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The Kingdom Tales #2
Kingdom of Slumber
Unlike everyone around her, Princess Azalea has never been especially troubled by the curse placed on her at her christening. But, as her sixteenth birthday approaches, even Ben--usually her only sanctuary from her well-meaning protectors--starts to worry. Not to mention he begins acting strangely about the betrothal that's bound them since childhood. Being forced to marry her best friend has always seemed like a far bigger problem than a mere curse--until the unthinkable happens. Prince Bentleigh has been in a quandary for some time. How do you go about winning a girl who's already yours, whether she wants to be or not? Any hope of finding an answer withers the moment Azalea pricks her finger and is ripped from him. The magic powering her enchanted sleep is so strong, the whole kingdom succumbs during the hours of darkness. And nothing else matters but finding a way to wake her up. Except Azalea isn't asleep. At least, not once the sun sets. And with the rest of the kingdom in an unnatural slumber, there's no one but her to fight the deadly magic creeping into the heart of her kingdom. As the curse becomes more aggressive, Azalea and Bentleigh grow increasingly desperate--enough to risk war with the dragons, their own lives . . . even their hearts.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2021
149 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Grace White
44 books354 followersDeborah Grace White was more or less born reading. She grew up on a wide range of books, from classic literature to light-hearted romps. Her love of fantasy was inevitable from the time her father read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to her and her siblings when she was four years old.
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
November 20, 2024
4.5 stars ✨
Oh, that was lovely.
Maybe it’s because Sleeping Beauty was my favorite princess growing up, but I was so completely invested into this retelling. I was also completely stunned at the time skip that happens a bit into the book! I wasn’t expecting this curse to have lasted that long (though now that I think about it, I think it was mentioned in the first book to have been happening the same length of time as Prince Justin’s curse), but it added to the suspense and emotions that Bentleigh and Azalea have been feeling during this separation.
This retelling was completely my cup of tea with the Sleeping Beauty elements, the childhood best friends to more, and him being completely in love with her. I just love that last one *twirls in happiness 🥰🥰🥰* Bentleigh was absolutely wonderful and how much he loved her was just 🥰🥰🥰 I think it would be fair to say that this is my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling because of these elements and how it all came together. That ending even made me a bit emotional! 😅 Really, really enjoyed this novel (more than the first book in the series) and didn’t want to put it down!
(Started this one as an audiobook while doing dishes and enjoyed it, but quickly switched to the ebook on KU since I can read faster than the narrator can talk. 😉)
🍃 “I’m sorry I called you a buffoon.”
👑 “*narrows eyes* Are you, though?”
🍃 “*grins* No, not really.”
Main Content-
Being a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it’s all about the curse that’s on our Beauty and the corrective curse/blessing because of these elements Azalea sleeps during the day and her whole kingdom (animals included) sleep during the night in an enchanted sleep; Magic is not good or evil in this world as it depends on the person’s intent; Magic came to the land with dragons and some people were able to absorb the magic that dragons had shed; Azalea is compelled to move and act as the curse wants her to when the time is nearing for her to sleep again; We see magic on-page throughout the book with the vines growing rapidly, people being in enchanted sleeps, and freezing people in place; Azalea calls the years under the curse “hellish”; Being unable to talk about something due to a curse (unable to open his mouth about the subject).
Mentions of the magical christening blessings; Mentions of magical talismans & artifacts; A few mentions of other curses; A few mentions of there being whispers about a dark way for one to increase their magical powers, but that it can make the enchanter go mad; A mention of Azalea facing and overcoming her demons.
Thinking she’s going to die; Seeing a couple self-defense killings & the bodies (and a murder of a minion/goon; up to a couple sentences); Stopping assassination attempts, Fighting, Being attacked/Attacking others, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing out (up to a few sentences); Bentleigh wishes to choke the man who did this to Azalea and has murderous thoughts towards him and others who harm her; Azalea thinks about giving up and giving herself to the thorns a couple of times, but does not and continues fighting; Bentleigh has a few comments about standing up to his parents because of their strong opinions/forcing him to do things he doesn’t want to do (like breaking the betrothal with Azalea and wanting to control his every move); *Spoiler*
No major language besides a couple “he cursed” moments (not written out); Phrases like “blasted” “what in the blazes”, and “curse it all” are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Mentions of deaths, possible deaths/accidents, & planned murders/assassinations; Mentions of the possible answer of someone sacrificing their life for Azalea & an attempt; Mentions of wars; Mentions of poisons; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of fires & deaths; A mention of dragons stealing livestock for a snack.
1 fingers to lips touch,
2 hand kisses,
3 forehead kisses,
2 cheek kisses,
1 almost kiss (lasting a few sentences of build-up),
2 kiss lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting around a couple of paragraphs (around 6-8 sentences but somehow not super detailed);
Remembering kisses & almost kisses (a couple of sentences); Looking/Staring at lips;
Touches, Embraces, Smelling, Blushes, & Noticing (including noticing/feeling muscles and noticing curves, up to a couple sentences); Bentleigh falls asleep on Azalea’s bed a couple of times (she cuddles against him once when he’s enchanted); Azalea’s parents had a difficulty conceiving her and could not have another child (that’s mentioned throughout the book and a man’s heartless comments about it); Talks about kisses, kissing, & true love’s kiss;
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & true love’s kiss; Mentions of jealousy.
Oh, that was lovely.
Maybe it’s because Sleeping Beauty was my favorite princess growing up, but I was so completely invested into this retelling. I was also completely stunned at the time skip that happens a bit into the book! I wasn’t expecting this curse to have lasted that long (though now that I think about it, I think it was mentioned in the first book to have been happening the same length of time as Prince Justin’s curse), but it added to the suspense and emotions that Bentleigh and Azalea have been feeling during this separation.
This retelling was completely my cup of tea with the Sleeping Beauty elements, the childhood best friends to more, and him being completely in love with her. I just love that last one *twirls in happiness 🥰🥰🥰* Bentleigh was absolutely wonderful and how much he loved her was just 🥰🥰🥰 I think it would be fair to say that this is my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling because of these elements and how it all came together. That ending even made me a bit emotional! 😅 Really, really enjoyed this novel (more than the first book in the series) and didn’t want to put it down!
(Started this one as an audiobook while doing dishes and enjoyed it, but quickly switched to the ebook on KU since I can read faster than the narrator can talk. 😉)
🍃 “I’m sorry I called you a buffoon.”
👑 “*narrows eyes* Are you, though?”
🍃 “*grins* No, not really.”
Main Content-
Being a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it’s all about the curse that’s on our Beauty and the corrective curse/blessing because of these elements Azalea sleeps during the day and her whole kingdom (animals included) sleep during the night in an enchanted sleep; Magic is not good or evil in this world as it depends on the person’s intent; Magic came to the land with dragons and some people were able to absorb the magic that dragons had shed; Azalea is compelled to move and act as the curse wants her to when the time is nearing for her to sleep again; We see magic on-page throughout the book with the vines growing rapidly, people being in enchanted sleeps, and freezing people in place; Azalea calls the years under the curse “hellish”; Being unable to talk about something due to a curse (unable to open his mouth about the subject).
Mentions of the magical christening blessings; Mentions of magical talismans & artifacts; A few mentions of other curses; A few mentions of there being whispers about a dark way for one to increase their magical powers, but that it can make the enchanter go mad; A mention of Azalea facing and overcoming her demons.
