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Curse of Thorne #1
To Wake a Kingdom
Sleeping Beauty meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this twisted fantasy romance retelling, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy.
After 100 years, I awake not to true love’s kiss, but to a blade at my throat.
Enchanted into an eternal slumber to escape an evil fae, Thorne is awakened, not by true love’s kiss, but by a man with a sword at her throat. So she does the only thing a princess can do—nails him in the balls and sticks him with a dagger.
But something has gone wrong because now her entire family isn’t waking up and Ronan, a warrior from an enemy kingdom, arrives on her doorstep seeking answers she doesn’t want to give.
Bent on revenge, the evil fae returns to claim the princess and kill everyone asleep in the castle. So Thorne strikes a bargain—thirty days to break the curse or Thorne becomes her property forever. But Thorne has no idea how to break a hundred-year-old spell that’s gone awry.
As time ticks away and she scrambles for a solution, her feelings for Ronan become entwined in her fate. Now she must find a way to protect her heart, save herself, and rescue everyone she’s ever loved.
This is a standalone fantasy romance with a happily ever after.
After 100 years, I awake not to true love’s kiss, but to a blade at my throat.
Enchanted into an eternal slumber to escape an evil fae, Thorne is awakened, not by true love’s kiss, but by a man with a sword at her throat. So she does the only thing a princess can do—nails him in the balls and sticks him with a dagger.
But something has gone wrong because now her entire family isn’t waking up and Ronan, a warrior from an enemy kingdom, arrives on her doorstep seeking answers she doesn’t want to give.
Bent on revenge, the evil fae returns to claim the princess and kill everyone asleep in the castle. So Thorne strikes a bargain—thirty days to break the curse or Thorne becomes her property forever. But Thorne has no idea how to break a hundred-year-old spell that’s gone awry.
As time ticks away and she scrambles for a solution, her feelings for Ronan become entwined in her fate. Now she must find a way to protect her heart, save herself, and rescue everyone she’s ever loved.
This is a standalone fantasy romance with a happily ever after.
400 pages, ebook
First published August 23, 2022
About the author
Nisha J. Tuli
14 books2,446 followersVisit my website to sign up for my newsletter and download a bonus chapter from Rule of the Aurora King!
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Nisha J. Tuli is the bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen—the first in the Artefacts of Ouranos series—which became a BookTok hit thanks to her amazing fans. The originally self-published series was acquired by Forever Publishing and Orbit UK in 2023, and will soon be published in 15 other languages around the world.
She's also the author of Heart of Night and Fire, a South Asian-inspired fantasy romance and the first in a four-book series. Look for her rom-com debut in 2025 with NSFW (Not Suitable for Work), a workplace rivals to lovers rom-com publishing with Forever.
Nisha lives in Canada, where she spends most of her time reading and writing while enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed, Mora.
---
Nisha J. Tuli is the bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen—the first in the Artefacts of Ouranos series—which became a BookTok hit thanks to her amazing fans. The originally self-published series was acquired by Forever Publishing and Orbit UK in 2023, and will soon be published in 15 other languages around the world.
She's also the author of Heart of Night and Fire, a South Asian-inspired fantasy romance and the first in a four-book series. Look for her rom-com debut in 2025 with NSFW (Not Suitable for Work), a workplace rivals to lovers rom-com publishing with Forever.
Nisha lives in Canada, where she spends most of her time reading and writing while enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed, Mora.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
July 25, 2022
Am I allowed to review my own book? Well, I'm going to and let me tell you I am a fan. Okay, but seriously, this book was written in the height of the world falling apart in the summer of 2020, and it holds a special place in my heart for so many reasons.
I love fairytale retellings and I always will, and I really tried to twist this from anything you'd expect. From the very first paragraph, you'll see this isn't how Sleeping Beauty was meant to wake up.
❤️🔥 enemies to lovers slow burn romance
☀️ with added hints of a reverse grumpy/sunshine
🏃🏽♀️ a pacey, twisty plot
🐎 "there's only one horse"
👸🏽 a diverse cast with a POC protagonist
🗡️ girls with swords
🙅🏽♂️"who did this to you" energy
🧝🏽hot warriors and fae
🌶️yes, there's smut
🧙🏽♀️an evil female villain
👩🏻🤝👩🏾strong female friendship
👨👨👧👦found family
This will be the first book in a duology and I have big plans for book 2 (expect it mid 2023--I know, I know, but I'm going to release the first in another trilogy first, and I promise it'll be worth it.)
There's no cliffhanger though, so you can go in knowing this has a complete, and I hope, satisfying ending. But... you might still want more.
Be forewarned that it's going to rip your heart out. As one of my beta readers said "man, she just never gets a break".
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!
I love fairytale retellings and I always will, and I really tried to twist this from anything you'd expect. From the very first paragraph, you'll see this isn't how Sleeping Beauty was meant to wake up.
❤️🔥 enemies to lovers slow burn romance
☀️ with added hints of a reverse grumpy/sunshine
🏃🏽♀️ a pacey, twisty plot
🐎 "there's only one horse"
👸🏽 a diverse cast with a POC protagonist
🗡️ girls with swords
🙅🏽♂️"who did this to you" energy
🧝🏽hot warriors and fae
🌶️yes, there's smut
🧙🏽♀️an evil female villain
👩🏻🤝👩🏾strong female friendship
👨👨👧👦found family
This will be the first book in a duology and I have big plans for book 2 (expect it mid 2023--I know, I know, but I'm going to release the first in another trilogy first, and I promise it'll be worth it.)
There's no cliffhanger though, so you can go in knowing this has a complete, and I hope, satisfying ending. But... you might still want more.
Be forewarned that it's going to rip your heart out. As one of my beta readers said "man, she just never gets a break".
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!
August 24, 2022
To Wake a Kingdom was not my first book by this author, Wicked is the Reaper was and that one blew me away so I had to request an arc of this one. I was hoping to love it just as much, and while I did like it, I didn't love it.
The story starts with an action scene that promises an amazing story, but then it doesn't reach that height again until the second half. That first half is spent relationship building, mostly, and occasional training scenes, with some fillers too.
I wasn't bored, but it felt like it took forever to get through those parts. And even in the second half things could get a bit slow.
So basically my complaint is that I was expecting a slightly different story based on the blurb and first chapter. But it had some really good parts too.
It's a darker fairytale retelling, and is a great mix of those elements and original ideas. I like the world, from what we saw of it. And I still like the writing style.
Character wise, I felt very lukewarm towards Thorne, she acted exactly like a spoiled princess at the start. Eventually she did grow into a warrior, but her behavior and some of the things she said sounded kind of modern to me which made me laugh.
Ronan was okay, I like that he was there to save Thorne when she actually needed saving. Their romance was by no means enemies to lovers though. He basically just appeared on her castle's doorstep one day, she was annoyed about it, but let him and his friends stay and eventually they fell in love.
