34 Most Enchanting Sleeping Beauty Retelling Fantasy Books
Once upon a time, in a land where bedtime stories meet bookish brilliance, Sleeping Beauty is getting quite the makeover.
Ditch the snoozefest and the prince’s predictable peck; we’re diving into fantasy retellings that flip the script on this classic tale.
Whether it’s Briar Rose wielding a sword, Maleficent’s misunderstood motives, or an entirely new enchanted kingdom, these reimagined stories pack a punch. So grab your fairy dust and settle in – these retellings aren’t just about beauty sleep; they’re about waking up to a world of epic adventure and magic that’ll leave you spellbound.
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
Fi, a whip-smart treasure hunter, teams up with Shane, a kickass warrior with a gift for ax-wielding.
They’re after the cursed prince, Briar Rose, who’s been in snooze mode for centuries: cue secret maps, enchanted relics, and a not-so-damsel in distress.
With witty banter and dangerous traps, this duo must navigate a world where fairy tales clash with high-stakes adventure. Think sword fights, magic spells, and just a hint of romance.
The Bone Spindle is your go-to for a romp through a world where happy endings aren’t guaranteed, but epic quests and hilarious mishaps are.
Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley
Meet Rosie, a down-to-earth, animal-talking, magic-averse heroine raised in a humble village.
Instead of beauty sleep and princely kisses, we’ve got a fairy godmother who’s more Gandalf than glitter and a cast of quirky critters with more personality than a royal court.
Rosie’s destiny? To thwart an evil fairy’s curse with a bit more grit than grace.
As she navigates through enchanted forests and deals with spellbinding mishaps, this unconventional Sleeping Beauty story proves that sometimes, you’ve got to ditch the tiara and wield a sword.
Sleeping Beauty’s Spindle by Shonna Slayton
Embark on a tale where mill girls and magic collide in 1894 Vermont.
Briar Rose, no stranger to hardship, dreams of whisking her orphaned siblings out of the cotton mills and into a better life, possibly with a suitor who’s suddenly less Prince Charming and more Not-So-Interested.
Enter Henry, the loyal friend-zoned guy who’s sweet but not exactly rolling in riches.
When a mysterious peddler hands Briar a spindle with more enchantment than a fairy godmother’s wand, she sees a shortcut to success. But oops – cue the Sleeping Beauty-like sleeping sickness that starts knocking out her fellow mill workers.
Now, Briar must outsmart an evil fairy and break the curse before nap time becomes permanent. Fairy tales were never this twisted!
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Meet Soraya, a princess cursed to kill with a single touch, living isolated in her palace.
While her family prepares for her brother’s wedding, Soraya learns of a captured demon who might hold the key to breaking her curse. Torn between a chance at freedom and the looming danger it brings, Soraya delves into a world of dark magic and treachery.
When she befriends the enigmatic Azad, secrets unravel, and Soraya discovers her true power lies in the serpentine abilities she once feared.
Faced with betrayal and peril, she must decide whether to remain hidden or embrace her curse to protect those she loves.
Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell
In a twist on the classic tale, Princess Aurora finds herself in a dream where fairy tale norms are hilariously skewed.
After a disastrous attempt by Prince Phillip to awaken her with true love’s kiss leaves him snoozing, Aurora realises she’s trapped in a Maleficent-manipulated nightmare.
With a fairy’s parting curse complicating matters, Aurora must navigate this whimsically dangerous dreamscape.
As Maleficent’s minions lurk, Aurora grapples with surreal memories and questionable allies. Time ticks away as she races to unravel the dream’s secrets and find her true waking self.
Sleeping Beauty by Jenni James
Aleyna slumbers, unaware of her enchanted sleep.
Protected by Ezralon the unicorn after witnessing her family’s tragic end, Aleyna’s spirit roams her ruined castle in blissful ignorance.
Enter Prince Darién of Lybrooke Court, a sceptic of fairy tales and haunted by ghoulish fears, tasked with rescuing a ghostly princess who believes she’s living a perfect dream.