Thinking she’s going to die; Seeing a couple self-defense killings & the bodies (and a murder of a minion/goon; up to a couple sentences); Stopping assassination attempts, Fighting, Being attacked/Attacking others, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing out (up to a few sentences); Bentleigh wishes to choke the man who did this to Azalea and has murderous thoughts towards him and others who harm her; Azalea thinks about giving up and giving herself to the thorns a couple of times, but does not and continues fighting; Bentleigh has a few comments about standing up to his parents because of their strong opinions/forcing him to do things he doesn’t want to do (like breaking the betrothal with Azalea and wanting to control his every move); *Spoiler*
No major language besides a couple “he cursed” moments (not written out); Phrases like “blasted” “what in the blazes”, and “curse it all” are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Mentions of deaths, possible deaths/accidents, & planned murders/assassinations; Mentions of the possible answer of someone sacrificing their life for Azalea & an attempt; Mentions of wars; Mentions of poisons; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of fires & deaths; A mention of dragons stealing livestock for a snack.
1 fingers to lips touch,
2 hand kisses,
3 forehead kisses,
2 cheek kisses,
1 almost kiss (lasting a few sentences of build-up),
2 kiss lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting around a couple of paragraphs (around 6-8 sentences but somehow not super detailed);
Remembering kisses & almost kisses (a couple of sentences); Looking/Staring at lips;
Touches, Embraces, Smelling, Blushes, & Noticing (including noticing/feeling muscles and noticing curves, up to a couple sentences); Bentleigh falls asleep on Azalea’s bed a couple of times (she cuddles against him once when he’s enchanted); Azalea’s parents had a difficulty conceiving her and could not have another child (that’s mentioned throughout the book and a man’s heartless comments about it); Talks about kisses, kissing, & true love’s kiss;
Mentions of kisses, kissing, & true love’s kiss; Mentions of jealousy.
July 24, 2022
One of the best and most unique retellings of Sleeping Beauty I’ve ever read! This fairytale is usually hard to do well due to the whole main character is asleep problem, but this author pulled it off SO WELL and this has literally become my new favorite way of getting around this. This is also one of those more “in depth” style fairytale retellings rather than “light and fluffy”, and I’m so here for it! The main conflict in this book was fantastic and now I’m curious to read the rest of the books to see where the overarching threat is coming from and what it is.
Azalea and Bentleigh (Ben for the rest of this review, lol) are fantastic, three demential characters with flaws and dreams and desires and I loved them both so much, though I will say I loved Ben a LITTLE more than Azalea, but I don’t think she’d begrudge me that but of honesty. 😉 Their romance was so sweet and heartbreaking, and I just loved them and their character arcs overall. Azalea learning how to adapt to her situation and take charge and choices where she could inspired me, and I still think on that now and try my best to apply it to my life even though I haven’t read the book for several days as of writing this review.
The rest of the cast felt very real even if they only had small parts, especially Ben’s parents who I hate, lol. They are just AWFUL, and I cringe for Rian and what he’s going to have to deal with and go up against in his book… 😬 The addition of the dragons to this series is really interesting too—I can’t wait to learn more about them!
While I didn’t read the first book of this series yet (as they’re loosely connected standalones you can read out of order and I was more interested in this book then that one), I really want to now plus get my hands on the rest of this series. A wonderful story and retelling of Sleeping Beauty I highly recommend!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a suicide attempt in order to save someone
Language: hellish
Violence: magical thorns go after and prick a character while also overtaking the walls of the kingdom seeking to get to said character inside; several assassination attempts on a character (not detailed); fighting with swords, fists, and magic (not detailed); thieves try to rob a character; injuries and blood (not detailed); a character nearly stabs themself in the heart in order to save another (the character is stopped and only cuts themself)
Sexual: a guy sleeps beside his girlfriend (not in a sexual way, he’s just afraid to leave her alone after she was almost murdered); a girl lies beside her sleeping boyfriend (not in a sexual way, just lonely and needing comfort); kissing (not detailed)
Other: magic; magical creatures and objects; a man curses a baby and a kingdom; characters with magical powers/abilities are called enchanters; death
Azalea and Bentleigh (Ben for the rest of this review, lol) are fantastic, three demential characters with flaws and dreams and desires and I loved them both so much, though I will say I loved Ben a LITTLE more than Azalea, but I don’t think she’d begrudge me that but of honesty. 😉 Their romance was so sweet and heartbreaking, and I just loved them and their character arcs overall. Azalea learning how to adapt to her situation and take charge and choices where she could inspired me, and I still think on that now and try my best to apply it to my life even though I haven’t read the book for several days as of writing this review.
The rest of the cast felt very real even if they only had small parts, especially Ben’s parents who I hate, lol. They are just AWFUL, and I cringe for Rian and what he’s going to have to deal with and go up against in his book… 😬 The addition of the dragons to this series is really interesting too—I can’t wait to learn more about them!
While I didn’t read the first book of this series yet (as they’re loosely connected standalones you can read out of order and I was more interested in this book then that one), I really want to now plus get my hands on the rest of this series. A wonderful story and retelling of Sleeping Beauty I highly recommend!
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a suicide attempt in order to save someone
Language: hellish
Violence: magical thorns go after and prick a character while also overtaking the walls of the kingdom seeking to get to said character inside; several assassination attempts on a character (not detailed); fighting with swords, fists, and magic (not detailed); thieves try to rob a character; injuries and blood (not detailed); a character nearly stabs themself in the heart in order to save another (the character is stopped and only cuts themself)
Sexual: a guy sleeps beside his girlfriend (not in a sexual way, he’s just afraid to leave her alone after she was almost murdered); a girl lies beside her sleeping boyfriend (not in a sexual way, just lonely and needing comfort); kissing (not detailed)
Other: magic; magical creatures and objects; a man curses a baby and a kingdom; characters with magical powers/abilities are called enchanters; death
May 25, 2021
This might be my new favorite Sleeping Beauty.
I say might, because I'm not sure it quiiiiite edges out over the other two I have vying for favorite, but it's close.
Guys. I devoured this. It was amazing. Poor Ben. Poor Azalea. The ending was perfect. Ugh.
How I'm going to wait 'til September for Cinderella, I don't know.
I say might, because I'm not sure it quiiiiite edges out over the other two I have vying for favorite, but it's close.
Guys. I devoured this. It was amazing. Poor Ben. Poor Azalea. The ending was perfect. Ugh.
How I'm going to wait 'til September for Cinderella, I don't know.
January 1, 2025
I liked the first book in this series, but book 2 blew it out of the water!!! I think this book is where this series really starts to shine and show just how unique its retellings on this tales are!
This book features an adorable best-friends-to-lovers romance, and it is so adorable! Mostly because of Bentleigh. Bentleigh is just....*swoony sigh*. I want my own Bentleigh. He is so loyal to Azalea and fights so hard for her!
Azalea is a great leading lady, and I loved that she got her own way to fight back against the sleeping curse placed upon her.
The intrigue and mystery on how to break the curse was very compelling. And that ending...I was on the edge of my seat as everything was going down!
This book features an adorable best-friends-to-lovers romance, and it is so adorable! Mostly because of Bentleigh. Bentleigh is just....*swoony sigh*. I want my own Bentleigh. He is so loyal to Azalea and fights so hard for her!
Azalea is a great leading lady, and I loved that she got her own way to fight back against the sleeping curse placed upon her.
The intrigue and mystery on how to break the curse was very compelling. And that ending...I was on the edge of my seat as everything was going down!
May 27, 2025
This was so fun and so creative!
The updated curse is actually so clever! It keeps the central aspect of the fairy tale but gives our female protagonist much more agency than if she’d been asleep all the time! That was really creative!
