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2.63 AVERAGE
2.63 AVERAGE
Good take on sleeping buety. O was lost for awhile but it was good.
From the cover, and the title, I thought this was going to be a horror book for sure, but I took a chance on it. Instead, it was a very strange look at the sleeping beauty story, and what happens when the princess pricks her finger. Someone else compared it to Sleeping Beauty meets Alice in Wonderland, and I see it. However, it’s an interesting read. I was also surprised that the title, “creeping beauty,” ended up being not just a descriptor of the character, but also her unique ability.
It was definitely a strange book, but I did enjoy it.
It was definitely a strange book, but I did enjoy it.
This was pretty wild, and I'll say I enjoyed it a whole lot for the most part. This is a Sleeping Beauty retelling that transitions into a Through the Looking Glass retelling. I was on board. I was hooked! This was so offbeat and meandering, which fit for a vicious Wonderland Dreamworld.
Peregrine. Peregrine was so lovely, even if he was spineless, vain, and insecure. On the other hand there were so many seemingly important (?) characters who were never revisited or fleshed out.
But I was still with it...right up until the last couple of chapters where I felt the whole thing bottom out. It ended so suddenly with completely inadequate resolution. Honestly, I completely expected Prince Charming to be Peregrine. Shame on me.
All I can say is that I was invested in this story, only to be resentfully disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for sending me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Peregrine. Peregrine was so lovely, even if he was spineless, vain, and insecure. On the other hand there were so many seemingly important (?) characters who were never revisited or fleshed out.
But I was still with it...right up until the last couple of chapters where I felt the whole thing bottom out. It ended so suddenly with completely inadequate resolution. Honestly, I completely expected Prince Charming to be Peregrine. Shame on me.
All I can say is that I was invested in this story, only to be resentfully disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for sending me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Introduction
I was given an earc by Harper360ya. Reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. I will always try to avoid spoilers in all reviews as well. #CreepingBeauty #Harper360ya #AndreaPortes #AD #BookReview
Review
Creeping Beauty was a book that instantly caught my attention. A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty with elements of an almost Through the Looking Glass style. It was hard not be excited. While this wasn’t a full five stars, probably a 3.5 rounded to 4 for me it did have a good premise let down by a few pieces along the way.
Elizabeth ‘Bitsy’ is not an ideal princess, she’s heard it all. She’s so plain, she lacks grace, the best thing to do is wait for a prince to grant her an happy ending but then she pricks her finger on a spindle and falls down into a world where cutthroats and con artists are more common than curtsies. No one ages in this world and everyone is beautiful where an inscrutable evil rests at it’s core. In this land Bitsy’s fate and future are solely in her hands and neither are what she expects.
First of all, as I said I adored this was a bit of a mash up of Sleeping Beauty with elements of Through the Looking Glass and touches of Neverland/Peter Pan. I also enjoyed, although it was used a lot, the breaking of the fourth wall with Bitsy addressing the ‘dear reader’ throughout. It had elements of Jane Eyre. That said those elements I do think might have been executed a tad better.
The chapters and style were very short making it quick to read. Because the story is meant to be potentially a ‘dream’ of Bitsy I did find that the disjointed and episodic style while it might have normally been odd worked when I kept this in mind. I personally have never had a dream that flows perfectly and isn’t a bit fragmented but I can see why some readers may not like this. In terms of tone it would be lower end young adult, just past middle grade. While there were a few bits of action and a few kiss scenes etc there was nothing to make me feel, paired with the tone, that would make it aimed at higher end young adult or bordering new adult but I still did enjoy this.
I think because of the style of writing and tone some may not enjoy this one but for me it was certainly entertaining and one I did enjoy, especially with the elements of other fairy tales. I did like the unique style but admit a few times I had to remind myself this was meant to be a sort of dream/alternate world. if you keep that in mind I think you will enjoy this one!
Brilliant its very good
Hashtags
#CreepingBeauty #Harper360ya #HarperTeen #AndreaPortes #AD #BookReview #BookReview #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
I was given an earc by Harper360ya. Reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. I will always try to avoid spoilers in all reviews as well. #CreepingBeauty #Harper360ya #AndreaPortes #AD #BookReview
Review
Creeping Beauty was a book that instantly caught my attention. A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty with elements of an almost Through the Looking Glass style. It was hard not be excited. While this wasn’t a full five stars, probably a 3.5 rounded to 4 for me it did have a good premise let down by a few pieces along the way.
Elizabeth ‘Bitsy’ is not an ideal princess, she’s heard it all. She’s so plain, she lacks grace, the best thing to do is wait for a prince to grant her an happy ending but then she pricks her finger on a spindle and falls down into a world where cutthroats and con artists are more common than curtsies. No one ages in this world and everyone is beautiful where an inscrutable evil rests at it’s core. In this land Bitsy’s fate and future are solely in her hands and neither are what she expects.
First of all, as I said I adored this was a bit of a mash up of Sleeping Beauty with elements of Through the Looking Glass and touches of Neverland/Peter Pan. I also enjoyed, although it was used a lot, the breaking of the fourth wall with Bitsy addressing the ‘dear reader’ throughout. It had elements of Jane Eyre. That said those elements I do think might have been executed a tad better.
