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Slumber (The Fade #1)

by Samantha Young (Goodreads Author)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 2,563 ratings · 265 reviews

Molded by a tragic childhood, nineteen-year-old Rogan finds it extremely difficult to trust people. Now Haydyn, her best friend and the one person she does trust, is dying and only Rogan can save her.

Setting off on a journey to retrieve the plant that will cure Haydyn and subsequently the ills that will befall them all if she dies, Rogan is stuck in close quarters with a p...more

Kindle Edition, 349 pages

Published May 17th 2011

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Jun 15, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-version, retellings-continuations, self-published, young-adult-fiction, fantasy, witches-sorcerers-magic, road-trips, in-love-with-the-cover, unfinished-2012, love-story-romance, parallel-worlds-dimensions, new-adult-fiction, wring-her-neck

Slumber is road trip fantasy fiction set in a parallel world, which some magicians' clans had especially created for their kind in order to evade human persecution in ours.

A few centuries after the world's construction magical talents have become rare among the newborn, but everybody believes that magic is necessary to keep the small world from tumbling into chaos. After the ruler dies, his young daughter Haydyn is the last known person able to excercise nationwide mindcontrol: Her job is to ke...more Slumber is road trip fantasy fiction set in a parallel world, which some magicians' clans had especially created for their kind in order to evade human persecution in ours.

A few centuries after the world's construction magical talents have become rare among the newborn, but everybody believes that magic is necessary to keep the small world from tumbling into chaos. After the ruler dies, his young daughter Haydyn is the last known person able to excercise nationwide mindcontrol: Her job is to keep all her subjects from nursing violent or aggressive emotions and certainly from acting upon them. Everlasting peace among the handfull of provinces and the two nomadic clans is the highest goal in Phaedra. It is doubly tragic, that it had been in the name of said peace that the Captain of the young princess' guard employed unnecessarily brutal methods to gather the latest generation of mages at the palace when they were still small: Willing to cooperate or not - he had his soldiers kill every family member of Rogan, Kir and Valena in front of the gifted children's eyes and left their properties in smoking heaps of ashes and bones.

It is quite understandable that Rogan still harbors a deep hatred for the man responsible for slaughtering her family, although the princess has grown to be her best friend, values her opion above all and had the sadistic killer tried and executed for his crimes years ago. It is also understandable that Rogan is a bit weary of the sincerity of his will to protect her, when the former Captain's son Wolfe inherits his father's position and treats her with a mixture of chivalry and cold haughtiness. And, gosh, does the initiary bickering of the two entertain, when princess Haydyn falls into a deep slumber and the royal court sends Rogan on a heavily chaperoned road trip to find the almost extinct antidote plant in far away mountains because of her magical ability to find everything she had been ordered to find.

But what is not understandable and also not amusing at all is Rogan's resolve to keep despising Wolfe on principle because of what his father did to her family even after he repeatedly went enormous lengths to save her life and keep her out of the hands of thugs and rapists and although the dangerous situations she found herself in again and again were mainly her very own fault. For there is a reason the royal court sent 50 soldiers to accompany her on her cross-country journey - namely reports of heightend violence, vagabond thief groups and savage rebels in the provinces. Yet Rogan values her privacy and her own judgement so high that she sneaks off on her own on a regular basis for no urgent reason at all (view spoiler), which certainly triggers trouble each time. The repetitions got boring with time and Rogan "evolved" from a tough cookie victim to a snotty brat who doesn't deserve all the loving and worrying.

Because of the good start Slumber and I had, I had been pretty bent on ploughing through, but I started skimming at approximately 60% and lost monumentum shortly before 70%. Now there is no drive left to finish the journey side by side with the annoying hope of her little universe, Lady Rogan of Phaedra.
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May 20, 2012 Hillary Hunt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fem-fantasy

I thought this book was similar in style to "Graceling" and "Poison Study"; a romantic fantasy which is pretty much my favorite genre. Definitely the best of Samantha Young's work, of which I've read a fair amount.

Things to love: It has a strong female heroine.
The story starts out with an immediate emotional hook that will draw you in.
The male love interest has a believably conflicted relationship with the heroine.
Much of the conflict in the story arises from the protagonist herself as she st...more I thought this book was similar in style to "Graceling" and "Poison Study"; a romantic fantasy which is pretty much my favorite genre. Definitely the best of Samantha Young's work, of which I've read a fair amount.

Things to love: It has a strong female heroine.
The story starts out with an immediate emotional hook that will draw you in.
The male love interest has a believably conflicted relationship with the heroine.
Much of the conflict in the story arises from the protagonist herself as she struggles to come to terms with her fear and pride.

The author does a good job of setting up a pretty rich and detailed world; the diverse cities, the different titles and ranking of nobility, the gypsies, the rookery, the mountain people, and the different classes of magically gifted people. I found the world very well drawn.

