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The Princess Protection Program #1
The Princess Protection Program
Every fairy tale ends with its characters living happily ever after, right? A valiant prince quests long and hard to reach the castle where the sleeping princess lies. And with a kiss, he will awaken her.
But what if the princess does NOT think a kiss from a stranger is a very pleasant way to wake up? Yuck!
When Rosamund flees her prince, a Door of Opportunity opens, and she steps through to the Home Educational Academy (the HEA for short). Rosamund has found the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories.
But as Rosamund adjusts to life in the real world and makes her first real friends (Rana, who left her story after an incident with a frog; Sirena, a former mermaid; Cindy and Charlie, who didn't want to get married after just one dance; and others), she has more and more questions. Does anyone ever graduate from the HEA? Why doesn't anyone seem to remember former students? Is the kindly fairy headmistress all she appears to be? Is anyone? And the most important question of all: Can Rosamund change her story?
Acclaimed and bestselling author Alex London weaves together several beloved fairy tales in this fast-paced, funny, and slyly subversive adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. The daring escapes, sinister monsters, familiar friends, and surprise twists will keep even reluctant readers glued to the pages. The Princess Protection Program is for fans of the Never Afters and the Descendants series, The School for Good and Evil, and the Fairly True Tales series.
But what if the princess does NOT think a kiss from a stranger is a very pleasant way to wake up? Yuck!
When Rosamund flees her prince, a Door of Opportunity opens, and she steps through to the Home Educational Academy (the HEA for short). Rosamund has found the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories.
But as Rosamund adjusts to life in the real world and makes her first real friends (Rana, who left her story after an incident with a frog; Sirena, a former mermaid; Cindy and Charlie, who didn't want to get married after just one dance; and others), she has more and more questions. Does anyone ever graduate from the HEA? Why doesn't anyone seem to remember former students? Is the kindly fairy headmistress all she appears to be? Is anyone? And the most important question of all: Can Rosamund change her story?
Acclaimed and bestselling author Alex London weaves together several beloved fairy tales in this fast-paced, funny, and slyly subversive adventure about finding your place in the world and taking control of your own story. The daring escapes, sinister monsters, familiar friends, and surprise twists will keep even reluctant readers glued to the pages. The Princess Protection Program is for fans of the Never Afters and the Descendants series, The School for Good and Evil, and the Fairly True Tales series.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
45 people are currently reading
3863 people want to read
About the author
Alex London
35 books913 followersThe Short Version:
Alex London writes books for adults (One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War), children (Dog Tags series; An Accidental Adventure series) and teens (Proxy). At one time a journalist reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, he is now a full time novelist living in Brooklyn, NY, where he can be found wandering the streets talking to his dog, who is the real brains of the operation.
The Long Version:
C. Alexander London grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He's an author of nonfiction for grown-ups (under a slightly different not very secret name), books for teens (as Alex London...see above), and, younger readers. He once won a 12-gauge skeet-shooting tournament because no one else had signed up in his age group. He's a Master SCUBA diver who hasn't been diving in way too long, and, most excitingly, a fully licensed librarian. He used to know the Dewey Decimal System from memory.
He doesn't anymore.
While traveling as a journalist, he watched television in 23 countries (Burmese soap operas were the most confusing; Cuban news reports were the most dull), survived an erupting volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a hurricane on small island in the Caribbean, 4 civil wars (one of them was over by the time he got there, thankfully), and a mysterious bite on his little toe in the jungles of Thailand. The bite got infected and swollen and gross and gave him a deep mistrust of lizards, even though it probably wasn't a lizard that bit him.
Although he has had many adventures, he really does prefer curling up on the couch and watching some good television or reading a book. He enjoys danger and intrigue far more when it's happening to somebody else.
He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
See also C. Alexander London and Charles London
Alex London writes books for adults (One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War), children (Dog Tags series; An Accidental Adventure series) and teens (Proxy). At one time a journalist reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, he is now a full time novelist living in Brooklyn, NY, where he can be found wandering the streets talking to his dog, who is the real brains of the operation.
The Long Version:
C. Alexander London grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He's an author of nonfiction for grown-ups (under a slightly different not very secret name), books for teens (as Alex London...see above), and, younger readers. He once won a 12-gauge skeet-shooting tournament because no one else had signed up in his age group. He's a Master SCUBA diver who hasn't been diving in way too long, and, most excitingly, a fully licensed librarian. He used to know the Dewey Decimal System from memory.
He doesn't anymore.
While traveling as a journalist, he watched television in 23 countries (Burmese soap operas were the most confusing; Cuban news reports were the most dull), survived an erupting volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a hurricane on small island in the Caribbean, 4 civil wars (one of them was over by the time he got there, thankfully), and a mysterious bite on his little toe in the jungles of Thailand. The bite got infected and swollen and gross and gave him a deep mistrust of lizards, even though it probably wasn't a lizard that bit him.
Although he has had many adventures, he really does prefer curling up on the couch and watching some good television or reading a book. He enjoys danger and intrigue far more when it's happening to somebody else.
He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
See also C. Alexander London and Charles London
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
February 22, 2024
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fantasy focussing on alternate HEAs for the princesses. Tries a bit too hard, but encompasses some thought-provoking themes and valuable life lessons. I found it somewhat repetitive and haphazard, but it might work better for the right age group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Note: Children will enjoy this story better if they are familiar with the original fairy tales that the characters are taken from, but this isn’t a prerequisite.
Bookish Yays:
🎇 The author's note at the start about what inspired this story. Quite interesting.
