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Go the Distance
What if Meg had to become a god?
After Hercules proves he's a true hero and regains his godship, all seems right in the world. That is, until Zeus tells Meg that she can't be with Hercules because she's, well, mortal. Luckily, Hera has a solution, offering Meg a chance to prove herself worthy of a spot on Mt. Olympus--as a god. All Meg has to do is complete a mysterious quest.
The mission? Oh, just to rescue her ex's current wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she saved by selling her soul to Hades. The ex-boyfriend who immediately moved on to someone else while she was stuck in the Underworld. Can Meg put her past behind her and use her quick-wit to defeat monsters and gods alike, including the nefarious Hades? Will she finally figure out her place and contribution to the world? Or will her fear of commitment have her running away from an eternity of godhood with Herc?
Written by the author of Mirror, Mirror and Conceal, Don't Feel, Jen Calonita's latest twist is sure to delight and surprise.
After Hercules proves he's a true hero and regains his godship, all seems right in the world. That is, until Zeus tells Meg that she can't be with Hercules because she's, well, mortal. Luckily, Hera has a solution, offering Meg a chance to prove herself worthy of a spot on Mt. Olympus--as a god. All Meg has to do is complete a mysterious quest.
The mission? Oh, just to rescue her ex's current wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she saved by selling her soul to Hades. The ex-boyfriend who immediately moved on to someone else while she was stuck in the Underworld. Can Meg put her past behind her and use her quick-wit to defeat monsters and gods alike, including the nefarious Hades? Will she finally figure out her place and contribution to the world? Or will her fear of commitment have her running away from an eternity of godhood with Herc?
Written by the author of Mirror, Mirror and Conceal, Don't Feel, Jen Calonita's latest twist is sure to delight and surprise.
329 pages, Hardcover
First published April 6, 2021
About the author
Jen Calonita
74 books3,105 followersHi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).
I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!
I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.
I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.
I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!
xo
Jen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,693 reviews
October 19, 2023
**3.5-stars rounded up**
My current ratings for the Twisted Tales series:
1. What Once Was Mine (Tangled): 4.5-stars rounded up
2. Reflection (Mulan): 4-stars
3. Almost There (The Princess and the Frog): 4-stars
4. Go the Distance (Hercules): 3.5-stars rounded up
5. As Old As Time (Beauty & the Beast): 3.5-stars rounded up
6. Straight On Til Morning (Peter Pan): 3.5-stars rounded up
7. Mirror, Mirror (Snow White): 3.5-stars rounded up
8. Unbirthday (Alice): 3.5-stars
9. Conceal, Don't Feel (Frozen): 3.5-stars
10. A Whole New World (Aladdin): 3-stars
11. Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid): 2-stars
Picking up directly after the events of the Disney animated movie, Hercules, Go the Distance follows Megara as she fights to remain with her love, Hercules.
After Herc regains his godship, the couple are ready to celebrate. As Hercules is called by his parents to return to Mount Olympus, however, they run into a slight problem. Zeus, Herc's Dad, is quick to point out that Meg cannot go, as she is a mere mortal.
Meg is shocked. After everything they have been through, is this how it is destined to end?
Hercules is shocked as well and advocates to stay with Meg. He'd rather be with her in the regular world, than have a life of immortality alone.
His parents aren't going to stand for that though; no way. Hera, seeing how happy Meg makes her son, however, offers Meg a deal; a way for her to earn her way into a spot on Mount Olympus.
All she has to do is complete a mysterious quest in 10-days. Unfortunately, the quest involves saving her ex-boyfriend's, new wife's soul from the Underworld.
Obviously, Meg has some mixed feelings on this, but she agrees nonetheless. We're talking about eternity with the man she loves here.
Joining her for support is Philoctetes, better known as Phil. The coach to the Gods. If anyone can help Meg work through her quest, it's him. And let's not forget Pegasus!! He's along as well, to give Meg a helping hoof.
Meg needs to put her emotions aside, as well as face her nemesis, Hades, again. She escaped his clutches once, but could she be so lucky as to do it again?
I really had a fun time reading this story. I love Megara. She's one of my favorite characters within the Disney universe. She's smart, snarky and not constantly looking for a man to save her.
I enjoyed the backstory Calonita created for her. The loss of her mother, their relationship, her previous relationship with her ex-boyfriend and even Hades manipulation of her.
I thought the quest was fun. Having Phil and Pegasus along definitely made it more humorous. I loved watching both of them come to accept Meg for who she is.
Overall, I think this is a fun addition to this series. If you are a Megara fan, as I am, you should definitely give this one a shot!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always look forward to the new releases in the Twisted Tales series!!!
My current ratings for the Twisted Tales series:
1. What Once Was Mine (Tangled): 4.5-stars rounded up
2. Reflection (Mulan): 4-stars
3. Almost There (The Princess and the Frog): 4-stars
4. Go the Distance (Hercules): 3.5-stars rounded up
5. As Old As Time (Beauty & the Beast): 3.5-stars rounded up
6. Straight On Til Morning (Peter Pan): 3.5-stars rounded up
7. Mirror, Mirror (Snow White): 3.5-stars rounded up
8. Unbirthday (Alice): 3.5-stars
9. Conceal, Don't Feel (Frozen): 3.5-stars
10. A Whole New World (Aladdin): 3-stars
11. Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid): 2-stars
Picking up directly after the events of the Disney animated movie, Hercules, Go the Distance follows Megara as she fights to remain with her love, Hercules.
After Herc regains his godship, the couple are ready to celebrate. As Hercules is called by his parents to return to Mount Olympus, however, they run into a slight problem. Zeus, Herc's Dad, is quick to point out that Meg cannot go, as she is a mere mortal.
Meg is shocked. After everything they have been through, is this how it is destined to end?
Hercules is shocked as well and advocates to stay with Meg. He'd rather be with her in the regular world, than have a life of immortality alone.
His parents aren't going to stand for that though; no way. Hera, seeing how happy Meg makes her son, however, offers Meg a deal; a way for her to earn her way into a spot on Mount Olympus.
