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4.5 ⭐ You know that feeling when you have waited too long to read a really good book. I‘m living that now. I‘ve had Thornhedge since it came out and I already know I love T. Kingfisher. But no, I waited on this. The story that this woman can put in 111 pages. It‘s sweet, it‘s uplifting, it‘s happy, it‘s fascinating. Let the adjectives continue. This is a sleeping beauty retelling that imagines a different villain and a different reason

A fantastic retelling of Sleeping Beauty. A reverse where the princess is evil and the fairy is good. I love T. Kingfisher‘s books and this novella didn‘t disappoint.

Book 8/100 of the year.

This was a great story. I‘ve been in a T kingfisher mood lately and are loving reading through their works, a lot of which are a nice short length. This one is a sleeping beauty retelling with a twist. Very fun 😻

4/5 ?????

"No. I have many mothers. If I am hideous, then we are hideous together. And that made it easier, because in her heart of hearts, she could not believe that her mothers were anything but beautiful."

#fantasy #retelling #sleepingbeauty #novella

I love a great fairytale retelling and this was so beautiful and unique❤️❤️ T. Kingfisher is one of my fav

I think I mostly enjoyed this one.

Reading for reading challenges.

3.5/5

This novella is a wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a fascinating twist on the story we know.

#HammockReading

Kingfisher turns the story of Sleeping Beauty on its head in this one where a fairy stands guardian over a maiden in a tower who should, under no circumstances, be awakened unless those who do so long for the end of the world (more or less). Long after everyone who knew about the tower & the maiden should be dead, stories still draw people to the tower & one day a knight shows up determined to learn the truth. Fabulous fairy tale retelling.

It's been such a long day. I just want to get lost in my books for a while and shut off my brain

Thornhedge is a 2024 Hugo Best Novella nominee, and it is a solid story, as are all of T. Kingfisher's works that I've read. This is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story, with a number of unexpected twists. #hugo2024 #hugoawards

#gottacatchemall (prompt 41. Shelmet: Fairy tale retelling) @PuddleJumper

This is a special kind of retelling. What if, the princess is not to be saved, but the villain? Also, I really enjoyed the main characters. Both are humble, unsure about themselves and their place in the world. I felt so connected to them, and could understand their struggles and insecurities. They way the story is told just felt right, somehow. It's a cruel world, but still I felt save and accepted.

#roll100 @PuddleJumper

A very interesting reading challenge I'm doing for the SpecFic Buddy Reads group on Goodreads.

Interesting Sleeping Beauty retelling.

Toadling was the victim of a changeling swap. Born the daughter of a king, snatched from her cradle when she was hours old, and raised in the Fae realm, she was sent back to stop the creature left in her place, but she failed. So, she concealed the castle where the creature slept behind a hedge, until they are forgotten. But the story survived.

#Readaway2024 #FabulousFebruary #20in4 #readathon #HyggeHourReadathon

Spent my #Naturalitsy #HyggeHour reading this novella, a Sleeping Beauty in reverse story where the heroine, Toadling is a human princess but because she was stolen away & replaced with a changeling & raised in the waters of faerieland, she has magic & can change into a toad.🐸 It‘s a quick & sweet read & I enjoyed it.

Accompanying my reading is a pineapple juice bar ⬇️

Let‘s turn the tale of Sleeping Beauty on its head!
With a main character (who can turn into a toad) and her mild magic and a kind knight wondering what the thornhedge is hiding, see why the story isn‘t what you always thought—learn why Toadling the changeling is protecting the world FROM the sleeping girl in the tower…
And yes, @rubyslippersreads - you would like this!
For anyone who likes a fairy tale retelling, this novella is a treat. 🐸

Cute chapter illustrations 🐸

The story lacked any depth and it was a struggle to get through.

#Bookreport

📚Currently reading:

📕The Goblin Emperor - A chapter a day.
📕A Storm of Swords - A chapter a day
📙Lord of The Necropolis - Reading before bed.
📙 Thornhedge - Every weekday
🎧Night of the Hunter - From time to time.

Progress:

Overall it was a very good week for reading, I was minimally distracted and even made progress in NotH and TGE.

I started Thornhedge but so far it's not gripping me, but I will finish it this week.

I'm not a theologist by any means but this statement doesn't seem correct. (this character is Muslim, for context)

I'm trying to keep an open mind still but this doesn't feel like it's intended for an adult audience. The writing comes off as too juvenile. It irks me that the author writes as if the reader is stupid as well.

Like, yes MC he DIDN'T leave. You don't have to reiterate the point every five minutes as if I, as a reader am too stupid to follow. (because there are also still 90 pages left but that's beside the point.)

A delightful quick read. This is a dark new version of the Sleeping Beauty tale, but it is very different and I really liked it. Not surprising as T. Kingfisher rarely lets me down. If anything, I could have had more of this story. 4.5⭐️

I liked the story, but I don't like Kingfisher's writing style. It reads jarringly for me. Don't know how to explain it.

The cover on the left is 😍, but my eBook had the one on the right.

Another #AuldLangSpine book from @rachelsbrittain's list. Yes, I know, I'm flying through the list. I'm trying to make the best of the days before the regular life starts again.

#52bookclub24 - About finding identity

First read of #Roll100 finished. Already off to a great start! 😆

This was a quick fairytale retelling novella. The magic and world were interesting. And I really enjoyed this one.

Visiting my mom for a few days and short of time and wifi, so keeping it simple. Lovely read. Looking forward to all the Kingfisher.

