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Once Upon A Time #5
Regina Rising
Sixteen-year-old Regina is very different from the Regina known by fans of ABC's "Once Upon a Time." She seeks romance, adventure, and approval. Of course, getting approval from a mother like Cora is next to impossible. For Regina, friendships have always been a rare commodity. Could it be that Regina has finally found a true friend? Or is it too good to be true? As Regina struggles to find her own identity and create her own destiny, she discovers that her fate might just be to become everything she despises.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2017
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July 9, 2017I started this book hoping for some back story. When Regina carved R&J into a tree I stopped.
Any fan of the show knows Daniel was Regina's first true love.
If the author, editor and publisher can't be bothered to get that simple fact correct. Then they don't get my time.
Any fan of the show knows Daniel was Regina's first true love.
If the author, editor and publisher can't be bothered to get that simple fact correct. Then they don't get my time.
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January 22, 2021I always knew cora was ✨abusive✨ but this one was on another level
June 21, 2022
I haven't seen the show, but after reading this I think I kinda have to.
Highly interesting, but me thinks it would be so much more vivid in film.
Highly interesting, but me thinks it would be so much more vivid in film.
May 9, 2017
I'm a huge Oncer, though a highly critical one. Regina and Cora's relationship has always been my absolute favorite. When I saw this book came out I refused to entertain it, but gradually decided maybe I'd read it just to see how badly it ruined my favorite relationship. I've seen one too many horrible representations of Cora in fanfic to make me doubtful. However, I was happily surprised by this, to the point where I read the entire thing in one sitting. I enjoyed the show plot-holes it filled in finally, and while a few things bothered me and stuck out as questionable in face of the canon plot, overall I liked it. I was very happy to find that the relationship I love so much between Cora and Regina was intact, that Cora's complex nature of tenderness and cruelty was honored, and Regina's sass was never forgotten.
March 20, 2021
"Once Upon A Time: Regina Rising" by Wendy Toliver was one of the best books that I have ever read. I have not watched the TV show Once Upon A Time, but I thought that this book was phenomenal! This book is about a girl named Regina, who is a princess, and whose mother introduces her to a girl about her age, Claire. These two girls become best friends, and throughout the book, Claire helps Regina try and find who she truly is, and make her own destiny.This book contains many characters from different fairy tales, for example, Regina's mother Cora is very similar to the evil queen in "Snow White". Also, the old evil lady in the forest who eats children is similar to the lady from the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel". There is also a part of the book that Regina meets another character, and it is kind of like in "Cinderella", when Cinderella and the Prince meet outside the ball. Lastly, there is an apple that is poisonous, just like the one in "Snow White", but surprisingly, the "Evil Queen" does not want it. I rated this book 5/5 stars, because I couldn't stop reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales/the TV Series "Once Upon A Time". This book is truly a book to enjoy. I got this book at the Booktrader in Hamilton, New Jersey, which sells terrific second hand books, so please, go there if you would like to buy amazing books, because it has just about every book that every existed! Also, the people who work there are very nice to be around, and help with everything!
September 12, 2017
I love the tv show and love the writers slant on things very cool ^_^ <3
June 7, 2017
-POTENTIAL SPOILERS-
I was so excited when I heard about this book! I loved reading the book about Red/Ruby last year, but Regina is one of the main characters! There's a lot of potential to expand on her backstory, and this book did a good job of that.
It did have a very fan-fiction-like feel to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Once Upon a Time as a show seems very fanfiction-esque. I liked the character of Clare and found her to be a very good friend for Regina, although I did predict the ending result of her story fairly early on. When you've seen as much of the show as I have, you tend to guess things like that.
Regina's mother, Cora, didn't have as much of a role as I originally anticipated. Her presence wasn't even felt for a majority of the novel, which disappointed me.
I liked the cameos from little Snow White and her nanny, Johanna; they were in character and nicely fit into the story.
I really liked this peek into Regina's teenage years and how it would ultimately shape her into the woman we see in the show. Part of me knows this is likely an AU, or a different interpretation of her backstory, which is fine, but I really hope this gets mentioned in the series at some point! I'd love to see Claire as a character.
I was so excited when I heard about this book! I loved reading the book about Red/Ruby last year, but Regina is one of the main characters! There's a lot of potential to expand on her backstory, and this book did a good job of that.
It did have a very fan-fiction-like feel to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Once Upon a Time as a show seems very fanfiction-esque. I liked the character of Clare and found her to be a very good friend for Regina, although I did predict the ending result of her story fairly early on. When you've seen as much of the show as I have, you tend to guess things like that.
Regina's mother, Cora, didn't have as much of a role as I originally anticipated. Her presence wasn't even felt for a majority of the novel, which disappointed me.
I liked the cameos from little Snow White and her nanny, Johanna; they were in character and nicely fit into the story.
I really liked this peek into Regina's teenage years and how it would ultimately shape her into the woman we see in the show. Part of me knows this is likely an AU, or a different interpretation of her backstory, which is fine, but I really hope this gets mentioned in the series at some point! I'd love to see Claire as a character.
July 1, 2017
I loved the idea of having a glimpse to 16yo Regina, but it felt short. However, this Regina was just meh, and the story was almost as farfetched as the whole show after S3.
It felt like a normal, non-transcendent fanfiction anyone could've written, not like an official book that is supposed to delve into the characters we love.
The ending seems rather lacking, I finished it and was kind of expecting a link to read the rest.