🎇 The feminist spin on what princesses undergo in fairy tales.
🎇 The fact that it included even princes in the topic of having a choice in their lives. Absolutely true! It is not only the princesses who need rescuing from their fate in fairy tales.
🎇 The spinoff characters from popular fairy tales, many of whom have a distinctive personality in this story. Appreciate the inclusion of even modern Disney Princesses such as Elsa, or ‘Elise’ as she is known in this book.
🎇 The amalgamation of the fairy tale fantasy world into our own, where the young people are obsessed with selfies and social media apps. A quirky but interesting combo.
🎇 Many essential life lessons and inspiring themes in the plot, which can serve as good discussion points.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌠 The story begins in a lighthearted way but then gets dark, and a teeny bit scary. Might be a problem for sensitive or younger middle-graders. The fun scenes help a little in maintaining a balance.
🌠 The book has some magic as well as some magical beings, but not enough to make it feel like a fantasy. I expected a lot more magic throughout, and not just at the climax.
🌠 Some of the comic scenes are slapstick in nature, with even some toilet humour included. Some of these *might* be funny to kids, but I found them forced into the narrative.
🌠 The book is fairly quick-paced, as an MG book should be, but the middle section feels repetitive and hence dragged. The action is almost entirely restricted to the climax.
Bookish Nays:
🎃 The new names given to some of the characters are too similar. Names like ‘Sirena’, ‘Verna’ and ‘Rana’ are easy to mix up in our minds.
🎃 A part of the content, especially related to the feminist themes, might be better suited to teens than middle graders as they are a bit too complex for younger minds.
All in all, this is a book with a great idea and decent execution. Keeping in mind that MG fiction is one of my favourite genres, I am slightly disappointed by this experience. I wish it hadn’t tried so hard to be funny as well as meaningful, because in the process, it ends up doing complete justice to neither.
It might serve its target audience decently well, but to me, it was a one-time read with no resultant long-term fondness. Again, it wasn’t a bad book by far, just not a memorable one.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Princess Protection Program”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
When “Sleeping Beauty” Princess Rosamund awakes from her hundred-year sleep to a sloppy kiss from a stranger who calls himself her prince and wants to marry her, she runs. Without consciously realising it, she bolts through a ‘Door of Opportunity’ and reaches the premises of The Home Educational Academy, or HEA.
Under the leadership of fairy godmother Verna, HEA runs a Princess Protection Program, to allow princesses to escape their destinies and choose their own happy ending. Rosamund soon adjusts to life in this strange new world, along with a few other princesses (and one prince) as her fellow students. However, not everything seems to be right at the academy. Will it truly provide all its royal inmates with an alternate HEA of their choice?
Note: Children will enjoy this story better if they are familiar with the original fairy tales that the characters are taken from, but this isn’t a prerequisite.
Bookish Yays:
🎇 The author's note at the start about what inspired this story. Quite interesting.
🎇 The feminist spin on what princesses undergo in fairy tales.
🎇 The fact that it included even princes in the topic of having a choice in their lives. Absolutely true! It is not only the princesses who need rescuing from their fate in fairy tales.
🎇 The spinoff characters from popular fairy tales, many of whom have a distinctive personality in this story. Appreciate the inclusion of even modern Disney Princesses such as Elsa, or ‘Elise’ as she is known in this book.
🎇 The amalgamation of the fairy tale fantasy world into our own, where the young people are obsessed with selfies and social media apps. A quirky but interesting combo.
🎇 Many essential life lessons and inspiring themes in the plot, which can serve as good discussion points.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌠 The story begins in a lighthearted way but then gets dark, and a teeny bit scary. Might be a problem for sensitive or younger middle-graders. The fun scenes help a little in maintaining a balance.
🌠 The book has some magic as well as some magical beings, but not enough to make it feel like a fantasy. I expected a lot more magic throughout, and not just at the climax.
🌠 Some of the comic scenes are slapstick in nature, with even some toilet humour included. Some of these *might* be funny to kids, but I found them forced into the narrative.
🌠 The book is fairly quick-paced, as an MG book should be, but the middle section feels repetitive and hence dragged. The action is almost entirely restricted to the climax.
Bookish Nays:
🎃 The new names given to some of the characters are too similar. Names like ‘Sirena’, ‘Verna’ and ‘Rana’ are easy to mix up in our minds.
🎃 A part of the content, especially related to the feminist themes, might be better suited to teens than middle graders as they are a bit too complex for younger minds.
All in all, this is a book with a great idea and decent execution. Keeping in mind that MG fiction is one of my favourite genres, I am slightly disappointed by this experience. I wish it hadn’t tried so hard to be funny as well as meaningful, because in the process, it ends up doing complete justice to neither.
It might serve its target audience decently well, but to me, it was a one-time read with no resultant long-term fondness. Again, it wasn’t a bad book by far, just not a memorable one.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Princess Protection Program”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
March 2, 2024
When Rosamund is awoken from a hundred year sleep by a stranger's kiss, she runs from him - and escapes into a strange school to join other fairytale princesses (and a prince) trying to avoid their futures. But all is not as it seems, and the headmistress may be keeping a sinister secret.
At some point in the 2010s fairytale retellings seemed all the rage. I enjoyed them generally until they started blending together, but that doesn't mean I'm not always up for a new variation! In this middle grade book though, we get more of a metafiction twist than a straight-up retelling.
