Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. So excited to read this twisted tale of Hercules. It was actually a story of what happened from where the movie Hercules ended. Meg was the main character through out the book. It told the story of where so came from. There were a lot of life lessons in this book. A good story for any Disney fan!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Go The Distance follows Megara just after the events of Disney's Hercules. When Hercules is greeted by the gods on Mount Olympus, he becomes a god himself. Upon realizing this will separate him from Megara for the rest of eternity, he begs Zeus to allow him to return to Earth with her. While Zeus refuses, Hera has other ideas. She sends Meg on a quest, which the girl has ten days exactly to complete. If Meg manages this, she will become a god and spend eternity on Mount Olympus with Hercules.

This was such a fun read! Meg has always been a phenomenal character, headstrong and fierce, and this book gives the reader the opportunity to dive even deeper into what makes her tick. I was especially intrigued by the moments spent in Meg's pre-Hercules past, as those scenes were useful pieces in the puzzle that is Meg.

Although this book is YA, it does read much younger than I expected. This is at least in part due to some quite cheesy lines and exchanges between characters. Overall, these moments can be quite endearing, however it was quite an adjustment after coming into the book expecting a slightly more mature voice.

All in all, I found this book to be a quick -- and very cute! -- read, especially for fans of Hercules.

One of the most memorable and animated Disney characters gets her due in "Go the Distance (A Twisted Tale: Hercules)."

When I first heard about this book I was elated as I'm a huge fan of Disney's "Hercules" and of Meg, in particular, I could envision it in my head, a book dripping with sass and clever zingers, and in that respect, I was satisfied, the book manages to capture Megara's unique voice in a way that feels "canon" and "in-character" as FanFiction writers would say.

I can't say the same about the plot, it felt like authorized FanFiction, very good FanFiction, but FanFiction nonetheless. The idea of Meg needing to complete a quest to become a God and be with Hercules just feels like something I'd find on FanFiction.net, not something out of an official Disney book. It feels more like a subplot of an official Disney work, and not the whole kit and caboodle. That's not to say the book isn't good, because it is and it will certainly delight young adult readers, but it was a little lacking for me.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and boy was it an exciting story. When I was younger I idolized Megara and I honestly believe during childhood development that some of my personality based itself off of hers. So you can imagine why this book would mean a lot to me. Megara is one of the most underrated Disney characters so I was so happy to see her get her own story, and to watch her become a god! As a big fan of the Percy Jackson books I know all about perilous quests given by the gods and this one was no exception to that rule. Want to know something even scarier? Hera is the one who gives Meg the quest. Yikes.

This book follows the events of Hercules (the movie) right after Herc asks his father to remain mortal so that he could stay with Meg. In the movie Zeus agrees and they all live happily ever after...not so much in this one. Zeus says no, he will not allow them to stay together and no amount of pleading from Hercules will change his mind. Hera wanting her son to be happy and taking an interest in Meg gives her a choice. Complete a quest and become a god in ten days or go back to her lonely life. Having no other option Meg accepts the quest: first to find Athena's lost flute and then to save the woman her ex left her for from the Underworld. Yeah...no one said quests were easy! Even worse is that if she doesn't complete her quest she will die trying because there is no way Hades will let her slip through his fingers again. So with the help of Pegasus and Phil, Meg sets out on a perilous journey of adventure, heartbreak, and danger so that she can be with the man, or should I say god, she loves forever. But wait, forever is a long time and Herc and Meg haven't really figured out their relationship yet...Meg's quest isn't just about returning a lost soul to the land of the living. It's about figuring out her own heart.

This book was a lot of fun an I definitely enjoyed it. It was so good to see all of my favorite characters again and to dive a little more into the mythology of this world. As most of us remember from the movie, the movie isn't exactly correct with its mythology. This book kind of course corrects it a little bit but not too much. It is definitely not accurate but I really liked how the author took famous greek myths and made them fit into this version of the story.

I have a few critiques that prevented this from being a five star book. Where were the Muses?! It was so weird that they were absent since they were the narrators of Hercules' story in the movie. I think it would have been really cool if they were the narrators of the book. But I understand how that may have been hard to achieve. There were quite a few discrepancies in the story regarding timing. Characters would say one thing but then something else would happen down the line and it would be like they forgot what was already established. It was a little frustrating and got annoying after it happened more than once. The plot was also very convenient. I'm not surprised that it was but I did expect a little better. I never believed for a second that Meg wouldn't get out of a situation unscathed. Another thing I didn't like was how the whole ex-boyfriend thing was handled. I wasn't surprised with the direction it went but that doesn't mean I had to like it. Lastly this book tells us that Meg and Hercules spent more time together during the course of the movie than we actually saw. While thats fine, for some reason I personally didn't like that. This is totally a preference thing and it makes much more sense that they would have spent more time together than we saw. But for some reason I just don't like it.

