Tag: kalynn-bayron

Review: Sleep Like Death

Title: Sleep Like Death
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: June 25, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron returns to fairytales with a lush, thrilling and original YA Snow White retelling that brings a new and exciting voice to this familiar tale. Perfect for fans of Cinderella Is Dead.

Only the truly desperate – and foolish – seek out the Knight, an ancient monster who twists wishes into curses. Eve knows this first-hand: one of her mothers was cursed by the Knight and trapped in the body of a songbird. With the unique abilities to communicate with animals and conjure weapons from nature, Eve has trained all her life to defeat him.

With more and more villagers harmed by the Knight’s corrupt deals, Eve believes she’s finally ready to face him. But when Queen Regina begins acting strangely – talking to seemingly no one, isolating herself, and lashing out at the slightest provocation – Eve must question if her powers are enough to save her family and her kingdom.

Review:

The people of Queen’s Bridge seek out the Knight when they want to make a wish. However, every wish comes with dire consequences. One of Princess Eve’s mothers was cursed to the body of a songbird after making a wish with the Knight. This has made Eve eager to collect stories about the Knight and learn how to defeat him. When Eve’s other mother, Queen Regina, begins acting strangely, speaking to a mirror in her room, Eve’s task of defeating the Knight becomes more urgent. Eve must figure out what is wrong with her mother and end the Knight for good.

This was such a great fairytale story! It is a loose retelling of Snow White. It doesn’t follow the original in the usual way, but there are several references to Snow White, such as the magic mirror and poison apple. This story is set in the same world as Cinderella Is Dead, but you don’t have to read that one to understand this book. There were hints to other fairytales in the same world at the end of this story, so I hope there will be more books set in this world!

Sleep Like Death is a thrilling fairytale retelling!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for sending me a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign. 

Content warnings: death, blood, death of parent, death of child, poison

Other books in the series:

Have you read Sleep Like Death? What did you think of it?

Review: Cinderella Is Dead

Title: Cinderella Is Dead
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew . . .

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Review:

It’s been 200 years since Cinderella met her Prince Charming. To honour her, the kingdom holds an annual ball for teen girls to find a match. If they don’t find a match, though, the girls are never seen or heard from again. Sophia is in love with her best friend, and would rather marry her, but she must follow the kingdom’s rules and go to the ball. However, after a fight at the ball, Sophia escapes and finds herself at Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, who is descended from Cinderella’s stepsister. They decide to bring down the King and end his cycle of tormenting girls and women. 

This is a great adaptation of the Cinderella story. There are many flaws in the original tale, including how the Prince knew he was in love with Cinderella but couldn’t remember her face. This story shows that the story that is told and the history that’s remembered, may be different from the actual truth to suit the people in charge. This kind of revisionist history happens all the time, and it’s important to remember the truth from all sides of the story. 

Cinderella Is Dead is a great Cinderella retelling!

Content warnings: death of parent (mentioned), death of animal, stabbing, poisoning, misogyny

Have you read Cinderella Is Dead? What did you think of it?