Welcome to day three of my Disney blog themed posts, during which I will be in both Disneyland AND Walt Disney Studios. Exciting times. I am also now officially thirty, which is odd cause in my head I’m still somewhere in my early 20s. Today I’m going to talk about one of my favourite book series, and don’t forget you can enter my Twitter giveaway to win any Disney themed book of your choice – details at the end!
Twisted Tales
Twisted Tales are a series of books, written by three different authors. Each book tackles 
a Disney film, inserting a twist into the story we know and love – A Whole New World asks ‘What if Aladdin never found the lamp?’ Reflection – ‘What if Mulan had to travel to the underworld?’ Mirror, Mirror – ‘What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince?’ etc. There are currently seven books in the series, with two more coming out soon.
This is probably my current favourite book series, and it’s introduced me to three fantastic authors. Each book is skillfully 
written and thought out, with the characters we love, yet giving them just enough changes to make the story feel fresh and exciting. And so far, the choices for stories has been really good, with a focus mainly on the princesses, but exploring a couple of others as well.
The only released one I haven’t yet read (at the time of writing) is Conceal, Don’t Feel/Let It Go (it seems to have a different title everywhere I look), which is focused on Frozen. I’ve been saving it for my Disney trip, so perhaps by the time you read this, I might have read it. Either way, look out for my review!
The three authors are Liz Braswell, Elizabeth Lim, and Jen Calonita. Each have their own distinctive writing style, yet still feel like they match the stories really well. And it’s clear from the writing and characters how much love they have for these tales – Elizabeth Lim recently released Spin the Dawn (my review is here), a Mulan retelling, which is definitely worth checking out. Not to mention Reflection is currently my favourite of this series.
But this is the kind of series where everyone has their own favourite,. There are three of us in work who get every book, as soon as it comes out, and we each prefer different ones. Overall, the series has proved imaginative, with interesting stories
about the characters and adding further depths to these worlds.
In some, the book is set in the middle of the film, either changing the outcome of the rest of the story – as in A Whole New World – or giving more weight to middle-scenes, the book taking place in a contained moment which feels like it could fit easily into the classic animated film, such as Reflection. In others, the twist comes right at the very end of the film, giving us a chance to see what happens to the heroes if they don’t actually win, as in Part of Your World, which explores what happens to the kingdoms under and above the sea, if Ursula actually won.
If you are a Disney fan, I cannot recommend this series highly enough. With talented authors telling fantastic stories, this series really does add a lot to classic animated films, and I can’t wait to see what comes out next, after Elizabeth Lim tackle’s Cinderella and Liz Braswell takes on Peter Pan.
The Series, In Order
A Whole New World – Liz Braswell – What if Aladdin never found the lamp?
Once Upon a Dream – Liz Braswell – What if the sleeping beauty never woke up?
As Old as Time – Liz Braswell – What if Belle’s mother cursed the beast?
Reflection – Elizabeth Lim – What if Mulan had to travel to the underworld?
Part of Your World – Liz Braswell – What if Ariel had never defeated Ursula?
Mirror, Mirror – Jen Calonita – What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince?
Conceal, Don’t Feel/Let It Go – Jen Calonita – What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?
Upcoming
So This Is Love? – Elizabeth Lim – What if Cinderella never tried on the glass slipper?
Straight on Till Morning – Liz Braswell – What if Wendy first travelled to Neverland with Captain Hook?
Giveaway
I am currently hosting a Disney book themed giveaway on Twitter. Just follow that link, make sure you’re following me on there, and retweet. You could, if you so wanted, pick any of the fantastic Twisted Tales books, or Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn. Good luck!
Unwrapping Words 