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Princess of Thorns
Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?
388 pages, Hardcover
First published December 9, 2014
146 people are currently reading
23364 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Jay
24 books1,750 followersStacey Jay is a recovering workaholic (or at least working hard at recovering) with three pen names, two small children, and a passion for playing pretend for a living. She’s been a full time mom-writer since 2005 and can't think of anything she'd rather be doing. Her former careers include theatre performer, professional dancer, poorly paid C-movie actress, bartender, waiter, math tutor (for real) and yoga instructor.
Learn more at http://staceyjay.com.
Learn more at http://staceyjay.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,203 reviews
December 30, 2014
A grandiose clusterfuck.
This book is a mess of an amalgamation of Mulan, Lord of the Rings, Sleeping Beauty, Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans, with a dash of Little Red Riding Hood, because why the fuck not.
Indeed, "Why the fuck not," seems to be the overriding theme of the book. Everything is thrown in with little explanation. In fact, the only thing that the book doesn't seem to resemble is the advertised Game of Thrones from the blurb. I'm not sure why the fuck Game of Thrones was even used for a comparison. It seems to be a selling tool for name-dropping and nothing else. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is a fucking mess. The setting is grand without an ounce of place, sense, or history. There is no explanation of why things are the way they are.
It's like "once upon a time, there was a magical place. There are monsters. There are magic and briar-born children. Deal with it, bitches." Get used to having things go completely unexplained for the entire fucking book.
The entire book is the yawn-inducing equivalent of The Hobbit with more romance and swooning. It is literally an adventure across the land with almost no danger, no excitement, and completely boredom. I can scarely recall being so bored reading an YA fantasy.
The heroine disguises herself as a guy. She is as manly as one would expect, which is to say, she isn't. At all. The only good thing I can say is that there is less blushing and swooning and dreaminess and love triangles within this book than the dreaded Defy.
I stopped reading at roughly 90%. I don't know what happened in the end. I don't give a fuck.
This book is a mess of an amalgamation of Mulan, Lord of the Rings, Sleeping Beauty, Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans, with a dash of Little Red Riding Hood, because why the fuck not.
Indeed, "Why the fuck not," seems to be the overriding theme of the book. Everything is thrown in with little explanation. In fact, the only thing that the book doesn't seem to resemble is the advertised Game of Thrones from the blurb. I'm not sure why the fuck Game of Thrones was even used for a comparison. It seems to be a selling tool for name-dropping and nothing else. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is a fucking mess. The setting is grand without an ounce of place, sense, or history. There is no explanation of why things are the way they are.
It's like "once upon a time, there was a magical place. There are monsters. There are magic and briar-born children. Deal with it, bitches." Get used to having things go completely unexplained for the entire fucking book.
The entire book is the yawn-inducing equivalent of The Hobbit with more romance and swooning. It is literally an adventure across the land with almost no danger, no excitement, and completely boredom. I can scarely recall being so bored reading an YA fantasy.
The heroine disguises herself as a guy. She is as manly as one would expect, which is to say, she isn't. At all. The only good thing I can say is that there is less blushing and swooning and dreaminess and love triangles within this book than the dreaded Defy.
I stopped reading at roughly 90%. I don't know what happened in the end. I don't give a fuck.
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January 10, 2025
Oh my goodness I loved this. Absolutely loved it.
December 28, 2014
3.5 stars
It took me awhile to read this book. Not because it's a bad book but because I read it over the Christmas holidays when I had the boy child and hubs here and well..they are kinda needy.
Anyways..the book. Aurora and Jor are the famous "sleeping beauty's" children. The Sleeping Beauty tale did not go as we all know it. Her prince was a cheating asshole who was already married when he awoke the princess.
New wifey is an ogre who does not like sharing the throne. So the two kids end up being raised by the Fey.
Jor is kidnapped by the Ogre queen and is going to be killed unless Aurora can find her army to assist her in freeing her brother.
She teams up with Prince Niklass (she is dressed and portraying herself as her brother) to try and help the lad escape the evil queen's clutches. Niklass has troubles coming all of his own..the author did a good job of not making me bored with how the story went. Great premise.
Guess what? This was a fun book. NO insta-love. As a matter of fact the romance between the main couple is hard fought. They argue as much as my husband and I do. (Yes, I really do like him)
Then the ending came around and it just wrapped up way too neatly. Overall it's a decent read though.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It took me awhile to read this book. Not because it's a bad book but because I read it over the Christmas holidays when I had the boy child and hubs here and well..they are kinda needy.
Anyways..the book. Aurora and Jor are the famous "sleeping beauty's" children. The Sleeping Beauty tale did not go as we all know it. Her prince was a cheating asshole who was already married when he awoke the princess.
New wifey is an ogre who does not like sharing the throne. So the two kids end up being raised by the Fey.
Jor is kidnapped by the Ogre queen and is going to be killed unless Aurora can find her army to assist her in freeing her brother.
She teams up with Prince Niklass (she is dressed and portraying herself as her brother) to try and help the lad escape the evil queen's clutches. Niklass has troubles coming all of his own..the author did a good job of not making me bored with how the story went. Great premise.
Guess what? This was a fun book. NO insta-love. As a matter of fact the romance between the main couple is hard fought. They argue as much as my husband and I do. (Yes, I really do like him)
Then the ending came around and it just wrapped up way too neatly. Overall it's a decent read though.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2019
"Bravery isn’t the absence of fear, but the willingness to stay the course in spite of it."
It’s a good thing that Varsha and I decided to randomly buddy read this!!! Who knows when I would’ve gotten to it, otherwise? Talk about a happy, albeit unexpected, surprise!
Why aren’t more people talking about this amazing book??? I mean, it has faeries, ogres, Feeding Trees, witches, curses, and faery gifts!!! What’s not to like??? This was also such a great adventure!!!
There was some false advertising though. Whilst this story felt like a faery tale, this is not a Sleeping Beauty retelling. In all honesty, if you go into this book with that mind-set, I guarantee you that you’ll be extremely disappointed.
In fact, if I were to call it a retelling of anything, I’d say it’s a retelling of the movie, Princess of Thieves (2001) with Keira Knightley! Have you seen it? It’s so good! The premise is a feminist retelling of Robin Hood, where Gywn uses her swashbuckling skills to save Robin Hood (her father), Will Scarlett, and even England itself from the dastardly Prince John, with the help from King Richard the Lionheart’s illegitimate son, Prince Philip. Let’s see…
The title is the Princess of
The daughter of the
A girl named
A girl disguised as a boy to conceal her identity?
A girl talented with a
A girl helping Prince
A girl whose motive is to save her
A girl who needs the prince’s help to fight
A girl with a close, brother-like best friend,
Etc…
"Because they are strong enough to know the truth, and proving that to themselves will make them stronger." Ror sits up straighter in the saddle. "And perhaps, if men were brought up to be gentler people, women wouldn't have need of protectors. Have you ever thought of that?"
I shake my head. "Men aren't going to change, Ror. Men are what they are."
"And women are more than what you allow them to be. Women can be strong, Niklaas. If given the chance, they can handle the world, maybe even handle it better than a man. "
Princess Aurora was such an empowering protagonist. Not only was she very capable in a fight (what a bad-arse! :P), but she was also a true heroine, willing to sacrifice herself in order to save her people, as their future Queen. She was completely believable, whilst masquerading as a boy, and had to deal with the internal struggle of how truthful she should be with her traveling companion, Niklaas.
Prince Niklaas spent the majority of the novel bantering and sparring with Aurora (or Ror), much to my delight. <3 He was such an amazing person, who only wanted to be loved and have the opportunity to live without a curse looming over his head. He was also quite selfless, willing to put himself into dangerous situations, regardless if there’s a personal benefit to him, or not. He’s quite protective of the people that he cares about and I found him to be quite a sweet prince.
Needless to say, these two were wonderful characters and greatly contributed to my enjoyment of this novel.
I highly recommend this to those who enjoy faery tales, fantasy adventures, and the girl-dressed-as-a-boy trope! :D
September 26, 2017
3.5 stars
Not exactly a re-telling, since this story is about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, but it still lives in the land of fairytales.
I thought it was kind of dry and crunchy, but a decent read.
I really liked the lack of insta-love, but the relationship between Niklass and Aurora had a bit too much I-Love-You-But-Won't-Be-With-You-For-Stupid-Reasons at the end, for me to feel it was a total success.
Sleeping Beauty (whom Aurora is named after) didn't have quite the Disney ending in this story. Her husband was not only a cheater, but his actions left her and her children vulnerable to the evil Troll Queen. They were imprisoned while he was out scurrying around looking for a little action on the side, and Aurora's mother was forced to impart her fairy blessing on Aurora, in order to save both of the children.
Unfortunately, to give Aurora a fairy Gift, she had to kill herself, and then use her last breath to impart the blessing. She did her best to ensure that her daughter wouldn't suffer the same fate as she did, and blessed her with warrior strength, mercy, and a heart no man would abuse.
Sounds alright, no?
Well, (like most fairy Gifts) this one went a little dark. Instead of protecting Aurora from cheaters like her father, it made it so any man she kissed turned into a husk that only wanted to please her.
So. Unless the poor kid wants to date a zombie, her love life was a no-go.
Enter Niklass, who has also been cursed. His father wanted to make sure none of his sons ever tried to take the throne from him, so he had a witch put the whammy on them.
So, on their 18th birthday, they all turn into swans.
Sounds like another fairytale...
I thought it was cool that there were references to other fairytales twisted around the story.
Psst. I don't consider this next piece of information a spoiler because it doesn't have anything to do with the plot. It's just mentioned in passing.
But if you're a stickler for things, then skip the next paragraph.
There's a witch who stole a girl from her parents and then locked her in a tower. But the interesting thing Jay did was turn the tale of Rapunzel on its ear.
See, the girl's parents were neglectful and abusive, so she was actually rescuing her. And she locked her in a tower, because she got addicted to a drug, and that was the only way she could think of to dry her out. Cool, huh?
There's also a girl in a red hood who travels with a wolf, and possibly a few others I missed.
But back to Niklass the soon-to-be Bird Prince.
He's on a mission to marry a princess, and he's got his sights set on Aurora.
Not that he's ever met her...
He needs to get married in order to break his curse, and the girl he marries has to be in line to inherit more than him. That way, it takes him out of the running to take his father's throne, and by default, he'll be immune to the curse.
Meanwhile, Aurora's younger brother, Jor, has been captured by the Troll Queen. So, Aurora has set out, dressed as a boy, in the hopes of raising an army to save him. Niklass ends up rescuing her from a camp full of bad guys, thinking that he's rescuing Jor. He hopes to convince 'Jor' to lead him to his sister, 'Aurora' so that he can convince her to marry him.
On the other hand, 'Ror' (as she likes to be called) decides to see if she can get Niklass to help her find an army in exchange for an introduction to...well, herself.
She tries to convince Niklass, once they're on the road, that the princess will never marry him, though.
Along the way, they become friends, but with each of them harboring their secret curses, it doesn't look like there's any way for them to get a Happily Ever After.
All in all, it's good for a fairytale-like story.