The romance is quite yummy, but also bittersweet. Hardly young adult, as there is some mild sexy times. But more importantly, I found the premise of their relationship a compelling one, and it was fun to watch it develop.

Really some dark, disturbing scenes in this book. The author was pretty fearless in what she was willing to do to her characters, so I must give props for that.

The ending is satisfying, and I think I like where the author is going with the character of Haydyn. I think it would be awesome if Haydyn transitions to a darker character!

Complaints/Criticism: Sometimes the language the characters used felt too modern for this sort of old-world, fantasy setting.

Complaint #2: Rogan's shoddy reasoning often stretched beyond the point of believability and felt forced to ensure conflict. You would think if she really cared about saving her friend, she would put her pride second to getting the job done in a safe and efficient manner. Further to that point, her inner turmoil over Wolfe was getting silly towards the end. She likes him, but she can't be with him. She's with him, but it was a mistake. Okay, so it wasn't a mistake, but they can't really get married. On and on she thought like this. It felt a little forced just so we could watch Wolfe chase her a little bit more. Which, I'll admit, was enjoyable if a little contrived. I really would've liked to have seen Rogan have to do some groveling and chasing towards Wolfe because her actions were that selfish and stupid.

Complaint #3: the sub-plot involving the dude who tries to seduce Rogan into finding his lost love felt really random and pointless.

But overall, I really loved this book and am looking forward to the next. Really entertaining read. This is the kind of book for me that is a pleasure to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon.

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May 19, 2013 Neyra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-reads, tbr-challenge-2013, outdo-yourself-challenge, young-adult

I've been waiting to read this story for over a year now. I love this cover, and I know it's been redesigned and I like that one too, I just think this is a better representation of the story. Anyways, as much as I would of liked to give this book a higher rating, my expectations and what I got were completely different. This truly is a good story, and had the author approached it with a stronger female lead, I might have enjoyed it far more than I did.

"Might there come a time when we stand o

...more
I've been waiting to read this story for over a year now. I love this cover, and I know it's been redesigned and I like that one too, I just think this is a better representation of the story. Anyways, as much as I would of liked to give this book a higher rating, my expectations and what I got were completely different. This truly is a good story, and had the author approached it with a stronger female lead, I might have enjoyed it far more than I did.

"Might there come a time when we stand over a grave and mourn ourselves?
Mourn the past, a previous life?
Should we weep for the passing of time?
Shall we grieve for unfulfilled dreams?
In my naivety, in my belief in immortal youth, I sleep walk through life.
Someone...wake me up. Please. Wake me up. ~Haydyn Dyzvati"

There's very little world building in this book, but it was enough for me to get a sense of what Phaedra is all about. Samantha Young has created a beautiful world in Slumber ; with its beautiful people, the land of Phaedra was created so they could live away from humans and their civil wars. But the people of Phaedra feared their emotions. So much that they decided the Dyzvati, a clan of magical evokers with the ability to lull the people with peace would rule the land. Phaedra was split into six provinces and the each clan was given a province to oversee. You have the Dyzvati, the Glava, the Azyl and the Dravilec. As aeons have passed, only the King and the Princezna remained of the Dyzvati and very few other mages from the rest of the clans.

When the Princezna, Haydyn, falls ill to the very rare, but deadly illness the Somna, or Sleeping Disease, Rogan goes on a journey through Phaedra to find the Somna Plant. Which is said to be able to cure the illness with its leaves. But, as the Princezna's Handmaiden, she won't travel alone. She will take fifty of the Royal Guard, along with their Captain, Vykomt Wolfe Sylvia. The son of the man that ruined Rogan's life. It's very obvious early on in the book that she detests the young Vykomt, and because of what had been done to her it's understandable. I'll even say that I would hate the Captain myself IF he was anything like his father.. but he's NOT!!

The thing about Rogan is she's not exactly a Lady, she's tough and strong willed, always speaks her mind even though half the time she's out of line, but having been raised in the palace given free reign by the Princezna, it's no wonder she is the way she is. At first, it's easy to form your own opinion of the Captain because of his attitude with Rogan, but as the story progresses you begin to see that the only reason he acts as he does is because Rogan is so damn hostile towards him. She picks unnecessary fights with him throughout the entire book, and honestly at some point I had to reconsider continuing at all.

Throughout the journey, Rogan and the Guard encounter many troubled, but also good people. They see how poorly the land is being governed and what it is doing to the people of Phaedra. They depend too much on the evocation by the Princezna, and since she has fallen ill, it's deteriorating causing peaceful people to act on their emotions, including anger. I do believe that a lot of the situations Rogan went through could have been avoided if it weren't for her stupid pride. She gets kidnapped twice because of her inability to understand there is danger and she can't protect herself.

