2.5 stars

With the trailer for the Cruella movie recently released, I was so excited to check out this retelling. Unfortunately, I felt that it didn't match the Disney story and had a predictable and slow plot. There's only a brief mention of dalmatians, Cruella is an alternate personality that only surfaces a few times, and it doesn't bridge the gap between young Cruella and the evil person we know.

Estella is a poor sixteen year old that gets by stealing from tourists and the wealthy. She dreams of being a designer and when a rich girl takes notice of her creations, she abandons her friends to jump into the glamorous world of money. I was disappointed that she so easily dismissed her only friends and thought it was easy to tell how the story would go. I would have liked more Cruella moments and I thought what happened to Estella's mom was never fully explored.

It's possible there's a plan for a sequel that will show us how Estella became full Cruella and gained her hatred of all things, but I think we should have gotten that in this book. I will say this was a quick read and I liked that Jasper and Horace were supportive of Estella and stuck by her even when she didn't deserve it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Disney Publishing for the copy.

Maureen Johnson is one of my favorite YA authors. If she writes it, I'll read it. I was especially excited to see what she would do with this prequel to Cruella. It seems to me that the upcoming live-action movie (which I am also extremely excited for) would be the perfect launching off place from where this novel ends. It was such a fun quick read, and would be perfect to read beside the pool or on the beach this summer.

Set against the glamour of London in the 1960s, Estella lives in squalor with her found family, Jasper and Horace. The three of them have to steal to survive, and for Estella to work on the amazing clothing designs she creates. She's got big dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer, and being extremely poor isn't going to stand in her way.

After a fortuitous meeting with a set of very rich siblings, Estella finds herself launched into the world of the rich and famous, where she and her designs finally get the attention they deserve. As the summer goes on, however, Estella, along with her cruel alter ego, Cruella, will discover that these people are not as welcoming as she had hoped, and if she wants to truly succeed, it's all up to her.

This book was so much fun. I love the recent publications of Disney villains backstories, but Maureen Johnson did a lovely job building up the world of 1960s London. I loved spending time there. I do wish we had learned more about Cruella, who would pop into Estella's head when Estella needed to be particularly cruel. I'm very excited to see where the movie takes us, because the ending left me both satisfied, but desperately wanting more. Like I said, it's quick, it's fun, and is a true delight to all who read it.

Content: There is some kissing, but nothing is ever graphically explained. There is some smoking (it was the 1960s), and of course, there is crime. Safe for a 7th grader who doesn't mind a mini romance subplot.

I loved this book so much. I loved Estella's desire to succeed and loved reading about the clothes she planned to design. It made me sad that she was taken advantage of when she was only trying to find a way to succeed. I'd love to see a sequel where Estella and her designs become the toast of the town!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Press for a review copy of this book.
Hello, Cruel Heart is the origin story of Cruella De Vil I didn’t know I wanted! It follows a teenage Estella living on after losing her mother, and stealing to get by with friends Horace and Jasper.

One day she meets a pair of rich siblings giving her hope to leave the streets behind and pursue her love of fashion. How long can this happiness last?

This YA story (inspired by the screenplay for the new movie Cruella) was engaging and nostalgic, but left a quite a few questions unanswered. I absolutely recommend this book if you love villain perspectives, but if you are wondering about right before 101 Dalmatians takes place, you will have more questions than answers.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. I love the premise of this book, but after five days of only reading a page or two a night, I realized now is probably not the right time for me to read it.

I will keep this on my shelf and return to it - and update my review if I do. That said, there is always an audience for every book and I will be recommending this to my patrons who enjoy villain origin stories and fairy tales.

A book about Cruella De Vil as a teenager? Yes, please! I wa so excited to receive an ARC copy of Hello, Cruel Heart and it didn’t disappoint.

Author Maureen Johnson opens with the teenage Estella. She’s got a knack for petty crime but dreams of fashion design.
The sixteen-year old and her accomplices Jasper and Horace are getting along just fine. And then Estella is introduced to the posh life by twins Magda and Richard.
Under the tutelage of the twins, Estella can finally imagine a more prosperous future in which she has the job—and the love—she’s always dreamed of.
But Estella’s underlying dark side—Cruella—is just a betrayal away from taking over entirely.

Hello, Cruel Heart is an imaginative origin story for One of Disney’s classic villainess’s. Set in the 1960’s it almost seems like a true biography of a bright, talented young girl on the cusp of becoming so very infamous.

Hello, Cruel Heart is available now.

*I received an advanced audiobook copy of Hello, Cruel Heart from Disney Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, yes, I am super excited for the new movie 'Cruella' to come out. So it's really sad for me to say this.. but I was so disappointed and underwhelmed with Hello, Cruel Heart. I think the reason why was because I read two Cruella retelling books around one another. Which I probably should have dove into a completely different book in-between them. Maybe two different books.