It's not really fast-paced, and it didn't make me want to gush, but it was pretty good overall.
The ending was a bit over the top, but I walked away from it satisfied.
I was given a digital arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Not exactly a re-telling, since this story is about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, but it still lives in the land of fairytales.
I thought it was kind of dry and crunchy, but a decent read.
I really liked the lack of insta-love, but the relationship between Niklass and Aurora had a bit too much I-Love-You-But-Won't-Be-With-You-For-Stupid-Reasons at the end, for me to feel it was a total success.
Sleeping Beauty (whom Aurora is named after) didn't have quite the Disney ending in this story. Her husband was not only a cheater, but his actions left her and her children vulnerable to the evil Troll Queen. They were imprisoned while he was out scurrying around looking for a little action on the side, and Aurora's mother was forced to impart her fairy blessing on Aurora, in order to save both of the children.
Unfortunately, to give Aurora a fairy Gift, she had to kill herself, and then use her last breath to impart the blessing. She did her best to ensure that her daughter wouldn't suffer the same fate as she did, and blessed her with warrior strength, mercy, and a heart no man would abuse.
Sounds alright, no?
Well, (like most fairy Gifts) this one went a little dark. Instead of protecting Aurora from cheaters like her father, it made it so any man she kissed turned into a husk that only wanted to please her.
So. Unless the poor kid wants to date a zombie, her love life was a no-go.
Enter Niklass, who has also been cursed. His father wanted to make sure none of his sons ever tried to take the throne from him, so he had a witch put the whammy on them.
So, on their 18th birthday, they all turn into swans.
Sounds like another fairytale...
I thought it was cool that there were references to other fairytales twisted around the story.
Psst. I don't consider this next piece of information a spoiler because it doesn't have anything to do with the plot. It's just mentioned in passing.
But if you're a stickler for things, then skip the next paragraph.
There's a witch who stole a girl from her parents and then locked her in a tower. But the interesting thing Jay did was turn the tale of Rapunzel on its ear.
See, the girl's parents were neglectful and abusive, so she was actually rescuing her. And she locked her in a tower, because she got addicted to a drug, and that was the only way she could think of to dry her out. Cool, huh?
There's also a girl in a red hood who travels with a wolf, and possibly a few others I missed.
But back to Niklass the soon-to-be Bird Prince.
He's on a mission to marry a princess, and he's got his sights set on Aurora.
Not that he's ever met her...
He needs to get married in order to break his curse, and the girl he marries has to be in line to inherit more than him. That way, it takes him out of the running to take his father's throne, and by default, he'll be immune to the curse.
Meanwhile, Aurora's younger brother, Jor, has been captured by the Troll Queen. So, Aurora has set out, dressed as a boy, in the hopes of raising an army to save him. Niklass ends up rescuing her from a camp full of bad guys, thinking that he's rescuing Jor. He hopes to convince 'Jor' to lead him to his sister, 'Aurora' so that he can convince her to marry him.
On the other hand, 'Ror' (as she likes to be called) decides to see if she can get Niklass to help her find an army in exchange for an introduction to...well, herself.
She tries to convince Niklass, once they're on the road, that the princess will never marry him, though.
Along the way, they become friends, but with each of them harboring their secret curses, it doesn't look like there's any way for them to get a Happily Ever After.
All in all, it's good for a fairytale-like story.
It's not really fast-paced, and it didn't make me want to gush, but it was pretty good overall.
The ending was a bit over the top, but I walked away from it satisfied.
I was given a digital arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2014
I'm all warning you now: This book won't be for everybody. It had its fair share of pros and cons, but personally, I thought the novel's redeeming qualities outweighed the irritating bits.
Why You Must Read the Book:
• The elegant writing will surely draw you in. It wasn't elegant in a "lyrical" sense (I hate those books), but it was simple, but with a very nice flow. The writing definitely made the world more believable for me.
• Character development was great. We actually start off with two bratty, annoying main characters who grow throughout the course of the book. They became stronger both mentally and emotionally. By the end, I respected them both a lot more.
• You'll love the dynamics between Aurora and Niklaas. Their relationship has the perfect balance between friendship and romance. Of course, Niklaas thought that Aurora was a guy at first (it's in the blurb), which was a great opportunity to build up a tight friendship.
• FEELS! Yup, feels. I didn't ugly cry or anything, but I did tear up a bit and I just shipped Ror and Niklaas so hard!
---
Why You Might Hate the Book:
• You might be expecting a Sleeping Beauty retelling... And let me tell you, you won't get it. If anything, this book was closer to a retelling of Mulan. There were only very little bits and minor details of this book that can be considered part of Sleeping Beauty.
• There wasn't enough world building. We're given an intriguing idea of the world (orges, fairies and whatnot... interesting, yeah?), but not enough depth. I would have liked more pages of the book dedicated to the world, how it came to be, and why things are the way they are.
• We don't get enough of the real antagonist. Said character is only present in a few parts of the book and isn't given much of a background. I would have wanted to know his story as well.
---
Overall:
If you're looking for a Sleeping Beauty retelling or gorgeous world building, this isn't the book you're looking for. But if you just want a simple story with interesting characters, chemistry, and easy-to-read writing, consider giving this book a shot.
---
3.5 stars
April 11, 2018
This was fun! RTC
- - -
I’m already a prologue and a chapter in and I’m obnoxiously obsessed with this. I’m assuming this is a “what happened after Sleeping Beauty” type retelling? Anyone know?
- - -
Buddy read with the lovely Scrill!
- - -
I’m already a prologue and a chapter in and I’m obnoxiously obsessed with this. I’m assuming this is a “what happened after Sleeping Beauty” type retelling? Anyone know?
- - -
Buddy read with the lovely Scrill!
February 21, 2023
Hello, it's me. I just wanted to let you guys know that *grabs megaphone* HOLY CROW, I FLAMING LOVE THIS BOOK!
Okay, this is hands down my favorite among all retellings, and I'm not even exaggerating. It was funny and interesting and emotional and so well written! The story couldn't have been more compelling and the characters! Oh, boy. Aurora and Niklaas were spectacular, they always made me laugh with their bantering and, sweet baby cheese, did they make my heart flutter, too. It's been a while since I last loved two MCs this much, both individually and together. Yes, the romance was great, too, but we're talking about amazing friendship and respect before all, here, which in my opinion are not only as equally important as love when it comes to feelings, but they're also one step closer to healthy and beautiful relationships.
[In case you still aren't convinced, Aurora calls Niklaas a successful whore during a love declaration. Like...Can you feel the love because I totally can.]
The villain POV chapters added that sprinkle of perfection this book couldn't miss.
I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. I'll definitely reread it!
Bonus Quote
"You think it was easy pulling away from you? But I did it, because you don't deflower a damn queen in a field by the side of the road."
"Deflower? What am I, a petunia?"
If this isn't love, I don't want to know what love is.
edit January 2022: I still think of this book even after 5 years. I guess this means I need to reread asap!
Okay, this is hands down my favorite among all retellings, and I'm not even exaggerating. It was funny and interesting and emotional and so well written! The story couldn't have been more compelling and the characters! Oh, boy. Aurora and Niklaas were spectacular, they always made me laugh with their bantering and, sweet baby cheese, did they make my heart flutter, too. It's been a while since I last loved two MCs this much, both individually and together. Yes, the romance was great, too, but we're talking about amazing friendship and respect before all, here, which in my opinion are not only as equally important as love when it comes to feelings, but they're also one step closer to healthy and beautiful relationships.
[In case you still aren't convinced, Aurora calls Niklaas a successful whore during a love declaration. Like...Can you feel the love because I totally can.]
The villain POV chapters added that sprinkle of perfection this book couldn't miss.
I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. I'll definitely reread it!
Bonus Quote
"You think it was easy pulling away from you? But I did it, because you don't deflower a damn queen in a field by the side of the road."
"Deflower? What am I, a petunia?"
If this isn't love, I don't want to know what love is.
edit January 2022: I still think of this book even after 5 years. I guess this means I need to reread asap!
July 22, 2016
2.5 stars.
This book made me want to pull my hair out.
I'm going to warn you. This is going to be an angry review. I'm extremely disappointed.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
Let me be very clear about this, this book is NOT a Sleeping Beauty retelling like the snyopsis implied it is. The ONLY similarity that this book has with Sleeping Beauty is that the main characters name is Aurora. IF ANYTHING, this is close to a Mulan retelling.
The reason I am so disappointed and angry is because the beginning started off so great! I was reading up until halfway through the book, thinking this book could be 4-5 stars! I was loving it until the halfway point.
In my opinion, this book should've been a gay romance. The two characters had way better chemistry when they were both males. Why did Aurora even have to be a character? Why wasn't it just two princes?
So the main plot is a princess (Aurora) who has a queen who controls ogres(??) trying to kill her - for some reason that's not really explained - has to dress up as her brother, Jor, the prince who has been captured by this queen and is being tortured - never really explained why or maybe I just didn't care - the princess comes upon this other prince (Niklaas), not her brother, who has been wanting to marry the princess to end his curse. The princess, who is disguised as her brother, convinces the other prince (Nik) to take her across the country - or something- to get an army for Aurora to save her brother - does anyone care at this point? - in exchange for Nik to meet Aurora to possible marry Aurora and even more story, forced romance, blah,blah, blah.
DOES THAT SOUND ANYTHING LIKE A SLEEPING BEAUTY RETELLING? Again I say, if any retelling this is Mulan.
Let me say the positives.
1. This is a standalone fantasy book, which you almost never see.
2. The characters (in the first half of the book) I really liked. They were witty and charming, actually had chemistry, and I really enjoyed them (in the first half of the book).
3. The opening few chapters are really intense. I enjoyed those a lot.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
In my opinion, it started to get bad when the twist happened . Which happens about halfway through the book, after the twist happened, it got messy and lazy.
My major complaint is this book needed more world building. We are just thrown into the world and usually when an author does this, they will explain the world throughout the book. Giving the reader time to adjust to the world, when it is done well I like this technique. It is not done well in this book.
I think the author had a hard time explaining the curses. I swear Nik's curse changed at least three times. Then there's Aurora's. It was so confusing.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
These characters emotions switch so quickly I would get whiplash. And not in an endearing way.
There's also one of those predictable story lines where the book goes these characters aren't going to end up together in the end because they hate each other, see? Am I fooling anyone? No!
RANT:
Honestly, I skipped the last three-four chapters and just skim read the last chapter so I could be missing a lot of the plot, but I don't give a damn.
In the end, I would recommend this first half of this book. Seriously, though, if you are looking for a standalone fantasy I think you'll be happy with this one. Or at least not as mad as I am.
Thanks for reading!
This book made me want to pull my hair out.
I'm going to warn you. This is going to be an angry review. I'm extremely disappointed.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
Let me be very clear about this, this book is NOT a Sleeping Beauty retelling like the snyopsis implied it is. The ONLY similarity that this book has with Sleeping Beauty is that the main characters name is Aurora. IF ANYTHING, this is close to a Mulan retelling.
The reason I am so disappointed and angry is because the beginning started off so great! I was reading up until halfway through the book, thinking this book could be 4-5 stars! I was loving it until the halfway point.
