My first Kalynn Bayron book was This Poison Heart, which I loved. This her new book is a loosely based retelling of Snow White.

Sleep Like Death was an entertaining read. I was sucked in right away with a character I could root for, Eve is brave, devoted to her family and kingdom. The world building was interesting and unexpected (really one can't always know what to expect in a fantasy read). There might have been hints to her previous Cinderella retelling but not enough to leave me confused, but enough to bump it up on my tbr. Though it took a bit to feel the Snow White vibe, the build up was action packed, heartbreaking and unique.

Kalynn Bayron is a talented author, her books are fun, engaging and entertaining. An author I recommend for those that like YA fantasy without the spice but can handle some death and violence.

My thanks to Bloomsbury YA (via Netgalley) for the digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Even when doing a retelling, you can always count on Kalynn Bayron's books to be unique and different. Honestly, I either don't know the Snow White story well or Bayron made a ton of changes, because SLEEP LIKE DEATH was always surprising!

Princess Eve was raised to hate the Knight, a traveling creature who has tormented her Kingdom by granting wishes with a catch; no matter what, they only work out favorably for the Knight in the end. She knows this firsthand; one of her moms, wishing for a beautiful voice, was turned into a bird. Now Eve is catching her other mom, Queen Regina, acting strange, and talking into a looking glass/stone.

I won't lie; some of this book is really weird. I'm okay with that part; pieces of it were rather frustrating, though, and that was more difficult. I certainly wish the LGBTQIA+ angle was stronger beyond Eve's two moms (I mean one is a bird) and some pining. Based on Bayron's other books, there was so much more she could have done here. Instead, Eve has a romance with Nova, a messenger of the Knight, that often feels completely unfounded. They see each other, talk once or twice, and then boom, they are suddenly in love. The lack of connections or reasoning in the story made little sense.

DEATH is stronger when it comes to its allusions to myths and stories. There's a very neat parallel to the Seven Dwarfs and some decent attempts at reversing gender stereotypes from Snow White (some fail, though). The book explores dark magic, often veering deeply into sad and tragic territory--this is certainly not a Disney retelling. It looks at the relationships of mothers and daughters and women in general. Eve's relationship with Queen Regina is complicated; sometimes, you wish everyone in the story would simply communicate more. (Or stop making doomed wishes?)

I enjoyed the story the most when Eve was off exploring and attempting to save her kingdom. This was an interesting retelling, but it seemed like a lot of the connections were missing--not a lot of backstory to the Knight's vengeance, Eve's romance, and more. It's a quick read, but lacking some depth.

Title: Sleep Like Death
By: Kalynn Bayron

Genre:
Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Retellings

Red Flags:
LQBTQ, Suicide

Summary/Review:

Eve is an independent, strong willed, and determined young woman. She is an animal whisperer, and holds a great wealth of knowledge of nature. She overhears her mother talking and learns danger is lurking around every corner, not only for herself, but for the kingdom. Will Eve decide to take matters into her own hands, and sacrifice herself in the meantime? Or will she discover another way?

This is my first reading by Kalynn Bayron. I have mixed feelings on the overall retelling. Personally, I feel like about half of this book was a true retelling. There were moments I fell in love with the character of Eve and other times I thought she lacked depth. The main characters were relatable, the author masterfully creates the importance of family ties, especially the role of a mother, a realistic mother daughter dynamic, and a tight knit community of unity. All of these dynamics which are beautiful for a young adult read. There were parts of the plotline that were fast paced, and other times I felt the storyline needed an extra bit of depth. The romance was there, however, somewhat lacking, I wished for a stronger built relationship with creative romantic depth.

Thank you Kalynn Bayron, Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#Sleeplikedeath
#Kalynnbayron
#usachildrensbooks
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#netgalleyreviews #netgalley

Kalynn Bayron's latest work is a mesmerizing retelling of Snow White that brings an exhilarating new voice to this beloved fairytale.
The story centers on Eve, a young woman who has spent her life preparing to confront the Knight, a sinister figure who twists wishes into curses. Eve's determination is deeply personal as one of her mothers has been cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. Armed with the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, ve sets out to save her family and her kingdom from the Knight's corrupt deals.

