This review will be posted to nicolesbookthoughts.wordpress.com and my Goodreads closer to the release date, as specified in the requirements.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this arc copy of Malice*
This book immediately grabbed my attention based purely on the cover alone. Covers with skulls and simplistic covers have my heart completely, and this is no different. After reading the synopsis, I was sold. I always felt like Sleeping Beauty should have explored the possibility that Aurora may not be straight. I'm so glad I got to read it though because it brought out a new way to see Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent.

This book covers the start of the villain we know as Maleficent. From the green blood to the crow it's all here. But what was ignored in Sleeping Beauty is why she cared so much about Aurora, and why she wanted to destroy Briar. This book covers it all and even takes a look into how the fairies' lives.

This book was a great retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Walter took a story that is rather mundane, a girl is woken by her prince, and turns it on its head. Focusing on the villain was a great choice, and having the reader learn with Alyce was a smart choice to make the changes to the original story seamless. Malice focuses on identity, and what that means to a person, and how it's shaped. I thought the way this was done was beautiful. It explores being ostracized, and the trauma that stems from that, learning more information to shape your own beliefs, and even brings in the ethical topic of "for the greater good."

The conversations and the characters were amazing. MY personal favorite character was Rose, even though this was meant to follow Alyce. I loved seeing the physical and mental strain that she was put through, as well as the expectations. There is no better time for this book to be published than when the world is trying to determine how to answer the same questions Alyce (or Malyce) are trying to answer.

The things I liked aside, there is one small complaint that I have that I want to mention as a warning for those looking to read it. The first about 25% of this book is rather slow. It felt like I was reading at half speed, and I wondered when it would pick up. But once it did, the story got going and I finished the book that day. I spent about two weeks reading it, and 13 of those 14 days were reading that first quarter. But I do think it was necessary, since it was setting up where Alyce was mentally, and establishing Walter's version of Briar.

The slow start is the only complaint I have as of now, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fresh fairytail retelling, or anyone that loves villain stories (of which I am a proud member of).

A truly original dark twisted take on the Sleeping Beauty story and I Loved every minute of it. You think you know the story of sleeping beauty and maleficent ? This novel gives us a new story with characters we are familiar with . Told entirely from Alice’s point of view you will love this new fresh dark take on a story we all love

Malice is an interesting retelling of a few fairytales, I overall enjoyed they story and characters, but did find it a bit slow at times.
The magic and social construct reminded me a lot of The Belles.
The characters were interesting and Alyce was intriguing to get to know as she tries to find out more about her past and how to break away from the life she was forced into. I think the dynamic between her an Aurora worked well, but I would have like to see more interaction between them.
The "villian" of the the story is hard to pin down, and the way a few characters each take some of the spotlight pulled away from the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Malice as it is a retelling of a fairy tale(or three) but with a twist. Aurora is a princess who will die on her next birthday if the curse on her family is not broken. Alyce is a Vila, well at least half of her is...the same kind that put the curse on her family so many years ago. She lives with the Graces, who are all a bout Beauty, Charm, and Wisdom and get everything handed to them in exchange for the spells they cast. Alyce, herself, can do nothing but cause pain or warts, or bring death quicker to someone that is already dying. Or at least that is what she believes until she meets a man trapped in a tower and tied to his own curse. Through him Alyce comes to learn who she really is and what can really do. Somehow Alyce and Aurora meet and Aurora is not freaked out or disgusted by Alyce and her appearance...and they fall in love. What I loved about this book is that there were quite a few twists and turns and the amazing amount of character development that we see Alyce go through. The first part was somewhat slow as we are meeting all of the characters but it didn't take long to get interested and stay interested.

I received an eArc of this book from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Have you seen Maleficent, Disney's attempt at retelling Sleeping Beauty from the villain's perspective?
This book is a version of that story. Many generations ago, a female warrior completed a challenge set by the High King of the Fae. Her rewarded was the Kingdom of Briar, a monopoly of the mining of magical ore and an alliance with the Fae. Over the years, a war between the Light Fae and the Vila, dark Fae, has left the Kingdom of Briar with female heirs who die at 21 unless they experience true love's kiss, power hungry kings, and the gift of Graces. The Graces are human children blessed by the light Fae with the ability to imbue the people of Briar with wit, beauty, music, etc, at the cost of their blood.