Overall, pretty disappointed.
It felt like a normal, non-transcendent fanfiction anyone could've written, not like an official book that is supposed to delve into the characters we love.
The ending seems rather lacking, I finished it and was kind of expecting a link to read the rest.
Overall, pretty disappointed.
February 7, 2023
daaaaaaamnnnn regina! we’re so used to books being brought to screens, but it’s always strange to read books based off the screen. but i LOVED this. i love regina and i missed ouat so much. cora made regina evil goodbye
December 31, 2016
I was given a ARC at NCTE. Ok, I'm a super-fan of the TV series "Once Upon A Time" so I was excited to read this book which chronicles an early experience of Regina, who would become the evil queen then transform into a heroine (watch the show). I thought the author did a great job capturing Regina's earlier self, it ends surprisingly sinister and was an insightful read into the woman she woul become. It might not have the same impact if you are unfamiliar with the show.
September 27, 2021
good book loved it
September 8, 2023
Regina Rising
Plot: (IN THE PAST) Young Regina is becoming quite the horsewoman. During an accident on her horse, she takes a fall giving her a scar above her upper lip. Cora disgusted in the flaw in the future Queen uses magic to cover it up. Regina also becomes attracted to the family painter (Jasper B Holding). (IN THE PRESENT) Cora grants a young lady about Regina's age (Claire) the chance to get to know her Uncle (Giles) better and in return rescues her from being a tavern girl. Because she knows what it's like being a former tavern girl herself. Claire and Regina become fast besties. But there's something different about Claire. Why does Cora the Queen of Hearts.. (rather the Queen of TAKING hearts) seem so agreeable to everything she says or does? She's never been quite that nice to Regina. Could it be Cora really is acting on someone else’s behalf without selfish motives? Regina and Claire bond over shared time learning magic (which Claire's discovered to have) and adventures (such as a dangerous encounter with the Blind Witch and escaping an undesirable suitor at King Leopold and Princess Eva's ball. In doing so encountering Princess Snow). Meanwhile, Regina's determination to escape the controlling ways of Cora are sparked after a comment from the Princess. And even more so when her mother fires Jasper after she walks in on "inappropriate" touches between Regina and Jasper during a lesson. Regina seeks the Blue Fairy to find her flame and afterward discovers a horrible truth about her new friend.
MY THOUGHTS: Now.. What too make of these "bonus" books? They add extra details but they do and don't quite fit into the television season. Here's how they do. If you wanted to squeeze this in after the events of Regina and Selena's meeting as kids (the youngest we see Regina) and before the events of The Stable Boy you could easily. She's about sixteen in this story. She's what? I'll guess 21 or younger when she marries Leopald. I like that she was given a friend here. In OUAT we were only given one friend for Regina (Maleficent). Later on as the season's progressed the citizens of Storeybrooke came to trust her, but it took them the LONGEST time to even accept her. Even when she did good. They just didn't want to let the Evil Queen thing go. Lots of times we even saw when the others were celebrating a victory she'd be on the outside (of Grammy's). Or if she was invited it was awkward and no one really spoke to her. And I hated in this that it ended up like it did with Claire betraying Regina, And AGAIN she loses someone she loves. Does this lady EVER get a break? As I was thinking about it, something kind of nagged at my brain. I think in one of the episodes (I may be wrong about this) but I slightly remember Regina mention having a friend a long time ago. It was at the celebration where David comes home and then leaves to find Mary Margret. It was one of those comments that just goes by and you don't think anything of it. But if this is cannon, could the friend have been Claire? However when you look at the wiki while some of the books are included in the summaries of the characters some aren't. This one isn't. What doesn't make it sync quite right is in OUAT we know Rumple is the one that introduces Regina to magik. And with the way this ended that could still possibly fit. I was worried that Claire would be the one to do it throwing off everything the show made clear. What I wanted to see was REGINA take the forgetting potion and not give it to Prince Benjamin. Had she done that it would have fit even more. She would have had no memories of her first attempts at magic. This hints at that she's already displayed some magic. So did Cora give Claire some magic? How did the frog get knocked off? Did he just jump? If so how did Regina undo the sash in her mother's office? Was that Cora's magic too? NO I think Regina DID actually do some small displays of magic here out of anger. Claire out of fear of Cora just didn't want to tell her. And then she probably feared she'd (Regina) use it on her because she did tell her one day she would be a force to be reckoned with. So making her take the potion would have made TOTAL sense. But then how many times I guess can her memories be wiped? As they've already been wiped to forget she had a sister. Another reason why it would have made sense is the ending didn't make ANY. If Claire's already been given her heart back (from Cora) what in the hell would make her willing marry Prince Benjamin (who sounds like the grossest excuse for a man I've ever heard)? And we all know what that woman running out of his bedroom *REALLY* wanted. And it sure wasn't what he had to offer between the covers. She makes him forget that he's attracted to her (Regina) and that he has a fiancée (Claire). Then