Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

The story opens with Rosamund (aka Sleeping Beauty) being awaked by the kiss of a prince, except she did not at all want the kiss and is highly offended that was how the prince introduced himself to her. If truth be told, the prince didn't necessarily want to kiss her either, it is just how the story was written. As Rosamund awakens and takes stock of life 100 years later than what she remembered, she had so many questions. Stumbling to the HEA School (Home Educational Academy, aka Happily Ever After), Rosamund is rescued from her own story. Initially, it seemed like a welcome relief, but things were decidedly "off" at HEA, and Rosamund's propensity for questioning leads her to discover that those who seem good many not be and those who seem bad really aren't.

At first, I found it a little irritating that the obvious fairy tale princesses were not called by their appropriate names (Sleeping Beauty's real names was Aurora), Snow White is Margaret and Ariel is Sirena. It took me a minute, but then I realized it was the Princess PROTECTION program, so obviously they could not use their real names. After I got over that moment, this was one of the most fun fractured fairy tales I have ever read. There was so much to like in this book: your stories are not predetermined, you have the power to change your stories, princesses do not have to be damsels in distress, and sometimes princes need to be rescued instead of being the rescuer. Also - asking questions is not bad! There were some slight references to same-sex relationships. This is a very appropriate book for upper elementary and middle school.

This is the second book by Alex London I've read and I have been pleasantly surprised by both. This book is funny, engaging and relevant. By the time I got around to reading this, I had pretty much forgotten what the book was about and I was able to just listen and enjoy the journey. While nothing was particularly shocking as the story played it, I can see kids really enjoying this and I will definitely by it for the library. London deals well with serious and difficult topics without weighing the stories down. I thought he did this well in PPP and Battle Dragons.

This was a very short book that could have been much longer if it allowed for more world-building. I wish we had gotten more scenes with the princesses interacting with each other.

When Sleeping Beauty aka Rosamund wakes up from a hundred-year-nap to a prince kissing her, she is grossed out and runs straight into the Princess Protection Program to rewrite her own story—but not everything there may be as happy as it seems. Overall, this is a fun story, but the pace dragged at times and included some humor that seemed forced. While I enjoyed the twist on fairytales and the feminist message, I would’ve liked more action along the way instead of mostly at the climax.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

What happens to princesses who leave their fairy tales for a different life? This book tells the story of fairy tale princesses who transfer to the Princess Protection Program, a sort of school in which they learn how to survive in a non-storybook world. Humor, monsters, disguises, pizza, fashion and of course royalty form a key ingredient of this story. Middle school kids will find all the key ingredients for a reading experience that is fun and entertaining while keeping their interest and poking some fun at the modern world, as seen through the eyes of fairy tale characters.

I received this book from the Publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions in this review are my own entirely.

The Princess Protection Program is a fun romp for middle grade princesses (and princes!) who are looking for something a little more unique than a standard "happily ever after." Part school story, part fairytale/modern mash up, this novel will keep kids engaged with its witty writing and fun characters.

This is a lower middle grade book, so the plot is a little simpler and there's some gross-out humor. While that may be off-putting for some adult MG enjoyers, I think it will definitely be well-received by the target audience of elementary school kids.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

This is a fun fractured fairy tale with excellent world building. I liked the characters, and the themes in the story (identity, fate and destiny, personal responsibility, choice, etc.) are great. If there are more stories to come from this world, I will definitely be checking them out! (LGBTQ+)

This was a really unique MG novel, with an interesting take on fairytales!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

The Princess Protection Program by Alex London is about princesses getting a second chance.

Will the Royals from HEA make their own decisions about their stories?

The Royals
Princess Rosamund finds Home Educational Academy, set in the real world, when she flees from her story, opens a Door of Opportunity. While there Rosamund encounters, Rana, Sirena, Cindy, Charlie, and countless others that have fled their own stories because they didn't like what was happening. Rosa is a curious princess that has been asleep for a hundred years because she pricked her finger on a spindle and now she has been awakened by a kiss that makes her run away. She ends up at this school where she meets the other royals, and I love them all. I have to say that Mr. London had a great idea, and how he spun each one to work within this world is amazing.

