Cold Hearted tells the backstory of Lady Tremaine, Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, and how she became the wicked stepmother. I must say this is fascinating to me as this book (and the series as a whole) does an amazing job as crafting up a tale on the scenarios that result in Lady Tremaine becoming a villain when she was a kind-hearted and thoughtful person originally. Through darker outside forces, Lady Tremaine, a widow who is a doting mother to her two young daughters, is tricked into a marriage with a duke from the Many Kingdoms (Cinderella’s father) and her magic fairytale romance becomes far from a happy ending.

You begin to feel compassion and frustration at the injustice of Lady Tremaine’s predicament and the way she turned out makes complete sense. However, the one thing I would change about the story is the ending. I wished there was more help involved in helping Lady Tremaine out as she wasn’t a magical being herself as the other stepmothers in the series were and was an unwilling victim to the dark magic.

Also, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an underlying other story that ties all of the books together that I very much relish in and there are references to events that happened in the previous books.

Overall, this YA book is a quick and fun read that charms those who enjoy fairytales and of course, Disney.

I loved this! This was the first book of the Villains series that I have read so far and it definitely will not be the last!
I have wanted to read this series after hearing a lot about it and will definitely read the rest of the books.
Fractured fairy tales are always fun to read. This one was different than any other that I have read before.
Instead of the main characters being the ones you’d assume, it’s the villains.
It really made me think about Lady Tremaine’s feelings and motive. It never occurred to me that Cinderella’s father could have been rude to her, the fairy godmother had a sister whom was acquainted with Tremaine, or any of the other genius plot points Serena Valentino wrote. I am definitely recommending this to all of my bookworm friends!

I don’t really have anything to say other than I did not enjoy this. Maybe I am in the wrong age demographic for this as I am an older teen, and this book feels aimed at younger children. It did have a good enough story to keep me reading to the end, though.

If you love Disney villains and would love to know their back story this is the perfect series for you. I have read multiple books from this series and trust me Cold Hearted does not disappoint. Lady Tremaine has always kind of been that odd Disney villain. She is evil but there is not much explaining why. This book does a stunning job sharing how Lady Tremaine becomes the Evil Stepmother. The only thing that I wish had been explored more was the curse that was placed upon her broach. I just loved this book! I love seeing both sides of the story. Just a great read! Thank you so to NetGalley and Disney publishing for the advance copy.

Once again another amazing twisted tale, I absolutely adore these and love that the villains take the lead! I cannot wait for the next installment.

From the very first book, I have been obsessed with this Villain series. As a child, I didn't have much love or understanding for the villains. As I grew, I began to understand that they were misunderstood. Then, I was introduced to this series and WOW... I LOVE the villains; more specifically, I love Valentino's back-stories.

"Cold Hearted" focuses on the story of Lady Tremaine, a widow who finds herself being lonely (even when surrounded by servants). She decides to visit her friend, where she meets (and falls in love) with Sir Richard. Their love was straight out of a fairy tale... or not. Anyway, I enjoyed being able to read more about Lady Tremaine's hatred of Cinderella. Valentino does a phenomenal job of making me sympathize with the villains (I'm not sure if that's intentional or not). Either way, while Lady Tremaine will probably never be my favorite villain, she has broken through the top 5.

The book, overall, is a quick read filled with unexpected twists and turns. This, by far, is one of my favorite books of the entire series. As long as Valentino keeps writing them, I will continue to read and buy them.

The author did a really great job of bringing this character, one we don't actually know a lot about despite their prominence within the Disney world, to life. I maintained low expectations going in for two reasons: 1.) This book is written for an audience much younger than I am, and 2.) I've read a number of Disney retellings in the past and have yet to be really captivated by one.

Valentino made the character of Lady Tremaine really interesting. After reading this book, I felt that I knew the character better than I ever did watching the original movie. Another thing I believe the author did well was expand on the world of the movie. The Many Kingdoms was a fascinating location for this story and it felt so expansive and immersive.

I think the author did a great job of adding depth to an already established character and doing it in a way that makes the story accessible to people of all ages. I would definitely recommend this book to young readers and Disney fans alike.

Cold Hearted is the story of Lady Tremaine, but not as we know it. This book is one of the Villains novels by Serena Valentino and includes characters from the previous books, including The Odd Sisters. If you are a Disney or Cinderella fan, then you should definitely read this!

Overall, the story was enjoyable for the most part. It did take some time to separate what you knew of the story vs. what the story was telling you. We follow Lady Tremaine and her daughters as they travel and adjust to The Many Kingdoms, but not everything is a fairytale.

Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella's lives are changed forever once Sir Richard steps into their lives. He seems like such a gentleman on the outside, but once they step foot into the Many Kingdoms, everything seems to change. They meet Cinderella, and time passes with Lady Tremaine slowly altering how she views people.