Alyce, or Malyce, is a Dark Grace serving the Kingdom Of Briar. She's tired of being treated like garbage by the very people who use her gifts to embarrass their rivals. Over the course of the book, Alyce learns the full extent of her powers. Her attempts to learn more about the Fae and Briar brings her into contact with the last remaining heir to the Briar Crown, Princess Aurora. Aurora has less than a year to live before the family curse will end her life. She is desperate to end the curse by any means other than true love's kiss. Aurora has seen first hand what true love has done to her family and refuses to allow it to consume her reign.

I won't say more to prevent spoiling the majority of the plot.

I gave this book a 4/5 stars. This is a pretty strong first novel and fairy tale retelling. There are LQBTQ+ elements to the story and they make the story more enjoyable. I liked Alyce as a main character. This book is really about her journey since we pretty much know how it will end. Princess Aurora was also a refreshing take of the character. Here she is motivated by love of her people and the drive to fix the problems she sees the kingdom. The story itself is familiar, but twisted just enough to keep my attention and puzzling over how exactly the "hero's journey" will play out. I did also like that several peripheral characters pointed out that the light Fae aren't purely good and the Vila weren't inherently evil..

My problem with this book is two-fold. While I appreciated the world building Heather Walter did in this book, I think the amount of world building was overkill. Almost half the book is explaining how the world works. Its a well thought out world and magic system, but there's just too much explanation.. I would suggest she cut down on the information dumps and allow us to discover the information naturally through the conversations and training the characters complete. As my husband would say "make your world building more Weiss/Hickman and less R.A Salvatore".

The plethora of worldbuilding led to a pacing issue. The plot felt squished into the second half of the book, and ended abruptly in a strange spot. The pacing left me wondering if this book was intended to the be start of series, or duology. If it is in fact part of a series, I'd be happy to read the sequel. However, if this is a stand-alone I feel like Ms. Walter has done her worldbuilding a disservice. I guess time will tell.

I give Malice a solid 3. A wlw take on Sleeping Beauty and is told from Alyce's point of view. There are Fae and by their magic offer Graces, female children blessed with magic. It turns their blood gold then silver as they age or their magic Fades. Briar has an interesting history and the worldbuilding was nice. I appreciate the sapphic twist and the story was interesting. A solid 3 star.

3 Stars

STORY

Characters | 3 stars
We could have used more time building a relationship with Kal, and less info dumps. The characters of the Graces were well crafted and developed but deeper relationships we’re supposed to believe just happened in a blink were a bit of a stretch.
Alyce is doubtful of herself nearly the entire book and the end result is disastrous, but I do like when a character really snaps. And oh, did she snap.

Plot | 3 stars
While the plot did not lag, and had its share of surprises, I spotted the twists and betrayals early. I did not think the end would play out as it did, and I’m very curious to know if there would be another story coming after this one.

Setting | 3 stars
Interesting setting, I felt I understood the system of the world and our characters’ places both in the city of Briar and the outer world.

TECHNICAL

Writing | 3 stars

Editing | N/A
As an ARC, this is not a final version and editing will not be rated.

Execution | 3 stars
The ending was a surprise and probably saved my opinion, but the majority of the book was extremely long info dumps.

EMOTIONAL

Engagement | 4 stars
Definitely engaged, once I got a few chapters in I needed to know how things would play out.

Emotional Connection | 2 stars
Overall did not connect much with the characters and while I loved to see the ff romance I did not think it believable at all (I should clarify that I don’t see any romance at all as necessarily believable in this story). I don’t care how much you love the inner self; when the entire book describes a character as greasy, smelly, and with flaking, scaly skin I just do not believe for an instant that physical attraction exists. Anytime Aurora and Alyce bonded through conversation and shared ideas? Yes. But nothing else.

I like the imagine Heather Walter watching Maleficent and then saying, “F**k this, I’ll write it as it should have been—a villain-driven sapphic tale where the characters are awesomely flawed.” Then, she went and wrote Malice.

Trigger warnings—bullying, harassment, stalking, child abuse, violence, gore

Hated for her green Vila blood, Alyce—nicked named Malyce—lives among the graces, magical beings with golden blood who bestow blessings on the elite. Long ago, the graces were gifted to the Briar line as part of an alliance with the fae. Rather than use the power for good, the elite focused on increasing their wealth, beauty, and pleasure. Alyce, a Vila, cannot bestow such gifts; instead, she gives the elite curses to lash out at their enemies and rivals.


