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Sleeping Beauty #1-3
The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy:
In 1983, Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure, began the first installment of a series that is now considered a forerunner of erotic literature. This boxed set, containing the books The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty’s Punishment, and Beauty’s Release is a testament to Anne Rice’s irresistible talent. Now in a repackaged edition, Rice’s charged eroticism and magical style is back, connecting old and new readers alike.
724 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
2282 people are currently reading
8262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
March 22, 2022
ah, Anne Rice's Beauty series.
I was fourteen when I asked for this series for Christmas. My family knew I loved to read and the only description I gave of the books was that they were just another Anne Rice goth trilogy. Luckily, the box set I unwrapped Christmas morning was still sealed in shrinkwrap. I think they would have had a heart attack if they knew they had bought their little catholic school girl bookworm a complete box set of graphic S&M erotica. Oh! It was the best Christmas ever! I ran up to my room, locked the door, and didn't come out again until the next day.
I was fourteen when I asked for this series for Christmas. My family knew I loved to read and the only description I gave of the books was that they were just another Anne Rice goth trilogy. Luckily, the box set I unwrapped Christmas morning was still sealed in shrinkwrap. I think they would have had a heart attack if they knew they had bought their little catholic school girl bookworm a complete box set of graphic S&M erotica. Oh! It was the best Christmas ever! I ran up to my room, locked the door, and didn't come out again until the next day.
January 4, 2015
Pardon me, but even in porn I want to like, or identify with, at least one character. I went into this expecting a sexy version of a fairytale that, let's face it, has always begged to be presented in an X-rated version. (Awakened with a kiss, or...? ) How disappointing. The opening showed promise - he scales the castle wall and finds the cursed princess in her bower, powerless to stop him from doing Whatever - but it quickly became clear that neither the prince or his newly claimed princess-slave would be developed beyond one-dimensional cardboard archtypes. She's so spineless, no seduction is necessary. He's a mamma's boy with a sadistic streak, which renders unbelievable the notion that he would so much as cross the street to awaken Sleeping Beauty, much less scale the walls of a cursed castle. Also, he still lives with his mom. That would be a deal-breaker for me, even if he didn't share his sex slaves with her after he gets bored with them, which happens asap. In a word, Eww.
February 21, 2013
I love dirty books! ;) I thought the Happy Hooker books were pretty naughty, but these 3 are some of the dirtiest I've ever read. I'd say it is a 'must read' for anyone interested in bdsm. (Note: 50 Shades Of Grey is tame in comparison!) Kink aside, it is actually kind of a romantic tale. I definitely got turned on, which is great, but I also felt like I just had to know what happened to Beauty and her, erm, associates next, which is even better! I usually don't read a book more than once, but I keep coming back to these, so that's really saying something! They are nothing like the novels typically associated with Anne Rice. If erotica offends you or doesn't interest you, pass this by. These are well written, but certainly not for everyone!
March 10, 2013
I love Anne Rice, but half way into book one, I was tired of all the spanking. I read the whole series because I cannot start reading books and put them down. I have to finish. And it was a chore. Not hot. Unless your fetish is spanking. Mine's not. Don't get me wrong. I was not offended or disgusted. I was bored.
July 16, 2010
This is pure erotica. Not a romance. There is a lot of BDSM, servitude, Punishment, f/m, m/m, f/f, and multiple partners in various forms. Not for the faint of heart.
May 23, 2010
I read it so long ago .
Well… If you are over 18 and want to know how a erotic novel must be you MUST start with this one. I was so incredible (my personal experience) read about so many (stupid) taboos that I couldn’t stop. She is marvelous… great book. Enjoy (really, I mean, enjoy in all senses
) the reading.
Well… If you are over 18 and want to know how a erotic novel must be you MUST start with this one. I was so incredible (my personal experience) read about so many (stupid) taboos that I couldn’t stop. She is marvelous… great book. Enjoy (really, I mean, enjoy in all senses
) the reading.
February 27, 2014
Sizzling hot series!