They did meet briefly once before, but I'm not counting that.
Maida is a character that I felt the strongest about, oddly enough. He's a side character with mysterious motivations of his own, and he outshined almost all the other side characters except Gideon (whose food I'd love to try). I'd like to learn more about him.
I'd still recommend this book, because of how original it was, and I'll be reading the sequel.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
The story starts with an action scene that promises an amazing story, but then it doesn't reach that height again until the second half. That first half is spent relationship building, mostly, and occasional training scenes, with some fillers too.
I wasn't bored, but it felt like it took forever to get through those parts. And even in the second half things could get a bit slow.
So basically my complaint is that I was expecting a slightly different story based on the blurb and first chapter. But it had some really good parts too.
It's a darker fairytale retelling, and is a great mix of those elements and original ideas. I like the world, from what we saw of it. And I still like the writing style.
Character wise, I felt very lukewarm towards Thorne, she acted exactly like a spoiled princess at the start. Eventually she did grow into a warrior, but her behavior and some of the things she said sounded kind of modern to me which made me laugh.
Ronan was okay, I like that he was there to save Thorne when she actually needed saving. Their romance was by no means enemies to lovers though. He basically just appeared on her castle's doorstep one day, she was annoyed about it, but let him and his friends stay and eventually they fell in love.
They did meet briefly once before, but I'm not counting that.
Maida is a character that I felt the strongest about, oddly enough. He's a side character with mysterious motivations of his own, and he outshined almost all the other side characters except Gideon (whose food I'd love to try). I'd like to learn more about him.
I'd still recommend this book, because of how original it was, and I'll be reading the sequel.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
August 28, 2022
Review: 4.5 stars!
To Wake a Kingdom is a NA spicy fantasy retelling of sleeping beauty, with a completely different twist to the story:
What if the curse went wrong and the kingdom went to sleep also?
We follow Princess Thorne as she suddenly awakes from her curse after 100 years have passed and finds her kingdom still asleep. Together with her fae friend who has also awoken, they must find a way to break the curse and wake the kingdom. There is one slight complication: time is ticking! If they don't break the curse in 30 days, the evil fae will slaughter all who sleep and enslave the princess for eternity.
This book y'all!! It's so mysterious and captivating. To make it even more compelling, Ronan, a incredibly hot army commander of the enemy kingdom, arrives at the castle looking for their king.
Their romance was slow burn at first, with reverse grumpy-sunshine (one of my new favorite tropes) but once it picks up pace OMG prepare your fans ladies because it gets scorching hot 🥵🔥
What I was most surprised about was the last 100 pages, the author gave us a complete change of scenery and lots of plot twists that I did not see coming! You will have to read to find out what happens!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
To Wake a Kingdom is a NA spicy fantasy retelling of sleeping beauty, with a completely different twist to the story:
What if the curse went wrong and the kingdom went to sleep also?
We follow Princess Thorne as she suddenly awakes from her curse after 100 years have passed and finds her kingdom still asleep. Together with her fae friend who has also awoken, they must find a way to break the curse and wake the kingdom. There is one slight complication: time is ticking! If they don't break the curse in 30 days, the evil fae will slaughter all who sleep and enslave the princess for eternity.
This book y'all!! It's so mysterious and captivating. To make it even more compelling, Ronan, a incredibly hot army commander of the enemy kingdom, arrives at the castle looking for their king.
Their romance was slow burn at first, with reverse grumpy-sunshine (one of my new favorite tropes) but once it picks up pace OMG prepare your fans ladies because it gets scorching hot 🥵🔥
What I was most surprised about was the last 100 pages, the author gave us a complete change of scenery and lots of plot twists that I did not see coming! You will have to read to find out what happens!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
August 14, 2022
CW: multiple attempted sexual assaults, death, violence, gore
This was a very unexpected addition to my tbr when I accidentally saw a tweet by the author and I just immediately had to ask her for an arc. And turns out it was such a quick read that I hardly took one break in between and that too only because I finally had to sleep.
The author just starts off right in the middle of a very tense scene and then it takes a while for it to slow down. It’s a brutal tale and the author pulls no punches, but she also balances it out with some sweet slice of life moments and some very steamy scenes which makes for a very balanced read. The twists and turns are also quite unexpected and unpredictable most of the times, keeping me on the edge of my seat. There are quite a few fairytale inspirations and the whole story itself has a noticeable dark fairytale vibe, but it’s also equally original, giving us a fun new story to explore but with familiar beats.
Our main character Thorne will break your heart. Having been born and brought up under the shadow of a curse and then been in an enchanted sleep for hundred years, currently being hunted by a malicious Fae - she has never had the opportunity to live the life of a carefree princess or even a normal girl and even now, has to remain strong and figure out how to break the curse and defeat someone much much stronger than her. Her resilience is admirable and when she sets out to do something, she’ll do everything in her power to accomplish it, even if it breaks her. I only kept wishing that she get some reprieve from all the danger and heartbreak.
Her turbulent but developing relationship with Kianna was lovely to read and while initially they didn’t have much choice but to be nice to each other, I liked how much they came to care for each other. Ronan as a love interest felt like a typical one initially but as the story goes, I started liking him more, and it was nice to see a guy who was a warrior not underestimate a girl who can hardly fight but is driven to learn at any cost. Their dynamic was fun and sexy and what I liked was that they had a lot of understanding between each other and any turbulence in the relationship was due to external factors. There are also his friends Gideon, Em and Noah who are all lovely people and together they all make for a very endearing found family.
In the end, I don’t know if I can use the word “fun” for this book because it is pretty dark and violent but with a lovely romance and friendships but it thoroughly entertained me throughout. If you are looking for a fantasy with heavy fairytale vibes but slightly on the darker side, I think you’ll really enjoy it. While this is supposed to be a duology, I think it also works well as a standalone with a satisfying conclusion and I’m so glad I discovered the author’s Twitter and got to read this.
This was a very unexpected addition to my tbr when I accidentally saw a tweet by the author and I just immediately had to ask her for an arc. And turns out it was such a quick read that I hardly took one break in between and that too only because I finally had to sleep.
The author just starts off right in the middle of a very tense scene and then it takes a while for it to slow down. It’s a brutal tale and the author pulls no punches, but she also balances it out with some sweet slice of life moments and some very steamy scenes which makes for a very balanced read. The twists and turns are also quite unexpected and unpredictable most of the times, keeping me on the edge of my seat. There are quite a few fairytale inspirations and the whole story itself has a noticeable dark fairytale vibe, but it’s also equally original, giving us a fun new story to explore but with familiar beats.
Our main character Thorne will break your heart. Having been born and brought up under the shadow of a curse and then been in an enchanted sleep for hundred years, currently being hunted by a malicious Fae - she has never had the opportunity to live the life of a carefree princess or even a normal girl and even now, has to remain strong and figure out how to break the curse and defeat someone much much stronger than her. Her resilience is admirable and when she sets out to do something, she’ll do everything in her power to accomplish it, even if it breaks her. I only kept wishing that she get some reprieve from all the danger and heartbreak.
