Spindled Slumber: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling (The Curs… (2024)

5 Stars!

I loved this so much!!

“Once upon a time, there was a land crafted from magic.”

This is now the fourth time I’ve read the series prologue describing the history and background of the cursed and blessed kingdoms of the fairytale realm of Terra, and it still gives me chills every time! I was especially excited to read Spindled Slumber because Sleeping Beauty is my second favorite princess after Snow White of course (I suppose I like the ones that sleep haha) and this installment was filled with more fairytale magic and mystery than ever before.

This book is broken into two parts, Before Slumber and After Slumber. Briar has a much different internal monologue than the previous princesses. She is very in tune with her emotions and brutally honest. It was refreshing to read from her POV because the way she processes things is very different from the previous 3 princesses. Also, loved how my fave Queen Scarlett, aka Snow White, had a cameo!

This is the best worldbuilding I’ve seen thus far. I say this frequently, but I firmly believe that world building is the single most important part of genres like fairytales or fantasy, because it is so different from our world and that is what makes those genres appealing. People read these genres as an escape from the real world, and the better the world is described and expanded upon, the easier it is to picture ourselves in a place so different from our own. Kayla takes us from the desert kingdom of Thorn, hot and golden with sand, to the icy kingdom of Haleston, a snowy kingdom of harsh and bitter cold. The way that Thorn is described is absolutely perfect. The palace is a visual masterpiece and so easy to picture. I also liked the idea of how the rose vines on Thorn were sentient and the people of the kingdom speak to them and craft relationships with them, because they have the power to bless a kingdom and even reveal old secrets. And Haleston! The mysterious icy kingdom with the Blackwoods and creepy mountain guarded by a village. I was even more fascinated by Haleston! I can’t wait to return to Haleston and this mysterious village guarding the mountain because it left off without the answers I wanted (possibly for Princess Allora’s story?)

Now onto the romance! Briar first meets Gideon on a trip to Haleston at age 14 and she is absolutely hilarious in the carriage ride over, deciding she is going to avoid Prince Gideon at all costs because part of his curse was to take the same appearance of the traitor king, so she deduced that he absolutely had to be ugly (lol) and probably had a snout (luckily for her, he doesn’t). To everyone’s surprise, rather than Crown Prince Oliver, it was the icy, melancholy Prince Gideon who captures her attention. Unfortunately, his true curse is that whoever he falls in love with will die. And this is mixed with Briar’s curse of pricking her finger on a spindle and dying before her 19th birthday. In the Before Slumber portion of the book, we see Briar and Gideon in their younger years and how their love story grows despite Gideon trying not to grow feelings, and he must try to break the curse to save Briar’s life.

This absolutely is the best installment so far. The world building is incredible, the romance believable, and the mystery creepier than ever. With much of this story taking place in Haleston (the residence of the traitor prince), there is a lot of creepiness, involving a Blackwood staff and a feared portrait of the traitor prince rumored to steal your very soul if you look into its eyes. It’s so different, in the best way. There was an element of magic and mystery to this that made this special. Kayla has grown so much as an author over the span of these books!

I read this book in my fairytale themed home library with a frothy peppermint mocha with oat milk and it was the absolute perfect way to spend a Saturday morning. I was thrilled to be able to visit the continent of Terra for the fourth time and will be eagerly awaiting the next book when I can return once again.

Such a cute retelling and spin on “Sleeping Beauty”. Gideon & Briar are like magnets because opposites attract. He’s brooding and mysterious, she’s bubbly and nosy. He’s cursed and so is she. Spindled Slumber is worth the read! Thank you Kayla for sharing your writing talent!!

A really special, magical take on The Sleeping Beauty fairy tale with a lot of emotions and twists.

Although Gideon is a little bit grumpy, he is definitely perfect book boyfriend material.
He's a little awkward but cute, he's bookish, he's caring, very patient, and he's handsome.

Briar is absolutely the sunshine to Gideon's grump. She's bubbly, confident, honest, and very curious. She always tries to be positive and happy.

They are opposites, but they are drawn to each other.
And I adored all their interactions!

