Slumber

I absolutely love this book! This is my third Samantha young book and I have to say she is an amazing author. I fell in love with this book,the characters were so real and I just didn't want to put it down! I definitely have a new favorite book that I will probably read over and over again.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!
When is the next one coming out? I have read some of Samantha's books and not really been enthused by them but this one totally turned me around. Rogan is my favorite character by far, in possibly any book i have read, at least this year. I am super impatient to hear what else is gonna happen... MORE PLEASE???

I really hate writing reviews, but this book deserves one. It is by far the best book I have read from the Kindle store under $5. But besides it being a great value, it is just a great book period. I fell in love with the characters and the world they live in, it is beautifully written. All in all, I loved it.

I was excited after reading the sample of this book and it did not disappoint. There were times I wanted to smack Rogan but I also understood where she was coming from. Though other times I wondered at her haunted past and how she let it affect her but it ended beautifully and she worked through it. Um absolutely love Wolfe holy crap!!!! I mean seriously he was perfect! There were some sentences that I seemed to be too wordy and confused me but overall I really enjoyed this and I hope you will too!!!

Such a fantastic read! Has a little bit of everything in it including adventure along with danger, romance and magic which I love. Couldn't stop reading until I finished it! I want more of these kinds of book.

From reading the reviews of previous readers, I expected this book to hold my interest to the end; however, I became exasperated with the ongoing, ever tiring hatred that Rogan continually displayed throughout the entire book (until the very end). It seemed that someone with her abilities should have a much more mature attitude, and at the very least, a more mature way in which to deal with her deep-rooted feelings. The author was able to create an interesting plot in the book, but the characters weren't developed very well. This was the first book I have read by this author, and I am not sure I am willing to subject myself to more.

Overall Assessment:
Slumber is set in a land with magic. The king (Kral) and princess (Princezna) of this land have a type of magic that envelopes the lands around them into a calm and peaceful state. Seems cool, but maybe a little manipulative, right?

There are several types of magic:
--Dyvatzi – only the Kral (aka King) and Princezna, Haydyn
--Glava – kind of hard to pinpoint, but from what I understood they have multiple powers that can vary per individual Glava. These powers can include: controlling the elements, telekinesis, and a very strong intuition.
--Dravilec – healers
--Azyl – essentially, seekers. They have the power to find things. They used to be able to find things the Azyl themselves most desired, but over time it evolved to only being able to find things that others ask for. This is what the female protagonist, Rogan, is.
The story starts when Rogan, is 11. She is headed home with her younger brother after a day of playing in the meadows when her whole world falls apart in a matter of seconds. Since this happens in the very first chapter I don’t think it’s really a spoiler. A man who works for the Kral, Vikomt Stovia, comes to her home to announce the Kral’s death. He is rounding up all children who have strong magic to bring to the castle to help the Princezna, as she is only 8 so her magic is not very strong. –>there is a lot more to this, but I don’t want to get in the weeds here. Vikomt Stovia is insanely cruel and slaughters Rogan’s entire family right in front of her. He then uses Rogan’s magic to find other children, and then slaughter’s their families as well.

Fast forward 8 years. Rogan is now 19 and the best friend and handmaiden to the Princezna. The Princezna has become ill, and because of this her powers are waning. Chaos is beginning to break out in the outer limits of the kingdom. All of a sudden the Princezna falls into a sleeping sickness and Rogan is told there is only one plant that can save her. The problems: 1) it’s very far away and in dangerous territory, 2) Rogan needs to be the one to retrieve it because she is the only one who knows were it is, and 3) She has to travel with the son of her family’s murderer to find it…enter Wolfe Stovia *drools*. “Strikingly tall, broad, a thick head of silky chestnut hair, olive skin and beautiful almond shaped eyes. His was a strong face, masculine, powerful. I disliked it greatly.”

What I liked:
– Fast-Paced. This was a pretty quick read for me. I was instantly drawn into the narrative and didn’t feel bored at any point.
– Wolfe was a great character. He was interesting and complex. Rogan doesn’t deserve him, (read about why I don’t like her below).
– Even though the book starts out with death and sadness, it was a feel-good book for me. The end left me content and happy for the characters.
– The writing was really beautiful, especially the descriptive passages in the beginning:
"When I was a child the world smelled of summer.
The heady perfume of the dancing wildflowers would hug my senses every time the breeze rattled their song and took them with it on its journey to soothe my cheeks from the heat of the afternoon sun. The relieving scent of the damp soil when the sun had pushed the sky too far and it wept rain for days on end, before wearily turning the world back over to its golden companion. The refreshing aroma of lemons in the thick air of the house, mixing with my mother’s baking as she prepared our afternoon repast of bitter lemonade and thick warm bread, slathered with creamy butter made cold from the sheltering shade of the larder."

What I didn’t:
– Rogan annoyed me quite a bit. Her waffling back and forth on Wolfe being evil was excessive. She also continued to make terrible decisions that not only endangered her own life, but those around her as well. This is probably my second pet peeve quality for a heroine to have.
– It was little confusing sometimes. The different types of magic, different places, and many characters introduced were hard to keep track of.

Final Thoughts:
– This is a standalone novel. There was no cliffhanger, but the author did leave it open enough to potentially revisit at a later date. It ends in a satisfying way though.
– There is a warning on the description “New Adult, Fantasy Romance: recommended for ages 17+ contains mature situations and some strong language“, TBH I don’t think it was necessary. In my opinion, there was nothing worse in this novel than many other YA novels. A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses) is WAY more steamy than this one was.

The characters and world are interesting and well captured. I enjoyed that growth occurred for at least two of the characters. The last 10% of the book was a very quick fix of all problems that had come to a head throughout the rest of the book. Because of this, some topics (like the proper way to govern the nation) ended up glossed over without being fully realized. I found that after spending so much time traveling with the main characters, this disappointed me. I wanted to feel like there was a plan to help the nation in the same detail in which the rest of the story unfolded. Overall, I enjoyed the writing (Samantha Young is great at capturing accents in her writing) and the story.

I purchased Slumber not thinking it would be all that worthwhile of a book, but the summary did sound kinda fun. Little did I know the first page would have me totally hooked! Slumber is a magical tale set in a throwback world where kingdoms, knights, and magic exist; however, the damsel in distress is nothing like I would have imagined. In this land, there are a few people left with magical abilities, some are mages, some are healers, and others, like our heroine can find anything asked of them. Rogan was only a small child when she was plucked from her quaint home for an ability she didn't even know she possessed by a bloodthirsty, twisted man. Her parents and sibling brutally murdered in front of her eyes, she was carried off to the castle to be of assistance to the new Queen Haydyn who is a few years younger than Rogan.

Years later, Rogan is now the handmaiden of Phaedra, a title she blatantly despises, as she believes herself to be a commoner, not a lady, even after years of being Haydyn's best friend, and right hand gal. But Rogan soon finds out she is more lady than she previously thought. Haydyn tumbles into a deep slumber, called the sleeping disease, which has the kingdom in chaos as her magic fades from the land, and it's up to Rogan to find the plant thought to be extinct in order to save her friend. But on this journey she is accompanied by a man whom she feels the need to keep her guard around constantly. For Wolfe is none other than the son of the man who kidnapped her in the beginning. The same man who Haydyn had killed after she found out about his brutal methods.

Slumber might fall flat for some, but for those who love romance, yes, this is totally a romance, with action, magic, and a bickering love interest, then this is definitely the book for you! I loved Wolfe's character as he was gracious, even when Rogan exasperated him to no end. The only thing I found silly was if you could command Rogan to find a safe path to the next village, then why in the heck didn't someone say "find a safe path to the plant." Really? Not that difficult to deduce. But then, there really wouldn't be much of story, would there? I would also recommend for older teens to adults as there are some slightly brutal parts like her near rape with the mountain man (why is it always crazy hillbilly people?), and a small love scene, but other than that Slumber is one fun, engaging book!

A Mundie Moms Guilty Pleasures Review:

A fairytale for adults. Slumber puts an unique spin on the beloved classic, and gives it an new adult feel. Filled with sizzling character chemistry, electrifying tension, magic and centered on an epic fantasy journey, Slumber is one addicting romantic-fantasy read I didn't want to end.

I've been a Samantha Young fan since the beginning, and I've yet to read one of her books that I didn't like. Slumber is one I really enjoyed. Sadly, this is a book that has sat on my shelves for more than a year, and I'm embarrassed to admit that. As soon as I picked it up this weekend, I couldn't stop reading it. It's one of those books that just sucked me in. There's romance, plenty of character chemistry that kept me hooked, and so much more.

This story starts off really strong. It begins with our main character, Rogan, telling readers about the world she lives in, and the magical abilities that some of the people within it have. The story quickly turns heartbreaking when she tells of the fate of her family, and what happens to her. I was hooked from the moment I read all this. One, there's a lot of history given, and it was easy to imagine the vivid world Rogan lives in. Two, I got to see just how incredibly strong Rogan is, even at a young age. She's an incredibly feisty heroine who knows who she is, and won't back down on what she feels is right and wrong, regardless of the consequences. She's also someone who will always help others out. Her fierce determination to do the right thing makes her like the Knight in Shining armor you'd except to read about in Sleeping Beauty. The beginning of the story also introduces us to the main love interest's father, who is the reason why Rogan fights so hard not to love Wolfe.

Don't worry, WOLFE is nothing like his father, and he definitely owns the title "knight in shinning armor". When Rogan's best friend, the Princess and soon to be Queen, falls into a deep slumber, it's up to Rogan to use her magic to find the plant that will wake her. Wolfe, the hunky captain of the guard, volunteers himself and his best men to accompany Rogan, where she wants them to or not. Oh yes, these two have a love hate relationship that screams of sexual tension, and hot bantering. These two get under each other's skin like no one else, as well as make each other weak in the knees. WOLFE is definitely the hot alpha male who knows what he wants, and will stop at nothing till he gets it. Huge props for this guy's patience. Seriously, it took Rogan longer than I had wanted for her to admit her feelings for him.

Like Rogan, through the course of the story we also learn more about Wolfe and find out his broken past as well. I seriously LOVE Wolfe! He's the reason I kept reading the story. While Rogan started off the strong heroine I love in stories like this, she soon became someone I great frustrated with. Why? Because she constantly doubts her feelings for Wolfe, she starts to see herself of someone who's not beautiful, and how many times can she pull the stunts she does that gets her and Wolfe in a trouble. Okay, I get the first time or two, but after that I lost patience with her. I also went from seeing her as a fierce, strong women, to someone who grew less and less so with her internal "poor me" and "I'm not pretty enough for Wolfe". Sure, I get why she at first thought she wasn't, but for someone like her, I would have excepted her to get over it and realize Wolfe only had eyes for her. She was so blinded by that, that she almost cost losing Wolfe, when yet again, she decides to run off and find the plant herself, alone, unescorted and almost get herself raped and killed.

Given that every hero/heroine has their strengths and down falls, Rogan does open up more, and realize how stupid she was. Seriously, had WOLFE not been the patient, hot knight in shining armor that he is, I'm not sure I would have ended up liking the story as much as I did. He truly picked up where Rogan fell flat for me. But, over all, even with the few things that Rogan irked me with, SLUMBER was an incredibly addicting read. I loved the fantasy & magical elements Samantha gave her story. Her world building is great, her characters were fun to get to know, including her secondary characters, and her romance is fabulous. I can't wait to dive back into this world with book two in the series.

Rogan took her responsibilities as best friend and protector of Princezna Haydyn Dyzvati very seriously. So when Haydyn succumbed to the sleeping disease that could only be cured by the somna plant, Rogan was ready to do whatever it took to save her.

Even if that meant journeying to the farthest reaches of Phaedra into hostile territory. And even if that meant traveling with the Captain of the Guard, Vikomt Wolfe Stovia, her longtime adversary and son of the man who murdered her entire family.

Haydyn was the only person she trusted and loved and Rogan would not give up without a fight. Phaedra needed her. She needed her. Haydyn's recovery was worth any unpleasantness and risk to her own safety that might come from traveling side-by-side with a man she despised and one who might just take this opportunity to seek out his revenge.

But when their travels put them in even greater peril than she could ever have imagined, Rogan may just have to seek help and solace from this most unlikely of persons, her sworn enemy.

***

Slumber is a gripping, deliciously tormenting, and absolutely magical tale about a feisty and daring heroine and her brave and worthy protector who are on a quest to bring back the cure to their slumbering Princezna.

Phaedra is in jeopardy. With the Princezna's evocation growing weaker by the day, unrest begins to make itself known at Phaedra's distant borders.

And when Princezna Haydyn falls into a deep sleep that will most assuredly result in death without the cure, the rare somna plant that is located at the farthest reaches of Phaedra, Rogan sets out to find this plant that will save her friend and restore order.

To begin this journey, she is required to be accompanied by fifty of the royal guard, including their Captain, Wolfe Stovia, whose father slaughtered her family in front of her when she was just a child so that he could acquire her special talents for the Kral - or King.

As an Azyl, she has the magical ability to find anything that is demanded of her. The very ability which caused her to lose her family, but one that could now save her best friend.

The journey is not an easy one, and the territories they pass through under the guise of a diplomatic mission for the Princezna were not the friendly lands they had once been when under Haydyn's evocation.

As Wolfe and the rest of the guard try to stay alert to any threats, Rogan is set on keeping her distance and retaining her freedom, even if it puts her safety on the line.

Slumber is a heroic journey, with danger and excitement around every turn. Each new stop along the way brings with it a new threat to either their safety or the delicate peace that Rogan and Wolfe have managed to establish in their contentious relationship.

This exciting and harrowing tale will keep readers flying through the pages, and this fairly lengthy novel will not feel like one. Readers will become instantly immersed in this delightful tale of bravery, selflessness, love and self-discovery.

Readers will be drawn in by Rogan's strength, determination, stubbornness and courage and Wolfe's intensity, devotion and passion.

Author Samantha Young has created a remarkable story that incorporates all the elements of a traditional fairytale, an epic adventure and an impassioned love story. Her writing is exceptional, the story flows beautifully, and her two main characters are well-suited - both equally headstrong. They really come to life on the page and their chemistry just sizzles.

Slumber is an absolute must read, but may not be appropriate for younger teens. While this story reads like a young adult novel, it contains a few more violent and sensual scenes than are the norm for young adult books.

I really enjoyed this book! It pulled me right out of a long running book slump and I just couldn't put it down! The plot is whimsical and so serious exactly when and where it should be and the character relationships (not just the romantic type) are done so well and are so believable! My one critique would be that the many different names of districts and high ranking Magic folk right at the start of the story were very overwhelming, don't let it discourage you from this read! While I still couldn't draw you a map of the world or tell you right off hand what each mage could do by name it does come together in the story line just fine! Looking forward to more from this author!

At first, I was hesitant because it appeared to be a story held in a fantasy class system. However, the author's writing style lured me in and charmed me. The beginning told of how Lady Rogan started as peasant farm girl, which led to the present day living in the castle. The adventurous path she chose helped her to mature and open her mind to the harsh realities of life outside the castle. During her adventure, things change between her nemesis, Wolfe, and herself. You can't help but fall in love with the characters and empathize with the situations at hand. Loved the characters, the story line, and the lessons learned along the way.

I love Samantha Young's Warriors of Ankh series, and I didn't think Young could top it. I was always afraid to read any of her other books because I was afraid to be let down. I am happy to say that I was so wrong and I regret not reading her other books sooner.

Slumber has crawled to the top of my list of FAVORITE READS EVER! I am so iffy about reading self-published authors, but I am so happy I took a chance on Young's books. They are just so entertaining, and once you pick them up you cannot put them down. Slumber did just that to me! I could not stop reading it.

Slumber pulled me in mostly because of the characters. I love it when the characters are so well developed that I can easily picture them in real life. The consistency of the character personalities is also a huge plus for me and Young does that with Rogan and Wolfe. The world building is also another plus for me. It was so easy to follow and understand everything that Young put down on paper. She is just amazing at creating her worlds. I thought Blood Will Tell was amazing, but now I can't choose between that and Slumber.

There is romance in the story, but it's not one that is instant. Definitely one you can see developing and eventually taking place, but it's not immediate and I loved this. It was a lot of fun watching them fall in love. I laughed a lot and got tons of butterflies in my tummy while reading.

I believe this is going to be a series, but in every book different characters will be highlighted and their story is told, and complete. Wolfe and Rogan got their happy ending in this book, and the next book in the series is actually about different characters. I am so looking forward to it!

It's definitely a romance with lots of adventure and a very believable world! I am now reading Samantha Young's Fire Spirits series and Ah! Loving this series, too! She is such a great writer and can tell such a good story! Next up will be her Tale of Lunarmorte series! And the best part? Her books are only $.99 on the store! What are you waiting for? Go get them! You will not regret it!

5 out of 5 stars!

The detail, the storyline, the character development and angst....loved it. I was pulled into this enthralling story and it didn't let go. Oh Wolfe....where to begin? Mysterious, brooding, handsome, complex, intuitive, protective, powerful and loving....just awesome. So glad things worked out for him and as readers we get to see him find peace. Sigh. Read it...you'll be glad you did.

Slumber was an enjoyable story. My only complaint about it was the heroine, Rogan. I wish she had been smarter instead of making the same bad decisions over and over. She was constantly putting herself in extremely unsafe situations and needing someone to come bail her out. After she ran off on her own the first time and ended up kidnapped, it just seemed annoying that she would do it again. When she ended up in the worst situation, although I was afraid for her, I also was angry with her for putting herself there. It was also aggravating/frustrating to me that she couldn't see what a great man Wolfe was and that she continued to hold what his father did against him. If Rogan had been a better heroine, this story would have been absolutely terrific.

I love Samantha Young's Warriors of Ankh series, and I didn't think Young could top it. I was always afraid to read any of her other books because I was afraid to be let down. I am happy to say that I was so wrong and I regret not reading her other books sooner.

Slumber has crawled to the top of my list of FAVORITE READS EVER! I am so iffy about reading self-published authors, but I am so happy I took a chance on Young's books. They are just so entertaining, and once you pick them up you cannot put them down. Slumber did just that to me! I could not stop reading it.

Slumber pulled me in mostly because of the characters. I love it when the characters are so well developed that I can easily picture them in real life. The consistency of the character personalities is also a huge plus for me and Young does that with Rogan and Wolfe. The world building is also another plus for me. It was so easy to follow and understand everything that Young put down on paper. She is just amazing at creating her worlds. I thought Blood Will Tell was amazing, but now I can't choose between that and Slumber.

There is romance in the story, but it's not one that is instant. Definitely one you can see developing and eventually taking place, but it's not immediate and I loved this. It was a lot of fun watching them fall in love. I laughed a lot and got tons of butterflies in my tummy while reading.

I believe this is going to be a series, but in every book different characters will be highlighted and their story is told, and complete. Wolfe and Rogan got their happy ending in this book, and the next book in the series is actually about different characters. I am so looking forward to it!

It's definitely a romance with lots of adventure and a very believable world! I am now reading Samantha Young's Fire Spirits series and Ah! Loving this series, too! She is such a great writer and can tell such a good story! Next up will be her Tale of Lunarmorte series! And the best part? Her books are only $.99 on the store! What are you waiting for? Go get them! You will not regret it!

5 out of 5 stars!

The detail, the storyline, the character development and angst....loved it. I was pulled into this enthralling story and it didn't let go. Oh Wolfe....where to begin? Mysterious, brooding, handsome, complex, intuitive, protective, powerful and loving....just awesome. So glad things worked out for him and as readers we get to see him find peace. Sigh. Read it...you'll be glad you did.

Slumber was an enjoyable story. My only complaint about it was the heroine, Rogan. I wish she had been smarter instead of making the same bad decisions over and over. She was constantly putting herself in extremely unsafe situations and needing someone to come bail her out. After she ran off on her own the first time and ended up kidnapped, it just seemed annoying that she would do it again. When she ended up in the worst situation, although I was afraid for her, I also was angry with her for putting herself there. It was also aggravating/frustrating to me that she couldn't see what a great man Wolfe was and that she continued to hold what his father did against him. If Rogan had been a better heroine, this story would have been absolutely terrific.

So much back and forth in the idiotic heroine’s head that it gives you whiplash. And a headache.

It’s too bad really, because if the heroine would have had even one redeeming quality, this would have been good.

3 stars for Wolfe. Negative one million stars for Rogan.

A book filled with revelation and coming of oneself. The journey Rogan takes to save her best friend is inspiring. Full of courage, braveness but also stubborn and wrong decisions. A story that will have you feeling as pained and uncomfortable as Rogan, who enters a dangerous world. But also have you swooning over her love.

In the blurb, it describes a feisty young heroine with a tragic background that goes on a journey to save her best friend. And then I start to read the book. Just like it said....... Not. In the beginning she seemed ready to fire back at anyone who got in the way. But as she gets older, sometime along the way crossed the line from feisty to a plain old brat. The way she snapped at Wolfe, even when he told her about his tradgedies, she turns up her nose and attempted to go on her own. The blurb also implied Rogan could take care of herself. Not the case. Each time Rogan attempted to go on her own, she gets kidnapped. You are really helping out here, Rogan. And at the end, she stopped rejecting to being called a lady, because she wasn't born royally. I personally think she was tired of asking/ordering them to stop. In the end, it really had nothing to do with Hayden and her recovery, just the bratty heroine and the sulky Vikomt's romance.

This is somewhat reminiscent of a sleeping beauty story minus fairy godmothers and with far more adventure, danger, interesting characters , and results. Some descriptions were very disturbing and realistic which made you empathetic to the situations. Fast paced, keeps you interested, and wanting to know how things will turn out.

I really liked that Wolfe was already firm into Whois was. A strong character.. for me all the terms were a but confusing and hard to remember who what when but that's on me. Tragedy was a daily basis for the life in their lands but happiness was found too. Loved the mountain people, wanted more of Kris and more of Wolfe.

Slumber is a good romantic adventure full of fantasy. It was very well written, and had very strong characters. I really enjoyed reading this book. Rogan has to help her friend get better by traveling a great journey to locate the kind of plant needed to help her dear friends illness. Along the way Rogan and Wolfe go through many horrible encounters, getting kidnapped a few times then having to deal with the changing feelings between them (mostly on Rogan's part). This is an exciting tale, with a few twists and turns. I recommend this book and others of this same author. She is very good, I thoroughly enjoy her books.

I tend to love high fantasy, royalty with a splash of romance novels. Needless to say, this was definitely interesting. I liked most of the characters even though some were childish for their age. Also, the long names on the people and places were hard to keep up with at times. Other than that though, it was worth the read. If you're a fan of the Throne of Glass or The Girl of Fire and Thorns series you'll love this one.

Another brilliant read from Samantha Young. In an entirely different world from the Lunamorte trilogy, Sam puts an exciting, surprising and often shocking twist on the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Once again, I was instantly taken in by her lyrical descriptives and her strong, smart and beautiful heroine. Things are not easy for our sweet Rogan but she has a strong sense of right and wrong and unwavering loyalty and will. Rogan and Wolfe's journey was a joy to ride along on. I prefer to be spoiler free, so I'll just say, I more than enjoyed this story and the world of Phaedra and I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series.

This book was amazing. The tension and banter between Wolfe and Rogen had my heart in my throat quiet a few times. As Rogen went through her many trials and triumphs I felt tears in my eyes. I love this book and will reread it. I hope there is a sequel some time down the line.