Review: Malice (Malice Duology #1)

Malice (Malice Duology #1)
By Heather Walter

Published By: Del Ray Publishing
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
Date Read: October 29, 2021
Genre: YA – Retelling
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback
Pages: 400

From Goodreads:
Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who cursed a line of princesses to die, and could only be broken by true love’s kiss. You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after.

Utter nonsense.

Let me tell you, no one actually cares about what happens to our princesses. I thought I didn’t care, either. Until I met her.

Princess Aurora. The last heir to the throne. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though it was a power like mine that was responsible for her curse.

But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating – and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps, together, we could forge a new world.

Nonsense again. Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I-

I am the villain.

“Embrace your gift, your heritage. Such wild untapped power. You are perfect.”

Wow! I don’t even know what to say when it comes to this absolute masterpiece of a book. Malice was so much better than I ever could have expected… and I went into it with pretty high expectations already. As soon as I heard about the concept of Malice I was instantly intrigued. I love books that are told from the villain’s point of view, so instantly I was really interested but a sapphic retelling where the villain is in love with the princess… I really love this concept, and just had to pick it up.

I read Malice back in October 2021. In this time I was actively trying to broaden my reading horizons and read more books outside of my comfort zone. LGBTQ+ novels are something I am trying to read more, as a few years back I never would have picked one up, thinking that as a straight cis- female I wouldn’t be able to associate with the characters. Now before you come for me with pitch forks… I was wrong y’all. Sexuality means nothing when looking at enjoying just a brilliant book… and that’s what Malice it… a freaking phenomenal book!

Right from the start Heather Walter’s writing really drew me in and I was so invested in this story and in Alice. Right from the start I loved her. She is such a misunderstood character and I felt for her right away. As someone with dark magic, she is constantly ridiculed by everyone for being evil… except by the Princess Aurora herself.

I absolutely loved this twist on the tale, where there’s a romance between the Princess and Villain. It was so unique and addictive. I was hooked right from the start and I couldn’t read this novel fast enough. I was flying through the pages as fast as I possibly could as I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen to my beloved Alice. I was left completely reeling by the ending and I cannot wait to read the sequel and see what is going to happen.

If you love retellings and you’re looking for a fresh and unique spin on the Sleeping Beauty tale… look no further. This is it… and it is a must-read.

“You were never a villain to me.”

Follow K-Books on WordPress.com