Bayron's prose is both lyrical and easy to fly through, making the novel a joy to read. Her narrative is fast-paced, yet she skillfully balances action with room for character development. The themes of love, sacrifice, and resilience are woven seamlessly into the plot, adding layers of intrigue and twists to the story.

While the novel is thoroughly engaging, I found myself yearning for more scenes between Eve and Nova. Their relationship adds a rich emotional layer to the story, and I would have loved more to know more about Nova's background.

A fellow reader on Goodreads suggested that all of Bayron's fairytale retellings might be set within the same universe and honestly I would absolute love if it so! AAAHH THE POTENTIAL and THE FUN WE WILL HAVE CONNECTING THE EASTER EGGS <3

In conclusion, Kalynn Bayron has crafted a beautifully written and captivating retelling that breathes new life into the Snow White tale with a cameo of Rumpelstiltskin

Kalynn has quickly become the queen of fairy tell retellings and remixes, her prose is strong and the world she has built is immersive and engaging. If you enjoyed Cinderella is Dead you will love Sleep Like Death and if you haven't read it yet, you'll want to run to the bookstore and pick it up!

Characters 7/10
Atmosphere 8/10
Writing 7/10
Plot 7/10
Intrigue 9/10
Logic 7/10
Enjoyment 8/10

"Sleep Like Death" follows Eve, a princess destined to kill the Knight who disparages her kingdom. The Knight has taken many things from her—some even deeper than she begins to understand. In her quest to end the Knight, she finds herself learning more than she could have imagined about how they are connected and why he is certain they will make a deal.

Kalynn's reimagining of Snow White is so deeply layered that it felt hard to keep up at times. Kalynn has a way of crafting characters where every action feels authentic to who they are. I found myself eagerly reading each chapter, curious about how Eve would appear in the next. All in all, this was a solid retelling that melds stories together in a unique way. Kalynn will always have a fan in me.

Kalynn Bayron is essentially an insta-read author for me now. I enjoy her writing style, her stories, and her characters. This book is no exception. Despite having read most of her books, I have not read Cinderella is Dead. I believe this book returns to the same world, but since I haven't read Cinderella is Dead, I'm not sure how much crossover actually occurs. However, both can be read as standalones and I had no trouble reading this one as such. I'm a fan of fairytale retellings, and I liked how this one was done. It was definitely a fresh take, but I also enjoyed "discovering" the connections between this retelling and the original story. I also really like the relationships Bayron creates between parents/guardians and their children in her stories. It honestly feels like a warm hug. I do wish I had gotten to know more about Nova and his story. Overall, I think this was a fun, fast paced book. Looking forward to whatever Kalynn Bayron writes next! I'd give this to readers that enjoy fairytale retellings.

This is such a well done retelling! I feel like it had the perfect balance of original story elements but also being completely different! I loved Eve's character journey + I thought the dynamic between her + Nova was good! I honestly wish we got more of that relationship. The book was so immersive + definitely kept me on my toes! Overall I really enjoyed!

This Snow White retelling had me in the edge of my seat, screaming into the void when things went wild, had me tearing up at the tender moments between Eve and the people that loved her, had me wishing for more when the story came to a close. Ugh I just loved this and can't wait for the next installation.

This Snow White retelling is set in the same universe as Kalynn Bayron’s Cinderella Is Dead. There’s a similar feeling, but it’s quite unique.

People have been warned against making deals with the Knight throughout the queendom of Queen’s Bridge for generations. But, desperate Eve’s Mother Queen Sanna made a deal with the Knight. Queen Sanna wished to regain her singing voice and have the most beautiful voice in the queendom, The Knight subsequently turns her into a song bird. Now, Sanna lives in the palace with her wife Queen Regina in a gilded cage. Eve believes she’s the right hand and protector of her remaining human mother Queen Regina, until she hears her mother crying in her room and sees her speaking to a mysterious mirror. Eve is struggling to find a way to defeat The Knight, before he takes more from her.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book, it’s fairly light and there are whimsical references to the original Snow White, Grump stole my heart.