Darién faces a dilemma – how to awaken someone who doesn’t know they’re asleep?
Kingdom of Slumber by Deborah Grace White
Princess Azalea has spent her life unbothered by her christening curse until her sixteenth birthday, unsettling even her steadfast friend and betrothed Prince Bentleigh.
When Azalea pricks her finger, her kingdom falls into an eerie sleep, leaving her to battle the curse alone because she’s not asleep at all come nightfall.
With dragons adding to the chaos, Azalea and Bentleigh must navigate treacherous magic and their burgeoning feelings amidst a kingdom frozen in time.
White weaves a captivating blend of fairy tale allure and dragon-fueled adventure, painting a vivid world where courage and loyalty clash against ancient enchantments.
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell
When a sleeping sickness envelops a kingdom, Queen Snow White sets off on a quest with a band of dwarves to break the curse.
Their journey leads them to a neighboring kingdom where another princess, cursed to an eternal slumber, awaits rescue. But things aren’t as they seem in this mash-up of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.
With stunning illustrations and Gaiman’s signature wit, the tale unfolds with unexpected twists, daring rescues, and a touch of feminist flair.
Get ready for a spellbinding adventure where heroes and heroines rewrite their own happily ever afters.
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Princess Aurora isn’t your average damsel in distress – she’s a kickass warrior princess on a mission.
Cursed at birth, Aurora must find her brother to break the spell, navigating a treacherous medieval landscape with the help of a brooding, cursed fae prince who’s more snark than charm.
Together, they face ogres, witches, and their sizzling chemistry, all while Aurora disguises herself as her brother to survive.
With a blend of sharp wit, magical mayhem, and a dash of forbidden romance, this novel weaves a fairy tale where the princess fights her own battles and turns fairy tale tropes upside down.
Briar Girls by Rebecca Kim Wells
Lena harbors a deadly secret: her touch spells doom, courtesy of a witch’s curse.
Fleeing to a village near the mystical Silence forest with her father, Lena encounters Miranda, a girl from the enchanted city of Gather.
Miranda seeks Lena’s aid to awaken a slumbering princess, promising to lift Lena’s curse in return.
Tempted by the allure of freedom and enchanted by Miranda’s world, Lena dives into the quest. Yet, as truths unravel amidst the forest’s shadows, Lena questions everything – her lineage, the true nature of her curse, and the price of power versus liberation.
Sleeping Beauty’s Daughters by Diane Zahler
Princesses Aurora and Luna, daughters of the original Sleeping Beauty, have inherited a touch of their mother’s enchantment.
When Luna begins showing signs of the same sleep spell, the sisters embark on a quest to find a cure.
Along the way, they encounter magical creatures, treacherous terrain, and the lingering effects of their mother’s past.
With bravery, sisterly bonds, and a bit of fairy tale flair, Aurora and Luna must outwit the dark forces threatening to put their family back into an eternal slumber.
The Princess Game by Melanie Cellier
A deadly mystery unfolds in the Kingdom of Lanover, where fairy tale royalty isn’t just about ball gowns and glass slippers.
Princess Celeste, no stranger to courtly intrigue, faces a new challenge when princesses start disappearing in the enchanted city.
Tasked with solving the mystery, she partners with the dashing and enigmatic Prince William. Together, they navigate a labyrinth of secrets, hidden motives, and magical dangers.
With wit sharper than a spindle’s point and a knack for unmasking deceit, Celeste races against time to save her fellow royals.
In a game where the stakes are life and death, can Celeste outsmart the villain before the final page turns?
Savage Beauty by Casey L. Bond
Twin princesses Aura and Luna inherit a cursed bond that twists sisterhood into a perilous rivalry.
Aura, driven by jealousy, takes everything from Luna—including the prince who chose Luna’s love over hers. Luna, fueled by a desire for revenge, must sever their magical connection before their eighteenth birthday or be forever linked to Aura’s dark magic.