All she has to do is complete a mysterious quest in 10-days. Unfortunately, the quest involves saving her ex-boyfriend's, new wife's soul from the Underworld.
Obviously, Meg has some mixed feelings on this, but she agrees nonetheless. We're talking about eternity with the man she loves here.
Joining her for support is Philoctetes, better known as Phil. The coach to the Gods. If anyone can help Meg work through her quest, it's him. And let's not forget Pegasus!! He's along as well, to give Meg a helping hoof.
Meg needs to put her emotions aside, as well as face her nemesis, Hades, again. She escaped his clutches once, but could she be so lucky as to do it again?
I really had a fun time reading this story. I love Megara. She's one of my favorite characters within the Disney universe. She's smart, snarky and not constantly looking for a man to save her.
I enjoyed the backstory Calonita created for her. The loss of her mother, their relationship, her previous relationship with her ex-boyfriend and even Hades manipulation of her.
I thought the quest was fun. Having Phil and Pegasus along definitely made it more humorous. I loved watching both of them come to accept Meg for who she is.
Overall, I think this is a fun addition to this series. If you are a Megara fan, as I am, you should definitely give this one a shot!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always look forward to the new releases in the Twisted Tales series!!!
May 10, 2022
Rounded down from roughly 4.5 stars ⭐️ As a huge Disney lover I’ve been collecting the twisted tales books for a long time. But I realised I hadn’t actually read any of them yet, which I quickly rectified!
Go the Distance twists the tale of Hercules. Asking what would happen if Meg was offered the chance to become a goddess and be with Hercules forever. But to do so she has to go on a time-limited quest. Can she make it?
I absolutely loved this charming book. It is a little clichéd at times, but isn’t that what we expect from Disney! I found myself surprised by how much this moved me. There were some surprisingly deep and emotional insights that tugged on my heartstrings. The excitement of the quest kept me turning the pages and I loved the references to Greek mythology that I hadn’t heard of before. I found myself googling them long into the night! I love it when a book can teach me something!
At times I felt this may have been slightly younger than a YA audience. Which I didn’t really mind but it may bother some people! I also am not the hugest fan of the Hercules film (don’t hate me) so I didn’t find myself comparing them too much. I think having only seen the film twice really helped my enjoyment of this book. I will now be going back to watch the film again with a renewed interest! This book weaves a tale of love, loss, sacrifice and vulnerability. Sometimes being brave means facing what we fear most. I cannot wait to read more of these twisted tales now!
I would recommend this book to any Disney fans, as long as you don’t mind that it is aimed at a Middle Grade/YA audience!
Go the Distance twists the tale of Hercules. Asking what would happen if Meg was offered the chance to become a goddess and be with Hercules forever. But to do so she has to go on a time-limited quest. Can she make it?
I absolutely loved this charming book. It is a little clichéd at times, but isn’t that what we expect from Disney! I found myself surprised by how much this moved me. There were some surprisingly deep and emotional insights that tugged on my heartstrings. The excitement of the quest kept me turning the pages and I loved the references to Greek mythology that I hadn’t heard of before. I found myself googling them long into the night! I love it when a book can teach me something!
At times I felt this may have been slightly younger than a YA audience. Which I didn’t really mind but it may bother some people! I also am not the hugest fan of the Hercules film (don’t hate me) so I didn’t find myself comparing them too much. I think having only seen the film twice really helped my enjoyment of this book. I will now be going back to watch the film again with a renewed interest! This book weaves a tale of love, loss, sacrifice and vulnerability. Sometimes being brave means facing what we fear most. I cannot wait to read more of these twisted tales now!
I would recommend this book to any Disney fans, as long as you don’t mind that it is aimed at a Middle Grade/YA audience!
May 20, 2021
Oh my Disney heart is filled with so much joy right now. Go the Distance dives into Meg going on a quest, or two, in order to become a God. The reason why? Well, she wants to be with her hunk Hercules. I mean.. who wouldn't? Yet, Zeus frowned upon Hercules giving up his God status in order to be a mortal with the love of his life - Meg.
Long story short, Hera found a sneaky loophole and gave her a quest, or two, in order to become a God herself. She saw something that Zeus never did. The love between Meg and Hercules was there and they were going to do absolutely anything to be together. So I was really excited to see what she had to do in order to be with him.
Besides her, we got see everyone from the movie - which YAY! I loved seeing Hades being in love because it was both adorable and hilarious at the same time. Then there's Phil and him being great with a baby was all kinds of cute. I can't forget Pegasus one bit either. I enjoyed him and Meg getting closer because of how he acted when she was with Hercules. Also, the quests! Ah - so insane!
Overall, I'm just going to say it - I really enjoyed this book. Definitely in the top 5 for this series.
February 19, 2021
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
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.
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
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.
May 18, 2021
“congratulations, wonder boy,” meg said softly, giving him one last look. “you’ll make one heck of a god.”
go the distance picks up at the end of the disney film, where, instead of remaining on earth with megara, hercules becomes a god on mount olympus and zeus forbids his relationship with a mortal. hera offers meg a solution: complete a quest and become a god herself.
this had all the elements a fun adventure story—a high-stakes quest, a hades/persephone subplot, greek mythology in general—but the execution just fell flat. it reads more like bland middle grade fiction than ya, it turns a tough, sarcastic heroine into a sappy mary sue, and the dialogue is so stilted.
i really wanted to love this because i am a disney fangirl at heart and i like the premise, but the only part i actually enjoyed reading was the hades/persephone storyline.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc.
rating: 1.5/5 stars, rounded up
March 23, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eArc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This book pulled on my nostalgia strings! Our story picks up almost exactly where the movie Hercules leaves off, the only difference is that Zeus says NO to Herc's request to remain mortal with Meg. The only way for them to remain together is for Meg to prove that she is also worthy of being a god and joining him on Mt Olympus.
I love this concept of taking some of the stories I grew up with and twisting them into something just a little new and I did enjoy this one for the most part. My biggest issues were that it read more like a middle grade novel, which is normally fine by me, but I was expecting it to be more YA. My other problem, might have been something that is simply unavoidable when someone different is writing a character, but at times, Meg just didn't seem like the Meg I fell in love with in the movie. I know that sounds trivial, but it was hard for me to separate the book from the movie in this scenario.
