A unique retelling of the Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale, this book is full of magic, suspense and family. At first I wasn't sure about a retelling that lacked such a crucial element as the sleeping part of Sleeping Beauty, however this was quickly forgotten as I began to read. Georgia Leighton gives backstories and motives to familiar characters, as well as adding a whole host of wonderful new characters.

Spellbound is a captivating retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a feminist twist—no princes needed to save the day here! This enchanting story takes a familiar premise and breathes new life into it, creating something unique and compelling.

Told from multiple POVs over the course of 16 years, the novel masterfully conveys the passage of time, particularly through the growth of the younger girls. I appreciated the short chapters, which kept the pacing engaging. Sel was by far my favorite character—I truly felt for her and the sacrifices she made. Her romance was a highlight for me, and I adored the found family dynamic that developed. At its core, this is a story of female perseverance and strength, which resonated deeply.

The world-building was rich and immersive, with well-thought-out descriptions of culture, politics, and the magical system. I only wish there had been even more exploration of these elements!

While I enjoyed the story, I would have liked a more conclusive ending—I’m left wondering about some characters and wishing for more closure. That said, Spellbound remains a beautifully written and enchanting read.

🌹 'Spellbound' by Georgia Leighton is a reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale but as if the princess never goes to sleep. Instead, the cursed princess is taken into hiding by an apprentice magic wielder, who, along with the Queen and the Queen's lady in waiting, try to find a solution to the curse. If they don't find one, the princess will die before her 17th birthday.

🌿 The premise of this was irresistible, I requested it immediately on Netgalley when I saw it! I find Grimms Fairytales fascinating & was looking forward to a dark, gritty, Germanic-inspired folklore retelling. If that's what you're after, this isn't it.

✨ It's set in a fantasy realm and (in my opinion) should have been pitched at the YA market due to the focus on the princess(es) as children and mild conflict / mild peril. I would have loved this story to have had more bite - despite the high stakes, nobody ever seemed to be in any real danger. For me, I was hoping for a retelling with teeth.

⚔️ There were a lot of brilliant elements to this book, none of which we really get to see - the bulk of the narrative takes place after the curse but before the 17th birthday, meaning that the characters are basically just waiting for 17 years. There's a war taking place which we never get to see, there's an intriguing villain who we never properly get to know, and magic is frowned upon but we never find out why.

❤️ However, I really liked that the author didn't cave in and give the princess(es) love interests. It would have been the easy option and I admire the decision to have them relying on their mother figures rather than a prince. I also loved that geography & the landscape plays an important part in the story.

🧵 Overall, I would recommend this for YA readers or fans of more gentle fantasy novels. If you're a Poppy War / Game of Thrones type of fantasy fan or an impatient reader, this might not be for you.

🎁 Thank you @netgalley & @bantambooksuk for this advance copy!

🗓️ Out 24th April 🥀

- Katie

[Review posted to Instagram @katiespencebooks 15 Mar, to be posted to TikTok @katiespencebooks later in the month)

This book started strong for me. I was so intrigued about the story line and the different POVs made the book feel really immersive. The pacing in the middle slowed right down and I lost some of the intrigue I had. Towards the end the book really picked up again and I was really enjoying where the story was taking us and the characters that had been built up but I was left with some questions about the ending with some loose ends that weren’t talked about, it felt a little anticlimactic.

I enjoy retellings of myths and fairy tales and this is an interesting feminist retelling of The Sleeping Beauty. Here we have no witches or fairies but we do have lots of powerful magic, spells and Masters of sorcery. The tale is set in a kingdom at war with a King desperate for an heir and a Queen with a secret. We have not one princess but two, a strong apprentice female Master, Selhah and two great supporting male characters in Jacken and Gad. These three named characters are well crafted and their stories, motivated by love, are convincing. Some of the other characters lack this detailed development, significantly Talia and Briar, the two princesses but also the Master who puts the curse on Briar at her birth. Her motivations are only brought out laterally and she does not feature much in the story. The descriptions of the various lands that Sel and Briar travel through are well written but I would have liked a bit more about the politics and relationships between the kingdoms to understand the tale better.
This was an enjoyable read but not among the most outstanding of retellings that I have read.
Thanks to the publisher via Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title.

