, and I liked that this dove into exploring her grief over her own father's death. Like the Mulan story, I'd read a whole novel about Anastasia's life in Lille and her journey of reinvention (especially at Cinderella's wedding). Little disappointed she didn't have her baker love interest from Cinderella III, but Benoit was still sweet.

Et Voila (Ratatouille) - 9/10

I found it kinda refreshing to read a Pixar-based Twisted Tale. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Remy and Colette, and I love that they kept the "twist" of Linguini being Gusteau's son. Would be a 10/10 if I wasn't kinda thrown by the very modern setting since the film is from like '07/'08. Otherwise, excellent story, and I loved all the visual/sensory descriptions.

A First Mission (Mulan): 10/10

A perfect continuation of the film with Mulan serving as advisor to the Emperor and proving herself worthy of the job. I'd read a whole book of this. Between her talking back to those stuffy councilmen, ignoring her mission to aid struggling villagers, and sharing some sweet moments with Shang, I adored every page of this story. Like I said, I want more!!!

Cast Out (A Snow White Twisted Tale): 6/10

I really like Snow White standing up for herself and being able to hold her own against the Queen, but I'm left confused as to what happened to the original Magic Mirror post-shrinking spell and now post-ending. Did he just cease to exist? I thought the life-giving spell would turn him into a person, freed from the mirror, but I guess not. (I kinda want that story now.)