It was also really well thought out. The author put clear limitations on the curse and even put a lot of thought into how the curse would affect the whole kingdom in bad and good ways! (People actually moving to the country, because there’s guaranteed good sleep every night? Yeah, I kinda get that! But also super scary that you wouldn’t wake up in case of emergency…)
With this deviation from the original fairytale, there is now a mystery element to the plot! Both POVs of the story try to figure out how to break the curse and as they collect clues the mystery unfolded. I found this really intriguing and I tried to guess along (I even came very close to figuring it out! That was a really nice reading experience)
With the curse being different to the original, there also is more potential for the romance to develop! It obviously helps that Ben and Azalea know each other from birth and are childhood best friends, so their progression to romance was just really natural.
There is a lot of fun banter between them, but also a lot of care.
I do think that Montgomery as a villain was a little one-dimensional
But I could let this slide, because for the most part, the curse was the central adversary.
Also, how fantastic is it to make a fairytale that is a little frowned upon in modern times in matters of consent into a story about
So: if you like fantasy retellings (and especially Sleeping Beauty) with a little twist, this might be for you!
The updated curse is actually so clever! It keeps the central aspect of the fairy tale but gives our female protagonist much more agency than if she’d been asleep all the time! That was really creative!
It was also really well thought out. The author put clear limitations on the curse and even put a lot of thought into how the curse would affect the whole kingdom in bad and good ways! (People actually moving to the country, because there’s guaranteed good sleep every night? Yeah, I kinda get that! But also super scary that you wouldn’t wake up in case of emergency…)
With this deviation from the original fairytale, there is now a mystery element to the plot! Both POVs of the story try to figure out how to break the curse and as they collect clues the mystery unfolded. I found this really intriguing and I tried to guess along (I even came very close to figuring it out! That was a really nice reading experience)
With the curse being different to the original, there also is more potential for the romance to develop! It obviously helps that Ben and Azalea know each other from birth and are childhood best friends, so their progression to romance was just really natural.
There is a lot of fun banter between them, but also a lot of care.
I do think that Montgomery as a villain was a little one-dimensional
But I could let this slide, because for the most part, the curse was the central adversary.
Also, how fantastic is it to make a fairytale that is a little frowned upon in modern times in matters of consent into a story about
So: if you like fantasy retellings (and especially Sleeping Beauty) with a little twist, this might be for you!
June 12, 2021
A Classic Rewritten
I loved this take on Sleeping Beauty. It had classic story elements: evil enchanter, three good enchanters, a sleeping curse. Add in that the kingdom sleeps all night, while Princess Azalea is awake all night. Alone. The kingdom is awake all day while she sleeps all day. I loved how that time allowed her to grow and come into her role as Princess. Prince Bentleigh was amazing! So sweet, stubborn, and determined. Plus dragons. These kingdoms and the plots are so complex. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Recommended for fans of K.M. Shea and Melanie Cellier.
Content: clean (some kissing, mild violence, magical violence, no language)
I loved this take on Sleeping Beauty. It had classic story elements: evil enchanter, three good enchanters, a sleeping curse. Add in that the kingdom sleeps all night, while Princess Azalea is awake all night. Alone. The kingdom is awake all day while she sleeps all day. I loved how that time allowed her to grow and come into her role as Princess. Prince Bentleigh was amazing! So sweet, stubborn, and determined. Plus dragons. These kingdoms and the plots are so complex. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Recommended for fans of K.M. Shea and Melanie Cellier.
Content: clean (some kissing, mild violence, magical violence, no language)
September 17, 2022
Okay, I now have another favorite retelling author!! I’ve only read two of her books, Kingdom of Beauty and now Kingdom of Slumber, and have absolutely loved them! 😍😍😍 Deborah Grace White is incredible at taking a fairytale and making it so unique and her own. The Sleeping Beauty aspects were made in a way that I’ve never read before (and I’ve read a ton of retellings) which kept me hooked and turning the pages to see how it’ll turn out!
I LOVED Bentleigh and Azalea’s story and how they both fought to break the curse on either side of it!! Their romance was so sweet and my heat ached when they were finally reunited. 😭😍 I really liked how they both had their own things to work through and overcome, which aided them in the end and made them stronger for it.
The progression of the vines was perfectly ominous and did well to amp of the tension and stakes as the characters fought and searched for a way to break the curse before it claimed Azalea for good. Also I love how the books are standalones, but there’s this overarching story that covers the series and you can sense it growing worse with each book, plus reappearances of a certain dragon that I’m really intrigued by!
And the greatest thing is that Deborah delivers epic stories with amazing twists, great characters, beautiful romance, and everything you could want from a retelling while keeping it 100% clean!! 🤩
I’m loving this author’s books so much and am dying to continue and read Rien, Bentleigh’s brother’s, story! 😆
I LOVED Bentleigh and Azalea’s story and how they both fought to break the curse on either side of it!! Their romance was so sweet and my heat ached when they were finally reunited. 😭😍 I really liked how they both had their own things to work through and overcome, which aided them in the end and made them stronger for it.
The progression of the vines was perfectly ominous and did well to amp of the tension and stakes as the characters fought and searched for a way to break the curse before it claimed Azalea for good. Also I love how the books are standalones, but there’s this overarching story that covers the series and you can sense it growing worse with each book, plus reappearances of a certain dragon that I’m really intrigued by!
And the greatest thing is that Deborah delivers epic stories with amazing twists, great characters, beautiful romance, and everything you could want from a retelling while keeping it 100% clean!! 🤩
I’m loving this author’s books so much and am dying to continue and read Rien, Bentleigh’s brother’s, story! 😆
January 25, 2025
This is by far the best Sleeping Beauty retelling I’ve ever read. I loved the twist of Azalea being awake at night and fighting to hold back the vines. I love Bentleigh’s sweet, faithful, and persevering personality. The story was captivating and incredibly well done. The character growth and the romance was also excellent. Just a great read.
The story and characters cross over from book 1 and it’ll make more sense if you start there, but this could also be read as a standalone. Highly recommended.
Content:
There’s no foul language or sex, and the violence is minimal. The romance is clean with only a few chaste kisses. There is a lot of magic. There is no mention of faith or God.
The story and characters cross over from book 1 and it’ll make more sense if you start there, but this could also be read as a standalone. Highly recommended.
Content:
There’s no foul language or sex, and the violence is minimal. The romance is clean with only a few chaste kisses. There is a lot of magic. There is no mention of faith or God.
June 3, 2021
3.5 stars.
I was surprised by how much enjoyed this one too. It was an interesting retelling, and I’m curious to see where the overall story arc of the series is going to take us.
Decent characterization, a wonderful hero, plus a cute cameo appearance by our friendly resident dragon made this a solid installment.
I was surprised by how much enjoyed this one too. It was an interesting retelling, and I’m curious to see where the overall story arc of the series is going to take us.
Decent characterization, a wonderful hero, plus a cute cameo appearance by our friendly resident dragon made this a solid installment.
January 3, 2024
A magical retelling of Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Well done. YA level.
March 19, 2024
It dragged a bit in the middle, but otherwise this was a fantastic Sleeping Beauty retelling!
.
I've seen authors use the "one awake while the other sleeps" twist in Sleeping Beauty stories before, but this use of the curse is one of the best I've read.
.
This is book 2 in an interconnected series, but I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading book 1 first. But now I want to read book 1.
.
Dragons, wizards, creeping vines, and a dastardly villain with psychotic motives all make for a truly epic fairytale!