Her turbulent but developing relationship with Kianna was lovely to read and while initially they didn’t have much choice but to be nice to each other, I liked how much they came to care for each other. Ronan as a love interest felt like a typical one initially but as the story goes, I started liking him more, and it was nice to see a guy who was a warrior not underestimate a girl who can hardly fight but is driven to learn at any cost. Their dynamic was fun and sexy and what I liked was that they had a lot of understanding between each other and any turbulence in the relationship was due to external factors. There are also his friends Gideon, Em and Noah who are all lovely people and together they all make for a very endearing found family.
In the end, I don’t know if I can use the word “fun” for this book because it is pretty dark and violent but with a lovely romance and friendships but it thoroughly entertained me throughout. If you are looking for a fantasy with heavy fairytale vibes but slightly on the darker side, I think you’ll really enjoy it. While this is supposed to be a duology, I think it also works well as a standalone with a satisfying conclusion and I’m so glad I discovered the author’s Twitter and got to read this.
August 22, 2022
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD 😭
I definitely agree with the blurb…if you like SJM, JLA, Raven Kennedy, you’ll def enjoy this book. It was SUCH a great take on Sleeping Beauty. It contained many of the familiar elements from the story, but weaved them into a completely new and fresh fantasy.
Things I loved:
- the slow burn romance 😍
- the found family
- how the story went in so many unpredictable directions that all made complete sense
- the fact that the story wraps up well in this book BUT there is clearly room for more stories to come
- the author’s writing style. It felt so unique but not in a “I’m trying to be unique” sort of way. I absolutely loved it.
Basically what I’m saying is that you really really need to read this book as soon as its released. Because y’all are going to be just as obsessed as I am.
Note: this is definitely NA/Adult fantasy that ventures into dark fantasy at times. Check TW before beginning or send me a message if you have questions about the content!
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I definitely agree with the blurb…if you like SJM, JLA, Raven Kennedy, you’ll def enjoy this book. It was SUCH a great take on Sleeping Beauty. It contained many of the familiar elements from the story, but weaved them into a completely new and fresh fantasy.
Things I loved:
- the slow burn romance 😍
- the found family
- how the story went in so many unpredictable directions that all made complete sense
- the fact that the story wraps up well in this book BUT there is clearly room for more stories to come
- the author’s writing style. It felt so unique but not in a “I’m trying to be unique” sort of way. I absolutely loved it.
Basically what I’m saying is that you really really need to read this book as soon as its released. Because y’all are going to be just as obsessed as I am.
Note: this is definitely NA/Adult fantasy that ventures into dark fantasy at times. Check TW before beginning or send me a message if you have questions about the content!
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 26, 2022
I received an arc of this book and just wow. This is the first book I’ve read from Nisha, it has truly captivated me the world that Thorne lived in. She truly had me immersed in this book. It really is a mix of A Court of Thorns and Roses with a mix of Sleeping Beauty. An amazing twisted retelling I genuinely loved that was vastly different from the fairytale.
Throne is a sheltered princess but she’s definitely not a damsel in distress. From the beginning she’s phenomenal and wasn’t at all what I was expecting but I loved it. I absolutely love the banter between Throne and Ronan, the tension and angst. It’s a beautifully written slow burn enemies the lovers that is well worth the wait. The smut was incredible, I felt myself dazed in thought. I was constantly guessing and producing theories about what would happen. When I thought I was on the right track BOOM there were plot twists that shocked me. While reading this I went through so many emotions my chest hurt, I was sobbing, screaming, laughing and cheering. There are scenes that will forever remain in my head. I cannot wait for more of this series and recommend reading this book.
Throne is a sheltered princess but she’s definitely not a damsel in distress. From the beginning she’s phenomenal and wasn’t at all what I was expecting but I loved it. I absolutely love the banter between Throne and Ronan, the tension and angst. It’s a beautifully written slow burn enemies the lovers that is well worth the wait. The smut was incredible, I felt myself dazed in thought. I was constantly guessing and producing theories about what would happen. When I thought I was on the right track BOOM there were plot twists that shocked me. While reading this I went through so many emotions my chest hurt, I was sobbing, screaming, laughing and cheering. There are scenes that will forever remain in my head. I cannot wait for more of this series and recommend reading this book.
January 26, 2023
I hate this book with every fiber of my being. That is all.
August 18, 2022
I received this Arc in exchange for an honest review. This review will not include major spoilers. Any direct references to specific scenes refrence only what is included in the goodreads synopsis.
Buckle up this review is lengthy. I was given a copy of the book for free, and I endeavor to give my honest thoughtfully given (not on a whim) feedback about the novel. I try very hard to be fair and not mean only critical of the book given to me I am appreciative of the author and BookFunnel for the opportunity to express my opinions on the book.
To Wake a Kingdom by Nisha J. Tuli is an adaptation/ retelling of the French fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Tuli’s novel is the first book in a duology, but it does not end on a cliffhanger.
Thorne wakes after 100 years asleep not to true loves kiss as the Disney adaption might suggest, but to a sword to the throat. She fights off her attacker only to discover that the magic has gone wrong and her family is asleep. (Taken from Goodreads Synopsis)
I want to say upfront that I give the retelling 2 stars out a possible 5. Tuli’s adaptation has what I call good bones. A young princess must find the solution to a 100 year old curse, fend off her enemies and tackle her conflicting feelings of love. Unfortunately in the execution of the novel Tuli stumbles, and the book suffers fundamentally.
The cover art is stunning. My compliments to the artist and everyone involved in its creation.
Ok review time:
My first issue that I felt the pacing for a novel this length was unbalanced and the ripples of that are felt in other area of the novel, and I will touch on that later in my review. The early part of the novel, where time was a pressing concern to the characters, the novel was paced slowly and the chapters felt drawn out and did not reflect the sense of urgency that the characters expressed through dialogue and inner monologue. The latter part of the novel was so quickly paced that it felt rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story. It made the conclusion less satisfying as an observer of the characters because it felt like the payoff happened and was over.
My next critique is born from the imbalanced pacing: Character dynamics and relationships. For me, the character relationships felt shallow and not at all fleshed out. This has a lot to do with how quickly the characters had to connect with one another, form found family and fall in love. It happened so quickly that the sweeping romantic moments and the loving familial moments were flat and not at all impactful. This makes it difficult to empathize with Thorne’s internal and external struggles, it makes the side characters difficult to find endearing or love. It makes the villain hard to hate as we (the reader) are supposed to.
This sense of being rushed makes the characters individually outside their group dynamics feel flat and the hero’s and villains motivations felt “wishy washy” and inconsistent. Some choices made on each side both good and evil were not congruent with the established desires motivations and dreams on either side good vs evil.
