The Crimson Crown, Heather Walter
The Crimson Crown, Heather Walter
List: $27.50 | Sale: $19.25
Club: $13.75

The Crimson Crown

Author: Heather Walter

Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller

Unabridged: 18 hr 42 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/27/2024


Synopsis

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in the first book of a queer, witchy duology that reimagines the classic fairy tale—from the author of Malice.

“An alluring, vengeful origin story that brings tremendous dimension to a classic fairytale.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

Book One in The Crimson Crown series.

About The Author

Heather Walter is the award-winning author of the MALICE duology. She holds degrees in both English and library science, thus guaranteeing that she’s always surrounded by stories. At any given moment, you can find her plotting.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brend on January 17, 2025

First five star of the year and thank god cause I was about to off myself Lesbians are good, but there's nothing better than a lesbian who just happens to be very very bad......more

Goodreads review by Monte on September 25, 2024

This was an interesting one. As an OG Malice/Misrule truther I have resigned myself to the fact that I am a Heather Walter fan for life. I will be reading what she drops for as long as she puts out books. It's also because I have read and enjoyed their previous books that I went into this expecting t......more

Goodreads review by WhatSamReads on November 22, 2024

4.5 Stars The Crimson Crown was such an enchanting reimagining of Snow White. I absolutely loved that it spins the classic tale into something far darker, richer, and more compelling. Ayleth’s transformation from a struggling young witch to a force to be reckoned with was captivating, and the amazing......more

Goodreads review by Sterling Sapphic Reads on August 14, 2024

Heather Walter’s "The Crimson Crown" is a mesmerizing start to a new duology that reimagines the Snow White fairy tale through the eyes of the wicked queen. As someone who adored the Malice and Misrule duology, I had high expectations for this book, and Walter certainly delivers a story rich with ma......more

Goodreads review by Lady Olenna on October 06, 2024

4.5 Stars This is why I am always on the side of the villains because their anger and vengeance is justified. This villain origin story of Ayleth the “Evil Queen” in Snow White has the most satisfying, most scrumptious revenge I have ever read. Everything leading up to the climax of the story was so......more


Quotes

“It’s always a pleasure to read a villain origin story that makes you go ‘Good for her,’ and Heather Walter pulls this off masterfully in The Crimson Crown. This is a lush, dark, riveting tale about all the things that can lie in a woman’s heart—power, rage, grief, vengeance—and it is spun in such haunting prose that it kept me on the edge of my seat all throughout. . . . Simply gorgeous.”—Thea Guanzon, USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars

“Beautiful and gloriously poisonous, The Crimson Crown will enthrall you.”—Tasha Suri, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

“An alluring, vengeful origin story as you’ve never seen before. The Crimson Crown brings tremendous dimension to a classic fairytale, ushering in the darkness you’ve always craved.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

“Walter’s deeply rooted point of view never falters and is supported by intricate world-building and a history of family, love, and betrayal—and the prices paid for each.”—Sara A. Mueller, author of The Bone Orchard