I was lucky enough to receive an ALC of this book, which was such a delight after having loved reading it last summer!

It was such a great re-listen, and I was able to pick up so much more a second time through and *knowing* the characters from the beginning.

I continue to be enchanted by the world building and especially the dragons. The descriptions are rich and help bring the world to life.

I was curious how the book would translate from written to audio, especially with the dual perspective. The narrators were fantastic and really fit how I have imagined Aurelia ans Fenn in my head. The story was still easy to follow and engaging.

Still a book I would suggest to anyone looking for a great stand alone romantasy! (It is part of a series of retellings, but they are not connected in storyline or characters)

Thank you to NetGalley and Willow Haven Press for providing me with the ALC. All opinions are my own.

**Audiobook Review: *Crown of Slumber* by RL Perez**

Okay, if you're a fan of dark fantasy that feels like it was made just for us Gen Z readers, *Crown of Slumber* is the audiobook you need in your life. Imagine a world where every shadow hides a secret and every whisper feels like it could change everything—this story delivers those vibes, big time.

The narrator absolutely slays it, bringing each character to life with such emotion and clarity that you’re practically living the drama alongside them. The pacing is on point, perfectly balancing those intense, pulse-pounding moments with quiet, reflective pauses that let you catch your breath (and maybe even question your life choices).

And seriously, if you loved ACOTAR, get ready to dive deep. The lush world-building, irresistible tension, and that slow-burn romance will have you living in this story like it's your own secret escape. *Crown of Slumber* isn't just an audiobook—it's an experience that will pull you in and not let go.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**

Thank you Willow Haven Press via Netgalley for this ALC.

This was a fun fantasy romance that takes you on an adventure and has some twists and turns along the way. I listened to the audiobook for this book and I think that elevated the reading experience. It was dual narration and I loved both of the narrators.

At the start of the story I loved the world we were introduced to and was intrigued to follow our 2 main characters on their adventure. I was super interested in the story and characters until we hit the 50% mark. After that point, the story felt repetitive and the ending seemed to drag on. I absolutely loved our MMC, Fenn, but found that the lack of growth (personal or intelligence) from our FMC, Aurelia, hindered my enjoyment while listening to this.

3.25 stars, 2 chili peppers

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I love a good fairytale retelling, especially when it's been refreshed, and I feel like this book delivers on that. Aurelia (the FMC) was rather annoying and hated Fenn (the MMC) for no good reason (especially when he helped her at every turn), which, after a while became bothersome, but not enough to make me stop listening. It was nice to see the female be the most powerful in the room for a change. I feel like we keep getting all-powerful males with shadow powers in the romantasy genre, so this was a refreshing change. The fake engagement, warring courts, and one-bed tropes all had me kicking my feet in happiness. The spice was a solid 2/5 on the spice scale, but what we got was absolutely fabulous! The world-building made this feel like a place we could really go to rather than just giving us the basics to fill in at our leisure, and it made me ravenous for more of this world.

The narrators did a fantastic job of differentiating voices, so we clearly knew who was speaking, and I felt they did a decent job of voicing the opposite sex, as well.

Fantastic book, and I look forward to future books in this series!

🌶️🌶️.5
Don't let the humorous courting a princess plot start fool you. This book is full of secret plots, action and a steamy fake to real romance between two enemy courts. This was a beautifully woven series entry with subtle nods to its inspiration while changing up all the parts that didn't age well. FMC Aurelia was a fiery, loyal protector with a strong backbone until the very end. MMC playboy Prince Fenn was equally well written and multidimensional in all the best ways, with some great character growth. Did I mention there are dragons?! The world building was vast and immersive, and I think I can tell which court was the author's favorite or maybe that is just my bias. The spice was a perfect medium and the banter was smirk-worthy. This is a great read for fans of ACoTaR, Fourth Wing and A Cursed Son.

