Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey adult fantasy/romance This is #5 in the 500 Kingdoms Series 1.The Fairy Godmother (2004) 2.One Good Knight (2006) 3.Fortune's Fool (2007) 4.The Snow Queen (2008) 5.The Sleeping Beauty (2010) 6.Beauty and the Werewolf (June[17] 2011)

The tale starts off with a princess whose mother has died. Then it moves into Sleeping Beauty and Snow White mode. The princess flees to the woods and finds 7 dwarves. Later, she falls asleep due to poison and has to be resurrected by magic. A number of homeless, penniless princes woo her, hoping to be next in line to the throne of her wealthy kingdom. Throw in some Norse mythology, a few heroic challenges, and there is big fun! I recommend this series to women and their teenage daughters looking for a lighthearted read. The romance is mild and gentle. Generally there are longing looks and that is about it - not even kissing until the end. Some men and teen boys may find the adventure and fantasy appealing as well. The publisher is Luna Books, a division of Harlequin.

Castle Waiting

Castle Waiting
by
Linda Medley
Ages 10 +, YA, or adult. Fantasy graphic novel.

The author takes some old tales, weaves them together, adds her own creative touch, and blends short stories together into a book. There is a dash of Sleeping Beauty, a teaspoon of this, a cup of that. At first I thought that it was going to be just one main story, but then I realized there were a lot of tangents. This pen and ink book makes for a fast, fulfilling read. I look forward to more fantasy tales from Medley.