I really enjoyed Bravely. The book combines Stiefvaters classic writing style with a fresh story and a heroine that inspires and keeps the reader rooting for her.

It's truth time. Who's ready for truth time? Are you ready? Okay, here it goes... I'm not that big of a Disney fan and I had no idea who Merida was until I looked her up. Never saw Brave and probably never will. I picked this up because of who wrote it. You just can't turn a book down written by Maggie but maybe I should have this time.

Maggie has this writing style that is like no other. Her words are pure magic as she twirls them into a wondrous tale. She is one of those authors that I can't turn down. Even though I knew nothing about this, I knew that I had to read it. Not sure that it was the best decision I've ever made while choosing to read a book.

I started this off very confused because I had no idea who any of these very established characters were. Their backstories already seemed to be out in the world and I felt as if I was missing something important. And that is why I should read about the book before I jump right into one.

The characters were dull, the story was meh, and I just couldn't get into it. I'm not going to lie, I almost gave up a few times but I kept telling myself, "one more chapter." I should have looked away but I didn't. All of the characters seemed bratty and that made me pull away even more from this book. There was nothing there to pull me in. The story was like a tornado that kept spinning in different directions. Not sure if the story was all over the place or that was me not being interested.

Bravely was certainly a book not for me. I based my reading decision on the author and the beautiful cover. Oh, how that bit me on the ass. For someone who doesn't like Disney and has no idea what/who Brave is, this book won't be for us. If you love all of the things mentioned before then welcome to your new favorite Disney read.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Several years after the movie Brave, Princess Merida is still wandering the world, shooting arrows, and generally just being Merida. Unfortunately, she, her family, and all of DunBroch are on the verge of destruction. They are stuck in a rut, never changing, never growing, and because of this, the god of ruin has come to demolish the realm. With a little bit of trickery, the goddess of creation gives Merida one year to change her whole family.

I need to preface this by saying I LOVE BRAVE. Princess who doesn't want to get married? Yes, please! Watching the movie is not necessary for reading this book. Maggie does a pretty decent job of referencing the important parts.

Ok, moving on. I liked the book; it was good, not great. The pacing was decent, though the end felt really, really rushed to me. I really enjoyed getting to see more of the family, especially Elinor. Getting to know her background was the absolute highlight of the book. I also really enjoyed getting to see Feradach grow (even the god of ruin can grow stagnant!)

This is definitely a book about growth, so there isn't a ton of action, though there is plenty of adventures. Most of the twists were fairly obvious, though one did catch me off guard. For those that are worried, this really isn't a romance novel. Merida remains mostly uncaring about relationships, she's not really attracted to anyone, and [ even when she realizes she's in love, it seems to be more about the mind than physical attraction. And, they don't even end up together, so it's fine. (hide spoiler)]

I received a copy of this title in return for a fair review.

Following her magical adventures and transformations, life for Merida and her family has settled into a routine, and not one that feels satisfactory to our princess. She finds that she craves more out of life, and lacks a sense of purpose and direction. When a late-night run into the wintery woods leads her to a discovery that her life as she knows it is at risk of destruction, Merida wagers all she has in an effort to save her family and her home. Will she be able to balance the forces that be and prove that they have all changed for the better?

I love a good retelling, but I also love that this is not just a retelling of a favorite Disney story, but a sequel and a glimpse into her life after the well-known tale. There's lots of magic and adventure, but also plenty of bonding as a family and growing into the people they want to become, all written with typical Stiefvater humor and prose.

Thank you Netgalley and Disney Press for the arc <3

First of all, I can't think of a better author to have wrote this Disney tie-in novel. Maggie Stiefvater really hit the mark with this one.

I have been in a weird reading slump of very complex sci-fi and fantasy, so I found Bravely incredibly refreshing and fun during my readthrough. Right away we are thrusted back into the adventures of our incredible and wild-hearted Princess Merida.

Just like the movie, Bravely heavily falls into the theme of family, as well as personal growth. I feel that Maggie handle this really well. While Bravely is a Disney novel, it's not a happy fun times for all situation. Merida goes through a lot of struggles in this one, and there are some big choices to make.

I don't think its complete necessary to have watched the movie Brave in order to read this- but I think you should watch it anyway because im biased and it's one of my favourite movies :')

Great novel. I will be purchasing a copy for my library as well as my personal library.

5/5

Return email: giareadsbooks@gmail.com
My review of Bravely will be publicly available on April 26th on my blog (www.giareadsbooks.com). You will be able to find it with this link:

www.giareadsbooks.com/book-reviews/bravely

Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Spice Rating: 1 Star*
*This is a traditional YA novel – no explicit scenes/themes etc. No TW.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Maggie Stiefvater, and NetGalley for sending me a copy of Bravely in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

“This is a story about two gods and a girl.” Bravely takes place a few years after the canon Pixar ending of Brave, in which Merida is returning to DunBroch for Christmas after a year of traveling. There, she learns of a terrible plot against her family from the God, Feradach, who is tasked with “rooting out rot and stagnation”. Another God – the Cailleach – strikes a bargain between Merida and Feradach, wherein Merida must enact change throughout her family and DunBroch within four seasons. Merida faces a tough year ahead, but will she be able to accomplish her goal without losing sight of the most important change – aka, herself?