Honestly, for a nineteen year old, Rogan was very childish. Her character needed far more development and I felt the ending too abrupt. The romance, if you can even call it that, was ridiculous at best. I could have liked Wolfe, but as a love interest, he didn't quite wow me. I loved discovering what he is, but when it came to his love for Rogan, I wasn't sold. Mainly because of the hostility, I really wish he wouldn't have kept running back to her all the time. There were secondary characters I am curious about, Kir especially, and I'm hoping we get to see more of him in the next installment.

Would I recommend this book? Yes and no. Truth be told, if someone had told me how irritating the lead was, I might not have picked it up. But the world itself is enchanting and I want to know what will happen happen to Phaedra now. I read on Samantha Young's blog that she's tried to write her second book, Sneak Thievery , but for some reason she can't. I'm hoping that if it's to be delayed, at least it comes out by 2014 like it says on Goodreads. (less)

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Oct 04, 2011 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Some spoilers are in this review. You have now been warned and I will not be responsible for any red-face, shock, and/or heart attacks that may occur if you don't like spoilers.

Slumber is the remake of the classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, but with a couple of twists. The heroic "knight" that saves her from her deep sleep and restores her crumbling kingdom-instead of the dashing Prince Charming- is none other than her best friend Rogan.

The book starts off in a way I didn't expect. Instead of...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Caity rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i really, honestly ADORED this book. not many books knock me off my feet...but i think this one did the trick.
its enjoyable, a good adventure filled with friendship, learning and love.
cliche perhaps to say that...but it really does make for a great plot line.
The main character, Rogan, is tenacious and hellbent on helping her dying best-friend/princess. She may have poor judgement at times but she learns and grows and she has a killer sarcastic side ;)
My one, main criticism is that the author pr...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I have to admit that I was instantly intrigued by this story because it is based on sleeping beauty, but with a twist, and I absolutely love how Samantha Young wrote it. This story doesn't revolve around "sleeping beauty" Hayden, but rather her best friend Rogan. Because, Hayden cannot be woken up with a simple kiss from her one true love but by an almost nonexistent herb that only Rogan can find.

I have to say that I completely love the heroine in this story, Lady Rogan. She was so self assured...more I have to admit that I was instantly intrigued by this story because it is based on sleeping beauty, but with a twist, and I absolutely love how Samantha Young wrote it. This story doesn't revolve around "sleeping beauty" Hayden, but rather her best friend Rogan. Because, Hayden cannot be woken up with a simple kiss from her one true love but by an almost nonexistent herb that only Rogan can find.

I have to say that I completely love the heroine in this story, Lady Rogan. She was so self assured and strong willed, feisty and witty that I instantly took a liking to her. She is also extremely loyal to Hayden even though the circumstances that brought these two together we not the greatest. Rogan was forced to watch her parents and younger brother's murder in order for her to be taken because she is a mage. Rogan is what is called an Azyl, a person who has the magic to find anything that she is told to find.

After the horrors that she has to face Rogan is brought to Hayden and they instantly become like sisters. Their bond is so strong that nothing can break it. They were there for each others through the deaths of their parents and were what each other needed to make it through life.

After the background is told then the story is fast forwarded into the present with Rogan 19 and Hayden 17. The disease takes a hold of Hayden and Rogan is thrust into a journey that is filled with horror, pain and perhaps love. But, non of this matters to Rogan because all she cares about it saving Hayden's life and retrieving the magical plant that will allow her to wake up before she succumbs to death.

The journey Rogan is set on involved the mas Rogan despises most in this world, Captain Wolfe. She hates him because his father is the one who murdered her family and took her away. She believes that Wolfe is just like his father and only biding his time before he also does something horrifying.

This complicated romance between Lady Rogan and Captain Wolfe was a nice surprise. There is so much hate and tension between the two that at first the reader is stunned into thinking something is actually going on with them. If they are speaking to each other it's rude commentary and if they aren't speaking to each other they are giving evil looks to one another just to make it clear that they despise each other. I think this has to be one of my favorite love that I got to completely devour. It was angry and hateful but at the same time romantic and passionate.

This is also an action packed adventure for Rogan. There is always something happening in every chapter and it really leave you with nothing to do but to keep tearing at the pages to find out what is going to happen next. Slumber is astonishing through and through. It has everything a reader could ever want in a story, action, adventure, romance and wonderful characters. This book has left me with nothing left to do but wait, impatiently I might add, for the sequel to be released. Let me say it again... I absolutely loved Slumber and I am sure you will too! It is a story that draws you deep into it clutches and doesn't want to ever let go! ;)(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Rebecca ♥ Ash, Jem, Warner ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of YA fantasy

Shelves: adventure, ebook, fantasy, romance, young-adult, reviewed, magic

This book wasnt what I was expecting at all. I didnt realize it was a high fantasy. It is about a Princess' handmaiden that goes on a journey to find a plant to save the Princess from a disease, and falls in the love with the Captain of the Royal Guards that escort her in the process. Its called slumber because the Princess has a sleeping disease, and because Rogan wakes up on the journey, to realize who she really is.

