Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound

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Pub Date 10 May 2016 | Archive Date 30 Jun 2022

Description

The next generation - the children of Snow White, Cinderella, and others - have lives and stories of their own. And not just long ago and far away but (sort of) here and now! Enjoy!

I was going to be a great protagonist. At least that's what my mom, Cinderella, kept telling me. I, however, had my doubts. Unlike most main characters at Lady Agnue's School for Princesses & Other Female Protagonists, I was opinionated, bold, and headstrong. Moreover, for a princess, I had a lot of issues. I'm talking vicious nightmares about people I've never met, a total stalker prince, and a Fairy Godmother for an enemy.

But I digress. Because here's the thing about living in an enchanted realm of fairytale characters, crazy junk you never planned on happens all the time. One minute you could be practicing fainting exercises in Damsels in Distress class, sword fighting in a field, or flying on a Pegasus, and the next, BAM! Your book has begun and you're saddled with a prophecy that changes everything.

I still don't know if I will be a great protagonist one day. But I know one thing about my fate, for certain. Despite what The Author and the antagonists have in store for me, whatever it costs. . .I'll be the one taking charge of my own story..

Readers love Crisanta Knight!

“The series is a great young adult fantasy fairy tale read that often reminds me of the television show Once Upon a Time.” Carrie’s Book Reviews

"A great read that quite often had me laughing and enjoying what was going on. There's plenty of action and great characters. Definitely one I'd recommend checking out if you enjoy fairy tales to meet this next generation and root them on in their journey!"Carrie’s Book Reviews

“The suspense builds up a little at first, and then bam, excitement and adventure as Crisanta actually does something to change her fate, all in the fairytale realm of Book, where fairy godmothers, Prince Charmings, and happily ever after aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”I Read Too Much! blog

"Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound is an outstanding book the writing, pace and premise are very well done the story keeps you turning the page in anticipation of what will happen next.” - Books in Brogan

The Crisanta Knight series

Book 1 - Protagonist Bound;
Book 2 - The Severance Game;
Book 3 - Inherent Fate;
Book 4 - The Liar, The Witch, & The Wormhole;
Book 5 (to be released in April of 2019) - To Death & Back.
The next generation - the children of Snow White, Cinderella, and others - have lives and stories of their own. And not just long ago and far away but (sort of) here and now! Enjoy!

I was going to be...

A Note From the Publisher

Paperback ISBN 978-1-60808-154-7 $19.95
The print book is available for pre-order through www.bqbpublishing.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores. Wholesale purchases can be made through Ingram, Baker & Taylor, or New Leaf Distributing. The eBook is available for pre-order through Kindle and Kobo and will be available through all major eBook retailers when the book is released. Libraries will be able purchase the eBook through Overdrive or Follett.

Paperback ISBN 978-1-60808-154-7 $19.95
The print book is available for pre-order through www.bqbpublishing.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores. Wholesale purchases can be made...


Available Editions

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ISBN 9781608081554
PRICE $4.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 66 members


Featured Reviews

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Boutique of Quality Books in exchange for an honest review.

This is both the first book I've read by this author and the first book in this series. I found the book somewhat randomly when I was searhing through NetGalley to see if there was anything interesting to read. This one caught my eye, and I'm glad it did.

There's some kind of addictive/hypnotic quality to the writing that caused me to want to keep reading, to continue following along as the story unfolded. This is a good thing, since the lead character had a tendency to do something that I normally find annoying - she was in her head a lot. Not little snippets here and there, but massive amounts of words trapped inside the lead character's head. but, as I noted something was addictive about the whole process so I just shrugged off that specific annoyance.

Characters
Crisanta Knight: is the lead character in this book, and sole point of view. She's a 16 year old girl, and has spent a good bit of her life going to a specific school. One for young pincesses and other protagonists. I'll mention more what that means in the plot section. For now I'll just leave it at (1) 16 year old girl; (2) is a princess - the daughter of Cinderalla and Prince Charming (though the father's given a different name, I didn't really catch why though); (3) Crisanta has spent a good part of her life attendin the school I already referenced; (4) she, and the vast majority of the others in this book live in a place called 'Book', which, in it's way, is a fantasy land; (5) Crisanta is not happy with the concept of being a 'princess, a damsel in distress, who must be rescued by her prince' and fights that fate as much as she can, despite her position in the world.

SJ: is both a good friend to Crisanta and her roommate. She is also a princess. The daughter of Snow White (SJ's actually Snow Junior, hence SJ). Of the three girls who live in the same dorm room at the school, she's the most 'princess-y' of the lot. Crisanta's more half and half - half princess-y; half rebelleous. SJ, as part of her being the perfect princess, does the things expected of a princess - which includes following the rules, speaking correctly, singing perfectly, and having many animal friends who do her bidding.

