Thank you to NetGalley and Hailey Jade for my advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"Her Dark Reflection" is a retelling of "Snow White" and gives us the backstory for the Evil Queen who tries to kill Snow. In Jade's story, the queen isn't evil, she's surviving. Our queen is Rhiandra Tiercelin, a woman who has fought tooth and nail for her survival in a world that isn't kind to her. After a traumatizing accident leaves her hideously scarred and unable to make a living, Rhiandra meets Draven who offers her a chance. But not without a price.

I absolutely enjoyed this one so much. Rhiandra is so whip smart and the way Jade described her, she seemed just so attractive. I loved her as a character and how frank her observations of the royals and life as essentially a prostitute were. I also loved how sexually charged and tense her scenes with Draven were but my god, he gave me the ick the minute he sexually manipulated her. And while this book is tagged as romance, I didn't really see any romance between them? It was definitely just sex and that's fine, but I think the romance tag is a bit of a mistag.

I also docked a star just because I found myself getting really annoyed with the Snow White character; similarly to how Rhiandra felt about her, I wanted to both protect Snow but also throttle her with how disgustingly privileged she was and yet, she was fine to just lay back and let things happen to her. I did love how Rhiandra was so conflicted about her feelings with Snow. It made her feel grounded and realistic especially considering her background and watching Snow just waste her opportunities. I mean, by the end and despite knowing the tale of Snow White, I was cheering for Rhiandra.

Another nitpick I had mainly had to do with the cast of supporting characters; aside from Rhiandra and Gwyn, we don't necessarily get a whole lot of depth from anybody else. I would have loved to see that same care and attention with characters like Rhiandra's maid. I also would have liked if maybe we had somehow gotten a little bit of backstory about Draven and the King. I know the King served a specific purpose but it would have been nice to get a bit more understanding about why he was the way he was with Gwyn other than the blanket explanation of him being a powerful man/patriarchy.

Other than that, I fully enjoyed this and thought Jade did a great job breathing life into an overtold story.

"They called me the Whore Queen. Some even called me the Evil Queen.
But they could call me whatever they wanted. I was still queen."

I adore retellings of any and all kinds so I was super excited to get my hands on a Snow White retelling from the perspective of the Evil Queen. The parallels to the original story were great. This is one of the retellings where it is very obvious that it is a retelling but I didn't mind that at all.

"Love won't make you queen."

I loved Rhiandra, she was a great FMC and was exactly what I was hoping for. But I felt that the other characters were lacking in depth. The relationship between Rhiandra and Draven was a little insta-love for me and I wished it had a little more of an enemies to lovers look even though that was what their relationship is. Draven only appears a couple times and I wish we got to see him more. I was hoping for a lot more romance, but this was a very politically motivated book which makes sense since it follows a woman's plan to become queen. I am hoping their relationship will develop a lot more in the next book and we will get to see that romance bloom alongside her political agenda.

This was a great Snow White retelling and I fully recommend it to those who love a good retelling. I look forward to reading the next book, especially after that cliffhanger!!

This was such an interesting take on Snow White, I do love a good dark retelling of a fairytale. While I enjoyed the world building, I did feel like some of the story fell a little flat for me. I would liked to have seen more of the romance and maybe a little clearer path to the evil queen. That being said, I’m assuming this is a series as it was left on a cliffhanger so I’m sure the next installment will take off a little faster now that we have foundation laid in book one. All in all I did enjoy the book. Thanks for the arc, Netgalley!

This book is a Snow White retelling but with some twists. I found this read to be very interesting as I both liking and not liking the MC throughout the book which definitely kept it interesting. Also, you very much do not know who is friend or foe throughout it. I enjoyed the magic and royalty aspects and am very intrigued to see what will happen next (as the book ended on quite the cliffhanger.)

I need to know what happens in book 2 right now.

Her Dark Reflection is the first book in the The Dark Reflection series. If you like dark world setting and dark romance, i would recommend this book to you.

The story starts with Rhiandra who was injured and physically scarred by the trio of mens. She couldn't work in a place with the scars in her face so she left and she tried to sell her some things made by her mother. She met a strange man with the forbidden magic and he offered her that he would give back her beauty and promised that he would make her a queen if she did what he asked for. Rhiandra accepted the bargain and the stranger named Draven gave her an enchanted apple and told to give it to the King if she wants to become a Queen.

The plot was good, the world building was different and the characters are good as well. It was sad at the beginning when Rhiandra lost her beauty to the fire and she tried to accept her fate but that's when she met Draven. She didn't trust him a bit but did everything he told her. And he reminded her of the glamour she wore when she questioned him. The story was mostly politics and court intrigue. The romance was okay but it would've been nice if we got more of Draven but he was mystery throughout the book. Ending was a bit of a cliffhanger but good one I think.

- Enemies to lovers
- Slow burn
- Dark fantasy romance
- Dark and grumpy MC
- Fierce and Strong FC
- Hurt/Comfort
- Physical injure
- Royalty
- Forbidden magic
- Changed identity / Glamour
- Politics intrigue
- Court drama


4 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1- 🌶️

What I'm excepting in book 2 is, i want Draven POV and his hidden secrets and motives. More tension or romance between Rhiandra and Draven. Why magic is forbidden and why royalty punish magic users ?. Maybe i just need answers to all the unanswered questions in book 1.