Set in the same world as Cinderella Is Dead, this book follows a teen Princess Eve on her mission to defeat a twisted wish granter known as The Knight. Sleep Like Death is a reimagined "retelling" of Snow White with other fairytales sprinkled in.

Sleep Like Death is a loosely based Snow White retelling by Kalynn Bayron. First, let me say that the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous and reminiscent of the many gorgeous books she's written. I really loved her take on the Snow White story, especially her characters and the way she develops them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and getting lost in the story. I didn't want to put it down. As such, I had to purchase a special edition of this book to add to my shelf.

Thank you to Kalynn Bayron, Bloomsbury YA, and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers!
Sleep Like Death is a dark YA retelling of the Snow White fairytale (with links to other fairytales by the end). At times, I would forget this was a Snow White tale, as these fully realized characters can more than stand on their own. Then something would happen, and that “a-ha moment” would hit, as I realized a certain plot point or small tidbit was totally tied back to the fairytale. Very well done!

The people of Queen’s Bridge seek out the Knight when they want to make a wish. However, every wish comes with dire consequences. One of Princess Eve’s mothers was cursed to the body of a songbird after making a wish with the Knight. This has made Eve eager to collect stories about the Knight and learn how to defeat him. When Eve’s other mother, Queen Regina, begins acting strangely, speaking to a mirror in her room, Eve’s task of defeating the Knight becomes more urgent. Eve must figure out what is wrong with her mother and end the Knight for good.

This was such a great fairytale story! It is a loose retelling of Snow White. It doesn’t follow the original in the usual way, but there are several references to Snow White, such as the magic mirror and poison apple. This story is set in the same world as Cinderella Is Dead, but you don’t have to read that one to understand this book. There were hints to other fairytales in the same world at the end of this story, so I hope there will be more books set in this world!

Sleep Like Death is a thrilling fairytale retelling!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for sending me a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: death, blood, death of parent, death of child, poison

This just confirms it for me, Kalynn Bayron isn't the author for me. I truly think it's a shame because her books all sound so incredibly interesting but when I'm 0 for 3, I just feel like I need to give up. It's not fair anymore.
This book had such an interesting concept. I loved with Kalynn Bayron did with the Snow White story, how she turned things on their heads. I also love how different fairytales where included into this story as well. I thought it was all really well incorperated. This book was also an incredibly quick read. It was pretty compelling, and extremely readable.
However, that's all the positives I have for this book. The characters were absolutely insufferable. I couldn't stand a single one of them. Our main character Eve also is the stupidest lead I have probably ever encountered before. I really hated how she made the most stupid, rash decisions, and then just went ahead with things despite all signs pointing towards it being the dumbest decision one could ever make, and then she'd be shocked when things didn't turn out the way she wanted *eye roll*.
Almost nothing happened in this book for the longest time as well. It takes until a little over the halfway mark for the plot of this book to even kick in, and even then it is extremely slow moving. That's until the last couple of chapters when this book decides to do everything all at once. It gave me whiplash. I feel like it was just extremely poorly crafted. The epilogue was also just two characters completely info dumping things that were already incredibly obvious to me, so yeah. Not for me!

As a fan of Cinderella Is Dead, I had high hopes for this book, and the author did not disappoint! I was a little skeptical of how the story would play out since I do not find Snow White to be the most interesting princess, but the author does an amazing job of making the story her own, adding depth to a classic tale! Eve is such a strong and fearless heroine and it was such a joy to read her story! 4 stars!

2 stars!

I feel really bad but this did not work for me.

To start with some strengths:
- I think the writing of this book was strong. It was easy to read and that was nice.
- It was extremely fast-paced. I read Kalynn Bayron's book You're Supposed to Die Tonight last year and it was similarly quick paced.
- The representation was strong. As a Black woman, I love to read about other Black women just existing and living life so I appreciated that. Also like many of Kalynn Bayron's novels, there was a queer relationship (unfortunately it's not super featured) in this book which is also great!

