Wonderful fantasy book with a twist. Written well and loved the storyline. Had me hooked from the first chapter till the end.

This was the first ARC that I’ve read, and I appreciate NetGalley granting me this ARC. I wanted to like it so badly; I thought the idea of the book was so great, but oh my goodness, the execution of it was not good. This was like as if Sleeping Beauty, Alice and Wonderland, and the Wizard of Oz had a baby. There was wayyy too much going on for this book, too many weird plot lines. As if the book couldn’t decide where it wanted to go. The writing style was also strange, it would go from 1st person to 2nd person randomly and I just couldn’t get on board with it. Hurts my heart to say this, but I DNFed this book at 47%; I tried to get through it, but just couldn’t.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, mostly because it is a retelling of one of my favourite fairy tales, Sleeping Beauty. However I found it to be very chaotic, and written as if a child had written it. The beginning chapters made no sense and was very confusing.

2.5 Stars

If you are looking for an eclectic read that will have you puzzled and a little curious, this is for you.

Creeping Beauty is marketed as a feminist retelling of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty. While there are many female characters in positions of power, this did not feel like a feminist read. The idea is there and there are many pieces that could have given this a more feminist lean, but it wasn’t executed well.

Bitsy, our “sleeping beauty”, is constantly referred to as plain or even unattractive in comparison to everyone in the kingdom. At the same time, Bitsy is kind of arrogant. She knows multiple languages, can play instruments, and mocks the stupidity and absurd behaviors of other characters. And yet, she is keenly aware of the injustices of her society and wants to be an agent of change. Bitsy admires her mother for her beauty, her composure, and her ability to handle almost any situation, but her mother is a traditional woman rooted in old fashioned ways of ruling. She does things simply because it’s how they have always been. While Bitsy makes a few offhand comments about maybe making changes when she becomes queen, there’s no real fire behind her words. Only when Bitsy is thrust into this other world and witnesses true atrocities does she realize how sheltered she’s been. Even then, her sense of agency and urgency for the most part is only to save herself. Without serious push from other stronger female characters, she likely wouldn’t have even attempted to become a leader or to save the people from countless injustices.

Bitsy gets herself in several horrible situations due to her naiveté. She has a haughty air about her that she’s clever and knowledgable, but is constantly making the worst decisions and somehow, miraculously escaping from them by suddenly having a skill that she has always had but the reader wasn’t aware of-like being a good swimmer or a horseback rider, etc. It’s hard to believe. At the same time, she’s not an unlikable character. Bitsy has a strong character voice that is engaging, if a little immature, and has a fun way of drawing the reader in. While Bitsy does get braver, there’s not a ton of real character growth, it’s more like she’s thrust into her circumstances and just wings it.

Speaking of character voice, Bitsy breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader on multiple occasions. This was a strange choice, but I think it’s part of the reason why I kept reading. Initially, the whole absurdity of the secondary characters, Bitsy’s very young personality, and the odd choice of beginning with the King’s journal almost made me put this book down. I was intrigued by the storyline and sometimes the scenes were so strange that it compelled me to keep going just to see what kind of disaster would happen next.

The King’s journals. The story is separated into 3 parts. The King’s journal leads each section. It was puzzling to me why, if you’re telling a feminist-centered Sleeping Beauty retelling, you would begin with a male POV. It serves a purpose, sure, to add a bit of mystery, forboding, and foreshadowing of the plot twist, but it conflicted with the overarching purpose of taking back Sleeping Beauty and giving Bitsy power to control her own life.

Each of the kingdoms are intriguing. They have their own unique ways of life, color schemes, and ideologies. There’s slavery, drugs, violence, and a repulsive sort of feeling to those who thrive in the upper classes.

I just feel like there could have been more. More development. More plot. More depth. Much of this story was so surface value that the purpose of the story didn’t really hit home. It felt like these were just glimpses into the characters and world-building.

Peregrine might have been the the most complex character, with the most depth and internal conflict. He was witty, fun, had great banter, but was also struggling with the expectations of his world. I wish there would have been more exploration and delving into his character and relationship to Bitsy. If not for romance, for friendship.

This book was hard to rate. On one hand, it grew on me. The more I read, the more enjoyable it became. But I couldn’t help but wonder what it could have been with more development. And that sense of yearning is what left me feeling unsatisfied.

Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes, 368 pages. HarperTeen (HarperCollins), 2023. $20.
Language: PG13 (20 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
The birthday of the princess, Bitsy, is approaching, and the king seems overly anxious about marrying her off. Bitsy runs to hide in a corner of the palace, and she stumbles upon a spindle. Upon touching it, she falls, opening her eyes in a place unfamiliar to her.
Sleeping Beauty does not have as many successful adaptations as some of the other fairy tale classics, and I found myself intrigued by Portes’ take on it. Portes tells the story in a causal stream of consciousness tone that I didn’t love because it breaks the fourth wall, but I tried not to let it bother me. Bitsy experiences adventure in a way that is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland while her parents experience her sleep with a hint of The Frog Prince. Overall, I think I would have liked the fairy-tale-combining story except that the ending isn’t an ending at all. I have so many more questions.
Bitsy is implied White, though her father is described as having “olive” skin. There are also other mentions of various skin tones. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, nudity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for weapon use, mentions of cannibals, blood and gore, suicide, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books, Harper 360, Harper Teen and NetGalley for the arc of Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Prior to reading this fairy tale retelling, I had read several rather negative reviews, commenting on the style of prose and PoV of the story. However, I continued to read the arc as I am a lover of fairy tale retellings and from the original premise this appeared to be an intriguing perspective and story.
I would describe Creeping Beauty as a cross between Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz, with a definite splash of female empowerment and autonomy. There is no question, this book is more targeted at the younger end of YA but, despite that it still takes a firm stance on misogyny, cruelty, enslavement, colonialism and contains themes that could distress or trigger the very young, such as self-harm, suicide, parental neglect and other themes of cruelty.
The protagonist of the story Bitsy (Elizabeth,) is portrayed as a very innocent and childish character, cocooned within a world controlled by her parents, who display worryingly fixed and misogynistic views, that from their perspective determine Bitsy’s life, including marrying her off before she reaches the age of 18. These views are compounded by the intersection of her father, the King writing in his own diary throughout the story.
In the tradition of Sleeping Beauty, Bitsy falls into a slumber from which she cannot be awaken but, unbeknownst to her parents and all those around her she is living a new life in a new world, which involves facing numerous and significant challenges, including cannibalism, enslavement, and more. It is in this world that Bitsy goes on a journey of growth and there is a distinct journey that if you stay with the story is both moving and empowering. And as for the happy ending, well how I believe how you judge the story will tell you a lot about yourself.
This is a thought provoking read that despite the negative reviews, has a lot to say for itself. I won’t challenge that a little more editorial support would have made this a tighter and more enticing telling but, the plot and flow is nuanced and well managed, and it meets the requirements for a young YA story that challenges the reader about their own views and preconceptions.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
I requested this book because it sounded like it could have potential. Unfortunately I DNF’d at 20%. I had trouble getting into it and it felt more like it was geared towards children than YA.

Creeping Beauty takes a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a dash of Through the Looking Glass to create a unique fairy tale story. The “Aurora” in this case is Princess Bitsy who enters a new world after pricking her finger. This is a standalone story with a clear “the end” finish yet there is still a slight open-endedness. The cover is what initially drew me to the story as I love the design and color choices. The synopsis made me intrigued as, for one, I have never read a character having the name “Bitsy” before. While I commend the author for giving the main character a nice unique name, I am not quite sure “Bitsy” was a choice I can connect to. Liking and/or connecting to a name is subjective, so I may not prefer it, but there could be other readers who love it.

Bitsy breaks the fourth wall throughout the novel where events will be going on, yet the character will talk directly to the reader. While stories like Jane Eyre have done this, for me, it did not flow well in this story. The plot itself was unique as it takes the main character to an unknown world with an interesting mix of violence, romance, and whimsy. Since the story follows Bitsy and her thoughts/emotions, it can be difficult to follow sometimes as she is not the brightest and a little selfish. She is shallow, especially in the beginning when she is facing a romantic suitor. Luckily, there is some character growth, and the main plot goes through all her triumphs and pitfalls that keep the reader interested. As for the actual writing, there are moments where the story feels like middle-grade and others where it felt like young adult. There did not seem to be a clear genre or target audience, so I am not sure if I just missed it or if this is how the final story is written. Overall, this was a nice idea on paper, but not quite a story I connected with; however, I do think every reader should try it for themselves.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperTeen, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

A new Sleeping Beauty retelling mixed in with Alice in Wonderland featuring a princess who wants to escape her arranged marriage and pricks her finger on a spindle only to find herself falling into a whole new land where she'll have to fight her way out. Princess Bitsy is tired of being plain and of her impending marriage to some prince she wants nothing to do with. She wants to escape, which means taking matters into her own hands...but by doing so she finds herself risking her life in a place she doesn't know anything about. This one was a big miss for me, the characters felt lacking and the writing style just did not work at all. The story arc was meh, and honestly I found myself so disconnected from the story and uninvested in any of the characters that it was a miracle I even made it to the end of this book. Bitsy was a really annoying protagonist and I just really did not enjoy this book at all. Overall if you are looking for fairytale retellings give this one a go, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I was very excited about the concept of this book - Sleeping Beauty being transported to an alternate universe upon pricking her finger on the spinning wheel is absolutely intriguing. Unfortunately, the plot arc left a lot to be desired, the world building is incomplete, and the characters’ developments are not thoroughly fleshed out. The resolution is inadequate, and I am just not a fan of a cliche “The End” scrawled at the end of a story. Sadly, this is mediocre writing, at best.