In my opinion, this book should've been a gay romance. The two characters had way better chemistry when they were both males. Why did Aurora even have to be a character? Why wasn't it just two princes?
So the main plot is a princess (Aurora) who has a queen who controls ogres(??) trying to kill her - for some reason that's not really explained - has to dress up as her brother, Jor, the prince who has been captured by this queen and is being tortured - never really explained why or maybe I just didn't care - the princess comes upon this other prince (Niklaas), not her brother, who has been wanting to marry the princess to end his curse. The princess, who is disguised as her brother, convinces the other prince (Nik) to take her across the country - or something- to get an army for Aurora to save her brother - does anyone care at this point? - in exchange for Nik to meet Aurora to possible marry Aurora and even more story, forced romance, blah,blah, blah.
DOES THAT SOUND ANYTHING LIKE A SLEEPING BEAUTY RETELLING? Again I say, if any retelling this is Mulan.
Let me say the positives.
1. This is a standalone fantasy book, which you almost never see.
2. The characters (in the first half of the book) I really liked. They were witty and charming, actually had chemistry, and I really enjoyed them (in the first half of the book).
3. The opening few chapters are really intense. I enjoyed those a lot.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
In my opinion, it started to get bad when the twist happened . Which happens about halfway through the book, after the twist happened, it got messy and lazy.
My major complaint is this book needed more world building. We are just thrown into the world and usually when an author does this, they will explain the world throughout the book. Giving the reader time to adjust to the world, when it is done well I like this technique. It is not done well in this book.
I think the author had a hard time explaining the curses. I swear Nik's curse changed at least three times. Then there's Aurora's. It was so confusing.
I'm going to try and stay as calm as possible, but if this review is cluttered and out of control then you know why.
These characters emotions switch so quickly I would get whiplash. And not in an endearing way.
There's also one of those predictable story lines where the book goes these characters aren't going to end up together in the end because they hate each other, see? Am I fooling anyone? No!
RANT:
Honestly, I skipped the last three-four chapters and just skim read the last chapter so I could be missing a lot of the plot, but I don't give a damn.
In the end, I would recommend this first half of this book. Seriously, though, if you are looking for a standalone fantasy I think you'll be happy with this one. Or at least not as mad as I am.
Thanks for reading!
December 10, 2014
Original Review at www.awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com
This book people. This book! You think it's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, well it, but it's NOT! HA! How does that work? Well, you are going to have to read it to find out for yourself! And THIS IS A MUST OWN, A MUST READ, I LOVED!!! Can't you tell? I have read another book by Stacey Jay Of Beast and Beauty and I LOVED that one too! New must read author for me!
This story follows the tragic tale of Aurora and her brother Jor. Their mother killing herself to save both Aurora and Jor, leaving Aurora "fey-blessed" with gifts that could eventually turn into curses.
Aurora being raised by the fey lives a pretty good life, being taught the ways of the fey in order to survive. When her brother is captured by the evil queen Aurora dresses herself as a boy in order to gather an army to go against the evil queen to save her brother, her kingdom, and eventually the world.
When Aurora is captured she is saved by a man named Niklaas in search of Aurora to woo and wed her in order to save himself from a terrible curse before his eighteenth birthday.
Disguised as a boy Aurora sets off with Niklaas to find her army and he, the princess he sold something valuable to find her.
I loved Aurora because from the beginning she is likable, she's stubborn, strong, sassy, loves deeply, cares much, what's to do what's right, willing to sacrifice much to save those she loves etc. In other words-very relatable.
The character development was great, the world building perfect, the adventure-one you can't put down, the romance- so soft and sweet, the writing style elegant and captures the world the author was trying to portray.
Ok enough of the ooey gooey goodness....let me just say that in all fairness it did take me a bit to get into the story. The character of Niklaas was great because it's about a boy with a past but overall a good guy who learns and matures and changes! See? Men CAN change! HA! You do want to slap him A LOT because of things he does and say but again the character development with him was wonderful.
There were several messages with this book, a story of forgiveness, REAL LOVE-not hormonal "love," change, and MORE!
Overall: loved the story even though there were times it got a little wordy and a little hard for me to get into in the beginning.
Sexual Content: moderate (talk of sleeping with several women, talk of sex-no graphic)
Language: none
Violence: moderate (fighting scenes, a little bit of torture-not graphic)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (a little drinking/drunkedness)
This book people. This book! You think it's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, well it, but it's NOT! HA! How does that work? Well, you are going to have to read it to find out for yourself! And THIS IS A MUST OWN, A MUST READ, I LOVED!!! Can't you tell? I have read another book by Stacey Jay Of Beast and Beauty and I LOVED that one too! New must read author for me!
This story follows the tragic tale of Aurora and her brother Jor. Their mother killing herself to save both Aurora and Jor, leaving Aurora "fey-blessed" with gifts that could eventually turn into curses.Aurora being raised by the fey lives a pretty good life, being taught the ways of the fey in order to survive. When her brother is captured by the evil queen Aurora dresses herself as a boy in order to gather an army to go against the evil queen to save her brother, her kingdom, and eventually the world.
When Aurora is captured she is saved by a man named Niklaas in search of Aurora to woo and wed her in order to save himself from a terrible curse before his eighteenth birthday.
Disguised as a boy Aurora sets off with Niklaas to find her army and he, the princess he sold something valuable to find her.
I loved Aurora because from the beginning she is likable, she's stubborn, strong, sassy, loves deeply, cares much, what's to do what's right, willing to sacrifice much to save those she loves etc. In other words-very relatable.
The character development was great, the world building perfect, the adventure-one you can't put down, the romance- so soft and sweet, the writing style elegant and captures the world the author was trying to portray.
Ok enough of the ooey gooey goodness....let me just say that in all fairness it did take me a bit to get into the story. The character of Niklaas was great because it's about a boy with a past but overall a good guy who learns and matures and changes! See? Men CAN change! HA! You do want to slap him A LOT because of things he does and say but again the character development with him was wonderful.
There were several messages with this book, a story of forgiveness, REAL LOVE-not hormonal "love," change, and MORE!
Overall: loved the story even though there were times it got a little wordy and a little hard for me to get into in the beginning.
Sexual Content: moderate (talk of sleeping with several women, talk of sex-no graphic)
Language: none
Violence: moderate (fighting scenes, a little bit of torture-not graphic)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (a little drinking/drunkedness)
December 21, 2014
Really liked this one -- an imaginative fairy retelling mash-up with great character development, a lot of action and one of the best romances I've read all year.
First off, this is not a strict retelling -- I have decided that it's an awesome fairy tale mash-up of the Charles Perrault version of Sleeping Beauty in the Wood and either a) a Hans Christian Anderson story called the Wild Swans or b) a Brothers Grimm story called The Six Swans. Both a) and b) are about princes cursed and turned into swans. I haven't read either story in a while. If you know more about this, let me know.
Aurora doesn't just lie around sleeping in this story -- she's a fearless warrior princess who isn't afraid of anyone or anything and will do whatever it takes to save her brother.
The romance is maybe one of my favorite YA romances of 2014. I mean, this relationship goes through so many stages, it's the furthest thing ever from YA insta-love. There's the cross-dressing part that leads to this whole odd couple road trip, there's a friendship/bromance, then huge fight and a hate-to-love phase... This couple has to work on their relationship, and that really worked for me. The two of them go through a lot, and not just a lot of manufactured angst and drama.
I read a few DNF reviews of this and .... what??? Here are some things that have seemed to be an issue for a few others, but weren't for me:
Unless you've read a lot of old-school fairy tales, this isn't a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story as you may know it. Just forget that whole Disney version with the HEA -- it left out the original ending! So not only is this story truer to the original tale, I also see it as a "spin-off" fairy tale retelling, in which the author uses some elements of the story to create a new and re-imagined version of the tale.
Niklaas is sort of a jerk at the beginning. Kind of uh .... a manwhore who thinks women are only good for one thing. But he also has a weird family backstory. And he changes -- he learns to see women in a whole different way.
I've read reviews that say that the worldbuilding is confusing. In all the Stacey Jay books I've read, the story world is pretty complicated, and I've always just decided to absorb what I can and go with it. But I can see that if you're a stickler for every detail being filled in, this might be an issue.
I really loved this one -- it just might have pulled me out of my end-of-year book slump. If you've read it, let me know what you think!
First off, this is not a strict retelling -- I have decided that it's an awesome fairy tale mash-up of the Charles Perrault version of Sleeping Beauty in the Wood and either a) a Hans Christian Anderson story called the Wild Swans or b) a Brothers Grimm story called The Six Swans. Both a) and b) are about princes cursed and turned into swans. I haven't read either story in a while. If you know more about this, let me know.
Aurora doesn't just lie around sleeping in this story -- she's a fearless warrior princess who isn't afraid of anyone or anything and will do whatever it takes to save her brother.
The romance is maybe one of my favorite YA romances of 2014. I mean, this relationship goes through so many stages, it's the furthest thing ever from YA insta-love. There's the cross-dressing part that leads to this whole odd couple road trip, there's a friendship/bromance, then huge fight and a hate-to-love phase... This couple has to work on their relationship, and that really worked for me. The two of them go through a lot, and not just a lot of manufactured angst and drama.
I read a few DNF reviews of this and .... what??? Here are some things that have seemed to be an issue for a few others, but weren't for me:
Unless you've read a lot of old-school fairy tales, this isn't a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story as you may know it. Just forget that whole Disney version with the HEA -- it left out the original ending! So not only is this story truer to the original tale, I also see it as a "spin-off" fairy tale retelling, in which the author uses some elements of the story to create a new and re-imagined version of the tale.
Niklaas is sort of a jerk at the beginning. Kind of uh .... a manwhore who thinks women are only good for one thing. But he also has a weird family backstory. And he changes -- he learns to see women in a whole different way.
I've read reviews that say that the worldbuilding is confusing. In all the Stacey Jay books I've read, the story world is pretty complicated, and I've always just decided to absorb what I can and go with it. But I can see that if you're a stickler for every detail being filled in, this might be an issue.
I really loved this one -- it just might have pulled me out of my end-of-year book slump. If you've read it, let me know what you think!
November 13, 2015
I read this book ages ago and forgot to put up a review! I am a sucker for fairytale retellings, and am especially drawn to anything written in fairytale-speak, old-world / alternate medieval style. This book had everything I adore in a retelling: Gorgeous prose, a strong heroine who can fight with the best of the warriors, a cocky prince who's down on his luck but has a heart of gold, and a curse that will bring their world to ruins if they can't stop it in time. And the romance! *swoon* Ah, the romance. :) Beautiful! I love anything by Stacey Jay. She's a wonderful writer.
February 11, 2015
3.5 STARS
Princess of Thorns was enjoyable read but nothing revolutionary that would sweep me off my feet. Overall, it was quite a refreshing story but it lacked the "x factor" that would make it an epic tale. I would suggest it to all those who are in the mood for quick standalone fairytale retelling story with entertaining characters and slow burn romance.
