Beautiful photo by @pai.reads
Hello fairy friends!
Happy Monday, I hope you had a lovely weekend!
Welcome to day one of our readalong of Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron! I am very excited to be reading this with you all and I hope you love it!
Since today is the first day, we’ll be reading from the beginning to the end of Chapter 5. It’s time to get comfy with your beverage of choice and let’s get started!
When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the beginning of the book. Happy reading!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron from the beginning to the end of Chapter 5. Please only read on if you have finished reading this section!
–!SPOILERS!–
We are starting the book by jumping straight into some action as Eve, who is currently having a lesson with someone called Huntress about how to hunt animals. Eve has said she has had a helper, but there is no one else in the clearing with them?
Huntress and Eve have a bit of an argument as Eve has used her nature powers to ‘cheat’. Personally I think if Eve has these powers she should use every tool at her disposal!
Wowww so it seems Eve can hear the ‘sounds’ of animals and realises they’re in danger. A gigantic wolf appears… it launches itself at Eve and she summons lighting?? Omg that’s so cool! They have a face off but the wolf decides Eve is too much of a threat and it goes away.
Eve’s mother, the Queen, is having a meeting about some crops owned by Sir Gregory getting out of hand and it’s threatening their water supply. One of the advisors asks if it’s necessary that she go herself but the Queen is very caring and always goes to help in person.
They go to visit the land that is going wild with crops but not before Eve’s mother asks her how her horse is doing. I love that Eve can communicate with animals, and I don’t know why but imagining that animals all have their own voice is so sweet to me!
When they finally reach Sir Gregory’s land it’s completely out of hand and it looks as if some magic has been cast to make the flax grow that quickly. It seems like the Queen has an idea about what could have caused it.
Sir Gregory is shocked to see them but then claims it’s all in order and there isn’t an issue.
The Queen definitely knows what’s up and tries to get Sir Gregory to tell her the truth about what has happened. He’s been struggling and it turns out he’s made a wish!
Eve and her mother are angry that Sir Gregory has gone to ‘him’ to ask for help as a wish is never what it seems. I’m SO curious as to who he is that they’re referring to? A wish granted by ‘him’ can have payment or terms apparently. There’s definitely quite a sinister undertone to these wishes.
Sir Gregory explains and the Queen asks for the exact wording. It seems like that’s very important as the words can be completely twisted! The wishes are always not what people wanted and end in misery. The Queen asks them how they had found him. Mekhi and Sir Gregory had been out hunting and they had seen his castle by chance… That 100% was not a coincidence!
The Queen tells Eve that wishes are seductive and that is his power. ‘The Knight’ is a monster and he is offering the people things that a Queen cannot provide.
Wow, the Knight has a travelling castle. Is it bad that I think that is cool… imagine being able to just pick up your castle and move anywhere you please.
It turns out the Queen was also betrayed by the knight as her wife and Eve’s other mother, Queen Sanaa, had made a wish of her own. Queen Sanaa wanted her ability to sing back and had gone to the Knight. Despite thinking she was careful, she is now stuck in the form of a nightingale!
It seems that nobody knows where the Knight has come from, only that he has roamed for generations and terrorised many of the Queens. Eve believes that she has these powers to defeat him but her mother says that isn’t necessarily true and squeezes Eve’s shoulders too tight whilst saying that. Hmmmm I’m a bit suspicious about the Queen, there have been little moments where it seems like she knows something. Is anyone else getting that feeling?
Eve has a collection of all the wishes that have gone wrong and is hoping she can find out some information about the Knight and what he wants from them. I wonder if the Knight is cursed to be evil?
She goes to see her mother but hears her speaking and pleading to someone. Eve calls out to ask if she’s ok and her mother comes out of her room and says she’s fine. Later Eve recalls that she’s heard that voice before.
Tension is high, the Queen is angry for some reason when mention of Eve’s birthday comes up and goes as far as setting a decree that no one is to mention a celebration of Eve’s party. Ok alarm bells are really ringing now, there’s definitely something up!
Later that evening Eve goes to her mother and hears her voice through the door again. Eve wants to see what is happening and so decides to climb onto the balcony. But first she makes an invisibility cloak made of the night sky? Omg what is so cool, I want to be able to do that!
When she is able to look into the room she sees her mother talking to her own reflection in a huge mirror! She almost gets caught and falls off the balcony!
The next day Eve sneaks into her mothers room while she is occupied, she of course has to know who her mother was speaking to. She finds the huge mirror hidden in the floor and when she looks into it, she realises that there is someone in the mirror looking back at her! We end with Eve questioning things and the Queen crying.
