My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast

by Jerry Mahoney, Aleksei Bitskoff (Illustrator)

Maddie is ready to strangle her stepbrother. The story of Beauty and the Beast is broken, all because of Holden. He accused the Beast of kidnapping, and now the real Beast is in jail! Maddie and Holden have to visit the fairy tale world of rural France to repair this mess - and neither speak French.

Genres: Middle Grade, Juvenile

144 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

About the author

Jerry Mahoney loves books ― reading them, writing them, and especially ruining them. He has written for and ruined television shows, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. He is excited to finally be ruining something as beloved as fairy tales. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, Drew, and their very silly children.

Reviews

[TJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received from: Stone Arch Books
Received Via: NetGalley.com

Why this book?
I love retellings

What I thought

Call me a whiner but I hated how they messed up my favorite fairy tale. I know this book is called My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast but I didn't think they would mess it up like that! Also, why did they make the beast so shallow? Like come on, he was just a hideous beast the night before, it didn't make any sense. I guess everything ended up satisfying, in the end, it just was a frustrating ride.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Than I Expected in Every Possible Way

The premise here is that Maddie and Holden are step-siblings who don't get along well. Maddie is pretty together, but Holden is a snotty pain. At the beginning of each book Holden says something smart-mouth or mean about one of Maddie's favorite fairy tales. This knocks the actual fairy tale off track, and Maddie and Holden get sucked in to the tale and have to fix it in order to get back home.

So, I looked at this set up and doubted everything about it. The signs were not good. Step-sibling discord is overdone. Nasty, mean step-brothers are a dime a dozen. The whole "drawn-into-the-book" thing has been showing up a lot. Everyone seems to be rewriting fractured fairy tales. It just felt like this was going to be a chore. Well. Exccuuuuusse me for being totally wrong and sort of an ass. This book, (and the entire series), is a hoot.

We do start slowly, with Maddie complaining about Holden. But, Maddie and Holden's newlywed parents seem O.K. And Maddie's voice is fresh and she seems good-hearted. Holden is more of a doofus, and maybe a bit thoughtless, but certainly not a mean bully. The drawings were light and high energy and the narrative feel was light and fun, so everything started to look up. Then, Holden observed that Belle didn't actually love the Beast; she was just a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. That was enough to fracture the fairy tale and so, wham, our two heroes found themselves in the story, with Belle walking down the aisle to marry a Beast who hadn't changed from being a Beast and who was about to be arrested, tried, and executed for kidnapping. Hey, this just got interesting.

At this point it also got good. Maddie is totally into being Beautiful Belle, until she learns some lessons about being the prettiest girl in town. Holden ends up as Beast's defense lawyer and has to grow up and fix his mess. From there the story gallops along with twists and turns and lessons learned by all. But get this - it's funny. And it's funny in all the ways a middle grade book can be funny - silly stuff, gross stuff, word play, sly throwaway observations, misunderstood words, slapstick, puns, confusing foreign words, silly or quirky characters, and even deadpan funny dialogue. So, as the story screams along at a remarkably breathless place, we also think about beauty, desirability, concern for others, true love, being true to oneself, loyalty, and even sibling support and bonding. Holy cow, where did all of this come from?

The upshot? The book is a hoot; it's fast paced and funny. And it even offers food for thought and some upbeat lessons. What a nice find. Was I a jerk, or what? (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

11-year old Maddie watched with equal parts relief and horror as a plague descended upon her home. The sickness was of the love variety, and brought with it a union between her father and her sweet new stepmother, something that should have made Maddie happy. But it also brought with it the evils of Holden, the cretin that she's now forced to call stepbrother. She can't seem to get away from him no matter how hard she tries: he's the same age as her and so of course they are in the same classes at school (a place where she constantly has to remind people that no, they are certainly NOT twins - they are barely even related!) and she can't escape him when she gets home because he always seems to be lurking behind every corner, just waiting to snap an unflattering photo of her with his annoying tablet so he can post it to Instagram and earn her yet another obnoxious nickname (as if "Morning Maddie" wasn't enough; a name honoring the horrific state of her hair that morning he'd gotten a prime shot of her). He deletes all of her favorite shows off the DVR and swipes all the good snacks in the pantry. He inserts himself into her class projects with a maniacal and malicious glee, garnering her unwanted attentions from the other kids in class and ruining her certain moments of glory. He's a menace. 