The first time I read this collection by Anne Rice was many, many years ago and it absolutely blew me away. I loved how creative and imaginative the stories were as well as unbelievably rough, raunchy, and sizzling hot. They definitely inspired me years later when I started to write my own erotica. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty is still one of my favourite erotic novels even years later.
The first time I read this collection by Anne Rice was many, many years ago and it absolutely blew me away. I loved how creative and imaginative the stories were as well as unbelievably rough, raunchy, and sizzling hot. They definitely inspired me years later when I started to write my own erotica. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty is still one of my favourite erotic novels even years later.
March 29, 2011
I read this set years ago and yet even today it sends chills and awakens my private area's. Not meant for the young. Not meant for the prude. Well written. I love this set and could read it over and over.
March 16, 2013
I started reading these after 50 Shades of Grey. All I can say is that these books would make Christian Grey cry.
June 10, 2012
These books were recommended to me, as research for the book I am writing. I was told that it would help me understand what total submission meant. And that it delivered. Anne Rice put such a twist on this fairy tale, that it is hard to look at my nieces Sleeping Beauty dolls.
The story is perverse “Hunger Games” of sorts. Princes and Princesses are sent as tributes to serve as sex slaves to the Crowned Queen, in order to maintain an alliance.
The first book Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, followed Beauty after she had been awakened from her long sleep. Immediately, she is thoroughly sexed by the Crowned Prince and marched naked to his castle to be his BDSM slave. Beauty is treated to a variety of punishments but still can’t seem to comprehend the meaning of submission. One night, handsome Prince Alexi, seeks her out to tell her his story of submission. It was one of gang raping, and having foreign objects shoved into him. Shortly after that night, Beauty sees that Prince Tristan was being sent to the village for punishment. For reasons unknown to Beauty, she ran in order to be punished as well.
The second book, Beauty’s Punishment, was told in two POV’s, Tristan and Beauty. I found it weird that one was told in the 3rd person and the other in 1st. The punished princes and princesses were put on the auction block and sold to the highest bidder. Beauty to an Inn owner and Tristan to a man that works for the queen. Both end up gaining some sort of affection for their masters and their firm discipline. Just when they were becoming content, they were captured along with Prince Laurent, and taken to a foreign land.
The final book, Beauty’s Release, was again told in two POV’s, Laurent and Beauty. They arrive in the foreign land, and were decorated with gold paint and jewels. The Sultan's steward Lexius, was their master, instructing them to please the sultan to please him. Laurent’s love for punishment turned into a love to punish and he decided to show Lexius what it was like to be a love slave. After a short while there, the three of them along with Lexius were rescued. All returned to the castle, but Beauty. She was sent home to choose a suitor.
After all that happens, Beauty decides that she loves the life of a submissive and refuses to choose a suitor. Laurent continues to dominate, when he is placed in the pony stalls for a year. Laurent gets discharged from service due to his father’s death and decides to claim beauty as his. Everyone lived happily ever after... the end.
After reading the first book, especially Prince Alexi’s story, I didn’t think I could stomach the other two books. It seemed to me that gang rape was, one harmful to a human being; and two, I am just not into man on man erotica. However, I gave the second book a chance and liked it enough to read the third. I liked the overall story, I did thoroughly learn about the extreme D/s relationships. One critique would be the overuse of “my sex” as an anatomical description. The other thought that came to my head, is there is no off time for menstruation; and if they are having that much sex, how do they not get pregnant? Other than that, less man on man would’ve gained another star.
The story is perverse “Hunger Games” of sorts. Princes and Princesses are sent as tributes to serve as sex slaves to the Crowned Queen, in order to maintain an alliance.
The first book Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, followed Beauty after she had been awakened from her long sleep. Immediately, she is thoroughly sexed by the Crowned Prince and marched naked to his castle to be his BDSM slave. Beauty is treated to a variety of punishments but still can’t seem to comprehend the meaning of submission. One night, handsome Prince Alexi, seeks her out to tell her his story of submission. It was one of gang raping, and having foreign objects shoved into him. Shortly after that night, Beauty sees that Prince Tristan was being sent to the village for punishment. For reasons unknown to Beauty, she ran in order to be punished as well.
