Creeping Beauty by Andrea Ports ⭐️

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I was able to get 64 out of 291 pages in. I really wanted to like this book, but I just wasn't able to get pulled in. The good: descriptions and pacing. The bad: Princess Elizabeth (Bitsy) and plot.

Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was really excited about this book and I think that it had a great idea of a plot. Unfortunately the book just fell a little bit short for me. Bitsy seems a bit middle grade while other parts of the book are YA/NA. It felt a little disjointed and I couldn’t connect with the characters or the story line.

The author has such a creative mind and the book just needed a little more maybe beta readers to help the author with missing plot points and flow. I still think the author did a great job and for people who like a little more whimsy and Alice and Wonderland type chaos may really enjoy this book. I look forward to reading others by the author as I loved her imagination.

Creeping Beauty caught my eye as it was described as a subversive and feminist take on Sleeping Beauty. I love reimaginings of Sleeping Beauty so couldn’t wait to dive in. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me. The story follows Bitsy a plain princess and heir to the throne. Her parents want her to marry but are finding it difficult to find a suitable match. When Bitsy accidentally pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, she is transported to a world where beauty is the most important thing and people will do anything they can to make themselves beautiful. Will Bitsy be able to escape and return to her kingdom, and will she be the same person when she gets there?

The story does have an intriguing premise, but the plot felt very disjointed. It is quite a quick paced tale and the writing was easy to get into but I was hoping for more atmosphere in the sinister and cut throat land that Bitsy is transported to. The story didn’t really come to a satisfying conclusion and I was expecting something more to happen before the story came to an end.

Bitsy as a main protagonist was fine but I didn’t particularly connect with her and I didn’t feel like the romance worked at all. There were other characters I was more interested in and wished we got to know more of. Overall Creeping Beauty is a different take on the Sleeping Beauty tale. If you’re looking for a fairytale reimagining this could be something you’ll really enjoy but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Sadly this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. I loved the concept of falling into a deep sleep and simultaneously into another world and the world building is the start of something great but the story and characters didn't quite connect for me.
The writing felt like it would fit better in the middle grade zone, however the content is defiantly YA/NA so the two didn't flow so well.
Bitsy feels very middle grade in her language and innocence, the way she creeps away from trouble and minds her manners but dealing with very adult situations such as slavery/trafficking felt a little off brand for her and the situations she ended up in felt misplaced for her character. It makes for a great fairy tale but I think it would be better pitched with less adult themes and moved into the middle grade category to suit the nature of the writing and the characters.
Speaking of characters, I didn't manage to connect with anyone in the story given that I found it hard to relate to them within the storyline. That said the main character does go through an arc and develops in character, I just didn't connect well with that journey.
Im sure with some more editing and a way of this book 'finding itself' the concept could be great but as it is, I just couldn't invest in it.
Plus sides, the cover is gorgeous and the world building was creative and intriguing.

Massive thank you to Harper 360 for sending me this arc via Netgalley, as always I'm immensely grateful for including me in your mailing lists.

Um, I didn't enjoy this book like I thought I was going to, and almost DNF'ed it a few times. I hate open endings and that's exactly what I got in this book. I feel like this could have used some more editing and a clearer plot. It didn't feel like a sleeping beauty retelling and that was disappointing to me since I normally don't find good ones. I guess this is another one to add to the 'eh' list.

2.5 stars

This is a twist on Sleeping Beauty, where we see what the princess is going through instead of just focusing on the kingdom and the prince who awakens her. I liked the idea of the story and some of the places Bitsy went were interesting, it just didn't really come together like I hoped.

Bitsy falls into a strange world after pricking her finger on a spindle. There are cannibals, warriors that live on the cliffs, and a beautiful city that values looking youthful more than anything. Bitsy seems to go in circles here, going from one place to another, then eventually going there again. It seemed a bit pointless and I couldn't understand what we were supposed to be getting out it.

The characters aren't really developed enough to care about and Bitsy feels so young for this ruthless setting. It's difficult to say what age range this is targeted to, with so much violence and a main character that sort of bumbles along.

I'm not sure if the author was going for a surprise at the end, or hoping to eventually make a sequel, but it wasn't my favorite and doesn't conclude anything.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to HarperTeen and NetGalley for the copy.

I have no idea what I just read and I don't think I'm happy about it. What I thought was a Sleeping Beauty retelling was a convoluted mess of more like Alice in Wonderland. I might have had a higher opinion if there was more of a ending, I felt like I got jipped with how open that ending was with so, so many questions still unanswered.

