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Half Upon a Time #2
Twice Upon a Time (Half Upon a Time) by James Riley (16-Apr-2013) Paperback
Pirates and mermaids face off in this fractured-fairy tale sequel to Half Upon a Time!Jack and May are back for another adventure in the world of fairy tales with a twist. Now that they know about May’s grandmother’s real intentions, they’re on the hunt to learn May’s true identity. The search for answers leads Jack and May to the world of the Sea King, where they land right in the center of a battle between mermaids and the Pirate Bluebeard. The laughter and action are as nonstop as ever in this next book from new author James Riley!
Unknown Binding
First published April 24, 2012
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December 29, 2012
WHAT?????? Just... Just WHAT????!!!!!
Initial reaction after finishing this book:
Did Jack just...? And did Phillip...? And is May...? And Lian is...?
I NEED THE LAST BOOK NOW.
You have to be kidding me I-I-I just, I...
I am going crazy right now!!!!!!!
fAUKD,v.kfhbvk.fjb.kvl.s
James Riley just totally leaves the reader to wonder what's going to happen next.
This book is a continuation of Half Upon a Time and a GREAT one at that. So let's get more in depth with that. With the good and bad (Yes there are some) aspects of this book.
The Good
1. The plot
In this book, Jack, May, and Phillip continue on there quest to the Fairy Homelands to find out May's true identity. But upon reaching, they get a HUGE surprise. The Wicked Queen has gotten a Fairy Queen to place the Fairy Homelands under a spell, that causes all that pass through the gate to fall into a sleeping spell. There, they encounter Lian, an eye for the queen. She is fast and is a practically unbeatable opponent for Jack. She informs them that at sunset tomorrow, the Wicked Queen's dragons will arrive to burn the homelands to the ground. Afterwards, they basically try to transport themselves back to The Piper's home, because the Piper is the one who got them to the Homelands in the first place, but they find that he is gone, and in his place are some of the Wicked Queen's allies, including the Wolf King, who honestly scares the crap out of me. So Jack, May, and Phillip run into the Piper's cave, where several kids have gone into but none have come out. Then they find a door at the end of the tunnel, which is opened by a morbidly obese adult dressed in a child's clothing. He welcome them to the Land of Never, (A spoof of Peter Pan's Neverland) Where none of the children ever grow up, and there are chocolate waterfalls, piles of money, you name it they got it. This mildly, well actually more than mildly creeps out our main characters who are the only ones who seem to realize that these children have aged. They try to tell the children, erm adults, that they are adults but they don't believe them. They then rescue King Pan from "pirates" and hoo ha yippy ka yay, a bunch of stuff happens and then they are on the sea with pirates who can help Jack, May, and Phillip find the Sea Witch, who can get rid of the spell on the Fairy Homelands so that May can find out who she is. The captain of the pirates, captain Bluebeard also needs something under the sea, which is This is the basic premise of the story. But there is many plot twists along the way. What I'm basically trying to say is that there was never a dull moment in this book, which I LOVE.
2. The characters
Need I say more? I LOVE Jack. I just want to strangle him in a giant hug!!!!! And Phillip too!!!! May is spunky, which I appreciate. She's not all like "I can't fight sharks that walk on land! I'll just sit here in the corner and wait for Prince Charming to swoop in and save me!" Basically, all of the characters are very well-developed. And I love them all.
Me thinking about Jack and Phillip:
The Bad
Well, there's only one thing I didn't like about this book. And it's just an eensy weensy thing, really. I read the first book a while ago, so details about the main plot weren't fresh in my head. The book didn't do such a great job recapping the last book. Which I would've liked. Also, one of the things wasn't quite clear. Who put the Fairy Homelands under a spell? Malevolent the fairy queen turned bad, or who????
But basically this was an unimaginably great book. And oh yeah, another thing I loved: All the revelations:
Initial reaction after finishing this book:
Did Jack just...? And did Phillip...? And is May...? And Lian is...?
I NEED THE LAST BOOK NOW.
You have to be kidding me I-I-I just, I...
I am going crazy right now!!!!!!!
fAUKD,v.kfhbvk.fjb.kvl.s
James Riley just totally leaves the reader to wonder what's going to happen next.