The chapters and style were very short making it quick to read. Because the story is meant to be potentially a ‘dream’ of Bitsy I did find that the disjointed and episodic style while it might have normally been odd worked when I kept this in mind. I personally have never had a dream that flows perfectly and isn’t a bit fragmented but I can see why some readers may not like this. In terms of tone it would be lower end young adult, just past middle grade. While there were a few bits of action and a few kiss scenes etc there was nothing to make me feel, paired with the tone, that would make it aimed at higher end young adult or bordering new adult but I still did enjoy this.
I think because of the style of writing and tone some may not enjoy this one but for me it was certainly entertaining and one I did enjoy, especially with the elements of other fairy tales. I did like the unique style but admit a few times I had to remind myself this was meant to be a sort of dream/alternate world. if you keep that in mind I think you will enjoy this one!
Brilliant its very good
Hashtags
#CreepingBeauty #Harper360ya #HarperTeen #AndreaPortes #AD #BookReview #BookReview #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
Creeping Beauty had a great premise that drew me in. And I wanted to like this book a lot. There were some great moments that made me laugh out loud and were very clever. This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty that reversed the events, and it did seem very much like falling down a rabbit hole, which was fun at times, though confusing at others, which was why I rated this three stars. In my opinion, it is worth a read for the ingenuity, but was left longing for just a little more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Andrea Portes and Harper Teen for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Andrea Portes and Harper Teen for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is unexpected. Some of the writing felt a bit juvenile to me, but the storyline is great. It left so much mystery and kept me intrigued until the end. It's a very interesting take on the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
What I liked about the book:
1. I typically don’t like first person point of view, but Bitsy made it work well. Furthermore, I love when characters break the fourth wall! It’s hilarious on TV, it’s hilarious in movies, and its hilarious in books. Sorry, that is just never going to be not funny to me.
I loved the crazy world she traveled to and that it DIDN’T make sense! It wasn’t supposed to! This is an alternate reality not dissimilar from Wonderland.
2. I liked all the big, cartoony characters and how different everyone was. You didn’t know who she could trust, and that kept it fascinating.
I especially loved Peregrine and wanted them to be endgame! He was so cunning and vicious, but gentle with her when it counted. I loved their back and forth and really thought they were the only ones who would be able to appreciate each other at their bests and handle each other at their worsts.
3. I loved the mythology running through this world about “the one who fell from the sky”. I also really liked her character development throughout most of this going from a princess who sneaks away from tough situations to a fighter.
What could have been better:
1. There was a lot of unnecessary filler. That made it drag at a lot of points which made it hard to keep going sometimes.
2. I hated that ending. It was anticlimactic, wiped away all character development for her, and was not what I wanted or what we DESERVED! It was terrible. The end.
3. Her father’s journal entries definitely served a purpose, but they also stagnated the flow anytime they showed up. I dreaded seeing that different font and knowing we had to sit through more of that.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperTeen, and Andrea Portes for the ARC. The opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
1. I typically don’t like first person point of view, but Bitsy made it work well. Furthermore, I love when characters break the fourth wall! It’s hilarious on TV, it’s hilarious in movies, and its hilarious in books. Sorry, that is just never going to be not funny to me.
I loved the crazy world she traveled to and that it DIDN’T make sense! It wasn’t supposed to! This is an alternate reality not dissimilar from Wonderland.
2. I liked all the big, cartoony characters and how different everyone was. You didn’t know who she could trust, and that kept it fascinating.
I especially loved Peregrine and wanted them to be endgame! He was so cunning and vicious, but gentle with her when it counted. I loved their back and forth and really thought they were the only ones who would be able to appreciate each other at their bests and handle each other at their worsts.
3. I loved the mythology running through this world about “the one who fell from the sky”. I also really liked her character development throughout most of this going from a princess who sneaks away from tough situations to a fighter.
What could have been better:
1. There was a lot of unnecessary filler. That made it drag at a lot of points which made it hard to keep going sometimes.
2. I hated that ending. It was anticlimactic, wiped away all character development for her, and was not what I wanted or what we DESERVED! It was terrible. The end.
3. Her father’s journal entries definitely served a purpose, but they also stagnated the flow anytime they showed up. I dreaded seeing that different font and knowing we had to sit through more of that.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, HarperTeen, and Andrea Portes for the ARC. The opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
Chapters felt super short and felt childish for a book that's suppose to be for an adult.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bitsy(Elizabeth) is a princess with an unremarkable appearance.
When Bitsy finds a secret room with a spindle, she pricks her finger.
Portes version of Sleeping Beauty explores what Bitsy dreams while under the curse.
When Bitsy finds a secret room with a spindle, she pricks her finger.
Portes version of Sleeping Beauty explores what Bitsy dreams while under the curse.
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I wanted to love this book because the premise and plot were intriguing but the last third of the book was a bit of a mess with its pacing issues and ending Bitsy's story. I also felt the characters needed a bit more background because we mainly got names and the kingdoms they were associated with. The world-building could have been great and it starts off moving in that direction and feels like the writer ran out of steam to finish off describing this wonderful world, the kingdoms within, how they got to where they are, and Bitsy plus her army's ending.
The story did start off giving me high hopes but then it started to get confusing because of how it contradicted itself and meandered a bit before jumbling together for a supposedly "epic" ending. I really thought Bitsy was going to be more and have that epic ending but it just fell flat.
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.
The story did start off giving me high hopes but then it started to get confusing because of how it contradicted itself and meandered a bit before jumbling together for a supposedly "epic" ending. I really thought Bitsy was going to be more and have that epic ending but it just fell flat.
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.