"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Showing posts with label Disney Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney Press. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2015

Blog Tour (Review and Giveaway): A WHOLE NEW WORLD (A Twisted Tale #1) by Liz Braswell (YA)



by Liz Braswell
Release date: September 1st, 2015
Published by Disney Press
Genre: Young Adult Retelling (Aladdin)
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Format read: ARC from the publisher. 


SUMMARY

What if Aladdin had never found the lamp? This first book in the A Twisted Tale line will explore a dark and daring version of Disney's Aladdin.

When Jafar steals the Genie's lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.


A Whole New World (ARC) by Liz Braswell

MY REVIEW

A magical novelization of one of Disney's most loved movies, Aladdin! Full of what we love and expect from Disney - characters we love, surprising twists and giving us exactly what we want...

As, I believe, that the majority of us has seen the movie, Aladdin, I am not going to go into a detailed summary of the book. The first part of the story reads just like the movie - I got reaquainted with Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. But once the twist of the story happens, it's all new territory. Cryptic, grim and unsuspecting. We get to see a different side to Aladdin, which I truly enjoyed.

Jafar is seriously dark and twisted, just like all of Disney's villains, this guy has some serious issues. He is such an intricate character. I'm really glad to have been able to see more of him, and get a better feel as to why Jafar is such a terrible person... if you didn't like him before, you'll despise him even more after what he does in this book.

As I have come to know and love, Disney's movies and books are heavy on visualization and world-building, I found the details amazing and capturing. But if I had just one wish, it would be that they would have given the secondary characters more depth. There were a few new characters, and a few cameos - I would have liked a few more pages with each and every one of them...

A Whole New World is exactly what I expected, and enjoyed it so much!... However, I do feel that the book reads for a younger audience. Even with its darker notes, it's not intimidating or frightening. 

A definite quick and enjoyable read for all Disney lovers! The ending is perfection!
You will not be disappointed!


*An ARC was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review.
All thoughts are my own.



GIVEAWAY

- FIVE winners will receive a FINISHED copy of A WHOLE NEW WORLD!!!
- U.S. only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Liz Braswell


After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead.  

She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day.  




http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/

A WHOLE NEW WORLD Tour Schedule


Week One:
8/24/2015- Adventures of a Book JunkieInterview
8/25/2015-Book BriefsReview
8/26/2015-FiktshunGuest Post
8/27/2015- Addicted ReadersReview
8/28/2015-Me, My Shelf and IInterview

Week Two:
8/31/2015- Bumbles and Fairy-TalesReview
9/1/2015- NerdophilesGuest Post
9/2/2015- Pandora's BooksReview
9/3/2015- Novel NoviceInterview

9/4/2015- A Backwards StoryReview

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday #138: A THOUSAND NIGHTS by E.K. Johnston


"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is where we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released!!! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night!!!
And, quite possibly, to make our shelves look pretty too :) 


What I'm currently waiting for... 


by E.K. Johnston
Expected U.S. release date: October 6th, 2015
Published by Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Retelling
Format: Hardcover, eBook


SUMMARY

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife.
When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time. But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong. 

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air. 

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster. 



Why I am waiting for A THOUSAND NIGHTS... 

First of all... which cover do you think is the prettiest??? 
Surprisingly, I am leaning towards the US cover... I feel that it suits the actual story much, much better.

Second... from the summary, it seems that the story is hardly a retelling. I'm curious to see what other changes, twists, etc. this author has done.

Lastly... it's one of my very few classic favorites! I'm really looking forward to it!!!



SO, what are you waiting for this week???


Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #136: A WHOLE NEW WORLD (Twisted Tales #1) by Liz Braswell (YA)


"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is where we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released!!!
The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night!!!
And, quite possibly, to make our shelves look pretty too :) 



What I'm currently waiting for... 


Twisted Tales #1
by Liz Braswell
Expected release date: September 1st, 2015
Published by Disney Press
Genre: Young Adult Fairytale Retelling
Format: Hardcover, eBook


SUMMARY

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways!
Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed???

This dark and daring version of ALADDIN twists the original story with the question: 
What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie's lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish. To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next?
A Street Rat becomes a leader.
A princess becomes a revolutionary.
And readers will never look at the story of ALADDIN in the same way again.



Why I'm waiting for A WHOLE NEW WORLD...

FIRST of all!... a whole new Disney series from Disney reinventing classic Disney movies/stories?!
Yes, please!!!

Second of all!... this is a dream come true for me!!!
I have always imagined all of the 'what ifs' since I was a kid!!! And someone is finally giving me the twists that I've always longed for!

Lastly!... isn't that a gorgeous cover!!!

P.S... I am wondering if there will be multiple authors for this series...??? 
That would be an added bonus, am I right?!



SO, what are you waiting for this week???

 
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