Game of Thrones  meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.   It’s been ten years since Princess Aurora’s mother, the Sleeping Beauty, sacrificed her life to give her daughter her magical powers. Aurora knows that magic is never free. The price for hers is that she will never know romantic love.      Prince Niklaas is living on borrowed time. Unless he is able to convince a princess to marry him before his eighteenth birthday, he will meet the same terrible fate as his ten older brothers.      When Niklaas and Aurora meet under unusual circumstances, they must race to prevent the fulfillment of an ogre prophecy foretelling the end of human life. But will they be able to break their curses? “Compelling and  action-packed . . . . The combination of adventure; lovable, complex characters; and a touch of romance make this a book that teens will be drawn to, especially those who appreciate strong female protagonists.”— School Library Journal “The plotting is  impeccable , the world building ample, and the resolution neatly done without feeling pat.”— Booklist   “The banter between rakish Niklaas and feisty Aurora is  crackling with chemistry and wit .”— The Bulletin “We absolutely loved Stacey Jay’s Princess of Thorns, a  riveting  retelling of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ that's full of action, drama and romance.”—romantictimes.com “Will appeal to fantasy lovers.”— VOYA “Jay creates people with real flaws, but endows them with enough integrity to be characters to respect  and want to know.”—examiner.com Praise for  Juliet Immortal “The bones of the classic Beauty and the Beast story are all here, imaginatively fleshed out with tropes from science fiction, fantasy, even political drama. . . . Will please readers who like to believe that fairy tales can come true, even under dire circumstances.” — The Bulletin , Recommended Praise for  Of Beast and Beauty “The romance is intense, and so is the horror in this strong reversal of the Romeo and Juliet story. . . . Teens will enjoy the macabre fantasy story of forbidden love.” — Booklist Stacey Jay has written several popular books for young adults. She lives with her family in California. Chapter One Aurora Prophecy foretells that in the last days of the Long Summer, the Age of Reaping will dawn with the rise of the living darkness. The four kingdoms will dwell in shadow, and the souls of man feed the First One's hunger for a hundred years. And when the land lies barren, and not a single man remains upon it, the gates of the underworld shall open and all souls--human and ogre--descend to dwell in peace with the Lost Mother for all eternity. Only a human child, briar-born, can usher in the Final Age. And so such children must be collected and held captive until the coming of the Long Summer. Any citizen found to be sheltering or aiding in the escape of such a child will be sentenced to death. --ROYAL PROCLAMATION, 20TH OF SUNSWANE, 1458 "It's time, button," Mama whispers. Her voice is like lines of music--delicate bars that trap and hold me prisoner on the floor before her. I am so terrified that I can't move, but I love her too much to run, even if I could. Even if there were somewhere to run to, some way out of this cell where Mama and Jor and I have been brought to await our moment to die. The queen said Jor and I would be spared and allowed to live out our lives in the dungeon, but Mama doesn't believe her. Neither do I. Queen Ekeeta will finish with the nobles and judges and merchants loyal to my father, and then her guards will come for us. Before nightfall, she and the ogres who came in the black ships from across the Winter Ocean will magic the light from our eyes, drink our spirits down, and throw our soulless bodies into the sea. I have seen our fate. The sun was rising when the guards forced us along the wall walk five mornings past. I saw the waves crashing far below the keep. I saw the ladies in their fine dresses and the men in their shining armor washing in and out on the tide, their limp bodies knocking against the rocks like dolls some spoiled child had thrown away. I realized they were dead--all the human members of my father's inner circle, every one dead and gone--and I screamed. I screamed and thrashed and kicked until the guard pulling me along had to pick me up and tuck me under his long arm to carry me to the dungeon. I fought for my freedom, but I was too small. Too weak. I am only seven years old. I will never be more than seven years old. "As soon as it's over, take Jor and go down the waste chute," Mama says. The waste chute? I look up, lips parting, but Mama pushes on before I can protest. "There is no other way. It will be tight, but you will fit, little button." Mama smoothes my hair from my face with her soft hands. We've been in the dark with the biting beetles, the filth of the