she writes Claire a note that says she's going to marry him and this is a early present. If I was Claire I'd just leave. This would have made more sense if Claire was still being controlled. (Not a good ending). But it does show a tiny spark of the vengeance and darkness in Regina to come. I felt horrible for Regina because having a controlling mother is something I know about all to well. Regina has had the roughest journey possibly of the all the characters on the show. All thought out this book she's abused mentally and physically by Cora. Cementing she had EVERY reason to turn to the dark side in future episodes to come after this. If ever there was a character you could look at and say I UNDERSTAND it's this one. But then reading these books will make you go back to their histories. I went back to Cora's and re-read her back story to refresh my memory (she and Regina were given some of the richest and longest detailed backgrounds pages and pages). I had to keep reminding myself why Cora was the way she was. Cora didn't have a heart. She removed it so she wouldn't make the choice of choosing love over power. Cause we all know love can hurt like a mutha sucka. Although how Rumple got as many women to love him as he did I'll never understand. It rubbed me the wrong way a little bit when the point KEPT being brought up that she's being abusive because she wants to protect Regina. That is NEVER an excuse! But then again she's literally heartless. I thought one of the most beautiful scenes of the show was when Cora's dying and she tells Regina "You would have been enough." And she finally sees that loving her daughter wouldn't have made her weak. But then again you wonder how well this fits into anything because there's a part in this were Cora does show Regina she listens to her and loves her. On the way home from a play Regina sees some kids ice-skating and tells her mom she wants to go ice-skating. Even though Regina doesn't have her skates she has the carriage stopped and goes over to the kids offering to buy their skates. Later when they refuse to give their skates up (showing how dumb they are because with the money she offered they could have bought better skates) she cracks the ice and nearly droans them. This shows that even if she doesn't have her actual heart she has some kind of loving emotions towards Regina. Something regrettably we only see once in the story. I also liked Henry in this. I LOVE HENRY! (Regina's father as we haven't gotten to the other Henry quite yet) Interestingly in this Regina wonders what kind of mother she'll be. Father Henry just seems so kind and gentle. Cora's exact opposite! Henry's love for Regina in this story and in the show is always so touching. He gives her a speech about how proud he is of her when she decides to keep (get back) her scar from the Blue Fairy. And let's talk about that. In the show I thought the scar above Regina's lip was caused by Snow in the episode when she decides to stand up to her because she's tired of watching Regina harass the villagers. Here Regina's scar is from a horse accident when she's younger. Book and show not syncing! Also if Regina and Claire had previously snuck into Snow's bedroom when Regina rescues Snow from the runaway horse wouldn't she have been like "Hey! Your thief. I know you." In the show we're made to belief the horse incident is Snow's and Regina's first time meeting. And then it makes a mistake of telling us Regina's been to a ball (her first one) two years later but then Cora tells her she did good for her FIRST ball. And come to think of it Regina in this dances with Benjamin. Didn't in the show when they were about to go to the ball in Camelot, she told them she'd never danced before so David had to give her a lesson? That's why these books and the show don't tend to listen to one another. Or rather the books don't tend to listen to the show. We also get a little more of the Blind Witch who other than the episode about Hansel and Gretel and her time in the Underworld we didn't see nearly enough of. And I had NO IDEA she had magik. Since when? Did I completely miss this? Other than the ending (which just wasn't understandable) I enjoyed it. Regina has always been my favorite character and I LOVE how Miss Lana Parila portrays her on screen. Anything extra we can get about this amazing character is A GOOD THING!
RATING: 81/2
Plot: (IN THE PAST) Young Regina is becoming quite the horsewoman. During an accident on her horse, she takes a fall giving her a scar above her upper lip. Cora disgusted in the flaw in the future Queen uses magic to cover it up. Regina also becomes attracted to the family painter (Jasper B Holding). (IN THE PRESENT) Cora grants a young lady about Regina's age (Claire) the chance to get to know her Uncle (Giles) better and in return rescues her from being a tavern girl. Because she knows what it's like being a former tavern girl herself. Claire and Regina become fast besties. But there's something different about Claire. Why does Cora the Queen of Hearts.. (rather the Queen of TAKING hearts) seem so agreeable to everything she says or does? She's never been quite that nice to Regina. Could it be Cora really is acting on someone else’s behalf without selfish motives? Regina and Claire bond over shared time learning magic (which Claire's discovered to have) and adventures (such as a dangerous encounter with the Blind Witch and escaping an undesirable suitor at King Leopold and Princess Eva's ball. In doing so encountering Princess Snow). Meanwhile, Regina's determination to escape the controlling ways of Cora are sparked after a comment from the Princess. And even more so when her mother fires Jasper after she walks in on "inappropriate" touches between Regina and Jasper during a lesson. Regina seeks the Blue Fairy to find her flame and afterward discovers a horrible truth about her new friend.