.
I've seen authors use the "one awake while the other sleeps" twist in Sleeping Beauty stories before, but this use of the curse is one of the best I've read.
.
This is book 2 in an interconnected series, but I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading book 1 first. But now I want to read book 1.
.
Dragons, wizards, creeping vines, and a dastardly villain with psychotic motives all make for a truly epic fairytale!
February 20, 2025
This is my favorite retelling of Sleeping Beauty in the modern style. It's unique in that Azalea is awake every night, working to keep her kingdom safe while everyone sleeps.
Bentleigh, her betrothed, is so lovable. He would do anything for her. He's loved her forever even though she considers him her best friend and isn't ready for more.
They both grow and mature, realizing what true sacrifice is.
Bentleigh, her betrothed, is so lovable. He would do anything for her. He's loved her forever even though she considers him her best friend and isn't ready for more.
They both grow and mature, realizing what true sacrifice is.
September 18, 2024
Not a typical version
This is not the sleeping beauty story everyone knows and it was a blast. The heroine was strong and you cheered for her the whole way through. It was a lot of fun.
This is not the sleeping beauty story everyone knows and it was a blast. The heroine was strong and you cheered for her the whole way through. It was a lot of fun.
January 7, 2022
enjoyable twisted fairy tale
An enjoyable twisted fairy tale. Dragons do have a very small part in the plot, but mostly it’s based on members of Azalea’s family and Bentleigh.
An enjoyable twisted fairy tale. Dragons do have a very small part in the plot, but mostly it’s based on members of Azalea’s family and Bentleigh.
January 9, 2023
it was an interesting read but i don’t think i’d reread it
May 22, 2023
I love the twist on the classic, and how we got to see azalea. Of course, she and bentleigh might have more complicated relations than the book shows irl, but I buy and like their love. Seeing more would’ve been cool, but it’s ya fairytale there are limitations. But they started and ended in love, and I like that. I also like how the series treats true love and true loves kiss. It was a fun lil twist, and this was a great introduction of countercurses, specifically unintentional countercurses. And ramifications of magic. I just love this sleeping beauty retelling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2022
This was one Sleeping Beauty retelling that captured my attention and my imagination from start to finish! The story was as familiar as childhood and yet it was completely different! I loved Deborah Grace White's spin on the old fairytale and her vivid imagery and storytelling were completely enchanting.
One of the things that I loved about this tale was the way that Azalea takes charge of her life under the curse. She doesn't let it control her and instead fights for her family and her kingdom. Bentleigh is the perfect hero for her. He has strength of character and his dedication to the heroine despite curses and opposition from his family is to be admired.
But, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this story has dragons! Yes, a fairytale retelling with dragons! What more could you ask for? Deborah Grace White has done an excellent job in worldbuilding and connecting each of those realms - from human to dragon - that is the perfect combination of simple and detailed. The characters and settings pretty much leap off the page and into the reader's imagination in full technicolor.
Now I just have to be patient until I can get my mitts on the rest of the books in this captivating series...
One of the things that I loved about this tale was the way that Azalea takes charge of her life under the curse. She doesn't let it control her and instead fights for her family and her kingdom. Bentleigh is the perfect hero for her. He has strength of character and his dedication to the heroine despite curses and opposition from his family is to be admired.
But, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this story has dragons! Yes, a fairytale retelling with dragons! What more could you ask for? Deborah Grace White has done an excellent job in worldbuilding and connecting each of those realms - from human to dragon - that is the perfect combination of simple and detailed. The characters and settings pretty much leap off the page and into the reader's imagination in full technicolor.
Now I just have to be patient until I can get my mitts on the rest of the books in this captivating series...
June 13, 2025
Content:
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. While there is fighting and people die, I'd still put it at mild because it isn't described more than "his sword went through his chest" and such.
Sexual: Mild. There are swoony kisses, but not steamy. Hugs, hand holding etc.
While Sleeping Beauty is one of the most well known fairy tales, I've always felt like it's one of the harder stories to re-tell well. This one just made my top 5. (and I've read about 30 retellings).
The twist on the sleeping curse was pretty clever, as it gives us a chance to see and know our female character and give her some growth instead of sleeping through everything. Also, having the since birth betrothal, but with visits so our two betrothed ones know each other and are best friends...nice.
Bentleigh came across as a sweetheart in his small cameo in the first book, and he's no less a cinnamon roll prince in this one, but with extra feisty-ness because this guy knows right and wrong and he's loyal. He dives right in whenever he has a chance to help the people he loves, and anyone who could use a hand really. I enjoyed his character arc, and how hard it was for him to want Azalea to return his feelings, but also giving her a choice.
Azalea's character was shaped by the curse that loomed over her head her whole life, and she balks at the restraints put on her because of it and her position as crown princess. But when the curse hits, and she has to figure it all out alone...she figures out what really matters. I personally would've liked to see more of her struggles at night, but I think that if that had been on page, we would've gone into depressing territory, so I don't mind that much.
And the plot, trying to figure out the countercurse? I was wracking my brain right along with everyone else and I honestly didn't get it until it was basically stated, which is always nice to be surprised! I did find Montgomery to be a bit stale as a villain. He was pretty one-dimensional bad guy to me. Even with his reasoning explained at the end, it still felt pretty flat. But that was really the only thing that I didn't care for.
Super excited to keep going in the series! Bentleigh's brother is next, and I can't wait to see how he battles his crazy controlling parents. Poor brothers.
AUDIOBOOK
Rachel Beresford is fun to listen to, I'm enjoying her rendition on the book. My only complaint is that sometimes she doesn't keep her 'male' voice and I had double-take moments going, "wow, that didn't sound like Ben...and yet it was him sounding very girlish." But that's really my only hang-up. I'm enjoying everything else.
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. While there is fighting and people die, I'd still put it at mild because it isn't described more than "his sword went through his chest" and such.
Sexual: Mild. There are swoony kisses, but not steamy. Hugs, hand holding etc.
While Sleeping Beauty is one of the most well known fairy tales, I've always felt like it's one of the harder stories to re-tell well. This one just made my top 5. (and I've read about 30 retellings).
The twist on the sleeping curse was pretty clever, as it gives us a chance to see and know our female character and give her some growth instead of sleeping through everything. Also, having the since birth betrothal, but with visits so our two betrothed ones know each other and are best friends...nice.
Bentleigh came across as a sweetheart in his small cameo in the first book, and he's no less a cinnamon roll prince in this one, but with extra feisty-ness because this guy knows right and wrong and he's loyal. He dives right in whenever he has a chance to help the people he loves, and anyone who could use a hand really. I enjoyed his character arc, and how hard it was for him to want Azalea to return his feelings, but also giving her a choice.
Azalea's character was shaped by the curse that loomed over her head her whole life, and she balks at the restraints put on her because of it and her position as crown princess. But when the curse hits, and she has to figure it all out alone...she figures out what really matters. I personally would've liked to see more of her struggles at night, but I think that if that had been on page, we would've gone into depressing territory, so I don't mind that much.
And the plot, trying to figure out the countercurse? I was wracking my brain right along with everyone else and I honestly didn't get it until it was basically stated, which is always nice to be surprised! I did find Montgomery to be a bit stale as a villain. He was pretty one-dimensional bad guy to me. Even with his reasoning explained at the end, it still felt pretty flat. But that was really the only thing that I didn't care for.
Super excited to keep going in the series! Bentleigh's brother is next, and I can't wait to see how he battles his crazy controlling parents. Poor brothers.