This was a great adventure and an interesting story. And Wolfe was totally swo...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, fav-male-protag

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. (2.5 stars) There was so much potential in the beginning, but I was completely disappointed by the end. The half star is only because I love Wolfe too much.

This book begins with our main character, Rogan, as a child telling a story about the magical world they live in. The way the prologue is told is absolutely fantastic and it completely sucked me in, even though there's a lot of information thrown into it. Rogan is a feisty heroine, and I loved that she was someone of strong values and determi...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Rebecca Espinoza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pressed for time review. I really enjoyed reading Slumber. I liked how the romantic aspect of the story was done. Wolfe, the H, is probably one of my new favorites for this genre. If you enjoyed Graceling or Poison Study, you would probably like this one too. There were only two things that bugged me while reading and they weren't so bad as to finish and be unhappy that I had read it. First off, it was a bit long. There were some things that I felt could have been left out as they had no impact...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Serena Myles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't think I have ever been more annoyed at myself (in a good way). If I remember correctly i looked at this book after reading Sam's Lunamorte series but thought it wasn't something i would enjoy, so didn't bother buying it. Then i was looking for something to read, saw it on Amazon and thought 'what the hell' you've never been disappointed by Samantha Young before. Well...I have no idea what i was thinking the first time around, as this is exactly the type of book i look to buy.
I loved all...more I don't think I have ever been more annoyed at myself (in a good way). If I remember correctly i looked at this book after reading Sam's Lunamorte series but thought it wasn't something i would enjoy, so didn't bother buying it. Then i was looking for something to read, saw it on Amazon and thought 'what the hell' you've never been disappointed by Samantha Young before. Well...I have no idea what i was thinking the first time around, as this is exactly the type of book i look to buy.
I loved all the characters in this story and they were all very well written.
Taken as a child for her power to be able to find anything anyone asks for, Rogan's story starts of a very sad one and for someone who has been through so much at such a young age, Rogan is very brave and strong and has dealt with the life she was forced into very well, even growing to care for the people at the palace. Rogan lives in a time where woman don't have as many rights, freedom of speech and choices. This doesn't stop her however, and she speaks her mind whether people like it or not (they generally tend not to). Especially when it comes to a certain Captain of the Guard, Rogan hates the man and doesn't hide her feelings towards him either, yet in every way she has met her match this time.
Wolfe Stovia's father was the one who came and took Rogan as a child, destroying her family forever. Even with his father long dead Rogan holds a special hatred for the Captain and believes him to be just like his father, even believing he is waiting to take his revenge on Rogan for his fathers death.
When Rogan's best friend Haydyn slips into a sleep that will soon claim her life, Rogan has no other option than to travel with Captain Wolfe and the Royal Guard to try and find a cure for Haydyn.
The arguments between Captain Wolfe and Rogan were brilliant! At times i really did feel sorry for all those guards having to travel with them, because at times i just wanted someone to lock the two of them in a room together until they realized their feelings for one another. Perhaps even bang their heads together just for pay back ;)
On their journey to save Haydyn, Rogan gets herself into trouble over and over again by continually disobeying the orders of the Captain (poor man!) forcing him to come and rescue her. The mission begins to teach Rogan more about herself and that you can leave the past in the past without forgetting where she came from and the family she lost.
The closer she gets the Wolfe the more she thinks she misjudged him all along. But can she forget who his father is and learn to trust him? Could she possibly love him?
Rogan and Wolfe take the main love story but there is another one played out lightly in the background between Haydyn and Matai - her personal guard. Their ending is left unclear as Matai is too low in rank to marry Haydyn, so she is left with the choice whether to marry for love or duty.

I really enjoyed this book. A part of me angry that i refused to put it down and now it is finished :(

Although, saying that. I feel the way Samantha ended the story there is defiantly room for a sequel (please, please, please!). After Haydyn wakes up she has also changed and some might question whether for the good or not.

I have never bought a Samantha Young book and thought it was a disappointment and Slumber didn't just keep my expectations but blasted them all through the roof.

Great job Sam!!!

