Timeless: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling

Lost in a Fairy Tale #1

by Jaclyn Weist

When Jenny suddenly wakes to find herself being kissed by a strange—but very handsome—prince, she knows that her boring life of folding laundry could be gone forever. Stuck in a medieval land of castles and royalty, Jenny learns that she is being forced to marry the prince, and she is definitely okay with that. She escapes to find out how to return home while trying to keep from falling love with either of the boys vying for her attention.
Princess Genevieve has only known life under her mother’s rule. She wants to do more than go to battle or deal with suitors. She wakes to find herself in a new world filled with gadgets, electricity, and moving carriages. She finally has the freedom to be who she wants to be with the family who cares deeply for her and a boy worth any sacrifice. It’s more than everything she always wanted.
As Jenny and Genevieve settle into their new lives, they face an unknown evil which threatens everything they care about and makes them face tough questions—like who they are, and what they really want their lives to become.

Timeless was once The Princess and the Prom Queen, and while the title has changed, the characters and story are all the same. Snuggle up with this fun fairy tale retelling today!

Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Romance, Audiobook

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Jaclyn is an Idaho farm girl who grew up loving to read. She developed a love for writing as a senior in high school, when her dad jokingly said she was the next Dr. Seuss (not even close, but very sweet). She met her husband, Steve, at BYU, and they have six happy, crazy children who encourage her to keep writing. After owning a bookstore and running away to have adventures in Australia, they settled back down in their home in Utah. Jaclyn now spends her days herding her kids to various activities and trying to remember what she was supposed to do next. She has published six books in a year, and her mind is still reeling from the awesomeness. Her books include Ring of Truth; A Christmas Worth Billions; The Princess and the Prom Queen; Magicians of the Deep; the Luck series--Stolen Luck, Twist of Luck, Best of Luck, More Than Just Luck, No Such Luck, and Just My Luck, a novella; and Endless.

Reviews

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE FAIRY TALE TWISTS AND THIS IS A FANTASTIC ONE!

We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty...

and the curse that was broken by the kiss of the handsome prince...

Well what if that kiss not only broke the one curse but also put into play another curse...

The curse of switching the medieval princess for a modern-day teenager?

Jenny is a typical teenager with school, friends, and lots of siblings.

Princess Genevieve has lived a protected life under her mother's fears.

Now they are living in each other's world....

And each must go on a quest to find a way to break this new curse...

WITHOUT falling in love with the WRONG boy.

Can teenage girls do that?

You will read of:
*trolls and fairies
*proms and crushes
*friends and enemies
*family and love

And there are even MORE TWISTS to keep you reading until the very end... :)

SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
LOVED IT!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining enough book. Fun plot with two 16 year old girls switching places. One finding herself going from 2014 to the medieval time and getting stuck in the Sleeping Beauty. Her counterpart waking up in her life and having to adjust to the 21st century.

The ending was a little rushed for me, and I couldn't believe that Jenny (our 2014 girl) was actually ok with being stuck back then without the only family she has known and all because of a crush on a boy back then. Really 16 year old girls all think they are in love at some point, it's hardly ever true love.

Moral Note: Some mild fantasy violence. No language, clean romance.

[Tristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you first start reading this book, you might think you know how it's going to go and how it will end, but then the author starts throwing in twists and turns and you realize that you really can't predict anything after all. I enjoyed reading about Jenny and Genevieve and watching them adjust to their new surroundings, and as I went with them on their adventures, I got sucked up into the story and didn't want to put it down.

[Christie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute fairyrale retelling

Cute fairytale retelling. I enjoyed the twists--a modern girl and a fairy tale character switched places. Tge families and boys are cute too.

[Alison Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars! So I have to admit, I am a sucker for a fairy tale retelling. Especially when it is twisted into something original. This is a really fun version involving Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed seeing the two girls adapt (and grow) in their new settings. I loved that they took charge of their own destiny and didn’t wait for things to happen to them. I loved that Jenny came from a functional (yet crazy) family and that both girls had a support system within their family. It was also a cause of angst for me as the story progressed, but (no spoilers) it was resolved nicely.

The bad guy is sneaky and scary. I ended up staying up way too late reading this book because I just had to know ‘what happens next.’ And the cute guys and the kissing were a nice bonus :).

