First things first, I am a cover ready and so when I saw this on NetGalley I knew I had to apply.

But I was blown away by how much I loved this book. A fantasy romance that keeps you guessing the hole time. I did not find any "down time" or slumps (even though I will probably be in one now after this book).

This book is an absolute gem for anyone who loves fantasy romance with mysterious twists and turns.

I loved that the ‘drama/action’ started early on in the book and was kept consistent throughout (no boring bits, thank god). The twists were genuinely surprising, so much so that I couldn’t even guess how it would end!

I loved the small references to Sleeping Beauty without copying the story completely, the author did a great job at making it feel fresh and captivating. The romance was beautifully woven into the plot (I’m in love with Fenn!!!) and the world-building was fun however wish we could of seen a bit more of it.

Downloading her other books right now!! Highly recommended for fans of fantasy who enjoy a bit of romance and unpredictable storytelling!

Crown Of Slumber worked for me as someone who struggles to follow more dense and intricate fantasy stories. It started really strong with me flying through the first quarter, though my excitement waned as the story went on. I wasn’t crazy about where the plot ended up but I was entertained.
I saw room for improvement in the writing and dialogue, but it was easily read and the depiction of dragons as beloved violent flying pets is always welcome in my home.

I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed *Crown of Slumber*. If you’re a fan of *ACOTAR* and love enemies-to-lovers with a good slow-burn romance, this book is definitely for you!

The romance is what really hooked me. Enemies-to-lovers is always a favorite of mine, and this book delivers on that slow-burn tension. But I have to say, Fenn felt a bit too boyish and even whiny for the first three-quarters of the book. It kind of pulled me out of the romance at first, but luckily it got better as the story went on and Fenn started to mature.

One of my biggest gripes was the pacing. It moved way too fast, which is unusual for me to say! I wanted more world-building, more character depth, and more insight into the witches and dragons. The book had so much potential that I honestly could’ve read 100+ more pages if it meant diving deeper into all of that.

All in all, *Crown of Slumber* is a great read for fantasy romance fans, especially if you’re into enemies-to-lovers and slow-burns. Despite a few issues, it’s definitely worth picking up if those are your thing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“You are a firebird,” I whispered to her. “Magnificent and fierce. No one will quell your flame.”

🐉 Sleeping Beauty Retelling with a Twist
👑 Feuding Kingdoms
🐉 Deadly Court Schemes
👑 Fae, Witches & Dragons
🐉 Forced Proximity
👑 Enemies to Lovers

Overall Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
World Building: 🌎🌎🌎🌎
Romance: ♥️♥️
Characters: 👤👤

“I loathe you more intensely than a thousand burning suns.”
“So what you’re saying is… you have strong feelings for me?”

I was instantly drawn to this book with its twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, and Crown of Slumber did not disappoint. You’ll instantly find yourself swept up in fae politics, dragons who will steal your heart, and a romance that had the perfect balance of tension and banter.

“Dragons made much better company than fae nobles.”

With a first line like this you bet I was hooked from the first page. I too would prefer a dragon. Especially with how Perez writes hers, they are giant affectionate puppy like terrors and I loved every scene they were in! They definitely tugged on your heart strings while also adding great comedic moments. Who doesn’t love dragons?

“I find your sour attitude quite endearing, little firebird.”

I will never get enough of the banter that accompanies the enemies to lovers trope. I loved how prickly they could be with each other while still slowly letting down their walls. They are complex characters with intense history’s and their relationship was done in a very believable way. Even if I wanted to knock their heads together a time or two

“It was easy to don the mask everyone expected me to wear. But I had grown accustomed to taking off that mask for her.”

This was a great standalone and introduction to this world and I’m really glad I had the chance to read it!

An amazing retelling of Sleeping Beauty! I loved the take on it! There were elements I definitely wasn’t expecting and I love it!! I loved the banter between the characters, it was easy to imagine. The FMC was strong yet still vulnerable. I any recommend this book to enough people. The romance and the entire book really is well written. I liked the alternating POVs. For my spicy lovers I’d give this a 2/5 chili pepper rating, but those point are just *chefs kiss*

Thank you NetGallery for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m such a sucker for a fairytale retelling and when I hear that this was a sleeping beauty retelling mixed with flipping dragons AND fae I was sold. Straight away I loved it. I am OBSESSED with dragons at the moment and I loved the begging of the book, I was hooked the moment the author wrote about Aurelia and her bond with her dragons.

I really enjoyed the romance in this book and how it was written. I liked how this was truly a retelling but it was also loyal to the original fairytale. I feel like this was a really really good way of doing the story justice.

I loved the twist and I didn’t actually predict that it was going to be what it was. I feel like it kept me on my toes and I loved that about this book.