MY THOUGHTS: Now.. What too make of these "bonus" books? They add extra details but they do and don't quite fit into the television season. Here's how they do. If you wanted to squeeze this in after the events of Regina and Selena's meeting as kids (the youngest we see Regina) and before the events of The Stable Boy you could easily. She's about sixteen in this story. She's what? I'll guess 21 or younger when she marries Leopald. I like that she was given a friend here. In OUAT we were only given one friend for Regina (Maleficent). Later on as the season's progressed the citizens of Storeybrooke came to trust her, but it took them the LONGEST time to even accept her. Even when she did good. They just didn't want to let the Evil Queen thing go. Lots of times we even saw when the others were celebrating a victory she'd be on the outside (of Grammy's). Or if she was invited it was awkward and no one really spoke to her. And I hated in this that it ended up like it did with Claire betraying Regina, And AGAIN she loses someone she loves. Does this lady EVER get a break? As I was thinking about it, something kind of nagged at my brain. I think in one of the episodes (I may be wrong about this) but I slightly remember Regina mention having a friend a long time ago. It was at the celebration where David comes home and then leaves to find Mary Margret. It was one of those comments that just goes by and you don't think anything of it. But if this is cannon, could the friend have been Claire? However when you look at the wiki while some of the books are included in the summaries of the characters some aren't. This one isn't. What doesn't make it sync quite right is in OUAT we know Rumple is the one that introduces Regina to magik. And with the way this ended that could still possibly fit. I was worried that Claire would be the one to do it throwing off everything the show made clear. What I wanted to see was REGINA take the forgetting potion and not give it to Prince Benjamin. Had she done that it would have fit even more. She would have had no memories of her first attempts at magic. This hints at that she's already displayed some magic. So did Cora give Claire some magic? How did the frog get knocked off? Did he just jump? If so how did Regina undo the sash in her mother's office? Was that Cora's magic too? NO I think Regina DID actually do some small displays of magic here out of anger. Claire out of fear of Cora just didn't want to tell her. And then she probably feared she'd (Regina) use it on her because she did tell her one day she would be a force to be reckoned with. So making her take the potion would have made TOTAL sense. But then how many times I guess can her memories be wiped? As they've already been wiped to forget she had a sister. Another reason why it would have made sense is the ending didn't make ANY. If Claire's already been given her heart back (from Cora) what in the hell would make her willing marry Prince Benjamin (who sounds like the grossest excuse for a man I've ever heard)? And we all know what that woman running out of his bedroom *REALLY* wanted. And it sure wasn't what he had to offer between the covers. She makes him forget that he's attracted to her (Regina) and that he has a fiancée (Claire). Then she writes Claire a note that says she's going to marry him and this is a early present. If I was Claire I'd just leave. This would have made more sense if Claire was still being controlled. (Not a good ending). But it does show a tiny spark of the vengeance and darkness in Regina to come. I felt horrible for Regina because having a controlling mother is something I know about all to well. Regina has had the roughest journey possibly of the all the characters on the show. All thought out this book she's abused mentally and physically by Cora. Cementing she had EVERY reason to turn to the dark side in future episodes to come after this. If ever there was a character you could look at and say I UNDERSTAND it's this one. But then reading these books will make you go back to their histories. I went back to Cora's and re-read her back story to refresh my memory (she and Regina were given some of the richest and longest detailed backgrounds pages and pages). I had to keep reminding myself why Cora was the way she was. Cora didn't have a heart. She removed it so she wouldn't make the choice of choosing love over power. Cause we all know love can hurt like a mutha sucka. Although how Rumple got as many women to love him as he did I'll never understand. It rubbed me the wrong way a little bit when the point KEPT being brought up that she's being abusive because she wants to protect Regina. That is NEVER an excuse! But then again she's literally heartless. I thought one of the most beautiful scenes of the show was when Cora's dying and she tells Regina "You would have been enough." And she finally sees that loving her daughter wouldn't have made her weak. But then again you wonder how well this fits into anything because there's a part in this were Cora does show Regina she listens to her and loves her. On the way home from a play Regina sees some kids ice-skating and tells her mom she wants to go ice-skating. Even though Regina doesn't have her skates she has the carriage stopped and goes over to the kids offering to buy their skates. Later when they refuse to give their skates up (showing how dumb they are because with the money she offered they could have bought better skates) she cracks the ice and nearly droans them. This shows that even if she doesn't have her actual heart she has some kind of loving emotions towards Regina. Something regrettably we only see once in the story. I also liked Henry in this. I LOVE HENRY! (Regina's father as we haven't gotten to the other Henry quite yet) Interestingly in this Regina wonders what kind of mother she'll be. Father Henry just seems so kind and gentle. Cora's exact opposite! Henry's love for Regina in this story and in the show is always so touching. He gives her a speech about how proud he is of her when she decides to keep (get back) her scar from the Blue Fairy. And let's talk about that. In the show I thought the scar above Regina's lip was caused by Snow in the episode when she decides to stand up to her because she's tired of watching Regina harass the villagers. Here Regina's scar is from a horse accident when she's younger. Book and show not syncing! Also if Regina and Claire had previously snuck into Snow's bedroom when Regina rescues Snow from the runaway horse wouldn't she have been like "Hey! Your thief. I know you." In the show we're made to belief the horse incident is Snow's and Regina's first time meeting. And then it makes a mistake of telling us Regina's been to a ball (her first one) two years later but then Cora tells her she did good for her FIRST ball. And come to think of it Regina in this dances with Benjamin. Didn't in the show when they were about to go to the ball in Camelot, she told them she'd never danced before so David had to give her a lesson? That's why these books and the show don't tend to listen to one another. Or rather the books don't tend to listen to the show. We also get a little more of the Blind Witch who other than the episode about Hansel and Gretel and her time in the Underworld we didn't see nearly enough of. And I had NO IDEA she had magik. Since when? Did I completely miss this? Other than the ending (which just wasn't understandable) I enjoyed it. Regina has always been my favorite character and I LOVE how Miss Lana Parila portrays her on screen. Anything extra we can get about this amazing character is A GOOD THING!
