Thank you to Disney and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Go the Distance is the twisted tale of what would have happened if Zeus didn't allow Hercules to remain on earth with Meg. As no mortal is allowed to reside on Mt. Olympus that leaves Meg only one option: take the quest Hera offers her in hopes of achieving Godhood. Meg would do anything to stay with Wonder Boy, even journey back to the Underworld itself to retrieve a soul. But will Meg be able to maintain focus and complete her quest in the time allowed when that soul is revealed to be the wife of the man Meg sold her soul for? And will she be able to escape the Underworld without envoking Hades' wrath?

I will admit, most of these Twisted tales are a massive miss for me. They tear apart the very fiber of the classics I know and love to a point where I disconnect completely. However, when I saw the latest twisted tale would take on an all time favorite in Hercules I knew I had to give this a fighting chance. Disney, you did not disappoint! There is so much of the characters that you know and love from the movie that you can hear the voice of the actor who portrayed them as you're reading. No characters were written in a way that was off-putting or out of character for them. The added characters really enriched the world Meg and Hercules grew up in and getting to learn more about Meg's past was a great addition. The pacing was great and I never fell into a mid-book boredom which can happen to my pretty frequently (which is why I read more than one thing at once).

"Two thumbs WAY way up" as Hades' would say, and a bright new constellation in the sky for the readers to know and cherish. Thank you, Disney. This is like the sequel I never got. I recommend this for anyone 12+ who loved the movie or just loves Disney in general. This book definitely goes the distance.

I was a bit hesitant about this one because Hercules is one of my favorite movies and I didn’t want to be disappointed but I ended up LOVING IT! I loved how the author wrote Meg’s backstory and how it all connected with things we know from the movie. I loved getting to spend more time with the gods (Hermes, my MAN) and also spending time in the Underworld! Hades is my fave villain and his snark and comedy was totally nailed in this. I looooved the addition of Persephone and I just enjoyed this story so much! Funnnnnnn!

This was a great middle-grade book for anyone who enjoys Disney or Greek mythology. The plot started out somewhat slow, but the story got better as the book progressed. The journey Meg takes is easy to connect to, especially for people who have a hard time being vulnerable with others. My only complaint is that this is written at a very middle-grade level, but some of the content is higher than that in my opinion. Other than that, this is a very fun read!

I absolutely loved the writing style of this author, it made the story easy to get lost in. I finished this book in a day because I couldn't put it down. I definitely needed to hear the story of Meg and her journey, and this author wrote it beautifully.

This is a book I have been excited for since I saw it had been announced. Hercules is one of my favorite movies, and Hades is one of my favorite villains. This book far surpassed my expectations. I love how it truly felt like it could be a continuation of the movie if the ending was just barely tweaked. Plus how they incorporated a Greek myth involving one the goddesses, and put Megara in the story made me very happy. I would highly recommend this book to anybody, especially if they love Hercules or Hades

Okay, this was cute.

I seem to be in the minority of people that have enjoyed this one, surprisingly. I think a lot of that stems from how much *younger* this book reads than other works in this series. Which makes sense since Jen Calonita is most well known for her middle grade series, "Flunked". People most likely went into this expecting something a little bit darker, a little bit more graphic, and felt, instead, like they were reading a children's book.

Which is fair.

Even though I enjoyed this, I still felt myself rolling my eyes at how juvenile some of the scenes were. And the nicknames. My gosh. I get that it's a cute thing in the movie but somehow reading it four times on nearly every page completely loses all charm. If I had to read "Wonder Boy" or "Peg" or "Red" one more time, I was convinced I was going to lose it.

However! This was still one of my favorite Twisted Tales I've read thus far?

Admittedly, the plot is quite similar to my favorite Twisted Tale, "Reflection" (no one can hold a candle to Elizabeth Lim and I would like that to be known) so perhaps I am a fan of the 'character has to travel to the underworld and learn about themselves in the process' plot. But that wasn't what I appreciated the most about this book.

My favorite aspect was seeing Meg be forced a bit out of her stubborn independence. I know other reviewers have said that she was far too hot-headed in this book, and I agree, but I don't necessarily feel like it was out of character. At the beginning of the book, we see her far less... rash than at the end of the book. As she feels like she's failing, she becomes more and more desperate to prove just how much of a failure she isn't, thus creating many of the scenarios that got on other reviewers' nerves. Which, again, is valid, but it's also - from my experience, at least - realistic? People tend to do stupid things when they're desperate, especially when said person feels that being vulnerable is a weakness.

In my opinion, it was a very in-character thing for Meg to do. I mean, my gosh, she traded her soul for her boyfriend's life out of desperation and you're shocked that she jumped into things?

