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sadallthetime's review
2.0
What?
Plot Execution: 3/5
Characters: 1/5 except Thorne and maybe Maida
Writing: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Romance: 2/5
Spice Level:
Plot Execution: 3/5
Characters: 1/5 except Thorne and maybe Maida
Writing: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 1/5
Romance: 2/5
Spice Level:
bridget_ks's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
_toristhoughts_'s review
4.0
4⭐️
I really liked this Sleeping Beauty retelling! It was different from the others that I have read, and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat several times.
so first, the characters:
I kind of liked Thorne and the transformation that she went through, from this pampered spoiled princess to a warrior queen and finding true love along the way. (that's always my favorite part about retellings: finding true love.) I am happy that she learned to fight and defend herself, and that she and Ronan got to have those training scenes (you know the ones, where they are fighting and one knocks the other to the ground and they (almost) kiss, or he steps up behind her and shows her how to use the weapon, the tension is *chef's kiss*).
Even tho I did like her character, and the general group of other MCs too, I wish there had been just a little bit more character development? I feel like I didn't really learn much of anything about any of them, except just basic surface level things. This may also just be from the fact that it's all told from Thorne's pov, but I still had been hoping to see and learn more about them. even with that, though, I did like seeing all of them together on the page.
now the story:
well, it was going really well and I was like yay HEA let's go, seems kinda short but okay AND THEN. I looked at where I was at and I was only FIFTY PERCENT in. I had only read half the book?! it all went downhill from there.
the plot twists hit and then they didn't stop coming. and... I'm going to stop there because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything but you should definitely go check it out when it releases to find out for yourself.
there's enemies to lovers, some politics, a bit of spice, a cool villain, magic, and fae. I thought it was written well, and I was hooked from the first chapter. I thought the pacing was pretty good, but the last 15 (ish) percent seemed a little too fast. and it does have an HEA (so no cliff hangers, yay!)
To Wake a Kingdom releases September 20th, thank you again to the author for sending me an arc!
I really liked this Sleeping Beauty retelling! It was different from the others that I have read, and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat several times.
so first, the characters:
I kind of liked Thorne and the transformation that she went through, from this pampered spoiled princess to a warrior queen and finding true love along the way. (that's always my favorite part about retellings: finding true love.) I am happy that she learned to fight and defend herself, and that she and Ronan got to have those training scenes (you know the ones, where they are fighting and one knocks the other to the ground and they (almost) kiss, or he steps up behind her and shows her how to use the weapon, the tension is *chef's kiss*).
Even tho I did like her character, and the general group of other MCs too, I wish there had been just a little bit more character development? I feel like I didn't really learn much of anything about any of them, except just basic surface level things. This may also just be from the fact that it's all told from Thorne's pov, but I still had been hoping to see and learn more about them. even with that, though, I did like seeing all of them together on the page.
now the story:
well, it was going really well and I was like yay HEA let's go, seems kinda short but okay AND THEN. I looked at where I was at and I was only FIFTY PERCENT in. I had only read half the book?! it all went downhill from there.
the plot twists hit and then they didn't stop coming. and... I'm going to stop there because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything but you should definitely go check it out when it releases to find out for yourself.
there's enemies to lovers, some politics, a bit of spice, a cool villain, magic, and fae. I thought it was written well, and I was hooked from the first chapter. I thought the pacing was pretty good, but the last 15 (ish) percent seemed a little too fast. and it does have an HEA (so no cliff hangers, yay!)
To Wake a Kingdom releases September 20th, thank you again to the author for sending me an arc!
kreela's review
4.0
“You smell so good,” he said, inhaling deeply. “Like flowers and mint and furious rage, bundled up in a perfect package.” If you like a sweet romance, you should like this prince. He says the nicest things!
As a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Thorn is less a perfect princess and more a prickly hedge. After 100 years of sleep, she wakes up in a surprise assault. However, only one other castle resident awakens, a nice fae called Keira. I liked the princess. She was uncouth but wanted to help Keira, wanted to improve her fighting skills after being assaulted. Plus, she liked Gideon’s food.