The second book, Beauty’s Punishment, was told in two POV’s, Tristan and Beauty. I found it weird that one was told in the 3rd person and the other in 1st. The punished princes and princesses were put on the auction block and sold to the highest bidder. Beauty to an Inn owner and Tristan to a man that works for the queen. Both end up gaining some sort of affection for their masters and their firm discipline. Just when they were becoming content, they were captured along with Prince Laurent, and taken to a foreign land.
The final book, Beauty’s Release, was again told in two POV’s, Laurent and Beauty. They arrive in the foreign land, and were decorated with gold paint and jewels. The Sultan's steward Lexius, was their master, instructing them to please the sultan to please him. Laurent’s love for punishment turned into a love to punish and he decided to show Lexius what it was like to be a love slave. After a short while there, the three of them along with Lexius were rescued. All returned to the castle, but Beauty. She was sent home to choose a suitor.
After all that happens, Beauty decides that she loves the life of a submissive and refuses to choose a suitor. Laurent continues to dominate, when he is placed in the pony stalls for a year. Laurent gets discharged from service due to his father’s death and decides to claim beauty as his. Everyone lived happily ever after... the end.
After reading the first book, especially Prince Alexi’s story, I didn’t think I could stomach the other two books. It seemed to me that gang rape was, one harmful to a human being; and two, I am just not into man on man erotica. However, I gave the second book a chance and liked it enough to read the third. I liked the overall story, I did thoroughly learn about the extreme D/s relationships. One critique would be the overuse of “my sex” as an anatomical description. The other thought that came to my head, is there is no off time for menstruation; and if they are having that much sex, how do they not get pregnant? Other than that, less man on man would’ve gained another star.
June 5, 2013
First, I took this book by mistake.. Its not what i normally read, And I wish I could undo that mistake,, I was barely 16 when I read it.. And it was too much for me,, sex, sex,sex and more sex.. And twisted sex.. I was horrified, with all respect I think this book is mentally, psychologically, twisted,, there's no romance, there is almost no feelings to it whatsoever. I would no why it was banned, it is waaaay bad. It was almost as if I lost my virginity reading it ! To me no sane person would write such things without being insane and sexually twisted, I have goosebumps just thinking how she managed to imagine and write all of these things...ugh,, excuse me but this was the first book I ever read (novel) I mean.. You can see why i can't forget about it, now every time I hear the words "sleeping beauty" I remember this book, I didn't even read the second or the third,, I believe I would have had a heart attack,, LooL, anyway I don't think I would recommend any body to read it, you will gain nothing but erotically twisted imagination, no emotions and bad feelings, if I could give it less or no stars I would :')
Read
April 24, 2011This set was a gift from someone who just didn't know any better. I read most of the first one; it was awful. I find it very difficult to just throw a book in the trash, preferring to give them to someone who'd appreciate them. I don't know anyone I could have inflicted this drek on. These books are among the very few I as all too happy to just trash. Ick.
Read
March 17, 2013Read 28%, DNF.
I love erotica. I love stories that contain BDSM. I can even handle -and like- stories with ambiguous consent, but utter degradation for the sole purpose breaking of someone I have a tough time with.
I love erotica. I love stories that contain BDSM. I can even handle -and like- stories with ambiguous consent, but utter degradation for the sole purpose breaking of someone I have a tough time with.
May 18, 2009
Banned books! What is the cause for banning books? The top reason for banning books are sex, violence, drugs, and religion. Banning books doesn’t help student, it takes away from their learning or take away what they enjoy doing on their free time which is to read. Age plays a major roll that can stoop the banning of books. Violence is more then what people think it is. Sex plays a major roll in life too. I don’t think books should be banned
First age. Instead of banning books they can put in a rating system like a video game. Video games have games for all ages. At the same time it helps parents know what their children are playing. If books were required to do this, that would stop a lot of books being challenged or banned. Parents all know about what’s going on the world and no matter what their child will have to face it. So learning about life from a book that prepares them for it is better then learning it from the streets. When a child reaches middle school they go through so much like the book “Go ask Alice”. At that age its would be a good time to read the book to find out what’s happening to you and what can come at you from any angle or time.
