By now, you all probably know what a Disney fan I am, so you’ll understand why I’m thrilled to be hosting a spot on the tour for THE WICKED ONES by Robin Benway hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review below, and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:

Title: THE WICKED ONES (Dark Ascension, 1)
Author: Robin Benway
Pub. Date: January 10, 2023
Publisher: Disney Press
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 320
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-WICKED-ONES
“Blood is blood…and one way or another, we all bleed.”
Drizella and Anastasia only know one thing for certain: they will never end up like their mother, Lady Tremaine. When their father left them as young girls, he took what was left of their family’s fortune and their mother’s dignity with him. A few years and one deceased stepfather later, the only version of Lady Tremaine that Drizella and Anastasia know is a bitter and cruel head of house. Anastasia and Drizella have promised themselves―and each other―that they’ll be different. They’ll find love, see the world, and never let their hearts go cold.
But both sisters are all too aware of what it can mean when cast into disfavor with their mother, and fueled by Lady Tremaine’s tendencies to pit the daughters against one another, Drizella and Anastasia are locked into a complicated waltz of tenuous sisterhood. On the cusp of the royal debut party―their one chance to impress the Prince and live up to their mother’s expectations―the sisters at last get a glimpse of what life could be like outside of Lady Tremaine’s intentions: Drizella discovering a love of science and Anastasia sparking a secret romance. But never underestimate the power a mother whose greatest talents lie in manipulation, and the sisters may learn that even the cruelest of hearts can spill blood.
This first book in the new Disney Villains Dark Ascension series by National Book Award-winning author Robin Benway explores the complex sibling rivalry between the two wicked stepsisters from Cinderella that turned them into the characters we know today.
Who doesn’t love a good retelling, from another character’s point of view?! If you’ve ever been to Disney, Anastasia + Drizella are an absolute hoot, they’re always a highlight when we get to see them at the parks – last time we were there they were catcalling at people as they went by, telling Kennedy how disgusted by her Cinderella dress they were. Being part of the evil villain gang can be so much fun, and I loved that this story was much like the experience the characters bring to life an inside peek at what makes them so different than their stepsister, and what were the reasons behind their actions.
Written in dual POV, Benway’s story lets us get to know Anastasia and Drizella, I loved their viewpoints and how their past was given to us. There’s just something about learning the back story of characters we know and love being told that gets me every time, makes me want to cheer them on because we all deserve that feeling of happily ever after some time! Each of the sisters was given moments that filled in the story we know of Cinderella but explained so much of their characteristics, especially in regards to Lady Tremaine.
The tiny details were everything, from the sightings of the mice, to Anastasia finding Lucifer, this retelling is sure to be enjoyed by any Disney adult, or anyone who adores a retelling that features characters we didn’t get enough of in the previous stories or movies, I know I did!
About Robin Benway:

Robin Benway is a National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of eight novels for young adults, including Far From the Tree, Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including the PEN America Literary Award, the Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books, ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults, and ALA’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In addition, her novels have received starred reviews from Bookpage, Kirkus, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly, and have been published in more than 25 countries. Her sixth novel, Far From the Tree, won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the PEN America Award, and was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NPR, PBS, Entertainment Weekly, and the Boston Globe. In addition to her fictional work, her non-fiction work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Bustle, Elle, and more. Her latest book, A Year To the Day, was published on June 21, 2022, and her next book, The Wicked Ones, the origin story of Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters, will be released by Disney Books on January 10, 2023.
Robin grew up in Orange County, California, attended NYU, where she was a recipient of the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and is a graduate of UCLA. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Hudson.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
Want to WIN a copy of The Wicked Ones?!
1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE WICKED ONES, US Only.
Ends February 4th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.jsHead to the other stops along the tour for more reviews & chances to win!
Week One:
1/2/2022 | Ohyouread | IG Post |
1/3/2022 | Kait Plus Books | Excerpt/IG Post |
1/4/2022 | YA Books Central | Excerpt/IG Post |
1/5/2022 | OddandBookish | Review/IG Post |
1/6/2022 | Nerdophiles | Review/IG Post |
1/7/2022 | @more.books.yes.please | IG Review/TikTok Post |
Week Two:
1/8/2022 | Wanderingwitchreads | TikTok Review/IG Post |
1/9/2022 | Books With A Chance of Traveling | Review/IG Post |
1/10/2022 | travelersguidetobooks | IG Review |
1/11/2022 | Eye-Rolling Demigod’s Book Blog | Review/IG Post |
1/12/2022 | booksaremagictoo | Review/IG Post |
1/13/2022 | NeverKnotReading | IG Review |
1/14/2022 | Mindyourshelf | Review/IG Post |
Week Three:
1/15/2022 | The Momma Spot | Review/IG Post |
1/16/2022 | The Book View | Review/IG Post |
1/17/2022 | Library of Becca | Review/IG Post |
1/18/2022 | A Bookish Dream | Review/IG Post |
1/19/2022 | A Backwards Story | Review/IG Post |
1/20/2022 | onemused | IG Review |
1/21/2022 | @carlysunshinebooks | IG Review/LFL Drop Pic |
Week Four:
1/22/2022 | A Blue Box Full of Books | IG Review/LFL Drop Pic |
1/23/2022 | popthebutterfly | Review/IG Post |
1/24/2022 | OneMoreExclamation | Review/IG Post |
1/25/2022 | @froggyreadteach | IG Review |
1/26/2022 | Lisa Loves Literature | Review/IG Post |
1/27/2022 | Emily Ashlyn | IG Review/FB Post |
1/28/2022 | @enjoyingbooksagain | IG Review |
Week Five:
1/29/2022 | Momfluenster | IG Review/FB Post |
1/30/2022 | Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers | Review/IG Post |
1/31/2022 | @drew_ambitious_reading | IG Review/TikTok Post |