I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Twisted Tale follows the idea that Zeus and Hera forbid Hercules from living on Earth with Meg and he must stay on Mount Olympus as a god instead. Hera takes pity and at least gives Meg a fighting chance to earn her place on Mount Olympus with her love, Hercules. Meg goes on a dangerous adventure to claim her godhood and discovers herself in the process.

A very well-written adventure with many of the characters from the film making an appearance, plus some new characters. I loved seeing Meg's backstory and I'm a sucker for Greek Myths so seeing a lot of monsters pop up here and there was fun!

The only issue I had is that sometimes the dialogue was a bit off, but still, the author nailed a lot of the voices of the original characters in the film. Especially Phil...it was easy to picture Danny Devito.

A very sweet and introspective adventure story, great for fans of Meg & Greek Mythology!

As a massive Disney nerd I was super excited to be approved for this novel! Hercules is one of my favourite movies and this twisted tale does not disappoint!
I was thrilled to see Meg as a MC as she is often forgotten in the Disney universe! I think that Jen did an amazing job establishing the plot and character development to keep true to the movie! This has to be my favourite twisted tale! The nostalgia that this book brought was undeniable! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and add it to my collection!!

Another great Twisted Tale. Ever wonder what happened to Megara and Hercules after the movie ended? This book is your answer. Hera gives Megara a quest so Megara could become a god and live with Hercules on Mt. Olympus. Will Megara be able to achieve the quest in time? Through her quest, Megara learns who to trust, that it’s okay to accept help from others, and how to deal with grief. Any lover of Greek mythology will be able to recognize and appreciate the addition of some of the other gods and their stories. Overall a fun read that quickly grabs your attention and keeps you wanting more.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Well, that was disappointing. I had high hopes for this one for two reasons. First, I adore the movie Hercules. Second, I read the Mulan retelling from this series written by Elizabeth Lim and loved it. I hoped this one would be as good. Buuuuuuut... it's not.

The writing is... not good. It reads young - much younger than in the Mulan retelling - but also is just sort of clumsy. Lines and nicknames and attitudes were all lifted from the movie, which meant they didn't really fit in with the story around them. The rest is a 'he said this, then he did this, then she did that' sort of thing which grates on my nerves. Then there'd be a 'Wonder Boy' or 'it's been a real slice' thrown in in an attempt to capture Megara's saucy personality. Needless to say it didn't work.

The good thing here is that I read an arc rather than spending money on it. Because if I had I would be pretty annoyed right now. More annoyed than I am at wasting my time trying to give this one a chance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-arc for review.

I was a bit hesitant going into this Twisted Tale because, while I love Greek mythology, Hercules was not my favorite Disney movie. But, I was very pleasantly surprised! I absolutely loved how this story progressed Meg's character and arc and expanded her story to make her a better, more rounded character. Her quest to become a god to be with Hercules is done really well. I love that the author made it about figuring out who she is and reconciling her past, more so than just being with Hercules forever. While, as I said, Hercules may not have been my favorite Disney movie, Go the Distance may be one of my favorites of the Twisted Tale series! Also, if you love the whole Hades and Persephone trend going on right now, this has a wonderful little surprise in there for you!

This is my second Twisted Tales read and I'm so, so happy that when the series got to Hercules, they decided to focus on Megara! I adored getting to know her better, seeing the history that made her the woman she is, and also the exploration of how crossing paths with Hercules changed her in ways she wasn't ready to confront.

Go the Distance fits comfortably into a Middle Grade/Lower Young Adult writing style, similar to the previous Twisted Tales I've read. I would have enjoyed some more foreshadowing and build-up to certain aspects, such as how the myth of Hades and Persephone fit into this particular world. I honestly would have loved to see more of the book take place in the Underworld and gotten more out of the confrontations between Hades and Meg. But every piece of the journey adds to Megara's development and I enjoyed that.

One thing that was done very well was maintaining the voice of the characters. The Hercules movie had so many distinct character voices, and it was a delight to see them imprinted properly on the page. Phil and Herc were so easy to hear in my head, as was Hades on the whole. These are beloved characters from my childhood, so it was a relief to feel like their integrity was kept!

This rendition is absolutely perfect for younger teens and preteens that have devoured Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as well as the growing girls grabbing their determination and emotions and holding them both tight.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an advanced copy for review!

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita is the newest in the Disney Twisted tales series. This one twists Hercules asking the question "What if Meg had to become a Greek god?".