Wow so that was definitely a very intriguing start to the book. Eve has some very cool powers and I love the sound of their world, run by a Queendom? Yes please! There are so many questions that I have already, I cannot wait to carry on reading!
What are your thoughts so far?
Do we have any theories on the Knight and what he can really do?
What else do we think Eve can do with her powers? I have a feeling we haven’t seen it all yet!
Why do we think the Queen is behaving so suspiciously with Eve?
See you tomorrow for another day of reading!
Love,
Isla
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The Girl with No Reflection Readalong: Day 3!
Isla
18th September 2024
Oooo, I think i will enjoy this one very much. I’m very excited to see, where this story will go. I’m really excited to also hear more about Knight, as i kinda have Howl’s moving castle vibes from him now, and I’m so ready to actually see him in the story. The mirror also seems cool, can’t wait to hear more about that.
// I also have to add, that i absolutely love these read-alongs, I’m so happy I found them as i wouldn’t probably read my fairyloot books at all without these <3 always happy to read everyone's thoughts and talk about the books
I’m so pleased to hear that you’re excited and that you’re loving the readalongs! We’re happy to have you here and love to hear all of your thoughts!
I know right? This is my first time successfully participating in these readalongs; it brings me a sense of community and really motivates me to read more. c:
Interesting so far; enjoy just getting to know the world.
I have no theories or predictions yet. It’s hard not to keep trying to find comparisions and contractions to the original tale. If 7 dwarves show up, I’ll be excited.
I’m really excited to see how this goes on. I’m most intrigued by who the man in the mirror is. Is it possibly the Knight? Or is it a completely new character? I can’t wait to meet the Knight. Everything with Eve’s mother and the Huntress seems just a bit off enough that it feels like there are a lot of secrets being kept that could shock Eve’s worldview.
I’m so happy to hear that you’re excited to see where the story goes!
I already love this book! It’s so atmospheric and I adore the mother-daughter relationship. It’s a rarely depicted topic and I also like it that many female characters are in a high and powerful position. All in all, this book contains everything that I enjoy reading about: magic, animals, a medieval fairytale setting, mysterious Knight, badass princess and more… I am so excited for the next chapters!
However, I would have liked a more detailed description of the characters, so I can better imagine what they look like. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful book! (Snow White is one of my favourite tales <3 )
I adore the mother-daughter relationship too! I can’t wait to see more of it!
I love this one so far! Eve’s nature powers are very cool and I always enjoy the trope of wishes having to be worded perfectly or something will go wrong. There’s also not a lot of Snow White retellings out there, so I’m very excited.
I’m so happy that you’re loving it, and me too! The wishes and the way that they can be twisted is so interesting to read about! 😍
Im starting to really like this one! Excited to read on after how that chapter ended. I’m interested to hear more about the knight – it must be him in the mirror right? But why is the queen talking to him? Maybe she’s just trying anything to get her wife back? I’m not sure what else Eve can do with her powers but I agree I think there’s more we will see about that.
I’m under the same impression. I feel like we’re getting a lot of rough edges to the puzzle, but we don’t have any of the middle pieces yet.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this or not but after reading the first few chapters I’m definitely hooked. I agree that the Knight’s castle is giving me Howl’s moving castle vibes. The Queen definitely knows more than she’s letting on. Also, I’m curious as to why she’s so against not only Eve having a birthday celebration but just talking about her birthday in general. While she made a good point that due to the Knight’s influence it might not be good to have a celebration, the way she reacted when Eve said she would like a night to let her guard down seemed a bit extreme. It just further proved to me that there’s something she’s not telling Eve.
Also, I’m curious about the limits/restrictions with Eve’s abilities. Specifically, her ability to understand animals. After all her mother Queen Sanaa has become a nightingale and yet it seems like she can’t understand her at least that’s the impression I got. Is that because she’s technically not an animal but a human transformed into one?
Wow I really enjoyed day 1 of this readalong this book is good so far I love the mystery side of it trying to figure out whis in the mirror and who is the night and hiw he moves he reminds me of rumpilstilskin this is a great start
Im absolutely loving this book so far, it feels like reading a fairy tale! Eve’s powers are so freaking cool, my favorites were when she made the night cloak and made a scythe out of the sky?? My theory so far is that the queen made a deal with the Knight that has something to do with Eve’s birthday, like maybe he’ll take her away and that’s why she’s been preparing her! Can’t wait to read more tomorrow!
Her powers really are so cool! 😍 I definitely think you could be onto something there with a deal that has been made!
What are your thoughts so far?
I really enjoyed This Poison Heart in the past but this book is even more my speed. I’m absolutely loving it so far!
Do we have any theories on the Knight and what he can really do?