I just couldn't stop comparing them to one another and it just made my experience with reading this a little less fun.

That being said, I liked Estella as a character but other than that.. she was kind of boring in this one. Again, I couldn't stop comparing no matter how hard I tried. It was interesting to see her being an orphan and finding her way through life but it just did nothing for me.

I am glad that I got the chance to dive into this but I'm just really disappointed in myself for not enjoying it. Maybe I will dive into this again but at the moment.. I think I need to take a breather from retellings for Disney characters.

This is definitely a 'it's not you but me' situation. Sorry.

I tore through this book in 2 days. It is both an easy read and an origin story for(you guessed it) Cruella Deville. I think based on the newest Cruella movie, that these are not related. I enjoyed the story and learning more about where she came from and what makes her tick. I think all of us can see ourselves in these characters and in the extremes of society that the author paints a very clear picture of. Great character and world building. Great story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read Hello Cruel Heart

A young girl named Estella.... 3 Dalmatians ... and the beginning of Cruella ...

✔️ I really enjoyed parts of this story - Estella and her friends Jasper and Horace and their thieving was quite fun to read
✔️ Cruella did make an appearance or two- trying to to protect the young Estella
✔️ the main story of the rich friends etc was a bit too long and not as exciting

Overall though this was a fun story .

I don’t think Cruella is a villain that I’ve thought all that much about origin story wise. After reading Hello, Cruel Heart though I find myself empathizing with her character SO much. It utterly breaks my heart how different her story could have ended up had those around her had treated her in a different manner.

I absolutely loved reading this quick and easy to read origins story on the villain we all loved to hate and not only was I able to understand her a bit better but I throughly enjoyed learning more about the face behind Cruella; Estella. I’d definitely love to read more about Estella fully embracing her alter ego Cruella because while Estella was fun to read about as we get to see the humanity that was in her before she was driven into fully becoming Cruella, I just know that there is so much more to the story.

pretty quickly, i knew this book wasn't for me, there was just so many random ass crap between the characters that just didn't make sense what so ever, so it really took away from my enjoyment. especially since i have literally no bit of clue when this book actually took place, cause it was such a mess, but i guess it wasn't for me, so hopefully someone else will like this book.

I loved this little prequel about Cruella de Vil! Cruella is reimagined as Estella, an orphan who is forced to steal the essentials to survive. Her goal in life is to be a designer and when the opportunity arises to show off her skills, she jumps at the chance. I personally wanted to own all of Estella’s wardrobe creations. I really liked Estella and wanted her to be happy and find success. Too bad she’s one of the most well known villains of all time. 😂

This book is intended to lead into Disney’s new movie Cruella coming out next month and I have to say that it did get me pumped to watch it! Plus, EMMA STONE is in it and she’s absolutely fabulous.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Hello, Cruel Heart is an origin story of sorts for one of my favorite villains ever, Cruella de Vil. The timing for this release is perfect for Cruella fans, as we also have a live action Cruella film releasing at the end of May, starring Emma Stone. We all know, I just love when a villain gets her time to shine.

In this story, set in 1967-London, we follow a 16-year old, Estella, Cruella's true name, as she branches out for the first time and tries to find her place in the world. Orphaned at a young age, Cruella moved herself, and her sweet dog, Buddy, to London, knowing not a soul in the world.

It's on that first day in the city that she meets Jasper and Horace. The three kids immediately bond while fleeing from the local police. They're inseparable from that point forward, doing whatever they need to do to survive. They become family and rely on one another for everything.

In her quiet moments, Estella dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer. She spends a lot of her time sewing and creating. She's really good at it. She has an eye. It is partly due to this special talent that she drifts onto the radar of wealthy twins, Magda and Richard, who sweep her into their world as a sort of pet project.

They're posh, sophisticated and live a carefree lifestyle that Estella can't even imagine. She's blinded by the money and social circle, thinking she can use their friendship as a jumping off point for getting her name, and fashion designs, out in the world.

Before she knows it, it's all happening. Everything she ever dreamed of. She's dating a rock star, for goodness sake! She's also keeping her alter-ego, Cruella, quietly subdued in the background of her mind. Everything is going great, until it isn't.

I had fun with this story. It reads incredibly fast. I read it in about 4-hours. I enjoyed learning about Cruella's early life and gaining some insight into her motivations as a character. I see you, Cruella. I get it. Although the story was quick, it did transport me. I was fully engulfed in the world while I was reading it.

With this being said, I did expect a bit more substance. I would have been here for even more detail and background. Especially coming from Maureen Johnson. If you are a Cruella fan, a villain origin story fan, or even just a Disney fan, I would recommend checking this one out. It is definitely a great way to get you in the mood for the upcoming movie. I know I will definitely be watching it.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate it very much!