This book is a continuation of Half Upon a Time and a GREAT one at that. So let's get more in depth with that. With the good and bad (Yes there are some) aspects of this book.
The Good
1. The plot
In this book, Jack, May, and Phillip continue on there quest to the Fairy Homelands to find out May's true identity. But upon reaching, they get a HUGE surprise. The Wicked Queen has gotten a Fairy Queen to place the Fairy Homelands under a spell, that causes all that pass through the gate to fall into a sleeping spell. There, they encounter Lian, an eye for the queen. She is fast and is a practically unbeatable opponent for Jack. She informs them that at sunset tomorrow, the Wicked Queen's dragons will arrive to burn the homelands to the ground. Afterwards, they basically try to transport themselves back to The Piper's home, because the Piper is the one who got them to the Homelands in the first place, but they find that he is gone, and in his place are some of the Wicked Queen's allies, including the Wolf King, who honestly scares the crap out of me. So Jack, May, and Phillip run into the Piper's cave, where several kids have gone into but none have come out. Then they find a door at the end of the tunnel, which is opened by a morbidly obese adult dressed in a child's clothing. He welcome them to the Land of Never, (A spoof of Peter Pan's Neverland) Where none of the children ever grow up, and there are chocolate waterfalls, piles of money, you name it they got it. This mildly, well actually more than mildly creeps out our main characters who are the only ones who seem to realize that these children have aged. They try to tell the children, erm adults, that they are adults but they don't believe them. They then rescue King Pan from "pirates" and hoo ha yippy ka yay, a bunch of stuff happens and then they are on the sea with pirates who can help Jack, May, and Phillip find the Sea Witch, who can get rid of the spell on the Fairy Homelands so that May can find out who she is. The captain of the pirates, captain Bluebeard also needs something under the sea, which is This is the basic premise of the story. But there is many plot twists along the way. What I'm basically trying to say is that there was never a dull moment in this book, which I LOVE.
2. The characters
Need I say more? I LOVE Jack. I just want to strangle him in a giant hug!!!!! And Phillip too!!!! May is spunky, which I appreciate. She's not all like "I can't fight sharks that walk on land! I'll just sit here in the corner and wait for Prince Charming to swoop in and save me!" Basically, all of the characters are very well-developed. And I love them all.
Me thinking about Jack and Phillip:
The Bad
Well, there's only one thing I didn't like about this book. And it's just an eensy weensy thing, really. I read the first book a while ago, so details about the main plot weren't fresh in my head. The book didn't do such a great job recapping the last book. Which I would've liked. Also, one of the things wasn't quite clear. Who put the Fairy Homelands under a spell? Malevolent the fairy queen turned bad, or who????
But basically this was an unimaginably great book. And oh yeah, another thing I loved: All the revelations:
June 26, 2015
Should I be embarassed that I read books like this for fun even though I'm technically an adult? Probably, but since this is the internet I'm not that worried. Everyone who knows me in real life on this site already knows I'm a huge dork who can't seem to grow up properly.
So, I as I mentioned above if you like Rick Riordan's stuff I really think you should give this a try. He kind of has that silly satire that I love. If you are the kind of reader that can't take slow paced stories, than this is definitely the book for you. I was feeling exhausted for these characters about half-way through the book because there is never a break. Wait, there is maybe one near the beginning, I lied. Poor Jack, because to be honest how many times can a person get beat up and still be moving? It takes push-yourself-up-and-try-again to a whole new level. You know when the Hulk (in the Avengers) just grabs Loki like a rag doll and flings him back and forth? It’s like that, just done maybe five more times. The body can only take so much, but I assume since Jack is an Eye he can take a few more hits?
Twice Upon a Time takes place about three months after Half Upon a Time finishes. The first should be read before this one. May, Phillip, and Jack are all still together trying to find out who May’s parents are but low and behold it’s not that easy to just walk into fairy land and just ask. Some way or another they end up meeting King Pan (or Peter Pan), a bluebeard pirate, King of the World, and a mermaid princess with a past.
I might have given the book 5 stars if it wasn’t for May. I thought I’d warm up to her by now and I have but I still find her a bit exasperating. May is no longer sarcastic, but she does a lot of threatening which got tiring because she hardly ever follows through. It's not that I think she should kick everyone’s butt, but it seems like she is more bark than bite.