Desperation leads her to a fae prince with a soul-stealing price, and the unexpected love of Prince Phillip of Grithim, the brother of her murdered beloved.
Torn between vengeance and love, Luna faces a wicked dilemma: Can she save her kingdom without losing herself?
Stung by Bethany Wiggins
Fiona awakes in a world gone wild, her once-normal life replaced by a dystopian nightmare where bees are extinct, and a mysterious tattoo marks her for death – as it means she will turn into a mindless beast, and yet, she is unturned.
Now, Fiona, with her stung tattoo, must navigate a society where survival is a daily gamble. She teams up with Bowen, a soldier with a heart of gold (and nerves of steel), to uncover the truth behind the pandemic and her own mutated fate.
With danger at every turn and a love story that blossoms amidst the chaos, Stung delivers a sting of adrenaline that’ll leave you buzzing for more.
Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
Aurora, the beautiful and silent princess, is cursed to eternal sleep while her half-sister Isabelle, fierce and blind, must embark on a perilous quest to save her.
As Aurora dreams in a dark, enchanted world, Isabelle races against time in the waking world, aided by a charming thief and a conflicted prince.
With a kingdom in turmoil and a malevolent faerie queen pulling the strings, the sisters’ bond is their only hope.
The Enchanted Crown by Bethany Atazadeh
Queen Arie of Hodafez struggles with the suffocating pain of her Severance, alone and unwanted. As the Queen of Jinn plots an attack, Rena’s act of selflessness jeopardizes their leverage, forcing her to confront newfound responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Nesrin, unaware of the search for the Jinn prince, holds a crucial key to their quest.
Set in a realm shared by humans, mermaids, dragons, and Jinn, this Sleeping Beauty retelling weaves a tale where loyalty, magic, and the unexpected intertwine.
Will Arie find the strength to protect her kingdom and uncover the truth before darkness claims them all?
Gathering Frost by Kaitlyn Davis
The frost queen has reigned with icy perfection until a prophecy threatens her rule.
Jade, a spirited young woman with a knack for trouble, unwittingly becomes entangled in the prophecy’s web. As she navigates a world of magic and treachery, Jade must ally with a brooding prince and a band of rebels to unravel the queen’s icy grip.
With twists as sharp as frostbite and romance that melts the coldest heart, Davis spins a tale where courage and cunning may tip the balance between winter’s chill and the warmth of freedom.
Will Jade defy fate and gather the courage to thaw a kingdom trapped in eternal frost?
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
Mirabelle’s life in Beau Rivage seems straight out of a storybook until she learns she’s living a cursed fairy tale existence.
Bound by rules that govern their lives, Mirabelle and others like her must confront their destinies, which often lead to tragic ends. When Mirabelle meets blue-eyed Felix, she dares to defy her fate and unravel the secrets of her past.
But in a world where magic and danger intertwine, every choice comes with a price.
Cross weaves a spellbinding narrative where happily-ever-after is a double-edged sword, and true love might just be the deadliest magic of all.
Rose & Thorn by Sarah Prineas
Rose has spent her life enshrouded by a spell meant to protect her from a lifetime of looming curses, but when that spell is shattered and reality comes calling, she finally faces the world.
With Griff, the enigmatic Watcher, and his lively companion Quirk at her side, Rose seeks to rewrite her fate.
Dodging the threads of her own fairy tale, they navigate treacherous paths where freedom and destiny collide.
Prineas spins a gripping yarn where adventure and romance intertwine, challenging the conventions of happy endings.
Forest of Dreams and Whispers by Katherine Macdonald
Juliana Ardencourt, a mortal raised in Faerie, faces an enchanted challenge: guard Prince Hawthorn until his eighteenth birthday when a spilt drop of blood will doom the kingdom to a century-long slumber.
Bound by duty and connected through dreams, Juliana navigates fae politics and her evolving feelings for the prince she once despised.