Overall, this was not bad at all and I'm curios to read the other twisted tales. I would recommend this for young readers, more of the middle grade age than the YA age.
This book pulled on my nostalgia strings! Our story picks up almost exactly where the movie Hercules leaves off, the only difference is that Zeus says NO to Herc's request to remain mortal with Meg. The only way for them to remain together is for Meg to prove that she is also worthy of being a god and joining him on Mt Olympus.
I love this concept of taking some of the stories I grew up with and twisting them into something just a little new and I did enjoy this one for the most part. My biggest issues were that it read more like a middle grade novel, which is normally fine by me, but I was expecting it to be more YA. My other problem, might have been something that is simply unavoidable when someone different is writing a character, but at times, Meg just didn't seem like the Meg I fell in love with in the movie. I know that sounds trivial, but it was hard for me to separate the book from the movie in this scenario.
Overall, this was not bad at all and I'm curios to read the other twisted tales. I would recommend this for young readers, more of the middle grade age than the YA age.
May 4, 2022
Out of all the Twisted Tales I've read so far, this has been my least favorite. Not because it's not good, but because I wasn't the biggest Hercules fan to begin with and Megara is a character I never cared for too much.
February 2, 2021
Rating 2 Stars
Thank you NetGalley and Edelweiss for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
Well...that was certainly disappointing. I didn't get my hopes up since Calonita seems notoriously bad at writing retellings from the scathing reviews I've seen of the other twisted tales that she has written. But I'm still bummed because this is fucking Hercules we are talking about. One of my favorite childhood movies with a very underrated heroine (yes it's mainly about Herc but Meg is still a heroine in her own right). This book really did Megara dirty. How? by turning her into a glorified Mary Sue.
We all know Megara. Fearless, sassy, and snarky.
Things are pretty much as bad as it can get for her being basically property to the God of the Underworld Hades all because she tried to save your boyfriend's life who turned out to be a two timer. Let's just say things don't miraculously go her way and she does end up being crushed by a pillar in order to save Herc. Pretty as low as it gets.
YET she did what she had to do and did her best and ends up the girlfriend to a god. Not too shabby.
WARNING SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!!
BUT this version of Meg was an insult to her character. This book was her quest to become a god but everything went right for her. When shit hit the fan she could fix it. She just knew how to do everything from using a bow to playing a flute so well it put Cerebus to sleep. What irked me most of all too was her reckless behavior. Meg is smart not hot headed and quick to make stupid mistakes.
As for the plot it was just weird and all over the place. The gods helping her out was an interesting touch but the conversations felt so stilted and awkward. Just none of it worked and in truth Meg would have mostly died due to these quests she did and would have never made it to Hades but the plot had deus ex machina after deus ex machina to make everything just fall into place for her in the most unrealistic way possible with no smooth transition.
So your probably wondering why this got stars at all. Well...I had to give it some few good points. It was an interesting premise to have Meg become a god and to have this who redemption arc with her cheating boyfriend and her having to be the better woman in an awful situation. I also liked the whole Hades and Persephone storyline was thrown in there since it's one of my favorite storylines in Greek Mythology (thanks to Lore Olympus and the new rogue video game Hades) since for some reason I always liked this version of Hades and it's cute he's got now something to make his dreary immortal existence worthwhile. I'm also glad she did end up a god (even though that's obvious that would happen) and her and Hercules now have a happy ending as immortals together forever. I always have had a sweet spot for happy endings.
Anyway if your a hardcore fan of Hercules I wouldn't recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley and Edelweiss for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
Well...that was certainly disappointing. I didn't get my hopes up since Calonita seems notoriously bad at writing retellings from the scathing reviews I've seen of the other twisted tales that she has written. But I'm still bummed because this is fucking Hercules we are talking about. One of my favorite childhood movies with a very underrated heroine (yes it's mainly about Herc but Meg is still a heroine in her own right). This book really did Megara dirty. How? by turning her into a glorified Mary Sue.
We all know Megara. Fearless, sassy, and snarky.
Things are pretty much as bad as it can get for her being basically property to the God of the Underworld Hades all because she tried to save your boyfriend's life who turned out to be a two timer. Let's just say things don't miraculously go her way and she does end up being crushed by a pillar in order to save Herc. Pretty as low as it gets.
YET she did what she had to do and did her best and ends up the girlfriend to a god. Not too shabby.
WARNING SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!!
BUT this version of Meg was an insult to her character. This book was her quest to become a god but everything went right for her. When shit hit the fan she could fix it. She just knew how to do everything from using a bow to playing a flute so well it put Cerebus to sleep. What irked me most of all too was her reckless behavior. Meg is smart not hot headed and quick to make stupid mistakes.
As for the plot it was just weird and all over the place. The gods helping her out was an interesting touch but the conversations felt so stilted and awkward. Just none of it worked and in truth Meg would have mostly died due to these quests she did and would have never made it to Hades but the plot had deus ex machina after deus ex machina to make everything just fall into place for her in the most unrealistic way possible with no smooth transition.
So your probably wondering why this got stars at all. Well...I had to give it some few good points. It was an interesting premise to have Meg become a god and to have this who redemption arc with her cheating boyfriend and her having to be the better woman in an awful situation. I also liked the whole Hades and Persephone storyline was thrown in there since it's one of my favorite storylines in Greek Mythology (thanks to Lore Olympus and the new rogue video game Hades) since for some reason I always liked this version of Hades and it's cute he's got now something to make his dreary immortal existence worthwhile. I'm also glad she did end up a god (even though that's obvious that would happen) and her and Hercules now have a happy ending as immortals together forever. I always have had a sweet spot for happy endings.
Anyway if your a hardcore fan of Hercules I wouldn't recommend it.