The ending I loved but I’ll keep the details to myself.
So, I as I mentioned above if you like Rick Riordan's stuff I really think you should give this a try. He kind of has that silly satire that I love. If you are the kind of reader that can't take slow paced stories, than this is definitely the book for you. I was feeling exhausted for these characters about half-way through the book because there is never a break. Wait, there is maybe one near the beginning, I lied. Poor Jack, because to be honest how many times can a person get beat up and still be moving? It takes push-yourself-up-and-try-again to a whole new level. You know when the Hulk (in the Avengers) just grabs Loki like a rag doll and flings him back and forth? It’s like that, just done maybe five more times. The body can only take so much, but I assume since Jack is an Eye he can take a few more hits?
Twice Upon a Time takes place about three months after Half Upon a Time finishes. The first should be read before this one. May, Phillip, and Jack are all still together trying to find out who May’s parents are but low and behold it’s not that easy to just walk into fairy land and just ask. Some way or another they end up meeting King Pan (or Peter Pan), a bluebeard pirate, King of the World, and a mermaid princess with a past.
I might have given the book 5 stars if it wasn’t for May. I thought I’d warm up to her by now and I have but I still find her a bit exasperating. May is no longer sarcastic, but she does a lot of threatening which got tiring because she hardly ever follows through. It's not that I think she should kick everyone’s butt, but it seems like she is more bark than bite.
The ending I loved but I’ll keep the details to myself.
November 24, 2024
Everything I felt about the first book, I feel for this one, except a little more this time. The writing’s still great, the plot’s also great, of course. Have to add in the same biases I may have for the 1st book, I have for this one; simply because of nostalgia, and my reading experience involving this book when I was younger, so if your grabbing this book (especially as an adult) because of this review, proceed with caution!!
I loved the 2nd book more, especially because I felt so much more immersed into the story and its characters. We got to dig deeper into the different parts of the mission they were on this time, and we got to spend more time with everything that was occurring to the characters. Also, I loved the ending of this book as well. The author ties everything up so well, while still making sure to add a twist in there that also ties into the story flawlessly.
Overall, I rate this book a little higher than the first one. Like the first book, I’d be a little more weary recommending this to the adults around me only because it is a children’s book, and I’m not sure if all adults have grown out of them, but I’m definitely recommending this to the age it’s geared towards. I loved every part of this book, and the nostalgia of this series feels so comforting right now.
I loved the 2nd book more, especially because I felt so much more immersed into the story and its characters. We got to dig deeper into the different parts of the mission they were on this time, and we got to spend more time with everything that was occurring to the characters. Also, I loved the ending of this book as well. The author ties everything up so well, while still making sure to add a twist in there that also ties into the story flawlessly.
Overall, I rate this book a little higher than the first one. Like the first book, I’d be a little more weary recommending this to the adults around me only because it is a children’s book, and I’m not sure if all adults have grown out of them, but I’m definitely recommending this to the age it’s geared towards. I loved every part of this book, and the nostalgia of this series feels so comforting right now.
May 24, 2016
A cute second installment of this trilogy. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it, though. The first 3/4 I was pretty meh about it, but then it started becoming rather intriguing there at the end. Let's see what the final book has in store.
June 16, 2019
This series is awesome!!
October 30, 2017
Whoops. I may have forgotten to put this down as "currently" reading while I was actually currently reading it. *sigh*
What can I say? Life. It gets hectic.
ANYWAYS. I loved this book and I felt like it was a good middle to the other two books in the series. I wouldn't really recommend reading this as a stand alone (nor either of the other books in this series for that matter) basically, once you've started this series, you HAVE to read the whole thing. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. ;)
I could gush on and on about the amazing plot and equally amazing characters, but I'll instead leave you with one more plea to read the series.
(You won't regret it guys, I promise!)
What can I say? Life. It gets hectic.
ANYWAYS. I loved this book and I felt like it was a good middle to the other two books in the series. I wouldn't really recommend reading this as a stand alone (nor either of the other books in this series for that matter) basically, once you've started this series, you HAVE to read the whole thing. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. ;)
I could gush on and on about the amazing plot and equally amazing characters, but I'll instead leave you with one more plea to read the series.
