Spellbound by Georgia Leighton | Pub Date Apr 24 2025

This book was a bit difficult for me to get through. Despite having some hopes, I’ve now realized that all these retellings (just like live-action remakes) simply aren’t my cup of tea.

At first, I was somewhat intrigued by the story. It had a modern touch and some fairly interesting worldbuilding. But after a while, I started to lose interest in what was happening, or rather, what wasn't happening.

That said, one thing I did enjoy was the use of multiple POVs. It gave a deeper insight into the characters and their emotions, which added a nice layer to the overall narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Sleeping Beauty-inspired fairytale with multiple POVs, very little romance, and an appreciation of horses - obviously I am a targeted audience member of this.

This wasn't a fast-paced book by any means, but it did read like a fairytale, which I found absolutely charming, and had a lot of care for its world and characters (Sel, my love). Overall, a lovely read.

Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

This has such great potential being a sleeping beauty retelling that was about feminine rage and women saving themselves but for me it just fell short.

I found almost all of the character really unlikeable. Talia had the potential to be great but her character just wasn’t fleshed out enough for me.
Sel was the only likeable character for me, I loved her story of sacrifice and her resilience throughout. Her love story was Gad was the best part of this story and I’d actually have loved more of that!

About 70% of this book was just following Briar and Talia growing up very slowly and it was a bit painful to get through. Suddenly in those last 30% pages everything starts happening but then it just ends, without much actually happening and it was all a hit confusing. The spinning wheel? The after effects on the queen? It was all very strange and felt a bit rushed especially as one minute we were dealing with the after effects of Noatina showing up and the next the king is doing the parade?!?

If a book came out about Sep, Gad and their journey to the central realm then I would be all over that as the magic system sounded so interesting but there just wasn’t enough about it.

This was such a fun little take on the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty

This was my first retelling of a fairytale, and it did not disappoint for my very first one!

The book is themed around the question ‘what if sleeping beauty never fell asleep?’ which is such an interesting take

The story follows multiple POVs, which are surprisingly easy to keep up with

Not the ending I expected at all!

Thank you to the author, publisher and of course to NetGalley for this ARC

This was a really unique take on the fairytale of sleeping beauty. It deconstructed the tale to its base elements and rearranged them in a way that was fresh, and much more complex.

I enjoyed following Sel the most, she was someone that was in the wrong place at the right time, or the right place at the wrong time, depending on your opinion, who had her entire existence turned upside down by now having to care for a cursed baby. The constant running and hiding, all while managing a growing child who draws people to them. I liked her relationship with Gaddeous because he actually seemed like a very genuine person.

The writing style was something I struggled with here, particularly in how the characters were written. When you have such a range of characters from all sorts of locations and backgrounds you would expect them to be different, but despite the range from a queen to a peasant, everyone has the same tone and the same way of speaking. For me there was no difference in the way Briar and Talia spoke and acted at 5 versus at 16. In the first Talia chapter I thought she was older until the next chapter when another chapter said she was 5! This was the problem, condensing 16/17 years of development into 400 pages means that there are some missed elements and nuances that would have benefited the writing.

This was described as three women saving the day, but really they are very flawed characters. The Queen is obviously very traumatised, both from her childhood and from the birth, though why she would invite the blessings when she knew what would happen is odd, but she was cold the entire book and even by the end she defended them but that didn’t feel strong enough. The lady in waiting felt really manipulative to me. Maybe that’s not the right word, but everything she did was for appearances and to live up to expectations, nothing was done for Talia and she barely though of Briar in any of her chapters.

I’ve never read a fairytale retelling before so this one was new for me, and I enjoyed it much more then I was expecting too! The book was themed around the question ‘what if sleeping beauty never fell asleep?’ And the story is told via several POV’s. The characters are brilliantly written, the plot was interesting and I loved how magic was sprinkled in.

