A review by lattes_lipstick_literature
The Puppetmaster's Apprentice by Lisa Deselm

4.0

Pinocchio was one of the first Disney films that I saw as a child and I loved it, so I was delighted to see this gender-bent retelling. I love Pirouette, she is just so courageous, and kind. The story was a delightful wild ride that included many ups and downs. I like that it didn't quite follow the Pinocchio story, but did have some of the famous elements such as Piro being unable to lie. The book just felt so fresh and new, and a bit darker than I thought it was going to be, almost like a Grimms' fairy tale (but not that dark).

There were some moments in which things felt slow but it did pick up the pace after a while, especially at the end. The romance was nice and did not overwhelm or take away from the plot of the story which it can sometimes do in other books. I wish there was a longer epilogue at the end so I could know what happens after everything goes down or maybe this could turn into a series, which would be very interesting and follow different fairy tale characters. I really enjoyed DeSelm's writing, so much so that I read this in one sitting, she definitely has some Disney magic in her finger tips.

Overall, if your a fan of fairy tales and retellings, pick this up.

*A Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this. This is my honest review*