Creeping Beauty is a fairy tale reimagining that takes inspiration from many classic stories.
Bitsy is a typical sheltered princess. She has lived a life of luxury and excess. But when it’s time to be married, Bitsy realizes she doesn’t want to marry someone she doesn’t love and pretend to be perfect for the rest of her life. One day she is searching for the castle and is called to a room with a spindle. She pricks her finger and then awakes outside the castle. The land is so different from home. As she tries to get come, she comes across people she can and can’t trust and it’s hard to tell the difference. When she finds out she is part of a prophecy, she has to decide whether to continue to be a victim or take her life in her own hands.

This book isn’t as bad as the average rating on Goodreads indicates. Bitsy is a naïve princess, and she starts that way. She has to learn the new world she is in after being sheltered all her life. And she doesn’t magically take to the new world thank goodness. Too many books have the princess get smart really quickly or be already equipped with knowledge. Bitsy learns by mistake over and over which I found refreshing. The book also moves quickly, and the chapters aren’t very long. This would be a good way to get a reader who gets bored quickly into a book.
The novel does struggle in the last half. The fast pacing of the story hurts the narrative here. Andrea Portes leaves out important character growth skipping past Bitsy’s training and how she becomes a fighter. This makes it hard for the reader to cheer her on. Portes also leaves out answers to some pressing questions. The ending is set up for a sequel but it’s abrupt. To be a self-contained book, those lingering questions needed to be answered, and I wouldn’t have been so annoyed with the cliffhanger.
Creeping Beauty isn’t the best YA fairy tale adaptation. But it is fast-paced, and readers watch a princess turn into something more.

The premise of this was more enjoyable than the book itself. A retelling of Sleeping Beauty crossed with Alice in Wonderland, this book promises a world-hopping adventure with a unique twist.

Bitsy, (WHY did the author choose that name? It reminds me of a tiny white purse dog - was that the intent?) far from the ideal princess, pricks her finger on a spindle and awakens but in a realm filled with danger. As she navigates this treacherous land, her fate and future rest solely in her hands.

While the concept of reimagining Sleeping Beauty in a darker, empowering light holds promise, "Creeping Beauty" stumbles in its execution. The narrative vacillates between feeling overly youthful and excessively dark. Multiple story arcs lack satisfying resolutions, leaving loose ends that detract from the overall experience. The romance, interestingly characterized by an unlikable love interest, concludes abruptly, leaving readers wanting more closure.

Although the premise hints at potential, the execution falls short of expectations. The book's oscillation between contrasting tones and unresolved storylines detracts from its overall impact. Despite its intentions, "Creeping Beauty" may struggle to engage readers consistently.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC. This is an honest review.

The positive: the cover is really beautiful. I can see readers picking this up because the cover draws them in.
Unfortunately, there is simply too much happening in this book. I was excited for a “subversive and feminist tale on sleeping beauty” but it was a big miss.
Thank you netgalley and Harper Teen for the opportunity to read this one.

I love the crazy world she went through and it doesn't make any sense! It's not supposed to be! This is an alternate reality reminiscent of Wonderland.

2. I love all the great cartoon characters and how different each one is. We don't know who she can trust and that's still very intriguing.

I especially like Peregrine and want them to end! He is cunning and cruel, but gentle with her when needed. I love their back and forth and really think they are the only ones who can appreciate each other the most and treat each other at their worst.

3. I love this world-wide myth of “the one who fell from the sky”. I also really enjoyed her personality development throughout this story, from a princess escaping difficult situations to becoming a warrior.
When stories start slowly, it's hard. When you add in poor character development and really no world building, problems arise from there. This story has its moments where it shines, but it never rises above the mediocrity and stereotype that the author suffers from. For example, Bitsy's character has fallen into the "damn me" stereotype of never being pretty, good enough, or smart enough. A place where she will either immerse herself in it or try to rise above it through diversity. The problem here is that a badly built world with nonexistent threats hasn't given any real weight to its supposed change, making it back to the way it was - as deep as a puddle. water.

Other frustrations grew when other characters that I considered important were missing additions and were never revisited. People like Peregrine made me wonder what was going on with the story, then I accepted the lead role, only to be thrown off a cliff in a flip-flop.

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I was extremely excited to read this book with it being advertised as "a subversive and feminist take on Sleeping Beauty". What it actually is, is absurd and a combination of fairy tales- I saw bits of Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, the Princess and the Frog...along with Sleeping Beauty.

When I receive ARC copies, I try extremely hard to read them to completion but once I hit the 50% mark with this one- I skimmed the rest.

I think Andrea Portes was perhaps trying to cover too much ground with this one and there was no depth. Bitsy is an unlikeable Goody Two-Shoes protagonist. There are so many opportunities to discuss rascism, classism, etc. but I feel these things were used for sensation rather than anything more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC copy of this book!