Anyway, that brings me into my next (and final) point: the characterization. Whenever someone's adapting characters from such a beloved film into a book, people are going to have problems with it. I'm not too picky when it comes to these things, but I'll be as annoyed as the next person when Ariel seems nothing like herself (that was 100% a dig at "Part of Your World")

And when it comes to this book, it reminded me of the direct-to-video sequel. The early morning, poorly animated tv show sequel. The characters were... sort of the same, but also... not quite. It can feel quite forced at times, but the outline is still there and it's still a fun time.


To sum up my thoughts, this book was sweet. It reminded me of watching a VHS in my room at night with only the light from the tv, cuddled in blankets and honestly? That's exactly what I wanted it to do. So even though this book is far from perfect, I'd still recommend it to Disney lovers and maybe people in need of a little dose of nostalgia.

Go the Distance is a really cute book that I would definitely recommend to all readers who love Disney and Hercules. The concept of this story seemed really sweet and fun, and this book did not disappoint. I loved that Meg learned both about her own strength and the strength that comes from asking for help. Meg's character also seemed very realistic, and I'm really happy with how her character progressed throughout the story. I would've loved to see a little more of Meg's relationship with Hercules, whether it be just a few more flashbacks or more at the end of the book. I also think this book is more suitable for younger audiences. Regardless, I still really enjoyed reading this book, and I think Jen Calonita did an excellent job with this book!

Thank you to NetGalley & Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love this book! Hercules is one of my favorire Disney movies, and I love how this book gives the reader more insight on who Megara is and why she does what she does. And I’m willing to admit I got a little teary-eyed at the end. I would highly recommend this book.

This was a book that I Really enjoyed this read and I would recommend to others easily, I will be looking out for other titles by this author.

I was excited beyond belief to get approved for this book! I have loved Disney and this series since it came out! This story is about Meg and if she needed to become a God! I thought that was so creative! I really enjoyed her writing style. The words just jumped off the page and I never wanted to put the book down! With these books I am nervous because some people that write about Disney Characters don't put the right feeling into the story. The love we get from those characters gets lost in other peoples writing but it seemed Jen Calonita really did her research and put everything I expected into the story! I cannot wait to see what the next book is going to be! I hope they keep making these for as many characters as they can because so many people can read them!

I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for honest feedback. As excited as I was for this book, I felt that there was much left to be desired from it. The story is okay at best, and doesn't hold the same "twisted" feel that the series has. Meg has always been one of my favorite characters, but this book makes her very unlikeable and rather annoying. Meg's backstory did flesh her personality out, but overall didn't capture the Meg we all know. The story also feel more aimed towards a younger audience, instead of young adult/teen. It was a good idea, poor execution.

I had really high expectations for this book because Hercules is my favorite Disney movie. I couldn't wait to read what happened after Hercules rejected his godhood. The book was just ok. Meg was a bit more jaded in the book. I did like the story of her ex. The thing that kind of killed it for me was how repetitive the book was. It used the same lines over and over. It wasn't bad, and I will recommend it, I just wanted more out of it.

I have not read the other Twisted Tales books but I have many students who loved them. However, after reading this one, I want to go read the others. The premise is making Meg from the Hercules story the main character and giving her a chance to be a hero. The storyline was great, but I would have assumed that the story was about Hades based on the cover. I was more confused in the begging as I waited for Hades to appear before realizing that wasn't the intended main character. I did appreciate learning more about Meg and her backstory. Is it the same Meg from the 90's movie? No. Is it the same Meg from any other itteration? Not really. Is it still a good story in itself? Yes.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers of #GoTheDistance for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Bless my soul, Disney's on a roll. I'm really liking these Twisted Tales so far. Even though I think this is labeled as YA, it says ages 7+ and reads like it's targeting a younger audience, so I'm gonna call this middle reader. It's a pretty easy read. Things sometimes feel like they're over-explained. The story is a little watered down and doesn't have much depth; also problems are resolved pretty quickly. Some of the writing is a bit awkward, and this is definitely a kissing book. Like, if you made a word cloud out of this, "kiss" would take up a good amount of space.

Still, reading this brought back memories of watching Disney movies as a kid. (Blasting the Hercules soundtrack in the background might've helped, too.) Since Hercules never got a straight-to-home movie, he gets this instead. Instead of allowing Hercules to return to earth, Zeus forces his son to stay in Olympus. Meg's given one chance to prove she's a worthy match for Hercules.

There's a lot to like about this. Beloved characters are back (I could seriously hear James Woods' voice in my head every time Hades spoke,) and some other mythical Greeks are introduced to the cast as well. My favorite part of the story, though, was Meg's quest. There's action and monsters and geeky Greek things, but the whole jaded heroine dealing with past hurts and learning to embrace love was a pleasant surprise.

It's just such an interesting take on Megara. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for strong, independent women, but I feel like too often we forget that being independent doesn't mean you have to be alone. The whole "you can ask for help and rely on others without being weak" message is such a refreshing change of pace from all the willfully strong heroines I've been reading lately.

