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Showing posts from March, 2026

Review: Falling for the Huntsman

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Falling for the Huntsman  is the final book in To Win a Dark Heart and the last ARC I have left to review in the series. After being introduced to Leialoha Humpherys 's heartfelt writing in Transformed Tail , I had a feeling they were saving the best for last. This book has everything you could possibly want in a fairy tale retelling, from surprising twists on familiar characters to swoony romance with just a touch of magic. This book combines "Snow White" with "Hansel and Gretel"  in a new and creative way, bringing back the characters from both for an unexpected epilogue to their tales. Alaric is not the typical forest-dwelling huntsman. Instead, he is a whaler who spends most of his time at sea. When he is rescued from a near-death experience by a healer named Malia, he begins to question his life choices as her kindness guides him onto a new path. Malia is not without secrets of her own. The townsfolk view her as a witch who tried to eat two innocent child...

Disneyland Paris Premieres Casual Princess Looks

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We all know that theme parks  are the best place to find real-life interpretations of classic animated princesses in glamorous gowns. In the modern age , however, it's become more common for princesses to hang up their ballgowns in favor of more comfortable looks . Disneyland Paris  has taken note of this for their Regal View Restaurant , premiering princesses in their more casual looks from their respective films, many of which have never been seen before at the Disney Parks. With Disneybounding and cosplay  becoming more popular and accurate than ever, is it a good idea to feature costumes that are so easy to replicate? Let's explore. The four princesses that have been previewed for the parks are Aurora in her Briar Rose forest dress, Ariel in her Tour of the Kingdom dress, Belle in her village dress, which she frequently wears for meet'n'greets at Epcot, and Mulan in the dress she wore at the end of the film. Aside from Belle, all of these costumes are new to Disney ...

Review: Falling for the Pied Piper

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Falling for the Pied Piper  by Ashley Evercott is my second-to-last ARC from To Win a Dark Heart , a multi-author series of dual villainous fairy tale retellings. This one has sweet and cozy vibes with a dash of adventure and intrigue. The book combines the stories of "The Pied Piper of Hameln" with "Beauty and the Beast,"  but like many books in this series , those stories are used more as background dressing to the main plot. Both characters are likable and have a strong redemption arc by the end of the book. Their chemistry leaps off the page, making us root for them to see past each other's differences. Selene must face punishment for cursing a prince to transform into a beast. Since she doesn't want to rot in prison, her best option for freedom is capturing a criminal known as the Pied Piper, who allegedly hypnotized a group of children with his magic pipe. She chases down the scoundrel and learns that there is more to him than meets the eye. After ge...

Animated Princess Shows to Look Out for in the Coming Months

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The spring and summer of 2026 are looking to be an exciting time for princess fans after a dearth of content for the last few years. Many familiar stories are returning to the small screen, from fairy tales to fairies to mermaids . This year will see the return of two famous Rainbow sPa properties, a beloved Disney Jr. princess with a magic amulet, and a modern anime retelling of a classic Hans Christian Andersen story. After a slow winter, our favorite princesses are making a comeback in full force over the next few months. Goodbye, Lara  is by far the most unique of the upcoming princess shows this year. Though it shares many of the same properties as other modern anime series , it is based on the timeless story of "The Little Mermaid."  Japan loves this Hans Christian Andersen classic and rivals Western media in terms of adaptations inspired by it, including a more faithful animated movie that predates Disney's. The premise of Goodbye, Lara combines the classic tal...

Review: CPHS Princess Tea - Pocahontas's River of Memories

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Pocahontas's River of Memories  is the fifth consecutive Princess Tea  I attended for the Cedar Park High School Choir . This school really knows how to put on a show! Every year, the auditorium is transformed into a magical fairytale castle, where talented students come out to perform an original musical packed with familiar songs from various animated movies. The girls' choir, The Seasons, and the boys' choir, Pitch Black, dress up as iconic characters and create a unique script each year for those characters to perform along with interactive games for the children in the audience, who attend dressed as their favorite prince or princess. Every show is different and features a unique princess host. This year's Princess Tea was hosted by Pocahontas, but the Mad Hatter quietly stole the show minutes into its opening. When Pocahontas presented the princes and princesses with a magic river containing memories dating back to their ancestors, he began panicking that Alice mi...

Review: Golden Tangle

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A few weeks ago, I received a surprise ARC of Golden Tangle  by Suzanna Fowers . This book is a sequel to Siren's Treasure  from the All That Glitters series , but it also works as a standalone. If I recall correctly, Siren's Treasure  was quite a bit darker than the other books in the multi-author series, and this book follows suit with action and betrayal on every page. I personally prefer a bit more levity in my books, but if you are looking for a no-spice romantasy that's on the darker side of the spectrum, it just might be perfect for you. Rapunzel was separated from her family at a young age and transformed into a sucti, a vampire-like creature that absorbs magic from anyone around her. To keep other magic users safe from her parasitic hair, she is kept in a tower, where Circe, the witch who cursed her, claims to be he protector. Circe is absent for most of the book, leaving Rapunzel to stay in the tower of her own free will due to her lack of desire to harm others....