This book started out as a humorous tongue in cheek retelling of Sleeping Beauty but set off ALL my red flags almost right away. Immediately, our MC is described as a thick plain girl not as pretty as her mother. When approached by a large and awkward suitor, she mentally berates him for being big and ugly and runs away from him. That’s what leads her to the tower where she pricks her fingers and visit another world in a dream state, where the characters are sinewy and exotic, speak another language and “click”. I thought this was going to be an intelligent, self aware YA fantasy with a twist, but it fell confusingly flat from the start. After reading other reviews of the book from NG users, I’m not surprised.

I thought it was going to be a mix up of sleeping beauty and Alice in wonderland.
Bitsy touches a spindle but while sleeping she gets transported to a new world.
Honestly I listened to this book and I don't really know what happened. I feel as if it all kind of blurred together

First...the cover of this book is beautiful. It immediately captures your eye and makes you want to pick it up. Then, the book synopsis promises a reading experience that the actual book does not quite live up to. This is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but there is a whole lot more retelling than just mixing in some new elements to the old story. The mix of characters and community almost fit, they could have used a little tweaking, but overall, I liked the mix of old and new, bold and not so bold that constitute most of the book. But.....
There just seemed to be some pieces missing. Just as the chapter was starting to build, it stopped. There seemed to be quite a bit of unfinished actions, little tension and a whole lot of "what did I just read?". I did enjoy the book, I just feel it did not live up to the promises of the beautiful cover and the story wind up. It is interesting to note that Andrea Portes is an accomplished author who has proven her skills many times over. Creeping Beauty just falls a little flat.

Creeping Beauty was a fun and a fast read, I liked Bitsy as a character even if she is a little "not like other girls", I love fairytale retellings but something was missing for me, the worldbuilding was a little chunky and a bit more "tell rather than show" for my liking. I'm not sure if this is a standalone but I don't think I'll be picking up the second.

I have to say, after seeing some reviews I started reading this book with a VERY OPEN mind. And I was very tickled by this book.

Bitsy touches a spindle and is sent falling down to a land that she does not recognize. Bitsy wants to go home, but no one knows her land and cannot help her. She runs into a man who then takes her to his kingdom Alabastrine where they imbibe in a drink called Sapphire that makes everyone beautiful, and if you’re not beautiful or rich, you are sent to the Sapphire Mines to mine the Sapphire. Bitsy wants to help the people in this world and also to escape and go home and it seems the only way to do either is to defeat The Veist.

So Bitsy may have pricked her finger on a spindle and is asleep, but this sounds more like Alice in Wonderland with the witty repartee, odd places and odd and eccentric people and word choices and phrasing. I really thought I would maybe dislike this book, but I think I needed a book filled with ridiculousness like this one because my mood said yes to this book! I truly enjoyed the hilariousness and quirkiness of this book. I swear I never knew what I was going to get. The world is so jumbled and random and the people so different. It’s interesting too because it’s funny satire and then towards the end, it became rather dark.

This book touched on some subjects and ideas that I think many need to think about today, it gets dark on some of those ideals, such as beauty, specifically on the outside. They took this substance called Sapphire that makes everyone stunningly and unnervingly beautiful. And if you’re not beautiful or rich an could not afford Sapphire, you’re kicked out and sent to the mines to mine for this stuff. It was horrible and yet, many today I think focus too much on the outside and superficiality that I could totally see people today wanting this Sapphire. There were other subjects, but I really went into this book for the story, so I went go into more detail.

Bitsy I was unsure of until the book progressed and she grew as a person from this princess who just nodded and smiled and said yes to whatever her parents said to basically a warrior and focused more on natural beauty and helping those in need, not worrying about that she’s a princess and deserves everything. She after all was considered plain in her world and here she was viewed as beautiful, but she didn’t allow that to deter her desire to be a better person and help others and not focus on just herself.

We meet Count Peregrine, and the moment he came on the scene I loved him. He reminded me of Loki, charming, vain, handsome, a ball of sunshine, with some cunning ruthlessness thrown in there, thinking about himself, and yet there seems to be some insecurities there that make him the way he is. He is very endearing and relatable to a point. He was an absolute delight! An anti-hero if you will that was very happy, and yet cunning and looked out for himself, even with Bitsy and yet you could see how that ate at him. He surprised me, and I was rooting for him through the entire book, I was really hoping him and Bitsy would be endgame with their adorable banter, and his clear and obvious attraction and love for her.

Now, the reason this is 3.5 ⭐️, leaning more towards 3 ⭐️…two things….first, the romance. What on earth! There was a very good romance going on there and I just have no words for how that never really happened or ended, it just fizzled out and left me disappointed, severely disappointed. But the ending…the ending is an open ending, and I do enjoy open endings, but the implication of this ending makes no sense! Bitsy goes from listening to her parents all the time, to being her own person, to allowing another person to influence her and to do what!? I won’t say what it is, but it makes no sense! This was seriously going to be a solid 4 ⭐️ until that ending and how the romance just never played out. I cannot express my disappointment in both of these situations, and I have great ideas as to how that could have turned out differently!