April 8, 2024
➳ 5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
╰┈➤ ”i’m a big, tough girl. i’ll be all right. i tie my own sandals and everything.”
i’d like to start this review off by saying i am a huge fan of hercules (the disney movie, of course). i became obsessed with it when i was young and it has been a part of my life ever since.
so, as you can probably imagine, i was overjoyed when i saw this book (there’re never any hercules retellings!) as you can also imagine, because of that, it was incredibly important to me that this was an accurate representation and continuation of the characters and story i love.
fortunately for me, this book did not disappoint! in fact, it did justice to the classic story, and that’s coming from me, the super fan!
let’s start with megara, my all time favorite character. jen calonita did an incredible job portraying and preserving her classic character while also adding backstory to explain her character in hercules and also giving her character development in this new book (the background with her mom and the elaboration on her ex-boyfriend was beyond phenomenal). i so enjoyed meg and hercules’s relationship and how it progressed.
hades was just as sassy, sarcastic, and car-salesman as ever. this story picked up right where the movie left off and included a lot of accurate greek mythology as well. everything was so in-character, it just felt like one continuation of the movie.
jen’s ability to match the feel of the movie we love and also add her own touch to it is unbelievable. i cannot recommend this book enough to hercules fans—you won’t be disappointed!
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
╰┈➤ ”i’m a big, tough girl. i’ll be all right. i tie my own sandals and everything.”
i’d like to start this review off by saying i am a huge fan of hercules (the disney movie, of course). i became obsessed with it when i was young and it has been a part of my life ever since.
so, as you can probably imagine, i was overjoyed when i saw this book (there’re never any hercules retellings!) as you can also imagine, because of that, it was incredibly important to me that this was an accurate representation and continuation of the characters and story i love.
fortunately for me, this book did not disappoint! in fact, it did justice to the classic story, and that’s coming from me, the super fan!
let’s start with megara, my all time favorite character. jen calonita did an incredible job portraying and preserving her classic character while also adding backstory to explain her character in hercules and also giving her character development in this new book (the background with her mom and the elaboration on her ex-boyfriend was beyond phenomenal). i so enjoyed meg and hercules’s relationship and how it progressed.
hades was just as sassy, sarcastic, and car-salesman as ever. this story picked up right where the movie left off and included a lot of accurate greek mythology as well. everything was so in-character, it just felt like one continuation of the movie.
jen’s ability to match the feel of the movie we love and also add her own touch to it is unbelievable. i cannot recommend this book enough to hercules fans—you won’t be disappointed!
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
December 11, 2020
Rating 2 Stars
Thank you NetGalley and Edelweiss for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
Well...that was certainly disappointing. I didn't get my hopes up since Calonita seems notoriously bad at writing retellings from the scathing reviews I've seen of the other twisted tales that she has written. But I'm still bummed because this is fucking Hercules we are talking about. One of my favorite childhood movies with a very underrated heroine (yes it's mainly about Herc but Meg is still a heroine in her own right). This book really did Megara dirty. How? by turning her into a glorified Mary Sue.
We all know Megara. Fearless, sassy, and snarky.
Things are pretty much as bad as it can get for her being basically property to the God of the Underworld Hades all because she tried to save your boyfriend's life who turned out to be a two timer. Let's just say things don't miraculously go her way and she does end up being crushed by a pillar in order to save Herc. Pretty as low as it gets.
YET she did what she had to do and did her best and ends up the girlfriend to a god. Not too shabby.
WARNING SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!!
BUT this version of Meg was an insult to her character. This book was her quest to become a god but everything went right for her. When shit hit the fan she could fix it. She just knew how to do everything from using a boy to playing a flute so well it put Cerebus to sleep. What irked me most of all too was her reckless behavior. Meg is smart not hot headed and quick to make stupid mistakes.
As for the plot it was just weird and all over the place. The gods helping her out was an interesting touch but the conversations felt so stilted and awkward. Just none of it worked and in truth Meg would have mostly died due to these quests she did and would have never made it to Hades but the plot had deus ex machina after deus ex machina to make everything just fall into place for her in the most unrealistic way possible with no smooth transition.
So your probably wondering why this got stars at all. Well...I had to give it some few good points. It was an interesting premise to have Meg become a god and to have this who redemption arc with her cheating boyfriend and her having to be the better woman in an awful situation. I also liked the whole Hades and Persephone storyline was thrown in there since it's one of my favorite storylines in Greek Mythology (thanks to Lore Olympus and the new rogue video game Hades) since for some reason I always liked this version of Hades and it's cute he's got now something to make his dreary immortal existence worthwhile. I'm also glad she did end up a god (even though that's obvious that would happen) and her and Hercules now have a happy ending as immortals together forever. I always have had a sweet spot for happy endings.
Anyway if your a hardcore fan of Hercules I wouldn't give recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley and Edelweiss for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review
Well...that was certainly disappointing. I didn't get my hopes up since Calonita seems notoriously bad at writing retellings from the scathing reviews I've seen of the other twisted tales that she has written. But I'm still bummed because this is fucking Hercules we are talking about. One of my favorite childhood movies with a very underrated heroine (yes it's mainly about Herc but Meg is still a heroine in her own right). This book really did Megara dirty. How? by turning her into a glorified Mary Sue.
We all know Megara. Fearless, sassy, and snarky.
Things are pretty much as bad as it can get for her being basically property to the God of the Underworld Hades all because she tried to save your boyfriend's life who turned out to be a two timer. Let's just say things don't miraculously go her way and she does end up being crushed by a pillar in order to save Herc. Pretty as low as it gets.
YET she did what she had to do and did her best and ends up the girlfriend to a god. Not too shabby.
WARNING SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT!!
BUT this version of Meg was an insult to her character. This book was her quest to become a god but everything went right for her. When shit hit the fan she could fix it. She just knew how to do everything from using a boy to playing a flute so well it put Cerebus to sleep. What irked me most of all too was her reckless behavior. Meg is smart not hot headed and quick to make stupid mistakes.
As for the plot it was just weird and all over the place. The gods helping her out was an interesting touch but the conversations felt so stilted and awkward. Just none of it worked and in truth Meg would have mostly died due to these quests she did and would have never made it to Hades but the plot had deus ex machina after deus ex machina to make everything just fall into place for her in the most unrealistic way possible with no smooth transition.