I know the book isn't out yet, but I'm surprised by the mixed reviews that I've seen so far. I feel like most of the people who were disappointed are hardcore Hercules fans. I wasn't obsessed with the movie growing up (the Fates were a bit too scary for little Veronica,) so that might be why I'm less critical. (After all, I had very strong feelings about the Mulan Twisted Tale.) Still, I think if you go into this with the expectation that this is middle reader level, I think it's a pretty enjoyable read.

Disney Publishers provided the eARC, but all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley & Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. The premise? Incredible. What if, at the end of Hercules, Megara got the chance to become a goddess herself? I hadn't heard of the Twisted Tales before this and fell in love with the concept immediately. However, the quality of writing and storytelling was lacking for me, particularly for a YA book. I had originally assumed going in that this book was geared for grade & middle schoolers, but it is marketed as a YA book.

The characterization of Meg seems off compared to her movie counterpart, the dialogue sometimes feels stiff, and the plot a little rushed. Hades characterization, however, was spot on and I could nearly hear James Woods' voice through the pages. I also loved the addition of Persephone and she quickly became my favorite character and the one that seemed to be the most fleshed out, even if she only had a few pages in total.

This book is built on a really interesting premise usually only explored in kids' minds and hastily-written fanfiction, so it is exceptionally cool to see Disney green light things like Twisted Tales, and I will likely check out the rest of the series simply because of that. There are also some really good lessons and themes like trusting yourself, the virtue of asking for help when you need it, and not judging the situation until you have all of the facts. I really wanted to like this book and think that all of the pieces were there except for the actual writing itself. These aren't written nearly as well as other YA books or even middle grade mythology books like Rick Riordan's Imprint books or Percy Jackson novels.

But if you, like me, are starved of more Greek mythology, you'll find some satisfaction in the inclusion of monsters, gods, and tales not included in the Hercules movie. And hey, Meg would probably make a really amazing goddess.

I am a huge fan of fairytales and Disney, so this series is right up my alley! This Hercules retelling was a great addition to the rest of great retellings! I can’t wait to see what else is in store!

Overall the book was good, it was easy to see the author knew the movie and plotline enough to bring each of the characters to life. I think Meg is an especially challenging Disney character to build upon since she is a bit rougher around the edges than most of our Disney heroines.

Things I liked:
- plot moved at a good pace
- relevant flashbacks
- familiar characters
- appropriately placed humor
- Persephone and Hades!
- Hercules is one of my favorite movies so bonus point just for that

Things I would have liked differently:
- needed stronger connections explaining why Meg takes certain actions
- more individual lines not taken directly from the movie
- Realistic Meg character in terms of relationships (they can't all be cold/bad ones, right?)

What happens your boyfriend is a new minted god and the only way to be with him means you have to go on a quest yourself in order to become a god? Well, Megara is about to find out. The story follows the evens right after the disney movie, except now Zeus is bot allowing Meg and Herc to be in a relationship and Hera offers her a chance, go on a quest and prove herself worthy enough to become a god. Said quest involves facing the ex that she sold her soul off to and rescuing the soul of his wife. The entire story is just about getting to know Meg more, particularly her coldness and detachment from relationships.... I understand that it was scaring for her but goodness gracious it felt as if it was a one sided love story with Herc. He was supportive and sweet and Meg was... angry and distant. The book really delves into Meg’s past romantic relationship and how much she is still hurting from it. I loved Meg in the movies, she was sassy, morally gray, and a great character, but for some reason the book just didn’t capture her that well, and I found myself disliking her. The star of this book for me though was.... WE GOT PERSEPHONE AND HADES!!!! I would love an entire book on their relationship. I absolutely ADORED IT!! The tiny bits with them made me give the book an entire extra star, in fact I would love just a book about their relationship... seriously the cover of this book made me think there would be more Hades in here. Anyways, this was an interesting look into Meg, but more specific into Hades and Persephone.

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you Disney and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for a honest review.

From the very begging of this book I enjoyed it. When the story begins Meg and Hercules arrive in Olympus. Meg watches Hercules return to his family and turn into a god. Hera makes meg a offer to go on a quest, and if she can complete the quest she will gain immortality and become a god.

Along the way we get to enter Meg's mind and learn about her past life. Meg lost both of her parents at a young age. This made Meg learn to trust only herself which in turn gives her a hard time while trying to form relationships. In order to complete the quest Meg needs to learn to believe in her ability to trust others and her own judgement.

The flow of this book was very fast for me. I found myself not able to put this book down. I also loved the incorporation of all of the characters that were used, especially Pegasus.

Overall I really loved this book. This series is one of my favorites!

I loved this concept. I always found it interesting Megs character is the only Disney character that I can think of that talked about an ex or other life before Hercules. Was cool to dive into that deeper and reminds you how much Meg connects with us all.