This is a fast-paced adventurous story which stars Rosamund, aka Sleeping Beauty, who upon awaking runs out of her story into the safety of the Princess Protection Program. She's an adorable lead, full of curiosity and with a penchant for asking hard questions fearlessly, which serves her well throughout the book. I appreciated the not-so-obvious lesson that the students learn by the end of the story of how to handle their storybook problems.
However, the humor was a little hit-and-miss, combining sly humor about fairytale tropes that seemed aimed for older readers with the kind of gross-out humor that would probably entertain a younger audience. I also thought that the middle of the book lagged a little, and that I would have liked to have seen a stronger foundation established for Rosamund's friendship with Rana, Sirena, and the other students toward the start of the story.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
At some point in the 2010s fairytale retellings seemed all the rage. I enjoyed them generally until they started blending together, but that doesn't mean I'm not always up for a new variation! In this middle grade book though, we get more of a metafiction twist than a straight-up retelling.
This is a fast-paced adventurous story which stars Rosamund, aka Sleeping Beauty, who upon awaking runs out of her story into the safety of the Princess Protection Program. She's an adorable lead, full of curiosity and with a penchant for asking hard questions fearlessly, which serves her well throughout the book. I appreciated the not-so-obvious lesson that the students learn by the end of the story of how to handle their storybook problems.
However, the humor was a little hit-and-miss, combining sly humor about fairytale tropes that seemed aimed for older readers with the kind of gross-out humor that would probably entertain a younger audience. I also thought that the middle of the book lagged a little, and that I would have liked to have seen a stronger foundation established for Rosamund's friendship with Rana, Sirena, and the other students toward the start of the story.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
August 13, 2023
4.5 🌟 cool premise, really fun execution!
August 13, 2023
Fairy tales are so often viewed as "fixed." That's in two senses of the word: the traditional happily ever after is settled and immutable, and the story only goes one specific way. But the truth is, fairy tales are fairy tales because they're constantly evolving, and variants of all of them exist all around the world - that's what the ATU classification system is for. But when we try to force them to be only one story out of thousands of versions, what do we do to the characters?
That's a very academic way of saying that this book is awesome. The Princess Protection Program takes the idea that there's only one way to tell a fairy tale and runs with it, starting with a prince waking Sleeping Beauty and her freaking right out about some random guy kissing her awake and proposing to her. Rosamund runs away and finds herself outside a school called the HEA (a pun romance readers will appreciate), where she can escape the fate her story has in mind for her by learning to living in the real world. But things very quickly become...just a little bit off, and Rosamund and her friend Rana (The Frog King) start to realize that stagnation is stagnation, no matter what the story or who's telling it.
Even if we don't talk about how cleverly Alex London incorporates both the idea of variants and the variants themselves (Rosamund's monster has one yellow eye and one silver one, a reference to an Italian version of her story, "Sun, Moon, and Talia"), the idea that we can shape our own stories is present throughout and not overdone. Name drops (Perrault and [Adam] Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark and Grim) add a layer and one character is queer-coded in a way that the kids who need to see it will be able to. It's just a well-written, fun book on many layers, and I can't wait to make everyone I know read it.
That's a very academic way of saying that this book is awesome. The Princess Protection Program takes the idea that there's only one way to tell a fairy tale and runs with it, starting with a prince waking Sleeping Beauty and her freaking right out about some random guy kissing her awake and proposing to her. Rosamund runs away and finds herself outside a school called the HEA (a pun romance readers will appreciate), where she can escape the fate her story has in mind for her by learning to living in the real world. But things very quickly become...just a little bit off, and Rosamund and her friend Rana (The Frog King) start to realize that stagnation is stagnation, no matter what the story or who's telling it.
Even if we don't talk about how cleverly Alex London incorporates both the idea of variants and the variants themselves (Rosamund's monster has one yellow eye and one silver one, a reference to an Italian version of her story, "Sun, Moon, and Talia"), the idea that we can shape our own stories is present throughout and not overdone. Name drops (Perrault and [Adam] Gidwitz, author of A Tale Dark and Grim) add a layer and one character is queer-coded in a way that the kids who need to see it will be able to. It's just a well-written, fun book on many layers, and I can't wait to make everyone I know read it.
August 29, 2023
"Assumptions are like raisins in the cookie - always a bad idea!"
All the princesses from different fairytales are protected from the outside world in an exceptional place. And while each of them lands into this place randomly, one thing they all are taught is how to cope with the modern world of actors, social media and a particular craving for pizza 🍕.
What you can expect from the book?
🧚♀️ Non-stereotype fairy tale characters
🧚♀️ A modern world-ending
🧚♀️ Unconventional school rules
🧚♀️ Fast-paced
A great story that hits entertainment and novel plot checkboxes, but not the rereading box. A short, fun read if you are a fan of the twisted fairytales that Disney is now doing to most of its classic tales.
All the princesses from different fairytales are protected from the outside world in an exceptional place. And while each of them lands into this place randomly, one thing they all are taught is how to cope with the modern world of actors, social media and a particular craving for pizza 🍕.
What you can expect from the book?
🧚♀️ Non-stereotype fairy tale characters
🧚♀️ A modern world-ending
🧚♀️ Unconventional school rules
🧚♀️ Fast-paced
A great story that hits entertainment and novel plot checkboxes, but not the rereading box. A short, fun read if you are a fan of the twisted fairytales that Disney is now doing to most of its classic tales.
March 30, 2024
*An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Sleeping Beauty wakes up from her prince's kiss, but promptly stumbles into a different world, one where the fairytale characters can work to keep their story from an unhappy ending.