5/5
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Oct 16, 2012 Anjie Kendall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm giving this book 4 stars even though there were parts that I just skipped. I liked the story, I thought it was imaginative, and I liked the characters. However, I'm finding that Ms. Young's work is becoming rather repetitive for me. It's clear that she has a terrific imagination, I loved the Fire Spirits series and the Warriors of Ankh. I found them to be very imaginative, and I liked this take on Sleeping Beauty, however, I'm getting a little tired of the smart-mouthed/snarky heroine who ju...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Justine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was okay. The reason that I picked it up was because I had read Samantha Young's Lunarmorte series and loved it. This series not so much. it seems like it takes place way back in the day. There are magical people and soldiers and rulers and such. The main ruler being 17 year old Hayden who is best friends to our main character Lady Rogan. They have been best friends ever since Rogan was ripped away from her family, who were then murdered, and brought back to the castle where Hayden liv...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first glance I did not think that I would like this book. But I thought that I should give it a go because of all the positive reviews plus I think Samantha Young is a good writer.
Starting out I liked the main character even though her loud mouth and tom boy attitude was annoying, now I would normally not mind these traits if the character could back them up.
She could not.
She was raised as a lady and that was how she acted with her spoiled views of the world while she lived in the palace with...more

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Jun 03, 2012 GW rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

Samantha Young does it again! I didn't realize that it was the same author as Moon Spell (The Tale of Lunamorte) until afterwards. I also received both free on the kindle, yay for good freebies!

The beginning definitely started off waaay too slow for my liking. If you like historical novels - then well, this book is for you. There's so much that goes on in this book, and I never thought Young would include the topic of (view spoiler) into a YA novel? I wasn't expecting it wh...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy-magic

I've been on a Samantha Young kick recently. She writes young adults novels and they are all very affordable on Kindle. ($1-4) They are all good, typical of the genre. Nothing life changing, but a great way to spend a couple free hours.

I think this is my favorite book so far. I see a lot of growth in Samantha as a writer. The characters are more well thought out and have more depth. In her other stories, the plots don't change much - girl likes boy, but comes up with some (silly) reason why the...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: swoon-worthy-men, fairy-tales

Okay, I normally don't throw around 5 star reviews, but this one got 4.5 (rounded up) due to the fact that I absolutely could not put this book down until I finished.

Rogan is best friend to the princezna. She is torn from her family in a horrible way (in the prologue) at age 11. The first chapter picks up 8 years later, when Rogan is 19 and the princezna, Haydyn, is 17. Haydyn falls under a sleeping sickness and Rogan is the only one who can retrieve the plant to heal her.

Enter Wolfe. Oh my drea...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic

I hesitate between a 3 and 4 for this book. But I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and just assign a 4. It was a fun read and best of all I got it free for my kindle. The writing isn't memorable, but the story, in general, is good.

Things I like:
1 - The antagonistic relationship between Rogan and Wolfe. From the start any reader could see what was coming. I did like their bickering, especially in the beginning. It did get old toward the end of the book...

2 - Wolfe's character. :) Kir's charact...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, I got this book along with a whole lot of other Kindle books that were £1 or less, cause I figured if I didn't like them, it wouldn't be a big deal - and if I did, great; a good buy at a bargain.

Unfortunately, most of the books I bought fell into the first category. Not, I'm happy to say, this one.

I liked the world and I liked the characters. Too many books with romances in have a very unrealistic romance soulmate-style wise (boy meets girl. Boy and girl have this 'connection' that, after pa...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first ordered this book, I was a little wary. Many independent authors create excellent stories, but it can be a case of hit or miss. I had not read anything by Samantha Young, and the premise and reviews intrigued me.

Suffice it to say, this book did not disappoint! Set in a mythological kingdom of Phaedra, this story and setting is reminiscent Kristin Cashore's The Graceling. In both cases, you have a unique mythology, a fantasy realm, and a heroine with a unique power and strong charact...more When I first ordered this book, I was a little wary. Many independent authors create excellent stories, but it can be a case of hit or miss. I had not read anything by Samantha Young, and the premise and reviews intrigued me.

Suffice it to say, this book did not disappoint! Set in a mythological kingdom of Phaedra, this story and setting is reminiscent Kristin Cashore's The Graceling. In both cases, you have a unique mythology, a fantasy realm, and a heroine with a unique power and strong character. Despite the similarities, Young creates an entirely unique story with plenty of action and romance, and she subtly explores the deeper issues of the conflicts between free will and peace, and the balance required to govern and protect a people.

In this story, Rogan must go on a quest to find a cure for the sleeping disease. Her dearest friend Hayden, the princezna of Phaedra, has fallen victim to the illness, and Rogan has a power that enables her to find the only cure. To rescue her friend, Rogan must travel through dangerous terrain accompanied by the royal guard and their captain, Wolfe Stovia, the man who's father killed Rogan's entire family before her very eyes when she was a child.