But that's not even the worst of it. Not too long ago, he attempted to ruin her favorite fairy tale of all time - the beloved Cinderella. The classic tale of slave-to-the-cinders transforming into a beautiful princess via a delightful fairy godmother was a story Maddie coveted above all others. She dreamed of one day becoming a princess herself, because if it could happen to the unfortunate Cinderella, then certainly she too could be pulled from the toils of a disastrous childhood and raised up to the station of most beautiful lady in the land - right? 

Because of Holden, the story had almost been ruined forever. After helplessly watching the pages of the book turn into a twisted shadow of the fairy tale it used to be, they'd been curiously transported into the land of Cinderella, her wicked stepsisters, and awfully terrible stepmother. Instead of enjoying the whimsical fairy tale in all its magical glory, Maddie had instead been forced to spend her time fixing the story so it would end with a happily ever after. And now, Holden has done it again - only this time, to Beauty and the Beast!

On Halloween night Maddie and Holden are lifted by twinkling fairy dust and plunged into a tablet storybook, arriving in rustic countryside of France where everyone (of course) speaks perfect English. Maddie watches in pure delight as her body lengthens into a statuesque form fit for a runway model, her hair grows and begins to shine like the happiest of spring mornings, and her skin glows as radiantly as the moon. She looks better than any Halloween costume could ever begin to match; she is more perfect than the most blessed red rose . . . she is Belle! 

Luckily for Maddie, Holden is no where to be seen; he's been spirited away to whatever miserable existence lawyers inhabit, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer person. But on the cusp of joining her sweetheart Beast in everlasting nuptials, Maddie discovers something quite unsettling: her husband-to-be is about to be put on trial for her kidnapping and could be beheaded for his crimes against her! But don't the villagers understand the story? The Beast was kind and became gentle over the time they spent together, he gained the trust and devotion of the girl who longed for something more than this provincial life, and in the end they were supposed to have their happily ever after as two beautiful human beings living in a shiny castle! With portly servants and chipped teacups!

Maddie must work against her beauty and all the unnecessary rewards it brings with it and instead, convince the villagers to accept people for who they are on the inside. After all, isn't all real beauty something to be found within? And running along in the background like a computer virus, she must trust her rotten stepbrother to do his own duty and help win the trial of the century - one that will secure the Beast's freedom and earn the perfect ending for the most beautiful of fairy tales!

My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast is the second installment in the Rotten Stepbrother series, each of which carry the theme of a different fairy tale. Penned by father and husband Jerry Mahoney, the series is full of appropriate humor and wily stepbrotherian exploits, all true to the character of the precocious age group portrayed. Diverse and full of imagination, young readers will find themselves transported into worlds they only thought they knew, and will likely find a character (or two) along with the way with which they can completely commiserate with. Whether it's Maddie fretting over her first blemish or Holden fighting back the terror of the prospect of a first kiss, there is truly something for everyone in these easy-to-read mid-grade books. There are enough redeeming moments to make Holden just as likable and understood as Maddie, making this series perfect for both young ladies and gentlemen. 

Giving My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast 5 out of 5 stars, I recommend this series to readers ages 10+. Anyone who even remotely likes fairytales will revel in the clever retellings and those skeptics who wonder how Belle didn't realize she was being kidnapped in the first place or how Prince Charming was intent upon using a glass slipper to find Cinderella will enjoy finding an ally in the rotten stepbrother intent upon ruining things for his sister. Every teacher should have these charming books in their classroom.

Readers will also enjoy the continuation of the series (as follows):

My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Cinderella

My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast

My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Aladdin

My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Snow White 

[Merve Şahin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masalları sever misiniz? En sevdiğiniz masal hangisi?

Holden, yok artık yine mi? Önce Sindirella şimdi de Güzel ve Çirkin'i mi mahvettin? Çirkin'in Güzel'i kaçırması ve kızın sadece dış görünüşüne âşık olmasını söylemen Çirkin'i zindana attırdı! Artık mutlu son diye bir şey mümkün değil! Peri masalı dünyasına girmen gerekiyor. Bir dakika! Fransızca konuşamıyorum da ne demek?

Kendimi bildim bileli masalları ve masal uyarlamalarını çok severim. Elimden geldiğince her versiyonlarını okur/izlerim. Bu seriyi de görür görmez büyük bir heyecana kapıldım ve hemen okumak istedim.

Serinin ilk kitabında olduğu gibi bu kitabı da beni büyüledi!