(You won't regret it guys, I promise!)
Read
December 20, 2014This series just keeps getting better and better
February 3, 2021
WHAAAAAAAA
Ok, I'm going to write a spoiler-free review, so you have to read it for yourself to see what the "WHAAAAAAAA" was about 😏
Amazing!! This book was fast-paced and intricately put together. The plot is fun, especially with the fairy tale theme still going. I really like how I also got to learn more about Jack's past, and which fairy tale he's from (especially since there are so many Jacks in fairy tales XD). Also, the ending was SHOCKING yet PERFECT!!! Now, on to "Once Upon the End!"
Ok, I'm going to write a spoiler-free review, so you have to read it for yourself to see what the "WHAAAAAAAA" was about 😏
Amazing!! This book was fast-paced and intricately put together. The plot is fun, especially with the fairy tale theme still going. I really like how I also got to learn more about Jack's past, and which fairy tale he's from (especially since there are so many Jacks in fairy tales XD). Also, the ending was SHOCKING yet PERFECT!!! Now, on to "Once Upon the End!"
May 31, 2024
bro!! the chaos continues!! i didn’t like this one as much as the first one because it was a lot of lore about mermaids and stuff that i wasn’t as interested in, but still a solid adventure. and another twist at the end that had me gasping!! excited to start the last book bc there is still so much to be revealed muahahah 3.5 stars! 🌟
April 9, 2021
This. Was. AMAZING!!!! Even though most of the beginning of the book was just really good, the ending is flawless. Perfect. Magnificent. My only issues were a little bit of confusion and some grammatical issues. Otherwise? AWESOME!
March 11, 2017
Still a lot of fun but definitely the weakest of the three.
May 20, 2019
This one suffered a bit from Second Book Syndrome, but I am so deeply in love with Jack that I don't even really care.
October 16, 2024
I like how the author uses known fairy tale creatures and their stories in humorous/creative ways. The book is very sarcastic (even more than the first one) and got tiresome for me after a while. I also got a little tired of May and her constant violent threats. (It could have been just the mood I was in) Plus I think middle schoolers would find it very entertaining. I like that Philip serious, chivalrous and overall GOOD nature balances out Jack and May’s sarcasm and wit. Jack and May are obviously meant for each other but Philip rounds up the trio quite well. There were spots that I laughed out loud. I liked the mysterious history of the trio and not knowing who is good or evil. The plot is very fast paced with never a slow moment. A caution for parents: there is a lot of the use of the words stupid and idiot.
SPOILERS and book notes:
They visit the pied piper. They need him to enter the Fairy Homeland. If you don’t pay him after he grants your favor, then he takes the payment in a different way. The last village he took all the children! Why it is hard to get to the fairies: “The fairies don’t think in words or pictures like you and I do. They think and talk in music… so that’s how they perform their magic as well.” But Jack can speak fairy now! And he and the fairy that sits on Mays head have a heated relationship haha. They enter into the Land of Never (a place with a bunch of middle aged fat people wearing kid clothes who think they haven’t grown up) and it’s full of candy chocolate and toys. they are going to help them rescue King Pan from the pirates! There are mermaids and the boys are more scared of them than the pirates lol. They end up being ditsy though bc everything in this land is kid friendly. The mermaids give them their tears that let them breathe underwater. King pan is an actual kid this time. Kidnap by captain sword. He is kind of creepy actually. Everything including fighting pirates is just a big game. ““Then, they must know who I am!” King Pan said, smiling his creepy wide smile. “King Pan, the Slayer of the Deadly Sun Dial Crocodile! King Pan, the Premier and First Explorer of Skull Face! King Pan, the Only Boy to Ever Face the Fearsome Pirates of the Land of Never Bay and Live to Tell About It!” Jack and him had a battle of wits that was epic. And pan ended up being a satyr! When Pans spell broke Captain sword ended up being Captain Bluebeard! The one whole married all those women then killed rhem for their dowries. He is looking for the sea king! The trio is looking for the sea witch bc she was a fairy queen who chose to become a fish bc she loved the king! But he didn’t love her back. And the mermaids are evil again so drag Jack under the water!!! I love this thought from Jack about life and hardships: “No one lives happily never after.” “Ever after.” “Whatever. I’ve never heard of anything so stupid. Talk about a kid’s story.” “So what’s the