There are also really great supporting characters, some familiar and some new. Each of them brings something valuable to the story.

The world building is outstanding, and the character growth is beautiful. I love the descriptive writing style and the way the author takes you on a journey of places, emotions, and magic. Kayla's stories always have important and beautiful lessons and messages. I have so many quotes I like from this book!!

I loved the dual POV and the before Slumber and after Slumber part.
I loved the first part, where they got to know each other and almost begrudgingly fell in love.
Then there are multiple twists and turns, and they need to overcome so many things.
But it shows the beauty and strength of love.
Love can endure so much, even huge obstacles, and a lot of time.

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I received an e-arc from the author, but this hasn't influenced my review. This review is only based on my personal opinion.

4.5 stars!

Let me say that "Sleeping Beauty" is my favorite fairy tale, so I was beyond excited for this book! Kayla did not disappoint! This was a fresh new take but still had elements of the original tale. With all the curses plaguing the land because of Ancient Draken, you really should read these in order to understand it all.

This story was sweet and definitely swoony. I just love how drawn to each other Briar and Gideon are. They way the author entertwines their curses worked so well! I still love Ronin and Scarlett the best, and they have a cameo. Wink wink. Also, can Briar's brother get a story?!!! Make that happen, Kayla! He is so caring and such a good brother to Briar. Plus, he must fall in love to break his curse. 😉

Overall, I gave it 4.5 stars because it was still wonderful and so imaginative. ✨️

Very very sweet. I liked her, I liked Gideon, and I liked their relationship. I liked that she didn't just blam wake up and was fine, but I thought that her not remembering was pretty cruel.

All the mystery and Intrigue around Prince Gideon that were sprinkled the first three books of this series are finally answered. It was well worth the wait to finally read Gideon’s story. I adored this story! It so hard to put this book down! I had to keep reading until the end. Kayla Eshbaugh captured every emotion in this story! I laughed and cried. This is such a unique spin on Sleeping Beauty. I loved seeing Gideon and Briar’s story unfold. Their banter was adorable and hilarious. The waiting they had go through! We are also given a little more insight into the Traitor King. May he rot in the mountain! Cannot wait for the next story and more curses to be broken!

I received an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.

Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Briar & Gideon’s points of view

– Briar’s mother is unable to leave her bed/is dying

Review:

I adored Briar & Gideon’s story so so much! It was a beautiful grumpy/sunshine dynamic between the two of them and I loved Briar’s determination to get a smile out of Gideon and to find out more about him through conversations with him (though he wanted nothing of the sort). I loved that Gideon had to fight against himself the longer he knew Briar (trying to stop falling for her) and at times found himself either looking forward to the next time she’d interrupt him or forgetting that he was trying to avoid her in the first place. I also loved the twist given to this Sleeping Beauty tale that makes it so different from other retellings I’ve read. I loved that Briar & Gideon’s love stood the test of time and that they shared a love for taking care of the magical roses of Thorn. I’m curious to know how Stephan’s curse was tied to Briar’s and what the curse truly is (what tale it’ll be in connection with). I am so excited to keep reading this series and to discover who will be getting what tale!

Summary:

Princess Briar of Thorn is not like other princesses. She likes to snoop and listen in on conversations that are meant to be private. A secret or a mystery can grab her attention and she won’t be able to let it go without pursuing answers to the best of her ability. Though Briar finds her efforts turned to a new subject when her father arranges for them to visit the princes of Haleston. With Briar’s curse coming into it’s deadly affect in the next few years, she needs to kiss her true love to break the curse and her family hopes that one of the princes will fulfill that role. But it seems that the prince that truly interests her wants absolutely nothing to do with her. With each passing year, Briar is finding her interest in the crown prince to be nothing in comparison to his brother, Gideon. And Gideon makes for an interesting subject for Briar to study with his conflicting emotions and actions as she manages to break through his walls little by little. If only he’d stop pushing her away every time they’ve made progress…