Bir oturuşta biten yer yer güldüren yer yer ağlatan o şahane kitapları bilirsiniz. İşte bu kitap da tam olarak öyle! Jerry Mahoney'nin masalların orijinal hallerini şimdiye kadar okuduğum en ilginç kitaplar haline getirmesine bayıldım. Kitaptaki ana karakterlerden biri olan Holden yine harika noktalara değindi. Güzel, neden Çirkin’e aşık oldu? Bu bir stockholm sendromu muydu? Çirkin Güzel’i büyüden kurtulmak için mi kendine aşık etmeye çalıştı? Hikaye tam tersi olsa Çirkin gene Güzel’e aşık olur muydu?

Seri gerçekten şahane! Bildiğimiz masalları öyle akıllıca sorularla değiştiriyor ki yazar durup durup ben bunu nasıl daha önce düşünemedim dedirtiyor. Bence her evde olması gereken bir seri. Gönül rahatlığıyla alabilir kendiniz ve/veya çocuğunuza okuyabilirsiniz. Kesinlikle tavsiye ederim!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

When eleven-year-old Maddie decides to dress up as Belle for Halloween, her stepbrother Holden explains his alternative to the “true love” fairy tale: The Beast kidnapped Belle and held her in the castle against her will. She fell in love with him because she had Stockholm Syndrome.

Maddie and Holden are transported through a magic tablet into a “ruined” version of Beauty and the Beast so that they can fix it. The Beast hasn’t changed back into a human, and before he and Belle can be married, he is arrested for kidnapping. Maddie is transformed into Belle. Holden is the Beast’s lawyer.

Holden has to overcome his feelings about the fairy tale and work with the Beast to find a strategy to fight the kidnapping charge. Meanwhile, Holden’s statements have Maddie questioning whether Belle’s love for the Beast is true love or the result of brainwashing. She sets out to find out the truth for herself and for Belle!

Jerry Mahoney has created a hilarious new spin on the classic fairy tale. His story combines a wonderful step-sibling dynamic and adds in the natural language barriers inherent in transporting two 21st-century kids to a secluded French village “once upon a time.”

I received an advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased review and am dying to read the other three titles in the series!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Halloween and Maddie wants to dress up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Her stepbrother, Holden, decides he will be the Beast. But when his costume is too gruesome, their parents make him change into a suit and call himself a lawyer instead. Once they return from the Halloween party, Holden notices that their Beauty and the Beast story on his iPad has changed. The Beast still looks like a beast at the end, instead of the handsome prince that he is supposed to change into. They both enter the story, Maddie as Belle and Holden as a lawyer, to try to save the fairytale.

This is a good story. Holden often points out the negative parts of the story, such as Belle having Stockholm syndrome and the Beast’s vanity. This shows young readers that you have to read everything critically, even beloved fairytales.

This story is a cute adventure for middle grade readers.

[☘Tara Sheehan☘ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series for kids and even adults will have fun with it. Jerry Mahoney has taken 4 of the most well-known and beloved fairy tales then turned their world upside down using the sibling relationship between Maddie and her step-brother Holden.

Maddie loves fairytales while Holden just loves to pick them apart; sounds like a pretty normal sibling relationship. Best of all these books are full of humor, adventure and enough entertainment to make all kids, whether they are more of a Maddie or a Holden, happy.

The first book uses Cinderella, then Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin is third and finally Snow White. You should read them in order because little bits from the previous story will show up and you won’t fully enjoy it if you haven’t already trekked through the story. I didn’t realize that when I read Beauty & the Beast so there were things mentioned in the book from the story in Cinderella I didn’t get.

Even though I couldn’t appreciate the full context of who these characters are after whatever they went through in the first book I still enjoyed it. There really is lots of humor and as a parent reading this trying to decide if it’d be appropriate for my kids (which it completely is by the way) I found myself laughing quite often. The 80s references from a kids confused about that decade were cute, I’m not old enough to have been aware of that stuff having spent my formative years in the 90s but even I still know who the Eurythmics are and also believe that yes 80s bands were weird. The description of her parents acting like middle-aged puppy love was adorable and something I aspire to so my own kids can have their freak out moments.

Beauty & the Beast is hands down one of my favorite fairytales but as an adult and having my degree in Psychology I can’t help wondering why no one has pointed out that she was essentially kidnapped and underwent Stockholm Syndrome – something this book touches upon in a completely irreverent way. Not to mention most of the time the story seems to be taking place in a French ‘like’ village yet everyone speaks English.