I thank the author and Netgalley for eARC for my honest review.

Hailey has managed to create a wholly unique take on the classic fairy-tale, with unique characters set in a world that I imagined to be like mid to late 19th century Europe while at the same time being a completely fictional place in time with magic, monsters, princes, and princesses. The story is gritty and dark while also maintaining that fairy-tale-esque quality. It’s also reminiscent of Grimm Fairy-tales, but I’m hoping this one has a HEA.

Rhiandra, aka Vixen, aka the Evil Queen, is a character that’s easy to have a love-hate relationship with. I got major Cersei Lannister vibes from her. She’s a woman in a man’s world trying to survive and trying to conquer the world. She’s strong, self-assured, speaks her mind, and is fearless. She’s the queen on a chessboard, plotting and waiting to make her move (the queen does, after all, take the king). So it’s no surprise that at her lowest, in a moment of weakness, she makes a deal with the devil. Though I’m not sure she would have chosen differently under different circumstances.

Draven, our MMC aka (who I like to call) the Devil, is everything you want in a true villain. I still haven’t figured him out and I think it may take a couple of books for that to happen. He’s dark, mysterious, and powerful, with a whole lot of sex appeal. He reminded me a bit of Desmond Flynn from Laura Thalassa’s Bargainer series, but more so of Luc from The Invisible Life of Addie Larue.

Rhiandra and Draven are everything I wanted from Luc and Addie in The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. What can I say? I have a weak spot for the devil! This was the Snow White retelling I’ve been waiting for and definitely needed in my life. It’s Addie Larue meets Game of Thrones while being a story unlike any other I’ve read. I can’t wait for the next book (and yes, I realize this one hasn’t been officially released yet) to see where the story goes, how the characters evolve, and to just enjoy the journey that Hailey has set out for us.

I thought this was pretty interesting, and unexpectedly so! Not only the worldbuilding, but the heroine and the romance too. The growth that Rhiandra goes through is so exciting and enjoyable to read about. Her emotions, her reactions, the way she made decisions--they were all very practical and refreshing to see in a fantasy heroine.

I absolutely adored the romance as well. Hailey Jade's great at building up chemistry and a believable slow burn. I hope she continues to write more fantasy geared stories.

Happy publication day for this wonderful story!
You can find it on KU too! Thank you to NetGalley, Hailey Jade and Midnight Tide Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC. All thoughts are my own.

If you like:
Morally grey MC
Spice 🌶️🌶️/5
Dark Lord (think kind of like in Addie LaRue)
Magic
Fairytale retellings

Then this book is for you!

This is a retelling of Snow White, but with the Evil Queen as the MC that you actually want to root for, but also want to throw out the window at times.

Rhiandra works as a badass maisera (sells beauty, and talents and sometimes her body in a tavern run by a madam) until a horrible attack leaves her face burned and unable to work.

Enter dark, hot and steamy Draven who offers her a better life if she can complete a few tasks that involve an apple and a king and a kingdom run by men.

Also the spice is nice, not too much, but the descriptive words used definitely put it in NA vs YA for me. If there's a book 2, I hope for a lot more spice! 😂

This reminded me of "The Shadows Between Us." It was a quick read but definitely left me on a cliffhanger!

Solid 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

There are some trigger warnings, so please look those up before jumping in! 🥰

#tbr #bookshelf #bookish #momswhoread #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #read #reader #sahm #authorsofinstagram #myfavoriteauthors #spicybooks #herdarkreflection #haileyjade

A fantastic retelling of Snow White from the Stepmother’s point of view.everyone wants to see the Stepmother as evil and murderous without seeing that villains can be human too, and just as much victims as the hero or heroine.

The main character is cunning and the plot is well paced as you figure out what will happen next. There are many characters (several who would do well with spin-off stories of their own!). I hope there's a sequel!

Now here is an interesting female character. I don't see a lot of villainous women in fantasy romance, and as another reviewer mentioned, Rhiandra is very much a Cersei Lannister. I'll be interested to watch how other people react to her. She makes some pretty dubious choices and can be cruel to others, but she is driven and capable and I enjoyed watching her wrap the court around her finger. You probably don't want her for your new best friend, but I can understand her actions and trying to figure out what she's going to do next is compelling. She's a classic unreliable first person narrator, so I don't know if everyone around her is as untrustworthy as they seem, or if she is just paranoid, but almost every other character is awful. Except for Draven. I don't know why I have such a thing for devilish, mysterious men, but he pushes my buttons, and the push-pull he has with Rhiandra is delicious.

This is a bit of a political read, with a bunch of characters that are a little hard to keep track of, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment, and if you've read much fantasy before then you'll know to sort of let it wash over you and just hold out for it to click into place, with some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Spice was good, though not a lot of it. Didn't see a lot of the world since the story mostly took place in the palace, so I'd like to see more in the next book. Actually, while we are making wish lists, I'm hoping for more magic, some fantasy creatures, and more Draven. But overall, this was a bloody good read.