Rosa, our main character, is so curious about everything that I admire her for everything that she has done throughout the book.

The Story
Rosa ends up making a lot of friends throughout this journey and her curiousness makes her a great character as she is able to ask the questions that none of the others ever thought about asking before. Rosamund, after being asleep for a hundred years, just wants to understand a lot of things, especially about what they are teaching them at the school. Although, something is sinister underfoot at this so called Princess Protection Program with one of the princes.

I have to say that Mr. London had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.

Five Stars
I am giving a five star rating to The Princess Protection Program by Alex London and recommending it to anyone that loves a good middle grade fantasy book. It has the right amount of fantasy while also allowing people to use their imagination to figure some things out. The underlying message is great as well.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Princess Protection Program by Alex London.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

As an avid fan of fairy tales and their modern interpretations, I couldn’t wait to dive into The Princess Protection Program by Alex London. The book not only met but exceeded my expectations.

London begins the story with a familiar rendition of Sleeping Beauty, introducing the slumbering princess and her destined rescuer, the prince. However, the familiar narrative quickly takes an unexpected and entertaining turn. London’s imaginative flair propels the plot in fresh and unpredictable ways, ensuring that readers remain engrossed throughout the book. With each twist and turn, London keeps the surprises coming.

The story is a delightful mix of magic, intrigue, and deception. As the plot unfolds, readers are treated to a cast of evolving characters, each harboring their own secrets. The author skillfully builds suspense, leaving readers eager to uncover what lies ahead. Through its engaging narrative, The Princess Protection Program imparts valuable lessons. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and seeking the truth rather than accepting things at face value. Additionally, it highlights the power of teamwork and overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The book explores thought-provoking themes such as the pursuit of true happiness and the courage to challenge expectations and fears. While action sequences may not be a central focus, they are strategically placed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Princess Protection Program is a captivating read that will resonate with anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale reimagined. Alex London’s imaginative storytelling and exploration of profound themes make this book a must-read.

Sleeping Beauty is rudely awoken by a kiss from the valiant, yet somewhat naive Prince Phillip. But instead of love at first sight, she runs from the tower and finds herself pulled into the real world. Sleeping Beauty has been transported to an academy for former princesses(and princes) who wish to choose their own story instead of fulfilling the fairy tale laid out for them by their fairy godmother. Sleeping Beauty is given a new name ( Rosamund) and meets other beloved fairy tale characters including Cinderella, (Cindy) Snow White,(Margaret) Prince Charming (Charlie).... etc. At first the academy seems to be a great place and the fairy godmother in charge of the school is really nice. Then the plot unfolds, and the princesses find that there is more to the academy and its founder than meets the eye.

There was a lot of crude humor and corny jokes that started to grate on my nerves coming from three characters I found annoying. These characters are honestly the reason for my lower review.

I did like the main story and premise. Fun, fast paced, and mysterious.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced reader's copy.

Unique story about a princess who's story doesn't exactly fit. It's a quick read with a variety of characters from some known and some little- known fairy tales. Seems like it's setting up to be a series (although things are wrapped up enough it could be a stand alone). The book as a whole was a little haphazard, although I don't think students will mind.

Notes- everyone chooses for themselves theme, a few LGBT characters, some peril

This was so cuteeeeee! I loved the whole idea of this and felt like if this book was around when I was a kid I would have ate it up. I was not totally locked in reading it so it lost some fun for me, but I would definitely recommend this to middle grade readers.

When Rosamund is awoken from a hundred year sleep by a stranger's kiss, she runs from him - and escapes into a strange school to join other fairytale princesses (and a prince) trying to avoid their futures. But all is not as it seems, and the headmistress may be keeping a sinister secret.

At some point in the 2010s fairytale retellings seemed all the rage. I enjoyed them generally until they started blending together, but that doesn't mean I'm not always up for a new variation! In this middle grade book though, we get more of a metafiction twist than a straight-up retelling.

This is a fast-paced adventurous story which stars Rosamund, aka Sleeping Beauty, who upon awaking runs out of her story into the safety of the Princess Protection Program. She's an adorable lead, full of curiosity and with a penchant for asking hard questions fearlessly, which serves her well throughout the book. I appreciated the not-so-obvious lesson that the students learn by the end of the story of how to handle their storybook problems.