Gideon has no interest in falling in love with someone due to his curse, and luckily any princess he’s met just further helps him to solidify his decision. Until the Crown Princess of Thorn comes to visit and is nothing like the other princesses. She sneaks around and searches for any little bit of information when a subject catches hold of her and she has a confidence in herself that Gideon wishes he didn’t find intriguing. Especially since Briar has decided that the latest mystery she must crack is getting to know him. It’s endearing in the worst possible way, and detrimental to the both of them. Gideon could never forgive himself if he fell for Briar and enacted his curse when she expects her own curse to break at that same moment…

A beautiful, enduring retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

This is the story I've been waiting for the most - ever since we first met Gideon in True Princess, and this story did not disappoint. After all the hints that have been sprinkled throughout the last 3 books, we finally learn the full story which is so bittersweet but also so full of true, lasting love.

Briar was such a wonderful soul - I would love to be more like her in the way that she is so unapologetically herself, she is also honest to a fault - always being brave enough to be open about her feelings for others despite getting rejected several times by Gideon. She does use her sunny disposition as a mask sometimes when she's feeling more unwanted emotions but Gideon helps her understand that it's alright to not be alright.

We've only seen the present Gideon up to this book - the Gideon who has maybe seen too much, watching others complete the full circle of life from birth to death and gained the wisdom and weariness that comes from experiencing that. We get to see the young Gideon in this book who is so afraid of his curse that he never entertains the hope of it being broken until Briar literally annoys him into wanting to actually fight and find a way to break it. Gideon does hold a special place in my heart, waiting centuries to be with his love again whilst watching everyone he loved age and die, leaving him behind.

This is one of the only Sleeping Beauty retellings I have read that actually has the heroine fall asleep for over 100 years. Due to the issues around consent in the original fairytale, a lot of authors tweak the curse so that the heroine doesn't end up falling asleep at all or at least not for a long period of time. This was a completely brand new way of handling the curse that was wonderful as Briar and Gideon's love truly stood the test of time.

I loved that we got to see more of Teddy's growth in this book. Whilst he still maintains his upbeat attitude, he's starting to understand just how heavy the consequences to his actions are and that you can still help people just by being there to listen to them without just charging ahead. I'm loving seeing him and Ora interact more and actually seeing the bond developing between them. I am starting to wonder if there will be a story for them later in the series - I do hope so!

This book was given to me by the author as an ARC. That being said, the following review is written of my own opinions and thoughts.

Kayla Eshbaugh has done it again!

Spindled Slumber is the spellbinding fourth installment of the Cursed Kingdom Chronicles.

As someone who had read dozens of fairytale retellings this year, Eshbaugh always lands at the top of the list. Her prose are real and raw, with the most heartfelt moments between her characters (especially sibling relationships). Never does she leave me wanting something to have been different with the plot or wishing for more character development. Especially as someone who doesn’t love Sleeping Beauty (at least the Disney version) I highly recommend this book!

Briar, the cheeky, sunshiny pincess of Thorn, finds herself in frigid Haleston where the Ancients claim that her one true love resides so that she might break her curse: to die on her nineteenth birthday when she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel.

Gideon, arguable my new favorite prince from Terra (with a close second being Wesley in Glass Midnight-book 2), is a proper bookish grump (big Beast/Prince Adam vibes from him which I adore) who was cursed to kill whoever he falls in love with.

When I tell you that these two had me swooning, laughing, and crying all the way though, I mean it whole heartedly. Many a time did Gid make me feel things as I devoured this books, unable to put it down, and it was complemented flawlessly by our imperfect heroine who had me rooting for her from page one.

There are no favorite quotes this time because I literally highlighted whole scenes in my digital arc (multiple pages) and this book is just too good to be reduced to my favorite pull quotes.

Tropes:
Grumpy x Sunshine (obviously)
Star-Crossed Lovers
Forced Proximity

This was something so new and different from the author, and yet I could still tell it was by the author, I still loved it just as much, and it still meshes perfectly into its place within this series!

Soooo much tea gets spilt in this book, but of course, what better book for it to be spilt in than in that of the most curious princess of all?

I loved the new and unique personality of this princess. I love how she falls first, and how she is the one pining for the man, trying to get him to fall for her, trying to coax a smile from him and win him over. In most books, it’s common to see this from the male lead. So it’s really quite comically cute and refreshing to see it from the female lead instead!