point, then, if we can’t be happy? Why are we doing any of this?” “Oh, there’s definitely happiness,” Jack said, turning his back on the ocean and looking at her. “But it’s just about moments, not ever-afters.” He grinned. “Like when you’re right in the middle of the worst adventure imaginable, but for a minute, it’s just about sitting on a boat in the middle of the ocean with your friends, with no one trying to kill you in any kind of horrifying way. You have to appreciate these moments when they happen, ’cause obviously we don’t get many of them.” For them to go underwater Pan is magicking them tails. But his magic only works if you think happy thoughts. So they have to be constantly thinking happy thoughts for it to work lol. The Sea King has a castle of coral. The coral is alive so it shaped itself! There is no guards or locks bc everyone shares everything! Jack is from the story Jack and Jill and “Lian” (Jillian) the girl eye that has been following them is his sister!! She pushed him down the hill and he hit his head and forgot everything! So he lived with his gpa to heal! May was supposed to be Cinderella but the wicked queen messed it up hy kidnapping her from her step mom. Phillip kissed Penelope awake! She is his true love lol. Jack needs to discover himself. He is GOOD. He can be a hero like Phillip. Dragons come to burn down the fairy kingdom.
SPOILERS and book notes:
They visit the pied piper. They need him to enter the Fairy Homeland. If you don’t pay him after he grants your favor, then he takes the payment in a different way. The last village he took all the children! Why it is hard to get to the fairies: “The fairies don’t think in words or pictures like you and I do. They think and talk in music… so that’s how they perform their magic as well.” But Jack can speak fairy now! And he and the fairy that sits on Mays head have a heated relationship haha. They enter into the Land of Never (a place with a bunch of middle aged fat people wearing kid clothes who think they haven’t grown up) and it’s full of candy chocolate and toys. they are going to help them rescue King Pan from the pirates! There are mermaids and the boys are more scared of them than the pirates lol. They end up being ditsy though bc everything in this land is kid friendly. The mermaids give them their tears that let them breathe underwater. King pan is an actual kid this time. Kidnap by captain sword. He is kind of creepy actually. Everything including fighting pirates is just a big game. ““Then, they must know who I am!” King Pan said, smiling his creepy wide smile. “King Pan, the Slayer of the Deadly Sun Dial Crocodile! King Pan, the Premier and First Explorer of Skull Face! King Pan, the Only Boy to Ever Face the Fearsome Pirates of the Land of Never Bay and Live to Tell About It!” Jack and him had a battle of wits that was epic. And pan ended up being a satyr! When Pans spell broke Captain sword ended up being Captain Bluebeard! The one whole married all those women then killed rhem for their dowries. He is looking for the sea king! The trio is looking for the sea witch bc she was a fairy queen who chose to become a fish bc she loved the king! But he didn’t love her back. And the mermaids are evil again so drag Jack under the water!!! I love this thought from Jack about life and hardships: “No one lives happily never after.” “Ever after.” “Whatever. I’ve never heard of anything so stupid. Talk about a kid’s story.” “So what’s the point, then, if we can’t be happy? Why are we doing any of this?” “Oh, there’s definitely happiness,” Jack said, turning his back on the ocean and looking at her. “But it’s just about moments, not ever-afters.” He grinned. “Like when you’re right in the middle of the worst adventure imaginable, but for a minute, it’s just about sitting on a boat in the middle of the ocean with your friends, with no one trying to kill you in any kind of horrifying way. You have to appreciate these moments when they happen, ’cause obviously we don’t get many of them.” For them to go underwater Pan is magicking them tails. But his magic only works if you think happy thoughts. So they have to be constantly thinking happy thoughts for it to work lol. The Sea King has a castle of coral. The coral is alive so it shaped itself! There is no guards or locks bc everyone shares everything! Jack is from the story Jack and Jill and “Lian” (Jillian) the girl eye that has been following them is his sister!! She pushed him down the hill and he hit his head and forgot everything! So he lived with his gpa to heal! May was supposed to be Cinderella but the wicked queen messed it up hy kidnapping her from her step mom. Phillip kissed Penelope awake! She is his true love lol. Jack needs to discover himself. He is GOOD. He can be a hero like Phillip. Dragons come to burn down the fairy kingdom.