I think this book worked pretty well for what it was - a fairytale middle-grade that twists the happily ever afters and the expected outcomes of the tales around, complete with unicorns, memory erasing, not so witchy witches, fairy godmothers, and a school setting.
It doesn't have a lot of depth or humor that isn't juvenile, but it could be cute and sometimes clever with fairytale incorporations. The villain's motive didn't make the most sense to me though, but I guess sometimes villains just be crazy. The LGBTQ+ addition was minimal but I found unnecessary in a middle grade book.
Sleeping Beauty wakes up from her prince's kiss, but promptly stumbles into a different world, one where the fairytale characters can work to keep their story from an unhappy ending.
I think this book worked pretty well for what it was - a fairytale middle-grade that twists the happily ever afters and the expected outcomes of the tales around, complete with unicorns, memory erasing, not so witchy witches, fairy godmothers, and a school setting.
It doesn't have a lot of depth or humor that isn't juvenile, but it could be cute and sometimes clever with fairytale incorporations. The villain's motive didn't make the most sense to me though, but I guess sometimes villains just be crazy. The LGBTQ+ addition was minimal but I found unnecessary in a middle grade book.
January 26, 2024
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. I requested this book because the premise seemed interesting and I purchase for my library's middle grade fiction section. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. While the concept translated well, I don't think the execution was there. There was a lot of random bathroom humor throughout the story and while I typically give that a pass because it works for the reading level, I just don't see it working for the kids who would pick up a book about princesses. It wasn't an awful book on it's own, but comparing it to others in the genre made it difficult to give a positive review. If you want to read a twist on a fairy tale about empowering girls and choosing your own fate, read the Sisters Ever After series by Leah Cypess instead.
Read
September 14, 2023tl;dr
A fun fairy tale romp about taking control of your own story.
Thoughts
Fairy tale "twist" stories are almost as ubiquitous as as fairy tales at this point. Retellings, the "true" version, or even lightly inspired editions grace many a shelf (mine included). But Princess Protection Program is not a retelling. It's a what if? What if the characters from those tales saw their futures and wanted to opt out? And what if the opt out was just as restrictive as their original stories? When Rosamund decides to opt out, she learns she's not the only one - in fact, an entire school has been created for characters who want to avoid their preset, often tragic, endings. But the school feels more like a pause button than an escape, and Rosamund quickly finds herself wondering if her story will ever truly go anywhere. And therein lies the heart of this book - a tale not about escaping destiny, but taking control of it. I appreciated that the story also spent time discussing how everyone has their own story to pursue, even as we often are supporting cast in someone else's tale. All of it is written in a quickly-paced, whimsical book with lots of fun references and some playful pokes at life in "the real world." A great book for any middle grade reader who enjoys a good twist on an old classic.
Thanks to NetGalley and Greenwillow Books for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
A fun fairy tale romp about taking control of your own story.
Thoughts
Fairy tale "twist" stories are almost as ubiquitous as as fairy tales at this point. Retellings, the "true" version, or even lightly inspired editions grace many a shelf (mine included). But Princess Protection Program is not a retelling. It's a what if? What if the characters from those tales saw their futures and wanted to opt out? And what if the opt out was just as restrictive as their original stories? When Rosamund decides to opt out, she learns she's not the only one - in fact, an entire school has been created for characters who want to avoid their preset, often tragic, endings. But the school feels more like a pause button than an escape, and Rosamund quickly finds herself wondering if her story will ever truly go anywhere. And therein lies the heart of this book - a tale not about escaping destiny, but taking control of it. I appreciated that the story also spent time discussing how everyone has their own story to pursue, even as we often are supporting cast in someone else's tale. All of it is written in a quickly-paced, whimsical book with lots of fun references and some playful pokes at life in "the real world." A great book for any middle grade reader who enjoys a good twist on an old classic.
Thanks to NetGalley and Greenwillow Books for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
September 10, 2024
Reads with the little
August 21, 2023
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
3.5 stars, rounded down
This was a sweet story, the premise was very interesting and original, not sure I've heard anything like it before. But the execution could have been stronger. I do realize this is a middle grade book, but I've read many middle grades that were very strong in prose and plot. This one was fine, but felt more like a novelette - very short, things develop very fast, not much depth at all.
I also didn't love the dialogue - I don't know what it was about it, but either the author or I don't know how kids talk these days, cause it didn't feel like that's how they talk (hey, it could always be me who doesn't know, I don't spend a lot of time with kids). Either way, the dialogue didn't feel very natural, and the teenage characters and their motivations sometimes even more so.
But I did like the story, I LOVED the cover and I also liked the moral of the story as well. Actually just watched the movie Barbie a couple of days ago, and I felt like this book also had a lot of the same points to make, which was great.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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3.5 stars, rounded down
This was a sweet story, the premise was very interesting and original, not sure I've heard anything like it before. But the execution could have been stronger. I do realize this is a middle grade book, but I've read many middle grades that were very strong in prose and plot. This one was fine, but felt more like a novelette - very short, things develop very fast, not much depth at all.
I also didn't love the dialogue - I don't know what it was about it, but either the author or I don't know how kids talk these days, cause it didn't feel like that's how they talk (hey, it could always be me who doesn't know, I don't spend a lot of time with kids). Either way, the dialogue didn't feel very natural, and the teenage characters and their motivations sometimes even more so.
