It's always nice to read a sapphic novel, and especially a fun retelling With A Twist. More gay villains, please!

This was a very interesting and unique take to the evil queens story! There were so many little details that ended up being so important to the story line. I enjoyed this read! I would love a short story of what happens next! There’s so much left that could be written about. But it’s also a great ending that could be stand alone. I loved the last sentence of the book! It was kind of like at the end of a movie where you’re like ohhhh dang! Okay girl!

I have really enjoyed Walter's two previous novels. This one had a lot of strengths of the previous books, but it just didn't work as well for me as the previous books.

Things I really liked: I like the premise. What turns the evil queen evil? After all, evil queens aren't born that way. And I suspect too often what is seen as the evil queen is really just a strong, confident woman who doesn't take anyone's crap. So evil queens have always interested me.

The writing is very smooth, and easy to read. Walter gives a good sense of place and setting. I liked the world she is creating in this book.

I really liked Blodwyn, and I feel she's been a bit discarded at the end, which feels a bit unfair to her. However, since there is another book coming, I suspect (and hope) Blodwyn plays a much bigger role.

Then there are the things that didn't sit well with me.

One, I felt it was a little too long. The ending was terrific, and even surprised me. But it took a long time to get there. The middle dragged a lot for me, and while there are some scenes that seem to have some importance by the end, I feel some edits still could have been done to tighten up the pacing.

Two, I found Ayleth really annoying and honestly a bit too whiny for my tastes. She's constantly putting herself down, listening to this voice that tells her she's not good enough. She carries that with her a long time after what happens with her sister. Also I just didn't buy her feelings for Jacquetta. They had a fling when they were teenagers, and I find it not quite believable that 10 years later Ayleth still has those same feelings. I also had some trouble with her motivations for some of her actions. She just comes across as young and somewhat immature. So although I actually did like her ending, I feel it wasn't entirely believable, and it felt rushed to me.

Then there are some little picky things that annoyed me. She and Jacquetta talk a lot about witch stuff in the castle and don't seen terribly bothered that at any point they could be overheard. I kept wanting to shush them!

Also, with Nettle and Fitz (a cat and a dog) how many times are they following her on multi day journeys while she's on a horse, and they aren't and somehow they keep up with her? That struck me as odd, esp since it happened more than once.

So overall, I think there's some good stuff in this book, although there are elements that needed additional attention. I think readers who enjoyed Walter's previous books will likely enjoy this one. In her acknowledgements she mentions that she struggled with the writing of this book, and I struggled a little bit with the reading of it. I hope the next one is tighter, and goes better, because I still think there's a very interesting story here, and I really like the world she is creating with it.

An origin story of the evil queen from Snow White? I was definitely intrigued.

Ayleth, our main character comes from a family of witches that undergo an ascension at a certain age. Of course during Ayleth’s something goes wrong setting the tone for the story.

I definitely enjoyed the witches, magic, and the world building. However, I was a little bored throughout the middle. The plot fell a bit flat midway, but then pick up during the last 20% and went full throttle.

This book was not terrible, but it wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC.

With witches hiding their magic for fear of being hunted down at the order of the White King, a young witch embarks on a journey to the White Palace to try to save her coven and become the witch they all need in The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter.
A young witch, Ayleth is set to become the Second to her mother as leader for the coven of witches living in secret in the forest as they hide from the White King and his malicious Huntsmen, in one of the Hunts in which her sister Rhea, her mother’s previous Second, died. As preparations are made for Ayleth’s Ascension ceremony she faces an internal battle as her magical gifts have yet to fully manifest themselves, which adds to her feeling of not being worthy of the role; during the ceremony Ayleth sees Rhea through the Veil and becomes determined to bring her departed sister back, which means leaving on a dangerous quest for the White Palace where she immerses herself in a world of corruption and deceit and she encounters a surprising figure from her past, Jacquetta, a witch who both held and betrayed her heart. Caught in a web of dark manipulations, Ayleth navigates her way forward through escalating events and secrets coming to light, relying upon the few allies and abilities she has and drawing upon strength to let go of the past and become someone more powerful than she ever imagined she could for the future she and the witches deserve.
In a tale that envisions a backstory for the witch queen from the beloved fairy tale Snow White, whose story elements were strewn throughout this tale as reminders of the familiar, this story develops Ayleth into a fairly captivating and complicated character to become invested in and root for instead of against, demonstrating the hows and whys behind the person that she becomes and the actions that she takes once she comes into her powers. Ayleth faces many challenges and slowly begins to adapt with growth, both mentally and emotionally, with each hurdle as she figures out the next step to her larger plan as well as how to tread within the plots put in place by those around her; she is still rather too hung up on Jacquetta given the time that’s passed from the initial betrayal and their dynamic and relationship doesn’t feel developed enough even with their rekindled interactions. The world the witches live in is filled with fear as they hide their true nature and those in power in the court, through their corruption, keep the witches from fully embracing and obtaining the truth of their history, which has been suppressed in heinous ways and is depicted well with a dark and eerie atmosphere.
Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t wait to read this again and have a physical copy in my hands. I absolutely adored this book and author. Can’t wait to read more of their work.