Blue: the third roommate, is a 'common' protagonist and one of the very rare few allowed the very slight chance of being some form of minor heroic figure (though not a hero, apparently). Even though she's a 'common' protagonist, she's also a 'half-legacy', because her sister was a protagonist - her sister being little red riding hood (Red wore a red cape all the time, Blue wears blue all the time).

Jason: is a prince at the male version of the school Crisanta attends. He's friends with the three, though closest to Blue.

Daniel

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A great beginning for a new series Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound is an outstanding book the writing, pace and premiss are very well done the story keeps you turning the page in antisipaton of what will happen next. While the book is a little long, not a page of it is waisted so you don't mind the length and it can be enjoyed by all ages.

I can't wait for the next one in the series.

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I loved the different worlds. A great paced story. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last. I don't believe in spoiling the story because everyone should read this series. I can't wait to see what's next in the series.

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This is a great story. Crisanta, SJ and Blue have an amazing friendship. You can see that their children and their children's children will be brought up knowing the stories behind their friendship, knowing each other as family, even though they're not blood. And there's plenty of teenage angst and intrigue to keep you turning the page. Your always rooting for them to change their destinies, to colour outside the lines and make their stories their own. I will without a doubt be recommending this book to all my family and friends. And I will definitely be following Crisanta's fate to its very end..!!

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Crisanta Knight is the daughter of Cinderella and attends Lady Agnue’s School for Princesses & Other Female Protagonists with her friends S.J. and Blue. S.J. stands for Snow White Jr. and Blue is Little Red Riding Hood’s sister. The girls all attend the school because they are among the ones that have been written to eventually become future protagonists much like their famous family members.

Every protagonist is chosen and trained because one day the author will begin to write their story. They will have no choice in the life that they will lead because what is written cannot be changed…. or can it? Crisa and her friends are headstrong and determined that no one will tell them what to do and Crisa has a much different future in mind than being a princess.

This was a great young adult fantasy fairy tale read. The plot somewhat reminded me of the television show Once Upon a Time when they were trying to find the author to change their stories but this went a few steps further giving a lot more life to the whole idea. Their land is known as “Book” where everyone is waiting for their book to be written whether they will be a protagonist, antagonist or just a minor character.

The characters in this story are all the next generation of offspring from the tales we all know and love. Crisa is Cinderella’s daughter so of course her mother is correcting her behavior and she’s expected to become a Princess in her own tale. Crisa however is stubborn and far from princess material. This generation does not want to sit around and let someone else tell them how to live their lives and take matters into their own hands to try to change things.

A great read that quite often had me laughing and enjoying what was going on. There’s plenty of action and great characters. Definitely one I’d recommend checking out if you enjoy fairy tales to meet this next generation and root them on in their journey!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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This book is different and awesome.The story is amazing.The way Crisanta wants to change her life is remarkable. I look forward to reading the next book.

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A cute YA fantasy book that actually has a female protagonist that young readers can look up to. A relatively easy read, even for the target grades, but would probably be a good find for reluctant readers.

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Crisanta Knight isn't your average type of princess.Though she lives in the land of Book, where people's destinies are decided by the Author, she is determined to live just as she likes. Stuck at Lady Agnue's School for Princesses & other female Protagonists, sewing, being graceful and learning to be proficient at all the arts of being a Princess, spunky Crisa would give anything to learn the things that the boys learnt at Lord Channings. But when the Prologue Prophecy strikes at an unfortunate instant of time, Crisa's dreams are set to shatter. Is this worthy female protagonist to take no for an answer?
Crisa decides to take matters into her own hands.Accompanied by SJ, the perfect princess,Blue, the tomboy,Jason, a longtime friend and Daniel, a boy whom Crisa detests to say the least, she embarks on a spectacular adventure. A Magic Mushroom and sporty pegasi lead them to the Fairy Godmother HQ where they realise that something is terribly wrong.And the weird dreams that Crisa is accustomed to aren't helping at all.

Thus begins a journey to save a godmother, to salvage destiny, to uncover the truth of what is wrong with the Book, notwithstanding that Crisa may be the next target.
Pompous Princes, nasty Princesses and fire spitting dragons may be the least of our protagonist's problems, it seems.

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This book started off really slow. It took me a week to read it, because I was sick. Once I got into it however, it was a fascinating read. It is written very differently than I am use to reading. I liked that.

It is very well written. Other reviewers really go into story details so I will avoid that, i will say, the author does a great job of bringing you into the story once it picks up. A strong read, I would definitely recommend and read again.

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Let me begin by saying, there is nothing that quite compares to a good fairytale, nothing except adaptations of fairytales with a modern spin on them. I get so excited when I see new fairytale adventure books, in particular youth or young adult fiction, that allow for the reader to experience the magic and timelessness of fairytales and magic while also getting to veer off the stereotypical norm of some of these stories. Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound by Geanna Culbertson certainly did not disappoint.