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
Princess of Thorns was enjoyable read but nothing revolutionary that would sweep me off my feet. Overall, it was quite a refreshing story but it lacked the "x factor" that would make it an epic tale. I would suggest it to all those who are in the mood for quick standalone fairytale retelling story with entertaining characters and slow burn romance.
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
September 4, 2018
My first 5 STARS read since April.
Loved this book from the very beginning till the very end.
Loved this book from the very beginning till the very end.
October 16, 2014
4.5 stars
I wasn't expecting to love this book so much. Yes, I really enjoyed Of Beast and Beauty, so I was well aware that Jay could write some really beautiful fairy tale retellings, but in between reading that book and Princess of Thorns, I made the mistake of reading Juliet Immortal, which was a huge disappointment for me, to say the least. So I was understandably wary when I started Princess of Thorns since Juliet Immortal was a lot fresher in my mind than Of Beast and Beauty.
Princess of Thorns had a bit of a rough start with me. I felt it took a bit too long to get somewhere sometimes, and a lot of things got drawn out unnecessarily, but in the end all my worries were misplaced because, somewhere along the way and without even realizing it, I fell in love with this book.
This novel is a wildly beautiful re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty, with clever and lovely inclusions of The Swan Princess, Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. I wasn't expecting for there to be so many fairy tales included, and it was a lovely surprise to see them come in, take part in the Sleeping Beauty plot and still be easily identifiable as their own stories. It's true that the many different inclusions complicated the story a bit and derailed it somewhat from its main course, but I personally loved their presence in the novel, how they were spun to fit into the story and given a new life, and how they ultimately impacted the development of several characters, particularly Niklaas.
Aurora is not the original Sleeping Beauty but actually her daughter, and I think that made the concept all the more interesting, mainly because Jay didn't stick to the Disney version of the fairy tale and actually had the guts to spin her story from the very disturbing original version in which the prince that wakes the original Aurora up was anything but charming. I loved the impact the memory of the original Aurora had on our Aurora and how it played into her character development.
Princess of Thorns is a beautifully written, lovely plotted, and very original adaptation of the old, well-known story. The world was fascinating, though there is a bothersome lack of details and depth concerning this world. It's not that Jay left us completely in the dark. There is some world building, but I just wish that there had been some more focus on it so the different facets of the world came off a lot clearer and understandable.
What I loved the most about this novel were the characters. They are engaging and likable, and most importantly, flawed and realistic. Where Aurora is impulsive and selfish, Niklaas is arrogant and stubborn, but they both temper that with kindness, thoughtfulness, cleverness, and bravery, and they are fantastic together. I don't see the point in having perfectly good characters from the start. I love it when an author can present me with very flawed characters with some rather unlikable characteristics, like the recklessness and selfishness both of these main characters share, and still make me care about them deeply to the point that it grew into love in almost no time. Both Aurora and Niklaas made some very poor choices in the story, and even before it started, but they have to deal with the consequences and they grow through them. You can easily see their transition, appreciate the character development as they grew from the people they were before they met until they became the people that could fall for each other and learn to love themselves as well. Jay took some risks with her characters, made them flawed and prone to mistakes, but that's the best part because that's what made them so realistic for me. Both Aurora and Niklass took actions they thought right when forced to do so by their difficult and desperate circumstances, and yes, they made mistakes, but that humanized them for me. More importantly, they learned from their own mistakes, from each other, and ultimately became the best people they could be. This novel has amazing character development, and that was probably my favorite thing about it, next to how the romance developed.
The romance is fantastic. I can't remember the last time I was so invested in the main relationship in a YA novel. This relationship bloomed from companionship, friendship and mutual respect into something more, but with a clear understanding of the power and strength of the bond that first united them. Aurora and Niklaas are partners and friends first and foremost, and that is so incredibly rare in YA that it makes their relationship all the more beautiful. I loved all the confusion and existential crises their feelings for each other brought on both of them, and I thoroughly enjoyed to see their relationship develop step by step into something really meaningful. It's true that the tension was dragged a bit too much, but it worked perfectly for me.
I do have mixed feelings about the ending. I generally liked what the resolution meant, but it was confusing to a degree and even a bit abrupt. It's not that it had no foundation in the events of the book, but it still felt like it came a bit out of nowhere. I still liked it, of course, but it was probably one of the reasons why it took me so long to debate whether I should round up that 4.5 into 5 stars.
It took me a while to get there, but I can't get this novel out of my mind and I can't help the fondness that spreads through me every time I even think about it, so 5 stars it is. Princess of Thorns is not a perfect novel. It has flaws and, under other circumstances, I probably would've given this one 4 stars, but the things that were done right were done amazingly and they struck all the right cords in me, so I can't help loving this book to bits. Stacey Jay should keep writing fairy tail retellings forever. I know I'll read them all.
I wasn't expecting to love this book so much. Yes, I really enjoyed Of Beast and Beauty, so I was well aware that Jay could write some really beautiful fairy tale retellings, but in between reading that book and Princess of Thorns, I made the mistake of reading Juliet Immortal, which was a huge disappointment for me, to say the least. So I was understandably wary when I started Princess of Thorns since Juliet Immortal was a lot fresher in my mind than Of Beast and Beauty.
Princess of Thorns had a bit of a rough start with me. I felt it took a bit too long to get somewhere sometimes, and a lot of things got drawn out unnecessarily, but in the end all my worries were misplaced because, somewhere along the way and without even realizing it, I fell in love with this book.
This novel is a wildly beautiful re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty, with clever and lovely inclusions of The Swan Princess, Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. I wasn't expecting for there to be so many fairy tales included, and it was a lovely surprise to see them come in, take part in the Sleeping Beauty plot and still be easily identifiable as their own stories. It's true that the many different inclusions complicated the story a bit and derailed it somewhat from its main course, but I personally loved their presence in the novel, how they were spun to fit into the story and given a new life, and how they ultimately impacted the development of several characters, particularly Niklaas.
Aurora is not the original Sleeping Beauty but actually her daughter, and I think that made the concept all the more interesting, mainly because Jay didn't stick to the Disney version of the fairy tale and actually had the guts to spin her story from the very disturbing original version in which the prince that wakes the original Aurora up was anything but charming. I loved the impact the memory of the original Aurora had on our Aurora and how it played into her character development.
Princess of Thorns is a beautifully written, lovely plotted, and very original adaptation of the old, well-known story. The world was fascinating, though there is a bothersome lack of details and depth concerning this world. It's not that Jay left us completely in the dark. There is some world building, but I just wish that there had been some more focus on it so the different facets of the world came off a lot clearer and understandable.
What I loved the most about this novel were the characters. They are engaging and likable, and most importantly, flawed and realistic. Where Aurora is impulsive and selfish, Niklaas is arrogant and stubborn, but they both temper that with kindness, thoughtfulness, cleverness, and bravery, and they are fantastic together. I don't see the point in having perfectly good characters from the start. I love it when an author can present me with very flawed characters with some rather unlikable characteristics, like the recklessness and selfishness both of these main characters share, and still make me care about them deeply to the point that it grew into love in almost no time. Both Aurora and Niklaas made some very poor choices in the story, and even before it started, but they have to deal with the consequences and they grow through them. You can easily see their transition, appreciate the character development as they grew from the people they were before they met until they became the people that could fall for each other and learn to love themselves as well. Jay took some risks with her characters, made them flawed and prone to mistakes, but that's the best part because that's what made them so realistic for me. Both Aurora and Niklass took actions they thought right when forced to do so by their difficult and desperate circumstances, and yes, they made mistakes, but that humanized them for me. More importantly, they learned from their own mistakes, from each other, and ultimately became the best people they could be. This novel has amazing character development, and that was probably my favorite thing about it, next to how the romance developed.
The romance is fantastic. I can't remember the last time I was so invested in the main relationship in a YA novel. This relationship bloomed from companionship, friendship and mutual respect into something more, but with a clear understanding of the power and strength of the bond that first united them. Aurora and Niklaas are partners and friends first and foremost, and that is so incredibly rare in YA that it makes their relationship all the more beautiful. I loved all the confusion and existential crises their feelings for each other brought on both of them, and I thoroughly enjoyed to see their relationship develop step by step into something really meaningful. It's true that the tension was dragged a bit too much, but it worked perfectly for me.
I do have mixed feelings about the ending. I generally liked what the resolution meant, but it was confusing to a degree and even a bit abrupt. It's not that it had no foundation in the events of the book, but it still felt like it came a bit out of nowhere. I still liked it, of course, but it was probably one of the reasons why it took me so long to debate whether I should round up that 4.5 into 5 stars.
It took me a while to get there, but I can't get this novel out of my mind and I can't help the fondness that spreads through me every time I even think about it, so 5 stars it is. Princess of Thorns is not a perfect novel. It has flaws and, under other circumstances, I probably would've given this one 4 stars, but the things that were done right were done amazingly and they struck all the right cords in me, so I can't help loving this book to bits. Stacey Jay should keep writing fairy tail retellings forever. I know I'll read them all.
February 20, 2017
"Why should any woman learn how wretched this world can be if they don’t have to?”
“Because they are strong enough to know the truth, and proving that to themselves will make them stronger.” Ror sits up straighter in his saddle. “And perhaps, if men were brought up to be gentler people, women wouldn’t have need of protectors. Have you ever thought of that?”
Niklaas shakes his head. “Men aren’t going to change, Ror. Men are what they are.”
“And women are more than you allow them to be. Women can be strong, Niklaas. If given the chance, they can handle the world, maybe even handle it better than a man.”
[...] I want to tell him what it’s like for a girl to grow up with no one telling her she can’t be strong or wise or fierce.
Funny how I started this book to get me through Game 3 of the 2016 Western Conference NBA Finals last night. Not only did my heart get ripped out by the Warriors but it also ended up getting poked and examined by the characters in this book.
Because this book was so unexpectedly fantastic! What a beautifully written story, and what a powerful life partner story that goes so beyond true lurve & happily ever after. #relationshipgoals to the max.
This is a character story about falling in love with your best friend, all against the backdrop of a fantasy adventure setting. What this book is not is a richly developed high fantasy. This also isn't a showcase for an original or particularly well-executed plot, hence why most of the Goodreads people I follow did not review this book well.
You know what, though? I'm a character driven reader. More so, I'm a feminist and a young woman fiercely attracted to clever wit and independence. This book captured and reflected those sentiments so brilliantly to the point where I really didn't care whether the plot made sense or not. I'd let Aurora and Niklaas aimlessly camp from place to place all day long if it meant reading their back-and-forth banter some more.
THE STORY RECAP
Sleeping Beauty sacrifices her life to save her young daughter and son: Aurora and Jor. She also gives Aurora, the heir to the throne, a fairy blessing/curse in which she's preternaturally strong with heightened senses. The downside is any man she kisses will fall under a love-struck spell that takes away his free will.
Ten years later, Jor is kidnapped and held as bait by the Queen of the Ogres, Aurora's step grandmother. They need Aurora alive because she's the key to fulfilling a Prophecy that will end the world, which is what the Ogres want. Aurora needs to rally an army and rush the castle in order to save her younger brother and ultimately reclaim her throne.