So your probably wondering why this got stars at all. Well...I had to give it some few good points. It was an interesting premise to have Meg become a god and to have this who redemption arc with her cheating boyfriend and her having to be the better woman in an awful situation. I also liked the whole Hades and Persephone storyline was thrown in there since it's one of my favorite storylines in Greek Mythology (thanks to Lore Olympus and the new rogue video game Hades) since for some reason I always liked this version of Hades and it's cute he's got now something to make his dreary immortal existence worthwhile. I'm also glad she did end up a god (even though that's obvious that would happen) and her and Hercules now have a happy ending as immortals together forever. I always have had a sweet spot for happy endings.
Anyway if your a hardcore fan of Hercules I wouldn't give recommend it.
February 13, 2023
I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.
This is only the second Twisted Tale I’ve read (the other being Reflection, which coincidentally has a somewhat similar storyline) so I can’t rank it in comparison to the others.
This was such a fun read!
I love that the book focused on Meg instead of Hercules. Meg is one of my favorite Disney characters and is so underrated. This book not only gave Meg her own story, but also dove into her past and showed more of her relationship with Hercules that we didn’t see in the movie.
Other characters from the movie are also in the book including Phil, Pegasus, Zeus, and of course Hades. There are also plenty of new characters. I would have liked to have seen a little more of Hercules, but given that this is truly Meg’s story, his lack of presence was justified.
As for the story, I found it entertaining and full of adventure, while also still having a lot of heart.
Lastly, I loved that it is revealed (on page 252) that Meg’s last name is Egan. In case you didn’t know, Egan, is the last name of Meg’s voice actor (Susan Egan).
Overall, if you are a fan of the movie or Meg, I recommend this book!
This is only the second Twisted Tale I’ve read (the other being Reflection, which coincidentally has a somewhat similar storyline) so I can’t rank it in comparison to the others.
This was such a fun read!
I love that the book focused on Meg instead of Hercules. Meg is one of my favorite Disney characters and is so underrated. This book not only gave Meg her own story, but also dove into her past and showed more of her relationship with Hercules that we didn’t see in the movie.
Other characters from the movie are also in the book including Phil, Pegasus, Zeus, and of course Hades. There are also plenty of new characters. I would have liked to have seen a little more of Hercules, but given that this is truly Meg’s story, his lack of presence was justified.
As for the story, I found it entertaining and full of adventure, while also still having a lot of heart.
Lastly, I loved that it is revealed (on page 252) that Meg’s last name is Egan. In case you didn’t know, Egan, is the last name of Meg’s voice actor (Susan Egan).
Overall, if you are a fan of the movie or Meg, I recommend this book!
July 22, 2021
I always love these books as alternatives to the fairytale endings that we've grown up watching and loving! Go The Distance was no exception, one of my favourite Disney films as a child and this book was a great, dark twist!
March 30, 2021
Meg fell for man after trying to betray him then he became a god. What’s a girl to do with that except become a god herself. It’s not that simple but it is so fun.
Meg is strong, honest, independent and nearly fearless in reaching her goals. I loved her strength and her ability to question herself.
This is not the classic hero movie where the guy sweeps in to save the girl. This girl saves the boy, and can stand on her on in a fight. When presented with a quest that would end with her being a god, she grabs it. She doesn’t do it because she can’t live without the wonder boy but because she can do it for herself. Woot Woot ! Girl power activated !
Seriously fun read, excellent characters.
Meg is strong, honest, independent and nearly fearless in reaching her goals. I loved her strength and her ability to question herself.
This is not the classic hero movie where the guy sweeps in to save the girl. This girl saves the boy, and can stand on her on in a fight. When presented with a quest that would end with her being a god, she grabs it. She doesn’t do it because she can’t live without the wonder boy but because she can do it for herself. Woot Woot ! Girl power activated !
Seriously fun read, excellent characters.
February 21, 2021
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.
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.
April 6, 2021
I loved this book so much! Meg is such a great character, and I loved she still had that spark that she had in the movie. Her story is both so beautiful and sad because you know she and her mother were doing the best they could. Like the journey that Hercules had to go on so did Meg, and her story was even more emotional. Also, one of my favorite moments had to be her calling out Zeus in the beginning and doing it in front of everyone. Also the epilogue was so beautiful. And one of the things that shocked me was seeing Persephone and Hades together, was a great moment. Also Meg helping them after everything Hades did to her. Meg was such a great main character and I loved seeing her bond with Phil and Pegasus. And the story of Meg’s life before Hades with her mother, was so emotional and you can see how she became herself. Overall, this book was so enjoyable it reminded me so much of when I was younger and how I would watch this movie every week.
January 23, 2021
A good idea but poor execution.
“Go the Distance” sets Meg off on a quest to prove herself worthy of becoming a god when Zeus refuses to allow Hercules to remain on Earth by her side but the path to paradise is not without some obstacles and a little soul searching might hold the key to surviving it all.
I have to lead with I have never read the Twisted Tales series but I own a few so I was excited to get approved for this book because of how much I loved Hercules.
That being said I was disappointed at the lack of love or at least the willingness to embrace the characters and elevate them for this continuation of their story that I felt throughout the entire book. Most of Meg’s sass, Phil’s chaotic energy and the one liners of Hades are pulled word for word from the movie which would be fine once or twice as a callback but to do it for the entire piece comes off as lazy.
I thought the idea itself to explore Meg’s history was nice but I think the plot itself was fumbled quite a lot especially the sections that brought her back to the underworld, a place she should be well familiar with but suddenly seems like she has little understanding of how it and those who reside within actually work?
I was hoping this was just a weak addition to a strong series as it has gone on for so long but looking at these reviews I’m starting to think it might be on par with what the rest have to offer which is a shame.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
“Go the Distance” sets Meg off on a quest to prove herself worthy of becoming a god when Zeus refuses to allow Hercules to remain on Earth by her side but the path to paradise is not without some obstacles and a little soul searching might hold the key to surviving it all.
I have to lead with I have never read the Twisted Tales series but I own a few so I was excited to get approved for this book because of how much I loved Hercules.
