Malice

Princess Aurora is cursed to prick her finger on a spindle before her twenty-first birthday, dooming the kingdom of Briar to fall under an eternal slumber. The curse was cast by Vila, dark creatures who have plagued the kingdom for generations. Alyce exists as the Dark Grace, a Vila-blooded outcast who sells dark magic to nobles while her fellow Graces provide beauty and charm with their golden blood. As the kingdom races to break Aurora's curse, Alyce discovers she may be the only one with power strong enough to alter the princess's fate. The story reimagines Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the villain, centered on themes of power, identity, and the complexity of good versus evil. The dark fantasy romance explores what happens when those marked as "evil" by society choose to either fulfill or defy the roles they've been given.

Readers praise the dark reimagining of Sleeping Beauty from the villain's perspective and the LGBTQ+ romance at the story's center. Many reviews note the rich world-building and complex characterization of Alyce, comparing her journey to that of Elphaba in Wicked. Common criticisms include a slow-paced first half, repetitive internal monologues, and underdeveloped side characters. Some readers found the romance rushed in its development. "The ending made the slow build worth it," notes one Goodreads reviewer. "But getting there required patience." Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (28,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) BookBub: 4.2/5 (1,900+ ratings) Specific praise focuses on the gothic atmosphere and moral ambiguity. Main criticisms target pacing issues and predictable plot points. The ending generates strong reactions - both positive and negative - with many readers describing it as unexpected and compelling enough to drive interest in the sequel.

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🌹 Author Heather Walter worked as a librarian while writing this dark, sapphic retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the villain's perspective. 🏰 The novel flips traditional fairy tale tropes by making Princess Aurora actively pursue the "villain" Alyce, rather than waiting passively to be saved by a prince. ⚔️ The magic system in the book is based on the concept of Grace (light/good magic) and Malice (dark/corrupted magic), reflecting real-world prejudices and discrimination. 🌟 The book was selected as one of Barnes & Noble's "Most Anticipated LGBTQIA+ Books of 2021" and received praise for its fresh take on the classic tale. 💫 Walter drew inspiration for Alyce's character not only from Maleficent but also from other complex villains like the Evil Queen from Snow White and Morgan le Fay from Arthurian legend.