Member Reviews
This is such a cute Sleeping Beauty retelling. I appreciated that this book is something that not only high schoolers would enjoy, but middle schoolers. I thought this was adorable read.
This is such a cute retelling of Sleeping Beauty combined with an enemies to lovers theme. I enjoyed the banter between Stella and Reece.. This is a quick, enjoyable read that I will be sure to include in our library and one that teens are sure to love. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Promchanted is an imaginative story that radiates Disney magic. I'm not a huge fan of so much focus on relationships, especially for people who are so young, but I loved the inclusion of the relationships.
All and all a fun read that tells a reimagined version of a Disney classic in a fun story.
The premise of Promchanted promises a lot — modern people dropped into a fairy tale, what could go wrong?
The book starts out fine. Author Morgan Matson does a good job with the setup, but once Stella and Reece actually end up in Sleeping Beauty, the place where you’d think the action would pick up, it grinds to nearly a halt.
Stella is not a particularly likeable character, and Reece, at least initially, feels very one note. And all the asides and inner thinking just kind of get in the way of the story. Thankfully, Matson gets into her groove further on, but some readers might not have the patience to stick with it.
I suggest Promchanted as a library read prior to purchasing.
This story was seriously so cute. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting— but it wasn’t this.
This FELT like a movie, an unexpected adventure that was equal parts sweet and fun. I absolutely loved how the MCs went from strangers who mostly disliked each other, to friends, to more.
I loved that the male lead was the one with all of the knowledge of Sleeping Beauty, and that the female lead had no idea what was going on. I loved both of them as characters as well. She learns to take a slower step back, he learns to enjoy his life for what it is. I just thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to sharing it with my students.
Stella Griffin has just been dumped by her boyfriend three weeks before prom, so she's not really looking forward to a planned pre-prom trip to Disneyland, especially when she discovers that a last-minute addition to their trip is the waiter that witnessed her break-up. Stella does NOT believe in fairy tales, so she is shocked when she somehow ends up in one, with said waiter no less. Stella and Reece must work together to find a way home without disrupting the story they've stumbled into. This was a cute retelling of Sleeping Beauty where two modern-day teens fall into the story and learn that happily-ever-afters just might be possible after all.
Perhaps I'm not the best audience for Promchanted. As someone who knows the very basics of Disney, I felt overwhelmed with all of the Disneyland and Disney references. Alongside that, I also struggled with the characters. I found Reece and Stella to be slightly annoying. I thought the premise of this book was interesting; however, the execution wasn't there for me. I think young Disney fans will enjoy this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Morgan Matson, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Stella Griffin doesn't believe in fairy tales anymore. Not since her boyfriend dumped her just a few weeks from prom. She had it all planned out for years! Stella, her best friend Nisha and her partners would go to Disneyland for "before Prom". She decides to still go with Nisha, her partner and Nisha's new neighbor Reece, but it is not as fun as she had planned it to be.
When Reece and Stella go off on their own though and accidentally push through a mystery door, they end up in the middle of the Sleeping Beauty story! Can Stella and Reece put their differences aside and help Aurora and Phillip fall in love? If they don't, will they be stuck in the story forever?
A fun Disney YA read! I loved this book. I loved hearing about prom goers in California going to Disneyland for their before prom activities. I loved Reece's love for the Sleeping Beauty story to be supportive of his sister. I also loved how Stella shared her modern day snacks and treats with the fairies and Aurora. I will and have already recommended this book to others!
I loved this book. I loved watching Stella realize that a fairy tale is what you make it. Also learning how-to live-in time as it happens instead of feeling like she had to schedule everything down to the last minute. I loved Reece and his passion for stories and reliving stories that bring him joy. I truly loved seeing Aurora and Prince Philip, I mean Phil in a more human light. Their story plays out in a bit more of a realistic manner. Phil cracks me up with is woodcarver guild. I am so happy that he got to have his real dream come true of finding true love without the pressure of them knowing he was a royal. Over, all this story is just fantastic. It made me smile. And the thought that there might be another book after this one fills me with such joy. Thank you so much to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Disney Hyperion, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this fantastic book.
This book is absolutely a delight for grownup Disneyland and fairytale fans! Stella is a super organized and driven junior in high school who gets dumped right before prom and is feeling more than a little jaded by the whole “Happily Ever After” motif. However, she and her best friend have been planning to start their prom night at Disneyland since they were in elementary school, so she gets dressed up and heads out to the Most Magical Place on Earth with a group of friends and a new guy in school named Reece. Stella and Reece don’t get along but unwittingly stumble into a wormhole from Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland Park to the actual Sleeping Beauty movie.