If you love fairy tales, magic, cool girls that can wield swords and adventure, this is a book for you.

[Donna Weaver]

This was such a fun read. You hit the road running with Jenny and are into the action very quickly. The guys were hunky, and the bad guy was vile--his ickiness was reminiscent of the troll guy in the second Fablehaven book. *shudders* I enjoyed the variation to the Sleeping Beauty story that Weist gave us, and the tale is full of some unexpected twists. Better be paying attention in this fast-paced tale, or you might miss something important.

[Tat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a fun read full of twists I just didn't see coming! At first, I was worried it would be your typical YA cliche, but it incorporates history and fairy tale in a very unexpected way.

Content is completely clean and appropriate for all ages. I'll be reading this one with my daughter!

[Nellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to listen to this story through Audioboom.

This story is a retelling of sleeping beauty. It was a very sweet and clean story that did not end exactly how I expected.

I liked the parellel presented. Genevieve I feel would have had a much harder time, but I rolled with it and enjoyed it. :)

[Thedreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow is one of the ways i can describe this book and how it is written. i love the fact that this story is a parody of sleeping beauty. and you are dealing with a descendant of sleeping beauty and sleeping beauty her self.

[Teresa Bertolio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome fairy tale

I loved this version of sleeping beauty!:) loved the past and present tense. Easy to follow and the characterization was amazing. Plenty of action, betrayal, good verses evil, princess, princesses, dances, magic, romance and more!:) I highly recommend this book.

[NaDell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun fairy tale book with a twist because the princess and a girl from modern times are switched. It's a great book.

[Rmsooon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ive read " the princess and the prom queen" ,, i really love fIry tales stories but this book isnt well done ,, i gave it 3 out of 5 stars

[Lidia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:

Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, right? Wrong! You have no idea what it was really about and you have no idea what happened after the Prince had kissed the Beauty to wake her up from her long sleep... To find out you have to read (or listen to) "Timeless" by Jaclyn Weist - it's totally worth the time:)

Well, there have been a lot of different variations of old tales or classic stories published recently, and sadly some of them just spoil the stories for you; this book is not such a case at all. The tale woven by Ms Weist in "Timeless" is intriguing, suspenceful, surpsising at times and logical, but still retains that undescribable charm of old fairy-tales. There is a lot of the rational in it, but there is also quite a bit of magic... And while the 13th century realities in the book are not exactly historically correct, I can forgive that as they are the realities of the fairy-tale side of the story...:)

What I especially appreciate in "Timeless" is that the idea of two 16-year-old girls changing places in space and time allows the author to kind of unobtrusively smuggle in and touch on some issues that are really important and sometimes difficult to talk about with teenagers - family relationships, first love, but also taking responsibility for your actions and accepting the consequences of your decisions, especially the negative ones... As the girls have to learn to live in and accept the world in which they suddenly find themselves, they also have to learn to deal with views and attitudes different to the ones they've been used to... And sometimes it may be a really hard lesson...

The interpretation of the book by Ms Laura Bannister is very good. It's clear, has the right pace and kind of takes the background seat - there's almost no acting done and not much of voice differentiation, but thanks to it the story itself gets our full attention.

I wholeheartedly recommend the book to everyone who likes this comforting warm mix of young adult/fantasy/fairy-tale/romance/adventure genres ;)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Nisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute book and it's one I would read again and again. I couldn't put it down. There have been many retellings of the Sleeping Beauty story, but I don't know of any that cross time and start the story from the ending. What a very clever idea! There were a few discrepancies that I wish could have been fixed before going to print (and with ebook updates maybe they still can be.) Most of the book states we're in the 1170s, but when Gavin tells Jenny the year, he says it's 1272. There was also some confusion about the names of the fairies. Rhyannon gave the gift of music according to the histories Jenny read, but then it also said Rhyannon lessened the curse. Later Rhyannon says that another fairy (the healer, Rhoswen, I think) changed the curse. It was a bit confusing. Occasional words have also been left out here and there.

I wouldn't let these things keep you from reading this fun adventure though. They didn't keep me from loving it. It's a light and very enjoyable story!

