I love myself some re-tellings and sleeping beauty is definitely one of them

The world building and story with it’s magic system was very interesting and the twists and turns it took was very enjoyable

I really enjoyed this Sleeping Beauty retelling! Thank you so, so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title!

Blurb:
Two feuding kingdoms. One unbreakable sleeping curse.

When a deadly sleeping curse befalls her family, Princess Aurelia's only hope lies in the hands of the wicked Prince Fenn. His kingdom maintains the only known supply of stardust, a rare substance that is the key to breaking the spell. But Fenn’s aid comes with a price: Aurelia must pose as his betrothed to secure an alliance that will protect his court.

As they embark on their journey, weaving a web of deception, Aurelia begins to see through his charming facade. Beneath his flippant persona lies a depth she never expected—a prince she could grow to care for. Perhaps even love.

But as genuine feelings blossom between them, Aurelia stumbles upon a sinister secret within Fenn's court—a secret that threatens not only her kingdom but the very essence of her soul. Can she trust Fenn to save her family, or will his hidden darkness be their undoing?

I was completely swept away by Crown of Slumber! R.L. Perez has crafted a lush, enchanting fantasy with the perfect blend of romance, danger, and dreamy world-building. From the very first page, I was hooked—and I didn’t want to leave the realm she created.

What stood out most to me was how Crown of Slumber reimagines familiar fairytale elements into something entirely its own. There's a rich sense of magic threaded through every scene, but what truly made this book shine were the characters. The heroine is strong, layered, and easy to root for, and the love interest? The brooding, mysterious type who absolutely stole the show. Their chemistry sizzled, and the slow-burn tension had me hanging on every interaction.

The pacing struck a great balance—giving time to build emotional depth while keeping the plot moving forward with plenty of twists. I also appreciated the stakes; nothing felt rushed, and every decision had weight behind it. Perez knows how to make readers feel the intensity of a moment without sacrificing beauty in the prose.

The romantic arc in this book was so satisfying. There’s a delightful tension that slowly unravels as the story progresses, and by the end, I was deeply invested in the characters' connection and future. The ending was both satisfying and left me wanting more in the best way.

If you're a fan of fairytale-inspired fantasy, slow-burn romance, and richly imagined worlds, Crown of Slumber is absolutely worth the read. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever R.L. Perez writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley, Willow Haven Press, and the author for the chance to read this book.

I enjoyed this dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It's full of dragons, magic, and some spice. Their is plenty of drama and action to keep the story moving along quickly, but it didn't feel rushed. I can't wait to read the next instalment.

4⭐
"Two feuding kingdoms, one unbreakable curse."

Fairytale retellings are my absolute favorite, and this Sleeping Beauty retelling just hit all the right buttons!

Thank you NetGalley and Willow Haven Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The storytelling was lush and well rounded and I thoroughly enjoyed having the dual povs. The narrative was somewhat fresh ( as a retelling which was great)

Definitely a enjoyable read

Thank you NetGalley for the arc

Crown of Slumber is a lush, dreamy reimagining that blends fairytale magic with emotional depth and slow-burning intrigue. The worldbuilding is enchanting, full of whispered curses, hidden powers, and a haunting atmosphere that lingers like a half-remembered dream. The protagonist’s journey is both magical and personal, touching on themes of identity, destiny, and waking up to one’s own strength. It’s beautifully written and immersive—a story that pulls you in gently, then refuses to let go.

This was a beautiful fantasy romance novel. It was filled with beautiful scenery and connections. I was very pleased with this book. All of my expectations were met.

I have been in a state of reading various re-tellings and I was excited to see this one, based on Sleeping Beauty. Overall, I enjoyed it and really liked having the dual POVs. I thought that the changes and additions were creative and look forward to reading more by this author.