This book was super fun! It was very easy to get immersed in 1960s London and be in Estella’s shoes. The plot was very fun, albeit predictable. It was interesting to see where parts of Cruella’s gruesome personality originated. I think compared to other books of the same grade level, this book is a star! It is easy to ready as well as easy to love. I think any Disney lover, young or old, will enjoy this book, especially leading into the release of the new Cruella movie. The writing was really well-done and engaging, and I could not put this book down. Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review Disney!

I read over 50% of this book and just couldn't finish it. It's not a horrible book by any means, and I appreciate the back story. However, it didn't seem to align with the current persona of Cruella that kids are used to.

I love character origin stories! It was especially cool to see Cruella as a teenager, and in 1960s London to boot. I admit to never really liking Cruella or 101 Dalmatians, but this story made me change me mind. Cruella was much more approachable and sympathetic in Hello, Cruel Heart.

This was such a delightfully fun read! It was super quick, as well. I loved all the references to 60s British pop culture. But at the same time, I wish that there was a touch more fleshing out of Jasper and Horace, Estella's mom...all of it needed a little more fleshing. But it was still a pleasant read!!

This is a really interesting book. It is very well written and I enjoyed reading it but it also wasn’t really what I was expecting. Stella throughout the story hasn’t become the hateful would be puppy murderer yet, but she also isn’t a very sympathetic character. There are some dark moments to her life but she is also manipulative and self centered. She’s not evil yet but she’s also not someone I would voluntarily spend time with. I was expecting more of an explanation of why she was the psycho Cruella we know from the movies but the book ends with her clearly beginning her true descent into awfulness.

That said the book is really well written. While Stella isn’t really a sympathetic character that always felt kind of off the table for me; there isn’t really a way to justify wanting to kill a bunch of puppies. I thought the book did a great job however of humanizing her. She does fell like a real person on a bad path and not just a villain. I also loved the setting and how she forced herself into the high fashion crowd for the summer. The other characters that travel in this circle are also well written as kind of sad and awful, using Stella for her fashion just as she uses them for the exposure and lifestyle. It was also interesting seeing that her future henchmen are also the closest thing she has to family and how she treats them. There is clearly an intense bond but she also treats them as far beneath her even as they’re all living together in the remains of a bombed out building.

The setting was well written and just a little surreal; I loved the vibrant summer feel of everything. The story ended at a natural turning point that left me satisfied that tale was done but still wanting more. I am curious to see more of her journey to fully being Cruella and curious if she ever learns more about her own past. It is an entrancing story and I found the book hard to put down.

Thank you, NetGalley and Disney Press for providing Hello, Cruel Heart by Maureen Johnson in exchange for my honest review.
I jumped at the opportunity to read Hello, Cruel Heart because meeting Cruella devil pre 101 Dalmatians seemed like a no-brainer. We meet Cruella at the age of 16 and her name is Estella. She’s an orphan, living in a Lair with two boys she meets after her mother died. They taught her how to survive and to be a skillful thief. Horace and Jasper are her families. Her best friends. I personally wish we got to know them better, unfortunately, they had small side parts. Important to Estella…
Anyway, 16-year-old Estella randomly runs into twins, Magda and Richard who are posh, spoiled socialites who are bored and looking for some excitement. Estella is a gifted fashion designer with a fantastic eye for detail and Magda and Estella connect, as much as you can connect with someone who looks down on you. Through the twins, Estella meets Peter, a musician in a local band. She likes that he does all the work for the bad, but she’s frustrated that he’s not getting all the attention, and she offers to design him an outfit for their television debut. Estella’s life goes from stealing fabric to having fabric she’s never dreamed of, handed to her by Magda. She is thrust into the life to London social scene, but is she really?
Throughout the story, we see glimpses of Cruella, but in truth, she felt almost like an afterthought. I really wanted to like this one, but I am not the main age group and perhaps it will work for some younger readers. For me, I had so many questions that were never answered. I waited to learn the story of Cruella, but it really gets glossed over. I just wanted more…

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Press for an ARC of this book! Release date April 6, 2021

I absolutely LOVE Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious series, and I'm super excited to see the new Cruella movie. 101 Dalmatians was seriously one of my favorites as a kid. So all of those factors combined I knew I wanted to read this book. And it was great! I read it very quickly, it was easy to breeze through. The writing was awesome and I was completely sucked into this world of 1960s London. Estella really came alive as a character and I was rooting for her to succeed, and I thought it was a fantastic origin story for Cruella, where she came from a poor background but had such a talent for fashion as well as crime. It felt true to her character. I love how fashion was such a big part of the story, it reminded me of how baking and pastries are a big part of Heartless, in a way that just adds to the mood of the story. All the characters leaped off the page, there are some really quirky and unique characters in this book. The storyline kept me engaged throughout, even though there are no big surprises it was just an enjoyable story. I'm assuming that the movie picks up where this book left off, which is great because I really want to see where the story goes from here!