AUDIOBOOK
Rachel Beresford is fun to listen to, I'm enjoying her rendition on the book. My only complaint is that sometimes she doesn't keep her 'male' voice and I had double-take moments going, "wow, that didn't sound like Ben...and yet it was him sounding very girlish." But that's really my only hang-up. I'm enjoying everything else.
February 22, 2022
I liked this book more than the previous one. That's mostly because it feels more original than the one before it.
It does end up in the group of books where I was expecting a certain vibe and received a different one, which is mildly disappointing. I rather liked Bentleigh more in the previous book, I think, although that may be because I simply perceived him differently.
Azalea was a decent heroine. I like the growth the two of them had, and the story was certainly an interesting twist on the fairy tale.
I have observed that this author seems to write the male characters getting incredibly angry (to the point of violence) on behalf of the female character, and that's somehow... attractive? I'm not saying the book shows it as a good thing, or even that it should show it as a bad thing, it's just something I noted because I personally felt a little uncomfortable at the clear rage and was bemused that the other characters seemed to be okay with it.
I do feel as though I don't have very firm of a grasp on the characters' personalities. Perhaps that's because I read this book as a leisure read, perhaps because I usually read authors with very distinct characters, or perhaps because I wasn't really invested in this world. Whichever the case, the series still feels like a vanilla variety of fairy tale retellings; as close to the norm as is humanly possible.
I'd recommend it, if only for something interesting to have a go at. The dragons are a nice touch.
Content warnings: This book was completely clean in terms of explicit romantic content, swearing, and descriptions of gore and violence. Bentleigh does kill a few villain characters and then seems to have no remorse afterwards, which I note because I normally expect some kind of shock or horror after taking a life. But yeah, pretty safe read.
It does end up in the group of books where I was expecting a certain vibe and received a different one, which is mildly disappointing. I rather liked Bentleigh more in the previous book, I think, although that may be because I simply perceived him differently.
Azalea was a decent heroine. I like the growth the two of them had, and the story was certainly an interesting twist on the fairy tale.
I have observed that this author seems to write the male characters getting incredibly angry (to the point of violence) on behalf of the female character, and that's somehow... attractive? I'm not saying the book shows it as a good thing, or even that it should show it as a bad thing, it's just something I noted because I personally felt a little uncomfortable at the clear rage and was bemused that the other characters seemed to be okay with it.
I do feel as though I don't have very firm of a grasp on the characters' personalities. Perhaps that's because I read this book as a leisure read, perhaps because I usually read authors with very distinct characters, or perhaps because I wasn't really invested in this world. Whichever the case, the series still feels like a vanilla variety of fairy tale retellings; as close to the norm as is humanly possible.
I'd recommend it, if only for something interesting to have a go at. The dragons are a nice touch.
Content warnings: This book was completely clean in terms of explicit romantic content, swearing, and descriptions of gore and violence. Bentleigh does kill a few villain characters and then seems to have no remorse afterwards, which I note because I normally expect some kind of shock or horror after taking a life. But yeah, pretty safe read.
December 26, 2022
I was clearly not the target audience for this series, but could easily have flown through it while doing chores or going for a run if it hadn't been so darn slooowwww.
December 11, 2025
Wonderful story! Love this retelling and I love the cover!
January 28, 2024
Before she started the inspired Singer Tales series, Deborah Grace White had another series of fairy tale retellings called The Kingdom Tales. This series took some time to find its voice, but I think it found it with Kingdom of Slumber, a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" with a twist. In this interpretation of the often-retold tale, the princess is cursed to fall into an enchanted sleep during the day, while the rest of the kingdom sleeps all night without ever knowing that she is awake. In addition to its creative twist, the book boasts a beautiful romance and a guest appearance from the dragon Rekavidur, who travels across each Kingdom Tales book as well as Deborah Grace White's original mermaid series, The Vazula Chronicles. Up to this point, I hadn't enjoyed the Kingdom Tales as much as her newer Singer Tales, but this book had a certain something missing from others I've read so far.
Like many princesses before her, Princess Azalea was born into a marriage alliance with Prince Bentleigh from a foreign kingdom. The two royals grew up together and formed a strong bond, but Azalea always resented her parents for making such an important decision for her before she was ready. She came to regret her resentment on her sixteenth birthday when the curse her wicked uncle had placed on her at birth was enacted, separating the young lovers for two years. During that time, the kingdom despaired Azalea's enchanted sleep each day, while Azalea woke up each night in frustration as the curse prevented her from leaving any signs for her loved ones that she was not asleep all the time. With no one to talk to and nothing else to do, she spent each night fighting off the vines that attacked her kingdom as a side effect of the curse. Little did she know that after two years, someone with ill intent would find a way to enter the sleeping kingdom at night during her waking hours.
What stands out about this book is the way that the curse is handled. Instead of a wicked fairy who tried to murder a newborn princess because she was angry about not being invited to the christening, this book had a male villain with a stronger motivation. Mortimer is a jealous cousin of the king who believes he should have been the rightful heir to the throne and husband to the queen. Cursing the princess is only a means to an end in which he plans to take the kingdom for himself. His spite over the events that took place before Azalea was born serves as a logical explanation for inciting the curse. Another great addition is the way that the curse was altered. Instead of another fairy, the curse is amended by Mortimer's twin brother, Montgomery, in a last-ditch attempt to save Azalea's life. He didn't expect that his alteration would put the rest of the kingdom into an enchanted slumber and did not know how to break the curse, giving Prince Bentleigh a hearty challenge when he decided to save Azalea no matter what it took.
Both Bentleigh and Azalea are fully fleshed-out heroes with strengths and weaknesses. Azalea does not wait patiently for someone to break the curse as she builds strength each night in fighting off the vines, and Bentleigh is a dashing "knight in shining armor" who can never be bested by another blade. Still, the two have insecurities that they must help each other work through. Azalea is ashamed that she hesitated when Bentleigh tried to confess his feelings toward her on the night of the curse because she had never considered just how much he meant to her. Meanwhile, Bentleigh must fend off pushback from his parents when they decide to end the marriage alliance due to the very real possibility that Azalea may never wake up. The romance in this book is heartwarming as the two never give up on each other and rely on each other's support to get through difficult times. It demonstrates the difficulties that some people have expressing what is in their hearts.
In Deborah Grace White's Kingdom Tales series, Kingdom of Slumber stands out as a captivating retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that introduces a unique twist to the familiar tale. The story's creative reimagining, which features Princess Azalea cursed to eternal wakefulness during the night while her kingdom sleeps through the day, adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The character dynamics, particularly between Azalea and her betrothed Prince Bentleigh, are skillfully portrayed, with each facing personal challenges and insecurities that they must overcome together. The book's antagonist, Mortimer, presents a compelling and well-motivated villain, offering a fresh perspective on the origin of the curse. Through its engaging characters, intricate plot, and heartfelt romance, Kingdom of Slumber demonstrates the author's adept storytelling and marks a noteworthy addition to the Kingdom Tales series.
Like many princesses before her, Princess Azalea was born into a marriage alliance with Prince Bentleigh from a foreign kingdom. The two royals grew up together and formed a strong bond, but Azalea always resented her parents for making such an important decision for her before she was ready. She came to regret her resentment on her sixteenth birthday when the curse her wicked uncle had placed on her at birth was enacted, separating the young lovers for two years. During that time, the kingdom despaired Azalea's enchanted sleep each day, while Azalea woke up each night in frustration as the curse prevented her from leaving any signs for her loved ones that she was not asleep all the time. With no one to talk to and nothing else to do, she spent each night fighting off the vines that attacked her kingdom as a side effect of the curse. Little did she know that after two years, someone with ill intent would find a way to enter the sleeping kingdom at night during her waking hours.
