Reviews

The Unlucky Prince: A Frog Prince Retelling by Deborah Grace White

annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review

4.0

My love for the tale of the Frog Prince started with a song. It was rekindled after a friend of mine rewrote the story with me as the princess and an actor I had a crush on as the prince. I'm therefore always extra excited when I encounter a retelling of this tale. After all. It feels a little like MY tale. So, I was really looking forward to dive into this one.

I've never read a book by this author before, although I have one on my shelves already, but I absolutely loved this tale! Despite the fact that it's not even a very long tale, there is so much awesomeness in this book! There is politics, there is betrayal, there's some romance, there is some danger and of course there is a little bit of magic.

All the famous elements of the original tale are there. The golden ball, the prince being turned into a frog, the wall throwing, the kissing, the sharing a meal and sleeping in the bed. And yet most of these elements are present in a slightly different and therefore really surprising way. And that means that the story might be slightly unpredictable while it's still filled with twists and turns.

I also really loved Ari and Violet. Violet is the kind of princess I'd wanna be. She is willing to do what's best for her kingdom, but she's also looking for ways to find some freedom and to enjoy herself. And Ari is the kind of prince I'd really wanna find. Playful and with a longing for adventure, but also smart, observing and not afraid to do what has to be done.

I can't wait to read more books by this author and I can't wait to get to know the other princes in this series!

lostpliead's review

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

starlightfox's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

crystan's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

shelvedthoughts's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

 Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but meant to be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Ari & Violet’s points of view

– this is connected to Deborah’s The Kingdom Tales series, but you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one – I haven’t gotten to these yet myself! (Ari was in Kingdom of Feathers & Violet was in Kingdom of Dance)

Review:

I’ve been meaning to read one of Deborah Grace White’s forever and I finally did by picking up this Frog Prince retelling! (I am so excited to read more from her after this!) I loved that Deborah told us a little bit about what both of our main characters went through in her Kingdom Chronicles series and how it translated to their current situations. I honestly hadn’t really thought about how the cursed characters in fairy tale retellings coped post curse-breaking and if they had any lingering effects from having been under their curses until I read this and found out what Ari & Violet were dealing with. I really enjoyed Violet’s family’s dynamic with all the siblings and their kids at the same table. I loved how much they all clearly loved each other, even though they also got on each other’s nerves about various things. And not only that, but it felt like a realistic big family dynamic which is awesome (I would know having 12 other siblings myself XD)! I also really loved the twist on a pivotal moment that Deborah put on this tale that’s a little different than I’ve typically seen!

Summary:

Prince Ari feels adrift and has a desire to find a new path for himself, so he makes plans to join a group planning on going around the desert. But before he embarks on this journey, Ari makes time to visit the neighboring kingdom where his sister now resides. He expected to spend most of his time with Wren and his niece and nephew more than anyone, but instead finds himself intrigued by one of the many princesses, Violet. Just when Ari thinks that maybe the new path he desired isn’t what he originally thought, an unfortunate mistake lands him under a curse. A curse that transforms him into a frog…

Violet wants to help take some of the burden off of her brother by helping him with just one of his many tasks that he’s in charge of as king. She knows though that this particular task is a thorn in his side that needs a more permanent fix. One that Violet might be able to provide if her brother and sisters don’t catch wind of it. With her plan in place in her mind, Violet knows that her time of freedom is coming to an end and wants to make the most of the time she has left. With Prince Ari visiting, Violet finds herself flirting with something that she never thought she’d have for herself due to her position. And with that, Violet is beginning to wonder if she should continue with the plan she’s hiding from her family or pursue a love much truer… 

abbx's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

chelsea_smuttyreads's review

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

thesqueakycleanreader's review

4.0

This retelling was very entertaining and light hearted.

Although there were some serious moments in the book I enjoyed the funny moments of Ari being a frog, of Violet and Ari flirting, and the adventures Ari the Frog and Violet went on.

The addition of the political intrigue with Violet made the storyline really interesting. I loved the solution to being made a frog that Ari realized, and I loved that the family and all their craziness.


This book is definitely a fun and light read, a perfect YA fairytale retelling with sweet moments, some depth, and a wonderful happily ever after.

thepurplegiraffe's review

5.0

this was utterly delightful I had so much fun 😂 definitely one of the most unique Frog Prince retellings I've read, and I love the way the curse was ultimately broken! (no spoilers 😉) yes, the romance is rather insta-lovey, but I don't mind that trope when it's done well, and I loved both these characters so much! can't wait to read more of the releases from this series, it's off to a great start! 👏 

thebiasedbibliophile's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Unlucky Prince by Deborah Grace White is a retelling of The Frog Prince, and it is possibly one of my favorite retellings of all time! Ari is a Prince of Mistra visiting his sister, who married the King of Entolia. He plans on going on great adventures after his visit, but his plans are foiled when he falls for one of the Entolian Princesses, Violet. After spending six years of his life as a swan, Ari is happy to be human again, but that happiness is short-lived when he is turned into a frog.

I absolutely adored this book! First off, the romance between Ari and Violet was cute. I loved that he sees her as her own person despite the fact that she is one of twelve princesses in her kingdom. The way he picks up on her emotions was endearing and added a lot of depth to their relationship.

Additionally, the family dynamics of both Ari and Violet were excellent. I really appreciated the fact that family is important to both characters, something that is often lost in romances. To be completely honest, I suspected the twist on the curse, but I wasn’t sure if the author would go through with it. I really love that she did. It made the book *frog’s kiss*! :)

Furthermore, this book promised political intrigue, and boy did it deliver! There were some shady things going on, which kept the plot moving at a brisk pace and added a nice layer of complexity to the story. I really appreciated the way Violet’s proposed engagement to Yannick created even more tension in the book. The motivations and character goals were exceptionally clear and well-thought-out. 

Finally…let’s talk about the miscommunication trope, quite possibly my least favorite trope of all time. I am utterly impressed with White’s skill and creativity in the depiction of this trope. Truthfully, I thought this was a trope that I could not enjoy in any circumstances, and this book proved me wrong. Too often, the miscommunication trope relies on characters withholding information that would ultimately unravel the plot if it were shared. That is not what White did with this story, and I was elated by that! The miscommunication in the story was actually miscommunication instead of characters simply not sharing information. I really admired the way communications were misinterpreted and the comedy of the dragons miscommunicating. This was by far, the best portrayal of this trope I’ve ever read, and I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future! 

I received an ARC of this book, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.