Speaking of the male main lead- in description, he’s not my type, physically, but I loved how he was awkward and shy, and grumpy and nothing like all the other princess we have met so far in this series. I enjoy that he has a poetic, nerdy, romantic side and secretly longs so deeply for the princess but is the most patient and kind man. What a cinnamon roll!

The humor from the brother brings a nice touch to some of the heavier topics in this book. And by heavier, I don’t mean anything like a big trigger warning. I just mean that with this being a retelling of sleeping beauty, the curses involved in this fairytale are darker and sadder, and I’ll admit it made me more emotional than the other ones in this series and I did cry for the characters and the saddest moments. It pulls at the heart strings.

I loved how there was two main divisions in this story: a before and an after, and the testament it proves as for second chances and the test of time and endurance of true love.

Overall, I rate this one:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars (5/5 Stars)

Omgosh, these two were too cute. They had me laughing so much 😂
Princess Briar was told her true love was between two brothers, the princes of Haleston. While everyone wanted her to choose Prince Oliver, she could not help but pester the quiet and broody Prince Gideon haha
Briar would come across as annoying and pushy but....like Gideon, I just found her quirkiness amusing and cute haha
I love that in this version of "Sleeping Beauty" the prince and princess get to know each other way before the night of her 16th birthday! Their developing friendship and crushes from ages 14 to 19 was adorable, from teasing kids to more series teens! Definitely enough time to develop feelings haha
Hated that both Gideon and Briar were filled with so many doubts in different parts of the story, not letting the other close. But overall they were good for each other. Also, loved both of their protective brothers 😍 haha
Stephan certainly did not like it when his sister starting dreaming of kisses 🙊😹
Such an adorable romance with incredible world building! We get a snowy kingdom surrounded by mountains, with tales of dragons and trapped kings and secret towers. And we get a desert kingdom with rose vines that speak and lend magic! Such a fascinating world filled with strong and fun characters! Can't wait to read the next book 😍

The Cursed Kingdom Chronicles has another excellent installment in a masterful series!

We’ve heard rumors of the Sleeping Princess of Thorn and the horrid curse of the cold Haleston Prince, but now we get to finally see their story unfold and finish!

We get glimmers of the classic tale: Briar patch of thorns, a dragon, a spindle. Kayla expertly takes those classic markers of the fairytale we know and ove, from the movies to basic stories, and weaves a beautiful tapestry of old favorites and new world building.

The characters are lovable, endearing and brave. My heart was broken and then slowly stitched back together and I love every page turn of this book! Even the side characters are well written and poetic!

And of course, she expertly leaves us wanting the next book with mentions of a new curse, a new journey, a new couple and a new fairytale to fall in love with.

It will feel like I’ve waited 300 years for the next one!

I didn't know what to do with myself for a few moments after I finished this book. It was THAT good! Prince Gideon of Haleston is every girl's dream man! From the moment I read about him in Fairest One, I've been intrigued about his story and drawn to him and his mystery. Now that I finally got to read his story, I'm so in love that he made it to my top ten book boyfriends 🥹

There's a lot to say, but I'll keep it short. I loved Briar so much, her bond with her protective and sweet younger brother, Gideon and Oliver's bond, Gideon and Briar's chemistry, the way she was dead set on making him smile and the moment he finally did it, his fierce love for her, his UTTER patience and loyalty... Ugh! EVERYTHING!

Everything about this book was perfect and I absolutely loved it! Will never forget the impact it left me with. I will HIGHLY RECOMMEND this to anyone who love romantasy!

Kayla’s latest book is golden! Her upcoming book, Spindled Slumber is another unique take on the classic sleeping beauty tale.

In this version, we have Princess Briar and Gideon (who we met before in previous books). The two are complete opposites but they end up falling in love in a beautiful and heartwarming way.

The both also revealed some surprises such as Briar having brother named Stephen who has been waiting for her to wake without aging like Gideon.