With banter that sparks and a twist on the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, Macdonald weaves a magical narrative where alliances shift like shadows and love tests the boundaries of fate.
Spindle by W. R. Gingell
Polyhymnia awakens from a centuries-long slumber only to discover she’s not a princess but a bewildered lady-in-waiting with an unruly mane.
Determined to unravel the curse that trapped her, she teams up with the enigmatic and perpetually kiss-prone enchanter, Luck, and their magical companion, Onepiece the puppy.
As Polly grapples with forgotten memories and mystical spindles that keep appearing, hilarity ensues with Luck’s exasperated attempts to guide her through this waking nightmare.
With wit as sharp as her spindle, Polly navigates a world where mistaken identity meets tangled enchantments, proving that true love’s kiss might just be the least of her worries.
The Dragon Princess by Lichelle Slater
Princess Elisa’s birthday bash turns into a fire-breathing affair when a curse makes her more dragon than debutante.
With murderous fairies and an arranged marriage complicating her life, Elisa decides waiting for Prince Charming isn’t her style.
But embracing her inner dragon might torch her kingdom. Refusing it could scorch an entire race and cost her true love.
From Disney nods in wardrobe choices to a narcoleptic character named Dormir, this tale scales up the fun.
Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey
Meet Princess Aurore, who leads an unconventional life under a curse destined to make her sleep for a hundred years upon pricking her finger.
Forbidden from tasks involving needles, she finds solace in exploring her castle and endearing herself to her kingdom through kindness.
As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Aurore learns that her curse not only threatens her but her entire realm.
Determined to protect her people, she embarks on a quest filled with adventure, enchantment, and the discovery of a destined romance with a handsome prince.
Kingdom of Fairytales: Sleeping Beauty Series by J.A. Armitage
Meet Princess Azia Rose of Draconis, famed not for her own deeds but as Sleeping Beauty’s daughter.
Tired of being a footnote in her own life, Azia embarks on a quest beyond the fairytale ending. As dragons attack and kingdoms falter, she delves into her history, facing witches, seers, dwarves, and dragons with spark and determination.
In Queen of Dragons, Heiress of Embers, Throne of Fury, and Goddess of Flames, Azia’s journey unfolds in bite-sized episodes filled with magic, intrigue, and the occasional fae suitor.
With each installment, the series promises an epic twist on familiar tales, where even after happily ever after, the real adventure begins.
A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
Meet Princess Aurora, awakened after a century of slumber by a kiss from a stranger—a handsome prince, but a stranger nonetheless. Instead of the expected happily ever after, Aurora confronts a shattered kingdom and political machinations she slept through.
As she grapples with her newfound reality and a fiery curse within, Aurora faces a dilemma: marry the prince to save her kingdom or forge her own path.
Rhiannon Thomas intricately weaves action, romance, and political intrigue, painting a vibrant world where Aurora’s passivity transforms into agency.
Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen
Gorse, the thirteenth fairy in a lineage bound to a malevolent king, faces a perilous predicament: cursed to serve under threat of celestial demise.
When tasked to bless the newborn princess, Gorse’s mishaps set off a chain of magical calamities. Racing against illness and mishap, she ventures to the castle with the last shred of her family’s magic, the Thread of Life.
Jane Yolen’s masterful storytelling blends depth, elegance, and wit, revealing the untold saga of the fairy behind the infamous curse, where accidents, mayhem, and unexpected magic converge to challenge fate itself.
Waking Rose by Regina Doman
Rose Brier navigates college life with a heart tangled in love for Ben Denniston, aka Fish.
This isn’t your typical fairy tale; Fish, scarred and skeptical, challenges Rose’s affections amidst a backdrop of sword-wielding friends and family secrets.
As danger encroaches and mysteries deepen, Rose’s quest for identity intertwines with Fish’s journey of redemption.
Doman weaves humor, heartache, and a touch of medieval flair into this captivating story, where kisses are sparing and emotions run deep.