This is an interesting retelling of Sleeping Beauty, in which the cursed princess is swapped with her twin sister who grows up with the Queen. There are a lot of POVs which I found jumped around a lot and confused me a bit at first. I also felt that the first two thirds of the book moved a lot slower than the final third, where the conclusion felt a bit rushed in comparison. I enjoyed the feminist spin, and the women at the centre of the story. The juxtaposition between the beautiful, talented cursed princess and her plain, clever sister was interesting. Overall, a good read for anyone who likes fairytale retellings.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Spellbound early!

From the very first chapter, this book completely captivated me, and that feeling never wavered throughout the story. The writing was immersive, drawing me deeper into the world and the characters' lives with every page. I was especially surprised by how much I enjoyed the timeline structure and multiple POVs—sometimes those elements can feel disjointed, but here, they worked seamlessly. Each perspective added depth, allowing me to truly understand the characters, their journeys, and the slow unraveling of the book’s central mysteries.

One of the things I loved most was watching the girls grow into the women they were becoming. Their individual arcs were beautifully written, making me feel connected to their struggles, dreams, and relationships. The story unfolded in such a way that every answer felt earned, and each revelation kept me eager to turn the next page.

Overall, Spellbound was an absolute joy to read. It blended compelling storytelling with strong character development, and I know it’s a book I’ll be recommending to many people. If you're looking for something atmospheric, engaging, and emotionally resonant, this is definitely one to pick up!

So although I love all kinds of books retelling are not my normal read, I have say that unfortunately this book didn’t change my mind. It is well written and I am certain it will be a good read for others but just wasn’t my cup of tea

Thanks so much for the digital copy. I enjoyed the first 20% of this book, it moved quickly and I liked the characters that were introduced. Unfortunately I wasn’t keen on the rest of the book. I felt it was quite slow and I didn’t find myself looking forward to picking it up and reading it. The writing style is lovely though, it was an easy to follow story, just too long in my opinion.

I like a fairytale retelling and the clear writing style was a nice break after my last really dense read. However, I found myself not very attached to any of the characters. They all had a lot of potential and I wonder if multiple POVs and time skips made it harder to really get to know any of them. Sel was probably the most interesting character to me. Even though it is a fairly short read it felt like some of it was padded out and didn’t focus on the areas that I’d have liked to explore more. Some of the most interesting lore and character developments were quite rushed at the end. That might just be my preference though.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a digital ARC.

(I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for accepting my request to read this arc in exchange for an honest review ♡)

Spellbound is an enchanting reimagining of the iconic fairy-tale sleeping beauty.

I personally found it to be a lovely, charming, fast-read that I really loved at times. It wasn’t convoluted or confusing, but there were definitely a few things missing that kept it from becoming a 4 or 5 ★ read for me.

Despite being derived/reimagined from the sleeping beauty fairy-tale, it was very innovative and original, not being afraid to step away from the source material, but also not being afraid to use parts of it and mold it into its own unique creation for this universe.

Firstly, I’d like to say a few things that I appreciated about Spellbound. The fact that the female protagonists weren’t dependent on the featuring men was very refreshing. The men definitely felt more like side/supporting characters, aiding the ladies a few times, but never taking over the story or altering them for the worst in some way. This allowed for the women’s strength and perseverance to really come through, especially with Sel and Violanna.

Speaking of Selhah, she was definitely my standout character. She done everything she was told to do and sacrificed so much along the way, always putting Briar’s needs first, and her own second. She was tentative and intelligent, but also spirited and tenacious, which made her very engaging to me. Her evolution from unwilling caretaker to mother/mother-figure was also a very lovely little journey to read.