My only issue which is so tiny and probably my fault, was that I was really confused with the dual POV and who was who but then I realised it literally tells you at the start. Loved the dual POV and the short chapters. It really kept me enticed.

I loved this retelling of the magical sleeping beauty.

Crown of Slumber is a romantasy based around Princess Aurelia (Princess of Summer Court) and Prince Fenn (Prince of the Midnight Court), who together tackle a sleeping curse that has befallen over Princess Aurelia's family and court.
The whole story is very captivating, and the world building is amazing. I truly felt like I could picture everything. The MFC is strong and independent whilst the MMC was witty and charming.

The playful banter between the two characters was great, and their slow burn romance was sweet.

Overall a GREAT book!

Don't forget to check out the authors note at the end of the book to see all the little 'nods' the original fairy tale.

What an action packed book. I thought the pacing was great and kept me at the edge of my seat. Aurelia and Fenn were great MCs. I was invested in their relationship from the beginning and although it is a bit of a slower burn. It develops pretty quickly. Also the magical aspects are so fun even though the book was a little on the darker side. I definitely recommend it.

4⭐️ 2🌶️

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!

Crown of Slumber is an action packed sleeping beauty re-telling with a strong FMC and likeable MMC. From the very start it’s fast paced, with vivid world building that draws you in. If you’re looking for an easy read romantasy with dragons, delightful fae princes, and magic then look no further!

The romance is slow-burn , and I enjoyed the development of Aurelia and Fenn’s relationship as they navigate the fulfilment of the bargain between them.

The Dream Mage is a sinister presence throughout, although she’s seemingly very quickly disposed of at the end.

I need to know Azure is ok, for this reason alone I’ll be reading the next book!

This one was really interesting. I didn’t know what was going on at first but then as I continued to read I got a better understanding of the plot and characters. I really did end up enjoying this one! The plot was good, character development was also good

I really wanted to like this story as I love dark fantasy and retellings. But I found myself really struggling to finish this book.

Let's talk about what I like first. The cover is really beautiful. Second, the writing is really easy to read, and the plot is fast-paced with an immersive world building. Despite that, in my honest opinion, I didn't find any unique elements. This book seemed like a mash-up of all popular romance fantasy tropes; it was enemies to lovers, strong females, dragons, faes, witches, even one room/bed tropes; and I love them all. But I couldn't find any distinct nuance in this writing; something that would make me think 'Oh, this is what the writer does best' or 'Only this writer writes like this.'

The book was in the new adult category due to the spicy scenes and the dark fantasy theme. However, I found the characters acting like young adults; reckless and stubborn and honestly, a bit (if not very) annoying for me, but with the lust and passion of new adults. Aurelia is obnoxious, loud, and prejudiced. And yet she has been given an Overpowered card in this story, with a tragic and powerful background. So for me, there was a disconnect between Aurelia's past, her inner struggles, and how she behaves in the current timeline. I know, she had forgotten her past... but the natural inclination of personality couldn't deviate that far. For me, it would be better to have more foreshadowing; for example, Aurelia feeling like something was amiss in her life; a hollow ache she couldn't find; or glimpses of her past. This foreshadowing could develop her inner struggles better and create more connections with readers, at least for me.

The Midnight Prince wasn't better... he was even more obnoxious, childish, and some of his remarks made me cringe. In the last third of the book, he suddenly took interest in the kingdoms politics and suddenly he had gained all of the court's votes. This seemed a bit... overreached for me. I think it would be more exciting if he was shown struggling to get his court's support behind his mother's back at the beginning of the story; to show the readers that he was trying and meeting Aurelia was the final push to overthrow his mother. I think it would be much better to show that this prince wasn't as ignorant and as powerless as he was described throughout this book. At the end of the book, everything fell perfectly into his palm just like that.

Also, the banter between the summer princess and the midnight prince wasn't really 'bantering' for me; it felt more like two teenagers shouting at each other throats and then dealing with all of their problems by having sex. Even when Aurelia was in a dream comma, she managed to suck the prince's cock -- and all throughout that time, the villainess just stood still? The villainess literally waited until they were finished having sex before she appeared to tell both Aurelia and the prince that they were fucked. LOL I found that funny actually

The plot itself and the concept were enthralling. But unfortunately, this wasn't the book for me.

I've just finished ARC reading this absolute masterpiece of a book.

It is hands down one of the best, if not the best ARC I've read.

I'm absolutely speechless.

The writing was just impeccable. The main characters were multi-layered, deep, and strong. There was so much more to them than what you see.

The world building was done so well that it played out so vividly in my head. The plot was rich and so full of twists and turns that it had me on the edge of the seat. I didn't want to put the book down because I was so enthralled by everything that was happening.

I honestly didn't want the book to end, I just wanted more. I'm still not ready to part with the characters and the story.