Alyce longs to use her magic for good, to cure people of ailments and help them die with little pain. She doesn’t think this is possible until she meets Aurora, the successor to the throne who’s under a Vila curse that will send her into a death-like sleep on her 21st birthday. After meeting the captivating princess, Alyce begins to believe she can break the curse and save the her. Of course, feelings develop, and complications arise.

If you’re looking for a book where the “villain” lead is actually a villain, this book will scratch that itch nicely. Alyce has a lot of redeeming characteristics, but she’s drawn into lie after lie and makes several selfish decisions that lead her down the path of ruin. I was pleasantly surprised by how far the author went with this storyline. Several books tout a female villain as the lead but only deliver some watered-down clumsy girl who maybe swears a little and has strong opinions on stuff. You know, basically a normal person. Heather Walter does not back away from the premise, and I’m so glad she didn’t.

I’d almost give this a five for the ending alone, but the middle dragged for me, especially the back and forth between Rose and Alyce. At a certain point, I was like, “I got it. These people are awful.” There were also two plot twists that didn’t work for me.

I hesitate to say what I wanted more of because I don’t want to include spoilers, but the author did a lot of interesting world building that I loved and she did change the tale of Sleeping Beauty enough where she truly made it her own.

Overall, I was really quite pleased with this book. I’ll certainly read the next in the series!

This was honestly really good! You could really feel Alice's trouble and feel real sympathy with her. She may be the "villain" eventually but every villain has an origin story. She did not just wake up one day and decide to be "evil".
Alice's part of the story not only reminded me of Maleficent but also Cinderella in the way that she was an outcast and everyone she lived with really did not like her.
The whole time reading I was really rooting for Alice and Aurora to eventually find a way, knowing that it probably would not happen, considering the story it is based on. I still wanted to believe it to happen, though.
I did feel that I could've used more backstory on the other species in the book, but knowing that it is written from Alice's point of view, and that she probably doesn't know that much either, it's fine. I really enjoyed this and will definitely be recommending this!

Holy Wickedness!!!!!!!

Alyce - Malyce - The Dark Grace - Part Vila ....... and other things.



This is the ya fantasy book that should be like all ya a fantasy books. Oh, and before I forget, let’s take a moment to admire that beautiful cover -CUE ELEVATOR MUSIC....

Now that’s done let me tell you how much I love Alyce. She’s wicked but not really wicked and she’s also something else entirely. BUT, when you beat someone down all of their life at some point shit’s going to hit the fan.

Oh and she had this beautiful Kestrel she saved from dying as a baby and her name is Callow. She had a frog too.



Anywayyyyy..... Alyce becomes friends with Princess Aurora and it’s just wonderful until some twats come along and mess it up. And some other friends turn on her and that gets messed up and people want to use her, kill her, etc and so on.

At some point your girl is gonna break! I’m not saying any more, you’ll have to read it for yourself and decide if you like it. I loved it!! 😘



I’m sooooo looking forward to these books and will be adding to my collection.

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House for a digital copy of this book!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

From the exquisite cover to the stellar blurb, this book was an instant click request for me. I love fairy tale retellings, and Sleeping Beauty holds a soft spot in my heart. My daughter's favorite princess, there's not a week that goes by that we don't read the classic Disney version of Aurora and her curse, so I was thrilled to be approved for this title.

Alyce is the Dark Grace, an eponym she's not fond of and can't shirk. Different from her sisters, the Graces, Alyce can't charm beauty or wit, and no one lets her forget her outcast status. But as the fate of the princess Aurora becomes dire, Alyce finds herself in an interesting position. She's learning more about her history, about her powers, about herself, and these strands just may lead to the path of saving Briar from the centuries-long curse.

This is an excellent read.

First, I'm not a fan of long, drawn-out worldbuilding sequences. I want to know details as I need them, not be handed exposition on a fifty-page platter, and Walter structured this story well. I loved getting to know the nuances of Briar's history, the war and all its effects, and the law system controlling the Graces. This is where the story really shone for me. The Graces hold so much power, but aren't free to use this power at will. The court controls their lives, and because of this, we're given the perfect motivation for unrest.