Where this went wrong:
- The story progression of this book felt kinda odd. Everyone made decisions in split seconds, and it felt like the characters also decided to like and trust people for no reason?
- The romance. Don't even get me started on this. Why were people telling each other that they loved one another when they spent definitely less than 4 days together? It was so unbelievable, and every time the love interest was on the page I was rolling my eyes,
- The fairytale retelling aspect. This may be a hot take, but I love a fairytale retelling. I'm not entirely convinced this is one? I guess it's kind of a mash up of Howl's Moving Castle (the villain lives in a castle similar to Howl) but the Snow White elements barely came in (like maybe at 70%) and the way they were shoehorned in made it seem like in the last second someone was like wait wasn't this supposed to be a Snow White retelling.
- The characters. Unfortunately, basically all of the characters felt one dimensional. The villain? He was scary but when we found out his motivations I literally laughed out loud. The Queen? She kind of treated everyone else in the story like they were dumb and I so believe some issues could've been solved with communication. Eve? Fairly flat and not really different from many other YA fantasy FMCs. She also made so many stupid decisions that I wanted to yell at her.
- The magic system in this book also made little to no sense and was also not really explained which is alright? I guess?

Overall, this was really a disappointing read and it makes me sad that this didn't work for me.

Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review!

The beginning was…. interesting lol But once it got started and more of the retelling started to come through, I was more into it. It was very different than her other one, but Snow White wasn’t my favorite so it was expected.

So with that being said, I’m not a huge fan of Snow White. I always thought her movie was boring lol So I can’t lie, I wasn’t expecting much from that side, but I was excited to see how much of it Bayron was going to use in it. And the way she formed everything to fit the story was pretty cool. I can’t lie I was a bit worried about the Dwarves. But they were very cute. Sad tale, but it was very cute. I think I grew to love them as much as she did. But also with that, it was a bit confusing. This was more a mash up multiple fairy tales. I wonder what this will mean for the universe? Will there be more coming? JUST THROW ME A BONE HERE BAYRON lol

I DID wish that there was more world-building tho. There was a lot of snow, yes, but like that was it until the end when the real retelling info started coming up. I think I wanted to see more of the castle, the cottage, the food, hell anything. I don’t even remember much about it to be honest. I KNOW this is a me thing, but I’m just living up to my blog name in Take Me Away! I want the world-building to take me there! And I wanted more of the magic. There was fighting, but the magic that she had was only shown few and far inbetween.

The twist this time was different, but it wasn’t as crazy as Cinderella. Like I said Snow is just a hard story to sell for me. But let me just say, the Knight was terrible. Hell he frightened me lol I was picturing the things he would ask of me and I just kept thinking ABSOLUTELY NOT. Too creepy lol But the ending was YOOOOOO. I was impressed that she went there. But it was awesome lol

This was a bit different than her others and I really enjoyed it. It’s been a long time since I was desperate enough to listen to a book via the Read Aloud robo voiced option, but I couldn’t read this fast enough so i used it for this. It was very much one of my most anticipated books of the year, and to me, it lived up to it!

I’m a sucker for a good fairy tale retelling, and this is no exception. I love the way that Bayron weaves various fairy tales into this story, with a main focus on Snow White but other fairy tales happening all around the main story. This book focuses on the love of family and learning how to fight not only for the ones you love, but with them too. It was absolutely gorgeous and I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time.

This is a twisted fairy retelling of Snow White which held my interest from page one. The story follows the FMC, Eve. Eve is a typical angsty teenager girl whom not only has a magical talent, but is also a fierce warrior. She has spent her entire life training for battle to protect her mother’s kingdom. Eve is fiercely loyal and devoted to her family. I enjoyed the journey of her storyline both her triumphs and failures. This was captivating read with good writing, a clever FMC, and loads of adventure. As always Kalynn does a great job with world building and story development. She builds worlds that you wish to be apart of.