Next violence. Many parents don’t what there child to face it but no matter they are going to at some point and time. Many people think that violence is all bad. Well they are wrong. Yes violence is a bad thing but at the same time it gives people a knowing about life. Struggles that people go through to survive. Many believe that people made the choice to get into the life but they didn’t. Some of them were just born into that life because of where they live. “The Autobiography of a Gang Member” is a great book that shows the murder, drugs, gangs, weapons, and life. Many people don’t think that they can take something from violence but they can. Violence helps people want to stay out if that life because they can either end up in jail or even six feet under.
Sex. You may have been told that sex is a sacred act between two married people who love each other and you should wait until you get married. But when you get with your friends or school you hear them talking about having casual sex just because they wanted too. This isn't what sex is suppose to be. They book " Joy of Sex explains what sex should be and can do to you. Sex is very power full and people do not understand that until they are hurt. Sex doesn't just hurt people it also makes people happy. Sex in books is very good for people to understand what sex can do to them.
So do you think books should still be banned? The reason books are being banned or challenged help out people in life to survive. Age could be a reason they are being banned so to stop this give the books a rating like video games. Banning books doesn't stop people from learning what they don't what them to know, it's only taking away what people enjoy doing....... READING!! Knowledge is the key to life people and they seem to forget that.
First age. Instead of banning books they can put in a rating system like a video game. Video games have games for all ages. At the same time it helps parents know what their children are playing. If books were required to do this, that would stop a lot of books being challenged or banned. Parents all know about what’s going on the world and no matter what their child will have to face it. So learning about life from a book that prepares them for it is better then learning it from the streets. When a child reaches middle school they go through so much like the book “Go ask Alice”. At that age its would be a good time to read the book to find out what’s happening to you and what can come at you from any angle or time.
Next violence. Many parents don’t what there child to face it but no matter they are going to at some point and time. Many people think that violence is all bad. Well they are wrong. Yes violence is a bad thing but at the same time it gives people a knowing about life. Struggles that people go through to survive. Many believe that people made the choice to get into the life but they didn’t. Some of them were just born into that life because of where they live. “The Autobiography of a Gang Member” is a great book that shows the murder, drugs, gangs, weapons, and life. Many people don’t think that they can take something from violence but they can. Violence helps people want to stay out if that life because they can either end up in jail or even six feet under.
Sex. You may have been told that sex is a sacred act between two married people who love each other and you should wait until you get married. But when you get with your friends or school you hear them talking about having casual sex just because they wanted too. This isn't what sex is suppose to be. They book " Joy of Sex explains what sex should be and can do to you. Sex is very power full and people do not understand that until they are hurt. Sex doesn't just hurt people it also makes people happy. Sex in books is very good for people to understand what sex can do to them.
So do you think books should still be banned? The reason books are being banned or challenged help out people in life to survive. Age could be a reason they are being banned so to stop this give the books a rating like video games. Banning books doesn't stop people from learning what they don't what them to know, it's only taking away what people enjoy doing....... READING!! Knowledge is the key to life people and they seem to forget that.
June 25, 2020
I think the best story I can tell about this series is what happened to my first copy of the first book of the series when I read it years and years ago. I had taken it to work with me, it's plain cover didn't give away what was hiding inside, but curious co-workers asked what I was reading. One of them asked to borrow it when I was done. This being the time that I still actually lent books to people naively thinking I would get them back, I let my co-worker borrow it... And I never got it back... One person after another in my work area wanted to read it so it was passed around from one person to another, and after that apparently someone from a different area of the job site wanted to borrow it and it was lent to them. After a couple months it turns out that the book, rather than disappearing home with someone was actually making its way around the work site being passed from one person to another...
Over the years I have purchased multiple copies of this series only to have someone borrow it and pass it along to someone else after they had finished it rather than return it to me. So I got this edition for my Kindle so I can actually keep a copy for myself.
If that doesn't give you an idea of how good this series is, I don't know what would. If it falls under your interests, read it, you won't be sorry, but don't let any one borrow it, I expect you won't ever get it back...