RATING: 81/2
September 12, 2020
This is the story of a young Regina before she becomes the evil queen. Based on the hit tv show Once Upon a Time I was very delighted to learn of this book. For me, the duelistic, back and forth relationship between the evil queen and Snow White was one of the most engaging aspects of the show, and the character of young Regina was one of the great what ifs of the show, for she starts out as a heroic character filled with all sorts of promise...of course, after what Snow did, it all changes. I remember the scene from the show when she finds out what Snow did and there is just this look of absolute horror on her face as her soul dies...or so it seemed...anyway, I depress, but the point is, I was very excited to learn that this story existed. Overall, it’s enjoyable, and it is obvious that the writer knew the characters as presented by the show well. However, the author makes certain decisions with the story that twist things about a bit. Teasingly, she presents a hint of darkness and hesitance in the young heroine Regina, hints of what is to come. Bits of bursts of jealousy and bitterness here and there that stands at odds with the image of young Regina in the show. While it does fit with the story here, it does subtly change the story. Still, the writer does present that core of resilience that is perhaps the evil queens best virtue. Despite the things Cora does, I don’t know that she comes out cold enough. And then there’s the scene with Snow. It was nice and hinted at things. But...they weren’t supposed to meet yet. And then there the way the story ended...shades of a nicer version of the evil queen but the evil queen none-the-less. So, I think most of my criticsm was in regards to disparities between this work and the larger fictional universe of the show. That said, it was an entertaining story that was engaging and competently written. Some scenes, like that of the blue fairy, seemed perfect. I think fans of the show will like it and it probably would be alright as a stand alone work. No, I doubt readers will be blown away, but it is a good story that hints at matters of friendship, finding oneself, and the inner war between the dark, the light, and destiny. Now if they’d just writes a what if where Regina got to have her heroic life with out the hitler style evil queen bit...but that’s another story. P.s. I think this book is probably okay for adolescent readers up, which is nice, so more can enjoy it.
August 12, 2024
I'm not going to spend forever talking about these "Once Upon a Time" spin-off books. I had a feeling I would go into them and be kind of "meh" about them. "Regina Rising" by Wendy Toliver takes place in the Enchanted Kingdom where we are following Regina (the future Evil Queen) when she is sixteen years old. She has an infatuation with her sexy art teacher. She gets a new friend named Claire. And of course all that great drama with her mother Cora who simply sees Regina as a vehicle to get to the throne. There wasn't anything particularly bad about this book. I wasn't bored. There wasn't really any point to it. I feel like I didn't learn anything new about Regina. We were already established with the toxicity of the Cora/Regina relationship on the show, and this book does nothing new in that regard. In general, the book was light and fun. I did adore the Claire/Regina friendship. They have them a girls night at the palace and drink a bunch of alcoholic cider which was hilarious. Of course we get our cameos like Snow White, the Blue Fairy, and even the Blind Witch. And that ending! My god! That was brutally cold. The book had to of course remind us that Regina is a villain in the future, but wow, that ending was too much. I really wish I had read these spin-off books back when the show was still on. I think I would have been more charmed with this one and enjoyed it a bit better with the show still fresh in my mind.
October 28, 2020
I got halfway through this book, only to realize I was forcing myself to read it. I never liked Cora, and I realized that all the more here. It’s a good insight into Regina’s abusive past, but the original characters are lackluster.
It just proves OUAT was an ensemble show - all the characters were needed to make it successful. Without them it was rather dull.
It just proves OUAT was an ensemble show - all the characters were needed to make it successful. Without them it was rather dull.
October 31, 2023
I’d rate this book 3.5. It felt scattered and rushed. It wasn’t a bad read, I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It was a fast read though, which I’m thankful for.
July 23, 2017
I really wanted to love this book. I couldn't wait to read it. I'm such a huge fan of the character Regina from OUAT, and of OUAT itself. I guess I'm just too old or something to read this type of book. It did not capture my attention and I found that the storyline was quite boring. Just not the story for me.
March 26, 2018
I very much loved this book, as I do the show Once Upon A Time. Regina is one of my favorite villains because she is so complex. We only got to see part of her back story in the show, and this book helps fill in some spots. Fans already new Cora was a real (W)itch, but in this book we really get to see how deep her manipulation of Regina is. I know understand her deep hatred of Snow White. I never quite got why she hated her so much, Snow was only a girl when she told Regina's secret love, who just lost her mother and we all know how evil and manipulative Cora is. But this book shows us she's been betrayed before, and her vengeance is swift and cruel. To be betrayed again is too much an drives her deep in to revenge. The book also showed us a rare glimpse of Cora's love, no matter how twisted it is, such as her falling asleep in Regina's bed the one not and wants to teach her magic, so she doesn't fall into the hands of Rumplstilkin. Also anyone upset about the carving of the R&J and her love of Jasper is obviously before she met Daniel. It was a teenage crush. She probably would had more if she was aloud to be a normal girl.
March 26, 2022
I've meant to read this for quite some time and finally got to it last night. I couldn't put it down. This is truly a heart-wrenching tale of Regina's early years and her (almost) innocence before the fall. As a huge fan of the series, especially Regina, I'm glad to have read it. I cried and blubbered at the deeply flawed and disturbing mother / daughter relationship. Very well written without going into too much of the gory detail which we do see glimpses of in the series. The last chapter stunned me. I would love a second installment of this, perhaps showing that transition in more detail with the subsequent magic lessons, and of course, meeting Daniel. That said, my imagination and fanfic brain can probably fill in the blanks quite easily. Interesting use of the forgetting potion. I thought for sure it was destined for either Regina or Snow. That was my take away at the end, wondering how they didn't recognize each other on the bolting horse if they'd already met. Overall, I wanted a little more, but still an excellent story, and for any evil regal, a must read.