What stands out about this book is the way that the curse is handled. Instead of a wicked fairy who tried to murder a newborn princess because she was angry about not being invited to the christening, this book had a male villain with a stronger motivation. Mortimer is a jealous cousin of the king who believes he should have been the rightful heir to the throne and husband to the queen. Cursing the princess is only a means to an end in which he plans to take the kingdom for himself. His spite over the events that took place before Azalea was born serves as a logical explanation for inciting the curse. Another great addition is the way that the curse was altered. Instead of another fairy, the curse is amended by Mortimer's twin brother, Montgomery, in a last-ditch attempt to save Azalea's life. He didn't expect that his alteration would put the rest of the kingdom into an enchanted slumber and did not know how to break the curse, giving Prince Bentleigh a hearty challenge when he decided to save Azalea no matter what it took.
Both Bentleigh and Azalea are fully fleshed-out heroes with strengths and weaknesses. Azalea does not wait patiently for someone to break the curse as she builds strength each night in fighting off the vines, and Bentleigh is a dashing "knight in shining armor" who can never be bested by another blade. Still, the two have insecurities that they must help each other work through. Azalea is ashamed that she hesitated when Bentleigh tried to confess his feelings toward her on the night of the curse because she had never considered just how much he meant to her. Meanwhile, Bentleigh must fend off pushback from his parents when they decide to end the marriage alliance due to the very real possibility that Azalea may never wake up. The romance in this book is heartwarming as the two never give up on each other and rely on each other's support to get through difficult times. It demonstrates the difficulties that some people have expressing what is in their hearts.
In Deborah Grace White's Kingdom Tales series, Kingdom of Slumber stands out as a captivating retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that introduces a unique twist to the familiar tale. The story's creative reimagining, which features Princess Azalea cursed to eternal wakefulness during the night while her kingdom sleeps through the day, adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The character dynamics, particularly between Azalea and her betrothed Prince Bentleigh, are skillfully portrayed, with each facing personal challenges and insecurities that they must overcome together. The book's antagonist, Mortimer, presents a compelling and well-motivated villain, offering a fresh perspective on the origin of the curse. Through its engaging characters, intricate plot, and heartfelt romance, Kingdom of Slumber demonstrates the author's adept storytelling and marks a noteworthy addition to the Kingdom Tales series.
August 29, 2024
I encountered this series out of order, but these can be read as stand-alones. I loved Kingdom of Feathers, liked Kingdom of Cinders, but this one was only okay. It's well-written, as all White's novels are, but I found the characters frustrating and hard to like. I can read an unlikeable protagonist if they're also an interesting person, but Azalea and Bentleigh (pretentious spelling, maybe White didn't want to remind readers of the luxury car brand?) fell flat to me. White's interpretation of the sleeping curse was great: I loved the idea of the princess awake at night and everyone else asleep, and vice-versa in the daytime. She did some great world-building with a kingdom where everyone can only work during the day, and how that affects the subjects' lives. I wanted more of that, and the potential was wasted. I thought at one point things were about to get interesting, when a minor character reveals their hatred of the curse situation because a fire broke out at a residence and since every living thing is forced into an enchanted sleep each night, it burned all night and killed the residents. This is a great ethical dilemma for a book to explore: I was hoping Azalea would learn about this and set out to protect her people at night, while trying to find a solution to the curse. But it didn't happen, and the fire situation was never brought up again; a dropped plot thread since the situation did lead to an arrest I thought would be explored.
Azalea goes on a lot in the last part of the book about how much she loves Listernia (not a great fake country name, I kept thinking of Listerine mouthwash) and wants to accept her responsibilities as crown princess, but who does she actually know in the kingdom? It would have been satisfying to see her fight the curse head-on by defending actual people, not just hack at vines at night to keep them from growing over the walls. That helped her, not her people, since the thorny vines were targeting her. The ending with Azalea and Ben's sacrifices was good, but Montgomery's motivation for casting the curse was weak. I liked him as a villain at the start of the story, but he fizzled at the end. The bad fairy in the original story didn't have strong motivation either (offense over being overlooked for an invitation), but there's a long tradition in fairy tales about not offending magical creatures. I expected a bit more from a novel-length story than just the old thwarted love trope. Or, if you want to go in that direction, spend longer building it up.
White did so well with Kingdom of Swans; I'll keep trying to see what else she's got.
Azalea goes on a lot in the last part of the book about how much she loves Listernia (not a great fake country name, I kept thinking of Listerine mouthwash) and wants to accept her responsibilities as crown princess, but who does she actually know in the kingdom? It would have been satisfying to see her fight the curse head-on by defending actual people, not just hack at vines at night to keep them from growing over the walls. That helped her, not her people, since the thorny vines were targeting her. The ending with Azalea and Ben's sacrifices was good, but Montgomery's motivation for casting the curse was weak. I liked him as a villain at the start of the story, but he fizzled at the end. The bad fairy in the original story didn't have strong motivation either (offense over being overlooked for an invitation), but there's a long tradition in fairy tales about not offending magical creatures. I expected a bit more from a novel-length story than just the old thwarted love trope. Or, if you want to go in that direction, spend longer building it up.
White did so well with Kingdom of Swans; I'll keep trying to see what else she's got.
May 23, 2021
So wonderful!
When I met Ben in Kingdom of Beauty, I knew I was going to love his story! A prince who was only two years old when he was betrothed to a newborn who was cursed... And who had since fallen deeply in love with her... How do you woo a woman who has no choice but to marry you? Who is sleeping - all the time! (My husband said "with chocolates and a cozy pillow!")
Well, I was right. I did love the noble Prince Bentleigh! He handled his various trials with courage and strength, holding tightly to the hope of finding a way to break Azalea's curse. Including standing up to his parents and seeking the help of dragons. Which was no small feat!
I hadn't expected much from Azalea, though I should have known better. Turns out, she ended up being quite astounding. She went from a bit of a spoiled brat to being willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her kingdom. I can't even imagine the loneliness she would have experienced as the only person awake - for two years! Well, now that I've read Kingdom of Slumber I can, but you know what I mean! And the way she ended up spending her nights was pretty amazing!
I was fascinated with the interpretation of the familiar story of Sleeping Beauty. Details such as the impact of having every creature fall asleep at dusk would have on the kingdom were particularly well thought out.
I was thrilled to see several characters from Kingdom of Beauty make an appearance - and to discover a theme weaving throughout the stories in this series beyond the more general one of the countries all being on the continent of Solstice. I'll leave it to you to figure out what that theme is - and I imagine it will be more evident as new books are released. I know by the time Prince Amell's story is told I will be more than ready - he is quite the character!
If you enjoy fairy tales retold in surprising ways while remaining true to the originals, you will want to read Kingdom of Slumber and the entire Kingdom Tales series! Stay tuned for Kingdom of Cinders coming up next, telling the story of Ben's older brother, Rian, which is available for preorder.
Originally Reviewed on Among The Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
When I met Ben in Kingdom of Beauty, I knew I was going to love his story! A prince who was only two years old when he was betrothed to a newborn who was cursed... And who had since fallen deeply in love with her... How do you woo a woman who has no choice but to marry you? Who is sleeping - all the time! (My husband said "with chocolates and a cozy pillow!")
