I loved this! It was fun, very Stiefvater-esque, and a refreshing spin on a Disney property. What more could you want?

I am so excited to add this book to my physical library such a fun read. Retellings are my thing and this one checked all the boxes for me.

This was perfection! Merida has always been my fav Princess since she was introduced and I loved how Maggie captured her essence on page. I also loved how she used Feradach and Cailleach perfectly though the story. As someone who is very much into my Celtic heritage I really loved the authenticity of how this felt. I would love anything set in this world! Thank you Maggie!

I adored the language and the atmosphere that Stiefvater was able to bring to this story. The myths and legends brought into the story were fascinating. I really felt like this didn't take away anything from the movie but is its own separate thing. I had a few issues with pacing but overall it was a great read.

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. Thank you so much to both the publisher, Disney Press, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Tell me why that last chapter before the prologue just almost made me cry at my work desk! :'(
To put it simply, I am now a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater's writing. This book was so easy to follow, become enveloped in, and envision from scene to scene. She made the character's even more lovable than they already were from the movie, while also expanding on their personalities in just the right way, while also keeping things very unexpected. Also, Leezie was hands down one of my top favorite characters, and most definitely deserved to become part of the family! I also didn't see a few of the twists coming at all!
I became so attached to the building of Merida and Feradach's friendship/relationship. Their interactions were not typical of what usually occurs between two interests in a YA story, and it was very refreshing! Having the family be a huge focus of the book and undergoing necessary, although sometimes painful change was also such a beautiful part of the story. I'm almost sad that this is a standalone book. That last line of the epilogue!! I WANT HER TO ANSWER THE DOOR, DISNEY. <3

Can Merida save DunBroch from total ruin?
Merida is enjoying her Christmas Eve when something grabs her attention outside. That's when she comes across Feradach, the god of ruin, and discovers his intent on demolishing DunBroch and everyone within. Cailleach, the god of creation, gives Merida hope. If she can bring true change to the members of her family within the year, DunBroch and it's inhabitants will be spared. Both gods watch closely as Merida spends the year traveling to different kingdoms with her family in an attempt to bring change about. Will Merida be able to bring change upon her family and herself? Or will they suffer the eternal consequences?
I flew through this book so quick, loving every second of it. Maggie Stiefvater captured each character so perfectly, true to the characters we learned about and loved in Brave. This story picked up a few years after Brave and was an excellent continuation of the story. The e-book and audiobook were both great. The narrator, Fiona Hardingham, was the perfect fit for this audiobook. She did an excellent job bringing this story to life and giving each character their voice. I highly recommend this book to all the Disney fans out there and hope that Maggie continues to tell more of Merida's story, or writes more Disney related books!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Edelweiss+. I an voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The book started out very well. Towards the middle, it began to drag. However, it picked up speed at the very end. The world-building is wonderful! The author pulled me into a magical world. However, I did not think she developed Merida all that well. She mostly stayed the same throughout. I also did not like her having a love interest. I always thought she did not need one. Still, I recommend this for fans of Juliet Marillier, Liz Braswell, and Esther Freisner.

First, let me say that I loved Brave. I loved that Pixar made a movie about a princess who not only is not polished, but whose ultimate goal is something other than getting married. I love Merida for her strength, independence, and fierce loyalty to her family. However, I do feel that Brave is a pretty self-contained story that didn’t really need a sequel, and Bravely did not convince me otherwise.

I did enjoy the characterization of Merida’s three brothers in Bravely. They are very young in Brave, and they never really get differentiated from one another. It was nice to learn that Hamish is fearful and loves music and that Hubert is boisterous with a big laugh. Bravely also dives more into Queen Elinor’s history than the film. These details helped bring the family DunBroch more to life.

The stakes for Merida in Brave are high: she needs to save her mother from life as a bear and keep herself out of an unhappy marriage. Bravely ups those stakes as Merida needs to keep her home from magical destruction. The premise of Merida’s adventure to save her home reminded me a little of Anna’s journey in Frozen, which I appreciated.

Like the story it continues, Bravely features magical elements. However, the magic in Brave comes from potions and witches, while the magic in Bravely comes from gods. The will ‘o the wisps we know from Brave did make an appearance in Bravely, but not until the very end. This stark difference in the types of magic in these two stories made them feel like they occurred in different universes.

One of my favorite things about Merida is that she makes it clear that she doesn’t need a romantic relationship to feel complete. However, there is an implication at the end of Bravely that she is hoping for a romantic partner. While of course, romantic relationships can be a very fulfilling and important part of life, this felt like a step back from the strong feminist messaging of the original film.

While I wanted more from Bravely, I am hoping that Disney Press continues with this series. I would love to read more sequels to Disney films I love.

Brave was one of my favorite movies by Pixar that’s been made recently. This book was a awesome story with Merida and her family! I greatly enjoyed it!