So far in my head he’s a cross between Rumplestiltskin from Once Upon a Time and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle haha. I wonder if he’s actually evil or if he’s also got a curse and can only answer wishes badly? Or something. Love me a misunderstood monster.
What else do we think Eve can do with her powers? I have a feeling we haven’t seen it all yet!
I love that she has powers period! I was thinking Snow White but a warrior is a nice change from a helpless princess, but wow with the powers she’s really a force to be reckoned with!
Why do we think the Queen is behaving so suspiciously with Eve?
Well in the original fairytale she’d be plotting to have her daughter killed so…I like that she doesn’t seem to be evil here but I wonder if she’s made her own bad bargains?
This is my first read of anything from Bayron, but I get the feeling that nobody important in this novel is entirely innocent. I bet there’s been more bad bargains than what’s being spoken of… involving important characters.
What are your thoughts so far?
I am enjoying this book. I haven’t read from this author before but it’s a nice easy read.
Do we have any theories on the Knight and what he can really do?
I think the knight is really the prince from sleeping beauty.
What else do we think Eve can do with her powers? I have a feeling we haven’t seen it all yet!
Honestly, I don’t know. I think she will be able to work with the knight to make her lands better.
Why do we think the Queen is behaving so suspiciously with Eve?
Yes! As soon as she acted sus I had a feeling she was the evil queen with the mirror then BOOM mirror.
1. What are your thoughts so far?
I’m not loving it yet and also not really invested in the story right now. Hoping that will change soon!
2. Do we have any theories on the Knight and what he can really do?
It seems like there is more to his story than we know right now. We only hear of him through the eyes of those against him, so that seems biased.
3. What else do we think Eve can do with her powers? I have a feeling we haven’t seen it all yet!
I have the same feeling! Maybe she can nullify the wishes granted?
4. Why do we think the Queen is behaving so suspiciously with Eve?
Maybe the mirror told of a second possible option to kill/defeat the Knight which has to do with Eve? If it does follow the snow white narrative, Eve will have to be killed which would explain her mother’s behaviour
I share all of your sentiments!
I’m not exactly vibing with this book yet but I’m hoping it picks up for me.
Oooh this is starting really promising ! Can’t wait to see more of her powers and knowing more about this realm. I’m pretty sure the Queen is hiding something, like the man in the mirror might be the Knight and there is some kind of curse (or wish) involving Eve and her birthday…. I’m dying to know more XD
I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying it so far! 🥰
I’m wondering if perhaps Queen Regina made a wish too and it somehow relates to Eve’s seventeenth birthday… Perhaps she’ll have her wife back but lose her daughter on her seventeenth birthday? I don’t know… Odd.
I’m enjoying the book so far. I didn’t think I would as I’m not entirely a fan of Snow White. As for the Knight…his castle has Howl’s Moving Castle at the forefront making me wish that he’s cursed and at most, a morally gray character. As for Eve’s powers, there is certainly more to come. Loved the flax-cutting scene! Has the mirror told the Queen that misfortune will befall Eve at a specific age, so the Queen doesn’t wish to be reminded of how close Eve is getting to that fate? Running behind, but reading on!
What are your thoughts so far?
This is in retrospect and I’m coming back here after finishing this morning, but I really enjoyed the intro, Kalynn Bayron knows how to set up a story well. Eve’s powers were really interesting and definitely didn’t think we had seen them all, at this point. Definitely did not think using her powers to track was cheating, and her ability to hear animals is such a cool power, I’m glad we got that aspect of Snow White. I was thinking with her birthday we were going to have a sleeping beauty-esque prophecy, I was half waiting for a mention of no spindles. I really wanted to know who her mother was talking to and what the deal was with the mirror.
I am really liking all the vibes of this book so far and I cant wait to see where it goes next. I love Eves powers especially with animals, definitely gives the Snow White vibes. Im not sure what to make of the Knight yet, I dont think he is going to be truly bad. Something bad is definitely connected to Eves 17th birthday, maybe thats when she falls asleep. Maybe her mom wished for nothing bad to ever happen to her and that was the trade off, for her to be perserved and young forever. But it would be weird if both moms made a wish. Guess I’ll have to read and see.
What are your thoughts so far?
It’s good so far! I do like Snow White!
Do we have any theories on the Knight and what he can really do? I don’t have many theories yet. But perhaps he isn’t as evil as everyone says. Wasn’t Queen Regina the one who was evil in the original?
What else do we think Eve can do with her powers? She’s probably connected to some bigger plot in some way. Maybe even to the knight.
Why do we think the Queen is behaving so suspiciously with Eve? I think she’s probably evil. Or at least, a part of her is?