🌹Fairytale inspired
🐉Dragons
🌹Fae Courts
🐉Enemies to lovers
🌹Fake engagement
🐉Banter
🌹Both have pasts
🐉Secret identities
🌹Dual POV
🐉He falls first

The audiobook was narrated by Evelyn Rose and Tim Paige and both nailed it. While both were a bit weak with their voices of the opposite sex, they both fit my mental image of the MCs they were voicing. The flow was great and kept me immersed in the story. Tim especially nailed the tones and emotions being portrayed, especially when he delivered a quote that will live rent-free in my head for a bit. 🥵♨️

Thank you Willow Haven Press via Netgalley for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Big thanks to R.L. Perez and NetGalley for the chance to listen to this ALC. The dual narration by Evelyn Rose and Tim Paige was great and helped bring the characters to life. I did find it odd Aurelia was the only one with an accent, but it fit her and it didn’t take me out of the story.
The story of Aurelia and Fenn was easy to follow as they set about saving their kingdoms, forging alliances and trying to prevent war. The charachters and their banter was great. Especially between Aurelia and Fenn. The romance and spice(I’d give the spice 🌶️)was good. Loved the interactions between them that had me giggling. The world the story takes place in, the kingdoms, secrets, schemes, dragons, witches, magic… I loved it all!

3.5⭐️ A Sleeping Beauty retelling but with dragons and some spice. I found the first half of the book really compelling right from the beginning. The second half was very fast paced and full of action. I liked that the MMC Fenn wasn't the standard dark and moody prince but instead was gentle and aware of his feelings as well as those around him.
The dual POV was great and provided a clear view of what the two main characters were thinking especially because at times they denied how they were feeling towards each other. I will say the there aren't a ton of spicy scenes but one scene in particular seemed very oddly placed and did not seem to match up with the rest of the story in my opinion. It really lowered my rating of the book. Overall I did enjoy the book even though the twists were a little too predictable to me unfortunately. I would've liked a little more insight on the characters pasts especially Aurelia and how she overcame her SA with her ex-fiance. Also more regarding the relationships between Aurelia and her dragons.

*Thank you NetGalley, Willow Haven Press, and RL Perez for the ALC! Per usual my review and opinions are 100% my own*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

This was a neat take on a sleeping beauty retelling. I was fortunate enough to get an ALC, which I paired with the ebook to do my preferred method of immersive reading. The narrators for this were amazing and set the right tone for the characters. It did throw me off that the FMC was the only character in the book that somehow had a British accent though 😂. I will say there were a few verrrryyy minor points where the audio did not line up with the ebook (like a few extra words in the audio that do not exist on the ebook), but they weren’t big enough to really hinder my overall experience.

The storyline kept me interested throughout and although there were some points of the romance that felt like it almost came a bit too easy, I enjoyed both of the MC’s and their development throughout the book that I didn’t mind it. Overall my rating for this book is on pure enjoyment, so I don’t want to linger too much on the technical details. It’s a good time, interesting world with political intrigue, secret histories, and most importantly of course, dragons 😉. Mal can be my spirit animal any day 🤎

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. This book has great banter between the two character who have to team up unwillingly to save their kingdoms. While the narrators did a great job bringing the story to life I’m not a huge fan of them.

Crow of Slumber by R.J. was a captivating and enchanting story that kept me listening from start to finish. The story is set in a beautifully imagined world where dreams and realty intertwine, creating an immersive experience for the reader. Peres’s masterful storytelling is evident in the way she weaves intricate plotlines and develops multiple dimensional characters that you can’t help but root for. The main characters have charm and witty personalities that also add a little humor. The narrator’s did a wonderful job and kept me longing to hear more. Perez is new to me but I have already added some of her other titles to my to be read list.

2.5 stars rounded up. I love a good retelling, but this one felt like rather than retelling a story, it just copied all of the standard check list item for a fantasy—- girl with a special relationship with dragons, girl is the MOST special, fake romance, enemies to lovers, etc. and the fantasy aspects felt rushed. Just wasn’t for me, but I think a YA crowd would really enjoy.

Thanks NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for a genuine review.

Aurelia surprised me! This is described as a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but it is so much more! Some tropes found in this book; forbidden love & forced proximity. There are also dragons, creatures of fantasy worlds, and multiple plot twists! The story was quite entertaining and quite the adventure!

As for specifics to the audio, I can't say i enjoyed the accents. Aurelia's narrator with a Fen's accent was not great, and Fen's accent for Aurelia also left a lot to be desired Thankfully it didn't remove from enjoyment of the story, but it was a bit distracting.

3.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley, R.L. Perez, and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super quick and easy read. It was action-packed and kept me entertained the whole time.

I liked the dynamic between the two main characters and their interactions. The take on Sleeping Beauty was refreshing. I haven't read a Sleeping Beauty retelling before and I enjoyed this one. The subtle nods to the original story that were dotted throughout the book were delightful. It was a cool take on the fairytale by adding fae, magic, and dragons.