But I did like the story, I LOVED the cover and I also liked the moral of the story as well. Actually just watched the movie Barbie a couple of days ago, and I felt like this book also had a lot of the same points to make, which was great.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
July 28, 2023
A cute story that champions for princesses (and one prince) to gain agency in their own stories. Fans of The School For Good and Evil will love it.
April 5, 2025
The Princess Protection Program is a fast-paced middle- grade novel that captivated me with its unique storyline and unpredictable plot twists. The story follows Rosamund who flees when her prince wakes her from her cursed sleep. She goes out and lands herself in the Home Educational Academy. ( or better known as HEA.) This Academy is a safe haven for all the princesses who want to escape the ordinary and fated destinies.
However soon enough there are some loopholes that comes into focus as the story progresses. Is the kind fairy headmistress truly has the best intentions for this princesses? What about the graduates? Why has no one talked about them ever?
I really loved the concept of this book. The author has taken the famous fairytale princesses but have them a personality of their own. Even when the situations were confusing and didn't make sense, they knew how to tackle it. Rosamund's character arc was absolutely intriguing. The twists and turns were well done and the conclusion was finely planned. There is a scene where they sneak out to get pizza and see the world outside their academy, it was one of my favourites scenes. The dynamics between characters and their dialogues were hilarious and especially the prince's monologue in the beginning of the book.
This book is for those who are willing to forgo their fates that has been predicted to them and forge a path of recognition and hope of their own. Because the princesses can save themselves and kick the curses out on their own.
However soon enough there are some loopholes that comes into focus as the story progresses. Is the kind fairy headmistress truly has the best intentions for this princesses? What about the graduates? Why has no one talked about them ever?
I really loved the concept of this book. The author has taken the famous fairytale princesses but have them a personality of their own. Even when the situations were confusing and didn't make sense, they knew how to tackle it. Rosamund's character arc was absolutely intriguing. The twists and turns were well done and the conclusion was finely planned. There is a scene where they sneak out to get pizza and see the world outside their academy, it was one of my favourites scenes. The dynamics between characters and their dialogues were hilarious and especially the prince's monologue in the beginning of the book.
This book is for those who are willing to forgo their fates that has been predicted to them and forge a path of recognition and hope of their own. Because the princesses can save themselves and kick the curses out on their own.
April 12, 2025
Ok this book was super cute. I had no idea it was middle grade going into it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. I’m a sucker for fairytales, especially Sleeping Beauty, and I loved this the entire time I was reading. This was super wacky and all over the place and I can’t wait to read the next book! I also loved the whole concept of the Uponatimes because they reminded me of the Heartless from Kingdom Hearts and how they morph to look like their stories.
One small little nitpick I have is that there were some repetitive things like “princesses and one prince” that kept popping up everywhere. I would have been fine if it was there once or twice, but after that it got excessive. Another small thing is that the plot for me jumped slightly from thing to thing, but other than that I loved this book.
One small little nitpick I have is that there were some repetitive things like “princesses and one prince” that kept popping up everywhere. I would have been fine if it was there once or twice, but after that it got excessive. Another small thing is that the plot for me jumped slightly from thing to thing, but other than that I loved this book.
August 25, 2024
5 stars for all the joy that I felt while reading this book. So many little fairytale Easter eggs and so many lines where I chuckled either to myself or outloud. So many Disney vibes as well. When all the princesses were in group therapy it reminded me of the bad guy support group in Wreck it Ralph. And when the cleaning was supposed to dull their memory it reminded me of Sadness from Inside Out.
I am looking forward to the sequel 😄
I am looking forward to the sequel 😄
March 12, 2024
**4.5 Stars
This is cute and wacky and such a fun fairy tale twist (which is totally my kryptonite). I love the idea of fairy tale princesses leaving their stories and finding agency. And misadventures. And disguised mythical magical beasts? Also: pizza 😋
This is cute and wacky and such a fun fairy tale twist (which is totally my kryptonite). I love the idea of fairy tale princesses leaving their stories and finding agency. And misadventures. And disguised mythical magical beasts? Also: pizza 😋
June 6, 2025
While laugh-out-loud funny in several places and with unique characters I haven’t met before (a feat in a book of princesses/princes pulled from fairy tales), this story struggles with a predictable storyline.
November 27, 2024
A fish-out-of-water story: Fairy Tale Princess meets Twenty-First Century. Not my cup of tea.
March 21, 2025
It's definitely a book I would've liked a few years ago. It worked well for a quick read today because I was bored.
April 14, 2025
Did not finish
April 3, 2024
I loved this spin on the Princess/fairytale story. It’s so much fun having it be set in modern times and the princesses (and one prince) not be in their stories but in a place where they can escape their story. Although they do have to be careful not to wonder about because something spooky might get them and send them back into their stories! Such a great read, I couldn’t put this book down!
January 22, 2025
A perfect book for a young teenage girl or boy. It was entertaining, funny and had a beautiful message of mastering your own fate. Super cute and easy read!
September 6, 2023
Man, what a cute story inspired by fairytales. Princesses being saved from their stories and entering the real world? Amazing.
February 21, 2024
I really wanted to like this book, and I was super excited when I read the premise, but I ended up being disappointed in the story. The characters were forgettable, the plot didn't make sense, and the ending was also equally nonsensical. If you have readers that are interested in princesses, this might appeal to them, but don't be surprised if you find yourself DNFing.
