Christopher Healy

This was a FABULOUS way to say adieu to a series that has taught us so much, entertained us to no end, and both broken and mended our hearts a million times over. The Peppers and the Lees are remarkable, the ladies of the MOI (Mothers of Invention, for those not already in the know) are inspiring, Rector abysmal, but you have to give him credit for tenacity (and that goes for Agent Clark as well!), Dr. Stinkums who was an unexpected new addition to the group (and a actual genius in doggy show more form!), and Robot whom one wouldn't think could be but was the heart of them all.

It was a wild and crazy adventure filled with danger, peril, and heart. It showed us that anyone can do anything they put their heart and mind to, we CAN in fact choose our family, and just because one doesn't have an actual heart that beats, it doesn't make them any less human. If you're looking for adventure or even to simply be inspired, this is the series for you!


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own show less

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com

We're all familiar with the "standard" fairy tales - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rapunzel: they're stories we can recite without pause. But what do we know about the Princes, really? They don't even have names! Just "Prince Charming," and you know it can't be the same Prince Charming in all of the stories (otherwise it wouldn't be True Love's Kiss!). In this first book of a new middle grades series, Christopher show more Healy introduces us to the Princes Charming (who all have real names, by the way). Don't let the "middle grades" label dissuade you: this is a book that all ages can appreciate!

How to explain this story ... Essentially, what Healy has done is take the oh-so-familiar fairy tales and turned them on their head. What we end up with is a band of mismatched Princes running around trying to make a name for themselves - literally. They're tired of being called "Prince Charming" and having everyone only remember the chick. This band of Princes are ready for adventure, ready to be heroes. And they're searching for Cinderella, who is apparently being held captive by the witch who entrapped Rapunzel. What the guys don't know is that Cinderella has some major spunk of her own, and is a force to be reckoned with. (And if you think you know 'Sleeping Beauty,' well, you're in for a surprise on that one! That girl be crazy.)

I loved this mashed up story, laughing out loud at parts, and falling in love with the idea of all these fairy tale characters jumbled into one wild mess. Prince Liam (Sleeping Beauty) stole my heart. For real. He's amazing (and the only "true" hero among the lot). Prince Duncan (Snow White) cracked me up, and there's just something endearing about Gustav (Rapunzel) and his brash style. Frederic (Cinderella) is the Prince I connected least with, but he has his good points, and is a key thread in the storyline. And don't get me started on the Bandit King.

Seriously, this is an excellent - and hilarious - first book, and I have very high hopes for the rest of the series. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It was funny, sarcastic and an absolute joy to listen to. I loved the way it played on all the Prince Charmings from the fairy tales and made them into people. This had me laughing as the fairy tales I grew up reading had a totally new and fun light shed on them.

Ever since their big adventure together, the members of the League of Princes have been at loose ends. When another threat to their kingdoms arises, can they band together again, or will their many differences keep them apart? The evil witch Zaubera is gone, but the juvenile bandit king Deeb Rauber has moved into her fortress and established a small kingdom called Rauberia, from which he plans to take over the world. Rauber is not the only one with plans for world domination: Briar Rose has show more been cooking up some schemes, as well. She also hasn't given up on marriage to Prince Liam, though marrying bratty Briar Rose is the last thing Liam wants to do. When Liam falls into her clutches, he learns of her schemes, as well as some startling facts about his own past. Can the League of Princes save him from his matrimonial fate? And can they save the kingdoms from Rauber's machinations? To do so, they'll have to storm the castle . . .

This book has the same good points as its predecessor, and the same downfalls, as well. It's full of action and humor, and the characters are just as quirky and amusing as before. The book is quite a hefty chunk, though after the first book, that's to be expected. And, though it certainly has substantial length, there's still not a lot of depth to it -- but again, that's in keeping with the tone of the first book in the series. It has just as many fun and often improbable plot twists, and readers who enjoyed The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom will find this book just as enjoyable. The series certainly doesn't end here, though: the ending of this book definitely sets up the major conflict of the as-yet-unpublished third volume in the series. show less