The Spicy scenes: not to make a pun but the spice felt stiff and unnatural because the characters are not fully fleshed out and developed. The flat dynamics lead to flat spicy scenes and it’s difficult to delight in them.
Another side effect of the deeply rooted pacing problems is the violence. Stories in the dark fantasy genre hood the expectation of violence, often graphic depictions- lots of trauma and often assault in some of its various forms. Because the pacing is poorly executed the violence feels extreme and without cause. It is also present in a way that isn’t fleshed out in some scenes and in others it is illogical based on the previously expressed motivations of the more villainous characters. It just doesn’t hit in the way it is meant to.
⚠️ Content warning for assault. ⚠️
There is also a debate about the efficacy of attempted SA scenes and if they are necessary in the fantasy genre to make a point and this novel begins with one as described in the goodreads synopsis. It doesn’t have the intended impact and so what function does it really serve? I think it could have been omitted.
⚠️ Content warning over ⚠️
My last two points were the least problematic and more of a preference than anything else.
Point 1.
The author uses an over abundance of adjectives metaphors and similes, and their usage is not delicate nor is it scattered throughout the novel. There are much too many and rather than building a stunning image of a no doubt rich and vibrant world it makes the sentences and flow of the novel feel overladen and I think the story suffers as a result.
Point 2.
There were moments of deep contradiction that I noticed throughout the novel. A certain plot point or lore is explicated and then a few pages later directly contradicted without any indication of purposeful intent. As a reader there are no clues that are contextually left for me to infer that one character was trying to mislead another or a character was downplaying a situation. It did not feel like these were intentional they felt like mistakes. Word choice is so important that I look closely at the decisions made and the intent of author when making those choices.
All in all it was difficult to connect and feel immersed in the story or invested in the characters at all.
Caveat time: Tuli states in the synopsis of the book that this is the first in a duology, and it is possible- even plausible that when read together many of my criticisms will feel less stark. It is plausible that the books do need to be read together and I will read the sequel and make a judgment for myself.
Buckle up this review is lengthy. I was given a copy of the book for free, and I endeavor to give my honest thoughtfully given (not on a whim) feedback about the novel. I try very hard to be fair and not mean only critical of the book given to me I am appreciative of the author and BookFunnel for the opportunity to express my opinions on the book.
To Wake a Kingdom by Nisha J. Tuli is an adaptation/ retelling of the French fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. Tuli’s novel is the first book in a duology, but it does not end on a cliffhanger.
Thorne wakes after 100 years asleep not to true loves kiss as the Disney adaption might suggest, but to a sword to the throat. She fights off her attacker only to discover that the magic has gone wrong and her family is asleep. (Taken from Goodreads Synopsis)
I want to say upfront that I give the retelling 2 stars out a possible 5. Tuli’s adaptation has what I call good bones. A young princess must find the solution to a 100 year old curse, fend off her enemies and tackle her conflicting feelings of love. Unfortunately in the execution of the novel Tuli stumbles, and the book suffers fundamentally.
The cover art is stunning. My compliments to the artist and everyone involved in its creation.
Ok review time:
My first issue that I felt the pacing for a novel this length was unbalanced and the ripples of that are felt in other area of the novel, and I will touch on that later in my review. The early part of the novel, where time was a pressing concern to the characters, the novel was paced slowly and the chapters felt drawn out and did not reflect the sense of urgency that the characters expressed through dialogue and inner monologue. The latter part of the novel was so quickly paced that it felt rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story. It made the conclusion less satisfying as an observer of the characters because it felt like the payoff happened and was over.
My next critique is born from the imbalanced pacing: Character dynamics and relationships. For me, the character relationships felt shallow and not at all fleshed out. This has a lot to do with how quickly the characters had to connect with one another, form found family and fall in love. It happened so quickly that the sweeping romantic moments and the loving familial moments were flat and not at all impactful. This makes it difficult to empathize with Thorne’s internal and external struggles, it makes the side characters difficult to find endearing or love. It makes the villain hard to hate as we (the reader) are supposed to.
This sense of being rushed makes the characters individually outside their group dynamics feel flat and the hero’s and villains motivations felt “wishy washy” and inconsistent. Some choices made on each side both good and evil were not congruent with the established desires motivations and dreams on either side good vs evil.
The Spicy scenes: not to make a pun but the spice felt stiff and unnatural because the characters are not fully fleshed out and developed. The flat dynamics lead to flat spicy scenes and it’s difficult to delight in them.
Another side effect of the deeply rooted pacing problems is the violence. Stories in the dark fantasy genre hood the expectation of violence, often graphic depictions- lots of trauma and often assault in some of its various forms. Because the pacing is poorly executed the violence feels extreme and without cause. It is also present in a way that isn’t fleshed out in some scenes and in others it is illogical based on the previously expressed motivations of the more villainous characters. It just doesn’t hit in the way it is meant to.
⚠️ Content warning for assault. ⚠️
There is also a debate about the efficacy of attempted SA scenes and if they are necessary in the fantasy genre to make a point and this novel begins with one as described in the goodreads synopsis. It doesn’t have the intended impact and so what function does it really serve? I think it could have been omitted.
⚠️ Content warning over ⚠️
My last two points were the least problematic and more of a preference than anything else.
Point 1.
The author uses an over abundance of adjectives metaphors and similes, and their usage is not delicate nor is it scattered throughout the novel. There are much too many and rather than building a stunning image of a no doubt rich and vibrant world it makes the sentences and flow of the novel feel overladen and I think the story suffers as a result.
Point 2.
There were moments of deep contradiction that I noticed throughout the novel. A certain plot point or lore is explicated and then a few pages later directly contradicted without any indication of purposeful intent. As a reader there are no clues that are contextually left for me to infer that one character was trying to mislead another or a character was downplaying a situation. It did not feel like these were intentional they felt like mistakes. Word choice is so important that I look closely at the decisions made and the intent of author when making those choices.
All in all it was difficult to connect and feel immersed in the story or invested in the characters at all.
Caveat time: Tuli states in the synopsis of the book that this is the first in a duology, and it is possible- even plausible that when read together many of my criticisms will feel less stark. It is plausible that the books do need to be read together and I will read the sequel and make a judgment for myself.
February 1, 2023
Super slow. I felt like nothing happened until the last 50 pages and it felt super rushed. If the last 50 pages happened over the course of the last 200 pages I would have felt different because I enjoyed part of the ending but getting there took FOREVER. I skimmed the last half of the book because it was putting me into a slump and taking me too long to read a book only 400 pages.
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 31, 2023glaring and stomping away as a personality trait does not make a strong or “badass” heroine but whatever ig!