Well, I was right. I did love the noble Prince Bentleigh! He handled his various trials with courage and strength, holding tightly to the hope of finding a way to break Azalea's curse. Including standing up to his parents and seeking the help of dragons. Which was no small feat!
I hadn't expected much from Azalea, though I should have known better. Turns out, she ended up being quite astounding. She went from a bit of a spoiled brat to being willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her kingdom. I can't even imagine the loneliness she would have experienced as the only person awake - for two years! Well, now that I've read Kingdom of Slumber I can, but you know what I mean! And the way she ended up spending her nights was pretty amazing!
I was fascinated with the interpretation of the familiar story of Sleeping Beauty. Details such as the impact of having every creature fall asleep at dusk would have on the kingdom were particularly well thought out.
I was thrilled to see several characters from Kingdom of Beauty make an appearance - and to discover a theme weaving throughout the stories in this series beyond the more general one of the countries all being on the continent of Solstice. I'll leave it to you to figure out what that theme is - and I imagine it will be more evident as new books are released. I know by the time Prince Amell's story is told I will be more than ready - he is quite the character!
If you enjoy fairy tales retold in surprising ways while remaining true to the originals, you will want to read Kingdom of Slumber and the entire Kingdom Tales series! Stay tuned for Kingdom of Cinders coming up next, telling the story of Ben's older brother, Rian, which is available for preorder.
Originally Reviewed on Among The Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
December 5, 2021
I was really disappointed with this book. Reading the blurb/description and looking at the cover, I was expecting a strong female lead, and an interesting story. The plot line was original and a really interesting twist to the usual sleeping beauty, the author also managed to add in childhood best friends to lovers, arranged marriage tropes and an original arranged marriage but one is in love with the betrothed trope really well into the romance area of the book.
You can understand my frustration with how flat this book fell, It had so much potential!!
The writing was repetitive and boring and both MC’s were incredibly stupid.
One thing that really irritated me was the fact that the one day that they should have been the most careful as it was the last day they would have to be before they could be safe and escape the curse was the day both MC’s decided to be careless🙄 not to mention the fact that her parents were going to throw her a birthday party on THAT day yet they were also supposedly extremely overprotective? 🤔
There is paragraph after paragraph of ramblings and monologues about how she didn’t understand her parents overprotectiveness and Bentleigh’s worry but now she did (let’s ignore the fact that she knew that she was cursed and knew exactly what had happened and the details to the curse, including the part about the whole kingdom suffering with her) in EVERY chapter, a few moments after she wakes up to be exact. That of course is followed by a long monologue about how strong she has gotten(while doing the bare minimum) and how much she has matured and grown. Bentleigh on the other hand has long monologues about how beautiful zayla is, how in love with her he is, he won’t leave her, and that he will find a way to save her and break her curse, in a many more words of course and whenever we switch to his point of view. There was really no action or adventure and neither of the MCs solved or discovered anything on their own the information was always handed to them.
All in all, it was really boring and repetitive but the original plot line kept me going because I wanted to see what the author planned to happen. I honestly don’t understand how it has so many stars
You can understand my frustration with how flat this book fell, It had so much potential!!
The writing was repetitive and boring and both MC’s were incredibly stupid.
One thing that really irritated me was the fact that the one day that they should have been the most careful as it was the last day they would have to be before they could be safe and escape the curse was the day both MC’s decided to be careless🙄 not to mention the fact that her parents were going to throw her a birthday party on THAT day yet they were also supposedly extremely overprotective? 🤔
There is paragraph after paragraph of ramblings and monologues about how she didn’t understand her parents overprotectiveness and Bentleigh’s worry but now she did (let’s ignore the fact that she knew that she was cursed and knew exactly what had happened and the details to the curse, including the part about the whole kingdom suffering with her) in EVERY chapter, a few moments after she wakes up to be exact. That of course is followed by a long monologue about how strong she has gotten(while doing the bare minimum) and how much she has matured and grown. Bentleigh on the other hand has long monologues about how beautiful zayla is, how in love with her he is, he won’t leave her, and that he will find a way to save her and break her curse, in a many more words of course and whenever we switch to his point of view. There was really no action or adventure and neither of the MCs solved or discovered anything on their own the information was always handed to them.
All in all, it was really boring and repetitive but the original plot line kept me going because I wanted to see what the author planned to happen. I honestly don’t understand how it has so many stars
April 18, 2022
Wow. Really good. Glad I read it over a weekend because it was difficult to put down. And differed enough from the original that I really didn’t know until late in the story how it would all work out (after which the end was rather protracted, but that’s not a huge complaint.
I think this may be the best twist on Sleeping Beauty that I’ve read. It’s a very difficult one to retell in a way that will satisfy a modern audience. It hard to give much agency to a princess who sleeps, and it’s hard to bring a sense of urgency to a curse that’s cast 16 years prior to the main action that’s been reduced to making everyone sleep. But this book did both. Plus addressed the issue of sleeping people being unable to give consent (or participate) in any kind of amorous activity (kissing, literally; it is a fairy tale).
I’m somewhere between bemused and annoyed by books and series that actively avoid having heroines always and heroes mostly avoid killing people. In this book it annoyed me. I’m not saying it would be easy or that there wouldn’t be trauma after the fact, but in this story especially with the set up and rules laid out, there comes a point where the heroine doesn’t kill somebody and it actively puts her in deeper and greater danger later…and she knows it will put her in deeper and greater danger later when she makes the choice. That one was hard to swallow. And okay, even if warranted, a cold blooded killing of someone helpless probably wouldn’t have fit in too well to the type of book this is meant to be, but seriously it made the heroine seem so foolish. I think that should have been written differently. Other than that, and the extreme number of times vines came back in the end before the plot finally ended (I guess she wanted to make the overarching greater danger more mysterious and threatening, but ultimately I got tired and a bit annoyed at the never ending vine/magic stuff.)…anyway, other than those two things I really liked it.
I think this may be the best twist on Sleeping Beauty that I’ve read. It’s a very difficult one to retell in a way that will satisfy a modern audience. It hard to give much agency to a princess who sleeps, and it’s hard to bring a sense of urgency to a curse that’s cast 16 years prior to the main action that’s been reduced to making everyone sleep. But this book did both. Plus addressed the issue of sleeping people being unable to give consent (or participate) in any kind of amorous activity (kissing, literally; it is a fairy tale).
I’m somewhere between bemused and annoyed by books and series that actively avoid having heroines always and heroes mostly avoid killing people. In this book it annoyed me. I’m not saying it would be easy or that there wouldn’t be trauma after the fact, but in this story especially with the set up and rules laid out, there comes a point where the heroine doesn’t kill somebody and it actively puts her in deeper and greater danger later…and she knows it will put her in deeper and greater danger later when she makes the choice. That one was hard to swallow. And okay, even if warranted, a cold blooded killing of someone helpless probably wouldn’t have fit in too well to the type of book this is meant to be, but seriously it made the heroine seem so foolish. I think that should have been written differently. Other than that, and the extreme number of times vines came back in the end before the plot finally ended (I guess she wanted to make the overarching greater danger more mysterious and threatening, but ultimately I got tired and a bit annoyed at the never ending vine/magic stuff.)…anyway, other than those two things I really liked it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2022
Being important to the kingdom didn't mean she should run from every possible source of danger. It meant she should be the most active in trying to figure out how to overcome that danger. Especially when it threatened her people as well as her.
Princess Azalea sleeps through the day, while everyone else in her kingdom goes about their lives. But at night, everyone in the kingdom falls into an enchanted sleep...and Azalea is the only one awake. (Terrifying, am I right?) The curse won't let Azalea leave any hints about her nightly wakefulness for her family to find in the morning, so for two long years both she and her family (and her betrothed, Prince Ben) live a life of loneliness and heartache.