What really made this story soar were the characters. Rogan is a strong heroine who loves deeply, who takes risks and fights for those she loves, and who has a brave and often reckless nature. She is also flawed, because, due to personal tragedy, she pushes away those who care about her and she often makes poor decisions. While there were many times I was aggravated with her choices or her inability to see Wolfe's affection for her, I would remind myself of her personal tragedies and would soon understand her position.

Wolfe is an ideal love interest for my tastes. He is strong and confident, but affectionate and not arrogant. He loves Rogan despite her hostility and confusion, but he also holds his own in their many arguments. Their romance involves excellent banter and an outstanding chemistry.

The side characters are also complex, from Hayden who is still learning to trust her own authority and ability to make decisions, to L, who lives a tough mountain life but can offer friendship and insight Rogan needs to overcome her past. The complexity of the characters also serves a greater purpose of opening Rogan's mind and allowing her to see many of the problems with the way their society is governed. In the course of her journey, she begins to question the way peace is preserved in Phaedra, and Samantha Young weaves in complex issues with subtlety.

This story has plenty of action, fascinatingly real characters, and a unique setting. Despite the fact that it is marketed to young adults, the only young adult aspect of this book is a 19 year old heroine, and some scenes may not be appropriate for younger readers. Young does not sugarcoat the harsher aspects of the world she has created, and some scenes may be distressing to many readers. They are not pointless, however, and they add to the deeper themes explored throughout the story.

To sum up, I truly enjoyed this book and felt that it was more than just a fun page turner, but a great adventure with complex and likeable characters and deeper themes beneath the surface.(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked this story well enough. I am not usually one for liking it when the one love interest keeps arguing off their feelings for the other love interest, coming up with endless reasons as to why they shouldnt be together, etc. However, based on their families past relationships, I could understand why she had such a hard time with it. I got a bit annoyed with the fact that she never really put two and two together, on the fact that he was completely different then his dad, in his dealings with...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Live-Fearlessly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: heavy, main-character-killed-me, person-got-better, romance-was-awsome, surprised-me-in-a-good-way, swoon-blush-worthy, teenage-girl-happiness, what-just-happened, words-of-wisdom, reluctant-acceptance-of-goodness

This book was a pleasant surprise.
In a land made of magic, there's a ruler who coats the world in peace. All emotions which could cause war are buried, but when the Princeza, Haydyn, falls into a deep sleep (one she may never wake up from) all those emotions rise to the surface.
War, abuse and hate, rise out of the ashes, and the only way to restore peace is to wake Haydyn up with a rare flower that only one person can find.
So here comes the part of Rogan, Haydyn's best friend. She can sense the...more This book was a pleasant surprise.
In a land made of magic, there's a ruler who coats the world in peace. All emotions which could cause war are buried, but when the Princeza, Haydyn, falls into a deep sleep (one she may never wake up from) all those emotions rise to the surface.
War, abuse and hate, rise out of the ashes, and the only way to restore peace is to wake Haydyn up with a rare flower that only one person can find.
So here comes the part of Rogan, Haydyn's best friend. She can sense the whereabouts of objects, places, and people when asked. She's like a magic compass! With an attitude!
So she sets off on this journey to find the flower with perhaps the person she hates most in the world.
Wolfe's father murdered her family in front of her, and she took him down. She's been waiting for Wolfe to retaliate for quite some time, holding onto her hate of him.
But what happens when they start to fall in love?
I think this book, like all of Young's, is very interesting. I can't say it's my cup of tea, but I see the brilliance of it. While I like to read books that shed the loving accepting light upon our faults (showing where stubbornness, anger, headstrong arseness, general annoyingness, et cetera can be good and how there will be people there for you no matter what) and her books aren't like that. At all. It shows what stupid arses we can be. How you can be wrong and beaten and stupid and humiliated and sometimes it won't end up ok, and we won't get a perfect ending.
Ok, so maybe it wasn't that harsh I just left the book feeling thoroughly beaten. It was good, of course, but as I said before; not my cup of tea. I like improbably passionate people, but more importantly I like to see different ways to do things. Ways or attitudes that are new and beautiful and end up good. Ways to fall in love with things you used to hate instead of seeing the reality that sometimes stupid decisions are just stupid decisions and being stubborn won't do anything but end up humbling you after a lot of pain.
My excited fan-girl side just isn't feeling it.
But it was a well written and thought out book.
(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Slumber was my first Samantha Young book. I finished reading and I asked myself why I waited so long to read something from this author. Needless to say, Samantha Young is awesome, her writing is crazy good and Slumber was an amazing read!

In Slumber, Samantha Young creates the mythological kingdom of Phaedra. She has created unique mythology, an interesting fantasy realm, and a heroine and hero with unique powers and strong characters. Ms. Young has created an entirely unique st...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Sabrina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, kindle, read-in-english

Pity about all the mistakes!

