Fate Be Changed by Farrah Rochon is a brilliant, heartfelt reimagining that honors the spirit of Disney’s Brave while boldly charting its own course. With vivid storytelling, powerful themes, and a deeper look into Merida’s journey, this book is a must-read for fans of fairy tales with fresh perspectives.

Rochon brings Merida to life with emotional depth and nuance. She’s still the fiery, headstrong heroine we know, but here we get to see more of her vulnerability, her inner conflict, and her growth. The author dives into the complexities of family, destiny, and self-determination, all while expanding the magical lore of Merida’s world in inventive and engaging ways.

The writing is fluid and cinematic, capturing the mystical beauty of the Scottish Highlands while adding tension and excitement with each chapter. Whether it’s a high-stakes confrontation or a quiet moment of reflection, Rochon strikes the perfect tone every time.

What really shines, though, is the way Fate Be Changed balances action with emotional resonance. It’s not just about changing fate—it’s about understanding it, reclaiming it, and ultimately shaping it on your own terms. This is a story about courage—not just in battle, but in forging your own path and mending broken bonds.

Final Verdict: Fate Be Changed is a magical, moving addition to the Disney canon and a standout work of YA fantasy in its own right. Farrah Rochon delivers a powerful tale of growth, choice, and legacy. Perfect for readers who love adventure, heart, and heroines who rewrite the rules.

This book was solidly enjoyable. It was a little slow at times and meandered a bit but the plot was solid and the characters were loveable.

I couldn’t really get into this. I am not a huge fan of Brave, so maybe that’s why, but it just felt plodding and kind of predictable DNF at 35%

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one as I loved how the movie played out. However Merida was still her spunky determined self. And I did enjoy the time travel aspect as it also allowed her to see yet another side to her mother. Not to mentioned it reminded me bit of season three of Once upon a time.

I cannot express how much I love Farrah Rochon’s writing! She perfectly captures our beloved characters from Brave and gives them the story they deserve in this new Disney Twisted Tale, Fate Be Changed!

This is a twisted Tale about Merida (from the movie Brave.) In it, Merida changes the course of the story by seeing a witch about a potion that sends her back in time to when her parents were supposed to meet.
Opinion
I love all things Disney. So it goes without saying that I loved this book. Taking a different course to the same ending kept me entertained. I love how Rochon is able to twist the tales yet come to the same resolution. I highly recommend this book (and the whole series to be honest.)
Many thanks to Net Galley and to Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Fate Be Changed delivers a captivating plot that keeps you engaged from the very first page. Farrah Rochon crafts a story with well-developed twists and turns, blending romance and drama in a way that feels fresh and compelling. The characters are vividly drawn, each bringing their own unique charm and depth to the story. Their development throughout the book felt genuine and made it easy to root for them. It reminded me a little bit of Back to the Future, actually.

However, I found the pacing in the final portion of the story a bit rushed. While the earlier parts of the book had a rich, steady build-up, the resolution seemed to come a little too quickly, leaving me wanting more time with the characters and their journey. Despite this, Fate Be Changed is a delightful read with a heartwarming story that romance fans will enjoy.

YES INDEED. Please keep writing fractured fairy tales about Brave because I gobble them up. Honestly the second the weather gets cold again I will be re-reading this one. MERIDA FOREVER.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

The Twisted Tales series takes Disney stories and twists them up, changing one major detail which makes the whole story change. In this one Merida goes to the witch for a spell to get her mother to change and stop being so hard on her. But instead of giving the cake to her mother, Merida eats it instead. She gets transported to the moment just before he parents met. And instead of Elinor (Merida's mom) finding Fergus (Merida's dad) hurt on the forest, she finds Merida. Merida realizes that Elinor and Fergus won't meet, and therefore SHE needs to step in to help them together.

I like that there's a TOTAL storyline change, and that Merida gets to see her mom as a teen, and finds out how similar they really are. I like the way Fergus and Elinor play off each other, too. It's clear that they think highly of each other, even though they won't admit it to themselves. The secondary plot involving the king, and everything that gets included in that was a great way to reference the complexities of being a middle ages era monarch. I really liked the ending, too, and that the change in the past changed how Merida's world was when she got back to her own time.

I enjoy Merida's story, more than other Disney fans, and appreciate that there's was not THAT much of a change to Merida's overall personality, but that there is some real growth to her character through the book.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley. However, I did wind up actually purchasing a copy as well. These are my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

"**Fate Be Changed**" by Farrah Rochon is a captivating romance that expertly blends heartfelt emotion with engaging storytelling. Rochon’s well-crafted characters and dynamic plot create a compelling narrative that keeps readers invested from beginning to end. This novel is a delightful and memorable addition to the romance genre.

Farrah Rochon never disappoints. This is a great read for middle grades, or for Disney adults like me. I am a huge fan of Farrah, and I follow her work across genres. I am also a huge fan of Disney and fairytale retellings. This book hits all the spots for me.

This re-telling is very original, but it pays homage to the movie. I enjoyed the story, but I felt the pacing was a little too quick in some places where I had to go back and re-read. Overall, I would suggest this for my middle school classroom.

*| voluntarily read an ARC through NetGalley.com. All opinions are my own*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
This was a wonderful book and I'll be purchasing it for the library!

The Disney Twisted Tales series is literally just published Disney fanfiction and I am completely here for it. These books are a way for writers to come up with fun ways to create an AU of a favorite Disney character and you can tell that Farrah Rochon has a great love of Merida from Brave!!

This story was really fun!! It gave Back to the Future vibes and what can I say, time travel in this sense always makes for a good plot device and is a good time. Seeing Merida interact with Elinor as a teenager was interesting and I just liked how much it added to their present relationship. Would definitely recommend it to teens coming in my section looking for something cute and fun!

I really enjoyed this spin/retelling of Brave. In this story, Merida visits a local wish to try and find a way out of having a mate matched for her. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned and Merida travels back in time, and accidentally sabotages her parents first meeting. But can she fix it? The book was fast paced, well written and kept you captivated from the start. A must read for Disney lovers and Disney retellings!

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader copy.

I think the spin on the story in this book was excellent. The reader not only got to see character growth in Merida but in her parents as characters also. The story gave so much background on their heritage and customs. Some of the side stories were a little thin but overall I think the book was very good and would suggest it to others who like this genre.

One of the better titles in this series, I enjoyed Farrah Rochon’s interpretation of these characters in these settings and circumstances. However, the ending felt rushed and I was left feeling overall unsatisfied.

Merida is trying to escape her fate when she uses a spell on herself that was intended for her mother. As a result, Merida ends up back in time and interrupts the meeting of her parents, Elinor and Fergus. While Merida tries to figure out how to fix things, Elinor gives Merida a position in the kitchens and asks her to teach her survival skills. As they spend time together, Merida learns more about the life her mother had and Elinor learns that there may be another option. Overall, a story about understanding another person's perspective. It was nice to get more of the mother's perspective and then also the awareness Merida gains when working in a non-royal role. Fans of Brave and Back to the Future will enjoy this one.

Every single book in this series is fantastic. I didn't think it was possible to make me like Merida any more than I already do, but I love the perspective she gains when she is forced to consider her mother as a person in her own right.

This is my first Disney Twisted Tale novel, and the bar has been set pretty high. I loved Farrah Rochon's writing, she truly captured Merida's spirit on the page, which was a concern of mine. I really love how the story still revolves around the mother daughter relationship between Merida and Elinor - despite the fact they are the same age for most of the story. I definitely felt like I was reading a Medieval Scottish version of Back to the Future - and I'm not mad about it.