Now, there are a few things that I disliked/disagreed with, namely the ending, but I also had a few issues with the way some of the characters evolved, specifically the younger characters. For instance, Briar never really felt like she left the “angsty teenage girl phase” and I never felt much character growth from her, despite everything that happened. It left me feeling quite unbothered and indifferent to her, which was a shame because I think there was plenty of potential for her character arc that just never fully developed. I do partly blame this for the ending though.

The ending was very strange to me? It felt very rushed and empty, almost disconnected from the rest of the story. I knew from about halfway through this book, that the deciding factor for my rating would depend on the execution of the ending, and honestly? It fell very flat with me. The ambiguity didn’t work, and instead of thinking of all of the wonderous ways the story may continue (in an off-camera sense), I was instead left feeling dissatisfied and confused, which was a shame because, again, it had a lot of potential.

The world also felt a little off to me. I loved the politics, society, and culture, but I wished there had been more of it, instead of tid-bits of information every now and then. A lot of things felt “too-mysterious” and incomplete within the universe, causing me to not bond with it half as much as I could have.

However, I do completely appreciate that this is Leighton’s debut book, and that every author has plenty of room to grow and develop. This story wasn’t bad at all! Just lacking a few things that for me, personally, prevented it from better.

Spellbound is a feminist retelling of sleeping beauty wherein three women take part in a plan to avoid a deadly curse thats been put on the baby princess.

The book started off really strong with the multiple pov’s and a gripping introduction to the plot. I enjoyed all the characters, all are richly developed and the world building painted a great magical atmosphere. The little elements of the original fairytale were good but I also enjoyed the unique changed the author made to keep it fresh.

I did find that the pacing dipped a little for me in the middle and the ending seemed a little rushed, as I would have liked to see more of the sister’s relationships.

Thank you Netgalley, Random house Uk & Bantam for sending me this arc copy in exchange for a honest review

Release date: 24/04

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

I’m never going to pass up a Sleeping Beauty retelling. And this was a great addition to the collection. It’s both familiar and new. It might be a strange thing to say about a book with magic and curses, but this is the most real and realistic take on the tale I’ve ever read. There’s no prince to save the day. But there are women doing the best they can with an impossible situation, making hard choices that we might not always agree with.

We get multiple POVs here: the Queen, her lady in waiting, the “fairy/witch”, and eventually the princesses. Sel, the magician’s apprentice, thrust into the protector role is the most compelling character. She’s not Briar’s mother, but loves and protects her as if she really is. The Queen and Meredyth (lady in waiting) are the hardest to like. I understand why they made the choices they did, but it doesn’t mean I like them nor can I forgive them their blind spots.

The ending is incredibly bittersweet. Even when the curse is broken, everyone must live with the results of the choices that brought them to this point. I definitely felt a lot of feelings here. And again, Sel remains my favorite.

I would recommend this one, especially if you’re looking for a thoughtful take on motherhood, sacrifice, and a fresh take on a favorite.

Thank you Bantam and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I did enjoy this book, fantasy retellings are always a fun time, especially when you haven't read a certain fantasy retelling before. This one being sleeping beauty which I've never read a retelling of, it was fun, magical and a very interesting concept. It made for a magical and quick read, the multiple POVs definitely helped with that. The settings were interesting too.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc
3.5 Stars rounded up

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, I loved the retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty. I did have a few issues with the pacing of the story. Some parts in the middle seemed slow compared to the rest of the book. I do wish the ending had been developed more. I would've like more of an insight into what happened next.

I did like the characters and the writing of them. I would've liked the characters of Briar and Violanna to be more developed. I feel like we got more of an insight into Talia as a character than Briar.

Overall, I liked the story and the magical aspect of the world.

This book drew me in straightaway. I love a good fairy tale retelling and this did not disappoint. The author is very skilled at world building and setting the scene. Her descriptions of the scene and her characters are fantastically written. It is a slow paced book but it is worth sticking with! The characters personalities are very descriptive.
This is an incredible retelling and I look forward to what else the author has for us.