The Odd Sisters appear throughout the story trying to assist Lady Tremaine from becoming a villain like the Book of Fairy Tales predicted. In the end, will she become a villain, or will she change? Only time will tell in The Many Kingdoms.

I enjoyed reading the story because it provided a bit more insight into the minds of her daughters and how they interacted with Cinderella. One thing that I found was interesting was how the story began as a view of what was currently happening and took you on a journey from the beginning to the present time.

Review posted on Goodreads on 5-31-21: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3725085516?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Thank you NetGalley, Disney Publishing, and Serena for allowing me to read an early copy of this book! I am so excited for this release as this has been one of my favorite series. I am a big Disney villain fan so I always enjoy hearing their side of the story. This book was brilliant. It is one of the best of Serena’s villains series. This book really gave you an inside look into who Lady Tremaine is as a person and what drove her to become such a horrid person. I loved the story and whimsy of this book. I felt so many emotions for the characters and I felt for The Tremaines. My heart broke so many times for Lady Tremaine. She deserved so much better. There were so many twists and turns that had me shocked even though we all know the story. The one thing I wish is that the ending wasn’t so rushed (although I know it’s because we all know the story already). All in all I loved this book and can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy.

I love Fairytale retellings and I really enjoy Disney as well, so these villain stories always intrigue me. I haven't read them all, but I have read quite a few.

That being said, I saw real potential in the addition of Lady Tremaine because she is not otherwordly or magical, thus making her the villain we all fear - one that could actually exist in real life. Cold Hearted provides a fresh twist to the Cinderella story by giving us the origin story for Lady Tremaine. Having not always been the evil stepmother we know her as now, it's nice to see the parts of her life that shaped that perspective. Isn't it funny how someone can have their heart in the right place and mean well, yet still come off as evil?

Perfect for any fans of villain stories, fairytale retellings, or in general Disney fans. Writing is age appropriate so younger children would also be able to enjoy the story.

My Review:

To be Honest, this was the first book in the series I have read, so it was a little confusing. What really attracted me to wanting to read this book was the cover. (don't come for me). I kept hearing about it so I figured why not try it? I was confused about the Odd Sisters in the book, but there is another book entitled The Odd Sisters by the same author of this book. The writing on the other hand was beautiful, and impeccable. I don't know if I will read the series, but I think any dedicated reader to the series will enjoy this book.

Cold Hearted may have you feeling sorry for Lady Tremaine like you never thought possible.

Author Serena Valentino’s Disney Villains stories consistently shed new light on old characters in an entertaining, thought-provoking way. (For a full list of the books in the series and the appropriate order in which to read them, please see the below list at the bottom of this article.) I re-watched Disney’s Cinderella recently and was reminded just how terribly Lady Tremaine and the frightful Anastasia and Drizella treated Cinderella and thought I could not possibly ever side with, or at least feel compassion towards, Lady Tremaine.

But then along came Cold Hearted.

Cold Hearted is book 8 in the Valentino Disney Villains series and explores the pertinent parts of Lady Tremaine’s past before picking up where Disney’s Cinderella begins – Tremaine’s marriage to Cinderella’s father. However, it is not simply an origin story that leads us up to her role as infamously cruel stepmother. The tale shapes Lady Tremaine’s earlier experiences while also giving us her perspective on her introduction to Cinderella and life thereafter. While you may have seen life thereafter in the film, you have not seen it play out in this way. That is where Valentino weaves wonders by showing us the world through Lady Tremaine’s eyes.

That said, unlike book 7 (Evil Thing based on 101 Dalmations) which is told in Cruella De Vil’s voice, we experience Lady Tremaine’s perspective through third person. This storytelling style reverts to that which Valentino used in her earlier books. While I loved the wit and iconic phrases of first-person Cruella (daaarling!), Cold Hearted provided me with a warm and welcome return to the familiar and equally appealing style of earlier books in the series. Also unlike Evil Thing, readers revisit the Many Kingdoms (the primary magical realm in which much of the action happens in Valentino’s versions of her Disney Villain stories) and are reacquainted with the spooky Odd Sisters.

I enjoyed my return to the Many Kingdoms, and yet it was as if I were experiencing a whole new dimension. Herein lies the Many Kingdoms as you have not read about it before. “Enjoyed” perhaps may not be the right word, as I was thoroughly unsettled throughout this story – in every way that Valentino intends her readers to be. The Many Kingdoms is indeed the land of fairytales but the unrest between the witches and fairies, and the chaos-fueled existence of those meddling Odd Sisters is made evermore apparent in Tremaine’s tale.

Given these references to the Many Kingdoms and the Odd Sisters, I strongly recommend that readers read the earlier books in the series before reading Cold Hearted. While some explanation is given as to Valentino’s original characters and where they fit into the Disney classics, their richness and greater context is lost without having read the earlier books.

