Book Review: Waking Beauty by Sarah E. Morin

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Title: Waking Beauty

Author: Sarah E. Morin

Series: Standalone

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling

Audience: Young Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

The rescue wasn't going at all how he planned. Prince Arpien intends to gain a throne and the sleeping beauty's heart with a single kiss that wakes her from the evil fairy's curse. But kissing the princess is only the beginning of a series of unforeseen obstacles: man–eating bugs, deadly spindles, talking lapdogs, and fiery pickles. The sleeping beauty is the biggest complication of all. Princess Brierly is beautiful and Fairy–Gifted, but also ... daft. After one hundred years of sleep imprisonment, Brierly refuses to believe this rescue is anything more than a tantalizing but doomed dream. Arpien is drawn to the vibrancy beneath Brierly's indifferent exterior. Can they reclaim her kingdom? Do they dare trust in the Prince of the old tales to help them battle the evil fairy who cursed Brierly? What is the price of waking beauty?

~ MY REVIEW ~

**4 stars**

Now that was a huge book! Waking Beauty by Sarah E. Morin is a fairy tale retelling, of the epic sort. It was unique and humorous, while spinning an intense, thought-provoking tale that pierces straight to your heart. While the writing was not, personally, my favorite style, I did love the fairy tale-ish-ness of this thick novel; the fantasy world was great, and more than one scene brought me to tears. The Christian allegory woven into Waking Beauty was profound indeed. Because of the more narrative way the story went about, it got a little long at times for me; but Sarah E. Morin wove so many amazing thoughts and lessons in here ... challenges and encouragement. And some sweetness. ^_^ When I finished reading, I wanted to hug the book (and characters).

Oh, and Arpien was fabulous. All his labeled bows were quite entertaining. And his heart is truly loyal and heroic.

There were a couple, fairly brief, moments that it got violent/gruesome. That would be my one caution. Otherwise, Waking Beauty is great fairy tale with some powerful Truth woven in the core of it.