Meanwhile, Prince Ben (I refuse to call him Bentleigh) is searching for a way to break the curse and set his beloved free. Kingdom of Slumber stars dragons, a gender-bent Maleficent, creepy plants, and a clean and sweet and beautiful romance. It's a wonderful story! I loved the characters' goodness and self-sacrificial love. And the plot was gripping, with all its twists and turns and nerve-wracking moments. One of the best fairytale retellings I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Princess Azalea sleeps through the day, while everyone else in her kingdom goes about their lives. But at night, everyone in the kingdom falls into an enchanted sleep...and Azalea is the only one awake. (Terrifying, am I right?) The curse won't let Azalea leave any hints about her nightly wakefulness for her family to find in the morning, so for two long years both she and her family (and her betrothed, Prince Ben) live a life of loneliness and heartache.
Meanwhile, Prince Ben (I refuse to call him Bentleigh) is searching for a way to break the curse and set his beloved free. Kingdom of Slumber stars dragons, a gender-bent Maleficent, creepy plants, and a clean and sweet and beautiful romance. It's a wonderful story! I loved the characters' goodness and self-sacrificial love. And the plot was gripping, with all its twists and turns and nerve-wracking moments. One of the best fairytale retellings I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
July 24, 2023
The second book follows the format of "Sleeping Beauty." Princess Azalea was cursed at birth by one of her Enchanter cousins. His twin brother takes over and tries to break the curse, but doesn't know if he is successful.
Through the years, Azalea and her betrothed, Prince Bentleigh, become best friends. They are inseparable as time goes on. When the time comes for her 16th birthday, everybody is on edge. Azalea convinces Bentleigh to take her out of the castle grounds to give her a birthday gift. In a turn of events, she finds herself pricked by a vine and fades.
Bentleigh, thinking she is dead, blames himself. Finding her breath is still coming out, he rushes her back into the castle. The King and Queen are beside themselves with worry. As night falls, they all fall asleep unexpectedly. Azalea awakes to see Bentleigh in her room, holding her hand. The rest of the kingdom is asleep. After making sure everyone in the castle is safe, she goes to check the notes of her "Uncle Mortimer." (Enchanter cousin) She writes a note for all of her loved ones and feels compelled back to bed.
When everyone wakes, they realize what's happening. Bentleigh is beside himself. The days are spent with guards beating back the deadly vines coming for the princess, and Azalea studying and killing the vines at night. Nobody knows she ever wakes up.
Will anybody ever find out about the night? Will the curse be broken? Where does the dragon come in? Will Bentleigh and Azalea find their happily ever after? You'll have to find out when you read this book!
Through the years, Azalea and her betrothed, Prince Bentleigh, become best friends. They are inseparable as time goes on. When the time comes for her 16th birthday, everybody is on edge. Azalea convinces Bentleigh to take her out of the castle grounds to give her a birthday gift. In a turn of events, she finds herself pricked by a vine and fades.
Bentleigh, thinking she is dead, blames himself. Finding her breath is still coming out, he rushes her back into the castle. The King and Queen are beside themselves with worry. As night falls, they all fall asleep unexpectedly. Azalea awakes to see Bentleigh in her room, holding her hand. The rest of the kingdom is asleep. After making sure everyone in the castle is safe, she goes to check the notes of her "Uncle Mortimer." (Enchanter cousin) She writes a note for all of her loved ones and feels compelled back to bed.
When everyone wakes, they realize what's happening. Bentleigh is beside himself. The days are spent with guards beating back the deadly vines coming for the princess, and Azalea studying and killing the vines at night. Nobody knows she ever wakes up.
Will anybody ever find out about the night? Will the curse be broken? Where does the dragon come in? Will Bentleigh and Azalea find their happily ever after? You'll have to find out when you read this book!
May 27, 2021
Absolutely loved it!
This was an amazing sleeping beauty retelling! Sleeping beauty is one of the hardest fairytale to rewrite, imo, because of the passive heroine and the creepiness of kissing a sleeping person awake. Plus it's generally a little petty to get THAT upset over being uninvited to a party. But Deborah Grace White avoided ALL of these issues, while still keeping the core ideas of the princess and the kingdom being asleep, the thorns, and the christening gifts. I love how this book accurately portrays what true love is, instead of leaning on a mystical soulmate/lifebond connection, or warping love into bitter obsession. I love that you don't just have dragons swooping in to save the day. And nothing was overly dragged out either - there were definitely points where I figured things out faster than the characters, but there were always still parts that needed to be explained, and this "reader fore knowledge" never dragged on so long that you're banging your head against the book in frustration. This was a great book. None of that "actually 4.5 stars but rounded up" nonsense - it's firmly 5 stars.
This was an amazing sleeping beauty retelling! Sleeping beauty is one of the hardest fairytale to rewrite, imo, because of the passive heroine and the creepiness of kissing a sleeping person awake. Plus it's generally a little petty to get THAT upset over being uninvited to a party. But Deborah Grace White avoided ALL of these issues, while still keeping the core ideas of the princess and the kingdom being asleep, the thorns, and the christening gifts. I love how this book accurately portrays what true love is, instead of leaning on a mystical soulmate/lifebond connection, or warping love into bitter obsession. I love that you don't just have dragons swooping in to save the day. And nothing was overly dragged out either - there were definitely points where I figured things out faster than the characters, but there were always still parts that needed to be explained, and this "reader fore knowledge" never dragged on so long that you're banging your head against the book in frustration. This was a great book. None of that "actually 4.5 stars but rounded up" nonsense - it's firmly 5 stars.
May 30, 2025
In this story of partnerships, choice is an ongoing theme. Twin brothers, magi, a king and his queen, and two best friends are repeatedly challenged in their love, trust, and loyalty.
The stage is set in the first chapter as we encounter the birth of the heir to the aptly named King Victor. Three await the news with eagerly tapping feet, but the fourth is nursing a secret toxic resentment. Montgomery—a name associated with traitors in American history—mutters, “He’s got his crown, he’s got his queen, he’s about to have his heir. What could he possibly need sympathy for?” Behold the villain.
Once the curse and its counter blessing are set into motion, we engage with the tough little princess, Azalea, and her betrothed/best friend, Prince Bentleigh, to defeat that fate. Of course, thorny briars with “an almost sentient frenzy” feature a key role, as do the virtues: loyalty, sacrificial love, and honor. Throughout, bitterness gives birth to poisoned consequences, but hope and faithfulness look to defeat it.
Is there repentance? Transformation? These are not generally promised in fairytales. However, it’s a pleasant romance to read.
The stage is set in the first chapter as we encounter the birth of the heir to the aptly named King Victor. Three await the news with eagerly tapping feet, but the fourth is nursing a secret toxic resentment. Montgomery—a name associated with traitors in American history—mutters, “He’s got his crown, he’s got his queen, he’s about to have his heir. What could he possibly need sympathy for?” Behold the villain.
Once the curse and its counter blessing are set into motion, we engage with the tough little princess, Azalea, and her betrothed/best friend, Prince Bentleigh, to defeat that fate. Of course, thorny briars with “an almost sentient frenzy” feature a key role, as do the virtues: loyalty, sacrificial love, and honor. Throughout, bitterness gives birth to poisoned consequences, but hope and faithfulness look to defeat it.
Is there repentance? Transformation? These are not generally promised in fairytales. However, it’s a pleasant romance to read.
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