The story follows the life of, as the title suggests, Crisanta Knight, who is Cinderella’s daughter and unfortunately predestined to be both a protagonist and princess based only on who her parents are. Now, you would think a young girl would be absolutely thrilled to have this future painted for her…but that’s just it, Crisanta doesn’t want a future mapped out for her, she wants to create her own future.

Without giving anything away I will say that she certainly treads off the beaten path. The author does a good job at weaving together the story with grace, curiosity and plenty of humor. This story is full of magic, adventure, friendship and, the determination of one girl to find who she is and what she is made of. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series and recommend it for all ages!

I received this book from NetGalley for this honest review.

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This book was really good and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good fairytale. It has an awesome princess/badass heroine protagonist, a fairytale mixup and a great moral backstory. What more do you want?

Crisanta Knight is Cinderella's daughter, destined to become a new princess, who should be completely complacent, submissive and above all, extremely princess-like. This is what she gets taught at her fairytale-finishing school Lady Agnue, and she absolutely despises it, because she believes she is more than just a proper royal.

This story definitely had a lot of character, and teaches a wonderful lesson to us women: we can be princesses and kick ass, and still look absolutely gorgeous (especially seeing as there is a charm for that! - but I won't reveal too much, shhh...)

With her combat boots and her magical wand, Cristanta ventures out to change her destiny which the mystical Author has picked out for her and shows that women should take charge of their own lives with a passion, feistiness and a burning fire that is untamable. Not only that, she also manages to show a more vulnerable and open side - especially in regards towards a certain boy who sees right through her.

I also loved the fact that the author wrote this book in a way that made it feel like Crisanta was speaking directly to the reader through her thoughts - it made her sassy comments just that much funnier.

The only two, tiny issue I had with this book was that firstly I would have liked to see a bit more of Lady Agnue's fairytale stereotypical day (maybe getting to meet more the protagonist and see more of their classroom interactions) and I also thought that - although I loved the ending - it felt like it didn't resolve any of the plot points that I had wanted to know about.

Nevertheless, I think that the fact that this is only the first book in a series sounds extremely promising, and I am excited to get my hands on the second one (which is also why plot points getting resolved is only a small issue).

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Fun twist and turns

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I liked the idea of a land called Book where all the fairytale characters live and that their offsprings have to be special "trained" to one day become the maincharacter of their own book. Crisanta Knight is the daughter of Cinderella and goes to school with her friends Snow White Jr and Blue, the sister of Red Riding Hood. All three are determined that their future not depends from a story written by an author and they do all they can to change their stories. Cinderella, Crisantas mother, tries hard to correct her daughters behavier and to calm her down, make her more like a princess. I had to laugh a few times and enjoyed joining Crisa and her friends on their journey. I recommend this book to all fairytale lovers and everyone who enjoys reading a fun and adventurous book. A five stars read!

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Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound by Geanna Culbertson is an interesting take on fairytale lore and a fun adventure story that will appeal to all fairytale or fantasy lovers.

As a daughter of the famous Cinderella and Prince Charming, Crisanta Knight is predestined to become a protagonist in her own story, a beautiful princess waiting for her handsome prince to come and save her. But she isn't like other people her age, who attend Lady Agnue's School for Princesses & Other Female Protagonists and prepare to follow their prophecy. Instead of letting the Author decide her fate, Crisanta decides to take her life in her own hands and write her own story.

The premise of this book caught my attention immediately. The idea of a world where fairytale characters are actual living people and The Author decides their fate by writing their story and assigning each of them a role sounded amazing, and world building was my favourite thing about this book. It felt like a look "behind the scenes" of fairytale stories. The whole world of Book is extremely detailed, well thought-out and very creative. It's one of those books that would translate to the big screen beautifully.

The story was a bit slow at the beginning but it picked up in the second part and kept me engaged. Aside from the main plot, there was some mystery going on and I'm curious how it's going to work out in the next books. I adored Crisanta as a character and her friendship with SJ and Blue. Crisa was strong-minded, courageous and ambitious, with a fun sense of humour and unafraid to go against the grain. I also love the main theme of the book - that everyone should be allowed to decide of their own fate.

One thing I wasn't a particular fan of was how the beginning of the book felt like this cliche teenage drama. It felt just too stereotypical and I was happy once the main plot picked up. Another thing that I have to point out is the writing style, which was a bit inconsistent, in my opinion. The overall tone of the book and the way the characters speak most of the time is rather serious, the way it was in the past, but from time to time Crisanta would switch to a very modern way of speaking and it threw me off. There was also a lot of inner monologue, since the book is written in first person pov, but very often they felt too long and distracted me from what was really going on at that time.