Book: The Crimson Crown
Author: Heather Walter
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I want to thank the publisher, Del Rey, for sending me an ARC. This is a new author to me. Therefore, I went into this one not knowing what to expect, other than it was a Snow White retelling.

In this one, we follow Ayleth, who is the witch queen from Snow White, only she isn’t yet. Before all of that, she was a witch, living with her coven, and in hiding. She and others must practice their craft secretly or they risk facing the wrath of the White King. She has a bit of a problem though. The Hunt is knocking on their door and her powers have yet to manifest. She is supposed to become her mother’s Second, but she fears that she will never be the witch needed for such a role. She fears that she will never be the witch her coven needs. To prove herself, she sets off on a quest, one that will take her into the very heart of the White Palace. There she encounters an old friend, Jacqueeta, who once owned her heart and, then, betrayed her. Now, these two must find out what darkness looms around the palace before it is too late. As they get closer to the darkness, they find that it is closer than they first thought.

Snow White has never been my favourite fairy tale. I don’t know why, but it has not pulled in me. However, I found getting the queen’s backstory was very good. When I read this, it had been a while since I read the summary, so it was nice coming into it not knowing anything. I love how much of the original tale in this story, but I also love how we get a fresh take on things.

Ayleth’s character goes through so many changes and grows in ways that left me mindblown. She starts as this person who is very unsure of herself. She misses her sister. She feels betrayed by a lost lover. She is hurt and overall rather weak. Yet, as the book progresses, we start to see her change. We see bits of who she is to become come out. It’s not rushed and it’s not over the top. It’s done in a way that feels right and makes sense. We get to see what she has been through. We get to see the why and how of the person she becomes. It’s a very interesting take on one of the most famous villains in the world.

We also get a look into the political world of Snow White. The Snow White that we know is very much cut and dry. This retelling of the story gives us an inside look as to the why. We see the darker side of the Snow family. We see that Ayleth has had to grow up and hide who she is. Witches are hunted, their gods are suppressed, and they have to hide their culture. Their entire history has been wiped away. We get the witch's side of things. We see how they used to help people and used to have this unique identity that has been stripped away from them. It makes for a very compelling and engaging story.

Now, with all of this being said, there were times when I thought about giving this a three-star instead of a four-star. There were parts of the book that I found went on too long. The middle was on the rougher side for me, but I found the ending made up for it. I am not saying that the middle was bad, I just struggled to get through that part of the book.

Overall, I did enjoy this one a lot. I thought it was a very compelling villain backstory.

This book comes out on August 27, 2024.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/7iF_fFzhFkY

Heather Walter excels at writing a plot based in a court, and this book just solidifies that. I loved every aspect of the setting and world, and would love to spend more time there. The plot was very compelling, and going into the novel knowing that Ayleth would one day become the Evil Queen from Snow White really made the tension thicken. The only reason this book isn't a 5 star is just because I didn't connect to Ayleth as well as I wanted to, leaving me to not understand some of her choices.

