Ella, living in her stepmother’s cellar forced to act as a servant, & Belle, searching for a way to save her father’s failing business, find themselves magically swapped into each other’s stories.

This was really adorable! I am a big fan of any kind of retelling and this did one of my favorite things by combining multiple stories into one! And the bones of each fairy tale were there, but the way they got reinterpreted was so interesting! Ella’s glass slipper was a glass prosthetic leg (although slippers do show up later too), the stolen rose is a clock, & the final twist was really quite well done!

And the characters! Oh, the girls were so lovely. Unique voices with ambitions and desires. And most of the side characters felt solid, even with how little we got of them.

None of these characters really acted as young as they were supposed to be, which occasionally took me out of the story, but otherwise this was a lovely middle grade retelling! Highly recommend, and I can’t wait to dive into the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this arc!

This was a fun read!

I felt like it dragged a little bit too much at times, the plot becoming a little confusing in order to try and not be predictable. I was still able to predict the major twists anyway.

The way the world connected with each other was really well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a long time fan of the Disney version of these tales, it was a refreshing take.

Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) by Kim Bussing [ Random House Books for Young Readers #NetGalley ]

What I liked:
- retellings are always so much to read; and this was such a fun premise with the idea of two princesses - Belle and Ella - finding themselves switched
- the elements of the stories that were changed to keep things interesting and not so predictable was well done

What I didn't:
- some aspects were harder to believe given that Belle and Ella were supposed to be 12 years old in this story; Ella being left behind in the castle by Henrik or everyone just accepting that Belle is okay working as a maid because she's now an "orphan"

Kim Bussing’s Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) brings a creative twist to beloved fairy tales, blending Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast into a single, adventurous tale. The result is an imaginative and enjoyable read that offers fresh perspectives on familiar characters.

Ella’s longing for adventure and Belle’s determination to save her family make them both compelling leads. The dual storylines provide a unique approach, allowing readers to experience two classic tales in parallel. Bussing’s ability to weave magic, romance, and humor into the narrative adds a lively charm, and the interplay between the two heroines’ challenges keeps the story engaging.

While some parts of the story feel a bit rushed, the creativity and heart behind the retelling shine through. Fans of reimagined fairy tales will appreciate the clever twists and the spirited heroines, making Cinderella and the Beast a delightful escape into a world of magic and adventure. It’s a fun, lighthearted read that will leave readers smiling.

This was such a fun and magical retelling that takes the elements of the original story and does something fun and unique with it. I HIGHLY recommend this to your fairy tale lovers and fantasy loving readers who enjoy middle grade. It is also a fast read you can get sucked into and gobble up in one sitting. That's what I did.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. It was a delight.

This book was a super fun and fast read. I love clever fairy tale re-tellings and you can't get more unique than having your princesses switch places. However, instead of following the usual trope where they knowingly trade lives for a day or inhabit the other's body, the two find themselves switched into circumstances they never imagined. The story just gets better from there.

You need a loose basis of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast (any version will do, even the Disney versions) to really appreciate the stories. If you're a fairy tale nerd like I am you will also appreciate the author's nods to the classics throughout the story.

I am already excited there is another book in the series coming out and I would love to see what else this author can do with the canon. A delightful mish-mash of fairy tales that will keep the pages turning. Excellent read.

My thanks to Random House Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this enchanting ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an ARC from NetGalley. As a fan of Disney retellings, this sounded original and interesting. Cinderella and Belle swap stories. I have to say it missed the mark for a few reasons. First, we kick off the story with a swap with very little context and no background. Second, the idea of a retelling is very loose. This was very liberal with the storylines of well known characters. It definitely didn't feel like I was revisiting known plots. This made the first note particularly challenging. Third, the choice to make the characters preteen was an odd decision, and didn't align or add to the story. I am not sure who the audience for this book is. As it doesn't seem to work for a younger audience, and it is too junior for a young adult audience. Great concept, but poor execution. #netgalley #cinderellaandthebeast #princessswap #disneyretelling

I'm a huge fan of fairytale retellings and this story does not disappoint. It was easy to get swept up in the magic and the characters lives. Belle and Ella were living very different lives and seeing how their different perspectives while walking in the other's shoes, and figuring out how best to solve their problems was interesting. The well known parts of the classic princess' stories were woven throughout the book but with twists that left the reader not knowing what to expect.
Belle and Elle characters development happened at a perfect pace. The girls had a lot of inner strength and leaned on the relationships they built to help throughout the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it's perfect for middle school readers that would love a twist on two classic fairytales.

I think this is a unique twist on two well known fairytales. While for the most part the overall narrative stays the same, such as there is beast, and evil stepmother etc. The different personalities of the princesses being thrown into a different world really shine through. I also appreciated that Bell comes off as super adventurous. Plus, the twist between Cinderella and the Beast just plays out beautifully. This is a fun book that readers are going to fall in love with. Both princesses just jump off the page and to life.
Thank you so much to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I found it to be a fascinating story. This tale presents a world where Cinderella and Belle swap lives, exploring how their stories would differ if Belle had to deal with an evil stepmother and Cinderella found herself captive in the Beast’s castle.

It’s my second story in this series, and so far, I’ve really enjoyed them. I believe it’s an engaging read for both children and adults. It’s very interesting to see these beloved characters in such different contexts.