Overall, Crisanta Knight is a great debut and a start of a very promising series! It's a story full of fantastic, magical adventures and friendship, with inspiring characters and a fresh and interesting take on the fairytale universe. If, like me, you love fairytale retellings, you should give a it a try and I'm looking forward to the second book!

To end my review with on of my favourite quotes :) :

"You think I'm irritating. Well, isn't that the pretzel calling the cracker crunchy."

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A new take on a new trend (a la Disney's "Descendants,"), Crisanta Knight is a likable, headstrong, independent teen. She has strong, positive relationships, as well as a few antagonistic ones.

Though I'm not a magic fan, it's a cute tale sure to draw in fans of the genre, filled with humor, action and typical teen woes (self-esteem, angst re: the future, etc.).

My only criticism is the overuse of the word "anyways." I get trying to sound like a teen with its use, but adults use it too, and given the "rule" at school to use formal language, it's highly unlikely an adult would use the phrase.

My 14yo daughter also read and enjoyed the book.

Overall, not a bad attempt for the debut book in a new series.

The review is based on a galley copy furnished by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Crisanta Knight is a funny and magical book about the children of our favorite fairy tales.

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Book is a land of fairytales; princesses, heroes and heroines... plus the other people that stay on the sidelines and make up the world that the protagonists live in. All sounds perfectly magical until you're hit by your prologue prophecy and you find out what the authors have in store for you. WARNING - this is book 1 of a series, which I didn't realise until about 5 pages to the end so I've been left hanging until the next is released!

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The headline should read Harry Potter for Princesses. with a soft spot for fairy tales this book was ideal for me, I enjoyed the theme that you can control and manage your own fate but you have to fight for it, and found it refreshing to not have an in your face love story. I felt like the book left me mid adventure, wishing there were more pages or having the next book to go onto.

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A fun, quirky read, that shows the storybook characters you know and love from a different side.
Definitely recommend.

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The main character is a girl who fights to choose her own fate and discovers that destiny (and the characters trying to direct it) can be dangerous!

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One word, delightful.
Crisanta Knight: Protagonist Bound is sort of a fairytale descendant version of Harry Potter, but unlike Harry, Crisanta isn’t a chosen one or unfamiliar with her lot in life. She knows exactly what’s expected of her, but she doesn’t plan to succumb to that fate easily. Her friends Blue and SJ are in the same situation, mostly, but Crisanta is the leader among them.
So what did I like? First off the tone and conversational first person perspective, youthful, but not corny. Crisanta was a fun narrator, not too angsty, not too irreverent, but just right. I felt the connection, cared what happened to her and her friends, and cared about what might happen in the next book.
I also thought the story was intriguing. The suspense builds up a little at first, and then bam, excitement and adventure as Crisanta actually does something to change her fate, all in the novel, fairytale realm of Book, where fairy godmothers, prince charmings, and happily ever after aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
What I didn’t like so much was just how literal the literary terms are taken in the story. I guess it was just kind of an ejection from fantasy to have the world called Book and the fates of the inhabitants determined by Author. Still, the story manages it well, I just wasn’t quite sold on it.
Anyhow, I loved this book, mainly because it was so much fun, but also because it was well written, richly developed, and exciting. Fans of reading and fantasy, particularly those with a fondness in their hearts for fairy tale princesses, will likely enjoy this book. The youthful tone will likely appeal to both young adults and the young at heart.
I received the review copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Crisanta Knight is not your typical princess. In Geanna Culbertson's novel Crisanta Knight Protagonist Bound, Crisanta is in fact the daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, not that anyone could tell. Unlike her best friend SJ "Snow Jr" Kaplan, as in Snow White's daughter. SJ was everything a fairytale princess was expected to be, fair and graceful with a lovely singing voice that charmed all the animals. Crisanta, or as she prefers Crisa, is more inclined to weapons training than singing and absolutely refuses to believe that her life is to be dictated by a book and she has no say in the matter. Because of course that is how all the fairytales are created, the mysterious Author is the one who is in charge of creating the stories and once they start writing your life is no longer your own.
Follow Crisa on a quest to take back her life and find out what it means to truly be yourself. It won't be easy though when there are Fairy Godmothers trying to stop you and the occasional stalker prince, but a true princess doesn't quit.

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Crisanta Knight is not your average feminist fairytale remake. There is a lot of originality with the characters, setting, and the storyline in general. We're talking daughters of famous princesses, and other protagonist relations! So cool!
Culbertson's writing is fresh and fun, and she has a way of adding enough sass to her girls. I really enjoyed this one and definitely can't wait for more in this wonderful and adventurous series.

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Very entertaining. Like the characters and this concept. Enjoyable story and characters. Would recommend!

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