The issues I had were not nearly enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book. Like I said before, it was a lot of fun and definitely worth a read if you are a Disney/Hercules fan. These Twisted Tales books give us Disney fans more of our favorite stories in a dark and ~twisted~ way. I definitely recommend trying one from this series even if you are not 100% sold on the idea..

***I received an uncorrected proof of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Meg gets the backstory she’s always deserved, and a future plot that movie-Megara would be proud of. It was great to learn about Meg’s childhood and about the infamous jerk that led her to selling her soul to Hades. It was even more fun to see her adventure on her own and make her own story for once, rather than follow the plot of a man’s.

Disclosure, I am feeling a bit hyper-critical because Hercules has been one of my top favorites since I was a child. So while I do love this series, I think my standards might have been a little high for this particular volume. The characterization in this didn’t feel authentic to the source material and I felt there was a sort of reliance for the readers to fill in the voids with movie-material. The dialogue didn’t feel right, unless I heard the voice-actors in my head and imagined the animation’s expressive body language. Zeus and Hera were nothing like their movie selves and I was a bit taken aback. Hercules was pretty spot on- a himbo to the max-, but Megara felt like a softened version of herself. She was missing all those hard edges that made Meg such an iconic character. She acted with heated foolishness rather than cool rationality. I also did not like that she became [the goddess of vulnerability. (hide spoiler)] It fit with the story told in this book, but again didn’t fit movie-Meg.

The plot was just fine, and followed the classic three-quest structure. It felt true to something Disney might have done with sequel material. I liked that Meg got to bond with Phil and Pegasus, and that they formed a relationship beyond their link Hercules. I also LOVED the addition of [Persephone (hide spoiler)] to the storyline. Hades has always been one of my favorite Disney characters, and it was interesting to see a new facet in his already complex personality.

Again, this book was decent, I just think that my standards were high due to my childhood obsession with the source material.

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Twisted Tale follows the idea that Zeus and Hera forbid Hercules from living on Earth with Meg and he must stay on Mount Olympus as a god instead. Hera takes pity and at least gives Meg a fighting chance to earn her place on Mount Olympus with her love, Hercules. Meg goes on a dangerous adventure to claim her godhood and discovers herself in the process.

A very well-written adventure with many of the characters from the film making an appearance, plus some new characters. I loved seeing Meg's backstory and I'm a sucker for Greek Myths so seeing a lot of monsters pop up here and there was fun!

The only issue I had is that sometimes the dialogue was a bit off, but still, the author nailed a lot of the voices of the original characters in the film. Especially Phil...it was easy to picture Danny Devito.

A very sweet and introspective adventure story, great for fans of Meg & Greek Mythology!

As a massive Disney nerd I was super excited to be approved for this novel! Hercules is one of my favourite movies and this twisted tale does not disappoint!
I was thrilled to see Meg as a MC as she is often forgotten in the Disney universe! I think that Jen did an amazing job establishing the plot and character development to keep true to the movie! This has to be my favourite twisted tale! The nostalgia that this book brought was undeniable! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and add it to my collection!!

Another great Twisted Tale. Ever wonder what happened to Megara and Hercules after the movie ended? This book is your answer. Hera gives Megara a quest so Megara could become a god and live with Hercules on Mt. Olympus. Will Megara be able to achieve the quest in time? Through her quest, Megara learns who to trust, that it’s okay to accept help from others, and how to deal with grief. Any lover of Greek mythology will be able to recognize and appreciate the addition of some of the other gods and their stories. Overall a fun read that quickly grabs your attention and keeps you wanting more.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Well, that was disappointing. I had high hopes for this one for two reasons. First, I adore the movie Hercules. Second, I read the Mulan retelling from this series written by Elizabeth Lim and loved it. I hoped this one would be as good. Buuuuuuut... it's not.

The writing is... not good. It reads young - much younger than in the Mulan retelling - but also is just sort of clumsy. Lines and nicknames and attitudes were all lifted from the movie, which meant they didn't really fit in with the story around them. The rest is a 'he said this, then he did this, then she did that' sort of thing which grates on my nerves. Then there'd be a 'Wonder Boy' or 'it's been a real slice' thrown in in an attempt to capture Megara's saucy personality. Needless to say it didn't work.