Niklaas is the eleventh son of an immortal king, who hired a witch to cast a spell on his sons that dooms them to transform into swans at their 18th birthdays. To break the spell and save his life, Niklaas must marry a princess. The only princess that makes logical sense is Aurora, whom he's never met. Niklaas mistakes Aurora for her brother Jor, and tasks "Jor" with leading him to Aurora.
I don't normally do book recap summaries but this plot was so all over the place that a "Previously on..." seemed necessary.
THE GOOD
1) Intelligent, witty narration. It takes intelligence to be sarcastic and even more to be witty. It's all about improvisation, self-deprecation, and restraint. You have to know you're funny and clever and yet let other people decide for themselves whether they agree.
Stacey Jay demonstrates a solid grasp of this concept. The not-quite-Aaron-Sorkin-but-you-have-the-right-idea rapid-fire banter happens a lot between Aurora and Niklaas, and Jay restrains herself just enough to let it be effortlessly funny without trying to use the reactions of her characters to convince us she's being funny.
I also thought this idiom was brilliant:
“This world preys on the weak,” I interrupt, tired of Ror’s preaching when he’s far too young to sit at the front of the chapel, let alone occupy the altar.
I'm stealing that literary idiom some day when I write my own novel. Clever, clever line.
2) Niklaas falling for Aurora. Young Adult Fantasy doesn't give us enough model relationships. Instead, we get chiseled abs and glittering ball gowns and puckered lips. What I like most about this book is its depiction of Aurora's and Niklaas's relationship. I can't even call it a slow-burn romance because it starts off first as a platonic (and sometimes adversarial) friendship. Ror is surprisingly sharp and stubborn and skilled and strong-willed for "his" young age and Niklaas grows to genuinely respect "him" as an equal. Niklaas comes across as faithful and overly confident and funny and focused, and even though much of that rubs Aurora the wrong way they're all qualities that she grows to value about him as well. This all under the umbrella of what Niklaas thinks is a big brother/younger brother friendship.
Once the friendship veil is ripped away and Niklaas learns "Ror" is really Aurora, there's an appropriate length of time where we see him struggle to process what this means. I appreciated that. There's still no insta-love on Niklaas's part; rather, we see him force himself to try to make things as they were.
I ruffle her hair the way I did when she was Ror and it feels good. Normal. The way things are supposed to be between Aurora and me.
There's still a fascination to her now, and that's where the romance begins. He's not attracted to her because she has blonde wavy hair, nor because she has breasts and lace at her collarbone. He's attracted to her as a person, for her ability to be fiercely strong and down-to-earth and independent.
I force a smile, pretending not to be bothered by the realization that it isn’t only Aurora’s time spent pretending to be a boy that makes it hard to know how to behave with her. It’s the fact that she doesn’t fit into the usual baskets. She’s not a family member, and she’s not a girl I’d have an easy tumble with. She’s a little of both, as well as a friend of the kind I thought I could only find in another man. I never dreamt I could have fun sparring with a girl, or making rude jokes, or traveling across country with nothing but two horses and a single bedroll.
By the end, he realizes he loves her. Lest the readers think it's generic, the author makes sure to announce Niklaas's declaration of love with the perfect mixture of physical desire and emotional need:
That unexpected longing rises inside of me again, but this time it isn’t simply a longing to touch her, or at least not the way I’ve known it before. It’s a warmer feeling, desire wrapped up in furs to keep it safe from the cold, lust softened like a wine aged for years in gentle darkness. It’s not something I’ve felt before—the need to possess and to treasure so tangled together. It’s uncomfortable, foreign, but also … Right. And maybe I don’t have to fight it.
3) Aurora. Why did I like her so much? Girls like me can relate to her all day. She embodies so much of what I consider to be my greatest strengths but also my biggest insecurities.
I try to remind myself that Niklaas would never be interested in a girl like me—a girl so plain she has no trouble passing as a boy, a girl who speaks her mind and fights for what she wants and doesn’t need anyone, male or female, to protect her—but the arguments don’t feel as convincing as they once did. Niklaas likes Ror. He could come to like Aurora, to care about her and laugh with her. And isn’t caring and friendship what makes a marriage work, what makes you wake up years in the future and smile to see your friend’s graying head on the pillow next to yours?
As someone who's surrounded by better-looking, more outgoing friends every day and compensates for it by being independent, all I can say is AMEN, SISTA.
I reach a hand down to help her up. She ignores it, vaulting to her feet with a shove of her arms and a jackknife motion of her body that is impressive. Unnecessary but impressive.
“Maybe you should think about changing a few things, too,” I continue.
“Like what?” The look of surprise on her face makes it clear she considers herself above reproach.
“Like accepting help a bit more graciously,” I say, waving the hand she ignored in her face. “You don’t have to take on the world all alone.”
4) #relationshipgoals. Bless Stacey Jay's heart for letting us be privy to the moments when our characters recognize that level of connection with each other.
The way I felt changed when he changed, making it clear it wasn’t Niklaas’s godlike outsides that made me want to be close to him. It was who he was. It was his mind and his heart and his wicked smiles and his maddening advice and the way he’d tease me from laughter into fury and back to laughter within the course of a conversation. It was just … Niklaas.
Hmm-mm.
And then I hear her sigh and turn my head to find Aurora propped on one arm, watching me wake up, and it all comes rushing back—the breathless ride back to the castle, the wedding in the garden with the last of the autumn roses tucked into Aurora’s hair, going to bed with my best friend and learning I’ve been doing it all wrong, and needed to be deflowered, after all.
Last night was what love is supposed to feel like, terrifying and beautiful and so close you’re afraid you’ll lose a piece of yourself, but you don’t. You gain a piece of the person you love instead, a piece that makes you stronger and happier than you could have imagined possible.
I don't have words.
THE BAD
The plot was a bit dodgy at times. Who are Queen and Brother Ogre supposed to be, and why are they the big bads? Crimsim and her Uncle...were pointless. The fairy blessing and Swan Prince curses were awkward to contend with and contributed to way too much Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales retelling going on.
The world building and history was deliberately ignored, too, but I saw a review that explained that away pretty well. Just like in Star Wars: A New Hope, we're thrown into the middle of the story on purpose. Just like we don't learn the full explanation of the Force nor why the Rebels are rebelling against the Empire, so we likewise don't get much insight into Aurora's fairy blessing or the Ogre Wars or the Prophecy or the Three-Eyed God religion or Niklaas's crazy ass immortal dad. We're just supposed to accept that as our starting point...in which case I shrug and say, "Okay. I'm good with that."
But the end climax? The showdown with Mama Ogre and Brother Ogre and the army showing up like Gandalf at Helm's Deep? Slop-py. Did Stacey Jay get tired of writing at that point?
THE VERDICT
This book reminds me of Daughter of the Forest for its setting and Hans Christian Anderson retelling...but most importantly for its portrayal of the main relationship. If you loved that book for those reasons, you might enjoy this one as well.
Be warned: the plot isn't terribly original. In fact, it might remind the reader of a mishmash of Disney or Brothers Grimm stories like Mulan, The Six Swans, Sleeping Beauty, Shrek, and Rapunzel/Tangled. Some parts of the book are deliberately fast-forwarded, like Jay was either too lazy to give it due focus or she wanted to be clear that that part was not important.
There are plot holes and plots missing...but I enjoyed this for the character story alone...and for the journey of falling in love with your best friend. That romance was seriously terrific. The feminism was terrific. And the good, old-fashioned adventure was terrific.
“Well … maybe together we’ll prove that prophecies, and curses, and kings and queens with nothing but evil in their souls aren’t as powerful as people helping each other. People tying their hearts and minds together and telling fate to go stuff itself.”
December 23, 2015
NOBODY MOVE! I have a good standalone fantasy in the wild here! I don't want to spook it!
January 7, 2019
This isn't a Sleeping Beauty retelling. The only thing in common is the princess' name, Aurora. In this book, Sleeping Beauty has two children, named Aurora and Jor. Aurora (not Sleeping Beauty, her daughter) is the heroine who disguises herself as a boy to seek help from a prince in order to rescue her brother. In a world-building that looks like your children room when they refuse to clean after spending the day taking out all their toys to play, we follow this annoying main female character we are supposed to find badass and encounter all kind of stuff that don't necessarily have any purpose. It's there because the author put all fantasy stuff in a box, shake it for a whole minute and then threw it into the pages. Look, so much fantasy! And... that's all. It was boring and I didn't care what happened.
On another note, what does Game of Thrones has to do with this book? The marketing is getting ridiculous. You need marketing, I know that, but you can do it right or at least better than that.
On another note, what does Game of Thrones has to do with this book? The marketing is getting ridiculous. You need marketing, I know that, but you can do it right or at least better than that.
November 27, 2014
This book is one of my top three favorites this year - absolutely phenomenal.
Think something along the lines of Defy, only done right and sooooo much better, so much more complex and exciting and intricate and funny and sexy. Just... Wow. The twist on Sleeping Beauty fairy tale was so amazing, I was really blown away. I will be recommending this book to everyone. It's really THAT good.
Think something along the lines of Defy, only done right and sooooo much better, so much more complex and exciting and intricate and funny and sexy. Just... Wow. The twist on Sleeping Beauty fairy tale was so amazing, I was really blown away. I will be recommending this book to everyone. It's really THAT good.
April 12, 2019
2.5/5 stars
DNF at 45%
I was supposed to buddy read this with a dear friend of mine but guess who’s been dropped like a hot potato?
YEET.
DNF at 45%
I was supposed to buddy read this with a dear friend of mine but guess who’s been dropped like a hot potato?
YEET.
December 26, 2014
4.5 Stars
An absolutely STUNNING book that I adored!!! It was so refreshing to have such an EPIC standalone, pack with a powerful punch that dug deep!
I mean, this book did take a little bit to get into, but once it did, it was...
STACEY JAY, you are a mastermind of a storyteller! And this is the hoax's you cast on me with this story...
But I LOVED every second of your spellbinding curse...
----------------------------------
What an elegantly spiraling, tremendously beautiful, and utterly wonderful, bombshell of a book!! I absolutely LOVED PRINCESS OF THORNS in every possible way! From it's epic world building, and well developed characters, to it's beautiful version of the SLEEPING BEAUTY retelling that surpassed any and all expectations, and had me falling hopelessly in love with this wonderfully epic and truly beautiful story that rocked me to the core! PRINCESS OF THORNS is NOT a book to be missed!!!
Stacey Jay has quickly become one of my new favorite authors of all times!! I've been wanting to read her other book, OF BEAUTY AND BEAST since hearing all the wonderful praise about it, but sadly, I never gotten around to it. So when PRINCESS OF THORNS arrived on my doorstep for review, I jumped at the chance to review an author I've been so desperately wanting to explore. And let me tell you, all the rave reviews and amazing rumors couldn't of prepared me for this rare gem I found within the PRINCESS OF THORNS!!!
THE PLOT
"Prophecy foretells that in the last days of the Long Summer, the Age of Reaping will dawn with the rise of the living darkness. The four kingdoms will dwell in shadow, and the souls of man feed the First One's hunger for a hundred years."