What makes these books so special isn’t just the fun the author had with the stories but the heartwarming and beautiful lessons he portrays through them which sometimes gets lost in the frenzy for the latest Blu Ray edition, Doll from Mattel, Clothing from Disney’s line, etc. These stories really were meant to teach us something and the over commercialization has weeded that; thankfully Mahoney’s version are reminding us once more the importance of books over merchandise.

[Wensday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new twist on a classic. This is a quick read, but a fun adventure. I was not able to read book one first, but that did not stop me from following the story and enjoying it. The underlying life lesson givens the ready a smile when they've finished the book. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Progressional Fantasy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts: This book was amazing, amazing, amazing! I loved this book so much, I read it in almost two hours. When I read the first book in My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Fairy Tales series I thought I would never, ever read a book as funny. Well, My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Beauty and the Beast was ten times as funny. I loved how Jerry Mahoney destroyed stories that have existed for what seems like hundreds of years, and makes such great points while doing it. Overall, this book is HILARIOUS, and amazing! Amazing! Amazing!

​Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Drew Tappon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a series of 4.

First of all, a confession: the author is my husband. Now another confession: that usually means I'm also his toughest critic.

Now that *that's* out of the way, I can say with my hand on a stack of bibles, that Jerry's new series of books is something I would recommend to any family -- there is something for all ages to enjoy, just like the classic Looney Tunes or the original Muppet Show. Levels of humor that are appreciated by different age groups -- and that makes these books incredibly fun and unexpected.

Of course you remember the laughs of those old Fractured Fairy Tales from in between Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. But by placing young Maddie and her 'rotten' stepbrother, Holden, into these stories, young readers have the chance to see themselves in these timeless stories, and with each hurdle Jerry puts the kids through, you get to see the genius and the inherent flaws in the original fairy tales.

Written with crisp, clever, wry humor -- adults will appreciate the breaking down of gender and class roles -- and kids will laugh at the predicaments, usually caused by the wise cracking stepbrother.

Start with Cinderella, and I guarantee you will be hooked through the entire series.

And if you disagree, you can call out my biases in your own review.

[Cheryl A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I will go back and read the first. I didn't want to, because I don't like the Cinderella story. But since it turns out that apparently these fractures actually *fix* the tales, I'd love to see how Cinderella is fixable.

In this one, the issues to consider are 1. does Belle love the Beast because of Stockholm Syndrome, and 2. does the Beast love Belle because she's beautiful? Well, you can guess the answers, because you're not the target audience (boys and girls age 7-10). But it's a fun enough adventure to get to that ending. Drawings also cute and funny.

Recommended especially for semi-reluctant readers. The boy's tablet is very cool.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and funny take on Beauty and the Beast that makes a typical princess fairytale more accessible to all readers. Boys and girls alike will enjoy Holden and Maddie, step-siblings that have to fix Beauty and the Beast so the story gets back its happily ever after. It appears that somehow Holden "broke" the story. There is a message of how people are treated differently because of how they look and that its's not right or fair. Humor always sells and 3rd-5th graders will be laughing their way through this book.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute story that I really enjoyed.

In the story, Maddie and her stepbrother Holden are transferred into the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast to fix what they have broken and changed.

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie/story. I love it. And I know that reading/seeing things that take that could hinder me from enjoying it if it isn't 100% wonderful.

So, I enjoyed this - but it was my first middle grade story in a while and it was good, but I still feel like it could have been better - but that might just be me wishing for something more.

[Saretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione
Review

Maddie e Holden hanno un rapporto complicato, oltre a essere fratellastri, Holden si ostina a rovinare le fiabe che tanto piacciono a Maddie.

Questa è la volta de La Bella e la Bestia: Maddie e Holden si trovano catapultati nella fiaba e si prospetta già un distastro: la bestia imprigionata, e Maddie, nel corpo della bella, che si interroga sulla sindrome di Stoccolma... come sistemare la fiaba?

Romanzo per bambini divertente e scorrevole, è parte di una serie, Holden ha proprio l'ambizione a rovinare tutte le fiabe possibili!

Ringrazio l’editore per avermi fornito la copia necessaria per scrivere questa recensione.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what this book would be and I think that helped me enjoy it a little bit more. It appears to be at least the second book in a series since our main characters, Maddie and Holden, get sucked into a fairy tale and quickly take it in stride.
Of course, the main lesson that Maddie learns is that beauty is on the inside and I'm not sure what the irrepressible Holden learns but I enjoyed that there was a twist on the Beauty and the Beast trope with Maddie hopping into Beauty but Holden becoming a whole new side character. One who doesn't speak French. In France.
A fun book and I look forward to reading another in the series.