Anyone who knows anything about my reading tastes knows I’ve been obsessed with every Maggie Stiefvater story I’ve consumed since I first picked up The Scorpio Races way back in 8th grade. This was the first of the newer Disney movie sequel style novels I’ve tried, but I was so excited for it! Brave is one of my favorites for sure and this story really captures the same atmosphere and magical escapism I love so much about the original movie. As a Stiefvater fan, I can definitely recognize her unique witting style here, but overall everything still felt authentically Brave too. I loved seeing more side character stories and new characters be introduced too!

The beginning instantly sucked me in, with transporting descriptions and fast paced action. I mean we were literally chasing a strange being through the woods in the middle of winter, jumping literally over a cliff into freezing water— and of course falling over a waterfall— only to end up meeting two gods all within the first few chapters. What more could you ask for in a classic fairytale with themes of growing and embracing change? I definitely think this would appeal most to a younger audience, even upper middle grade, but I still enjoyed it as an adult looking for an enchanting story with the perfect amount of familiarity and nostalgia.

There are two kinds of people. There are people who seek magic, and people the magic seeks.
Stiefvater works her magic, taking story threads from an animated children's movie and interweaving them with a trio of of formidable challenges. This tapestry includes a measure of medieval life and sparkles with fibers of Scottish mythology. The result is epic YA fantasy.
Merida, a fiery redhead girl whose prowess with a bow is legendary, is now a restless young woman. A series of travels have left her unsettled. She wonders: What is missing from her life? What needs to change?
To save her country, she strikes a bargain with two gods. Within one year she will travel to three prearranged locations throughout the land, proving that her family and country can change. It's a daunting task. She is working against time and deeply entrenched traditions.
Seasons play a role, as progression of time is a critical plot point. The text eloquently describes the splendor of each season with sensory details.
The narrative captures the essence of family life: the messy, complicated, frustrating all-of-it. DunBroch castle is brimming with busy, boisterous interactions. ​​“You jam-handed scab!” Merida lashes out at her brother.​
Her parents and three younger brothers are dimensional individuals who change as the story progresses. The evolving relationship between mother and daughter is particularly touching.
As with all her novels, Stiefvater's prose is masterful. She embroiders scenes with her characteristic slightly acerbic wit and ear for language.
​Geese fly in a "forever-dim summer"
​​Her parents "arranged their faces to look less like taxidermied animals."
Signature motifs are sprinkled throughout the text: gloves with oxblood stitching, "the Sight," and a knock at the door.
Just when readers think they know what comes next, the plot takes a one-eighty. The ending is what I hoped for but believed could never happen. Bravely took my heart on a tender journey.
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A major theme is the push and pull between renewal and ruin, the tension between complacency and change. Bravely is a study of both external and internal change. Some situations can be controlled. Some events are beyond human intervention.


​Disclosure: I have not viewed the Pixar movie Brave and can affirm that the book stands independent of the movie. However, now that I have read the book, I want to view this version of young Merida. How does the impetuous sixteen-year-old compare with the young woman in her early twenties, searching for answers, longing to resolve the incomplete pieces of her life.
A story of magic and the power of love, Stiefvater brings her considerable storytelling skills to this novel that is part fairytale, part mythology, and a whole lotta hopes and dreams.
I rarely immediately reread a book. However this richly layered tale drew me in for a second reading, which was as rewarding as my first encounter with Merida. Knowing the eventual outcome helped me appreciate and enjoy the story even more. I am itching to read it again. It's a sumptuous medieval feast.

I love Disney and I love Maggie Stiefvater's books. While Brave is not my favorite Disney movie, I think Maggie Stiefvater is the perfect writer to tell her story. Some of the Scottish folklore and legend got confusing, but overall this was a beautifully written book. I am thoroughly grateful to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a fun book. When I received it, I did not realize that it is a sequel the the Disney/Pixar movie Brave. I am probably one of the very few people who have never seen the movie - but the storyline intrigued me. Set in a fantastical, mystical old Scotland, Brave, is the story of an imperfect heroine on a quest to save her family and her kingdom, while living out her own dreams of being more than just a princess.

It is a year after Princess Merida has completed her quest to find herself. She's arrived home to the marriage of her "almost sister" Lizzie. Already, Merida is feeling stifled and stagnant in the castle she grew up in. In the early hours of the day of the wedding and the winter feast day., she encounters the Scottish goddess of life, Cailleach and her counterpart, Feradach, god of ruin. Feradach is set to bring ruin onto the kingdom Merida's father rules, but he and Cailleach strike a bargain, offering Merida a year to bring about complete change in all of her family members.

This is the store of bravery, but also a warning about the power of stagnation and ruin, and how apathy can bring about destruction even if it is not what we choose. More, it is the story of becoming who we are meant to be and all of the obstacles in the way. It is the story of ingenuity, luck, and determination. It was a fun read, but it also has a powerful message about the powers of both creation and ruin.