That being said I was disappointed at the lack of love or at least the willingness to embrace the characters and elevate them for this continuation of their story that I felt throughout the entire book. Most of Meg’s sass, Phil’s chaotic energy and the one liners of Hades are pulled word for word from the movie which would be fine once or twice as a callback but to do it for the entire piece comes off as lazy.
I thought the idea itself to explore Meg’s history was nice but I think the plot itself was fumbled quite a lot especially the sections that brought her back to the underworld, a place she should be well familiar with but suddenly seems like she has little understanding of how it and those who reside within actually work?
I was hoping this was just a weak addition to a strong series as it has gone on for so long but looking at these reviews I’m starting to think it might be on par with what the rest have to offer which is a shame.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
April 9, 2021
Ahk, where to begin.
(a) Megara's snarky character was changed into a love sick- Disney princess.
(b) Hera is the big bad of all the Olympians, she and Megara are meant to have a similar personality. Snarky and wickedly intelligent. She was as docile as the lamb with the golden fleece.
(c) Hercules is his father's doormat. He is capable of taking down the Titans and he couldn't even have a proper spare with Zeus- really.
(d) WTF happened with HADES? (and there was hardly anything at all of Panic and Pain. Really Disney, Hades was much better in Descendants 3.
(e) Hades is not the villain, he just got screwed over by his brothers Poseidon and Zeus- holding a grudge is completely logical but no one ever gives him that.
Damn it. DNF...
(a) Megara's snarky character was changed into a love sick- Disney princess.
(b) Hera is the big bad of all the Olympians, she and Megara are meant to have a similar personality. Snarky and wickedly intelligent. She was as docile as the lamb with the golden fleece.
(c) Hercules is his father's doormat. He is capable of taking down the Titans and he couldn't even have a proper spare with Zeus- really.
(d) WTF happened with HADES? (and there was hardly anything at all of Panic and Pain. Really Disney, Hades was much better in Descendants 3.
(e) Hades is not the villain, he just got screwed over by his brothers Poseidon and Zeus- holding a grudge is completely logical but no one ever gives him that.
Damn it. DNF...
January 26, 2023
3.40
The only thing that truly bothered me about this book was how the author addressed all the goddesses as gods. Does being addressed by a female pronoun make them less powerful? They’re less powerful because they’re goddesses and not gods? That’s indirectly discriminating against females and it really truly bothered me.
It’s like a book addressing super wealthy females as he and not she because then they’ll sound more authoritative. Why can’t girls be worthy of respect and power just as they are? Why do we need to take on masculine traits or pronouns in order to be worthy of respect? That’s trash can bonfire.
The only thing that truly bothered me about this book was how the author addressed all the goddesses as gods. Does being addressed by a female pronoun make them less powerful? They’re less powerful because they’re goddesses and not gods? That’s indirectly discriminating against females and it really truly bothered me.
It’s like a book addressing super wealthy females as he and not she because then they’ll sound more authoritative. Why can’t girls be worthy of respect and power just as they are? Why do we need to take on masculine traits or pronouns in order to be worthy of respect? That’s trash can bonfire.
January 20, 2022
*Hides from Disney fans*
Okay, yep, minority opinion here: this was middle-grade in style and quality and not in the good way. And a lot of time has passed since I saw this actual movie, so I felt dialogue and things were way too corny. I started audio and had to switch to kindle to skim to the end. Hades/Persephone was the best part. The cover's neat too. (For adult, high-quality characterization of the Greek pantheon and a very good and fierce Meg, I recommend the game Hades, which probably prejudiced me against this story 😂).
Okay, yep, minority opinion here: this was middle-grade in style and quality and not in the good way. And a lot of time has passed since I saw this actual movie, so I felt dialogue and things were way too corny. I started audio and had to switch to kindle to skim to the end. Hades/Persephone was the best part. The cover's neat too. (For adult, high-quality characterization of the Greek pantheon and a very good and fierce Meg, I recommend the game Hades, which probably prejudiced me against this story 😂).
April 11, 2021
Watch my reading vlog and review for this book on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHr1Hwkim0U
3.5 stars
This was such a fun story! I dove into this book with pretty low expectations, as I haven't had the best of luck with Jen Calonita's books in this series so far. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.
I loved the fact that she stayed close to the Disney story. The characters felt the same as they did in the Hercules movie, even though the story was completely different. I also loved following Meg as our protagonist. I always thought her potential was fully exploited in Hercules, so I was glad to read a story from her perspective.
I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but I still had a great reading experience overall. I think fans of the Twisted Tale series will enjoy this one!
3.5 stars
This was such a fun story! I dove into this book with pretty low expectations, as I haven't had the best of luck with Jen Calonita's books in this series so far. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.
I loved the fact that she stayed close to the Disney story. The characters felt the same as they did in the Hercules movie, even though the story was completely different. I also loved following Meg as our protagonist. I always thought her potential was fully exploited in Hercules, so I was glad to read a story from her perspective.
I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but I still had a great reading experience overall. I think fans of the Twisted Tale series will enjoy this one!
April 27, 2021
Wow, what a fun book to read! Such a fast pace and fun adventure book and I think this will get u out of a slump if u are feeling a reading slump....
So in this 11th installment of the twisted tales novel disney have deiced to take a twist of my favorite Disney movie and that is Hurcles! I loved that instead of hurcles pov its from Meg's pov who's Hurcles girlfriend. So if u look at the tag line on the cover it says: "What if meg had to become a greek god?" And so that is excatly what is install in this book. If u are a reader who like greek mothology u would love this adventure quest novel...
So in this 11th installment of the twisted tales novel disney have deiced to take a twist of my favorite Disney movie and that is Hurcles! I loved that instead of hurcles pov its from Meg's pov who's Hurcles girlfriend. So if u look at the tag line on the cover it says: "What if meg had to become a greek god?" And so that is excatly what is install in this book. If u are a reader who like greek mothology u would love this adventure quest novel...
July 22, 2022
Me ha encantado esta novela. Es como el tan esperado "que pasó después" del final de la película de Disney Hercules. Conocemos más en profundidad a Meg, su pasado, su familia, su pacto con Hades...Además le añadimos algo más de veracidad sobre la forma de ser de los dioses griegos como sus infidelidades, amoríos, etc. Lo recomiendo muchísimo a los fans de la adaptación.