I found Stephen sweet and am looking forward to reading his story someday. Also, there was bit of the end that hinted at Sea’s Secret (the next book in the series).

I enjoyed and suggest reading this tale of magic, surprises and romance!

This book was undeniably awesome. It held me from beginning to the end. I loved the interaction between Briar and Gideon, who is now my all time favorite prince!!! The tension between the two of them was fabulous. Potential spoilers coming- so turn away now! I was so overwhelmed when they were under that tree and I could feel his heart trying so hard not to beat, not to reveal his true feelings. I cried as he yelled out how he felt- even though she could not see the truth of what he was saying, it was utterly wonderful. This is now one of my favorite fairytale retellings and my favorite in this series

I read the free arc and am leaving my honest opinion.

A sleeping beauty retelling with so much heart and warmth.
If you have read this series in order than you have already gotten glimpses of the sweet man that is Gideon. So much love him, he may even be a contender for my favorite Wes.
Briar is hilarious with her shenanigans and exactly what Gideon needs.
They are such an adorable couple and I'm so grateful to Kayla Eshbaugh for allowing me to be a part of her ARC team for this book.
A wonderful sweet clean romantic retelling with friendship and hope.

Thank you Author Kayla Eshbaugh for the ARC! I am voluntarily leaving this review. Briar knows that she is cursed and only her true love can save her. Prince Gideon is also cursed. Even though Briar has her own idea of what the prince will look like(which is hilarious by the way),the reality is sooo much better! Gideon knows that Briar could be his downfall so he tries to avoid her at all costs. His grumpiness and her nosiness are so enjoyable! Will Gideon finally give in? Find the answer in the pages of this swoony book.

This was such a sweet retelling of Sleeping Beauty! I loved getting to know Gideon over the course of the past few books & hearing the rumors of the sleeping princess!

Gideon is a lovable, guarded, grumpy bookworm and Briar is a sneaky, sweet, eavesdropping princess who smiles to cover her pain. Their characters worked well together.

I always love the characters in this series and I’m excited another book has been announced— a little mermaid retelling! I’m still holding out for Odette’s story and Allora’s story! Can’t wait to read more in this series!

Gideon waiting

Briar and Gideon are delightful main characters. It starts off a little slow as they get to know each other on the visits to his kingdom and she tries to get him to smile.
Lots of adventure and romance and then the waiting for her to wake up after 300 years... Plus I can't wait to see how things work out for her brother Stephen, who was waiting, never aging with Gideon while Briar slept to break her curse.
It was fun to connect these characters with their cameos in previous stories.

Another awesome addition to the Cursed Kingdom series! I love the witty banter between Gideon and Princess Briar; their romance was so sweet. This book had twists and turns, powerful emotions and challenges to overcome for their love to endure. I cried and laughed in this beautiful story. I cannot wait to read more books from this author. Totally recommend reading this wonderful story.

I was provided with an ARC and my review is based upon my honest impression of the book.

More, please!

Delightful! An artful tying together of the stories that came before (trying not to give spoilers here) and,needless to say, I want more! Stephan and Dominick’s quest maybe? Oh, the sweet romance mixed with magic and even a bad guy in the background! Thanks Kayla! (May I/ we please have some more? Soon?)

Wow. Just, Wow. Spindled Slumber was not at all what I expected. It was the most emotional Sleeping Beauty retelling I’ve ever read (and I’ve read many). Be prepared to need tissues. I laughed and cried throughout the book.

Briar is such a sweet, sunshine character. She is equal parts kindness and mischief. Briar brings cheer and love everywhere she goes. And of course, she bestows her loving personality on grumpy, brooding Prince Gideon. Gideon is cranky and would rather read than socialize. He is hiding a deadly secret that Briar is determined to uncover. The desperation, heartbreak, and love in this novel made me into an emotional mess. Honestly, Gideon is one of the most devoted male characters. He has my whole heart and then some. And Briar is perfect for him.

Spindled Slumber is fairly long considering it is a Sleeping Beauty retelling. It needed to be to fit the storyline. The story takes place over a number of years and has many events that take place. There are two curses and a number of day to day challenges that Gideon and Briar face. The resolution was perfect after all of the heartbreak and the ending gave us some hints at Kayla Eshbaugh’s next novel. I’m very excited to read and experience what’s to come!

