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Author Leah Cypess

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Thornwood

Out now from Delacorte Press/Random House!!!!!

ISBN: 978-0593178836

Order Links

Order autographed books (place the request for autographing, along with any personalization, in the comments)

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A Brightly Best Book for 2021

A Finalist for the Andre Norton Nebula Award

“The heart of the story… lies in the utterly authentic relationship between the sisters, who squabble, tease, and hurt each other—and love one another with a fierceness that absolutely demands a happily-ever-after… Effervescent, thrilling, and practically perfect in every way.”

–Kirkus (starred review)

“Everyone knows about Rosalin, aka Sleeping Beauty, but almost no one knows about Briony, her younger sister, who wakes up to find herself in the castle tower with no memory of how she got there… A fun, compelling story.”

–School Library Journal (starred review)

This middle grade debut is Sleeping Beauty like you’ve never seen it before, about a girl who lives in the shadow of her older sister and the curse that has haunted her from birth.

For years, Briony has lived in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Rosalin, and the curse that has haunted her from birth–that on the day of her sixteenth birthday she would prick her finger on a spindle and cause everyone in the castle to fall into a 100-year sleep. When the day the curse is set to fall over the kingdom finally arrives, nothing–not even Briony–can stop its evil magic.

Thornwood Book Cover

You know the story.

But here’s something you don’t know. When Briony finally wakes up, it’s up to her to find out what’s really going on, and to save her family and friends from the murderous Thornwood. But who is going to listen to her? This is a story of sisterhood, of friendship, and of the ability of even little sisters to forge their own destiny. The first in a three-book series of fairy tale retellings, these are the stories of the siblings who never made it into the storybook.


‘A fantastically dark and twisty Sleeping Beauty retelling, full of secrets, danger, fairies who are truly scary, and a complicated sisterly relationship that I adored.”

– Stephanie Burgis, author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and Kat, Incorrigible

“A compelling, delightful, topsy-turvy Sleeping Beauty retelling. Princess Briony is not one to wait for wake-up kisses, she’d rather head straight out into an adventure. Such a fun read!”

–Sarah Prineas, author of The Magic Thief and Winterling  

(Did I mention there’s an order link?)

Author Leah Cypess · Copyright © 2025 · site by highwaters

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