This book starts off immediately where the Disney movie ends except instead of Zeus saying Herc can remain on earth with Meg, he says no and that's that. Fortunately, Hera has a different idea. If Meg can prove herself she can also become a god and live forever with Hercules on Mt. Olympus.
All Meg has to do is rescue the soul of her ex-boyfriends wife from the depth of Hades' domain. Easy peasy right?

I loved this book! I have only read 2 of the twisted tales but so far this one is my favorite.
I really enjoyed getting more of Megs back story and see why she is the way she is.

I also appreciate seeing more of the original Greek myths included.

Overall I gave this a 4/5⭐.
This was everything I wanted and more.

If you liked the Disney Hercules movie you will most likely love this book too and I highly encourage you to pick up when it 8s released on April 6th.

As soon as this is available for purchase, I’ll be buying it for myself! I’ll also be requesting it for ,y library’s collection! Hercules has always been my favorite Disney movie, but now Persephone has been included! It’s another heroic story, and Meg learns the complexities of love. I thoroughly enjoyed this title, and I will now be picking up the other Twisted Tales! This story included so many references to Greek mythology! I can’t praise it enough! It added to the story but still kept the flavor of the original movie.

I’m kinda bummed. I got about 5 chapters in and had to call it quits. I haven’t read any of the other twisted tales, but I was so excited for this one because I love Greek mythology and the movie Hercules. The whole thing just read like bad fanfiction. Everything that happened felt too convenient and rushed.

I really didn’t like Meg in this book. In the movie, she was smart and sarcastic and she knew she could only depend on herself. In the direction the book took, she was annoying and made stupid choices without thinking. She also contradicted herself a lot and it felt off.

I also didn’t like that the author made Zeus a jerk. In the movie he seemed nice enough. And everyone makes a big deal about him wanting Hercules to grow up and defeat the Titans, instead of swooping in and saving him from being a mortal. This didn’t really make sense. He couldn’t change Hercules into a god unless Hercules proved himself first. He can’t do that as a baby. And who was supposed to stop the Titans from destroying the world then? That little fight between Zeus and Meg didn’t seem necessary. Why couldn’t he just say she needed to become a goddess and would have to prove herself?

In the end, I felt like the book was probably going in a good direction, but I didn’t have enough patience to keep going. I’d suggest others to give it a try, it just wasn’t for me.

WOW!
Another great book by Jen Calonita! I absolutely love all things Disney and was so EXCITED when I received the approval for this ARC, so huge thanks to Disney and the publishers for this wonderful book!
SO we have Hercules better known in this book as Wonder Boy and hes completed his duties and will remain a God for eternity but that leaves Meg our mere mortal alone to wonder what if? Hera then gives Meg the ultimate quest to prove her love for Hercules and to become a God herself and live happily ever after with Hercules Easy Right?
WRONG!
Meg only has 10 days to complete these quests and must do so with very little help. Meg has a very sad backstory in this book and it really helps to connect to the character. Megara's commitment issues were put on full display and I was really able to connect with her in that aspect. Jen Calonita did a FABULOUS job of giving each character their own voice and dialogue to where it really felt like this was a second movie about Meg and her struggles to prove her love.
I wish I could provide more details but I don't want to spoil it JUST GO READ THE BOOK. Everyone!
My favorite quote
"Love means opening your heart to another, no matter the consequences.”

DNF at 17%.

I was excited to finally try out one of these Twisted Disney Tales with one of my favorite movies, but I found this disappointing. I liked the backstory parts of Meg's childhood - but the continuation of the main story just wasn't interesting. I felt like Meg's voice in the novel didn't match my memory of her from the movie and I was already so disinterested before they even started the 'quest.' I think this also reads (at least at the start) much more middle grade than ya. Overall, I might try another one eventually, but this one wasn't for me.

Disney retellings never fail to impress me. As a long time fan of both Megara and Hercules, it was fun to imagine what things would be like if the story did not play out how we had expected in the movie.

Jen Calonita is a talented author, and she melds myth and fiction together seamlessly. I was very pleased with this book, and will be recommending it to many.

People Do Crazy Things When They’re in Love

Finally, after years of waiting, we get a book about Megara! Jen Calonita picks up right where Disney Hercules ends, with Meg’s perspective. Except in this twisted tale, Zeus will not let Hercules reject his gift and leave Olympus behind. Hera’s solution is sending Meg on a dangerous quest to become a god. She must face her past heartbreaks, to prove she is worthy of becoming immortal and live on Mount Olympus. But love is complicated, and so is healing from past relationships.

