Rachel > Recent Status Updates

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.)

I honestly haven't seen all the movies featured in this collection, but maybe this book will make me want to watch them? We'll see.

IDK if I said it already, but this book has basically been a PWP up until this point. Or a porn with very little plot. Not that the porn is bad, I just like a little more plot when I read a book. Hot characters and their hot sexytimes isn't really enough to carry a book for me. (But boy, are the sexytimes hot...)

I am still so confused about all the world-building shit. Maybe it was a bad idea to jump into this series with book 2, but I just wasn't interested in a Jafar/Jasmine book. But maybe I have to read it...

Also, what do you mean Olympus has roles? Like Kingsman does with the King Arthur characters? Then why/how did Hades get his? Is Hercules even Herc's biological name? Someone explain it all to me!!!

I really wish this book featured more characters discussing their feelings rather than fucking to avoid talking about them, but I can't lie, I do enjoy the smut. When it's more pleasure than punishment, at least.

I am confused by the world-building, though. I don't understand the politics of Carver City at ALL or the allusions to Zeus' bad deeds. Is it all just mob shit? Is that it?

I'm really not a fan of the 24/7 BDSM-type relationship dynamic Meg & Hades have going on, but seeing innocent Hercules get roped into it is kinda hot, I can't lie. But is that gonna be the entire plot? Just kinky triad development? Surely there's gotta be more to this book than that...

Oh, Herc, you're really in it now.

Now it's time for some fun 😈

I might've started reading this via Libby sample before I actually finished the Dog Show book, hence how I managed to get so far so fast. This'll be an interesting read for sure and quite the beach read, haha.