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a huge thank you to Georgia Leighton, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

There were a few reasons this book caught my eye. The title, Spellbound, was giving fantasy vibes and was just the easy-going genre I needed after a mind-bending, twisty thriller. I was looking for something that offered an absolute escape. The cover also caught my eye. I did not give much thought to the actual print in the first instance, I was just drawn to the colors and the swirling pattern formed by the roses, which drew me further into the feelings of escapism. Lastly, and probably most of all, I was drawn to the allusion of a retelling of the classic fairytale, Sleeping Beauty.

The beginning definitely had that fairytale feel. I kept wondering if Rumpelstiltskin was going to make an appearance. I enjoyed the nativity vibe it was giving off with these random masters all trying to reach a given destination as close to the birth of the new baby as possible. It reminded me of the Shepherds and Wisemen following the star to find the Messiah. But if at this point you are still expecting a close retelling of Sleeping Beauty, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, the story takes a major departure from versions we know and love, whilst still loosely maintaining features of various versions of Sleeping Beauty.

I read a few reviews during my early reading of this novel and noticed there were quite a few that mentioned odd/slow pacing. There are time jumps every so often once we have been given a sense of what a certain time in the characters’ lives has been like. I, personally, did not have a problem with skipping years whilst dwelling on others. This often coincided with moving between homes. I also noticed that there were several reviews that outright stated that this was not a love story, and that there would be no prince coming to the rescue. I liked this idea because it empowered the female characters and tells a fairytale for adults where we are not still believing that we need a man to save the day.

Like other reviews, I would agree that the ending was not expected and maybe didn’t do all the main characters justice, however, I did like that it was not entirely expected. I would also agree that the characters could have been more fleshed out. Upon finishing the story, I had questions about the family dynamics that led to the upset in the first place. I would have liked to have seen more magic or had a better understanding as to why magic was frowned upon, particularly when there were still Masters that could wield it.

Whilst reading the story, I was satisfied with the pace and the world around me at the time, but overall, I wanted more. For a fantasy novel, the world building could have been stronger. Several locations were used but in retrospect, it is difficult to distinguish them from each other.

The novel is probably best suited to young adult readers. There are some allusions to sexual relations but otherwise the story is fairly mild. Death also features, but again, it is not particularly descriptive making it tame for a younger crowd. Overall, given the target audience, the interesting plot twist, but lack of detail that left me wanting to know more, I rate the book 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you Random House UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

On a windswept island off the coast of the Kingdom of Bavaugh, a long-awaited royal heir is born. In ancient custom, a blessing ceremony takes place to bestow the princess with magical gifts - along with a terrible curse. Except this is not the love story you know. There is no prince to save the day, just three women - the Queen, her chief Lady-in Waiting and Sel, a Master's Apprentice - who concoct a desperate plan of misdirect that changes the course of all their lives. In the chaotic aftermath of the blessing ceremony, Sel flees the castle with the cursed princess, promising to raise her in secrecy. Meanwhile, confined behind castle walls, another child grows up in her place. But plain and bookish Talia is not the princess everyone was expecting and, as Sel roams the depths of the kingdom with beautiful and otherworldly Briar, the end of the curse edges ever closer.

The Queen begins as an incredibly intriguing character and then soon becomes dull, for want of a better word. Yes, it’s clear she is depressed after what happened but she goes from fierce and strong to just nothing at all. There were so many chances to make her character great and it felt like they were all missed.
Sel is probably the best character in the story - of what I read. She had a bit of depth to her but even that seemed to fizzle. It is just incredibly frustrating because I can see the potential these characters have and yet, they just aren’t reaching it for me.
Both Talia and Briar are babies so there isn’t much to comment there. I did (finally) see them grown up but they were still young children at a third of the way through. Who knows where they ended up because I don’t.

This one has a blurb that intrigued me so much, I dashed at the chance to read it. But it just didn’t execute how I wished it would and in the end, I had to DNF at 30% because I just couldn’t get into it. The plot is okay but when you’re hitting 20% through the book and so little time has passed that the twins are still babies? There is too much padding there. I felt rather like a slog trying to sit and read and I kept finding something to distract me instead of being immersed in the story - which is not a great sign. The characters felt rather weak and the twins especially, I don’t know anyone so eloquent at apparently six years old! There was so much hope for this book but it really just didn’t work out for me.