June 3, 2024
I am such a fan of twists on fairy tales, especially when they are unique and like none I’ve read before, and The Princess Protection Program fits this! The idea of princesses being able to leave to our world and automatically go to a school with a fairy godmother protecting them from monsters that are trying to eat them to return to their tales is the perfect new twist for fairy tales. I loved getting to know all of the princesses (and Charlie!) and learning about everything with them. The characters are what make the beginning of the book, but then the twist of the story happens and it breaks the plot open and also adds in so much chaos at the end of the book that the end just speeds by as the conclusion nears. Fans of the books I listed below will definitely love this one!
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/27613
Full review with teaching tools: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/27613
October 24, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Rosamund wakes up to find a strange prince trying to kiss her, but manages to push him away and hide in a bathroom. The next thing she knows, she is outside the Orphan's Home Educational Academy. From fellow students Sirena and Rana, she learns that she and all of the others in the HEA are princesses (and one prince, Charlie) who escaped from their fairy tales and are now trying to figure out "reality" with the help of Verna, who set up the school. Students take classes in using cell phones, dressing themselves without ball gowns, and other modern topics from professors who are named with shout outs to other middle grade authors (Chainani, Calonita, Gidwitz). There is a threat from Uponatimes, monsters that can make the princesses disappear, and they encounter one when they take an illicit trip to a pizza parlor near the Enchanted Woods Amusement Park. Sirena is attacked, and the girls are in trouble for going off campus. While the purpose of the school seems to be to ready the princesses for entry into the world, the days have an alarming repetitive quality, and Rosamund wonders if the cleaning they have to do is somehow tied into this Groundhog's Day feel. When secrets start to emerge (as well as "chaotic teenaged greaseballs", aka unicorns!), will Rosamund and her new friends be able to figure out how to create their own Doors of Opportunity and be the authors of their own stories?
Strengths: This was a fun twist on traditional Brothers Grimm meet Disney fairy tales, and was an interesting look at how sometimes young people are not able to control the way their lives unfold. Rosamund's reaction to the sweaty prince trying to kiss her is a direct antithesis to the princess in Flinn's A Kiss in Time (2009), where Sleeping Beauty is woken up by a modern tourist and follows him back to Florida! There's just enough amazement at the modern world mixed with teenagers trying to strike out on their own. The pizza parlor and its important part in the story was probably my favorite, and I should have paid closer attention to the names! It's strongly hinted that Charlie (Prince Charming) escaped the Cinderella story because he is gay, but this is never said directly. This is a fun romp, and a bit of a departure from London's usual action packed books like Pentagon Escape, Battle Dragons, and Dog Tags or his zany Accidental Adventures.
Weaknesses: This was packed with allegory, so I felt like I was missing a lot because I didn't stop to unpack everything that made me think "Wait a minute...". This could be enjoyed without the underlying messages, which is good, because middle grade readers might not quite get everything.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Anne Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy (2021) or The Lost Girl (2019) or The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (2012) by Christopher Healy.
Rosamund wakes up to find a strange prince trying to kiss her, but manages to push him away and hide in a bathroom. The next thing she knows, she is outside the Orphan's Home Educational Academy. From fellow students Sirena and Rana, she learns that she and all of the others in the HEA are princesses (and one prince, Charlie) who escaped from their fairy tales and are now trying to figure out "reality" with the help of Verna, who set up the school. Students take classes in using cell phones, dressing themselves without ball gowns, and other modern topics from professors who are named with shout outs to other middle grade authors (Chainani, Calonita, Gidwitz). There is a threat from Uponatimes, monsters that can make the princesses disappear, and they encounter one when they take an illicit trip to a pizza parlor near the Enchanted Woods Amusement Park. Sirena is attacked, and the girls are in trouble for going off campus. While the purpose of the school seems to be to ready the princesses for entry into the world, the days have an alarming repetitive quality, and Rosamund wonders if the cleaning they have to do is somehow tied into this Groundhog's Day feel. When secrets start to emerge (as well as "chaotic teenaged greaseballs", aka unicorns!), will Rosamund and her new friends be able to figure out how to create their own Doors of Opportunity and be the authors of their own stories?
Strengths: This was a fun twist on traditional Brothers Grimm meet Disney fairy tales, and was an interesting look at how sometimes young people are not able to control the way their lives unfold. Rosamund's reaction to the sweaty prince trying to kiss her is a direct antithesis to the princess in Flinn's A Kiss in Time (2009), where Sleeping Beauty is woken up by a modern tourist and follows him back to Florida! There's just enough amazement at the modern world mixed with teenagers trying to strike out on their own. The pizza parlor and its important part in the story was probably my favorite, and I should have paid closer attention to the names! It's strongly hinted that Charlie (Prince Charming) escaped the Cinderella story because he is gay, but this is never said directly. This is a fun romp, and a bit of a departure from London's usual action packed books like Pentagon Escape, Battle Dragons, and Dog Tags or his zany Accidental Adventures.
Weaknesses: This was packed with allegory, so I felt like I was missing a lot because I didn't stop to unpack everything that made me think "Wait a minute...". This could be enjoyed without the underlying messages, which is good, because middle grade readers might not quite get everything.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Anne Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy (2021) or The Lost Girl (2019) or The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (2012) by Christopher Healy.
March 1, 2024
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Princess Protection Program by Alex London is about princesses getting a second chance.
Will the Royals from HEA make their own decisions about their stories?
The Royals
Princess Rosamund finds Home Educational Academy, set in the real world, when she flees from her story, opens a Door of Opportunity. While there Rosamund encounters, Rana, Sirena, Cindy, Charlie, and countless others that have fled their own stories because they didn't like what was happening. Rosa is a curious princess that has been asleep for a hundred years because she pricked her finger on a spindle and now she has been awakened by a kiss that makes her run away. She ends up at this school where she meets the other royals, and I love them all. I have to say that Mr. London had a great idea, and how he spun each one to work within this world is amazing.