At first Jen Calonita relies a lot on quips and dialog from the movie Hercules, there are few times it becomes a bit repetitive. It is nice when Meg adds her unique perspective to past events, and her feeling for Hercules are adorable. Though, I am not sure I enjoyed the fact that Meg’s humor is copied from her mother and is not a unique personality trait. I can’t say that Meg had the same sarcastic pizazz as the movie. Perhaps that is okay. Meg must deal with many emotional themes, and it affects her deeply enough that being vulnerable means taking down some of those walls. Pegasus and Phil where a great addition, that lightened the mood of the story considerably. They both help her overcome obstacles as she learns to trust her friends throughout her journey.

What disappointed me was the epilogue. I am usually up to redefining words that have negative connotations for women, but defining Meg’s entire character with the word vulnerable just does not sit right. Go the Distance is about Meg confronting the past, facing challenges, and finding out her true strength of character. With plenty of wit, soul searching, and surprises, this is a must read for Megara fans!

This was such a fun twisted tale! It reminded me of Percy Jackson but still definitely held its own. I loved getting to be with some of these beloved characters again! Meg has always been a favorite of mine but getting to know more about her past and see things from her perspective only made her more likable. Her journey through this book was exciting and her self discovery throughout her quest was very relatable. The lessons she learns about herself and about love were engaging and empowering. I really enjoyed getting back into this world! Thank you Disney for giving me the opportunity!

I was given this book for free in return for an honest review!

3.5 stars

I'd like to preface this review with the fact that I think it would be incredibly difficult to follow up the Hercules movies especially this many years later.

"Go the Distance" was an enjoyable book as it was nice to be back with characters from my childhood-- especially Meg herself (I have a Megara Funko pop signed by Susan Egan). Tying in Meg's backstory and emphasizing Hades' manipulation of her was really well done.

I think perhaps that the book didn't quite perfect Meg's characterization (and again I think translating a movie character to a book would be difficult); Meg is incredibly independent and stubborn but the book gives mixed messages on her independence. Meg apologises to Hercules for being upset that he intervened without asking her but she has every right to be upset with him for this.

I really enjoyed the arc of Meg having to deal with her former lover and I enjoyed seeing Hades (but would have loved to see more of him). It was interesting that this story reverts to more classical depictions of Zeus's behaviour (anger and control issues) but also this seemed a bit discordant with the movie.

Good use of language from the movie (Hades calling Meg Nutmeg) and weaving in characters from the movie with other characters from mythology. It was a really enjoyable story and I love being back in this world. Seeing Pain and Panic again was hilarious and Phil and Meg forming a relationship not built on mutual distrust was lovely to see.

I'm always really intrigued by the concepts of the books in the Twisted Tales series, yet they tend to fall a little short for me in terms of execution. Sadly, that was the case for me for this book, although I will say I enjoyed Calonita's writing more than I have enjoyed past authors in this series.

We'll blame it on the Disney magic. These characters are so bright and vibrant on the screen, and I think that's something that is really hard to capture on the page. I just wasn't very invested in the characters and their arcs. While it was fun to revisit the world of Hercules for a little while, there wasn't a lot here that kept me invested in this knew rendition of a beloved story.

2/5 stars

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My curse with eARCs continues...

Disney needs to stop labeling the Twisted Tales series as YA… or at least whenever Jen Calonita writes one. From reading both Go the Distance and Mirror Mirror, Calonita writes in a bland MG style that does nothing to create distinct voices for Disney characters. Snow White and Megara are miles a part in terms of personality and YET, Meg could have easily been swapped for Snow White and almost nothing would have changed tone-wise! I believed since Calonita had done a decent job with the Evil Queen’s voice in Mirror Mirror, she might pull off Meg. But nope! In Go the Distance, Meg is desperately insecure and needs constant reminders about what it means to love and sacrifice and protect another. And while I can buy Meg being insecure over becoming a God and wondering if she wants to stay with Hercules for eternity, I don’t buy her not understanding sacrifice and protecting someone else when she verbatim did that IN THE MOVIE. She sacrificed herself FOR Hercules and died as a result!! Why Calonita went with this approach for Meg’s overall character development is beyond me.