Overall, Spellbound is a book that I just couldn’t get into and it is a big shame.

Thank you again Random House UK for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day and is available now on Goodreads.

I enjoyed this retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
I enjoyed the world building and the writing was captivating, fitting for a fairytale retelling. The characters emotions and motivations were always beautifully described. I couldn’t put it down for the first half of the book however about halfway the story became a bit lacklustre and I started to struggle to connect with the stories and characters. I also felt that the event that everything had led up to was a little
Underwhelming. Overall I enjoyed the book as a charming fairytale.

This is a unique retelling of the well-known fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty.
There are lots of things done really well. I enjoyed the world-building but would have liked a bit more information about the conflicts that were mentioned between other lands.  I know they were only ever mentioned in passing, but I'm nosy and wanted to know a little more of what was going on.
The author is so good at describing emotion.  I truly felt that the anger, frustration, and fear that the characters experienced.
I don't quite understand some of the decisions made by characters, but I think that's more about me than the author.
I really liked Sel, from the off. She found herself in an impossible situation, and she dealt with it in the only way that she knew how. Briar was a decent character as well until maybe the second half of the book, where she just didn't appear to develop. 
Jackon and Gad were the standout characters for me, and although we don't really "know" them, the love and loyalty they show had me rooting for them each and every time they appeared.
There are a lot of threads that could have / should have been tied up but the end of this felt so rushed that I'm not surprised that I was left feeling a little confused and underwhelmed and wondering if there will be a sequel.
As a debut adult novel, though, I think the author has done a good job

Although I love a fairy-tale retelling, this one wasn't my favourite. There was a lot of nothing happening, and by the time we got to the good stuff the book was almost done. It had all of the components of a good story, but I felt like there were a few too many points of view. Not the worst story, but not my favourite.

Not for me, this book. I really enjoyed the first 2/3.or so - I loved the new take on Sleeping Beauty, and thought it was going to be a more feminist twist where the women save themselves. I especially liked the character of Sel, whom we see make multiple sacrifices for the good of Briar, and struggle with the direction her life has been forced into. It made her a more three dimensional character, one we could root for and feel sorrow alongside.

However, I disliked the ending so much that it ruined the book for me.
With a fairy tale retelling, we're conditioned to expect one of two routes - either we get a moral slant and some pretty gruesome results (pecked out eyes, cut off limbs a la Grimm) or we get a Disney-fied happy ever after. I would have been happy with either. Instead, nobody gets their comeuppance, but there is not a single character with a satisfying ending.
Briar, having been essentially abandoned by her real family for her whole life, loses the 'blessings' along with her curse, is expected to play lady-in-waiting to her younger sister, and can expect a life with no acknowledgement of her lineage from any family member. She's also expected to leave behind Sel, the only mother figure she's known.
Talia has been lied to for her whole life, emotionally abandoned by her mother and is sent off to play heir for a father that turned his back on her. She has no time to form any sort of relationship with her sister, despite the fact that she has spent most of her life lonely.
Sel sacrificed 17 years of her life and is just dropped once her job is done. She loses her daughter, finds that the things she was expecting to gain were already hers by inheritance.
If there had been more time spent with the characters after the curse was broken, it may have been more satisfying. The pay-off in this book should have been the sister's gaining each other. A solidifying of their relationship would have worked nicely in juxtaposition to Violanna and the Sorceress, who let hatred come between them.
Is there a sequel planned? This felt like a standalone book, but the ending felt like a half-assed conclusion so I couldn't help wonder if it was purposely done to leave the reader dissatisfied in the hope they'll return for a sequel. Perhaps one that explores a reunion between the sisters?