In a faraway land, their lies two kingdoms in despair, two kingdoms who's rulers have failed them, two kingdoms who's heir's to the throne are cursed, two kingdoms who will be forever doomed into darkness, if the curse is not broken, in time....
Only one of the eleven Prince's of the kingdom of Kanvasol still remains. The curse that claims all heirs to the Kanvasol throne at the age of eighteen has already cursed ten of the eleven Prince's. And now as Niklaas, the last remaining Prince of Kanvasol eighteenth birthday drawls near, he knows his time is running out. But him being the youngest and most determined Prince of them all, he is not willing to accept that fate. He is not ready to give up and let the curse claim him, transforming his body from human flesh, to shrink inward and sprout feathers and wings, and be forced to take flight as a swan, forever cursed to be this beautiful animal, unaware of who he was and what he lost. He will not scum to this curse, and is determined to break the chains that bind him, hopefully before it's to late...
The remaining Princess of the kingdom of Norvere is all the kingdoms last hope for survival. Gifted with the fairy blessed blood of her dying mother, shed for her to be bestowed the gifts and skills needed in order to save their people from the evil Ogre Queen and her soldiers that have taken their kingdom with force, and have succeeded in stealing the souls of the people of Norvere.
Princess Aurora remained in hiding until her seventeenth year of age, only to venture out of her hidden sanctuary when the time comes not to let her mothers sacrifice be in vain. When Aurora's brother, Prince Jor is kidnapped on the way to one of their yearly visit, and then a vision of Jor being killed by his Ogre captives is foreseen, Princess Aurora knows the time has come to break the bounds that bind her, before all is lost and plunged into darkness, forever cursed to dwell in shadow and fear as the age of the reaping will curse them all to a life of misery, torture, and death...
Prince Niklaas is ready to set himself free. He sets out to find the lost Princess Aurora, in hopes she will aid him in breaking the wretched curse his father cast upon him, ensuring Niklaas would never live to his eighteenth birthday to become the rightful king of Kanvasol. So Niklaas's only hope lies in finding the last remaining unwed Princess, and persuade her to marry him before it's too late.
Niklaas and Aurora join forces, both needing something from the other, but unsure of the truth behind it. The journey is anything but easy, as the Ogre Queen is never far behind, and her lackeys are determined to bring Princess Aurora to their Queen, eager to fulfill the prophecy, and allow The Age Of Reaping to rise. And the longer the secrets that both Niklaas and Aurora harbor, the harder it is for them to remain true, because they could very well destroy the strong relationship they've forged, if ever revealed.
Time is running out as Niklaas's eighteenth birthday drawls near, and Aurora knows the clock is ticking until her brothers fate comes true. They will have to put aside their differences and work together if their going to stay alive long enough to complete their missions. But what do you do if you heart is pulling you one way, but you mind is pulling you another???
Overall, PRINCESS OF THORNS was a fantastic read that I absolutely adored!!! I am so eager to read more from this author, as I know it will be just as amazing as this book was! I have a feeling Stacy Jay is going to do great things in the YA Genre, and I will be right there waiting when she does!! If your looking for a romantic YA fantasy, that will sweep you into a world of lies, betrayals, sacrifice, determination, strength, and a forceful love that is determined to prevail, then PRINCESS OF THORNS is a MUST READ!!!
NOTE: I received a physical ARC from Random House for reviewing purposes! All opinions express are my own and are not influenced in any way!
An absolutely STUNNING book that I adored!!! It was so refreshing to have such an EPIC standalone, pack with a powerful punch that dug deep!
I mean, this book did take a little bit to get into, but once it did, it was...
STACEY JAY, you are a mastermind of a storyteller! And this is the hoax's you cast on me with this story...
But I LOVED every second of your spellbinding curse...
----------------------------------
What an elegantly spiraling, tremendously beautiful, and utterly wonderful, bombshell of a book!! I absolutely LOVED PRINCESS OF THORNS in every possible way! From it's epic world building, and well developed characters, to it's beautiful version of the SLEEPING BEAUTY retelling that surpassed any and all expectations, and had me falling hopelessly in love with this wonderfully epic and truly beautiful story that rocked me to the core! PRINCESS OF THORNS is NOT a book to be missed!!!
Stacey Jay has quickly become one of my new favorite authors of all times!! I've been wanting to read her other book, OF BEAUTY AND BEAST since hearing all the wonderful praise about it, but sadly, I never gotten around to it. So when PRINCESS OF THORNS arrived on my doorstep for review, I jumped at the chance to review an author I've been so desperately wanting to explore. And let me tell you, all the rave reviews and amazing rumors couldn't of prepared me for this rare gem I found within the PRINCESS OF THORNS!!!
THE PLOT
"Prophecy foretells that in the last days of the Long Summer, the Age of Reaping will dawn with the rise of the living darkness. The four kingdoms will dwell in shadow, and the souls of man feed the First One's hunger for a hundred years."
In a faraway land, their lies two kingdoms in despair, two kingdoms who's rulers have failed them, two kingdoms who's heir's to the throne are cursed, two kingdoms who will be forever doomed into darkness, if the curse is not broken, in time....
Only one of the eleven Prince's of the kingdom of Kanvasol still remains. The curse that claims all heirs to the Kanvasol throne at the age of eighteen has already cursed ten of the eleven Prince's. And now as Niklaas, the last remaining Prince of Kanvasol eighteenth birthday drawls near, he knows his time is running out. But him being the youngest and most determined Prince of them all, he is not willing to accept that fate. He is not ready to give up and let the curse claim him, transforming his body from human flesh, to shrink inward and sprout feathers and wings, and be forced to take flight as a swan, forever cursed to be this beautiful animal, unaware of who he was and what he lost. He will not scum to this curse, and is determined to break the chains that bind him, hopefully before it's to late...
The remaining Princess of the kingdom of Norvere is all the kingdoms last hope for survival. Gifted with the fairy blessed blood of her dying mother, shed for her to be bestowed the gifts and skills needed in order to save their people from the evil Ogre Queen and her soldiers that have taken their kingdom with force, and have succeeded in stealing the souls of the people of Norvere.
Princess Aurora remained in hiding until her seventeenth year of age, only to venture out of her hidden sanctuary when the time comes not to let her mothers sacrifice be in vain. When Aurora's brother, Prince Jor is kidnapped on the way to one of their yearly visit, and then a vision of Jor being killed by his Ogre captives is foreseen, Princess Aurora knows the time has come to break the bounds that bind her, before all is lost and plunged into darkness, forever cursed to dwell in shadow and fear as the age of the reaping will curse them all to a life of misery, torture, and death...
Prince Niklaas is ready to set himself free. He sets out to find the lost Princess Aurora, in hopes she will aid him in breaking the wretched curse his father cast upon him, ensuring Niklaas would never live to his eighteenth birthday to become the rightful king of Kanvasol. So Niklaas's only hope lies in finding the last remaining unwed Princess, and persuade her to marry him before it's too late.
Niklaas and Aurora join forces, both needing something from the other, but unsure of the truth behind it. The journey is anything but easy, as the Ogre Queen is never far behind, and her lackeys are determined to bring Princess Aurora to their Queen, eager to fulfill the prophecy, and allow The Age Of Reaping to rise. And the longer the secrets that both Niklaas and Aurora harbor, the harder it is for them to remain true, because they could very well destroy the strong relationship they've forged, if ever revealed.
Time is running out as Niklaas's eighteenth birthday drawls near, and Aurora knows the clock is ticking until her brothers fate comes true. They will have to put aside their differences and work together if their going to stay alive long enough to complete their missions. But what do you do if you heart is pulling you one way, but you mind is pulling you another???
Overall, PRINCESS OF THORNS was a fantastic read that I absolutely adored!!! I am so eager to read more from this author, as I know it will be just as amazing as this book was! I have a feeling Stacy Jay is going to do great things in the YA Genre, and I will be right there waiting when she does!! If your looking for a romantic YA fantasy, that will sweep you into a world of lies, betrayals, sacrifice, determination, strength, and a forceful love that is determined to prevail, then PRINCESS OF THORNS is a MUST READ!!!
NOTE: I received a physical ARC from Random House for reviewing purposes! All opinions express are my own and are not influenced in any way!
September 26, 2017
ETA: I haven't always had the best luck with Sleeping Beauty retellings, so it's a good thing this story follows her daughter instead. ;) Seriously, though, I loved this audiobook when I first borrowed it from the library in 2015, but when I stumbled upon it again the other day, I could not for the life of me remember it. Which sounds like it must have been pretty forgettable, right, but I had given it five stars previously, so it had to have been at least a decent listen. Upon relistening, it was almost like experiencing a new story, considering how much I'd forgotten, but it was SO good. I honestly can't tell you why I don't remember it, except that I read/listen to anywhere between 250 and 280 books a year these days and I forget a lot. *shrugs*
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I just loved this one! I usually enjoy a good retelling, but I wasn't terribly impressed with this author's reimagining of Romeo & Juliet, so I passed on this one when I first heard of it and again when it was released. But my library had the audio available yesterday when I was perusing their catalog, and I'd seen some of my friends loving it, and well, I had to give it a try. And now I'm wishing my library had the rest of her backlist on audio because this was pretty fantastic.
I may review in more depth later, but another book is calling my name right now. Suffice it to say, this book surpassed my expectations. And you can't go wrong with Julia Whalen as narrator, if you ask me.
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I just loved this one! I usually enjoy a good retelling, but I wasn't terribly impressed with this author's reimagining of Romeo & Juliet, so I passed on this one when I first heard of it and again when it was released. But my library had the audio available yesterday when I was perusing their catalog, and I'd seen some of my friends loving it, and well, I had to give it a try. And now I'm wishing my library had the rest of her backlist on audio because this was pretty fantastic.
I may review in more depth later, but another book is calling my name right now. Suffice it to say, this book surpassed my expectations. And you can't go wrong with Julia Whalen as narrator, if you ask me.
April 20, 2017
"I know heroes," she says a little sadly. "Heroes are all the same."
Ooohh, I liked this one. It was good. Not perfect, but I definitely enjoyed reading it. That blurb though - *rolls eyes* Definitely one of the stupider Game of Thrones references I've seen. (Whoever decided to put that in the blurb should be fired. Why mislead people like that and give readers false expectations? Stupid.)
Anyway. Stories with a girl disguised as a boy are kinda my thing - I don't think I've ever given less than 4 stars to any books with this trope that I've read. I always think they're so fun and I love the anticipation of the big reveal.
I liked Aurora's character and the banter between 'Ror' and Nik was great. The resolution was a little too quick & cheesy, but eh, fairy-tale-inspired, so I can deal.
Also, it's nice to read a fantasy stand-alone. There is a beginning and there is an end. In ONE book. I need more of these in my life.
February 24, 2017
The way I feel after finishing this book is the way I want to feel after I finish any book or series. This glorious story had action, wonderful characters, humor, and a love story I won't forget. Niklaas is probably in my top 3 favorite YA male characters. He's an idiot, a brute, and the least humble man ever, and I love him just as Aurora did. And Aurora! What a wondrous character that I grew to love so much. Her spirit is precious. Not to mention, I love it when girls have to disguise themselves as boys.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a standalone that delivers just as well as a trilogy, read this book. Action-packed with an incredible world and amazing romance, this is the perfect book for any YA fantasy lover.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a standalone that delivers just as well as a trilogy, read this book. Action-packed with an incredible world and amazing romance, this is the perfect book for any YA fantasy lover.