June 19, 2017
Sorely disappointing. As a fan of the show I was expecting more depth and backstory and some stellar....well storytelling. This book just kind of glazed over different elements of Regina's life without really diving deep into a novel perspective. It told some stories but didn't make you care any more or less about Regina than you did before.
June 18, 2019
Read this a few years ago, and didn't like it. Several inappropriate parts that made my rating so low.
August 11, 2017
In this book we get to see Regina as a teenager at the age of sixteen living under her controlling mother Cora. Cora is very controlling and manipulative when it comes to Regina, she'll do anything for her to be queen and find a proper suitor. Cora was once the millers daughter, living a life of poverty and hard work. But that all changed when princess Eva tripped her one day when she was delivering bags of flour to the royal castle. She was publicly humiliated and forced to apologize to Eva even though she deliberately tripped her. After that she sneaked into the masquerade ball and danced with the prince, when she was discovered by the king she claimed she was no ordinary millers daughter, she claimed she could spin straw into gold. The king called her on her bluff and locked her in a tower for a night, if she could spin straw into gold for all to see, she would live and marry the prince, if not she would die. Rumpelstiltskin shows up in the tower late in the night and teachers her how to spin straw into gold. So she marries the prince, and there you go, her happily ever after. This story wasn't as good as it could have been. You meet some famous characters from the TV series Once upon a time like young Snow White and the Blue fairy and you hear of Rumpelstiltskin. Regina is introduced to Claire, and their friendship takes off right away. They become best friends and Claire has a bit of a wild side. She loves adventure and exploring with Regina. They do this at a ball they attend, they explore the castle and accidentally stumble upon Snow White and tell her some stories. Regina meets the horrible prince Benjamin, he is quite repulsive. He has red hair and is three times Regina's age, he's got horrible yellow teeth and seems like a bit of a desperate nerd in the book. Regina is disgusted by him and i don't blame her, she loves Jasper, her art teacher. I don't blame her honestly, i wasn't quite drawn to his character, although you don't really get to know him long enough to really like him. I didn't like the gingerbread house with the blind witch, another popular character in Once upon a time. They go there to retrieve Claire's dragon ring her brother gave her. Claire trys to teach Regina some magic in the book. No big deal either. The ending of the book was quite surprising, Regina was betrayed and i think her revenge was very satisfactory. A good read but definitely not worth keeping. I was hoping the book would move beyond Claire and her teaching Regina magic. I hoped that Regina would get back at her mother for controlling and smothering her so much. A good read none the less.
June 6, 2017
This book gets a solid three from me, because at times I felt the period of this piece was off. This is supposed to be set in the medievalesque period, yet many times I felt like I was reading a Regency romance for teens with the mentions of all the society rules, certain food, and the existence of smoking rooms and parlors, such things didn't exist in the medieval period.
This book was a little predictable for me in that the moment Claire appears for tea I knew Cora somehow had her slimy fingers in bringing her there--that it was something she had arranged, and found it odd she would arrange a daughter of a commoner to be a suitable companion for her royal daughter, especially one whose humble origins matched her own and one would have thought instantly she'd never want her darling to associate with anyone less than a blue blood. So the fact that Claire was really coerced into the role didn't shock me.
Nor did all the horrible controlling things Cora did with the excuse of "protecting" Regina. The one thing that rang true here is the abusive nature of a controlling parent--whose claims of "everything I do for you and you're so ungrateful" remind me of Ever After's stepmother--when the fact is the parent needs to stop trying to control her daughter and actually ask her daughter what SHE wants, not what Mom ASSUMES she should want. It's plain that Regina does not WANT to marry a prince and be trapped in the same loveless relationship her parents have--the fable of the snake continually poisoning the man who feeds it in the beginning of the story is an eerie parallel to Cora and Henry's awful marriage. And the ineffectual meek Henry can't even muster up guts enough to protect his daughter from Cora--which of course is why Regina turns on him eventually on the show.
Cora's lies about what "really" happened in her past amused me, because if you watch the show you'll know exactly how much she leaves out about the truth and how much she skews it to play "poor innocent victim"
One thing which really threw me is that if Regina realized that Cora took hearts and crushed them and had a thing for doing so, then she and Daniel ought to have been way more clever and circumspect and it shouldn't have shocked Regina any that Cora would resort to murder to make Regina toe the line--nor should it have then prevented her from placing the blame squarely for Daniel's death where it belonged and not on innocent Snow who was manipulated by Cora--much like Claire was in the story.
And the ending--was way too abrupt and felt unfinished.
This book was a little predictable for me in that the moment Claire appears for tea I knew Cora somehow had her slimy fingers in bringing her there--that it was something she had arranged, and found it odd she would arrange a daughter of a commoner to be a suitable companion for her royal daughter, especially one whose humble origins matched her own and one would have thought instantly she'd never want her darling to associate with anyone less than a blue blood. So the fact that Claire was really coerced into the role didn't shock me.
Nor did all the horrible controlling things Cora did with the excuse of "protecting" Regina. The one thing that rang true here is the abusive nature of a controlling parent--whose claims of "everything I do for you and you're so ungrateful" remind me of Ever After's stepmother--when the fact is the parent needs to stop trying to control her daughter and actually ask her daughter what SHE wants, not what Mom ASSUMES she should want. It's plain that Regina does not WANT to marry a prince and be trapped in the same loveless relationship her parents have--the fable of the snake continually poisoning the man who feeds it in the beginning of the story is an eerie parallel to Cora and Henry's awful marriage. And the ineffectual meek Henry can't even muster up guts enough to protect his daughter from Cora--which of course is why Regina turns on him eventually on the show.