Ultimately, Lady Tremaine’s story is borne of heartache and loss which follows her throughout most of her life, but more than that, the human element – getting to know her through her tragedies and triumphs – left me wanting the best for her. The reader experiences the highs and lows of the story in tandem with its protagonist, so one always hopes things will get better. Despite this desire, there is hardly any bright side. I must of course remind you, dear reader, that things do not end well for Lady Tremaine. You already knew that, but the ending to Cold Hearted is more disturbing than you might imagine, and it simply must be read to be believed.

Again, “enjoyed” is not the right word. “Satisfactorily spooked” and “perpetually impressed with Valentino’s creative prowess” are far better descriptors. See for yourself when Cold Hearted is released on July 6th.

Author Serena Valentino has taken the world by storm with her New York Times best-selling Disney Villains novels published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. Not only do Valentino’s stories give readers the opportunity to explore villains they know and love, readers are also introduced to new characters that operate behind the scenes of classic Disney plots, giving tales-as-old-as-time a bewitching new twist.

The books in the series are as follows and are best enjoyed if read in this order:

1) Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
2) The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty’s Prince

3) Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch

4) Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy

5) Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch

6) The Odd Sisters: A Tale of the Three Witches

7) Evil Thing: A Tale of That De Vil Woman

8) Cold Hearted

Everybody knows Lady Tremaine as the evil step-mother from Cinderella. But what readers don't know is how she got to that point. And now we get her back story in Cold Hearted by Serena Valnetino as part of her villain's series. And while Cold Hearted didn't make me love Lady Tremaine it did as least make understand why she did what she did. Which is the point. She still one of the villain's we love to hate.

This is such a fun series! I am huge fan of retellings, and I love it when they delve into the before and after of the original story. It's so fun!

This was a great way to get the "other side's" story. I loved it so much. This definitely skews to a younger reader, so it's a quick, easy story, and it's oh so fun! I can't wait to read more of this series now!

2.8/5💫: Listen I think I'm reading a completely different book from everyone because everyone loved this book but I did not. The eight book in the series, I'm not sure if this series is suppose to be sequential or companion/standalone books but none the less, this is the first one that I've ever read. This story follows Lady Termaine, known to all of us as the wicked stepmother to Cinderella, before she became a storybook villain. And objectively the book wasn't written poorly and wasn't not compelling but it was just not my vibe.

I wasn't here for the style the narrative took place. I also did not like how the origin story basically put all the blame on the heroes or good guys of the actual classic. It just felt kind of like a cop-out because it just instead of having complex issues that lead her to cruelty, it was all oh the characters that have always been established are good are trash. Like I know the writer wanted us to sympathize with the villain, hence the need for an origin story, but I didn't like that they thought the best way to do that was ruin beloved characters by making them flat horrible characters that lacked any compassion. It felt off, like I was waiting the whole time for them to say, oh they good guys acted horrible to them cause they're being controlled by the ood sisters or something but no, they're just terrible.

Also the story also was all about saving the stepsisters but we barely got mention of them in the "flashbacks/past" so it was weird for that to be the central plot/mission when the story is supposed to be about Termaine because the saving felt flat and rushed.

[Tiny, and I mean like one sentence spoiler] Also side-note that probably doesn't matter, but when Lady Termaine moved to the kingdoms, they past beast/belle's castle and that story has already played out because they were referencing it, but Cinderella was a child still? I thought the princess stories happened around the same time. But this would make Belle way older. I just found that a little odd, especially since the Cinderella story technically comes first.

4.5 stars
I really enjoy fairy tale retellings and I love the fresh twist of this one. I like that it is an origin story for Lady Tremaine. I appreciate that she wasn't always evil and that her heart was in the right place.
It is a page turner, an easy read and 100% appropriate for kids and I am excited to share this one with my littles.
I definitely recommend it!

Thoroughly enjoyable, especially for fans of the original movie. I did feel a bit lost when it came to the fairies and their involvement in the stories, but I suspect that's because I haven't read the remainder of this series. I suspect those who have will get much more out of it than I did.

Before this, I had never read any of the books in the Disney Villain's series but after I read the first chapter of Cold Hearted, I HAD to read all the others! This is an amazing series! I wouldn't say I"m a Disney freak, I like the fairy tales as much as the next person but I am now hooked! This version of how the villains we love to hate become who they are makes you not only understand their motivation but sympathize with their story. Who'd have thought we'd ever feel empathy for Lady Tremaine or those evil stepsisters??? I simply LOVED it!

A fun tribute to the notorious wicked stepmother in Cinderella. A solid, easy read that younger readers are likely to enjoy. A great story to introduce younger generations to a classic..

Very interesting take on Cinderella. I am a sucker for retellings and this book delivered everything i wanted and more. Yes. A milliom times yes