Review: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
 
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora’s throne ten years ago.
 
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it’s too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Series: N/A
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling/Fantasy/Young Adult
Release Date: 9 December, 2014
Publisher: Random House Children’s
Purchase: amazon
ISBN: 9780385743228
Edition: eBook
Rating: ★★★★★
Review Written: 8 October, 2014

It seems that Fairy Tale retellings are beginning to grow in popularity again, and I have to admit that the idea of that makes me happy. Princess of Thorns focuses not really on the story of Sleeping Beauty, but on that of her daughter Princess Aurora.

Fairy-blessed and an exile in her own kingdom, Princess Aurora knows she has to save her brother before the end of the long Summer. If she doesn’t, all hope will be lost, the ogres will have won, and the world as everyone knows it will seep into non-existence. That’s a lot of pressure for someone who’s only seventeen. Mix in a cursed son of a man who’s deemed he shall always be the king of his kingdom, an ogre queen who’s beginning to rethink the prophecy she’s been fed since her childhood, and a scheme priest who’s determined to rule the new, darkness cursed world – and you’ll have a decent cast of characters who charm and drag you into their story.

Jay’s use of multiple perspectives is a growing trend among authors, and while it can be difficult to pull off, she managed to do it quite nicely. With an easy to read writing style and a carefully constructed world, Jay does a fantastic job conveying the story to readers. Definitely recommend this book.