June 10, 2024
Snow White gets a dark fantasy update in this satisfying epic from Walter (Malice). The Age of the Covens is over. Witches now live in hiding, persecuted by the White King’s merciless Hunt. Ayleth lives in Stonehaven, a coven disguised as a Sanctum for Order Sisters, worshippers of the goddess Meira. After her older sister’s death, Ayleth must step in as second to her mother, who is Heir to one of the Five Ancients, powerful witches who crafted the Veil that holds black magic—or Malum—at bay. The role is ill-suited to Ayleth, who, unbeknownst to the other Heirs, has no power of her own. After the ceremony that would cement her new status goes wrong, she decides to use the Veil to bring her sister back from the dead. To do so, she must sneak into the White City under cover of a festival that brings Order Sisters to the capitol. Along the way she meets and develops feelings for Order Sister Jacquetta. This slow-burning sapphic romance only enhances the high stakes: Malum is on the rise, the Veil is thinning, and Ayleth is in danger from those around her. Walter includes just enough elements of the original to hook fairy tale enthusiasts while adding enough surprises to keep readers on their toes. This is a winner.
June 1, 2024
Snow White's wicked stepmother finally tells how she became the greatest villain of them all. Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Ayleth, a witch who lived in the forest with her family and coven, hiding their powers from the White King and his Royal Huntsmen who seek to destroy all who practice witchcraft. Ayleth has a secret of her own: her powers have not manifested, and the loss of her sister Rhea overshadows everything in her life. A desperate quest leads Ayleth to the White City and into the palace of the White King himself, also reuniting her with Jacquetta, the witch who stole--and broke--her heart. Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside their past as they attempt to discover the secrets of the White King, who seems to have dangerous powers of his own. VERDICT Walter's (Misrule) adoration of the villains in fairy tales once again comes to life in a queer backstory for the witch queen from "Snow White." Her prose compels readers' empathy as she builds the richly complex story of a young woman looking to save the one she loves most.--Kristi Chadwick
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