Tag Archives: Heather Walter

Misrule by Heather Walters

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*Will contain spoilers to Malice, the first book of this duology*

Happy-ever-after never seemed to happen to Alyce. Just when she thought she received it, it had been snatched away from her before she could fully process what occurred. Betrayed twice and desperate for love, she does the unthinkable. And now, after a hundred years of living, she is starting to feel the consequences of her actions.

Before, she was hated by the entire society of Briar, comprising of humans and Graces alike. But now, she is beloved in this society she created with the destruction of Briar, comprising of goblins, demons, and Vila like herself. That is, until, everything descends into chaos when a young man washes up onto shore and breaks the princess’s curse that Alyce had struggled to do for a hundred years. And because of it, failure inches closer and closer.

This sequel completes the story of Alyce and Princess Aurora in the most beautiful way possible. It is a happy ending but it isn’t shaped as I thought it would, which ended up as a pleasant surprise on my part. Again, I couldn’t stop reading this book as soon as I started, wanting to know what happened next after things started to connect with each other and make conclusions that renew hope in the ending about humanity and the world in general. The characters in this book are as perfectly written as one can get, adding nuance into the plot through different actions and expressing emotions anyone can relate to. I highly recommend this book for those who love fantasy because everything about this sequel is what, I believe, makes a great ending to a magnificent story.

Malice by Heather Walter

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Once upon a time, Princess Aurora was cursed by an evil sorceress with the only solution being true love’s kiss. Many would imagine the story where Aurora was sent to be raised by three fairies and was awaken from her cursed sleep by Prince Charming. However, in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, that is not the case.

Alyce is who someone called a “Dark Grace” but that doesn’t quite summarize what she actually is. A Grace is someone who tends to the needs of humans either by healing people through or making them more beautiful through their blood. But Alyce isn’t like the rest of the Graces since she is half-Vila, someone who is demonized by all of society.

Princess Aurora is stuck with a curse in which she would die by the age of 21 if she hasn’t kissed someone who is her true love. No one truly cares if she lives or dies since they have seen the same thing with her sisters and the ancestors that came before her. It seems as though Alyce and Princess Aurora would have no reason for their stories to intertwine but Fate turns the table and have the two unexpectedly fall into love with each other.

I find this fantasy book to be truly amazing. The world-building is spectacular, the characters are seen as genuine and relatable, and the plot is amazing. There are many plot twists that occur in the book and has developed the story into a tale of what love and hate equally could do to a person in desperate times. Many times, I couldn’t stop reading the book even when I needed to do something because it had intrigued me so much. I recommend this book for anyone who loves fantasy and loves the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Malice by Heather Walter is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.