Rosa, our main character, is so curious about everything that I admire her for everything that she has done throughout the book.
The Story
Rosa ends up making a lot of friends throughout this journey and her curiousness makes her a great character as she is able to ask the questions that none of the others ever thought about asking before. Rosamund, after being asleep for a hundred years, just wants to understand a lot of things, especially about what they are teaching them at the school. Although, something is sinister underfoot at this so called Princess Protection Program with one of the princes.
I have to say that Mr. London had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.
Five Stars
I am giving a five star rating to The Princess Protection Program by Alex London and recommending it to anyone that loves a good middle grade fantasy book. It has the right amount of fantasy while also allowing people to use their imagination to figure some things out. The underlying message is great as well.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Princess Protection Program by Alex London.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
The Princess Protection Program by Alex London is about princesses getting a second chance.
Will the Royals from HEA make their own decisions about their stories?
The Royals
Princess Rosamund finds Home Educational Academy, set in the real world, when she flees from her story, opens a Door of Opportunity. While there Rosamund encounters, Rana, Sirena, Cindy, Charlie, and countless others that have fled their own stories because they didn't like what was happening. Rosa is a curious princess that has been asleep for a hundred years because she pricked her finger on a spindle and now she has been awakened by a kiss that makes her run away. She ends up at this school where she meets the other royals, and I love them all. I have to say that Mr. London had a great idea, and how he spun each one to work within this world is amazing.
Rosa, our main character, is so curious about everything that I admire her for everything that she has done throughout the book.
The Story
Rosa ends up making a lot of friends throughout this journey and her curiousness makes her a great character as she is able to ask the questions that none of the others ever thought about asking before. Rosamund, after being asleep for a hundred years, just wants to understand a lot of things, especially about what they are teaching them at the school. Although, something is sinister underfoot at this so called Princess Protection Program with one of the princes.
I have to say that Mr. London had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire story.
Five Stars
I am giving a five star rating to The Princess Protection Program by Alex London and recommending it to anyone that loves a good middle grade fantasy book. It has the right amount of fantasy while also allowing people to use their imagination to figure some things out. The underlying message is great as well.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Princess Protection Program by Alex London.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book TroveJuly 18, 2023
What worked:
I’m not a young girl but I can see them cheering for characters rebelling against fairy tale, gender-biased expectations. Rosamund is awakened after a 100-year sleep but why should that mean she must marry the well-intentioned prince and live with him forever? All of the girls at the HEA agree that getting kissed while you’re asleep is gross and wrong. However, the school has no servants and the students are responsible for completing all of the chores like dusting and cleaning the bathroom. Readers will watch Rosamund transform as she develops an appreciation for the hard work done by her former palace workers. She also becomes an independent thinker with a strong motivation to right the wrongs she encounters.
Rosamund is gifted with curiosity and she’s always been taught that the most important question to ask is “Why?” However, the headmistress and teachers disagree and tell her she needs to accept things as they are. Why? She can’t understand how the other students can answer all of the teachers’ questions, sometimes before they’re even asked. Rosamund begins to sense something is off at the school and the plot becomes a mystery to answer her questions. The story takes a dramatic turn when one of her friends disappears right before her eyes!
A fun aspect of a story based on fairy tale characters is trying to figure out the connections between the two. Rosamund is Rose Red as she fell into a deep coma after pricking her finger on an enchanted spindle. Rana comes from a tale involving a frog prince while Sirena used to be a mermaid. The characters maintain traits from their fairy tales and luckily Rana isn’t shy about breaking the rules. Cinderella and Prince Charming are represented although Charlie is the only boy at the school. Readers will discover later that he has knowledge about what’s going on that the other students do not. The characters at HEA learn to live in the real world with lessons ranging from government to using technology like cell phones and TikTok. These concepts are part of a “magical” world in the minds of fairy tale characters.
What didn’t work as well:
The narrative moves very quickly with revelations and twists arising at every turn. This style will capture the interest of readers but it limits the ability to fully develop characters other than Rosamund. This may not bother readers much but it would be nice to know more about Rona’s character too.
The Final Verdict:
This book introduces unique ideas that aren’t often seen in these types of stories. The setting and conflict are innovative and the author saves some surprises for the end. I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I do and I recommend you give it a shot.
I’m not a young girl but I can see them cheering for characters rebelling against fairy tale, gender-biased expectations. Rosamund is awakened after a 100-year sleep but why should that mean she must marry the well-intentioned prince and live with him forever? All of the girls at the HEA agree that getting kissed while you’re asleep is gross and wrong. However, the school has no servants and the students are responsible for completing all of the chores like dusting and cleaning the bathroom. Readers will watch Rosamund transform as she develops an appreciation for the hard work done by her former palace workers. She also becomes an independent thinker with a strong motivation to right the wrongs she encounters.
Rosamund is gifted with curiosity and she’s always been taught that the most important question to ask is “Why?” However, the headmistress and teachers disagree and tell her she needs to accept things as they are. Why? She can’t understand how the other students can answer all of the teachers’ questions, sometimes before they’re even asked. Rosamund begins to sense something is off at the school and the plot becomes a mystery to answer her questions. The story takes a dramatic turn when one of her friends disappears right before her eyes!