Read
April 20, 2020This book is a fantasy/sci-fi novel that would be good for children in grades 3 or 4. This book is about a girl named May and her two friends Jack and Phillip who set out on a search for May's true identity. This cannot be done unless they have help from a "fairy godmother" which seems to be hard for them to find. As they soon start out on their journey, they soon start to realize that the lands that house the fairy godmothers has been shut down from a curse. This is devastating news to the three friends, but they are determined that they are going to be able to reach these spirits. As the book goes on, the three friends show true determination throughout the story and jump through a lot of obstacles to reach this ability to find her true identity. This was a WOW book for me simply because of how interesting it was to read it! I have never been a fan of sci-fi for fantasy novels since I was a kid, so being intrigued and motivated to finish reading this book was what made it a WOW book for me.
Thinking about how I am going to use this in a classroom, there can be so many literacy pathways I can go with this. After we read this book through a combination of literacy circles and read alouds, I can ask students to write their own story in their own perspective if they were one of the three friends. When designing this project, I could also incorporate the current writing standards that we were to address at the time. Aside from lessons that were standards based, I could use this book as a topic for a morning meeting or circle time. After reading the book for the writing lesson, it could easily be used for a topic of discussion among students and the teachers. We could go around in a circle and ask students what they think their secret identity would be or what type of fairy they would want to be.
Thinking about how I am going to use this in a classroom, there can be so many literacy pathways I can go with this. After we read this book through a combination of literacy circles and read alouds, I can ask students to write their own story in their own perspective if they were one of the three friends. When designing this project, I could also incorporate the current writing standards that we were to address at the time. Aside from lessons that were standards based, I could use this book as a topic for a morning meeting or circle time. After reading the book for the writing lesson, it could easily be used for a topic of discussion among students and the teachers. We could go around in a circle and ask students what they think their secret identity would be or what type of fairy they would want to be.
December 31, 2020
Though I don't enjoy this book as much as the first one, I look forward to reading the third one.
OVERVIEW
"Jack and May are back for another adventure in the world of fairy tales with a twist. Now that they know about May’s grandmother’s real intentions, they’re on the hunt to learn May’s true identity. The search for answers leads Jack and May to the world of the Sea King, where they land right in the center of a battle between mermaids and the Pirate Bluebeard. The laughter and action are as nonstop as ever in this next book from new author James Riley!"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
May would give up anything for her friends. Phillip, Jack and May's friendship runs deep and they all try hard to help each other. Jack sacrifices himself for his friends. Deep loyalty is shown as well as determination.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Mentions of spells and magic.
VIOLENCE
Lots of fights (not super graphic). Mentions of getting hurt, pain etc. Jack is nearly killed several times. Mentions of execution.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Jack clearly likes May. Mentions of blushing, feelings etc. A woman gave up everything for her love. Philip has to kiss a girl to wake her up.
LANGUAGE
None.
OTHER NOTES
Jack is often called stupid. May has a bit of a temper.
Overall a good story, though at times it was a little slow. I did like the plot twists, they kept me at the edge of my seat. If I forgot to mention anything please tell me so in the comments, thanks.
OVERVIEW
"Jack and May are back for another adventure in the world of fairy tales with a twist. Now that they know about May’s grandmother’s real intentions, they’re on the hunt to learn May’s true identity. The search for answers leads Jack and May to the world of the Sea King, where they land right in the center of a battle between mermaids and the Pirate Bluebeard. The laughter and action are as nonstop as ever in this next book from new author James Riley!"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
May would give up anything for her friends. Phillip, Jack and May's friendship runs deep and they all try hard to help each other. Jack sacrifices himself for his friends. Deep loyalty is shown as well as determination.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Mentions of spells and magic.
VIOLENCE
Lots of fights (not super graphic). Mentions of getting hurt, pain etc. Jack is nearly killed several times. Mentions of execution.