The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell
When Sand, a young apprentice, awakens inside an impenetrable castle surrounded by thorns, he faces a daunting challenge.
Determined to escape, Sand must unravel the castle’s mysteries and uncover its dark secrets.
With the help of a prickly rosebush and unexpected allies, including a girl trapped in time, Sand discovers that breaking the curse requires more than physical strength – it demands courage, empathy, and understanding.
As Sand navigates through layers of enchantment, The Castle Behind Thorns reveals that true heroism lies not just in breaking spells but in healing hearts.
Sleeping Beauty by K.M. Shea
Once upon a spindle’s prick, Briar Rose woke to a royal revelation: she’s the sleeping princess, and her childhood friend Isaia isn’t just a knight but her sworn protector.
As Briar reluctantly embraces her royal destiny amidst magic and mayhem, old curses and new threats loom.
With Carabosso’s return unleashing chaos, Briar must navigate royal expectations while battling evil and mastering her newfound powers.
But this princess is no damsel in distress – she’s determined to save her kingdom, even if it means defying her own family.
Can Briar Rose break free from curses and expectations, or will she succumb to fate’s spindle?
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday is bittersweet—it marks the end of her short, uncertain life. Cursed by an accident to never see beyond this milestone, she prepares for her final day with a mix of resignation and curiosity.
Enter Charm, her loyal friend determined to make this day unforgettable, complete with a Sleeping Beauty extravaganza.
But when Zinnia pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, instead of a blissful slumber, she plunges into a whirlwind of alternate worlds.
Here, alongside another captive beauty, Zinnia discovers a journey that defies the tired tropes of fairy tales.
Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle
When Merrick, a half-fae with more curiosity than caution, awakens Prince Larkin from a centuries-long slumber, it’s not exactly the fairy tale kiss they expected—more like waking up your laptop and finding 57 updates.
Their unintentional team-up unleashes chaos akin to letting toddlers loose in a candy store.
With ancient curses, formidable foes, and the delicate balance of magic at stake, the unlikely duo must navigate political intrigue, magic mishaps, and their growing bond.
Think of it as a whimsical romp through fae lore with the stakes of saving the world—one misadventure at a time.
Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey
Everyone knows the story of Sleeping Beauty, but what about her sister?
Meet Miriam, the not-so-fairy-tale sibling who’s left to pick up the pieces. When her sister, Aurora, is cursed to a century-long nap, Miriam must navigate a labyrinth of magical mayhem, mischievous fairies, and royal politics.
Armed with her wits, a bit of snark, and an unexpected ally or two, Miriam dives into a world where thorns are the least of her problems.
It’s a tale of sisterly love, daring escapades, and the realization that sometimes, the hero isn’t the one in the spotlight. Who needs a prince when you’ve got a sharp mind and a sharper sword?
The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
Meet Princess Annie, the anti-Sleeping Beauty.
Immune to magic, she’s wide awake when her sister, Gwendolyn, pricks her finger and falls into an enchanted slumber. With the kingdom snoozing, it’s up to Annie to save the day.
Teaming up with Liam, a charming but not-too-charming prince, she embarks on a rollicking quest through fairy tale lands, encountering witches, giants, and all sorts of magical mayhem.
Annie’s no damsel in distress; she’s smart, resourceful, and determined to break the curse her way.
This delightful spin on classic fairy tales proves that sometimes, the hero of the story is the one who never falls asleep on the job.
Mistress of All Evil by Serena Valentino
Delve into the dark origins of Maleficent, the iconic villain from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
Forget what you thought you knew about the Mistress of All Evil; this tale reveals her tragic backstory, exploring the heartache and betrayal that led to her infamous curse.
Through Valentino’s masterful storytelling, we see Maleficent not just as a villain but as a complex character shaped by love, loss, and the machinations of fate.
With twists that make you question the nature of good and evil, this book is a spellbinding addition to the Villains series. Expect enchantment, revenge, and a pinch of dragon fire as we learn what truly lies behind Maleficent’s sinister grin.