A Sleeping Beauty retelling, Crown of Slumber, recreates a beloved story with new twists and turns that bring to light all the different elements that make the story great. The heir of the Summer Court, princess Aurelia, and her sworn enemy, Prince Finn of the Night Court find themselves thrown together in a series of unexpected events in order to save her kingdom from a sleeping curse. Known for her love of the dragons that her court has sworn to protect, Aurelia must set aside who she thought she was meant to be, with who she truly is meant to be and what she has to offer the world around her.

Aurelia’s journey of self discovery was fraught with constant danger, and that would make it seem as if the story moved quickly. However, the story took its time to breathe as Aurelia discovered the world around her and how to navigate both new and old relationships. Aurelia has seen such a great amount of trauma in her life that it complicated her relationship with Prince Finn as they began to know one another in an entirely new light. The growth of their relationship was beautiful in the way that it acknowledged Aurelia’s trauma without minimizing it.

Finn’s patience and compassion was slowly brought out as he responded to Aurelia’s reluctance to get to know someone from the Night Court. His chemistry with her was balanced by his acknowledgement that he may not be able to know her in the way that he quickly began to desire. While the pacing of the story could at times be difficult to follow, Finn’s relationship with Aurelia made the work worth it.

Despite the constant action and adventure, when the height of the conflict finally arrived, it felt lackluster. The villains' motivations fell flat when compared to everything that drove the heroes to the conclusion of the conflict. There was so much potential depth to the story, that it would have been nice for the conflict to have reached greater heights.

3.5/5 stars for an exciting and spicy retelling of an old favorite.

Thank you to Willow Haven Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ohh, I enjoyed this one very much! It has dragons!
This book is a Sleeping Beauty retelling, and it was so good. It was fast-paced, romantic, and enjoyable, and I highly recommend reading it.
I was hooked from the start. You also have fae, a curse, and enemies-to-lovers moments.
So, do yourselves a favor and add it to your TBR :)

I listened to this one via audio and my goodness what a magical experience the narrators did a fabulous job of bringing this story to life.

This is one for the booktok girlies to sink their teeth into there’s
magic
princes & princesses
Slow burn romance
DRAGONS!
Political intrigue
Sleeping beauty retelling
Fae

The world building is definitely well done, each kingdom has its own traits and personalities which I really enjoyed.

The Dynamics between the characters were entertaining and endearing and I cannot wait to see more from these characters!

4 stars

A dark and enchanting twist.
"Crown of Slumber" by R.L. Perez takes the familiar tale of Sleeping Beauty and plunges it into a world of dark fae magic and complex characters. This isn't your typical fairy tale retelling; There is crafted a story with a distinct edge, exploring themes of power, destiny, and the blurred lines between good and evil.

The writing is lush and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the fae realm and its inhabitants. The protagonist, while reminiscent of Aurora, is given a depth and agency that sets her apart. She's not just a passive victim of a curse, but a character grappling with her fate and the dangerous world she's thrust into.
The supporting characters are equally well developed, each with their own motivations and secrets, adding layers of intrigue to the narrative.

The "Sleeping Beauty Retelling" aspect is cleverly woven into the story, offering familiar elements while subverting expectations. The "Crowns of the Fae" series promises a larger world, and this first installment effectively sets the stage for future adventures.

While the pacing occasionally felt a bit slow, particularly in the initial setup, the intriguing plot and compelling characters kept me hooked. The dark tone and complex relationships make this a refreshing take on a beloved classic.

If you're a fan of fairy tale retellings with a touch of darkness and a strong dose of fae magic, "Crown of Slumber" is definitely worth a read. I'm eager to see where the "Crowns of the Fae" series goes from here and I will definitely pick up the next book!

Thank you to R.L. Perez, Willow Haven Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Crown of Slumber is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty where instead of the princess falling under a sleeping curse it's her court. With the help of a rival court - Prince Fenn - Aurelia sets out to break the curse.