The good thing here is that I read an arc rather than spending money on it. Because if I had I would be pretty annoyed right now. More annoyed than I am at wasting my time trying to give this one a chance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-arc for review.

I was a bit hesitant going into this Twisted Tale because, while I love Greek mythology, Hercules was not my favorite Disney movie. But, I was very pleasantly surprised! I absolutely loved how this story progressed Meg's character and arc and expanded her story to make her a better, more rounded character. Her quest to become a god to be with Hercules is done really well. I love that the author made it about figuring out who she is and reconciling her past, more so than just being with Hercules forever. While, as I said, Hercules may not have been my favorite Disney movie, Go the Distance may be one of my favorites of the Twisted Tale series! Also, if you love the whole Hades and Persephone trend going on right now, this has a wonderful little surprise in there for you!

This is my second Twisted Tales read and I'm so, so happy that when the series got to Hercules, they decided to focus on Megara! I adored getting to know her better, seeing the history that made her the woman she is, and also the exploration of how crossing paths with Hercules changed her in ways she wasn't ready to confront.

Go the Distance fits comfortably into a Middle Grade/Lower Young Adult writing style, similar to the previous Twisted Tales I've read. I would have enjoyed some more foreshadowing and build-up to certain aspects, such as how the myth of Hades and Persephone fit into this particular world. I honestly would have loved to see more of the book take place in the Underworld and gotten more out of the confrontations between Hades and Meg. But every piece of the journey adds to Megara's development and I enjoyed that.

One thing that was done very well was maintaining the voice of the characters. The Hercules movie had so many distinct character voices, and it was a delight to see them imprinted properly on the page. Phil and Herc were so easy to hear in my head, as was Hades on the whole. These are beloved characters from my childhood, so it was a relief to feel like their integrity was kept!

This rendition is absolutely perfect for younger teens and preteens that have devoured Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as well as the growing girls grabbing their determination and emotions and holding them both tight.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an advanced copy for review!

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita is the newest in the Disney Twisted tales series. This one twists Hercules asking the question "What if Meg had to become a Greek god?".

This book starts off immediately where the Disney movie ends except instead of Zeus saying Herc can remain on earth with Meg, he says no and that's that. Fortunately, Hera has a different idea. If Meg can prove herself she can also become a god and live forever with Hercules on Mt. Olympus.
All Meg has to do is rescue the soul of her ex-boyfriends wife from the depth of Hades' domain. Easy peasy right?

I loved this book! I have only read 2 of the twisted tales but so far this one is my favorite.
I really enjoyed getting more of Megs back story and see why she is the way she is.

I also appreciate seeing more of the original Greek myths included.

Overall I gave this a 4/5⭐.
This was everything I wanted and more.

If you liked the Disney Hercules movie you will most likely love this book too and I highly encourage you to pick up when it 8s released on April 6th.

As soon as this is available for purchase, I’ll be buying it for myself! I’ll also be requesting it for ,y library’s collection! Hercules has always been my favorite Disney movie, but now Persephone has been included! It’s another heroic story, and Meg learns the complexities of love. I thoroughly enjoyed this title, and I will now be picking up the other Twisted Tales! This story included so many references to Greek mythology! I can’t praise it enough! It added to the story but still kept the flavor of the original movie.

I’m kinda bummed. I got about 5 chapters in and had to call it quits. I haven’t read any of the other twisted tales, but I was so excited for this one because I love Greek mythology and the movie Hercules. The whole thing just read like bad fanfiction. Everything that happened felt too convenient and rushed.

I really didn’t like Meg in this book. In the movie, she was smart and sarcastic and she knew she could only depend on herself. In the direction the book took, she was annoying and made stupid choices without thinking. She also contradicted herself a lot and it felt off.

I also didn’t like that the author made Zeus a jerk. In the movie he seemed nice enough. And everyone makes a big deal about him wanting Hercules to grow up and defeat the Titans, instead of swooping in and saving him from being a mortal. This didn’t really make sense. He couldn’t change Hercules into a god unless Hercules proved himself first. He can’t do that as a baby. And who was supposed to stop the Titans from destroying the world then? That little fight between Zeus and Meg didn’t seem necessary. Why couldn’t he just say she needed to become a goddess and would have to prove herself?

In the end, I felt like the book was probably going in a good direction, but I didn’t have enough patience to keep going. I’d suggest others to give it a try, it just wasn’t for me.