I enjoyed this book, but I think it will appeal to a very specific audience. The book is marketed as Young Adult, but honestly I think it’s a better fit for 6th-8th graders. It’s pretty wholesome and juvenile and a bit on the cheesy side - but isn’t that part of what we love about Disney?! A big part of my enjoyment had to do with all the Disneyland easter eggs sprinkled throughout the contemporary chapters, and my knowledge of the movie added to the fairytale plotline. I don’t know that someone who wasn’t a middle grade lit and Disney parks\/movie fan would enjoy this book as much.
That being said, if you fall into that reader category, I definitely recommend this book! It’s a fun ride and had me laughing out loud more than once. I really related to the main character and was rooting for her the whole time!
I was a sucker for fairy tales as a kid and "Promchanted" just reminded me of how fun they can be!
Stella doesn't believe in love at the beginning of "Promchanted" and she makes it very clear to those around her. But when she's transported into the world of Disney's Sleeping Beauty movie with Reece (the new kid in town that she just officially met but accidentally got fired from his job not long ago), Stella comes face-to-face with the love story of Briar Rose and Prince Phillip.
I was worried I would end up bored because I know what happens in the film Sleeping Beauty, but Matson brings new life to the story with Stella and Reece. The characters from Sleeping Beauty felt perfectly written, and the modern-day characters helped add new scenes to a familiar story. Stella's change in the book felt authentic and well-timed and showed the purpose behind her being transported there more than just believing in love again.
This book is perfect for people wanting to dip their toes into the fantasy genre or who love Disney, especially Sleeping Beauty.
Oof. I usually really like Morgan Matson, but this one is definitely my least favorite of hers. I will keep it brief:
-It felt so. dang. long
-Stella is annoying
-Chemistry was at a zero
-I'm not a Disney girlie
-It felt very, very childish
2.75⭐
Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc.
This is the perfect quick read for YA readers especially during Prom season. Stella, who is recovering from a recent breakup, doesn’t believe in fairy tales. On the day of her high school Prom, Stella, two friends, and mysterious new neighbor spend the day at Disneyland to Pre-Prom. Stella and Reece get separated from the others and both in the park and in the worlds. They end up in Sleeping Beauty’s world trying to figure out what is going on and how to get back home.
This is a fun read that teens will for sure love. Matson delivers another good one.
This is a must-read for Disney fans! Stella has planned on going to Disneyland pre-prom since she was fourth grade. Now that she is a junior, that day is here, but it is nothing like she planned. Having been dumped by her boyfriend three weeks prior, she is tagging along with her best friend and her girlfriend. New kid Reese ends up joining them, much to Stella's dismay, as he had witnessed one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. While arguing in Sleeping Beauty's castle, Stella and Reese are suddenly transported into the middle of the Sleeping Beauty story and find themselves responsible for keeping things on track. A very fun & clever romp through a Disney classic. Highly recommended for grades 6 & up.
I am a huge fan of Disney in general. An even bigger fan of Sleeping Beauty. And now a huge fan of this retelling.
I will admit as of lately I have been quite over the "control freak, overachieving" main character but Morgan Matson has me obsessed with hers.
I love Stella and Reece. And their friends are adorable, both in real time and the story.
The ending almost had me dying. almost. I think this why I loved this retelling so much.
Read it. So good. and I am sucker for a good promposal. and all things prom.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.
This was a fun YA mashup of Once upon a time and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court that sees two teens transported into the real life Sleeping Beauty fairy tale world where no modern technology exists and they have to help Aurora achieve her HEA. Great on audio and pure entertainment. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley, Disney, and Morgan Matson for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was an adorable, if juvenile, storyline. I enjoyed reading it, and I liked the characters. Maybe the young adult tag made me expect it to be ever-so-slightly more mature. Overall, I still rated it 4 stars and recommended our high school librarian to pick it up with her spring order.
I love going to Disneyland and I love rom-coms, but this fell flat for me. It was way too long for what actually happened. It is a cute concept, but I got bored. 2.5 stars. Review NOT posted to GoodReads as I generally only leave reviews for 3 stars and above. Thank you for the ARC.
I always love Morgan Matson’s writing style. This book was so sweet and would be perfect for teens who enjoy contemporary stories.
A little too much magical realism for me. I've been a fan of Matson for years, but this one just didn't grab me as much as her past books. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.