Spoiler Thoughts:
<spoiler>I wanted to love Ayleth, but from the get-go I was confused by her thoughts and actions. She is told immediately that malum could have reached back, and she never takes it seriously until much later in the book, which honestly made me want to yell at her sometimes. Like come on!! It's so clear that malum affected you at least somewhat!!
But other than that, I loved how the story unfolded. Like, going into it you know the queen and mistress will die or be removed, but you have no idea how. You know the king will fall for Ayleth, but you still haven't understood why. You know Ayleth would have to stick around to raise the princess, but you don't know why. As each of these questions are answered, one by one, it just feels so satisfying to watch it unfold. I loved how doomed the final section of the book felt, knowing it was time for the descent to begin, and I am very excited to see how she will redeem herself.
When I read the Malice duology, I was so thrown off by Aurora forgiving Alyce, and I think the author was able to create a couple who wouldn't face that same problem. I fully believe that Ayleth and Jacquetta will be able to come back together and have a happy ending (at some point). Like they both really hurt one another, it doesn't feel as unbalaced as the previous couple.
I'm very excited to see how this story unfolds, sign me up for book 2!</spoiler>

Walter entranced me with Malice and Misrule and now turns her eye to Snow White in this darkly entrancing retelling, mixed with elements of Tudor history. Ayleth’s character arc is so compelling and builds wonderfully. That ending is brilliantly done and I’m excited to see where we go next.

In this witchy, queer story, Ayleth embarks on a journey to understand her power and hopefully save her coven. After her best friend and sister dies, Ayleth is in line to become second or heir to her family's coven. Having to travel in disguise as a sister, Ayleth finds herself in a Sanctum where she runs into the girl who betrayed her and broke her heart, Jacquetta. In order to get to the bottom of what is weakening the coven’s powers, Ayleth and Jacquetta must work together to find the bloodstones and make the world right again. Unfortunately for Ayleth she must conquer not only the darkness that is spreading in the white palace, but also the darkness within herself.

Ever since her sister died, Ayleth constantly battles her sense of grief and frustration as she is coming up to her initiation into the coven ceremony and her powers/gifts have yet to make themselves known. Blaming herself for her sister's death, coming face to face with Jacquetta’s betrayal, and further becoming a disappointment in the eyes of her mother, Ayleth relies on her hope to one day see her sister again and finally feel that sense of acceptance that she craves. Knowing Ayleth’s backstory and what forced her to make the decisions that she did, definitely has you questioning everything you thought you knew and how sometimes villains are often just misunderstood, morally gray characters. I loved how complex, relatable, and developed Ayleth was which made me sympathize and more invested in the outcome of the story.

I did not know this was supposed to be a snow white evil queen retelling until after I read it so I'm not sure whether that is good or bad. I very much enjoyed the witchy and magic aspects that went along with the strong world building. It was also extremely refreshing to not be able to predict the outcome of this story, the plot twists and turns were done beautifully and left me on the edge of my seat. The themes were all there and added to the appeal of the overall story including, betrayal, hope, grief, family duty & expectations, and societal restraints on women compared to men. The characters were well written, especially the side characters Roland, Joan, Marion, Mathilde, and even Nettle!

The part where this book fell short definitely revolved around the romance. I hardly felt any chemistry between Ayleth and Jacquetta. There was so much history between the two and so much we didn’t see that it made it hard for their romance to be believed. Especially with Jacquetta, I felt like her character and motives were confusing and you never really know where she fell. Besides the one hookup scene, there is really no romance going on, so that left me disappointed. Besides the lack of romance though, overall, I enjoyed the premise, world building, character development, and the fact that I could not predict the ending for once!

Thank you to NetGalley for this early advance copy for review:)

An Evil Queen from Snow White origin story? Hello. Needed it ASAP.

Short Synopsis:
We all know that a witch became Queen and Snow White’s stepmother. But how did a witch become Queen? And how did she become evil? This tells us that story.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one! It was such a solid witchy story on its own, but the nods to Snow White were fun. We have magical mirrors, dwarfs and a palace. I loved how it starts with Ayleth and her coven and feelings of being an outcast. Just overall a fun (yet darker) read.