Her Dark Reflection is a Snow White retelling told from the villain's point of view. We follow the wicked queen from trauma in the streets to drama in the kingdom. Her vanity causes her to get caught up in some very evil plans with a devilish fellow. This particular retelling is quite different from the original which kept it interesting.

Rhiandra is a bad-ass in her own respect, but she absolutely falls into the role of the villain. I found myself drawn toward Gwinellyn and enjoyed the interactions that involved her the most.

I wasn't a big fan of Draven, but I suppose there's room for him to grow. Maybe we'll learn some new information or he'll turn a new leaf in the next book. I am typically a fan of morally grey sexy characters, but something about him is just a hint too evil for me. Maybe that's the point.

I would definitely say check this book out if you are a fan of fairy tale retellings from villain perspectives.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a very interesting story! I loved it from the beginning and I was invested throughout the book. This is a snow white reimagining and I loved it. I am a hug fan of reimagining and retellings since I always look forward to the takes on the original story. The plot was amazing and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of dark stories.

3.5 stars. This is a dark Snow White retelling, which I enjoyed because I don’t think I’ve really read any others. Rhiandra makes a deal with a magical stranger named Draven to deliver three apples to people of his choosing in exchange for beauty and power. Having recently been attacked by a man and left disfigured and jobless, she agrees and is sent to the castle, where she learns that Draven is playing a much larger game than she realized.

I enjoyed this in the beginning and was sympathetic to Rhiandra’s situation, but it did start to get a bit slow in the middle and seemed like not much was happening. Rhiandra is supposed to be the “Evil Queen” but her attitude started to put me off after a while. I’m also not sure how I’m supposed to feel about Draven, we don’t really see enough of him to form any attachment and the romance barely develops. I assume that’s because this is going to be a series, however I was hoping for a bit more and it ends pretty abruptly. I do think it has potential though and it’s worth a try if you like a dark retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Her Dark Reflection is good. I don’t like the term Whore or stupid whore, but this book makes/is making me smile., there’s a good amount of flirtation, the violence to her is overwhelming for me. I do LOVE that she brings herself up in the mirror. That’s important for everyone is to look in the mirror and bring yourself up positive vibes.
I don’t like the term bitch in any book I’m reading, whether dark or fantasy or YA, etc. I don’t want to spoil anymore. I’m not a fast reader like spencer Reid on criminal minds, but I can read pretty quickly understanding the story and plot!

What makes this book different is for one it’s a really really dark book, but the cover in of itself is unique, one I’ve never seen anyway. I love that there’s a crown on each of the chapters ( chapter 1, chapter 2, etc.
the writing isn’t too tiny to where I can’t read it, I have double vision so I get headaches easily so the words and writing are the perfect size.

I am giving Her Dark Reflection 4 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exhcnsge for an honest review- all thoughts and opinions are
My own!



Interesting plot- smutty spice but an actual storyline- it felt a bit rushed so I’m hoping the second answers some of my questions!

The first 40% was very enjoyable, but it fell off and seemed to drag for the other 60%. This book was actually a lot more political than I was expecting, which I suppose I should have realized when it’s about a woman becoming queen. The romantic subplot is nice but few and far between. The love interest makes very rare appearances, and I still know very little about him which makes me not care too much about his character. A few times I actually forgot he existed. The main character, Rhiandra, was a likable character in the beginning but at some later points in the book she seemed so arrogant, pretentious, and short-tempered. I guess that makes sense since this is supposed to be a retelling of Snow White from the Queen’s perspective, but it made me dislike her character quite a bit at times. Near the end I began to dislike her even more after the second apple incident, not just because of her lack of guilt even when seeing Snow White, but also because of her arrogance and selfish attitude. Maybe if this book had been a little less political, a little more romantic, and a bit more suspenseful (running into old friends or coworkers, facing actual attempts at her life, less anticlimactic conclusions) this would have been a 4 star book, but instead I’ll rate it at 3.5. I thought half the point of her becoming queen was to get revenge on the people she once knew that harmed & shunned her, but there’s barely even any mention of them after entering the palace. So who exactly was she supposed to be getting revenge on? I still recommend this to adult fantasy lovers, but if you’re looking for romance or an actual revenge story, this one isn’t for you.

Her Dark Reflection is a dark romantic fantasy reimagining of Snow White.. with a twist. What makes this reimagining more unique than others I’ve read is that it is focused on the character of the Evil Queen. Hailey Jade did a really good job of eluding to the story she is reimagining without making it too much like the original story.

Overall I found this book to be a really enjoyable read. I was able to sympathize with Rhiandra after the incident that left her disfigured and really loved her character. She’s a little rough around the edges, very bitter, and manipulative which is something I understand given the trauma she has endured. I am really interested to see what path she ends up going down in the next book.

I think the world building could have been a little stronger and I would have loved to have more side characters that I could like and root for as well. I didn’t mind that the book ended on a cliffhanger and will probably pick up book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me an ARC of this book to review.

This was a really good read and i couldn't put it down I read it in a day I'll definitely purchase it and recommend to everyone as well