I just want to start out by saying that I love all things fairytale so my rating here is going to be a bit biased so take it as you will. I really liked this twist on sleeping beauty. I thought the author did a good job with retelling this story that all of us know so well. I have read a few sleeping beauty retellings and this one was one of the better ones. I liked the world and I also liked the characters. My only critiques were that the pacing was a bit off for me but other than that I think its worth the read.

First thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I picked up this book because I loved the cover, seriously it is gorgeous! After reading the synopsis I just knew that this was going to be a really good book.

Well, I was wrong. I was only able to get to Chapter 10 when I realized that reading this particular book felt like a chore, like scrubbing the floors with a toothbrush type of chore.

Not to say that this is a bad book. But it felt like I got a bait and switch. As if two completely different people wrote that synopsis and this book. The synopsis sounds like YA, it reads as a more mature writer. The book is distinctly written for middle grade, even if the subject matter is not remotely middle-grade.

Perhaps things get better but I really struggled to get past the writing, one-dimensional characters, and the lack of good world-building. It has a great foundation but if this wants to be considered a YA book then it has a long way to go in my honest opinion.

I am always excited to read a fairy tale retelling, butunfortunatley this one was no more interesting than the original Sleeping Beauty tale it is based on. Though I gritted my teeth through the endless repetition of the dumbest character name (Bitsy. Really?), the character herself was every bit as eye-rolling as her name. There were way too many storylines happening at once here, yet none of them very interesting.

This was an interesting take on the sleeping beauty fairy tale with an Alice in wonderland take since instead of falling asleep as she is pricked by the spinning wheel she is instead transported to another world. I liked the story better once she was in the other land since the action really picked up. This was a very fast read.
Thanks to HarperTeen and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

With a cover like that the story was bound to be enticing! I know everyone says not to judge a book by it’s clever but I’m really glad I did when it came to this one!

I'm not sure where to start with this review. I feel like I have a lot to say. Having read the synopsis of this book, I was excited for a fairytale retelling. For the most part, they've always proved to be fun. Unfortunately, this retelling was just not it for me.
Let's start with the characters. I don't feel any of them were fleshed out well. I wasn't able to connect with them. I wasn't a fan of the main character, Bitsy. I feel like there could have been so much more growth for her, but her story felt rushed. And her annoying way of speaking to the reader just did not work with the storyline. I feel fantasy books work much better in third person as you get so much more information about the characters. Her talking to the audience was almost childlike, having to explain everything to the reader rather than showing it to the reader. The kind and Queen, too simple, not enough background. Peregrine was probably the most interesting, but he, too needed more background.
The plot left something to be desired. I didn't feel like it truly went anywhere and at the same time had so many plot lines drawn into it, it was hard to understand why they were even there. Why did we travel through these different Kingdoms? What did they lend to the story. I really liked the idea of the Sleeping Beauty story transforming into an alternate universe but it just didn't work with the writing and first person retelling. And the world building was lacking. Having shown me all these kingdoms, I would have thought to be able to picture them in my mind, but I could not.
The pacing, pretty fast, I will say, but I think it may have been more me rushing through it to get to the end rather than because I wanted to see where the story would take me.
Overall, this book missed the mark from me. The writing, the characters, the plot, all of it. I feel like it needed a huge amount of editing and ideas revamped. It does not live up to its synopsis.

⅖ Stars

I really wanted to give this book a chance, I really wanted to like this book but I just can’t.

What I did not like:

The main character talks to the reader as if she is Jane Eyre way too much. I felt like there were so many moments when the main character was in a situation where she needed to take action but the next 3 pages she would be talking to the reader about nothing, because of that I had to DNF it at 30%

What I liked:

The idea of a sleeping beauty that meets alice in wonderland

The perfect blend between Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland! I love retelling and this one did not fail! Andrea Portes does an amazing job captivating readers young and young at heart! This was a very easy read, I couldn’t put it down, I felt like I was in the book experiencing everything myself!

This book sounds good in theory and I think it could’ve been really good if it had been executed well. All Bitsy talks about is how normal and plain she is. And how beautiful everyone else is. I get people being insecure with themselves but that’s all she ever talked about in the few chapters that I read. I really just didn’t like her at all and I didn’t want to continue with a book where I didn’t like the main character.

Honestly, I think a lot could’ve been done with this book. The plot of the book is interesting but I couldn’t get past the beginning of the book to even get to that part.

I absolutely do not like rating books low, especially not an ARC. I apologize to the author if they ever see this.

Upon reading the blurb and seeing the cover, I really thought this would be right up my alley. Anything sleeping beauty tends to draw me in and mixing other fairy tales always means success to me.

While I do appreciate the attempt here, this was a book I picked up and could only read a few pages at a time. I wasn't drawn in. I didn't mind putting it down and was not eager to pick it back up. I read a few others books to get me out of the funk this one seemed to keep placing me in.

I really wanted this one to work too, so I would keep diving back in. Maybe it was Bitsy, the not like other girls, not beautiful protagonist. Or maybe it was the story just seemed overpacked and left me feeling
lost and wondering what I might have skipped over by mistake. I'm not sure but this missed the mark for me.