#12BooksOf2023 October.

Here‘s the books that were rolled for January #roll100.

Now to see if I can‘t get any of these from my library!

I have to go through last year‘s list and see which books to remove from my TBR that I didn‘t read but were picked!

Lightning quick Sleeping Beauty retelling that made good company while I wrapped.

3.25⭐
Maybe it was the narration or the quick manner in which it was told…but I never really felt like I knew what was happening in this. I want to be able to say I loved it since I loved Kingfisher‘s other fantasy Nettle and Bone, but I can‘t say that I did. I think fantasy is so hit or miss for me...although, plenty of others did like this. I'm not really sure how I feel about Jennifer Blom's narration, either, to be honest.

4.5/5

A wonderful reimaging of Sleeping Beauty begins when a baby is replaced by a changeling and grows up in Faerie with her Fae family instead of her human family. It was a great, quick read, but I did find the first half a little upsetting as it really dove into the idea of what would happen to the baby who was stolen to be replace by the changeling.

I thought the narrator dig a great job brining Toadling's voice to life.

Unique little Sleeping Beauty retelling with characters you'll adore

#catsoflitsy #fairytale

#AHRS @gossamerchild
#HHS @Laughterhp

Funny coincidence. Well I knew there was always a possibility 😅 regardless obsessed with each swap box. You both did phenomenal!!! I‘ll make full posts in the morning for both after I take mom to the doctor. Ty both so much. Happy Halloween! 👻 🧡

I wanted to participate in Dewey's 24-hour readathon, but I did a clinic today and was exhausted afterwards. I have Monday off though, so I'm still hoping to do a belated sorta-readathon. #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Toadling, tasked with gifting a princess, is instead stuck in the human world until a knight comes along, hunting a story of a maiden & briars.

If this hadn‘t relied on one of my least favorite tropes, I would have liked the rest a lot more. Because Toadling is a charming & endearing narrator, Halim is a sweetheart, & the concept of an evil Sleeping Beauty is fascinating. Although the ending felt a little too neat & abrupt for me. 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

A birthday present, something I want to add to my TBR for the month, and my #PhotoChallenge for #blood .

I loved Nettle and Bone so much, this was the top of my birthday wish list this year. 😁

#Scarathlon2023 #HHC @dabbe, @Clwojick, @Liatrek, @JessClark78, @Chrissyreadit, @StayCurious, @TheDaysGoBy, @vonnie862, @LadyCait84, @Sresendez12, @Nessavamusic, @kelli7990, @JessieKB

My book from yesterday is perfect for today's #Scarathlon #PhotoChallenge.

#TeamMischiefAndMayhem

A subverted “Sleeping Beauty“ retelling that's tender and sensitive rather than witty and snarky. Features a most humble and lovable evil fairy godmother and a disarmingly well-meaning Muslim knight. There are some grisly moments but it's mostly very sweet.

#Scarathlon #TeamMischiefAndMayhem wordsearch words=39
#BookSpinBingo #25

“Thorns die from the inside out, like priests”

I don't know why their writing pulls at my heartstrings.

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/g3h8r5V6m1k

Enjoy!

This is a short retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale that takes the point of view of the person (In this case a toadling that could take human form) who cursed her. While it was interesting and I appreciated the creativity of the novella, there just wasn't enough to the story for my taste. I also wanted more from the ending. That said, if you like fairy tales give it a chance. Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the advance reading copy. 3/5 stars

I loved this clever reimagining of Sleeping Beauty where a changeling has taken the place of the princess and the real child, who was whisked away by faeries, must now keep her from causing any harm. One of the most inventive retellings I've ever read, though the ending felt maybe a little neat for my taste given the rest of the story.

My #WeekendReads

"In the early days, the wall of thorns had been distressingly obvious."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Oh, I just loved this quick listen!! This twist on the #SleepingBeauty fairytale feels original and is a pleasure to listen to! Toadling relays the story of her life- from its unexpected start, to a mission to deliver a gift from the fairy realm gone wrong and guarding a bramble-hidden tower and the girl within for hundreds of years. It‘s a charming and delightful story that mixes traditional Faerie characters into a familiar yet fresh tale!

I received an eARC for an honest review.

3.5/5⭐ Sleeping Beauty retelling w/ atmospheric prose & wonderful audio narration. The main characters together are so sweet. The monster, protagonist, & hero subvert tropes.

I didn't like the unnuanced use of changelings given the real history of justifying the harm of people thought to be changelings because of illness/disability/neurodivergence. The quick resolution felt anti-climactic. #bookspin

I jumped in not knowing anything about this novella.

Sleeping Beauty … a dark retelling.

Auto buy author.

This story is told from the POV of Toadling, the fairy who put the princess to sleep. Toadling is such a love & the sweet knight that comes to reverse the curse is her perfect hero.

Fantastic ending!

I imagine an illustrated hardcover filled with these short stories that I could page through as I listen. Great narrator.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A both sweetly and bitterly enchanting spin on Sleeping Beauty, this story of a gentle toad fairy and the horror she keeps locked in a tower is not one you‘ve heard before! T. Kingfisher‘s world-building is immersive—she‘s capable of building entire castles out of just the echoes of timeworn tales. I highly recommend Thornhedge for fans of Seanan McGuire‘s Wayward Children series and Alix Harrow‘s Fractured Fables series!

This is a fun Sleeping Beauty retelling novella. It's a very quick read. What if there was a reason the princess was asleep? It's fun and a bit different.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 8/15/23
#ARC #NetGalley