This is a really fun mash up. I enjoyed how each story had a mix of familiar and new elements on its own in addition to the new elements caused by the character swap. Having these changes added to the overall flow of the story and I enjoyed the little surprises of seeing a character pop up in an unexpected way. I also really enjoyed the main characters especially Ella she had a great balance of being more proactive in her story while still keeping the sweet nature you would expect from a Cinderella character. Belle felt like a more subtle change but still more proactive then the traditional tale. Both characters were delightful as where the secondary characters. The plot was well paced and had some nice little twists and a very satisfying ending as the two stories fully came together. Overall this is a really fun read for fans of fairy tales and I am very much looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers, and Kim Bussing for the opportunity to read Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper), the first installment in The Princess Swap series, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy middle grade novels every once in a while. I like Disney. Beauty and the Beast (original Disney animation) is one of my favorites. But how would the story be portrayed if it was actually Cinderella who encountered the beast?

This story is told in alternating third-person perspective chapters between Ella and Belle. Ella wants nothing more than to go on an adventure, but after her father died, she is left with a cruel step-mother and step-sisters who make her do all the household chores. Belle fondly works with her father on magical trinkets. When his business plummets, Belle thinks she can enter the Revel of Miravale and help his business regain its success. With the help of a magical item, she finds herself in the cellar of Simone's home and is treated as a service girl. Ella. on the other hand, finds herself at a beast's castle, hoping she can quickly escape.

Prince Amir looks for his disappeared friend, Ella, as well as his missing sister. When he encounters Belle, the duo team up to gain what they have lost (in this case, Simone, the step-mother, has taken Belle's special locket and has a controlling cuff over her). Ella may want to return home, adventure not being all it's cracked up to be, but then she see's the beast has a different side, she thinks she might be able to help them break the curse.

Both girls are twelve, making this a middle grade novel. There isn't a sense of romance or becoming a princess here. Rather, the story focuses on strong character development and forms a world around familiar tales, with creative twists. The swaps aren't exactly like the tales readers would be familiar with, but are rather a more unique take on could-be scenarios.

I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple twists woven into the beast's tale, the friendship Ella already has with Prince Amir, and the way the glass slippers ended up being incorporated. Heck, I even kind of started to like Marie, too! This middle grade novel is a well-written adventure geared more toward a female audience, but that any Disney lover will contemplate and devour.

Was not what I was expecting based on the quick synopsis I read. I was anticipating more of separate stories with a twist. I do think these will be popular with kids who like fairy tales, but maybe not die hard Disney fans. It didn't feel true enough to the original stories for me.

This was a really fun fairytale retelling! I would definitely recommend this to middle grade readers who are looking for fantasy and fairytales. Really looking forward to the next installments in the series.

This is such a clever and entertaining book! I loved that it wasn't just a mash-up of two different fairy tales and actually a new take on each as well. If you go in expecting the Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast stories you grew up with I hope you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes here. Ella and Belle are interesting and complex characters and good role models for young readers. The story moves along at the perfect pace so readers should not feel bored at any point. And I was always so interested to know what was going on in both stories so I never got annoyed when it switched from one to the other. I also liked that the author brings up the idea that maybe the villains of the tale do not necessarily think of themselves as the bad guys and there are other factors that lead to their bad behavior - another take on the "we are all the heroes of our own stories" idea. My only complaint is the romance factor in each story because the characters are only 12/13 years old which is just too young for a happily ever after love/romance. Other than that, this is pretty much a perfect book!

Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) was a cute fairytale mix up. Ella and Belle, who are twelve and thirteen, make a wish at the exact same time and poof! they magically switch places. Belle finds herself forced to serve Cinderella's step-family and Ella travels with Belle's father into the woods to the Beast's castle. This story does not rely on a prince to save the day. Instead, the girls find inner strength and help from their friends to change their situations. It is a squeaky clean book with a happily ever after ending filled with possibilities.

I received this as an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I adore fairytale spin offs. Belle has always been my favorite princess, so I was thrilled to sit down and read this book. In fact, once I got started I couldn't put the book down. I was invested in Ella and Belle escaping their fates and finding their own versions of happily ever after.

Imagine Ella and Belle accidentally swapped places. Ella is now trapped with the Beast and Belle is trapped as a maid. I loved the strong female characters, the relationships they build with the characters around them, and inventive way that Kim Bussing ties the story all together. Loved the unique solutions and the magical elements that helped the girls. Highly recommend this middle grade fantasy novel to all fairytale fans.

This was a good read! I'm not sure the ages are believable, but that might be because I am 25 and feel as though I wouldn't have been able to do these things at that age. Belle especially seemed a lot more mature than 13...

Another thing is that Citrine seemed to disappear after the two girls and Stanley were trying to figure out how to break this curse, and then she came back at the very end. Otherwise, I think young kids will love this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC!

While these books weren’t what I thought I was getting into, the stories were still really well written. The story swap didn’t hold enough of the original story for me to really imagine that this was a story swap and not just a whole new tale itself. I do think that this will appeal to children who love Disney and have creative minds to think about ways those stories can be reimagined and still have that powerful HEA we all know and love.

Firstly, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to the author, Kim Bussing, the publisher, Random House Children's, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book, Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper). This remix of two classic fairy tales for middle school-aged children/young teenage readers blends the stories of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast in a fun, new, interesting way. This story was a great blend of heart, funny moments, and action told in dual perspectives. The cover is exceptional, with bright colors and well-designed characters with a fresh look. The elements in the background of the cover that are pulled from each of their stories adds a level of detail that I appreciate!

I liked both stories, but thought Belle was a really great character with lots of depth and dynamic abilities. There is a little bit of flirtiness between Belle and her friend, Prince Amir, and I think middle-grade readers will enjoy the light romance. The stories balance each other out, providing much needed breaks in tension. This story is well-paced and engaging if you enjoy character growth. If you love fairy tales with a fun twist, you'll love this one.