I hesitated for ages between 2 and 3 stars for this one, but ultimately went down because I realised that even though I'm disappointed by the ending for these characters, I won't care enough to purchase a sequel.
Ultimately a promising premise that didn't quite work out.

I always go into fairytale retellings with a mixture of both hope and skepticism as the genre has become so popular in the last few years. I loved the fresh take and the question 'what if sleeping beauty never went to sleep' because it immediately subverts our expectations of the novel. Leighton's writing is spellbounding, pun intended and kept me hooked to the page.
I loved that the novel had several POV's because I always feel more immersed in the story.
My only true critique would have to be the pacing of the book, the ending felt slightly rushed and could have been drawn out slightly longer.
Overall I loved this book.

I really enjoyed this whimsical retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It’s a bit of a twisty-turny telling with pieces from the original but different story-lines.

The initial twist from the get-go was really interesting and allowed the book to diverge into two paralleled plots of the two main characters. While there were two main characters, there were a couple of supporting characters as well. This contributed to the multiple pov in a way that was helpful. Each of the characters were distinct that it was easy to follow. There was a good amount of character development, which made for an exciting, but quick, climax.

On the whole, I was satisfied with all but one of the endings for the characters. Not bad for a first novel!

Writing this review without spoiling anything was hard! Thanks Netgalley for the arc!

Wonderful premise and a great Sleeping Beauty storyline but unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me. The writing style wasn't working and it just felt a bit off.

Well written and engaging fantasy novel. Really enjoyed to the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

**DNF at 30%—probably more of a me problem than the book.**

I love the idea of a Sleeping Beauty retelling, especially one with a strong female focus and dark magic woven in. That premise had me hooked.

Unfortunately, the writing style just didn’t click with me. And once I struggle with that, it’s nearly impossible for me to connect with the characters or the story as a whole.

If the style works for you, you might love this—but sadly, it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

Spellbound is. take on the classic fairytale of Sleeping Beauty with windswept islands, magical curses and knightly politics all bubbling together in this enchanting fantasy. I went into this thinking it would an instant 4star minimum read but unfortunately it didn't hit in the way I had hoped.

We follow 5 POVs across the entire story which left the pacing feeling a little 'stop / start' and didn't provide enough context and connection to the individual characters to feel a greater deal of emotion towards who they were, what they wanted or why there were doing what they were doing. If there was 1 less to follow, or more pages I think this could've worked amazingly, and had really fleshed out characters and storylines that felt more interconnected that slowly pull them together into something really strong and developed.

Through the odd pacing, I didn't feel this sense of dread from the curse, or urgency on how it was going to be resolved and when we did reach this 'climatic' point, it was over too quickly to really hone in on the importance of what occured and drive any real impact (again I'm saying all this as my own thoughts, I can see many people loved this book!!!).

For me, it just didn't achieve that beautiful magical feeling that I was expecting, I wanted to feel transported away into this royal realm where these rich, incredible women come together to break this curse and feel an even deeper connection to this absolutely beloved fairytale.

This is a beautiful story about women and the emotional challenges they face when placed into a difficult situation.

It follows 5 female's POV and their roles as a mother, daughter, friend. It is a mix of coming of age for some characters and plot for the others. I didn't find that much happened in terms of the plot though. The ending is left a little unfinished which leaves you to your own imagination.

I would have liked to have seen more character development or the women becoming powerful and relying more on each other - the way I have come to expect from fantasy novels but the women were real, flawed and relatable.

Spellbound is a unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty, told from multiple points of view.
I did generally like the book but the ending fell a little flat, lacklustre and rushed.
I like the multiple POVs but I feel like there was either one too many or the book needed to be longer! I found myself not really getting attached to the characters except Sel.
I was really interested in the world building and actually found myself lowkey hoping we ditched the main storyline and found our way to the Central Realm with Sel! In fact, I’d be totally up for a follow on centred solely around Sel, Briar can visit.
And I’d just like to ask; Iver???

Overall though I did like it, especially the lack of ‘knights in shining armour’ and male bravado.