I got this book because it was offered for free on Amazon. I didn't expect much, and probably wouldn't have read it, if I hadn't had an unexpected waiting period and nothing else to distract me but my smartphone with Kindle app.
Despite all my misgivings, I got instantly hooked by the story. BUT! let us start with the downsides of this book. This is one big BUT! It is CRAWLING with mistakes. Words spelled wrongly (your-you're, hear-here mistakes and the likes), words m...more Pity about all the mistakes!

I got this book because it was offered for free on Amazon. I didn't expect much, and probably wouldn't have read it, if I hadn't had an unexpected waiting period and nothing else to distract me but my smartphone with Kindle app.
Despite all my misgivings, I got instantly hooked by the story. BUT! let us start with the downsides of this book. This is one big BUT! It is CRAWLING with mistakes. Words spelled wrongly (your-you're, hear-here mistakes and the likes), words missing from sentences, even one or two sentences that totally didn't make sense. Not a single mistake-free page! The rules of punctuation were consistently ignored and often the subordinate clauses did not refer to the same subject as the main clauses - which was unfortunately not the only kind of grammar mistake .... Annoying beyond anything I have ever encountered in a novel! I understand that nobody is perfect and mistakes can and do occur, but this was unspeakably bad!
The second thing that bothered me was the inconsistent style. The story is told from the heroine's point of view, and she says/thinks things like "Screw you", "your sorry ass" (ass being one of her favourite words, apparently) and "I'm not a big fan of guilt". This clashes so much with the sword-and-magic fantasy setting. Initially I thought it was charming and refreshing, until I saw that, at the same time, there was an attempt to employ a style more suited to the genre ("from whence they came", to name just one example). Please, either one or the other, not both!

That being said, I LOVED the story. In spite of every single time I winced over a mistake, I enjoyed this novel immensely. The plot and the characters made it absolutely unputdownable. I even got used to the fact that "Rogan" is supposed to be a girl's name ;-P The world is well thought out and I loved the Russian-ish sounding titles of the nobility. I also loved many of the characters (Rogan, Wolfe, L and Chaeron, in particular) and was pleased by their development. And neat love scenes ;) If not for all the mistakes and inconsistencies, I would have given this book five stars. It has everything that I like in a YA-romance. It's not great literature, but great entertainment.

Should there be a sequel, I might read it. Okay, I would absolutely read it. But pleeeease, Ms. Young, better editing next time, and a bit more consistency where the style is concerned. You'd make me a very happy reader.(less)

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Mar 17, 2012 Dani rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fairytales, dystopia, magick

The story of Slumber is really the story of Rogan – her physical quest to save her friend as well as her personal journey toward coming to terms with her past. Rogan is a survivor. Having suffered the tragic loss of her family eight years earlier, she still feels the weight of it every day. Though she now lives a very privileged life as “The Handmaiden of Phaedra” – trusted confidante and adviser of the Princezna – her personal demons have helped shape the way she views the world, people and rel...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was completely hooked by this book after the first chapter. Couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to get back to it if I did have to put it down. Good thing the author caught me at the beginning - it was enough to keep me reading through the end. What happened, do you ask? Well, about halfway through the book you start seeing a pattern. The main character, Rogan, has set out on a journey with the Captain of the Guard, Wolfe, who she has some bad history with (aka she doesn't like him very much)....more

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Feb 06, 2013 Daphne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although it was a little challenging to remember all of the peculiar city names and the names of the characters right off the bat, I soon fell in love with the magnificent world Samantha built from scratch! Once again, I am shocked by her simple yet intriguing writing style, and the thought provoking ideas Slumber caused. The only minor problem I had was with the main character, Rogan. Although I did understand her reasons for keeping the seductive and witty Wolfe at a distance, it got old and r...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to like this a lot more than I ultimately did. The storyline was interesting, as was the world. However, I absolutely couldn't get behind Rogan as a heroine. She wasn't completely off-putting, but she seemed incredibly dense when it came to Wolfe. I felt like a lot of the bad things happened to her just so we would feel sorry for her, or just so Wolfe could rescue her. On one hand, I was glad that she wasn't superhuman Mary Sue, but on the other hand, I just sighed by the second or thir...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Samantha Young has done it again. I absolutely LOVED this book! You know that feeling you get when you finish a book that was so incredible it exceeded your expectations? The one that just makes you smile with a sense of satisfaction that you found such an incredible story. Slumber did just that! I started and finished this book in one sitting! It was like an addiction, I could not put it down until I knew what happened. I’m not too happy about the lack of sleep I’m feeling now at work, but hey....more

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Jul 15, 2011 ShawnaLeAnn [Dreaming In The Pages] rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nook-books, lendable-nook-books

So first off, I have never been a big fan of sleeping beauty really. But the twist Samanth Young puts on it, I wanted to devour it in one setting. Because, the story is set around sleeping beauties best friend, and her quest to save the beauties life. But of course, her journey is one full of self discovery and the quest to finally let go of her past.