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeless/The Princess and the Prom Queen #1 - This is not my age group, so for me the book started a little slow. After everything was set up, the story took off running and never slowed down. I like the twists and turns that was contained in this well written fairytale. The characters grew on me and I was glad to see realistic dialog. Not stupid formula in this entertaining tale. 4*

Endless #3 – A delightful version of Cinderella complete with magic and happy blending of the original Cinderella with new story. Well written, intriguing and interesting, the characters and the story line keep the reader glued to the pages. This is even a good story for the kids to read. Ms. Hardy/Weist never disappoints the reader with her books. 5*

Leana - Interesting and fast paced from the first page on. Intriguing story line with interesting characters that has the reader caring about them. A different kind of love story ending. 4*

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is different but awesome with switching back and forth between the two times. It is almost like getting two different stories in one. It's different watching Jenny and Genevieve settle into each others lives, but I really enjoyed how they settled it. This is a great story finding adventure and love. Laura did a great job narrating especially going between the two girls and their different speech patterns.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you suddenly became the real life sleeping beauty and find out the story is not a fairytale? You are kisses by a prince who seemed to switch two girls one in our time and another much earlier that was actually cursed. As you try to figure how to handle the new time you are in. Hoping there will be more.

[Alan T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny & Genevieve

Jenny waken to a stranger kissing her. She finds herself in the middle ages. Genevieve awakens in the 21st Century. Somehow they have switched places.

Interesting plotting and characterization.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story! It was a current day retelling of a classic fairy tale with a splash of time travel thrown in for good measure. I just wish there had been an epilogue to show a bit more of the HEA for Jenny, Sam, Genevieve and Erik.

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

What an interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty story! The characters were fun and inviting. I enjoyed the spunkiness of the characters in in both time periods. Good evil characters too. Who would have thought the prince would be the double whammy of a curse!?!

[Marlene]

The title as named on the Kindle book I purchased is "Timeless: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling."

[Karen Ouska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected twists

I enjoyed the unexpected twists this story takes.
I recommend it to those who like fairy tales and romance. There is also an unexpected bad guy.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different version of Sleeping Beauty

There was two curses that were put on Sleeping Beauty when she was a baby. Their was two men wanting her love, one good one bad.

[Annie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Amazing new take on Sleeping Beauty. The characters really draw you in and make the story come to life making you feel like you are right there with them. Loved it.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun twist on the tale we all know -- Sleeping Beauty. You think you know the story? This one has twists you don't see coming. A fun read.

[Michelle Smart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, fast teen romance.

[R.J. Craddock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nowadays there are as many different kinds of books as there are readers. Furthermore, there are many different ways to publish a book in today's ever-growing digital age. Besides the big publishing houses, we now have smaller presses and many self-publishing options for the modern author in which to choose. This book in particular was published by a small Utah press called Trifecta books.

First off, the cover and title did little to peek my interest, both unimaginative and typical of the YA market. However, I decided to look passed this and give the book a chance.

The Pros:
The concept is clever and wildly imaginative putting a twist on my favorite fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty"and combining it with time travel and the old classic "The Prince and the Pauper." The book begins with Jenny a typical teenage girl from present day USA who wakes up to a prince kissing her, in a mid-evil castle discovering that she has switched places with Princess Genevieve who happens to be the real life person the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale was based on. This gives the story two interesting settings and concepts. The plot is fast-paced for younger readers, and the story is not too predictable with some good plot twists.

The Cons:
I desperately wanted to love this book because of the "Sleeping Beauty" element, but alas I just couldn't and I'll tell you why. First off the inciting incident happens too fast. We're only a few pages into the book, we've barely even met Jenny, and we're suddenly thrust into another time when she awakes as princess Genevieve. We don't have time to care enough about her before her life gets turned upside down. Generally the industry experts will tell you to introduce the inciting incident early in the book, but I feel in this case this idea was taken to an extreme. There is little to no description or world building which made it a very bland read. For me the beauty is in the details. One can get away with little description in a modern timeline but typical Fantasy readers expect to be drawn into a whole new world. Descriptive writing that creates atmosphere is how this is done. Because of the lack of detail this book reads more like a first draft then a finished novel. Everyone has heard the saying "Show, Don't Tell" well... this book tells and never shows. The dialogue is basic giving little to no sense of the characters' personality. Some plot points are weak and unbelievable such as: Jenny's parents are far too willing to believe that their daughter has been replaced by a mid-evil princess. I would've liked to have seen a little more skepticism on her parents' part. I have a hard time imagining any reader over twelve really enjoying this book. I, myself, never got emotionally involved with the characters perhaps because they were two dimensional and never felt real. In the end the villain is defeated too easily, the ending wrapped up too fast, and a solution to the main conflict of the book solved too conveniently. Had the ending been better I would've given the book another star.

