ARC Review: Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

Title: Once Upon a Dream (Twisted Tales #2)
Author: Liz Braswell
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Disney Press
Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Summary: 

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over. With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

So I've heard many mixed things about the first book in this series, but this one intrigued me the most. So I saw it on NetGalley and wished for it, and Disney granted my wish with access to the title. Once Upon a Dream was in no way horrible. It was good. But not as fabulous as I hope it would be. It was definitely an interesting take on Sleeping Beauty. (Please Note: I am not familiar with the princess movies and the Sleeping Beauty specifics)

We all know Aurora as the girl who pricked her finger and fell into a deep slumber until her true love kissed her awake. But what happens when her true love also falls into a deep slumber upon the kiss that should have woken her up? The story starts off right after the dragon is slained and Prince Phillip can swoop in and save the day. But things don't go according to plan. Now he is stuck in Aurora's dreamscape. A world where her reality is warped, and Maleficent is the savior of the lands and the people of the kingdom. We are lead to believe this for several chapters till we learn that Aurora is really in her dream, and her real body is asleep. In the real world Maleficent is the bad guy, not the savior. 

The story was confusing at times, there was several times that I put it down to process what was being said. It was also rather long, and after seeing a trend I began to skim some. But what I noticed was Aurora's character growth through out the novel. She went from the sweet, innocent, naive girl who eventually took her fate in her own hands and stepped up to her responsibility. 

There were some really cheesy parts that I couldn't help but giggle at. Whether is was something said, or done it really made parts of the book stand out. This is all I am going to say with out spoiling the book more. Once Upon a Dream was an intricate book, probably better read by someone who has patience. It doesn't feel like a four star book to me nor a two star. So I am going with three. Just a gut feeling this time. Read it for your self, maybe you guys with find something in it to love!