However, the humor was a little hit-and-miss, combining sly humor about fairytale tropes that seemed aimed for older readers with the kind of gross-out humor that would probably entertain a younger audience. I also thought that the middle of the book lagged a little, and that I would have liked to have seen a stronger foundation established for Rosamund's friendship with Rana, Sirena, and the other students toward the start of the story.

This was a fun start to a middle grade series. Here we follow Rosamund aka Sleeping Beauty who is ‘rescued’ by a prince but finds herself at a school for runaway princesses like herself that teaches them all the things they need to protect THEMSELVES. But something is a little off, a little sus. I can totally get behind a fractured fairy tale like this with a twist. It was really cute and definitely one to look out for whether your young or older.

Princesses have a path they must follow and there is no straying. What if that princess does not want that fate then she goes to the Princess Protection Program. The program may be more dangerous than their fairy tales. The Princess Protection Program tried to give voice to traditional princesses in fairy tales but did not succeed. London missed the mark when constructing the world and why the princesses came to our world. There was little depth or plot when it came to the princesses and little drive for the plot to move forward. Many of the themes are disjointed and do not flow together.

I adored this fairytale retelling. I’m a sucker for fairytale women and girls getting to rewrite their own stories..

I loved the premise of this novel. It was such a great idea that got a little lost when it came to execution. It was an enjoyable read, I just felt like it didn't quite fulfill its promise to the reader.

Princess Rosamund isn't very happy about being woken up from a long sleep by a kiss from a stranger. A Door of Opportunity opens, allowing her to find the Princess Protection Program. This school helps fairy tale princesses escape the challenges of their stories. However, the longer Rosamund is in the program, the more questions she has. Why doesn’t anyone remember former students, and what happens to them when they graduate? What happens if a princess gets caught by her Uponatime, monsters determined to put the princesses back where they belong? Is it possible to change your story instead of simply escaping it?

In a lot of ways, the book feels familiar. It easily sits with stories like The School for Good and Evil, Ever After High, and the Descendants. It’s a familiar take on “fairy tales in real life going against their original trope.” And by familiar, I mean that most of the execution isn’t particularly memorable in a world full of vivid, exciting fairy tale retellings. That doesn’t mean it won’t find fans — young fairy tale lovers hungry for stories of princesses taking charge and being the heroes of their stories will still enjoy this book. But as someone who has always read every fairy tale variation I could get my hands on, I have to say this one doesn’t stand out as special.

Part of the problem is that it doesn’t seem to have a firm grip on its audience. It feels like a book for slightly younger readers (7-10 maybe) because of its lack of depth and occasional bathroom-type humor, but it also has concepts like consent for a kiss or even rebellion that seem slightly older. There’s also a character who is heavily implied to perhaps be gay, but the book doesn’t dare say for sure. I wish it were written a little older to make it a good choice for middle school instead of feeling like an upper elementary school read.

The dialogue felt unnatural, especially from the teenage characters from the regular world. In fairy tale characters, I could understand if they talked a little strangely, but all the characters do, whether they have an “I’m from a different world” excuse or not.

The story develops and has a lot of twists quickly, but unfortunately it doesn’t necessarily help make it more interesting because it actually makes it so that the other characters and general concept of the world they are in don’t have time to develop. There are too many characters and not enough time or effort to get to know them besides, "Oh, that's Cinderella." The ending will either thrill people or leave them confused because a decent amount of it feels like it came out of nowhere.

Those don’t mean it wasn’t fun. It just wasn’t as fun as a story about princesses trying to take care of their happy endings probably should have been.

I appreciated that the author has clearly researched the fairy tales he is working with. There are small references to variations of the stories in different languages, and writers like Perrault and more modern favorites are referenced.

The general moral is that the princesses (and one prince) should be able to make their own choices in their stories. They end up in the real world through a Door of Opportunity that appears because their story doesn’t consider their wants and needs. I like that concept, but I wish the princesses had more influence because it still feels like many characters are not doing much to find their happy endings.

Some young fairy tale lovers will love this, but I wouldn’t recommend it as one of the great books in the category. I wish it had more depth and development to take the interesting levels to that level.