January 28, 2023
The book had SO 👏🏼 MUCH 👏🏼 POTENTIAL 👏🏼 But then…… nothing happened. Or actually, too much happened. And everything happened so quick or off the pages and that left me super frustrated. My favourite character was Maida and he wasn’t even a main character! I hated Kianna (the token lesbian fairy) with all my being. The romance was…. Questionable. One moment they were bantering and the next they swore to protect each other with their lives? I don’t even know how to sun up my review. Just like the book.
July 16, 2022
4⭐️
I really liked this Sleeping Beauty retelling! It was different from the others that I have read, and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat several times.
so first, the characters:
I kind of liked Thorne and the transformation that she went through, from this pampered spoiled princess to a warrior queen and finding true love along the way. (that's always my favorite part about retellings: finding true love.) I am happy that she learned to fight and defend herself, and that she and Ronan got to have those training scenes (you know the ones, where they are fighting and one knocks the other to the ground and they (almost) kiss, or he steps up behind her and shows her how to use the weapon, the tension is *chef's kiss*).
Even tho I did like her character, and the general group of other MCs too, I wish there had been just a little bit more character development? I feel like I didn't really learn much of anything about any of them, except just basic surface level things. This may also just be from the fact that it's all told from Thorne's pov, but I still had been hoping to see and learn more about them. even with that, though, I did like seeing all of them together on the page.
now the story:
well, it was going really well and I was like yay HEA let's go, seems kinda short but okay AND THEN. I looked at where I was at and I was only FIFTY PERCENT in. I had only read half the book?! it all went downhill from there.
the plot twists hit and then they didn't stop coming. and... I'm going to stop there because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything but you should definitely go check it out when it releases to find out for yourself.
there's enemies to lovers, some politics, a bit of spice, a cool villain, magic, and fae. I thought it was written well, and I was hooked from the first chapter. I thought the pacing was pretty good, but the last 15 (ish) percent seemed a little too fast. and it does have an HEA (so no cliff hangers, yay!)
To Wake a Kingdom releases September 20th, thank you again to the author for sending me an arc!
I really liked this Sleeping Beauty retelling! It was different from the others that I have read, and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat several times.
so first, the characters:
I kind of liked Thorne and the transformation that she went through, from this pampered spoiled princess to a warrior queen and finding true love along the way. (that's always my favorite part about retellings: finding true love.) I am happy that she learned to fight and defend herself, and that she and Ronan got to have those training scenes (you know the ones, where they are fighting and one knocks the other to the ground and they (almost) kiss, or he steps up behind her and shows her how to use the weapon, the tension is *chef's kiss*).
Even tho I did like her character, and the general group of other MCs too, I wish there had been just a little bit more character development? I feel like I didn't really learn much of anything about any of them, except just basic surface level things. This may also just be from the fact that it's all told from Thorne's pov, but I still had been hoping to see and learn more about them. even with that, though, I did like seeing all of them together on the page.
now the story:
well, it was going really well and I was like yay HEA let's go, seems kinda short but okay AND THEN. I looked at where I was at and I was only FIFTY PERCENT in. I had only read half the book?! it all went downhill from there.
the plot twists hit and then they didn't stop coming. and... I'm going to stop there because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything but you should definitely go check it out when it releases to find out for yourself.
there's enemies to lovers, some politics, a bit of spice, a cool villain, magic, and fae. I thought it was written well, and I was hooked from the first chapter. I thought the pacing was pretty good, but the last 15 (ish) percent seemed a little too fast. and it does have an HEA (so no cliff hangers, yay!)
To Wake a Kingdom releases September 20th, thank you again to the author for sending me an arc!
August 28, 2022
To Wake A Kingdom is a sleeping beauty retelling that was wonderfully done. When Thorne wakes up after 100 years to being attacked and then discovers all but one of the fairies meant to protect her slaughtered and everyone else in the castle asleep she knows something went wrong. Then when the evil fairie who cast a curse for her to be her slave shows up but can't take her, she makes a bargain. Give her 30 days to break the curse and she'll go willingly. Soon 4 strangers show up at her castle and end up staying far longer than anticipated developing friendships she never knew she needed. In this you get found family, enemies to lovers, fae, and so much more. I couldn't put this down especially in the last half of the book!
July 8, 2022
This was a cute Sleeping Beauty retelling. I know many will enjoy this. The 1st chapter hooked me right away. Thorne wakes up 100 years after a curse placed on her by an evil faerie. As she tries to break the curse that still has her family and castle in a slumber, a handsome prince happens to show up. This can be read as a stand-alone, but I think there will be more stories in this world. Thank you to Nisha for sending me an arc.
January 9, 2023
was quite good but idk if I'm dumb or if there were plot holes
Read
August 25, 2022“Don’t thank me, Thorne. Those are yours. You took them. You didn’t need me or anyone to give them to you. You’ve had them all along."
This book was a wild ride from the first page! Sleeping beauty retelling with spice and action and an FMC realizing just how strong she is while her swoony love interest helps her along the way? I couldn't get enough. Just when you think all is well, Nisha pulls the rug under your feet and hooks you again. I love a good slow burn romance that doesn't feel grueling. The romance in this story particularly is so well done, the spice is 🌶🌶, and their banter ranges from hilarious to heartfelt.
This book has everything I love in a fantasy romance novel. I am so excited to see what Nisha brings us next!
This book was a wild ride from the first page! Sleeping beauty retelling with spice and action and an FMC realizing just how strong she is while her swoony love interest helps her along the way? I couldn't get enough. Just when you think all is well, Nisha pulls the rug under your feet and hooks you again. I love a good slow burn romance that doesn't feel grueling. The romance in this story particularly is so well done, the spice is 🌶🌶, and their banter ranges from hilarious to heartfelt.
This book has everything I love in a fantasy romance novel. I am so excited to see what Nisha brings us next!
January 26, 2023
I have many thoughts and many questions and I don’t know if they’ll all fit in this review 😂
August 15, 2022
I received an ARC of this book and enjoyed every minute of reading. A delightful Sleeping Beauty retelling with an interesting set of good, bad, and in-between characters keeping things unexpected and captivating for the whole read. While our princess encounters her cursed fate, love blossoms and new friendships are forged. I loved Nisha’s description of scenery, foods, and characters and felt like I could see and taste everything while reading. Immediately purchased my published copy after finishing and am looking forward to the sequel!
September 11, 2022
Gotta love a princess that unalives a man the second she wakes up from a 100 year long nap! The main character is woken up by a less than savory man with mal intent- so she does what she needs to do to survive. (TW for attempted SA)
But the man that she turned into a chalk outline is just the beginning of her problems. Her entire castle was put to sleep when her curse took affect but nobody is awake! Except for the very last fairy to bless her- she attempted to undo the “maleficent” character’s curse but it didn’t go quite to plan.
Our main character and her fairy companion have to navigate surfing on their own, new arrivals to the castle, and waking the rest of their friends and family up before it’s too late.
This book does get spicy!