March 13, 2021
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.
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.
May 19, 2021
I shouldn't have raised my expectations since I generally tend to be bored with Greek Mythology but Hercules is one of my favorite Disney movies so I was really excited for the twisted tale
In This book we will follow Meg, in her quest to be a God by completing a quest in 10 days .. what's her quest ? it's returning the soul of the wife of her ex boyfriend to the land of living, so she must face her past and confront her greatest flaw, not believing in the power of love and only trusting herself like her mom taught her ..
the story was fast paced and fairly nice, but I don't remember Meg was this annoying in the books, she was supposed to be ready for love but for some reason she wasn't and she was snappy and her humor was really lost on me because I felt that the writer wanted to make her a vulnerable but she was stuck with the character from the movie .. it was really confusing see her think something then act something else, and I didn't see any character development in her .. it reminded me alot of "Moana" and I didn't like that movie either
In This book we will follow Meg, in her quest to be a God by completing a quest in 10 days .. what's her quest ? it's returning the soul of the wife of her ex boyfriend to the land of living, so she must face her past and confront her greatest flaw, not believing in the power of love and only trusting herself like her mom taught her ..
the story was fast paced and fairly nice, but I don't remember Meg was this annoying in the books, she was supposed to be ready for love but for some reason she wasn't and she was snappy and her humor was really lost on me because I felt that the writer wanted to make her a vulnerable but she was stuck with the character from the movie .. it was really confusing see her think something then act something else, and I didn't see any character development in her .. it reminded me alot of "Moana" and I didn't like that movie either
May 31, 2021
This is the first twisted tale I have been able to read and I have to say, if all of them are like this, I am pretty sure I will absolutely love them! This story followed Megora and if she had to become a greek God instead of Hecules staying with her in Earth. I loved learning more about Meg's backstory and her struggle with love and relationships. The messages that Meg and others learned in this story are so true to the Disney way of things and I absolutely loved it. Can't wait to read more indepth stories of some of my fave characters. Oh and even if it's not, I am counting all of them as canon!
March 25, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Books for an e-ARC of this book! This was definitely aimed towards younger audiences I think and it wasn’t what I was expecting. I think it definitely tries to pick up the tone of the movie as it picks up right at the end but I’m not sure it necessarily translated. I would have loved to seen a darker twist on Meg’s history and how she was coping but nonetheless, I still enjoyed reading this and loved seeing her work through some deeper trauma to fight for her own happy ending. If you’ve liked the other Twisted Tales books, you’ll like this one!
July 10, 2022
Me ha encantado la historia. Debo reconocer que al principio me preocupaba lo que pudiese salir de la historia porque he leído el de Frozen, que esta misma autora escribió para esta saga de libros, y no me gustó nada. Así que no quería ni pensar que se volviese a repetir, pero ha sido toda una sorpresa.
Lo he leído en un solo día y es que la historia engancha a más no poder.
Lo he leído en un solo día y es que la historia engancha a más no poder.
April 6, 2021
A huge thank-you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for this e-arc of Go the Distance by Jen Calonita.
"I need to see you understand love is a strength, not a weakness. That putting your trust in someone you love doesn't mean you can't stand on your own two feet. It means you know how to share responsibility and accept help when it is needed... I want to see you know how to be vulnerable, Megara. And understand that love means opening your heart even if the story doesn't always end the way you want it to."
Over the past few years, I've read several of these Twisted Tale stories, but none of them have stood out to me quite like Go the Distance. From the moment it began, I was sucked into the tale and wondered what would happen next. I assumed it would be childish, simple, and end with a way-to-predictable HEA (happily ever after). Instead, I was taken on a wild, emotional journey.
I'll admit, I didn't grow up watching Hercules the way some kids did. I've seen it, sure, but it doesn't hold a space in my heart as much as other Disney animated films. However, I always admired Meg. She was bold and feisty and I loved her charisma and determination, even in the face of danger. She knew how to put "Wonder Boy" in his place and stand her ground. I think that's why a lot of people admire her. After reading this book, there's only respect in my mind for this strong female character.
In order to stay with Herc forever, Hera sends Megara on a quest to become a god. As is expected, the quest isn't something easy. In fact, it requires Meg to face her past and save the woman her ex abandoned her for... from the Underworld. Back to Hades' domain, Meg goes (and didn't she just manage to escape?), and she has more to unravel than just the emotions tied to her previous romance.
There were some stand-out moments throughout this quest. Times where Meg could have (maybe should have) given up and chosen to remain human. There were times where she made mistakes that were oh-so relatable due to her swirling thoughts and unsure feelings. I highlighted so many quotes in my Kindle as I read and even felt as though Megara became somewhat like a friend. This surprised me greatly since I was going into this assuming it would have an almost middle-grade feel to it, as some of the other Twisted Tales had. I closed the book feeling as though I had actually learned something from it.
My greatest desire after finishing this novel? That they'd turn this book into a movie. I would absolutely watch Meg's story on the big screen!
"I need to see you understand love is a strength, not a weakness. That putting your trust in someone you love doesn't mean you can't stand on your own two feet. It means you know how to share responsibility and accept help when it is needed... I want to see you know how to be vulnerable, Megara. And understand that love means opening your heart even if the story doesn't always end the way you want it to."
Over the past few years, I've read several of these Twisted Tale stories, but none of them have stood out to me quite like Go the Distance. From the moment it began, I was sucked into the tale and wondered what would happen next. I assumed it would be childish, simple, and end with a way-to-predictable HEA (happily ever after). Instead, I was taken on a wild, emotional journey.
I'll admit, I didn't grow up watching Hercules the way some kids did. I've seen it, sure, but it doesn't hold a space in my heart as much as other Disney animated films. However, I always admired Meg. She was bold and feisty and I loved her charisma and determination, even in the face of danger. She knew how to put "Wonder Boy" in his place and stand her ground. I think that's why a lot of people admire her. After reading this book, there's only respect in my mind for this strong female character.