The real surprise:
Her mother was a surrogate! The evil fae, Mare, who cursed Thorn had planned to take her from her mother at her 21st birthday. Who was the real mother here? She half-succeeded. Mare was the Cruella of Sleeping Beauty, and she was magnificent.
The plot:
This sleeping beauty has all grown up. Disney, step aside. There was gore. People died (although they are minor characters who never speak). After a hundred years, the kingdom was absorbed by another. The princess was salty, not sweet.
I liked how the curse works in this version, and I think the story was well-done, but the pacing was a bit slow for me. I think I prefer a darker romance.
The romance:
Steamy later on. Twice.
As a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Thorn is less a perfect princess and more a prickly hedge. After 100 years of sleep, she wakes up in a surprise assault. However, only one other castle resident awakens, a nice fae called Keira. I liked the princess. She was uncouth but wanted to help Keira, wanted to improve her fighting skills after being assaulted. Plus, she liked Gideon’s food.
The real surprise:
Her mother was a surrogate! The evil fae, Mare, who cursed Thorn had planned to take her from her mother at her 21st birthday. Who was the real mother here? She half-succeeded. Mare was the Cruella of Sleeping Beauty, and she was magnificent.
The plot:
This sleeping beauty has all grown up. Disney, step aside. There was gore. People died (although they are minor characters who never speak). After a hundred years, the kingdom was absorbed by another. The princess was salty, not sweet.
I liked how the curse works in this version, and I think the story was well-done, but the pacing was a bit slow for me. I think I prefer a darker romance.
The romance:
Steamy later on. Twice.
dakotahgummauthor's review
5.0
Spicy and emotionally evocative, this was a beautiful retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I can't wait for the rest of the series—and I'm diving immediately into another book by the author, because I need more.
k_huskic's review
4.0
This was an intriguing take on Sleeping Beauty. I liked the writing (you could really feel the emotions and frustrations and joy and embarrassment) and the characters (all interesting, no boring characters here) which I loved, and I just flew through this story.
There were moments later in the book - bigger moments - that I wished had more detail, more 'after'. Just those parts fleshed out a bit more as it felt a little rushed. In saying that though, I really enjoyed this story and look forward to book two.
There were moments later in the book - bigger moments - that I wished had more detail, more 'after'. Just those parts fleshed out a bit more as it felt a little rushed. In saying that though, I really enjoyed this story and look forward to book two.
notallwitches's review
Tried a couple times to read it. I liked the fairytale vibes but couldn’t get into it
sianny's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
So Aurora is brown - this was mentioned a lot, and hey, I get it, whitewashed stories mention milky and fair skin a whole lot - and her name is actually Thorne.
Her mum couldn’t conceive, so a random Fae was all “hey I’ll give you what you want and all I ask is a favour of my choosing when I come to call. No questions asked”. Queen got-no-kids is all “yeah, ok! Doesn’t sound ominous or like I need to query any of this at all!”
And so Thorne is born, and (night)Mare comes to claim her favour: she will take not-Aurora upon her 21st birthday forever and ever. And her life will be a sh!tshow in captivity.
Her sister from another mister decides to counter Mare’s curse with a sleeping spell, but she kinda screws up and puts everyone to sleep for 100 years. Oops.
I was really enjoying this until about the 80% mark. Ronan was all arrogant but swoony, slowing winning over the petulant Thorne. And Thorne herself was slowly becoming someone bearable and even selfless. Don’t get me wrong, I may not have liked her at first but that was because she was true to character. Had she been written differently, it would have been less believable.
However, at that dreaded 80% mark we took a turn into Why Alley, cut over to WTF Avenue, and ended up on Insanity Boulevard. Honestly, everything that happened just kept getting worse and worse and I just kept shouting at the book. I can’t even explain my feelings without spoilers so stop reading here if you don’t want to know.
SPOILERS BELOW
Firstly, the smallest thing, is that after 100 years nothing had apparently changed. No advances in technology, or a change of fashion, or the value of gold. Nothing at all changed in a CENTURY apart from Estria’s claims to her lands.