Cora's lies about what "really" happened in her past amused me, because if you watch the show you'll know exactly how much she leaves out about the truth and how much she skews it to play "poor innocent victim"
One thing which really threw me is that if Regina realized that Cora took hearts and crushed them and had a thing for doing so, then she and Daniel ought to have been way more clever and circumspect and it shouldn't have shocked Regina any that Cora would resort to murder to make Regina toe the line--nor should it have then prevented her from placing the blame squarely for Daniel's death where it belonged and not on innocent Snow who was manipulated by Cora--much like Claire was in the story.
And the ending--was way too abrupt and felt unfinished.
January 1, 2018
Regina is a sixteen-year-old girl who is lonely and insecure. Regina, like her mother, has magical powers however she has not learned how to use them yet. She subsides to 0her mother’s ways due to the fear she has towards Cora, her mother. Regina has been isolated in her palace on the edge of the Enchanted Forest. After Regina’s sixteenth birthday, Cora invited a tavern girl from a nearby village to live in a cottage near their palace. Regina’s mother took the heart of Claire, the tavern girl, which means she controls whether or not Claire will live or die. Regina has many obstacles to overcome and multiple lessons to learn before she gains confidence and finds herself. The main conflict in this story is whether Cora will persuade Regina to use her powers for good or evil.
I thought this book was alright. I did not love it, but I did not dislike it. I liked how it explains the background of the TV series Once Upon a Time. I also loved the way Wendy Toliver portrayed the characters throughout the book.
On the other hand, I disliked how the book did not flow very well. I believe the book dragged on in a sense. I also disliked how the author showed the relationship of Cora and Regina. I feel she could have shown her readers the reason Regina did not like her mother. I would suggest this book to anyone who watches Once Upon a Time, or anyone who is trying to find themselves.
I thought this book was alright. I did not love it, but I did not dislike it. I liked how it explains the background of the TV series Once Upon a Time. I also loved the way Wendy Toliver portrayed the characters throughout the book.
On the other hand, I disliked how the book did not flow very well. I believe the book dragged on in a sense. I also disliked how the author showed the relationship of Cora and Regina. I feel she could have shown her readers the reason Regina did not like her mother. I would suggest this book to anyone who watches Once Upon a Time, or anyone who is trying to find themselves.
March 19, 2018
To be honest, I've only seen the first like 5 episodes of the tv show but I saw this book on the shalf and thought I'd give it a try. It turned out to be an absolutely amazing read.
The story itself was filled with so many twists and many I predicted but there was alot I didn't.
I love that I have no idea how to feel about any of the characters. I don't hate Regina, or Cora, or even Claire, but at the same time I don't love them either. They all have their moments.
My favorite part of this entire book is that her horse is named Rocinate because it's really fun to say and it reminds me of an apple for some reason??? idek :)
SPOILERS AHEAD
Anyways, the only problem I had was the ending. I really wish Regina took Claire's heart from her mother and crushed it while watching her in the mirror. That's what I though she was going to do but she didn't. I feel like her promise to her mother and her making that man and Claire get married was just alot and went against the characters. Regina should have once and for all proved to her mother she was capable of making her own decisions and we just didn't really get to see that, although it is only a prequel.
anyways, that was just my thought. Great book though, definitely a favorite of mine :)
The story itself was filled with so many twists and many I predicted but there was alot I didn't.
I love that I have no idea how to feel about any of the characters. I don't hate Regina, or Cora, or even Claire, but at the same time I don't love them either. They all have their moments.
My favorite part of this entire book is that her horse is named Rocinate because it's really fun to say and it reminds me of an apple for some reason??? idek :)
SPOILERS AHEAD
Anyways, the only problem I had was the ending. I really wish Regina took Claire's heart from her mother and crushed it while watching her in the mirror. That's what I though she was going to do but she didn't. I feel like her promise to her mother and her making that man and Claire get married was just alot and went against the characters. Regina should have once and for all proved to her mother she was capable of making her own decisions and we just didn't really get to see that, although it is only a prequel.
anyways, that was just my thought. Great book though, definitely a favorite of mine :)
October 30, 2018
This review may contain a few spoilers.
This is the first of this series I have read since Regina is my favorite female role in the show. I didn't realize that there was an order to the series, but I definitely think that they work well enough as stand alone stories.
Even though Regina may not be madly in love with Daniel throughout this book, I do think that this novel is a great addition to the Once Upon a Time series.
I don't think the story is far fetched as to something that could have happened, but was never revealed in the show. I thought the adventures Regina and Claire shared were exciting and fun to say the least. I thought the events of the story were consistent with what the characters in the show would have done, and loved the addition of new characters so as not to simply mirror what we already knew about Regina from the TV show.
How awesome was that ending though? I didn't see the last few chapters coming at all, from Claire's confession, to Regina's forgetting potion, I thought it all was genius and well written.
Overall, I loved the book and can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
This is the first of this series I have read since Regina is my favorite female role in the show. I didn't realize that there was an order to the series, but I definitely think that they work well enough as stand alone stories.
Even though Regina may not be madly in love with Daniel throughout this book, I do think that this novel is a great addition to the Once Upon a Time series.
