When Jack escaped for the summer on a trip around Europe, he never dreamed he would be pulled into a real-life fairy tale. His main goal in agreeing to the numbingly dull tour of European museums was to avoid an even more boring summer working in his father's company. Both his father and mother think he is a lazy, slacker without any real interests. What they don't know is that Jack has an interest, but he knows as the son of a successful business family, they will not approve of his future plans.
After weeks of museum tours, Jack and his friend Travis decide to skip out on the tour group and head for the beach. They take a wrong turn and end up sneaking through a thick hedge hoping to find the illusive beach, but instead they end up in a strange place that seems lost in time. As they explore, they stumble across some of the residents of the area only to find them fast asleep.
When they arrive at the main gates to a huge castle, they begin to wonder exactly what is going on. Inside the castle they find the same situation - everyone is fast asleep. Life seems to have suddenly halted for these people leaving them in the middle of whatever activity or task that had kept them busy before their sudden slumber.
Jack and Travis find their way to an isolated area of the castle and are surprised to discover a beautiful young girl sleeping peacefully. Travis is more interested in returning to the throne room and snatching the crown jewels, and Jack gladly sends him off. Jack is fascinated by the sleeping girl whose beauty is astonishing. He can't help himself. He bends and gently kisses her soft lips. Suddenly she's awake!
By now readers will recognize the similarities to Sleeping Beauty, but what they don't know yet is they are in for some great adventures. Imagine being awakened by a stranger's kiss and learning you've slept for 300 years. The world doesn't even know your country exists, and you don't have a clue things like cars, buses, airplanes, cell phones, and televisions are now the norm. Princess Talia believes Jack must be her true love, but at seventeen, he's pretty sure she must be wrong.
Alex Flinn, author of YA books like BREATHING UNDERWATER and BEASTLY, has a new treat for her fans. She puts a unique twist on fairy tale retelling by connecting the past and present as Jack and Talia struggle through problems created by their strange meeting and their own personal family struggles as young teens trying to find their own direction in life.
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