A fun aspect of a story based on fairy tale characters is trying to figure out the connections between the two. Rosamund is Rose Red as she fell into a deep coma after pricking her finger on an enchanted spindle. Rana comes from a tale involving a frog prince while Sirena used to be a mermaid. The characters maintain traits from their fairy tales and luckily Rana isn’t shy about breaking the rules. Cinderella and Prince Charming are represented although Charlie is the only boy at the school. Readers will discover later that he has knowledge about what’s going on that the other students do not. The characters at HEA learn to live in the real world with lessons ranging from government to using technology like cell phones and TikTok. These concepts are part of a “magical” world in the minds of fairy tale characters.
What didn’t work as well:
The narrative moves very quickly with revelations and twists arising at every turn. This style will capture the interest of readers but it limits the ability to fully develop characters other than Rosamund. This may not bother readers much but it would be nice to know more about Rona’s character too.
The Final Verdict:
This book introduces unique ideas that aren’t often seen in these types of stories. The setting and conflict are innovative and the author saves some surprises for the end. I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I do and I recommend you give it a shot.
February 4, 2024
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
I thought the premise of this book was really interesting and was very happy to discover that the actual book very much lived up to its promise. This was a really clever take on how fairy tale princesses (and princes) might actually feel about the stories in which they find themselves. I couldn't help but think of the song "Naughty" from the Matilda musical at several points in this story (if you are not familiar with that song, it's basically about how characters are sometimes victims of their stories and that we shouldn't stand by and allow things to just happen to us) - I think Matilda would have been very proud of the characters in this book for pushing back against the expectations other have placed on these. I loved that it is Rosamund's curiosity and need to understand things that puts everything in motion here. By asking the fundamental question of "why" she is able to see through the nefarious intentions of the villain (I don't want to give anything away about who that villain is) and to reflect back on what it really means to be free and have independence. Alex London does a good job of offering not just a different take on all of the princesses, but also including the fact that there are different versions of all of these tales. I would love to see this as a series where the princesses get to meet those different versions of themselves. Things get a little silly with the triplets and some of the dialogue to be working a little too hard to sound "cool", but the rest of the story is so strong I'll let those minor details slide. My only complaint was that I though Rosamund was a little harsh when it came to the prince from her story - I get why she would find the kiss thing so unsettling, but she seemed to forget that maybe he was just as much a victim of the story as she had been (at least until the very end).
I thought the premise of this book was really interesting and was very happy to discover that the actual book very much lived up to its promise. This was a really clever take on how fairy tale princesses (and princes) might actually feel about the stories in which they find themselves. I couldn't help but think of the song "Naughty" from the Matilda musical at several points in this story (if you are not familiar with that song, it's basically about how characters are sometimes victims of their stories and that we shouldn't stand by and allow things to just happen to us) - I think Matilda would have been very proud of the characters in this book for pushing back against the expectations other have placed on these. I loved that it is Rosamund's curiosity and need to understand things that puts everything in motion here. By asking the fundamental question of "why" she is able to see through the nefarious intentions of the villain (I don't want to give anything away about who that villain is) and to reflect back on what it really means to be free and have independence. Alex London does a good job of offering not just a different take on all of the princesses, but also including the fact that there are different versions of all of these tales. I would love to see this as a series where the princesses get to meet those different versions of themselves. Things get a little silly with the triplets and some of the dialogue to be working a little too hard to sound "cool", but the rest of the story is so strong I'll let those minor details slide. My only complaint was that I though Rosamund was a little harsh when it came to the prince from her story - I get why she would find the kiss thing so unsettling, but she seemed to forget that maybe he was just as much a victim of the story as she had been (at least until the very end).
June 25, 2024
The story opens with Rosamund (aka Sleeping Beauty) being awaked by the kiss of a prince, except she did not at all want the kiss and is highly offended that was how the prince introduced himself to her. If truth be told, the prince didn't necessarily want to kiss her either, it is just how the story was written. As Rosamund awakens and takes stock of life 100 years later than what she remembered, she had so many questions. Stumbling to the HEA School (Home Educational Academy, aka Happily Ever After), Rosamund is rescued from her own story. Initially, it seemed like a welcome relief, but things were decidedly "off" at HEA, and Rosamund's propensity for questioning leads her to discover that those who seem good many not be and those who seem bad really aren't.
At first, I found it a little irritating that the obvious fairy tale princesses were not called by their appropriate names (Sleeping Beauty's real names was Aurora), Snow White is Margaret and Ariel is Sirena. It took me a minute, but then I realized it was the Princess PROTECTION program, so obviously they could not use their real names. After I got over that moment, this was one of the most fun fractured fairy tales I have ever read. There was so much to like in this book: your stories are not predetermined, you have the power to change your stories, princesses do not have to be damsels in distress, and sometimes princes need to be rescued instead of being the rescuer. Also - asking questions is not bad! There were some slight references to same-sex relationships. This is a very appropriate book for upper elementary and middle school.
At first, I found it a little irritating that the obvious fairy tale princesses were not called by their appropriate names (Sleeping Beauty's real names was Aurora), Snow White is Margaret and Ariel is Sirena. It took me a minute, but then I realized it was the Princess PROTECTION program, so obviously they could not use their real names. After I got over that moment, this was one of the most fun fractured fairy tales I have ever read. There was so much to like in this book: your stories are not predetermined, you have the power to change your stories, princesses do not have to be damsels in distress, and sometimes princes need to be rescued instead of being the rescuer. Also - asking questions is not bad! There were some slight references to same-sex relationships. This is a very appropriate book for upper elementary and middle school.
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