Over the years I have purchased multiple copies of this series only to have someone borrow it and pass it along to someone else after they had finished it rather than return it to me. So I got this edition for my Kindle so I can actually keep a copy for myself.
If that doesn't give you an idea of how good this series is, I don't know what would. If it falls under your interests, read it, you won't be sorry, but don't let any one borrow it, I expect you won't ever get it back...
June 10, 2013
I love Anne Rice. But I ABSOLUTELY HATE this series! It is degrading and disturbing but I read it all because I thought it'll be better, but, oh boy. I wasted a very long time over this books.
November 5, 2025
omg 😲 😱 😊
January 15, 2023
Sensual stories with a wondrous prose that highlights horror and desire.
My first induction to anne rice
My first induction to anne rice
February 15, 2021
LOVED THIS SERIES!!! I am SO excited to recently find out that a 4th book was released so I am about to start that but will probably do a re-read of all 4 at some point.
October 31, 2007
I have finished book one, "The Claiming of Beauty", in 2 days. I just couldn't put it down. I have never read anything like this trillogy, and probably never will again. It's labled as "literary erocita", but is bassically all the most horrible sexual situations you can think of.
I'm about half way through book 2, and at first I thought that Beauty was being used aginst her will, but now I am not so sure. She's more than willing to please, while trying to tell herself she is rebellious. If you want to read something totally out of the norm, I recomend these book, and I can't wait untill the end!
I'm about half way through book 2, and at first I thought that Beauty was being used aginst her will, but now I am not so sure. She's more than willing to please, while trying to tell herself she is rebellious. If you want to read something totally out of the norm, I recomend these book, and I can't wait untill the end!
December 15, 2011
I have read this series like 10 times. It is by far the best erotic series I have ever read. Now, if you are a virgin and super pure, this is NOT the series for you. I have to say that this is not The Sleeping Beauty fairy tale that you are used to. Ann Rice made this more adult. Now, I will not tell you the what happened in this series. I will tell you if you want to read something naughty, this is it!!
July 29, 2010
This book is a good read (note: erotica) for those who are into BDSM. This rather peculiar twist of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale is quite interesting-- I can still quite remember the singular scenes of the oriental palace. What's most curious is that just like any fairytale, this one ends in a happy ending-- one wherein a pretty princess gets a sexually-fulfilled happily ever after.
March 26, 2014
Wow! The same things were repeated page after page. It was so boring and predictable. After the second book I had enough. I started the third but it was just absolutely some of the craziest writing I've ever read. I couldn't take anymore. Will not waste my time on anymore books like this.
March 26, 2015
Started reading & stopped reading the same day. I'm all about reading erotica & I'm not really bothered by bdsm but this is crap. The "Prince" has Beauty crawling on all fours, naked in front of the town, & makes her eat from the floor. Hell no.
August 13, 2009
Sexy and erotic and all about S & M. Gay men sex, heterosexual sex, lesbian sex. This series is all about sex.
May 4, 2012
twisted version of sleeping beauty. very errotic
April 7, 2013
I absolutely hated this entire series. Honestly the most mentally draining series I have ever suffered through.
December 15, 2023
The most engaging element of this trilogy was the author's preface.
Maybe this was super exciting stuff for readers in 1985?
And listen, if someone is happy with a book, that's great for them.
But my god, this is awful.
I finished it because I'm not a quitter. But damn, I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. Blegh
Possibly the single enjoyable thing to come from this series is the number of reviews by straight men needing to publicly declare that they weren't into the gay parts. 🤣
Maybe this was super exciting stuff for readers in 1985?
And listen, if someone is happy with a book, that's great for them.
But my god, this is awful.
I finished it because I'm not a quitter. But damn, I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. Blegh
Possibly the single enjoyable thing to come from this series is the number of reviews by straight men needing to publicly declare that they weren't into the gay parts. 🤣
October 26, 2021
Okay, while I am okay with her writing. She isn’t remotely anywhere near my favorite or even preferred writing. So, I never can fully connect with her characters emotionally. And, honestly, I get it’s erotica but eh I don’t find the opening scene to be motivating to me. It’s rather rapey.
dnf
July 17, 2018[image error]
Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews