4/5

For fans of: Disney, Maleficent, Princess Aurora, Prince Philip, Sleeping Beauty, royalty, fairies, court intrigue

Synopsis: Set between Disney’s Maleficent and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, young Aurora must find a balance between being queen of the Fair Folk and her human kingdom. The kingdoms are rife with mistrust of the other and she is both young and untested. With conniving lords vying for Aurora’s attention and rumors of malevolence abound, the only two people who have her best interest at heart, Maleficent and Prince Philip, must learn to put their differences aside to be the people Aurora can lean upon.

Review: After a bit of a disappointing start to the year, I am finally out of my reading rut! This is just what I needed: a fast-paced, highly entertaining, imaginative story with a heart of gold. The characterization of Aurora as a sweet and wholly good character without being overly obnoxious or naive is incredibly well done. Maleficent is wickedly good and I just love her tenacity for those she loves. She forces Prince Philip to truly prove his worthiness and protects Aurora but backs down when asked. The villains aren’t anything new, but aren’t cartoonish. The political intrigue is heavy enough for substance, but not overly convoluted. It is a really fun read and a great Middle School level YA read.