The connection between the past and present, too, is necessary in highlighting the urgency of Alyce's turmoil. As a narrator, I found her voice to be strong and endearing. I got some Cinderella-esque dynamics between her and her sisters, and I quite enjoyed her interactions with the other Graces. It's difficult to create a character shunned for her differences who overcomes doubt in order to blossom without depicting a trope. This is even more so the case when you're focusing on a story that everyone knows and some consider cannon. However, Walter gave us a sapphic take on this tale that was fresh and ethereal. The romance between Alyce and Aurora has potential to launch a solid series.

I will say that this is a slow build to the action. That's not to say the first half of the book drags or lacks interesting details, but for me, the real magic started happening at about the halfway point. Character arcs started developing depth, and the conflict became more obvious yet layered. The final chapter is especially spectacular, and if you're looking for a book that goes out with a bang, this will definitely be the one for you.

Mysterious, charming, and engrossing, Malice is a wonderful take on a classic fairy tale that you won't want to miss. Out in April 2021, add it to your TBRs now.

Big thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Malice by Heather Walter takes everything you thought you knew about one of the world's most famous fairytales and turns it on its head. Walter crafts a thorough and expansive world around the main character, Alyce, filled with troublesome class structures, prejudices, and power hungry royals. At the beginning of the novel, I believed it to be quite different from the typical Sleeping Beauty retelling, until twist after twist somehow brought me to the exact story I grew up with, but now with an entirely new outlook on the events unfolding. It was constantly clear that the author was ten steps ahead of me, and no matter how much I believed I knew who and what to trust.
As a sapphic reader, my heart swelled to see two women falling in love inside a classic tale. We've all consumed countless stories in which princes save the day and get the girl, and I don't believe I'm alone in craving more than that. I've heard that 2021 is supposed to be the year of Queer Reads, and this book does not disappoint.
I am a firm believer that the final chapter of a book is always its best, and I can confidently say that this ending had me completely reeling. Walter is incredible at offering tiny bits of hope, only to rip them away from you at the most painful moments. I believe our leading lady, Alyce, would agree with me.
Malice is a perfect read for fans of Heartless by Marissa Meyer.

Malice is a beautifully dark, sapphic retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Alyce has always been ostracized for her green skin and rare magical powers. Upon meeting Princess Aurora, doomed to die unless she can find her true love, Alyce assumes that Aurora will be like the rest of the intolerant court. When she realizes that Aurora would rather break her own curse than rely on a prince, Alyce teams up with the princess to help her escape her fate. As her magical powers grow, Alyce begins to draw attention and must choose whom to trust.

I love stories featuring morally gray characters! This is a lovely and imaginative retelling of Sleeping Beauty, filled with plenty of magic and interesting worldbuilding. I always love when a princess plans to save herself and this was no exception. The love story between Aurora and Alyce is a delightful slow-burn romance. As Alyce learns about the history behind her powers and heritage, the carefully crafted worldbuilding shines. If you enjoy retellings of tales we assume we know, LGBTQ rep, and morally gray characters then you will love Malice. Malice releases on April 13, 2021. Thank you to Heather Walter, Del Rey Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For the publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc.

OMG this is going to be my next obsession! I enjoy fairytale retellings and all the possibilities and this one definitely blew my mind! I loved it soo much! While the beginning was a little slow, but the beginning definitely lays down everything that you need to know! The second half of this book is amazing, sitting on the edge of your seat good!
I was expecting something more villianish, something with more of an evil vibe but that's not how this story was going. Alyce is treated like a doormat from so many people, her customers and the others with powers because her powers have more of a sinnister application. While most of those who have powers are making beauty elixirs and things among that nature Alyce helps even the playing field with a "cat" who is getting too much attention her elixir will give that "cat" warts.
The romance was somthing that I didn't see coming. I would definitely ship Alyce and Aurora anyday, they do have their differences but I think it could be promising.One thing I loved about this retelling is that none of the characters are either all good or all evil, most stayed on that middle ground gray area like everyone else! The ending is something that I loathe lol cliffhangers but I do look forward to reading this one again!
This book would be perfect for anyone who loves the darker fantasy, fairytale retellings or even passionate novels! I definitely recommend it and I can't wait for the next installment!!!!!!