Ah well, this was such an odd book and hilarious. If you need a good laugh and are in the mood for a fantasy that’s a bit odd, quirky, funny with a bit of darkness sprinkled in there, then read it, it won’t hurt you. I’m sure it’s supposed to be all over the place, I mean Alice in Wonderland was!

I received a free digital copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing both an eARC and advance audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sleeping beauty unlike anything you've read.

Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes is a YA fantasy retelling of Sleeping Beauty where no one desires the dear princess. Bitsy isn't like most princesses, and though she may await the day when her dear prince will come, she soon falls to the ill fate of pricking her finger on the spindle of spinning wheel. And falls down into a world where cutthroats and con artists are more common than curtsies. Where no one ages and everyone is beautiful. Where an inscrutable evil rests at its core. A land where Bitsy’s fate and her future are solely in her own hands—and neither are what she expects.

I was immediately hooked with this being compared to the likes of Marissa Meyer's Heartless and Rosamund Hodge's Cruel Beauty, which are both two of my all time favorites. And this book did not disappoint. On the fact of it being quite gruesome. But on the other hand, it was a mediocre at best. Firstly, the first person wasn't doing it for me. (Mainly because of the many fourth wall breaks)And the mainly contradicting plot points made me feel like I was reading Furyborn all over again.

Overall, this book was just meh. Give it a try if you're truly desperately in need of something.

Introduction

I was given an earc by Harper360ya. Reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. I will always try to avoid spoilers in all reviews as well. #CreepingBeauty #Harper360ya #AndreaPortes #AD #BookReview



Review

Creeping Beauty was a book that instantly caught my attention. A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty with elements of an almost Through the Looking Glass style. It was hard not be excited. While this wasn’t a full five stars, probably a 3.5 rounded to 4 for me it did have a good premise let down by a few pieces along the way.
Elizabeth ‘Bitsy’ is not an ideal princess, she’s heard it all. She’s so plain, she lacks grace, the best thing to do is wait for a prince to grant her an happy ending but then she pricks her finger on a spindle and falls down into a world where cutthroats and con artists are more common than curtsies. No one ages in this world and everyone is beautiful where an inscrutable evil rests at it’s core. In this land Bitsy’s fate and future are solely in her hands and neither are what she expects.

First of all, as I said I adored this was a bit of a mash up of Sleeping Beauty with elements of Through the Looking Glass and touches of Neverland/Peter Pan. I also enjoyed, although it was used a lot, the breaking of the fourth wall with Bitsy addressing the ‘dear reader’ throughout. It had elements of Jane Eyre. That said those elements I do think might have been executed a tad better.

The chapters and style were very short making it quick to read. Because the story is meant to be potentially a ‘dream’ of Bitsy I did find that the disjointed and episodic style while it might have normally been odd worked when I kept this in mind. I personally have never had a dream that flows perfectly and isn’t a bit fragmented but I can see why some readers may not like this. In terms of tone it would be lower end young adult, just past middle grade. While there were a few bits of action and a few kiss scenes etc there was nothing to make me feel, paired with the tone, that would make it aimed at higher end young adult or bordering new adult but I still did enjoy this.

I think because of the style of writing and tone some may not enjoy this one but for me it was certainly entertaining and one I did enjoy, especially with the elements of other fairy tales. I did like the unique style but admit a few times I had to remind myself this was meant to be a sort of dream/alternate world. if you keep that in mind I think you will enjoy this one!
Brilliant its very good

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Rating: 3.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn’t, and I will tell you why I did and did not.

What I liked:

I liked the weirdness of the other world that Bitsy traveled to. It was a little of everything, parts reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and then the other parts reminded me of other fairy tales.

I enjoyed all the different characters that were in the book. I thought each of them were all different in their own way and it showed.

I thought Bitsy was a great female character at the end of the book, I loved watching her character development throughout the book from being one that would shy away from things to being someone who is fighting for something.

Peregrine was a character that I did not like at all in the beginning and was like who and what he was going to be to Bitsy, but I really liked how his character came out more and more throughout the book.

I loved the world building of the other world a lot. It really gave off creepy vibes but all in a fantasy world.

What I did not like:

I thought there was a lot of filler in this book that was not necessary at all, I found myself having to go back to reread paragraphs or even sometimes a few pages because I would get lost.

I thought that in the new world that it was a lot of information dumped on you right away and could have been spaced out.

I also felt at times the plot was rushed mostly at the ending, I wanted more from the book and that ending left me feeling blah about it.

I felt that there were points in the book that weren’t explained at all and some that shouldn’t have been explained because there was no purpose to them.

With that being said, I did want to DNF the book about 20% in, but I pushed through, and I am happy that I did because I think this book could have been amazing if there were a few things changed in it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to review this book.