I thought the world was done pretty well, i enjoyed the plot twists and the unique take on the original fairytale. However the ending needed some work. It felt drawn out and didn’t flow with the rest of the book. But, no real cliffhanger so you can enjoy this on its own.
But the man that she turned into a chalk outline is just the beginning of her problems. Her entire castle was put to sleep when her curse took affect but nobody is awake! Except for the very last fairy to bless her- she attempted to undo the “maleficent” character’s curse but it didn’t go quite to plan.
Our main character and her fairy companion have to navigate surfing on their own, new arrivals to the castle, and waking the rest of their friends and family up before it’s too late.
This book does get spicy!
I thought the world was done pretty well, i enjoyed the plot twists and the unique take on the original fairytale. However the ending needed some work. It felt drawn out and didn’t flow with the rest of the book. But, no real cliffhanger so you can enjoy this on its own.
May 26, 2022
I am grateful to Nisha for blessing me with an ARC copy of her book. It is the first time I to read her book.
I was burnt out from fantasy and I never thought I would say that because I love fantasy so much, but this book really cured my burn out and I had a wonderful time with this book. It is no secret, that I am a lover of retellings! ESPECIALLY MY LOVE FOR SLEEPING BEAUTY and this has a TWIST to it! Because this beauty woke up with a 🗡️ against her throat dun dun dun... The plot thickens!
I am sure this princess be shookt when she woke up from her deep slumber of the century! I love the pacing of the story because I couldn't stop reading like I had to wake myself up so that I could finish the chapter. Yes, this is an enemies-to-lovers story. We all love a good enemies-to-lovers story because the guy Ronan is smug, sexy, sassy, and oof he's HOT AF! I would climb him like a tree!
Now our Princess is no damsel in distress. She is headstrong and fierce. She will fight to the death and of course well she is stubborn and AF but will learn to trust people along the way. I won't lie while reading. So again, she is not your typical princess. Here is what else you will get from this book:
- There is fae and political intrigue between other kingdoms too
- OMG the plot twists killt me
- The banter is so cute ahhh my heart
- Diverse cast <3
- Lots of action!
- Lots of hot Warriors
- A great villain
- Inner circle is <3
- HOLY smokes THE MOST IMPORTANT THE SPICE JFC ( I can't breathe)
- There is no cliffy - but it's coming out on Sept 20 PREORDER NOW!
Spice is 2.5/5
Ronan is just Chef's kiss
Honestly, this would be one of my top 3 books of the month!!!
I was burnt out from fantasy and I never thought I would say that because I love fantasy so much, but this book really cured my burn out and I had a wonderful time with this book. It is no secret, that I am a lover of retellings! ESPECIALLY MY LOVE FOR SLEEPING BEAUTY and this has a TWIST to it! Because this beauty woke up with a 🗡️ against her throat dun dun dun... The plot thickens!
I am sure this princess be shookt when she woke up from her deep slumber of the century! I love the pacing of the story because I couldn't stop reading like I had to wake myself up so that I could finish the chapter. Yes, this is an enemies-to-lovers story. We all love a good enemies-to-lovers story because the guy Ronan is smug, sexy, sassy, and oof he's HOT AF! I would climb him like a tree!
Now our Princess is no damsel in distress. She is headstrong and fierce. She will fight to the death and of course well she is stubborn and AF but will learn to trust people along the way. I won't lie while reading. So again, she is not your typical princess. Here is what else you will get from this book:
- There is fae and political intrigue between other kingdoms too
- OMG the plot twists killt me
- The banter is so cute ahhh my heart
- Diverse cast <3
- Lots of action!
- Lots of hot Warriors
- A great villain
- Inner circle is <3
- HOLY smokes THE MOST IMPORTANT THE SPICE JFC ( I can't breathe)
- There is no cliffy - but it's coming out on Sept 20 PREORDER NOW!
Spice is 2.5/5
Ronan is just Chef's kiss
Honestly, this would be one of my top 3 books of the month!!!
August 24, 2022
I had high expectations for this book because I had previously read and enjoyed the author's other work, so my expectations for this skyrocketed.
The premise is intriguing, and I agree with my other friend that it was quite different from how the actual story unfolded, but I think it was okay for me.
The first half was enjoyable, and I believe the build-up was present. However, the second half was a letdown for me because it deviated from what I thought was the main plot and took a long time to get back to where it should be, and instead of devoting time to the actual plot in the second half, especially on that last 30% and that part towards the ending, it ended up too abrupt and anti-climatic for my liking.
To summarize, the build-up that occurred in the first half of the book was largely wasted.
What saved this book for me were the characters, who I found to be well-written, though there were a few things I didn't care for, particularly Kianna, who I found particularly irritating.
The romance was also pretty good, but Thorne and Ronan's chemistry wasn't enough to keep me rooting for them until the end.
As for Maida, I believe he will be a significant character in the next installment (just my observation), so hopefully, we will see more of him there.
Overall, I thought this was a big miss. I'm hoping it was much better, especially the second half. Hopefully, the following installment will be better. 2.5⭐
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒆-𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓��𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
The premise is intriguing, and I agree with my other friend that it was quite different from how the actual story unfolded, but I think it was okay for me.
The first half was enjoyable, and I believe the build-up was present. However, the second half was a letdown for me because it deviated from what I thought was the main plot and took a long time to get back to where it should be, and instead of devoting time to the actual plot in the second half, especially on that last 30% and that part towards the ending, it ended up too abrupt and anti-climatic for my liking.
To summarize, the build-up that occurred in the first half of the book was largely wasted.
What saved this book for me were the characters, who I found to be well-written, though there were a few things I didn't care for, particularly Kianna, who I found particularly irritating.
The romance was also pretty good, but Thorne and Ronan's chemistry wasn't enough to keep me rooting for them until the end.
As for Maida, I believe he will be a significant character in the next installment (just my observation), so hopefully, we will see more of him there.
Overall, I thought this was a big miss. I'm hoping it was much better, especially the second half. Hopefully, the following installment will be better. 2.5⭐
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒆-𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓��𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
July 13, 2022
This retelling of Sleeping Beauty is amazing! A high fantasy that is well-written with interesting characters and a great plot. It truly is a quest to wake a kingdom. A curse that needs to be broken.
The characters grows in a good way, relationships evolves and things happen that I did not see coming. It all make sense.
The last 50 pages or so feels a bit rushed though. I wanted to stay in those moments but the things that happened passed too quickly and fell flat. I wanted more details. Still a great read and book 2 might make up for the last pages of book 1.
The characters grows in a good way, relationships evolves and things happen that I did not see coming. It all make sense.
The last 50 pages or so feels a bit rushed though. I wanted to stay in those moments but the things that happened passed too quickly and fell flat. I wanted more details. Still a great read and book 2 might make up for the last pages of book 1.