In order to stay with Herc forever, Hera sends Megara on a quest to become a god. As is expected, the quest isn't something easy. In fact, it requires Meg to face her past and save the woman her ex abandoned her for... from the Underworld. Back to Hades' domain, Meg goes (and didn't she just manage to escape?), and she has more to unravel than just the emotions tied to her previous romance.
There were some stand-out moments throughout this quest. Times where Meg could have (maybe should have) given up and chosen to remain human. There were times where she made mistakes that were oh-so relatable due to her swirling thoughts and unsure feelings. I highlighted so many quotes in my Kindle as I read and even felt as though Megara became somewhat like a friend. This surprised me greatly since I was going into this assuming it would have an almost middle-grade feel to it, as some of the other Twisted Tales had. I closed the book feeling as though I had actually learned something from it.
My greatest desire after finishing this novel? That they'd turn this book into a movie. I would absolutely watch Meg's story on the big screen!
January 17, 2024
I absolutely loved the premise of this book! As I was reading, I could picture all the scenes happening like they were apart of Disney’s Hercules. Hercules is one of my favorite Disney movies and I always thought that we never got enough about Meg. I’m so glad that this book focuses on Meg and how she ended up working for Hades. And the inclusion of the flute was wholesome. I think the author did Meg’s story justice.
I also loved that Meg got her own hero’s journey. I’ve always felt that Meg was depicted as one of the more independent Disney “princesses” (is she considered a princess? idk), but this story shows that even more. Her journey does a great job of showing how a hero doesn’t just have to be someone who is physically though, but mentally as well. She goes through such great character development.
The other part of this book that I loved was the anecdotes of Hercules and Meg’s time together. In the movie we get montages of them ‘dating’ but this book gives us some more detailed moments. Another thing that was missing from the original movie was any mention of the Hades and Persephone story, so I’m very glad that we got a bit of that at the end.
I really hope this book gets turned into a movie adaption sequel because it was such a fun story!
I also loved that Meg got her own hero’s journey. I’ve always felt that Meg was depicted as one of the more independent Disney “princesses” (is she considered a princess? idk), but this story shows that even more. Her journey does a great job of showing how a hero doesn’t just have to be someone who is physically though, but mentally as well. She goes through such great character development.
The other part of this book that I loved was the anecdotes of Hercules and Meg’s time together. In the movie we get montages of them ‘dating’ but this book gives us some more detailed moments. Another thing that was missing from the original movie was any mention of the Hades and Persephone story, so I’m very glad that we got a bit of that at the end.
I really hope this book gets turned into a movie adaption sequel because it was such a fun story!
March 12, 2021
Hercules was one of my favorite movies as a kid. To be honest, most Disney movies were my favorite as a kid. But I did sing “Go the Distance” for an audition when I was sixteen, so it’s safe to say that the film has always held a special place in my heart. So it should really come as no surprise that I was instantly intrigued by the newest inclusion to Disney’s A Twisted Tale collection. If you haven’t heard of the A Twisted Tale anthology series, it is a collection of "what-if" spin-offs based on your favorite Disney films, and Go the Distance gives readers a chance to explore a scenario where Megara goes on a quest to become a goddess.
Read my full review AND interview with Jen Calonita here: https://yourmoneygeek.com/go-the-dist...
One of the highlights of Go the Distance is that so much of the book is centered around female friendships. Megara is assisted by Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite; Megara is sent on a quest to rescue Katerina from the Underworld; the Underworld has a new (and exciting!) goddess on the scene; Megara faces the grief of losing her mother as a child. Female characters are the central force that propels the story forward. I loved that Calonita ensured that Megara’s decision to pursue becoming a goddess wasn’t solely bound to her desire to be with Hercules, but because she was worthy of becoming a goddess by her own merits.
Megara’s quest was just as fun to read, as Hercules’ quest was fun to watch. She is given the opportunity to succeed, to fail, to lean on the assistance of others, to face destiny on her own, and essentially forge her own path into the halls of Mt. Olympus. Every page brings with it new delights, and because of that, this book is 100% a page-turner. I read through it in an afternoon and I was mightly disappointed when I reached the last pages of Megara’s journey.
There is so much about this book that I would love to see expanded on at some point in the future. Calonita has such a fun and light way of writing that is easy to read and engage with. With so many iconic characters to play with, she managed to keep each and every one of Hercules’ characters perfectly in-character and I could hear their voices as I read.
Go the Distance is a Young Adult book that is perfect for the young adult or an adult like myself who loves reading new tales about their favorite Disney characters. The whole A Twisted Tale collection is a must-read, but I have a particular soft spot for Jen Calonita’s twisted tales.
Read my full review AND interview with Jen Calonita here: https://yourmoneygeek.com/go-the-dist...
One of the highlights of Go the Distance is that so much of the book is centered around female friendships. Megara is assisted by Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite; Megara is sent on a quest to rescue Katerina from the Underworld; the Underworld has a new (and exciting!) goddess on the scene; Megara faces the grief of losing her mother as a child. Female characters are the central force that propels the story forward. I loved that Calonita ensured that Megara’s decision to pursue becoming a goddess wasn’t solely bound to her desire to be with Hercules, but because she was worthy of becoming a goddess by her own merits.
Megara’s quest was just as fun to read, as Hercules’ quest was fun to watch. She is given the opportunity to succeed, to fail, to lean on the assistance of others, to face destiny on her own, and essentially forge her own path into the halls of Mt. Olympus. Every page brings with it new delights, and because of that, this book is 100% a page-turner. I read through it in an afternoon and I was mightly disappointed when I reached the last pages of Megara’s journey.
There is so much about this book that I would love to see expanded on at some point in the future. Calonita has such a fun and light way of writing that is easy to read and engage with. With so many iconic characters to play with, she managed to keep each and every one of Hercules’ characters perfectly in-character and I could hear their voices as I read.
Go the Distance is a Young Adult book that is perfect for the young adult or an adult like myself who loves reading new tales about their favorite Disney characters. The whole A Twisted Tale collection is a must-read, but I have a particular soft spot for Jen Calonita’s twisted tales.
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