Creeping Beauty: Fairy Tales Gone Bad

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If you need a good laugh and are in the mood for a fantasy that’s a bit odd, quirky, funny with a bit of darkness sprinkled in there, then read it, it won���t hurt you. The illustrations mirror the prose and you cannot help but look at all the pictures flowing page by page matching the skilfully created words. Not to mention the plotline is so haphazard that it ends on a major cliffhanger (and bear in mind this book doesn't have a continuation, "The End" is written right there at the end, like in some Looney Tunes skit), and it all leaves you dissatisfied and confused.

Freya Hartas’ black and white illustrations appear across most two-page spreads, bringing life to the characters. The story didn’t really come to a satisfying conclusion and I was expecting something more to happen before the story came to an end. In Winter 2015, Portes spy thriller series LIBERTY was bought in a three-book deal by HarperCollins. Without serious push from other stronger female characters, she likely wouldn’t have even attempted to become a leader or to save the people from countless injustices.far from the ideal princess, pricks her finger on a spindle and awakens but in a realm filled with danger.

Bitsy feels very middle grade in her language and innocence, the way she creeps away from trouble and minds her manners but dealing with very adult situations such as slavery/trafficking felt a little off brand for her and the situations she ended up in felt misplaced for her character. Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperTeen for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. I also enjoyed, although it was used a lot, the breaking of the fourth wall with Bitsy addressing the ‘dear reader’ throughout.I am shocked that this was compared to Heartless, which had fantastic world-building and atmosphere. The protagonist of the story Bitsy (Elizabeth,) is portrayed as a very innocent and childish character, cocooned within a world controlled by her parents, who display worryingly fixed and misogynistic views, that from their perspective determine Bitsy’s life, including marrying her off before she reaches the age of 18. As for the actual writing, there are moments where the story feels like middle-grade and others where it felt like young adult.