January 26, 2023
I enjoyed the overall theme of this book— the Sleeping Beauty retelling had me intrigued and as a whole, the story was quite unique. With fantasy, a lot of books can seem similar so I did appreciate that this was different than what I typically read/expect out of a fantasy.
While this story had a lot of potential, I feel like there’s aspects of it that didn’t quite hit the mark. I enjoyed Thorne’s character, and liked the fact that she became more of a badass as the book progressed. I also really enjoyed Ronan’s character. I liked their banter and the slow-burn of it all. However, I felt that their feelings for one another were abrupt. Yes, they trained almost every day, but I feel like we didn’t get enough of an actual progression of their relationship.
The found family trope was done nicely, I just wish there was more dialogue with Noah and Em. I was intrigued by their characters and felt like we didn’t get enough of them.
After about 60% into the book, I felt like the plot literally exploded and was rushed in several ways. SO MUCH happened within just a few chapters and I felt like I had whiplash.. the reveals were interesting but since they weren’t explained in detail, it felt like some of them were added for shock value.
The most interesting part of the book was the last 20%, which I actually enjoyed and appreciated that the motive behind Mare’s actions was revealed and actually made sense. She was a pretty decent villain, I just wish the story didn’t progress as quickly as it did. If this book were to end on a cliffhanger of Thorne being taken, and then a book 2 that touched on her time being held captive by Mare, it would have been a better experience! I wanted more from so many characters, especially Maida. I also have a love-hate relationship with Kianna and I don’t even really know what to say about her other than I wanted to strangle her but also hug her at the same time 😂
I think this is a good book for people who are just beginning to delve into fantasy.
While this story had a lot of potential, I feel like there’s aspects of it that didn’t quite hit the mark. I enjoyed Thorne’s character, and liked the fact that she became more of a badass as the book progressed. I also really enjoyed Ronan’s character. I liked their banter and the slow-burn of it all. However, I felt that their feelings for one another were abrupt. Yes, they trained almost every day, but I feel like we didn’t get enough of an actual progression of their relationship.
The found family trope was done nicely, I just wish there was more dialogue with Noah and Em. I was intrigued by their characters and felt like we didn’t get enough of them.
After about 60% into the book, I felt like the plot literally exploded and was rushed in several ways. SO MUCH happened within just a few chapters and I felt like I had whiplash.. the reveals were interesting but since they weren’t explained in detail, it felt like some of them were added for shock value.
The most interesting part of the book was the last 20%, which I actually enjoyed and appreciated that the motive behind Mare’s actions was revealed and actually made sense. She was a pretty decent villain, I just wish the story didn’t progress as quickly as it did. If this book were to end on a cliffhanger of Thorne being taken, and then a book 2 that touched on her time being held captive by Mare, it would have been a better experience! I wanted more from so many characters, especially Maida. I also have a love-hate relationship with Kianna and I don’t even really know what to say about her other than I wanted to strangle her but also hug her at the same time 😂
I think this is a good book for people who are just beginning to delve into fantasy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2022
This book was absolutely amazing. It had so many twists and turns and I was unable to put it down. Literally, I started and finished this book in a day. This is a sleeping beauty retelling with a bit of a twist. We have fae, an amazing fmc, one horse trope, and spice!! The book starts off intense right away, and I 100% loved that and appreciated that. While I was reading this book and there was an OMG moment, I would just think "oh dear lord, there is still so much left in the book". So if you like moments like that, this is a fantasy romance you need to read.
Now when it comes to our main characters, I absolutely loved Thorne. She is our FMC/sleeping beauty. She is cursed by Mare, a fairy, to belong to her on her 21st birthday. The day before her 21st, she is put on an endless sleep so Mare cannot take her. But 100 years later... Thorne somehow wakes up. Thorne is made out to be this damsel in distress, and she is supposed to be this prim and proper princess; but she is quite the opposite. She is very brave and resilient. She isn't what you would say graceful, and definitely wants to live her life on her terms. I really enjoyed reading her journey in this book, and seeing her growth and strength throughout multiple moments in this book. Ronan is our MMC in this story, and I also very much enjoyed him too. He is broken in his own way, and does also grow in this story. He has a great group of friends that add a lot of funny and heartwarming moments throughout the book. When it comes to Thorne and Ronan's relationship.. swooooon. There isn't an instalove there, which i liked, and their relationship progresses at a good pace. The obstacles they have to conquer really add value to their relationship and you seem them come together more and more throughout them. Ronan is definitely a fave now when it comes to book boyfriends.
This is the first book in the series, but it does not end on a cliffhanger. So i am very interested to see what the author is going to do for book two. I also will be very much looking forward to it!!
Now when it comes to our main characters, I absolutely loved Thorne. She is our FMC/sleeping beauty. She is cursed by Mare, a fairy, to belong to her on her 21st birthday. The day before her 21st, she is put on an endless sleep so Mare cannot take her. But 100 years later... Thorne somehow wakes up. Thorne is made out to be this damsel in distress, and she is supposed to be this prim and proper princess; but she is quite the opposite. She is very brave and resilient. She isn't what you would say graceful, and definitely wants to live her life on her terms. I really enjoyed reading her journey in this book, and seeing her growth and strength throughout multiple moments in this book. Ronan is our MMC in this story, and I also very much enjoyed him too. He is broken in his own way, and does also grow in this story. He has a great group of friends that add a lot of funny and heartwarming moments throughout the book. When it comes to Thorne and Ronan's relationship.. swooooon. There isn't an instalove there, which i liked, and their relationship progresses at a good pace. The obstacles they have to conquer really add value to their relationship and you seem them come together more and more throughout them. Ronan is definitely a fave now when it comes to book boyfriends.
This is the first book in the series, but it does not end on a cliffhanger. So i am very interested to see what the author is going to do for book two. I also will be very much looking forward to it!!
October 7, 2022
This was reasonably enjoyable. I'm sure others will like it more and others will like it less. Traditional fantasy romance isn't my usual type of book so I can't say if this is better or worse than others out there.
The pacing started a bit slow for my tastes - we didn't meet the MMC until chapter 10/11 - but it did pick up after 50%. This was very easy to read. The writing was simple and the plot felt slightly juvenile. This definitely felt like a YA book - even though there were on page sex scenes.
I can't say that I really liked Thorne or Ronan. Even though we were told what their characteristics are, I don't feel like I know either well. Tuli did make me believe in their love, but not the extent that I can say I know their love would have withstood all they were up against.
Lastly, there was a lot going on in this book. It was one obstacle after another - too many for my preference. I do appreciate the relationship problems were external rather than internal. I haven't decided yet if I'm interested enough to read the second book when it comes out in 2023.
The pacing started a bit slow for my tastes - we didn't meet the MMC until chapter 10/11 - but it did pick up after 50%. This was very easy to read. The writing was simple and the plot felt slightly juvenile. This definitely felt like a YA book - even though there were on page sex scenes.