I wanted to love this book - I really did. And I know some people have. My sister for one rated it 5 stars. I just think it wasn't for me. I found the beginning of the book rather slow and it shows with how long it took me to finish the book. There was a lot of things happening in the middle with nothing really happening if you know what I mean? It seemed like was as much written about Aurelia and Fenn getting new clothes as there was about a literal battle they have with trolls. At the same time when bigger scenes happened it was as if, to me, they were over and done with super quick such as the couple's final hours in the Autumn Court after the ball.
I felt like Aurelia and Fenn were cute enough as a couple but nothing to write home about. I wish the rival courts angle had been leaned into more with more of an enemies to lovers like I expected after starting the book. It was too insta-lust for me.
Mal was brilliant to me he was giving loyal guard dog and I loved it - between Mal being on Aurelia's side and the court being who fell to the sleeping curse I felt there was enough different from the base Sleeping Beauty story to feel brand new with nods to the source material such as a certain three witches names.
All in an easy read - even if I did find the pacing could be slow at times.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. If you are looking for a book with dragons, witches and rival kingdoms, fake dating and enemies to lovers then definitely check out this book it’s a sleeping beauty retelling.
She’s a princess who is in charge of taking care of dragons and he’s a shadow prince trying to save his kingdom. They go off on a quest to save their kingdoms.

🔹he falls first
🔹enemies to lovers
🔹fake engagement

Arc Review:
Overall Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 2 🔥🔥
Cover Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
🖤Fantasy Romance
✨Sleeping Beauty Retelling
🖤Fae, Witches, Dragons, and Dragon Riders
✨Dark Fae Magic
🖤A Curse
✨Deadly Court Schemes and Royal Secrets
🖤Steamy Romance
✨Rival Kingdoms
🖤Enemies To Lovers
✨Opposites Attract
🖤Fake Courtship/Engagement
✨Dual POV

If you love ACOTAR… but want dragons too… and if you love Fourth Wing… but want more fae romance… Crown of Slumber is Fourth Wing meets ACOTAR with a fairytale twist.

Two feuding kingdoms, one unbreakable sleeping curse.

This book was romantasy at it’s finest mixing in the sleeping beauty retelling which had elements of the original story but also gave it’s own separate plot with it’s own twist and turns.

I’ve always enjoy a good fairytale retelling especially when it’s done well, the writing in this book was good and easy to get into. The world building was their with plenty of descriptive words so you could sense and imagine the authors vision for their world. Also this book was a bit long but I hardy noticed because I got lost in this stories world and characters. Speaking of characters you have Fenn the dark and dangerous yet slightly arrogant but still playful prince from the midnight court that falls first and falls hard for our princess Aurelia from the summer court who would rather spend her time with her dragons then her own court… honestly fair enough… I mean come on dragons and I loved her special connection to all the dragons, and that the dragons were all given personalities of their own. I also loved Fenn and Aurelia’s chemistry their flirting and banter was top tier had me kicking my feet and giggling so hard.

This slow burn enemies to lovers steamy fantasy romance sleeping beauty retelling with dragons and fae was everything and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley, publishers and the author for this advanced readers copy of Crown of Slumber.

R.L. Perez takes an interesting take on the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. Instead of the classic insta-love prince and princess cursed love story, she utilizes the enemy to lovers trope that really helps you connect with the character more. Also the connection that the Summer Princess Aurelia has with the dragons is heart-warming and interesting and Prince Fennick's cocky attitude makes the reader laugh and connect with the character. Definitely worth a read.

This was such an original and wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty! I was spellbound from the start and read the entire book in one sitting because I couldn't pull away.
Excited to read more from this author!

Crowns of Slumber by R.L. Perez is a dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty filled with deception and intrigue. The story starts with a treacherous alliance but develops into something far more deep. The relationship between the MC is both tense and steamy making us hooked to it. With a good world building and fast pace this was a fantastic romantasy novel.

I am a sucker for a fairytale retelling and this did not disappoint. Sleeping beauty but with dragons? Who can really resist. The TENSION! Chefs kiss. I’m excited to read more works by this author.