Malice

In this first half of a duology, Walter has crafted a dark, sapphic retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. The Dark Grace, Alyce, has never fit in. She is the only one of her kind and is called upon to supply residents of the kingdom of Briar not with potions for beauty, wisdom, or talent like the other Graces, but with charms to disfigure, or forget, or harm. But when she meets Princess Aurora, who has less than a year to live unless she finds true love’s kiss, Alyce discovers a place she does belong. As with all fairy tales, all is well until evil forces rear up, but it’s not Alyce who is the threat. With its unexpected ending, this fantastical story will have readers eager for the next book. Ann Marie Gideon brings the well-crafted kingdom of Briar to full life, fully immersing the listener into the magic world in its brightness and its darkness. While Alyce is a villain, she’s a villain everyone will root for.