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Georgia Leighton and Random House UK📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

I'm always on the lookout for fairytale retellings so was incredibly excited to pick up Spellbound. GL has put a new spin on the story of sleeping beauty that I found engaging and heartfelt throughout. I particularly enjoyed the POVs of Talia and Briar

Thank you NetGalley & Bantam for the ARC. 2.5⭐ rounded down.

I'll preface that I will commend the concept of the women-centric focus of this retelling. This is a multi-POV novel of 5 women: Briar AKA "Sleeping Beauty" herself, her fraternal twin Talia who is not cursed, their mother Queen Violanna, the Queen's lady-in-waiting Meredyth, and Sel a magic-wielder-in-training who is the analogue for the "Fairy Who Raises Sleeping Beauty". That's really all the praise I have for this novel. Ultimately, the prose didn't even grip me and worse, it's a pretty dull affair—largely because I felt the distribution of POVs didn't do the potential of this story justice.

Queen Violanna's POV COULD'VE been a fascinating read. You have a mother grappling her complex feelings of desperation, guilt, and love. She sent away her cursed firstborn child to save her. I would've loved to read about Violanna grieving that child while simultaneously finding joy in at least having her secondborn to love and care for. Instead, she's almost a non-factor for most of the book; wallowing in self-pity and being an absurdly and awfully neglectful mother to Talia. I couldn't stand her most of the time. We didn't get enough of the woman who is essentially the catalyst of all this, given that the sorceress who cursed her child in the first place did it out of revenge to hurt Violanna.

Briar's POV also didn't get enough focus, especially as a teenager when she's internally stifled by "Aunt" Sel's overprotectiveness. I get that the novel wanted to focus more on the other women who affect Sleeping Beauty's story rather than the titular character. But then it makes me wish the author didn't include Briar chapters at all, as now it feels really lacking. Talia at least was a interesting addition; kind of like a What If Sleeping Beauty Wasn't Blessed With Gifts analogue. I'd prefer we got MORE of her feelings over being essentially used as a part-decoy, part-sacrificial lamb to save the sister she never knew. And then at the end, we got the slimmest of pickings when it comes to these sisters interacting. I would rather Meredyth get less chapters to supplement the princesses. Sel on the hand received an apt amount of POV chapters, so no issue there.

The pacing feels slow and draggy, which I wouldn't have necessarily minded had the resolution didn't feel so rushed and abrupt.

So all in all, rife with potential, but a yawn.

'And before seventeen winters have passed, I will return for you. On that day the spell will end and you will die'. This is the curse placed on a royal baby by a mysterious sorceress. An echo of a very well known fairy tale
The book evokes a magical world that draws the reader in for some welcome escapism. The familiarity of the story, the straightforward narrative account and the simple language make this an easy and comforting read.
However, by defying literary norms, this retelling challenges the reader. In 'Spellbound' there will be no sleeping for a hundred years; the female characters are far too spirited for that. A handsome prince will not save the day. In fact sometimes, it seems, marriage can be jolly unpleasant. In this version of the tale, it is three women Sel, Meredyth and Violanna who strive to save the baby from her fate. Although ultimately Talia and Briar, the two young women at the centre of the tale, take control of their own lives

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Bantam for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

3.5 Stars rounded up

This is a really creative retelling of Sleeping Beauty and I ended up really enjoying it! I thought I might DNF at first, but I'm glad I didn't as I ended up quite enjoying it. The characters are really fleshed out and their relationships are complicated and flawed, the writing is very fairytale esque and the worldbuilding is really well thought out and creative.
I had a few issues stopping this from becomming a new favourite, mostly the writing style, the pacing, and how the plot ended. I thought the pacing was a bit slow in the middle, with the plot ending quickly and leaving a few loose ends untied and things that didn't leave me satisfied. I also found the writing a bit simplistic for my taste (I prefer more evocative and sensory writing), but I didn't mind it and it did have a very fairytale essence to it.

Overall I recommend this if you're looking for a sleeping beauty retelling that focuses more on the relationships between mother and daughter, sisters, and the bonds of family.