SEXUAL CONTENT
Jack clearly likes May. Mentions of blushing, feelings etc. A woman gave up everything for her love. Philip has to kiss a girl to wake her up.
LANGUAGE
None.
OTHER NOTES
Jack is often called stupid. May has a bit of a temper.
Overall a good story, though at times it was a little slow. I did like the plot twists, they kept me at the edge of my seat. If I forgot to mention anything please tell me so in the comments, thanks.
August 4, 2024
5/5 - per Henry, ‘It was really good. I might have rated it lower if Phillip put the glass slipper on May, because everyone knows Jack and May belong together.’ per Evie, ‘I rated 5000 out of 5, and everyone knows Phillip and May belong together.’ This is a cute series with all the fairy tale tie-ins, and the dialogue is witty.
February 10, 2021
Fishy Fishmen
March 28, 2021
Okay, I don't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't THAT ending!! I need the third book!!!!!! I hope there's more about the Wicked Queen, I want to know more about her...
June 30, 2024
Clearly this is unhealthy. I’ve will have gone through a trilogy in 4 day or readying…… I can’t. I just can’t.
November 8, 2024
ok I NEED THE THIRD BOOK ASAP
THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END BLEW MY MIND
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH
THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END BLEW MY MIND
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH
February 8, 2025
It's good
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
February 11, 2024
The plot is thickening and the characters are becoming even more lovable.
October 3, 2014
"Once upon a time, Jack knew better than to do certain things. You didn't waste time trying to find the perfect temperature of porridge in a bear's house. You didn't point out to your extremely furry grandmother how big her fangs were. And you definitely didn't walk through a creepy fog while music from magical pipes drifted in eerily."
That is the opening paragraph in this second book of the Half Upon a Time series. Jack, May & Phillip are back. In book one, they released the Evil Queen from her magical prison and found out May isn't who they thought she was. The trio is now trying to fix their mistakes and find out the truth about May's identity.
This book touches so many different fairy tale stories that I don't know if I can remember them all: the Pied Piper, Peter Pan (here King Pan in the Land of Never), Bluebeard the pirate, the Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. I may have missed some but I think you should read the book just to be sure. Oh and Jack & Jill.
I enjoyed this story and I'm ready to read book 3 and find out how it all ends. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tale stories or new takes on fairy tales. A great book for reluctant readers in 4-8 grade.
That is the opening paragraph in this second book of the Half Upon a Time series. Jack, May & Phillip are back. In book one, they released the Evil Queen from her magical prison and found out May isn't who they thought she was. The trio is now trying to fix their mistakes and find out the truth about May's identity.
This book touches so many different fairy tale stories that I don't know if I can remember them all: the Pied Piper, Peter Pan (here King Pan in the Land of Never), Bluebeard the pirate, the Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. I may have missed some but I think you should read the book just to be sure. Oh and Jack & Jill.
I enjoyed this story and I'm ready to read book 3 and find out how it all ends. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tale stories or new takes on fairy tales. A great book for reluctant readers in 4-8 grade.
September 9, 2020
Oh my goodness. The end of this book. It was very emotional. So we have the reveal that Lian is Jack's sister. That really made me gasp. And then she was apparently trying to protect him this whole time?! What?! And then. May. Oh my goodness, May. She is apparently Cinderella. And her true love is a prince. Who is waiting for her. And Jack and May we're never supposed to meet eachother. This is probably when I started crying. Am I too attached to these characters? Probably. And they think that Jack betrayed them. But really he's going with Lian - Or Jill- to stop the Evil Queen by pretending to be an Eye.
Dear author this is one of the most evil plot twists ever. And a very sad one too. Good job at being such a good author. As an author who isn't really an author yet but will be one day I understand kinda why you did that cliffhanger. You had us all fooled. Which is exactly what you want to do. Fool us. Cuz otherwise the book would be somewhat boring and no one would want to read the next book which I'm sure is really good if not better than this one.
Amelie
P.S. THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZING I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
Dear author this is one of the most evil plot twists ever. And a very sad one too. Good job at being such a good author. As an author who isn't really an author yet but will be one day I understand kinda why you did that cliffhanger. You had us all fooled. Which is exactly what you want to do. Fool us. Cuz otherwise the book would be somewhat boring and no one would want to read the next book which I'm sure is really good if not better than this one.