I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I absolutely loved this retelling of Sleeping Beauty! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!

Honestly this is 3.5 stars

The length of time asleep was just way too long. And I didn't like the female protagonist much. And I've forgotten all the other books which made me sad for the epilogue. But sign me up for a book loving prince!

A lovely sweet book. Love that it was clean but still had a swoonworthy romance to it! Gideon is the best and I loved Briar

This is why I adore this author. Her writing. The characters. The development. The tension. The way she writes her stories and adds her own twists to these well known childhood fairy tales. Its just amazes me. I adore the development between the characters and I keep falling in love with new characters.

I absolutely loved this book!! If the fact that I was reading it at 2 in the morning doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will. This was one of the most unique sleeping beauty retellings I have ever read. Something I absolutely loved was the theme of loving someone so much that you would wait however long it takes to be with them. Kayla pulled off the she falls first, he falls harder trope so well and I loved every second of them together. Spindled Slumber is definitely one you will want to add to your shelf if you love fairytale retellings like me!!

I received an eARC from the author, I was not required to give a positive review.

The next in The Cursed Kingdom Chronicles, Spindled Slumber is a sweeping retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Briar has a death curse, but she would rather focus on tending her rose vines, whiting the desert gardens of her kingdom, snooping around the castle and spending as much time as possible with her ill mother than worry about it. When her father announces they are traveling to meet the two cold Haleston princes, she is certain that she wants nothing to do with the traitor prince look-alike. But the golden-haired prince and his reclusive ways make her more curious than ever, she simply can’t leave him alone. As she searches for a way to help her mother, she is drawn in more and more by Prince Gideon of Haleston and wants to see him smile, even if only once. Prince Gideon seems to have been cursed twice. Not only does he look the spitting image of the traitor King Falcon himself, may he rot in the mountain, but his true curse will kill whomever he falls in love with. Keeping away is the only way to protect the maidens who visit, he spends his days reading in the library. But when a princess with opinions, confidence, and unwavering curiosity catches his attention, Gideon knows he must keep his distance from the captivating yet irritating princess of Thorn, even if it goes against his own desires. No matter how hard he tries though, he cannot stop his feelings from growing, but he knows he will kill her if he cannot control his heart. Can he break his curse? Will one prick from the spindle of a spinning wheel save them both? Or will it keep them apart forever?
I was excited to read this book! We have already had the opportunity to meet Gideon in previous books and I was so ready to read his story. Every book in the series has just made me fall in love with the characters and the world more, and this one was no exception. Briar was a lot of fun. She was curious, confident, and feisty. I loved her connection with her family and her vibrancy. She was full of life and it came out in the pages. I did want to shake my head at her curiosity sometimes, but I loved how she cared for people. I will be honest, for me Gideon was more of a draw for this story! I was so excited to see his story and it did not disappoint. I felt for him as he struggled with his curse and what it meant for his future. It was so much fun to see him and Briar interact. They were opposites in so many ways and it was adorable to read. I loved watching him open up to her and how he provided support for her to flourish.
The magic and elements of Sleeping Beauty were so imaginative. I loved the way Ms. Eshbaugh did and I do not want to give spoilers, but it is so cool how it plays into earlier books too! It was such a fun treat! I loved getting to see the kingdoms through ‘Briar and Gideon’s eyes. We also get to see some old friends from past books, which is always a joy. Overall, this is an amazing fairytale-inspired romance that can be read as a standalone, but is so much more fun to read in the series. It is full of magic, adventure, and romance, but only kissing.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

This was such a good tale!

I loved this clean retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This continuation of the Cursed Chronicles tells Prince Gideons tale of love, time, and sacrifice for Princess Briar. I love the relationships in this story from family, friends and true love this story has dynamic characters that make you want to know more about them all. Seeing the guest appearance of Teddy and Ora was delightful and although the flash back is a little confusing at first it all makes sense in the end! I received an ARC from the author but my review is honest and my own opinion.