But then coming up to the end. Why did she have to go through with the wedding? They mentioned over and over again how the army was loyal to Ronan, so surely they could’ve overthrown Erick’s “I’ll kill hun if you don’t marry me” bullshit? And all for him to die the same night anyways? What was the point except for shock factor? It added no substance to the plot at all.
Now the horror show that Thorne woke up to Mare’s in sanitarium was next level. But whyyyyyy did she go ahead with the kills? To spare these women that she didn’t know some more torture that they’ve already endured? And she should have known it wouldn’t be a one off. The fact that she kept supposedly going leading to be the one to die today was such horseshit too because she literally had weapons at her disposal. She could have easily killed herself! But she never even considered it.
Then Ronan has been captured too? Even though the Fae king of somebody that was only mentioned once wanted him on the throne?? Why would he allow the capture for Mare’s entertainment? Because he obvs would have known about it being such a spectacle in the Fae world. And the two Fae dudes whose names currently escape me were working for him…why wouldn’t they at least intervene on his behalf?
And also, what was up with the look between Fae dude one and Ronan after he gazes into Thorne’s eyes and tilts her world? And unexplained and again, seemingly pointless anecdote.
I’m gutted, I was enjoying the story so much until it all went to hell in a hand basket. I was expecting darkness and drama but this…I don’t even know what the end of this book was.
So Aurora is brown - this was mentioned a lot, and hey, I get it, whitewashed stories mention milky and fair skin a whole lot - and her name is actually Thorne.
Her mum couldn’t conceive, so a random Fae was all “hey I’ll give you what you want and all I ask is a favour of my choosing when I come to call. No questions asked”. Queen got-no-kids is all “yeah, ok! Doesn’t sound ominous or like I need to query any of this at all!”
And so Thorne is born, and (night)Mare comes to claim her favour: she will take not-Aurora upon her 21st birthday forever and ever. And her life will be a sh!tshow in captivity.
Her sister from another mister decides to counter Mare’s curse with a sleeping spell, but she kinda screws up and puts everyone to sleep for 100 years. Oops.
I was really enjoying this until about the 80% mark. Ronan was all arrogant but swoony, slowing winning over the petulant Thorne. And Thorne herself was slowly becoming someone bearable and even selfless. Don’t get me wrong, I may not have liked her at first but that was because she was true to character. Had she been written differently, it would have been less believable.
However, at that dreaded 80% mark we took a turn into Why Alley, cut over to WTF Avenue, and ended up on Insanity Boulevard. Honestly, everything that happened just kept getting worse and worse and I just kept shouting at the book. I can’t even explain my feelings without spoilers so stop reading here if you don’t want to know.
SPOILERS BELOW
Firstly, the smallest thing, is that after 100 years nothing had apparently changed. No advances in technology, or a change of fashion, or the value of gold. Nothing at all changed in a CENTURY apart from Estria’s claims to her lands.
But then coming up to the end. Why did she have to go through with the wedding? They mentioned over and over again how the army was loyal to Ronan, so surely they could’ve overthrown Erick’s “I’ll kill hun if you don’t marry me” bullshit? And all for him to die the same night anyways? What was the point except for shock factor? It added no substance to the plot at all.
Now the horror show that Thorne woke up to Mare’s in sanitarium was next level. But whyyyyyy did she go ahead with the kills? To spare these women that she didn’t know some more torture that they’ve already endured? And she should have known it wouldn’t be a one off. The fact that she kept supposedly going leading to be the one to die today was such horseshit too because she literally had weapons at her disposal. She could have easily killed herself! But she never even considered it.
Then Ronan has been captured too? Even though the Fae king of somebody that was only mentioned once wanted him on the throne?? Why would he allow the capture for Mare’s entertainment? Because he obvs would have known about it being such a spectacle in the Fae world. And the two Fae dudes whose names currently escape me were working for him…why wouldn’t they at least intervene on his behalf?
And also, what was up with the look between Fae dude one and Ronan after he gazes into Thorne’s eyes and tilts her world? And unexplained and again, seemingly pointless anecdote.
I’m gutted, I was enjoying the story so much until it all went to hell in a hand basket. I was expecting darkness and drama but this…I don’t even know what the end of this book was.