October 27, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?
What I Liked:
I feel like I have been a "fan" of Stacey Jay for a really long time, without actually reading her books. I'm apathetic about her Juliet Immortal series, but I've always wanted to read Of Beast and Beauty, and now, this book. I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, books based on fairy tales, original fairy tales, etc. So, I was all over this book when I saw that, one, it was by Stacey Jay and two, it was fairy-tale-based fantasy.
Princess Aurora is fairy-blessed by her mother passing her gifts to her, but the gifts are a curse of a sort. Aurora has the ability to steal the will of anyone she kisses. So Aurora won't kiss anyone else, after Thyne. Dressed as a boy, Aurora and her brother Jor live with the fairies, until one day, Jor is captured by the ogre queen. A human prince finds Aurora, and believing her to be Jor, makes a deal with her: he'll help her find her way to the Feeding Hills, if she will bring him to Aurora (he believes that she is Jor). Bu the road to regaining her throne - and Niklaas obtaining Aurora's favor is not straight and narrow. Who will survive, and who will win?
Right from the start, I knew that the intricacy of this world and its history would leave me breathless. It's fantasy, and it's amazing. Jay adapts the worlds of Sleeping Beauty and creates her ow fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty is Aurora's mother, and Aurora is the heir to the throne of which the ogre queen currently has taken possession. Jay does a fantastic job of setting up the history and timeline of events of this novel, I was impressed by how well the world was developed!
I was rooting for Aurora during this entire book. Not once did I completely not understand her decisions or motivation. I felt for her as she pretended to by Jor, using her fairy ways to make excuses for the long hair and privacy when bathing and slightly more feminine ways. Niklaas knew that Aurora was very feminine-looking for a boy, but he never suspected that it wasn't Jor. Nevertheless, I really felt for Aurora. She did an amazing job of pretending, of hiding herself.
Aurora is pretty kickbutt. She has incredibly powers thanks to her magical gift, but she is also very brave and determined. She and Niklaas argue all the time, because both are stubborn, and want their way to be done. When two royals get together... it's especially funny because 60% of the book is spent with Niklaas believing that Aurora is Jor - and Aurora has to go through the journey to the Feeding Hills listening to how much Niklaas wants to marry her (but he doesn't realize that it is her).
I really like Niklaas. He is also brave, but in a calmer, more rational, peaceful way. His life hasn't been easy at all. All eleven of his brothers have been turned into swans upon turning eighteen, because his father had his sons cursed so that none would ever ascend his throne. Niklaas wants to escape the curse by marrying Aurora, an heir to a different throne. But Aurora doesn't ever want to marry Niklaas, because of her gift and ability to take away the will of whomever she kisses.
The romance is so subtle in this book. Again, about 60% of this book is spent with Niklaas thinking that Aurora is a boy. So, for 60% of the book, we have these two as friends, good friends, like brothers. I actually really like this setup, because they really get to know each other - especially since Niklaas believes that Aurora is male. While their relationship is built on lies (on both sides), the core of the relationship is a strong friendship. And then Niklaas finds out. And then he's mad. And yet... there is still so much between them.
I really like the plot of the story, dealing with Aurora trying to get her throne back, and Niklaas running from the curse. I wanted to know how both would get what they wanted, because both seemed to have impossible goals. This book wraps up really nicely, as a standalone should. I won't say anything specific, but I liked the ending, all around!
What I Did Not Like:
While I really liked the ending, I was a bit confused about some of the events. I can't say anything because then I'll be spoiling things and I don't want to spoil anything. But I was confused as to what specifically happened to the ogre queen in the end. Also, why she did what she did, in relation to Aurora. Basically... what? I need clarification. Or possibly a re-read.
Would I Recommend It:
I would recommend this novel to any fantasy lover out there! Or if you like fairy tale retellings! Or if you like a sweet romance that isn't just a romance! The subtleties are beautiful in this book. There are so many beautiful things about this book! I'm so glad I gave it a shot.
Rating:
4 stars. My first Stacey Jay novel was a huge success! I'll definitely be going back to read Of Beast and Beauty at some point... just need to obtain a copy soon!
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?
What I Liked:
I feel like I have been a "fan" of Stacey Jay for a really long time, without actually reading her books. I'm apathetic about her Juliet Immortal series, but I've always wanted to read Of Beast and Beauty, and now, this book. I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, books based on fairy tales, original fairy tales, etc. So, I was all over this book when I saw that, one, it was by Stacey Jay and two, it was fairy-tale-based fantasy.
Princess Aurora is fairy-blessed by her mother passing her gifts to her, but the gifts are a curse of a sort. Aurora has the ability to steal the will of anyone she kisses. So Aurora won't kiss anyone else, after Thyne. Dressed as a boy, Aurora and her brother Jor live with the fairies, until one day, Jor is captured by the ogre queen. A human prince finds Aurora, and believing her to be Jor, makes a deal with her: he'll help her find her way to the Feeding Hills, if she will bring him to Aurora (he believes that she is Jor). Bu the road to regaining her throne - and Niklaas obtaining Aurora's favor is not straight and narrow. Who will survive, and who will win?
Right from the start, I knew that the intricacy of this world and its history would leave me breathless. It's fantasy, and it's amazing. Jay adapts the worlds of Sleeping Beauty and creates her ow fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty is Aurora's mother, and Aurora is the heir to the throne of which the ogre queen currently has taken possession. Jay does a fantastic job of setting up the history and timeline of events of this novel, I was impressed by how well the world was developed!
I was rooting for Aurora during this entire book. Not once did I completely not understand her decisions or motivation. I felt for her as she pretended to by Jor, using her fairy ways to make excuses for the long hair and privacy when bathing and slightly more feminine ways. Niklaas knew that Aurora was very feminine-looking for a boy, but he never suspected that it wasn't Jor. Nevertheless, I really felt for Aurora. She did an amazing job of pretending, of hiding herself.
Aurora is pretty kickbutt. She has incredibly powers thanks to her magical gift, but she is also very brave and determined. She and Niklaas argue all the time, because both are stubborn, and want their way to be done. When two royals get together... it's especially funny because 60% of the book is spent with Niklaas believing that Aurora is Jor - and Aurora has to go through the journey to the Feeding Hills listening to how much Niklaas wants to marry her (but he doesn't realize that it is her).
I really like Niklaas. He is also brave, but in a calmer, more rational, peaceful way. His life hasn't been easy at all. All eleven of his brothers have been turned into swans upon turning eighteen, because his father had his sons cursed so that none would ever ascend his throne. Niklaas wants to escape the curse by marrying Aurora, an heir to a different throne. But Aurora doesn't ever want to marry Niklaas, because of her gift and ability to take away the will of whomever she kisses.
The romance is so subtle in this book. Again, about 60% of this book is spent with Niklaas thinking that Aurora is a boy. So, for 60% of the book, we have these two as friends, good friends, like brothers. I actually really like this setup, because they really get to know each other - especially since Niklaas believes that Aurora is male. While their relationship is built on lies (on both sides), the core of the relationship is a strong friendship. And then Niklaas finds out. And then he's mad. And yet... there is still so much between them.
I really like the plot of the story, dealing with Aurora trying to get her throne back, and Niklaas running from the curse. I wanted to know how both would get what they wanted, because both seemed to have impossible goals. This book wraps up really nicely, as a standalone should. I won't say anything specific, but I liked the ending, all around!
What I Did Not Like:
While I really liked the ending, I was a bit confused about some of the events. I can't say anything because then I'll be spoiling things and I don't want to spoil anything. But I was confused as to what specifically happened to the ogre queen in the end. Also, why she did what she did, in relation to Aurora. Basically... what? I need clarification. Or possibly a re-read.
Would I Recommend It:
I would recommend this novel to any fantasy lover out there! Or if you like fairy tale retellings! Or if you like a sweet romance that isn't just a romance! The subtleties are beautiful in this book. There are so many beautiful things about this book! I'm so glad I gave it a shot.
Rating:
4 stars. My first Stacey Jay novel was a huge success! I'll definitely be going back to read Of Beast and Beauty at some point... just need to obtain a copy soon!
July 20, 2016
This probably wasn't the best young adult fantasy I've ever read, but it was right up my alley, and by far one of the better ones I've read in a long time. And having read the Megan Berry and Juliet Immortal series, I was quite impressed with Stacey Jay on this one.
Let me began by saying I'm quite biased with my rating because I love fantasy books that are full of adventures, especially ones that include a kick-ass heroine who can take care of herself and is not afraid to speak her mind. Having said that, I was more than glad that Jay did not make the classic mistake that authors make when they write such a book, but never once did I think that Niklaas was a weaker, less manly hero. Even the toughest chicks would want a man that would treat her as a lady. Niklaas holds his own ground and is not afraid to give Aurora a piece of his mind as well. And their relationship was just the right amount of infuriating banter and starting-to-care-about-you-despite-logic development, and later, just the right amount of flirting and much later sappiness.
Aside from that, the book had me hooked from the start. There was action, heart-breaking moments and the promise of hope that makes you so sure that good will prevail in the end. I will say, the world-building is a bit sketchy in the beginning because I was confused that the prince who woke Sleeping Beauty was not the traditional hero we had known growing up from our classic fairy tales. Also, I had a hard time picturing what an ogre was and why someone would want to marry a Shrek/Fiona-like, or worst, ugly-looking trolls, and it wasn't until much later that I understood what the concept of an ogre was. Still, Jay didn't feel the need to bore readers by bogging down with every single detail from the start. Perhaps a little more information would have been nice, but I hadn't been frustrated at not knowing, and I hadn't minded that much because I was wrapped up in the story, and when I had understood better, it was more of the "oh okay, that makes sense now."
As for the story itself, I liked it because it wasn't your traditional retelling of a classic fairytale. What makes it even better is that it wasn't the traditional "hero saves princess in distress" type of books. The prince, himself, had a curse of his own, and I really enjoyed how everything connected together. Sure the story was predictable, but hey, I don't think it would have worked right if it hadn't been. But as I continued reading and I saw how another piece of the puzzle fit into it, for example, Gettle, makes it seemed so well planned. Even Ekeeta's own story made everything fall into place perfectly. Was it a bit too much crammed into one book? Possibly, but I sure didn't think so. It just made the story more complete in my opinion - although I do hope that Jay has ideas stocked up for future books. Not for this story though, I'm liking it as a stand-alone and hope it stays that way.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No, it wasn't without its flaws, and perhaps people who are usually lighter critics than I am would not enjoy it as much as I did. It's just been one of the best books I've read in a while, and like I said, it was right up my alley, and there was so much that worked, that I just enjoyed it immensely in the end.