What You’ll Find:
Enemies to lovers
Sapphic romance
Magic
Morally grey characters
Wild ending

I haven’t read Malice/Misrule yet so I wasn’t sure how I’d enjoy Heather Walters' twist on the Snow White fairy tale. But I devoured this book in two days because I enjoyed it so much. This queer retelling of Snow White’s evil stepmother was everything I wanted it to be.
I loved Ayleth’s character, she was impeccable and although she had her flaws I saw her develop as a person and witch throughout the book. She found herself to be ‘powerless’ but in the end she realized her own power. She goes through relationship issues and struggles when at the white palace, but you slowly realize you’re watching her be corrupted and I loved that. Throughout the twists and turns of this book it's just one huge slow corruption for Ayleth, she slowly learns that she doesn’t have to follow everyone.
I did like the romance in this book, Jacquetta and Ayleth were an interesting dynamic and watching them fall back into love was adorable. There was a little bit of spice in this book, not a lot. The only thing I do wish we saw was their backstory. If we had more of their backstory I do feel like I would’ve been more invested in the romance then I already was.
I loved this story, and after that ending I’m so excited to see where book two will bring us! Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Ballentine | Del Ray for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a mix of both the genre I am heavily interested in, and some topics that dont typically gain my interest. However, I found this read to be exciting and a great balance. I loved the intrigue, the plot and character development, and the conflicts that werent weighed down by the romantic element, but rather supported by it. This was a book that I did not find predictable and kept me wondering what was going to happen and where the story would take me. I loved the relationships between the characters, both those that were strained and those that were developing. I found the characters to be relatable. Overall, I highly enjoyed it! I am eager to see what it in store in the next part of this duology!!

Absolutely incredible! Heartbreakingly beautiful! The Evil Queen from Snow White gets her origin story and it’s everything… I devoured this book in one sitting. Covens being hunted and forced into hiding, a witch on a mission to save her sister and protect the realm from an evil magic that threatens to escape into the world, and a sapphic romance to be the cherry on top of this book full of danger at every turn.

This was an interesting villain origin story. I had some trouble getting into it in the beginning because the main character was annoying and naive, but the last 20% really started to get interesting. Honestly, the first 80% felt slow and meandering and like we were waiting to get to the whole point of the story. I did like some of the subtle foreshadowing hints, but overall, the pacing dragged and Ayleth's general obliviousness made it easy to be frustrated with her. None of the characters at this point really stood out or seemed all that complex. I also did not like the multiple instances of a character being purposely vague for no reason when imparting key information. With all that being said, it did all start to come together very satisfyingly in the end, and I am eager to read what happens next. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys villain origin stories, fairy tales, and complicated relationships.

I'm a big fan of Walter's Malice duology, and I love that her third book draws on the history of Anne Boleyn as well as the fairy tale Snow White. I liked Ayleth as our main character; and despite her descent into villainy, I continued to root for her through the whole book. I liked Jacquetta a lot, too, and I especially loved that Ayleth has a cat companion. This one works very well as a standalone, but I'd like to see more books in this world, especially if they focus on Ayleth's coven.

A dark and decadent retelling of Snow White, this one takes us to the life of Ayleth. As she strives to be enough for her mother, she finds herself thrown into a journey for something bigger than she could ever imagine.

Witches are forced to hide their magic, and as Ayleth's hasn't manifested yet, she's in a particularly tricky position. Being forced to be her mother's second, a position she's only pushed into because her older sister is gone, she is forced to consider that this may not be her path.

Encountering someone from her past and posing as a Sister to offer protection and further hide the fact that she's a witch will throw her off, but eventually lead her to the answers she seeks, for better or for worse.

The world building here is so unique and well thought out. I didn't vibe well with the main character and not connecting made it harder to enjoy the book as a whole.

woah that ending!! this was an engaging and enjoyable read for me. i like that there were many scenes that had me shooock

4.5/5

The Crimson Crown is an enchanting retelling of Snow White from the prospective of the evil queen/witch's point of view, a sort of villain life origin story. The story grabs you from the start and has really good world building. There is a lot of focus on her relationship with Jacquetta, a previous lover turned enemy and then lover again as well as Ayleth's journey to prove herself to everyone. The dark and gothic type of atmosphere is beautifully crafted and shows how so often women villains are just misunderstood. You find yourself feeling the villain isn't so much a villain after all. The magic system and witchy covens were also strong points that added richness to the story. The conclusion of the story is both an intense and intriguing ending. I really enjoyed the book and think fans of dark fairy tales will also love reading this story.