WOW!
Another great book by Jen Calonita! I absolutely love all things Disney and was so EXCITED when I received the approval for this ARC, so huge thanks to Disney and the publishers for this wonderful book!
SO we have Hercules better known in this book as Wonder Boy and hes completed his duties and will remain a God for eternity but that leaves Meg our mere mortal alone to wonder what if? Hera then gives Meg the ultimate quest to prove her love for Hercules and to become a God herself and live happily ever after with Hercules Easy Right?
WRONG!
Meg only has 10 days to complete these quests and must do so with very little help. Meg has a very sad backstory in this book and it really helps to connect to the character. Megara's commitment issues were put on full display and I was really able to connect with her in that aspect. Jen Calonita did a FABULOUS job of giving each character their own voice and dialogue to where it really felt like this was a second movie about Meg and her struggles to prove her love.
I wish I could provide more details but I don't want to spoil it JUST GO READ THE BOOK. Everyone!
My favorite quote
"Love means opening your heart to another, no matter the consequences.”

DNF at 17%.

I was excited to finally try out one of these Twisted Disney Tales with one of my favorite movies, but I found this disappointing. I liked the backstory parts of Meg's childhood - but the continuation of the main story just wasn't interesting. I felt like Meg's voice in the novel didn't match my memory of her from the movie and I was already so disinterested before they even started the 'quest.' I think this also reads (at least at the start) much more middle grade than ya. Overall, I might try another one eventually, but this one wasn't for me.

Disney retellings never fail to impress me. As a long time fan of both Megara and Hercules, it was fun to imagine what things would be like if the story did not play out how we had expected in the movie.

Jen Calonita is a talented author, and she melds myth and fiction together seamlessly. I was very pleased with this book, and will be recommending it to many.

People Do Crazy Things When They’re in Love

Finally, after years of waiting, we get a book about Megara! Jen Calonita picks up right where Disney Hercules ends, with Meg’s perspective. Except in this twisted tale, Zeus will not let Hercules reject his gift and leave Olympus behind. Hera’s solution is sending Meg on a dangerous quest to become a god. She must face her past heartbreaks, to prove she is worthy of becoming immortal and live on Mount Olympus. But love is complicated, and so is healing from past relationships.

At first Jen Calonita relies a lot on quips and dialog from the movie Hercules, there are few times it becomes a bit repetitive. It is nice when Meg adds her unique perspective to past events, and her feeling for Hercules are adorable. Though, I am not sure I enjoyed the fact that Meg’s humor is copied from her mother and is not a unique personality trait. I can’t say that Meg had the same sarcastic pizazz as the movie. Perhaps that is okay. Meg must deal with many emotional themes, and it affects her deeply enough that being vulnerable means taking down some of those walls. Pegasus and Phil where a great addition, that lightened the mood of the story considerably. They both help her overcome obstacles as she learns to trust her friends throughout her journey.

What disappointed me was the epilogue. I am usually up to redefining words that have negative connotations for women, but defining Meg’s entire character with the word vulnerable just does not sit right. Go the Distance is about Meg confronting the past, facing challenges, and finding out her true strength of character. With plenty of wit, soul searching, and surprises, this is a must read for Megara fans!

This was such a fun twisted tale! It reminded me of Percy Jackson but still definitely held its own. I loved getting to be with some of these beloved characters again! Meg has always been a favorite of mine but getting to know more about her past and see things from her perspective only made her more likable. Her journey through this book was exciting and her self discovery throughout her quest was very relatable. The lessons she learns about herself and about love were engaging and empowering. I really enjoyed getting back into this world! Thank you Disney for giving me the opportunity!

I was given this book for free in return for an honest review!

3.5 stars

I'd like to preface this review with the fact that I think it would be incredibly difficult to follow up the Hercules movies especially this many years later.

"Go the Distance" was an enjoyable book as it was nice to be back with characters from my childhood-- especially Meg herself (I have a Megara Funko pop signed by Susan Egan). Tying in Meg's backstory and emphasizing Hades' manipulation of her was really well done.

I think perhaps that the book didn't quite perfect Meg's characterization (and again I think translating a movie character to a book would be difficult); Meg is incredibly independent and stubborn but the book gives mixed messages on her independence. Meg apologises to Hercules for being upset that he intervened without asking her but she has every right to be upset with him for this.

I really enjoyed the arc of Meg having to deal with her former lover and I enjoyed seeing Hades (but would have loved to see more of him). It was interesting that this story reverts to more classical depictions of Zeus's behaviour (anger and control issues) but also this seemed a bit discordant with the movie.

Good use of language from the movie (Hades calling Meg Nutmeg) and weaving in characters from the movie with other characters from mythology. It was a really enjoyable story and I love being back in this world. Seeing Pain and Panic again was hilarious and Phil and Meg forming a relationship not built on mutual distrust was lovely to see.