Can I just tell you all now that I loved the heroine, Lady Rogan. She was not only feisty but extreamly loyal. Since her family had been killed in...more So first off, I have never been a big fan of sleeping beauty really. But the twist Samanth Young puts on it, I wanted to devour it in one setting. Because, the story is set around sleeping beauties best friend, and her quest to save the beauties life. But of course, her journey is one full of self discovery and the quest to finally let go of her past.

Can I just tell you all now that I loved the heroine, Lady Rogan. She was not only feisty but extreamly loyal. Since her family had been killed in order for them to take Rogan for her magic, she became quite the friend of the princess Hayden. They were like sisters, and after all Rogan went through, she needed someone like Hayden to be there for her, and help her into her new life she certainly did not want in the first place. After adjusting to her new life, fast forward a few years, Hayden falls victim to the sleeping disease. And the only one who can get the plant to save her life is her dear friend Rogan, who's magic allows her to find things others could not.

Oh, and here is the best part. Enter into the story the compleatly swoon-worthy Captin Wolfe. Now, Rogan despises this man, due to the fact that his father is the one who took her from her family and then went on to kill them before her very eyes. But no fear readers, Rogan got her revenge from that, being the best friend to the princess has its advantages! Captin Wolfe is in charge of the journey to take Rogan across the lands to retrieve this very rare plant that is going to save Haydens life.

Well, no need to say I was surprised, but it is always nice to watch a angry love story unfold before your eyes! She hates him, he hates her. Well that is what you are lead to believe, unless you can read between the lines that is. Because let me tell you all, the tension between these two makes for a GREAT love story. If they are not fighting with eachother, then they are giving evil looks toward eachother. And if they are not around eachother, they still think about one another. Which makes you, or made me atleast, want to take each of them and shake them until they just came out with their feelings!

Thank goodness though, the feelings eventualy came out, and I LOVED how this love story played out afterwards. I don't think you will be dissapointed. But enough with the love, how about that ACTION?! All of the kidnapping and fights and tears of frustration. This book was perfect in everyway. I love how Samantha Young put this story together, giving you a little bit of everything with some magic thrown in.

The only problem I had with this book was the names of the different titles for people. Also, the names of the lands which they had to go through. But, I guess that is what happens when someone has to make up a whole new world for us to enjoy.

Overall, this book had me on the edge of my seat, turing the pages faster than my fingers could let me go wanting to find out what happened next. It is a thrilling adventure from page one that will leave you wishing you had more.

Happy reading all.
[:(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Sunshine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, a-series-of-books, fantasy-ical, oh-oh-oh-its-magic, release-in-2012, romantical, written-review

Just a quick, spoiler-free review.

Slumber is a book similar to Graceling and Poison Study. The main characters, Rogan and Wolfe are likable enough, although at times I became frustrated with the heroine Rogan. Majority of the trouble she encountered was caused by her own rashness and stupidity. She did redeem herself towards the end of the book by accepting the blame unto herself and she tries to make better choices. The secondary characters are well thought out and memorable. There are many dif...more

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About Samantha Young

Samantha Young is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET.

For more info on Samantha's adult fiction visit http://www.ondublinstreet.com

For info on her young adult fiction visit www.samanthayoungbooks.com

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An On Dublin Street Christmas (On Dublin Street, #1.5)

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Quotes from Slumber

“When we’re there I’ll create a distraction. You have to keep your wits about you, Lady Rogan. Watch me all the time. When I make my move, you make it with me and we run.”
I blinked owlishly, hoping I’d heard wrong. “That’s your big plan? A distraction?”
He smiled cheekily at me. “Yes. It’s good, right?”
“You’re going to get us killed.”
“Well, since you got us kidnapped in the first place, I think it’s only fair.” — 52 people liked it

“Not able to stop it, I felt a small smile tilt up the corners of my mouth. "Noted. Althought I must protest that you keep forcing unwanted kisses on me."
"It's the only way to get one. Unwanted indeed." He raised a knowing eyebrow at me. Arrogant Knave. I shook my head, feeling sad and happy all at the same time. "Why do you persist, Wolfe?"
His grin was slow and wicked as he stood back from me, allowing my body and mind to breathe again. "Strategy."
"Strategy?"
He cocked his eyebrow. "At first I thought imposed isolation would make you miss me-"
"Why you arro-"
"-But then I realised that it's being near me you can't resist. And there are only so many kisses you'll take before you give in to me completely, Rogan.” — 26 people liked it

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Slumber (The Fade #1)

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