This was a delightful surprise!
Taking place a year or so after the events of Brave, Merida is more than aware of the effects magic can have on the world around you. After a run in with two Gods (one of destruction, one of rebirth) Merida makes another deal with magic to try and save her kingdom from certain doom.
Merida is an exciting main character, her heart is in the right place and you can see how hard she tries to make things right. Some of the other characters fell kind of flat for me, (her friend Leezie - a new character, and her brothers +her parents didn't charm me in the same way they did in the movies. (No clue why Leezie was even thereto be honest). Certain parts were very repetitive and the novel did read more Middle Grade than Young Adult.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of Bravely and the chance to review it!

I’m honoured to have received an advanced copy of Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater. Stiefvater is one of my favourite authors and I was already planning on preordering a copy (and I still did), but reading it early was such a treat.

Changing fate continues to be a theme in Bravely and drives Merida’s actions. She learns even more about perspective and objectivity, while each member of her family has their own lessons to learn. Bravely shows great examples of how the change in one’s life is ongoing; and that one must continue changing in order for life to move forwards. I loved Merida’s journey most of all: just because she “learned her lesson” during the previous movie, doesn’t mean that she’s done growing and changing and learning. She’s a great example of how growing up is a process that can’t be over in a day, a week, or even a year. It takes many years to gain the experience necessary to become the person you are meant to be. Oh, and as Merida would remind you: you have the power to change your fate. To choose the person you are meant to be.

Full review on my blog at www.litandleta.ca!

I adore Brave, and I love reading anything Maggie Stiefvater writes. Combined with the fact that this is my daughter and my favorite Disney story, I was sold! I was able to get the audio and ebook version, which was a blessing. My children got to listen to it with me in the car to school and back. This is why it took me a while to read and review, they wanted to listen too!
I loved how authentic the characters were. Since it is a sequel, I was worried that it wouldn't seem like the same character as the movie. IT IS! It was truly authentic.
The love that Merida has for her family is so believable that my empath feelings were picking up on it. It was so well written that I felt worried when Merida did, frustrated when Merida was frustrated, and joyous when Merida was joyous. I do not get that with every book, and usually it is only the sad parts of books that do this to me.
The story was written more for middle grade I think, and might lose readers that are young adult unless they really love reading or feel partial to the story itself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this sweet book and I was glad to share the experience of listening with my children.

Love this author and was excited to see what she did with this story. How fun that she got to work with Disney and had the flexibility to do what she wanted with the storyline! She picked up the story after the ending of the movie flawlessly, and Merida’s adventure was so much fun.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a good YA Fantasy continuing the story of the Disney movie Brave. The book is set several years after the movie and we find Merida traveling the countryside learning new skills and the triplets languishing at home, unchanged and unmotivated. In fact, most of her family seems to be stuck, with little purpose or motivation to change things. Which is the problem.

On Christmas Eve Merida encounters two gods. One tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, and intent on destroying DunBroch and everyone within it. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences. Merida immediately starts her quest, which is fraught with a multitude of complications, some from her family and some from external forces. Will she be able to convince her family to change a lifetime of complacency?

I loved this movie so I jumped at the chance to read this continuation of it. Merida is her usual capable self, although she is not immune from feeling complacent and aimless at times. Merida must re-learn what she thought she knew about her family members in order to find out what they need to jolt themselves out of their rut. Some are easy, while others will test Merida's abilities and patience. One further complication is her growing feelings for the destructive god Feradach. She slowly learns more of his backstory and just how much his duties weigh on him. These feelings complicate Merida's journey, although her family will always come first.

Despite plenty of action in the book, there were times when the story slowed down and the pace was uneven. The author's ability to develop characters, even minor ones, however, helps pull the reader out of the slow parts. This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, even if you're not a huge fan of the movie Brave. I recommend you read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide and Disney Press. All opinions are my own.

This was unexpected. I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I saw was Maggie's name and I asked for it. Not until much later did I realize that this is not only a Disney story, but a sequel to Brave. I was surprised and scared all at the same time. I have always had every faith in Maggie's writing. So I was nervous and then very curious to how this would work out, how it would connect with what we know from the movie.

It was really good. Like, really. It's on the younger side of the YA range for me, but hey... it's still a fun story.

I'm not one to go over the plot and what the book is really about. Readers can get enough of that from the blurb. What I will say is that I really dug it, liked where it went, and how it ended. It was a lot of fun to be in this world and I think I may go and watch Brave again before I read this one more time.

ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love.

TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within.

I really enjoyed this novel and story that jumps in right after the movie. Its YA- but I would say its better suited to middle grade/tweens. It does have some mature themes with the consequences of the God of destruction being death but all in all its a great story for kids 10+.

It draws you in right from the beginning, but is a tad slow in the middle. I had to push to get through the middle but it picks up again and the last 35% is a whirlwind