I was super excited to read this book! I loved the description and the idea that this was a really unique twist on the old Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. And this book absolutely lived up to my expectations.

Heather Walter created a world full of magic and darkness, love and deception. Everyone has their own motives and Alyce doesn't have anyone she can trust. And just when she does start to trust someone, that trust is broken.

There are a lot of characters in this book but they're all richly developed. This isn't one of those books where you see a character and think, "Wait, was she the one that...? No, wait, that was the other one. Wasn't it?" Each character is unique.

What I really loved is that even the evil characters (well, most of them) were still given that nuanced good side that we know most people have.

The only thing I can say without spoiling it is that I didn't see the end coming. I thought I knew what to expect. And yet I was blown away by something I absolutely never expected. But in a good way.

Best book I've read in a long time. I'll definitely be looking for more of Heather Walter's work.

I love retellings and reinterpretations of fairytales and Malice for the most part delivers. The worldbuilding is flawlessly executed, The story itself is a blend of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. Plus it's sapphic!

I expected Malice to be more about the romance but this is Alyce's story and while romance with Aurora is a part of her story, the main plot revolves around Alyce realizing her own worth and discovering the extent of her power. Alyce went through remarkable character development. I only wish Aurora's character was a bit more developed.
The book is divided into two parts:

Part 1 for me was slow moving and lifeless. The way Alyce was treated by everyone was frustrating and I found the romance underwhelming which was a great disappointment because the hero x villain romance was the reason I picked up Malice.

But then part 2 happened and the book soar higher and higher for me. The romance became angsty, the story picked up pace and pretty much everything worked. One of the villain was obvious from the start but the book did deliver some major shocks.

I would rate part one 2.5 and part two 4. The book ended on a huge cliffhanger. Alyce has only one tether to her humanity left and that person has forgotten her. I am excited to see what the author does with Alyce in book two.

An ARC was given to me for an honest review.

This doesn’t drop till April of next year, but holy hell what a retelling. I did not know I needed a f/f Sleeping Beauty retelling with the sorceress as the love interest, but this is done deftly, with amazing world building to boot. I didn’t perceive the slow start others are talking about, I saw it more as learning about the world prior to meeting Aurora, and it read naturally to me. Absolutely wonderful! Five stars.

MALICE is probably one of my all-time favorite Sleeping Beauty retellings. This time, the witch is the main character, not the princess. Alyce is the Dark Grace; people come to her for curses and potions that will turn their enemies ugly, while they come to the other Graces to become more beautiful. And when Alyce meets Aurora, the princess cursed to die on her 21st birthday if she isn't kissed by her true love, she realizes that she could be more than the hated and feared Dark Grace. Aurora is the first person who seems to enjoy her company, and they start to fall in love.
The world of MALICE is so intricate, and everything you need to know about the world is established early on, which I really liked. In particular, I liked the feminist undertones surrounding the culture of the Graces. Graces have Fae blood, and their blood allows them to cast minor spells such as making someone's wrinkles disappear, or changing the color of their hair and eyes. However, because of their power, the kingdom forces them to be registered and work as Graces, and they are not allowed to leave the kingdom. Towards the end of the book, it quickly becomes apparent how far the kingdom is willing to go to control their Graces.
Alyce herself is meant to be an unlikable narrator, but I honestly found her endearing. No one likes her because her magic is dark, and she is also half-Vila, the same type of Fae that cursed Aurora's family to die if they weren't kissed by their true love. She's very standoffish and just wants to be left alone since no one is nice to her. But once she meets Aurora, everything changes. She begins to develop some self-esteem and she seems much happier and more confident. I really loved reading Alyce's character development, especially alongside her very adorable relationship with Aurora.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, which I wasn't really expecting, and as of right now I can't find anything about a sequel, but I'm so excited to learn what happens next!

i loved this dark fairy tale retelling, the characters were great and it had the same magic as the original Sleeping Beauty tale. I did enjoy the way Ms. Walter writes and I look forward to more from her.

I have always enjoyed fairytale retellings and this one - Sleeping Beauty - is a good addition to the genre. Very interesting setting with Graces who create potions for beauty and charm and the Princess Aurora who is a dissatisfied royal.

I would recommend it to reader who like Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to read and review.