Maggie Stiefvater has done it again (not that I’m surprised). When I got word that Disney would be publishing a series of YA adaptation novels based on some of their characters, I was so excited to see that the first would be about Merida, the most underrated princess (in my opinion). Stiefvater does a fantastic job of getting in Merida’s head. It felt very “canon” when compared to the way Merida was showcased in the movie. I know that Stiefvater worked very closely with Disney to ensure that her representation of Merida was accurate to the movie, and that fact is very present throughout the text, yet I definitely got “Stiefvater-ish” vibes from the novel as well. I’m a huge fan of Stiefvater’s “The Raven Cycle” series, so I had specific expectations going in, and boy did she deliver.

The slight issue I have with the novel, hence the reason I only gave it four stars, is the pacing throughout. The beginning was fast-paced and instantly drew me in. The end was the same, so much so that I binged the last 25% of the book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. The middle, however, was soooooo slow and long. It wasn’t necessarily boring, but I could definitely see readers who aren’t fans of slow-paced books putting it down before they reach the end. Being a previous reader of Stiefvater’s, I knew that she was putting in work to make sure the ending was fantastic, but others might not know that going in and be disappointed with the change of pace.

Personally, I was a big fan of this book. Bravely is a fantastic and fitting addition to Merida’s story. Stiefvater did a wonderful job on the story, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes YA, YA Fantasy, or Disney movies. I’m not sure what Stiefvater’s plans are after her final release in the Dreamer Trilogy, but whatever it is, you can bet that I’ll be reading it.

When I learned Maggie Stiefvater was coming out with a Brave sequel, I knew I had to read it. Stiefvater has a background in Celtic music, and I knew she would do a great job with this story. It doesn't read too Disney, but it is a fast paced novel with lots of adventure. I loved the mythology elements, as two of the Celtic gods are featured in this novel. One wants to ruin Dunbroch, and the other wants to save it. They allow Merida a year to try and change the people of Dunbroch for the better.

While there is a romance, it's very light and not the main focus of the story. You do get to know Merida and her family members more, and Stiefvater adds greater depth to the triplet characters, as well.

A fun read, and a must read for Brave and Stiefvater fans.

This young adult novel takes place several years after the Disney movie, Brave. On Christmas Eve, Merida discovers the God Feradach preparing to destroy DunBroch. She makes a deal with Feradach and Cailleach that she will change her entire family in a year. Merida decides to accomplish this by going on three trips with various members of her family. Can she save her family and her land by changing them in time?

Stiefvater did a good job bringing this animated royal family to life and keeping them true to the Disney film. She gave the triplets more depth in their character than shown in the movie.

Full of adventure, this was a fun novel to read. Those who loved the movie when they were kids, will enjoy this book. This is not for little kids. There is violence and destruction that make it unsuitable for young children.

I’m a fan of this author and I felt that she was the perfect fit to take the story from Brave and add more dimension and detail to it! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

It has been a few years since the great bear problem that Merida caused and all is quiet in Castle DunBroch. Too quiet, actually. Merida finds it difficult to stay in one place and has spent much of the past year traveling throughout the kingdom. When the god of ruin pays a visit to the castle on Christmas Eve, Merida chases him into the night. She enters into a bargain with him to save the inhabitants of DunBroch from ruin. To fulfill her promise she must get everyone to embrace change without telling them why. Deftly told, this story fleshes out the characters so that you will see them all in a new light. As the gods play their tricks to try to sway the outcome, will Merida be successful in saving her family. Highly recommended.

Love Maggie Stiefvater and loved reading Bravely. The perfect author to write about Merida!
Just pre-order it now, don't hesitate, for the heroine in your life.

I will read anything by Maggie Stiefvater, anything. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Brave, animation was beautiful, however, characters and plot left much to the imagination, when it arrived in theaters years ago. But Bravely takes very two dimensional characters and builds them into ones that you actually do care about and keep hoping that the next pages will lead to triumph not downfall. I’m all for Disney handing their characters to talented writers to be able to spend more time with them and of course, for more adventures to share with them.

THE definitive sequel to Brave we have been waiting for. Maggie Stiefvater picks up the story several years after the movie and fills us in briskly perfectly, giving us a clear sense of this family and how they've grown, the boring state of the Scottish clan kingdom(that has not grown), and most importantly, Merida herself and her relationship to her parents.
Merida is wonderfully written, it is clear the author understands this character and why she is so beloved in fandom, and with the journey she takes, the challenges she faces, and the frustration she is allowed to possess she is so, important to young readers.
The story itself is very engaging, and while I admire and respect what the author has done with these legacy characters, I did not get as attached to new characters, specifically Leezie and the Cailleach, but overall the author excels at giving you a beautiful story woven with excellent magic and delightful thrills!