I can't say that I really liked Thorne or Ronan. Even though we were told what their characteristics are, I don't feel like I know either well. Tuli did make me believe in their love, but not the extent that I can say I know their love would have withstood all they were up against.
Lastly, there was a lot going on in this book. It was one obstacle after another - too many for my preference. I do appreciate the relationship problems were external rather than internal. I haven't decided yet if I'm interested enough to read the second book when it comes out in 2023.
August 26, 2022
To Wake a Kingdom was the first book I’ve read from this author and it was a quick, enjoyable read. It’s a Sleeping Beauty reimagining with Fae - the villain here is an evil Fae named Mare and you will love to hate her.
There is action right off the bat, when Princess Thorne is woken abruptly and brutally. The story remains pretty evenly paced - I never found myself getting bored. This book also features many of my favorite tropes… Slow burn enemies(ish) to lovers (with some spice), found family, one horse, etc. There is also a HEA (for now, at least) and Thorne deserves that reprieve. She endures so much throughout the story and I loved that her and Ronan finally get a little bit of happiness. There were some side characters that I hope we learn more about in the second book and it seems like the stage was set for more of the Fae side of things too.
Overall this is a really enjoyable read. Anyone who loves fairytale retellings will like this book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There is action right off the bat, when Princess Thorne is woken abruptly and brutally. The story remains pretty evenly paced - I never found myself getting bored. This book also features many of my favorite tropes… Slow burn enemies(ish) to lovers (with some spice), found family, one horse, etc. There is also a HEA (for now, at least) and Thorne deserves that reprieve. She endures so much throughout the story and I loved that her and Ronan finally get a little bit of happiness. There were some side characters that I hope we learn more about in the second book and it seems like the stage was set for more of the Fae side of things too.
Overall this is a really enjoyable read. Anyone who loves fairytale retellings will like this book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2022
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
I love retellings of fairytales so I was very excited for this one, even though Sleeping Beauty isn’t my favorite!
The book starts off really strong with an exciting and emotional first chapter, and it really just grows from there!
I really enjoy when the main female character can be a princess but also a total baddie. The smut and tension was delicious and wrote so well.
Highly recommend this book!
I love retellings of fairytales so I was very excited for this one, even though Sleeping Beauty isn’t my favorite!
The book starts off really strong with an exciting and emotional first chapter, and it really just grows from there!
I really enjoy when the main female character can be a princess but also a total baddie. The smut and tension was delicious and wrote so well.
Highly recommend this book!
July 6, 2022
Wow. Just wow! 🤯
Right from page one, I was sucked into this fantasy world of curses, fae and a kick ass MC. The twists, turns, character friendships and smut kept me hooked until the very last page.
To Wake A Kingdom is a unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty that you won't be able to put down!!
And can we talk about that stunning cover!? 😍
Right from page one, I was sucked into this fantasy world of curses, fae and a kick ass MC. The twists, turns, character friendships and smut kept me hooked until the very last page.
To Wake A Kingdom is a unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty that you won't be able to put down!!
And can we talk about that stunning cover!? 😍
July 18, 2022
⭐️: 4/5
RELEASES 9/20/2022
“After all, happy endings were only for the hallowed, and fairy tales weren’t real.”
TWAK is enemies to lovers meets Sleeping Beauty told in amazing slow burn glory. If you like tension and angst, this is the book for you. Don’t let the slow burn fool you, this book is still action-packed. Thorne was a strong FMC that didn’t fit the typical “damsel in distress” mold and Ronan was swoon worthy in all his dark glory. This is part one of a duology with no cliffhanger, so it can be read as a standalone.
RELEASES 9/20/2022
“After all, happy endings were only for the hallowed, and fairy tales weren’t real.”
TWAK is enemies to lovers meets Sleeping Beauty told in amazing slow burn glory. If you like tension and angst, this is the book for you. Don’t let the slow burn fool you, this book is still action-packed. Thorne was a strong FMC that didn’t fit the typical “damsel in distress” mold and Ronan was swoon worthy in all his dark glory. This is part one of a duology with no cliffhanger, so it can be read as a standalone.
December 20, 2022
I'm really wavering on the rating for this book. On the one hand, I loved the story--it is pretty unique for a romantasy and mostly action-packed. I've seen it marketed as a Sleeping Beauty retelling/reimagining, and it is, but it kind of reminded me of Sleeping Beauty meets ACOTAR (book 1) meets Hunger Games plus another story that I can't remember.
The last 20% of the book was super dark--it reminded me of the ending of the 1st ACOTAR book, and Mare gives real Amarantha vibes. The ending part of the book was dark. Mare has a collection of princesses who were captives/locked in cages that she would make fight against each other to the death for Fae entertainment. There were also a number of character deaths that took me by surprise and kept me engaged in the book.
On the other hand, I don't think the character development and romantic relationship was done particularly well. Both of the main characters felt extremely two-dimensional. Ronan and Thorne's relationship felt forced, surface-level, and full of your stereotypical romantasy tropes. I didn't feel like they actually had chemistry or were real characters. I don't know how to fully articulate it, but the characters were just boring, not fleshed out, and pretty insta-lust. Additionally, the pacing of this book was all over the place. Things would go from 0 to 100 and back to 0 VERY quickly (like all in 1 paragraph). They also mentioned how Fae have mates once in the book, and then they never brought it up again. Does that mean Thorne is Ronan's mate or...? Anyways, the world-building, character development, and pacing could have been much better.
That said, I did enjoy the story. I'm curious to read about Maida as he seemed like the more interesting potential love interest for Thorne. He kind of gave Rhysand vibes from the first ACOTAR book. I will probably read the next book to see what happens.
The last 20% of the book was super dark--it reminded me of the ending of the 1st ACOTAR book, and Mare gives real Amarantha vibes. The ending part of the book was dark. Mare has a collection of princesses who were captives/locked in cages that she would make fight against each other to the death for Fae entertainment. There were also a number of character deaths that took me by surprise and kept me engaged in the book.
On the other hand, I don't think the character development and romantic relationship was done particularly well. Both of the main characters felt extremely two-dimensional. Ronan and Thorne's relationship felt forced, surface-level, and full of your stereotypical romantasy tropes. I didn't feel like they actually had chemistry or were real characters. I don't know how to fully articulate it, but the characters were just boring, not fleshed out, and pretty insta-lust. Additionally, the pacing of this book was all over the place. Things would go from 0 to 100 and back to 0 VERY quickly (like all in 1 paragraph). They also mentioned how Fae have mates once in the book, and then they never brought it up again. Does that mean Thorne is Ronan's mate or...? Anyways, the world-building, character development, and pacing could have been much better.
That said, I did enjoy the story. I'm curious to read about Maida as he seemed like the more interesting potential love interest for Thorne. He kind of gave Rhysand vibes from the first ACOTAR book. I will probably read the next book to see what happens.
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