Let me began by saying I'm quite biased with my rating because I love fantasy books that are full of adventures, especially ones that include a kick-ass heroine who can take care of herself and is not afraid to speak her mind. Having said that, I was more than glad that Jay did not make the classic mistake that authors make when they write such a book, but never once did I think that Niklaas was a weaker, less manly hero. Even the toughest chicks would want a man that would treat her as a lady. Niklaas holds his own ground and is not afraid to give Aurora a piece of his mind as well. And their relationship was just the right amount of infuriating banter and starting-to-care-about-you-despite-logic development, and later, just the right amount of flirting and much later sappiness.
Aside from that, the book had me hooked from the start. There was action, heart-breaking moments and the promise of hope that makes you so sure that good will prevail in the end. I will say, the world-building is a bit sketchy in the beginning because I was confused that the prince who woke Sleeping Beauty was not the traditional hero we had known growing up from our classic fairy tales. Also, I had a hard time picturing what an ogre was and why someone would want to marry a Shrek/Fiona-like, or worst, ugly-looking trolls, and it wasn't until much later that I understood what the concept of an ogre was. Still, Jay didn't feel the need to bore readers by bogging down with every single detail from the start. Perhaps a little more information would have been nice, but I hadn't been frustrated at not knowing, and I hadn't minded that much because I was wrapped up in the story, and when I had understood better, it was more of the "oh okay, that makes sense now."
As for the story itself, I liked it because it wasn't your traditional retelling of a classic fairytale. What makes it even better is that it wasn't the traditional "hero saves princess in distress" type of books. The prince, himself, had a curse of his own, and I really enjoyed how everything connected together. Sure the story was predictable, but hey, I don't think it would have worked right if it hadn't been. But as I continued reading and I saw how another piece of the puzzle fit into it, for example, Gettle, makes it seemed so well planned. Even Ekeeta's own story made everything fall into place perfectly. Was it a bit too much crammed into one book? Possibly, but I sure didn't think so. It just made the story more complete in my opinion - although I do hope that Jay has ideas stocked up for future books. Not for this story though, I'm liking it as a stand-alone and hope it stays that way.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No, it wasn't without its flaws, and perhaps people who are usually lighter critics than I am would not enjoy it as much as I did. It's just been one of the best books I've read in a while, and like I said, it was right up my alley, and there was so much that worked, that I just enjoyed it immensely in the end.
November 19, 2014
4.5 stars
I have read some reviews that indicate that the Disney version is the version to which fairy tale retellings should be faithful. In the original tale by Perrault, Sleeping Beauty is not named, and she has two children named Aurora (Dawn) and Jor (Day). The prince is previously married and has an ogre stepmother who wants to eat Sleeping Beauty and her two children. Stacey Jay has stayed very faithful to this in her tale. And what a tale this is! It was full of action, adventure, romance,etc. The romance was not heavy handed which I enjoyed. I found myself drawn in from the very beginning with the lyrical prose and engaging characters. I love dualing POVs, and this was done well. The ending was a little anti-climatic (hence the 1/2 star), but I loved the message that it sends. I don't want to spoil it for anybody so I won't say what that message is. I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more from this author.
I have read some reviews that indicate that the Disney version is the version to which fairy tale retellings should be faithful. In the original tale by Perrault, Sleeping Beauty is not named, and she has two children named Aurora (Dawn) and Jor (Day). The prince is previously married and has an ogre stepmother who wants to eat Sleeping Beauty and her two children. Stacey Jay has stayed very faithful to this in her tale. And what a tale this is! It was full of action, adventure, romance,etc. The romance was not heavy handed which I enjoyed. I found myself drawn in from the very beginning with the lyrical prose and engaging characters. I love dualing POVs, and this was done well. The ending was a little anti-climatic (hence the 1/2 star), but I loved the message that it sends. I don't want to spoil it for anybody so I won't say what that message is. I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more from this author.
November 29, 2014
DNFd at 30%.
My problems?
1. Very slow to start. I literally fell asleep 5 times while reading this book...
2. Info-dump. Should I get a pad of paper and write this all down so I don't forget everything being thrown at me?
3. Very overused and unrealistic plot of girl-disguised-as-boy-yet-no-one-knows.
4. I don't have time to struggle through this one!! Perhaps it gets better? I don't know, and I don't have time to wait and see.
My problems?
1. Very slow to start. I literally fell asleep 5 times while reading this book...
2. Info-dump. Should I get a pad of paper and write this all down so I don't forget everything being thrown at me?
3. Very overused and unrealistic plot of girl-disguised-as-boy-yet-no-one-knows.
4. I don't have time to struggle through this one!! Perhaps it gets better? I don't know, and I don't have time to wait and see.
April 3, 2018
Princess of Thorns starts with back story and prophecy, (I was totally confused and had to read it twice) but it made sense later on. This is actually the only part of the story that is related to a fairy tale.
The Good:
For most of the book the main characters are traveling (I knew this ahead of time and I think it helped me to enjoy it.) but I was never bored. There was enough happening and enough action to keep it interesting.
The world building was solid, if simple. I particularly liked what we saw of the fairy’s culture and the ogres who could suck out human souls. The ogre queen narrated sometimes too and she refereed to herself as we and our, which was a nice touch.
Aurora (Ror) is a unique heroine in that she isn’t described as being beautiful, but rather plain and she can easily pass for a boy. (Okay later she might be described as pretty but I think that’s just because he was falling for her) The mistaken identity was fun and it was handled well. I was afraid that the author would let me down in how he found out she was a girl, but it was perfect! (I may have giggled)
The personalities of the two main characters are fairly standard fantasy. She’s the stubborn rash princess who kicks butt and he’s the arrogant beautiful womanizer, but there’s more to them than that and the author manages to make them likable. (If occasionally annoying) They both have problems of their own and they don’t change once they start falling for each other. (It’s good they didn’t suddenly start being nice to each other, because that would be just weird)
Their relationship was the best part of the book. I loved their banter! Though sometimes they bickered a bit too much. We’d be told about how they’d been getting along for four days and then get to hear their entire argument. But they’re both strong stubborn characters, so it was inevitable that they were going to butt heads.
Though the entire book takes place over the course of three weeks the romance doesn’t feel rushed. If anything it seems like too many obstacles were placed in their path. (I may have mentally shouted at the characters. A bit.)
The Bad: (The part in which I may rant and start a discussion on endings)
The ending. (I’m not saying whether it was happy or not and I’m not talking about loose strings.) The ending was too convenient, too fast, too neat and it was the worst part of the book.
I can’t explain without spoilers so I’m going to give a false example. (Clears throat) The heroes are falling off a mountain that they’ve spent most of the story climbing only to be saved at the last instant by a bird that was barely mentioned before. Where did that come from? Why did they bother climbing the mountain if the bird was there all along? That doesn’t make sense! It was too easy! That was what I was feeling at the end of this book.
Maybe it needed to be a duology instead of a standalone or have another viewpoint, because it felt like the author cheated. I think that the characters should have to do something to earn their ending. It felt handed to them.
Don’t get me wrong it was still a good book, at times a great book, but that’s why I was upset at the ending. I expected more.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Will I read more by this author? Probably.
Point of View: First (Aurora, Niklaas, Ekeeta)
Predictability: 4 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 7/10 Stars
My Summary:
Briar Rose wishes something very different for her daughter Aurora than the beauty and grace she was given, but strength and courage. To reclaim their castle from the ogres she will need it. Raised by the fey Aurora trained her whole life to become a warrior.
Niklaas is the Eleventh son of the immortal king. The king had all of his sons cursed by a witch so that they turn into swans on their eighteenth birthday. But Niklaas has found a loophole, he only has to find the princess Aurora and get her to marry him. He has only three weeks left, but he’s a good looking guy and has no doubt he can convince Aurora to marry him, all he has to do is meet her. Unfortunately his magical charm led him to her ‘brother’ instead.
Aurora’s brother has been captured by the ogre queen and she needs an army to rescue him. When she’s saved by a prince who believes she’s her brother she tells him she will only introduce him to her ‘sister’ if he aids her in getting an army.
The Good:
For most of the book the main characters are traveling (I knew this ahead of time and I think it helped me to enjoy it.) but I was never bored. There was enough happening and enough action to keep it interesting.
The world building was solid, if simple. I particularly liked what we saw of the fairy’s culture and the ogres who could suck out human souls. The ogre queen narrated sometimes too and she refereed to herself as we and our, which was a nice touch.
Aurora (Ror) is a unique heroine in that she isn’t described as being beautiful, but rather plain and she can easily pass for a boy. (Okay later she might be described as pretty but I think that’s just because he was falling for her) The mistaken identity was fun and it was handled well. I was afraid that the author would let me down in how he found out she was a girl, but it was perfect! (I may have giggled)
The personalities of the two main characters are fairly standard fantasy. She’s the stubborn rash princess who kicks butt and he’s the arrogant beautiful womanizer, but there’s more to them than that and the author manages to make them likable. (If occasionally annoying) They both have problems of their own and they don’t change once they start falling for each other. (It’s good they didn’t suddenly start being nice to each other, because that would be just weird)
Their relationship was the best part of the book. I loved their banter! Though sometimes they bickered a bit too much. We’d be told about how they’d been getting along for four days and then get to hear their entire argument. But they’re both strong stubborn characters, so it was inevitable that they were going to butt heads.
Though the entire book takes place over the course of three weeks the romance doesn’t feel rushed. If anything it seems like too many obstacles were placed in their path. (I may have mentally shouted at the characters. A bit.)
The Bad: (The part in which I may rant and start a discussion on endings)
The ending. (I’m not saying whether it was happy or not and I’m not talking about loose strings.) The ending was too convenient, too fast, too neat and it was the worst part of the book.
I can’t explain without spoilers so I’m going to give a false example. (Clears throat) The heroes are falling off a mountain that they’ve spent most of the story climbing only to be saved at the last instant by a bird that was barely mentioned before. Where did that come from? Why did they bother climbing the mountain if the bird was there all along? That doesn’t make sense! It was too easy! That was what I was feeling at the end of this book.
Maybe it needed to be a duology instead of a standalone or have another viewpoint, because it felt like the author cheated. I think that the characters should have to do something to earn their ending. It felt handed to them.
Don’t get me wrong it was still a good book, at times a great book, but that’s why I was upset at the ending. I expected more.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Will I read more by this author? Probably.
Point of View: First (Aurora, Niklaas, Ekeeta)
Predictability: 4 out of 5 (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 7/10 Stars
My Summary:
Briar Rose wishes something very different for her daughter Aurora than the beauty and grace she was given, but strength and courage. To reclaim their castle from the ogres she will need it. Raised by the fey Aurora trained her whole life to become a warrior.
Niklaas is the Eleventh son of the immortal king. The king had all of his sons cursed by a witch so that they turn into swans on their eighteenth birthday. But Niklaas has found a loophole, he only has to find the princess Aurora and get her to marry him. He has only three weeks left, but he’s a good looking guy and has no doubt he can convince Aurora to marry him, all he has to do is meet her. Unfortunately his magical charm led him to her ‘brother’ instead.
Aurora’s brother has been captured by the ogre queen and she needs an army to rescue him. When she’s saved by a prince who believes she’s her brother she tells him she will only introduce him to her ‘sister’ if he aids her in getting an army.
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