The world was really immersive. I liked the magic system and the intricate political dynamics that were happening. The different twists in the story kept me interested and eager to see what would happen next.

Aurelia was a strong and compelling character. Fenn was charismatic and funny, and I really liked how he interacted with Aurelia. The romance did feel like it happened quite quickly. The characters never felt like true enemies to lovers, but rather reluctant allies.

The story was very fast-paced and I was thrown into the action from the start. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick fantasy romance with loads of tension and action. It’s definitely worth a read.

"Crown of Slumber" by R.L. Perez offers a refreshing take on the Sleeping Beauty tale, a welcome break from the more frequently retold classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella. The world-building is immersive, and the author’s twist on the familiar fairy tale adds intrigue and depth. While the story didn’t grip me as much as I had hoped, I still found it enjoyable, with well-crafted moments that kept me engaged. The audiobook narration enhances the experience, bringing the characters to life with a fitting tone and pace. Fans of fairy tale retellings looking for something a little different will likely appreciate this unique take.

Sleeping beauty retelling
With magic, fae and dragons.
Enemies to lovers

If you like ACOTAR and Fourth wing then you will love this one.

Mysterious and magical.
Aurelia must align with an enemy court , Fenn’s court, to save both her family and kingdom.

As they journey back to his court she learns he may not be what she thought he was. He is deeply caring for his people and protective.

Will they be able to look past each others secrets to get along and save the people?

This story is captivating and narrated very well.

I'm not usually one for fairytale re-tellings, but this book smashed it out of the water.

I absolutely loved the Queen of Dragons underpinning story, throw in the reversed sleeping cursed, and a dark prince and you've got yourself a winner!

The enemies to lovers was a quick shift, within a few chapters Fenn was well and truly head over heels for Aurelia, so while it was sweet, this element could have been deepened to really draw out the midnight prince's torture of being tied to the princess his family have been at odds with for years - show me the villain!!

Aurelia's storyline was interesting, she started off quite fluffy, but there was a darkness behind her that had to be pulled from her depths, I loved the shifter element, (although the idea of Fenn facing a serpentine form of Aurelia made my stomach turn!), Aurelia truly became the queen of dragons by becoming the strongest dragon of them all.

The fact that Fenn's mother was the evil ruler taking the dragons and tricking Aurelia to the dreamland was a shock, I didn't see that coming, the fact that the queen had been plotting with the dream mage behind Fenn's back was a nice touch as we, as the reader, knew that he was true to the character we'd built him up to be.

The spice was the perfect amount, it didn't overpower the story and it was timed appropriately.

Overall, it was a quick and easy read, there wasn't anything heavy that weighed on you or drew you away from the story.

I actually really enjoyed this book - I'm not usually one for fairy tail retellings. But think sleeping beauty reversed... everyone in her kingdom has fallen under a sleep curse and she's got to find a way to break the spell. And there's dragons!

This contains:
- Enemies to lovers (they're from rival courts)
- A reluctant alliance
- Shifter Magic
- Just the right amount of spice

It's a stand alone, fast paced story where get a HEA <3

What happens when ACOTAR, Lord of the Rings and Sleeping Beauty walk into a bar…?

You get this masterpiece! I cannot figure out why more readers are not talking about this one!!!

True enemies to lovers, hilarious banter and shenanigans, twists and turns, loathsome villains and did I mention dragons!!

This book had it all! Cannot wait for more!!
@rlperezbooks

Thank you to @netgalley for the ALC. The Narrators did a fabulous job!!!

#netgalley #rlperezbooks #crownofslumber #crownsofthefaeseries #hefallsfirsttrope #dragons

4.25 stars

This book had some of the same elements as the wildly popular actor. It had faes, bonds, love with fairy tale lore sprinkled in , along with dragons. While it has elements of sleeping beauty there was alot of twists and I would consider it more inspired. As I mentioned I saw elements of many fairy tales, with more sleeping beauty at the end but still felt more inspired then retelling.
The story begins with a sleeping curse, feuding kingdoms, witches and a princess who loves dragons. The chemistry that is there from the start between the Midnight prince and Summer princess is top notch. Enjoyed their slow burn and witty banter. Overall I really enjoyed this different spin and look forward to next book.

Color me impressed! I generally enjoy retelling, but this one was several steps above the average retelling. The author flawlessly spun romantasy into this book in a way that captured & held my attention to the very end. I have never read anything by this author but I am eager to read the next book in this series! If you like retellings, you will definitely love this Sleeping Beauty romantasy.