Also, I noticed nine missing or misused words. Had this been self-published I would've dismissed this but as a professionally published novel this looks bad. As a self-published author I know my books have a few mistakes in them. Whereas I don't have the resources to hire a team of editors to find every flaw in my novels, this book, being published by a press, that claims to have experience should not have this many mistakes.

"The Princess and the Prom Queen" is a creative tale with a decent plot that just didn't reach it's full potential. I give it two stars. So low a rating I have never given a book in my life. I generally don't like to leave a bad review. As an author myself I know what it feels like to receive a review like this. However, I feel so passionately about my bad experience with this book I feel I owe it to other readers to share my thoughts and feelings. On the upside a few bad reviews lends a book more credibility for perspective readers. When a book has only five and four star reviews one can't help but wonder if they're all written by friends and family. As a close I want to add that as beauty is in the eye of the beholder so merit is in the mind of the reader. What was an unsatisfying reading experience for me might be a great experience for another reader. To best judge if you would agree with my critique of this book I would recommend reading my other reviews or just plain reading the book for yourself.

[Elizabeth Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your ordinary Sleeping Beauty! This fun tale will knock your socks off and keep you guessing as Weist has thrown fun elements into the mix.

Modern day Jenny doesn’t care for math. She hates volleyball. She doesn’t know how to paint. Medieval Genevieve finds being a princess as mundane and she snubs every available suitor. That is, until the dark fairy’s curse backfires and both girls switch time periods!

I enjoyed how Weist threw in twists—darker magic than the wicked fairy’s. The writing is light and easy. Fun. However, I found that the believability was difficult to accept in many places (though I know fairies don’t exist, but an author can convince they do, right?), especially when the servant whole-heartedly accepted Jenny’s story of being from the future. Same with Genevieve when she awakened in the future; her parents didn’t bat a lash at her tale, either. I suppose this is for time constraints? Because of these factors (along with similar ones), I would say this read is for a younger audience, not the more critical older groups (unless you love whatever is thrown your way no matter how whimsical without the believability factor).

Though I am a stickler for these types of things, I rather enjoyed the book. I definitely recommend this fun, light read to anyone seeking romantic adventure!

[Stacy Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book thinking it was going to be a light and fluffy fairy tale retelling. But it was so much more than that! I loved the comparisons between the two worlds. Some of the struggles and things the girls missed from their own times, I never would have thought about. And the misunderstandings frequently had me laughing. I also loved that the girls were torn between the two worlds. They didn't just fall in love with a boy from their new land and live happily ever after, but they really struggled with missing the people they'd left behind. The book could not have ended more perfectly. I honestly started to get nervous, not liking where the author was going, but the last line ties everything up so nicely, it left me smiling. The only thing I struggled with was how easily people seemed to accept that the girls had been switched. But the beautiful writing and lovable characters made up for that in the end.

[Liz Lowham · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Jenny awakes to find herself kissing a prince, she knows something has gone very wrong in her life. Or possibly very right. Either way, she is no longer in the world she knew, and the princess everyone assumes her to be is now living her life in the modern world.

I can be nothing but honest about this book. The idea was cute--I especially loved the mesh between Sleeping Beauty and the Prince and the Pauper. But the execution left a lot to be desired. My ability to suspend my disbelief disappeared when Jenny wakes up in her new world; everyone's reactions to her behavior felt unrealistic, and it only spiraled downward from there. There were many cute moments with the love interests, but the majority of the time, they still felt unbelievable in their contexts. There was no depth to the text, and I felt no empathy for the emotions. Attempted plot twists in the storyline communicated themselves to me as simply contradictions.