Amelie
P.S. THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZING I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2012
What happens when you mix the stories of "Peter Pan" & "The Little Mermaid"? You end up with this entertaining novel by James Riley. This time around Jack, May & Phillip start off in the realm of the Fairy Homelands in their continued quest to determine who May really is. Their adventures take them to the land of Never here we encounter Pan & Captain Bluebeard. From there we go under the sea to the realm of mermaids & mermen in order to find the Sea Witch who can help break the spell in the Fairy Homelands & can move May closer to finding out who she is. Riley does another very good job in his re-telling of these classic tales & keeps the adventure moving along w/ enough wit & story to have you the reader laughing at every turn. The novel does leave a lot of open ends & provides us more info on Jack & why he's on this quest with May which is nice to know there will be a 3rd novel in this entertaining new series.
May 9, 2013
3.5 stars.
There was a typo on page 154 of this edition. "Like we're best friends We just have this instant bond." There's no period between "friends" and "We".
My, my, Bluebeard. Do we have ourselves a pirate Hannibal on our hands?
"Ah, I love when me plans come together so easily!" Methinks so.
This one had it's issues but overall, I really enjoyed it. And the end made up for anything. Really excited for Once Upon the End.
There was a typo on page 154 of this edition. "Like we're best friends We just have this instant bond." There's no period between "friends" and "We".
My, my, Bluebeard. Do we have ourselves a pirate Hannibal on our hands?
"Ah, I love when me plans come together so easily!" Methinks so.
This one had it's issues but overall, I really enjoyed it. And the end made up for anything. Really excited for Once Upon the End.
May 22, 2013
Just as fun as Half Upon a Time. Told back and forth between Jack's POV and May's, Twice Upon a Time is full of chaos and things going wrong - who says that fairy tales end happily ever after? I liked seeing the twists on various fairy tales and myths and how they are intertwined, and appreciated seeing May and Jack (and others) grow as characters - in many ways, this is a coming of age story, and a story about identity. I liked how self aware the characters were about the craziness of what was going on, and think kids/tweens/teens will really appreciate it. I would recommend this book for middle grade - YA fairy tale lovers.
June 8, 2012
If you like twisted fairy tales, you will like this book! It's probably upper elementary level, though both I and my high schooler enjoyed it as well. If you don't mind fairy-tale style magic, there is nothing objectionable in it--except for the fact that the story doesn't end in the first book! Nor in the second, and the third isn't out yet!!! We can't wait for the third.....
(Be sure to read the author blurb on the inside back cover. It's as funny as the book is!)
If you haven't read the first book, do that first. There is a surprise ending in the first, that the second will tell you.
(Be sure to read the author blurb on the inside back cover. It's as funny as the book is!)
If you haven't read the first book, do that first. There is a surprise ending in the first, that the second will tell you.
June 3, 2016
I found Twice Upon a Time to be a thrilling adventure book to read. Twice Upon a Time is an amazing book filled with mystery and it was enjoyable to read. This is a second book in a serie of three books. After a princess, May, learned a big secret about her grandmother, which was revealed in the first book, Half Upon a Time. She and the other main character, Jack go through the adventure of a lifetime. This book is filled with twists in the world of fairy tales. I would recommend this book to my classmates because it was a funny, page turner. Since this book is a series, I would want to finish the third book and find out what happens next in the last book.
August 26, 2021
This is the third time I've read this book, and I still enjoyed it.
CONS OF TWICE UPON A TIME
I can't think of any.
PROS OF TWICE UPON A TIME
There was no cursing in this book, first off.
The way the was dealt with in this book was way less blatant than in book 1, and pulled off way better.
The BANTER! (so much sass)
The plot line was well done.
As always, I loved James Riley's dedication and bio.
OVERALL
I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to read book 3.
CONS OF TWICE UPON A TIME
I can't think of any.
PROS OF TWICE UPON A TIME
There was no cursing in this book, first off.
The way the was dealt with in this book was way less blatant than in book 1, and pulled off way better.
The BANTER! (so much sass)
The plot line was well done.
As always, I loved James Riley's dedication and bio.
OVERALL
I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to read book 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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