Pros and Cons with minor spoilers below:

PROS:

Relationship Development: SOME of the relationships were developed well. The book was at its best when Meg and Phil were playing off each other, and Calonita seemed to have a better understanding of who Meg is when she’s bantering and projecting her insecurities onto Phil. The relationship dynamic between Meg and Katerina was also pretty solid.

Female Characters: LOTS of women in this book – and the majority of the time, they don’t talk about men! It’s more about Meg’s personal journey, what drives her, and who she truly believes she is. I appreciated that given in the movie, Meg doesn’t speak to any other woman.

CONS:

Writing Style: Terrible, which shouldn’t be the case when you have such a dynamic character in Meg. Even when the perspective shifts to Hades a few times, there’s no stark contrast in tone or style.

Relationship Development: Also a con because WOW, did relationships just flounder. Meg and Hercules especially! While Hercules is more or less in-character, Meg just shoves everything she learned in the movie out the window and doesn’t put her trust in Hercules – which again, directly contradicts the movie. Hades and Meg’s banter felt stale in this novel, don’t get me started on Hades’ subplot. I was really looking forward to it and there was absolutely no payoff from the hints given in the beginning. Boo.

Character Development: Like I said, Meg’s character development when you bring in the movie for context makes absolutely zero sense. There was no point re-hashing the same character beats in the movie and expecting readers to be happy with it. It would have been much easier and plenty more fulfilling if Calonita structured Meg’s motivation around her insecurities about being a God and what that could mean for her and her relationship with Hercules, rather than her not “understanding” sacrifice and love.

Structure: What was the point of the beginning of this book? Why did the book try to make Zeus the villain for five seconds only to immediately strip all that away? After the 20% mark, the book hits its stride in terms of narrative cohesion but a fifth of this book should NOT feel like filler.

Also, while it might have been seen as repetitive given Elizabeth Lim’s Twisted Tale of Mulan, we could’ve spent more time in the Underworld and a little more time in Hades’ POV.

Go the Distance by Jen Calonita
“I’m a Big Tough Girl, can tie my own sandals and everything.”
Hercules is now a God, but if he wants to stay with Meg something has to change. Crazy thought Meg becomes a God… Can our favorite sassy Tough Girl handle this to be with Wonder Boy?
~~~~~~~~~~
Ya’ll when I saw that someone was finally making a book about Hercules and Megara; I lost my mind! Also screamed and danced around my room when I got approved for the ARC and then watched Hercules on Disney+. Finally, finally; my favorite couple is in the spotlight and it was absolutely fantastic! I was so happy our girl Meg got recognized, she’s so underrated. I always hated it; I dressed up like her for Halloween about 4 times.
I couldn’t put it down, Meg’s story was touching and powerful; giving us a greater sense of her guarded and strong willed personality. The writing had me on the edge of my seat constantly and I would sometimes scream at Meg for her choices. I absolutely loved the detailing of the world and everything she had to go through.
But there are also some powerful messages in this story as well cause Disney nowadays has some pretty good messages. If Disney actually had anything to do with drafting this book. I would imagine they had a voice, cause anything with Disney’s name on it Calonita does an amazing job with also tying the story with Greek mythology and what the Gods/Godesses are known for and their characteristics.

Thank you for the E-Arc NetGalley. For anyone that loved Disney’s Hercules this is an awesome twist on Megaras story. It was chalk full of adventure and there are tons of good lessons to be learned from her travels. I could practically see and hear the movie version of this in my head it was that entertaining. Super fun 5 star read..

ARC provides by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Go The Distance” is your typical hero’s quest story with one event leading to the next. Meg undertakes the journey in order to join Hercules on Mount Olympus and along the way she comes to accept the events of her past in order to be ready for her future.

Hercules has long been one of my favourite Disney movies, and I always wished that Meg could join him on Mount Olympus so this book seemed like it would be the perfect continuation / addition to that tale.

If I am being honest, this book got a lot better as it went along. I felt as though the characterizations were off and the plot points were a bit contrived in the beginning. However, in the last third of the book things definitely fall into place and everything felt a lot more genuine. One of my favourite parts of the story was how the myth of Persephone and Hades was woven in and I wish that had more time to develop— yet this was Meg’s story so it makes sense why it was just a brief subplot.

All in all, “Go The Distance” was a solid read, hence the three star review. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to read the ARC but it won’t be a book that I purchase for my collection