It was such a beautiful retelling of Sleep Beauty. I highly recommend this book!

I loved this book! It was such an interesting, fast paced and enjoyable book and it was EXACTLY what I needed to pull me out of my reading slump! I had such a fun time reading this and got through it all in one day.

I really loved the 2 main characters but, Mal wad my favourite by a mile. I have a soft spot for animal side characters! The story was really fun but did keep me guessing with a lot of twists and turns. I've never read a Sleeping Beauty retelling but I really liked how it kept elements of that in but wasn't an exact copy of the original story.

Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for something fun, quick and easy to read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a general retelling of Sleeping Beauty with spice and dragons mixed in! Aurelia and Finn are from opposing kingdoms but both need something from the other. They have to work together and pose as a betrothed couple to save their kingdoms and families. This was a great story with a strong and confident FMC which I really loved.

I was given an arc of this book from NetGalley and I want to thank the author and publisher.

This book had a really interesting concept. The fae element and the sleeping beauty esque idea was strong. However, the execution was just..meh. If you have an enemies to lovers trope, make it enemies to lovers. Give me more angst and more tension.

This book really was a letdown due to the writing that seemed really juvenile. Especially when it came to the character’s actions. The only time the book actually seemed targeted for adults was the very basic sex scenes. If you’re going to go smutty, go smutty. Don’t just write a bland sex scene

An amazing Sleeping Beauty retelling. I loved the main characters and it was a fun and action filled read. The romance felt genuine and sweet which I appreciate reading. I loved that this retelling had the princess be a dragon shifter and that she overcame obstacles to fully accept herself.
I'll be posting a review on Instagram as well.

Review:
👑 Crown of Slumber 👑
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

“Why do you do this to me? You worked your way into my heart, and now, I cannot exist without you haunting me.”

This Sleeping Beauty retelling pulled me into the realm of Valora instantly. The details throughout were incredible.

The banter (and well everything) between the strong FMC, Aurelia and stubborn MMC, Fenn was quite amazing. I love books with a FMC full of fire! At some points in their adventures, I may have even cried a little 🫣

If you love fast paced, action packed reads.. full of fae, dragons, witches, and some SPICE 🥵, then I highly recommend. & of course, the enemies to lovers ⚔️ is always a favorite for me 🫶🏽

This absolutely hit's the spot, it had everything I was craving all in one spot.

Feisty FMC who immediately draws you in from the first page.
Dragons.
Rakish MMC who delivers witty banter and charm from the get go.
Dragons.
Fairytale retelling of sleeping beauty.
Dragons, did I mention those?

Not only this but, all of it is set in a richly populated, constructed and explored world that really gripped me, and had me really desperate to continue reading. I hate when people say this but I really couldn't put it down.

The dragons in the book are sentient, which I love. They aren't just fire breathing weapons they have personalities which is navigated well by Perez and really adds some depth to the story.

My only criticism, is the writing though impeccable throughout the majority of the book is immaculate, towards the conclusion it does speed up rather quickly. I feel as though this could easily have been a Duology and an excellent one at that so perhaps a missed opportunity. That said, the ending is satisfying and did round up the story well.

I would highly recommend this one for any one who is a fan of fairytale retellings (obviously) fantasy romance, sleeping beauty, DRAGONS and (slow burn)enemies to lovers. For those looking for an exciting, spicy and tensions filled bit of escapism get this one on the TBR I know you will love it.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ahead of release I will most definitely be purchasing this for my shelf.

I first want to thank Netgalley and the author for the ARC that I received. But lets get started with my review:

This book is a Sleeping Beauty retelling infused with dragons, a captivating enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and a feisty, strong FMC.

I particularly enjoyed the dual-POV narrative - it felt harmonious and propelled the story forward seamlessly. The FMC, Aurelia, is utterly devoted to her dragons, and I absolutely loved that aspect. She’s a powerful female character, anything but helpless, and though she sometimes seems to pick fights with Fenn, it feels perfectly in character and adds to the story. Fenn, on the other hand, comes across as the classic 'bad-boy' MMC, but his POV quickly reveals deeper layers to his character.

Since the book is a standalone, the story dives straight into the action without spending much time on world-building upfront. Yet, the author weaves in the world-building throughout the story, making it easy to visualize the beautiful settings. The pacing is relatively fast, which didn’t bother me at first. However, the last 30-40% felt a bit rushed. That said, I think it partially felt that way because I wasn’t ready to leave Aurelia and Fenn’s world just yet.

There are a few aspects I wish had been explored in more detail, but I understand the limitations of a standalone book.

Something I also want to add is my favorite scene of the book, which is the meeting of the two main characters. It felt very untypical and I really loved it, it made the story even more captivating, right from the beginning.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it in the future.
Overall rating: 4.5