I don't think the story is far fetched as to something that could have happened, but was never revealed in the show. I thought the adventures Regina and Claire shared were exciting and fun to say the least. I thought the events of the story were consistent with what the characters in the show would have done, and loved the addition of new characters so as not to simply mirror what we already knew about Regina from the TV show.
How awesome was that ending though? I didn't see the last few chapters coming at all, from Claire's confession, to Regina's forgetting potion, I thought it all was genius and well written.
Overall, I loved the book and can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
August 4, 2017
When I first ordered this book and read it was about Regina's backstory it had me to intrigued. I thought the author would spin along the Tv show and I would learn about how she meet Daniel and so on.
The tale in itself stands well on its own telling the tale of young Regina and her friend Claire . I had a feeling all along she was under Cora's power. So when I learned she was near the end I was not surprised at all. However I liked the adventures she had with Regina before Regina knew.
I also liked the flashbacks where we lean about Regina's younger self, as I found them possible to have happened. I cried over Rosinante's mother Hwin and I was sure Cora had killed her. It just made sense.
Also I liked the part where Regina is afraid of thunder as a child. The fact that Cora let her stay while it last, shows she does care about her daughter, and I found it cute that instead of leaving Regina alone in her room once the storm stopped, she stayed.
The ending is perfect as Clair gets her punishment for her betrayal .
The tale in itself stands well on its own telling the tale of young Regina and her friend Claire . I had a feeling all along she was under Cora's power. So when I learned she was near the end I was not surprised at all. However I liked the adventures she had with Regina before Regina knew.
I also liked the flashbacks where we lean about Regina's younger self, as I found them possible to have happened. I cried over Rosinante's mother Hwin and I was sure Cora had killed her. It just made sense.
Also I liked the part where Regina is afraid of thunder as a child. The fact that Cora let her stay while it last, shows she does care about her daughter, and I found it cute that instead of leaving Regina alone in her room once the storm stopped, she stayed.
The ending is perfect as Clair gets her punishment for her betrayal .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2018
The book "Once Upon a Time: Regina Rising" showcases a young Regina Mills, a brave and determined miller's daughter, as she struggles to free herself from the grasps of her mother, Cora, the cruelest of all mothers. Not wanting Regina to fall into continue in her younger footsteps, Cora tries everything possible, even magic, to keep her daughter as well rounded so that she can marry royal blood. However, the determined Regina Mills refuses to give in so easily and decides to fight fire with fire- or in this case, magic with magic. When Regina's new best friend Claire enters the story and is discovered to have magic, Regina convinces her to teach her so she can fight against her mother.
After watching the show the book was based on- Once Upon a Time- I expected the book to be about how she turned into the infamous evil queen represented on the show but I was not disappointed to find that the author instead focused on her good characterizations and her journey to find herself. The book was very good and enthralling and I would recommend it to any fantasy or magic lover. If you're looking for a spellbinding book, this is the one.
After watching the show the book was based on- Once Upon a Time- I expected the book to be about how she turned into the infamous evil queen represented on the show but I was not disappointed to find that the author instead focused on her good characterizations and her journey to find herself. The book was very good and enthralling and I would recommend it to any fantasy or magic lover. If you're looking for a spellbinding book, this is the one.
March 7, 2018
First, you really need to be at least a little familiar with the television series Once Upon a Time to get much out of this novel. Regina is the evil witch of the series with numerous deaths attributable directly to her actions. She was evil in the Once Upon a Time world and she's just as evil in our world.
What this novel does is examine what she was like when she was younger, usually 16 although there's some flashbacks from that point. What is established rather quickly is that her mother, Cora, is way more evil than Regina could ever be. Cora wants Regina to become a queen and will do anything and kill anyone who blocks that procedure or in any way, shape or form harms Regina.
This includes a horse that threw Regina. The horse was not long for the world after that mistake. Cora never praises Regina and over and over again criticizes her or downplays anything Regina does right.
Regina has one friend, Claire. A good bit of time is spent examining this relationship and what happens to it.
It's not at all surprising that Regina turned out the way she did.
What this novel does is examine what she was like when she was younger, usually 16 although there's some flashbacks from that point. What is established rather quickly is that her mother, Cora, is way more evil than Regina could ever be. Cora wants Regina to become a queen and will do anything and kill anyone who blocks that procedure or in any way, shape or form harms Regina.
This includes a horse that threw Regina. The horse was not long for the world after that mistake. Cora never praises Regina and over and over again criticizes her or downplays anything Regina does right.
Regina has one friend, Claire. A good bit of time is spent examining this relationship and what happens to it.
It's not at all surprising that Regina turned out the way she did.
Read
October 11, 2021I highly suggest you get this book! (Spoilers ahead!) It has adventure, friendship, and a bit of heartbreak. Regina's Friendship with Claire was truly wholesome. Even though Claire may have been forced to be friends with Regina, But Claire truly cherished their friendship and the adventures they had together. In the book, Wendy Toliver truly went out of her way with the detail in her story. For example, in chapter one she gives us a glimpse into her childhood. "I'd always admired the rug my father had bought home for me from one of his many trips. Not only did it protect me from the hard, chilly floor beneath, but it also kept me amused. Growing up, I'd spent countless hours lying on my belly, letting my imagination run rampant with the adventures I could have with all the trees, flowers, and animals woven into it as if they were real pg.2 (Toliver) This really gives us a mental visual of Regina's life before she became the evil queen. The theme of this book really illustrates the true color of people, their loyalty, how they can be manipulative. and who can be trusted?
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