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide, for graciously giving me an ARC of this upcoming book.

A heartwarming and adventurous YA sequel to Disney's Brave. Princess Merida (now a teenager) is in a rut, along with her entire family and kingdom. Until one day she meets two Gods: Feradach is the supernatural force of ruin, whose purpose is to root out stagnation. Cailleach is an ancient being of creation. Merida is given an ultimatum: she has one year to change her family or everything as she knows it will be destroyed. She travels to three different kingdoms hoping to challenge and inspire her family, and in the process realizes that maybe she also needs to grow and change. .

I have to admit that I had never seen the Disney movie, Brave, before seeing this book but it was so exciting that the author was able to take the story and create a YA novel based on the Disney movie that I had to watch the movie first. It did not disappoint and neither did the author's telling of Merida's adventure set several years after the movie ends. We meet the same wonderful characters and experience the epic journey that each takes. Merida of DunBroch, who is an adventurous princess, makes a deal with two gods that she can help her family to change their ways within one year's time in order to save her kingdom from ruin. The story takes Merida and members of her family on three different voyages that help to change each character, What a great story that will be loved by those who enjoyed the Disney story of Brave. It is book that stands on its own merit though and will be enjoyed by all. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"What if you had one year to save everything that you love?"

Set several years after the events of "Brave," it's clear that the Clan DunBroch is not what it used to be. Every day is the same, and each family member seems stuck in their ways. Just returned from her travels in time for Christmas and already incredibly bored, Merida hears a peculiar knock at the door. What awaits her is more than she bargained for, though. She encounters Feradach, a god of ruin who has come to DunBroch with the intent to destroy it. The Cailleach, the god of growth and renewal, intervenes just in time and offers Merida and Feradach a deal: if Merida can change the hearts and minds of her people in a year's time, DunBroch will be spared. Merida is ready and willing, but will she be able to change the Clan member who has grown most stagnant of all - herself?

Although this is a continuation of the events of Disney Pixar's "Brave," it is not 'Disneyfied.' Stiefvater is an excellent writer and Celtic mythology and Scottish and Irish history is close to her heart, and it shows on the page. As someone who already loved the characters, seeing them grow and gain new life was a joy. I was impressed with the story and the "historical" details, as well as how the characters tackled growth, introspection, tragedy, and change. I was thoroughly engaged and I personally loved all the "historical" details, although it could make the story seem slow for some. My only qualm was that the ending felt a little rushed, and I would have loved to see more from the final changed character. This will be a great book for young readers who love "Brave" and Celtic mythology. Thank you to Disney Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a huge Stiefvater fan, I was super excited to get this book… and then not entirely sure about it when I started it. It admittedly took me a little bit longer to find the rhythm of this story, with a different voice and style — but one appropriate to Merida! However, once I found the rhythm of the story, about 25% in, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what would happen next, how people would change, how Merida would change, and what it would all mean. I ended up with a bit of a book hangover at the end, which is the highest compliment t there is. The relationships make this story — and that is Stiefvater, entirely.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Since this book is not technically published yet I am keeping this review as spoiler free as humanly possible.

First of all, let me say how honored I was to be able to get an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley! Merida is one of my favorite princesses, and the aesthetic and culture behind "Brave" has always appealed to me as someone who has done lots of research about Scottish and Celtic lore. So when I heard that this book was the sequel to Brave, I leapt at the chance to get an advanced copy! I have yet to read "The Raven Boys" but all of my friends highly recommend it and Maggie Steifvater as an author I would love, so I started this book with pretty high expectations. It certainly did not disappoint. While some plot points were a bit fuzzy, I can forgive it somewhat because this is technically an unfinished copy. I thought that Merida aged up was very believable and on point -- Steifvater really nailed her character dialogue and mannerisms. The brothers personalities were also very believable when compared to how they behaved in "Brave", and Steifvater really had freedom to shape the triplets characters since they too were aged up. I also really loved how much "historically" accurate information was included as far as lore and Scottish culture. Feradach as a character definitely had me swooning! He was such a soft boy, my heart melted at several scenes in this book due to him. I wasn't really a fan of Leezie as a character, she mostly annoyed me until the very end of the book! I am giving 4/5 stars only because this work is unfinished and some of the plot was a bit rushed. There were also missing bits of language so it was hard to tell what was happening in some areas. I will definitely be purchasing the finished book and re-reading to see if anything changes.

It was definitely one fun and an easy read. I really liked the whole set up and the message it was trying to give. However, I find the pacing a little bit slow and the ending a little rushed. So, overall, it’s a 3.5 star read for me.

While this book might be ideal for anyone who loves the storyline and lore behind Brave, this book wasn't for me. While the messaging is clear and definitely aligns with the source material, the setting and story didn't grip me. It was slow from the outset and I had a difficult time staying interested.