I’m all for a villain arc, and I was immediately intrigued by the “mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most villainous of them all?” This is the my first book I’ve read by Heather Walter and I throughly enjoyed it and her writing. It did take me a little to get into the story, mostly because in my head I think I was expecting a villain right away and also the Snow White aspect isn’t immediately there, but of course we see who Aylethe is and who she becomes. I loved the reimagining, the magic, the queer romance. I will be checking out the other works by Heather Walter.
Special thanks to Del Ray and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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Ok, it took me a while to start because I was in a hardcore reading slump, this is the book that FINALLY took me out of it. I went into this blind as I loved the author's previous books so I had faith in them with this one, overall I enjoyed the story so my faith was well placed. The book sucks you in right away with strong world-building and relatable characters. Ayleth wants her sister back, the only person she felt believed in her and didn't hold her to unrealistic standards while also struggling through grief and finding her place in the world.
I will say you never know what is coming in this book, I thought I had a pretty good idea of how the story would go several times throughout the book and was always blindsided by the events that unfolded instead. I also loved how dynamic each character is no one is "good" and everyone has their flaws some more than others. By the end of the story, I found myself rooting for the "villain" and hoping they succeed.
The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is that the build-up throughout the book was fantastic and gave you just enough to keep you interested but still guessing what could happen next. There were a few times when problems arose that I felt were swept over with little issues, personally, I feel this also happened with the big reveal and I wish that the whole encounter was more of a struggle. With that said, I still loved the story and would highly recommend it to any of my friends or other readers.
I would love to continue Ayleth's story, the ending was incredibly intense and leaves you wanting more. I am a sucker for a gothic fantasy, even more so when we get some feminine rage mixed in.

Overall, this was fine. Fast paced, straightforward, high stakes, and fun characters. I think would have enjoyed this much more as an audiobook because there is so much dialogue throughout, my brain started to have a hard time imagining all the characters voices in the first 10 chapters or so. With this much dialogue, it often felt unnatural, like the characters were breaking the fourth wall to deliver info to the reader. I expect deeper themes and more nuance in adult books, so this felt very YA to me, but I imagine this book will find a wide audience of fans. If you liked Malice, you will probably enjoy Crimson Crown as well.

3.5

Heather Walter's "The Crimson Crown" takes a bold leap from its traditional fairy tale origins, reimagining "Snow White" with a twist that delves deep into the realm of villainy and redemption. This dark fantasy novel not only captivates with its unique take on a classic tale but also showcases Walter's prowess in crafting compelling morally grey villain origins.

Walter's strength lies in her ability to flesh out characters, particularly villains, with depth and nuance. She paints a vivid picture of Ayleth's descent into darkness, weaving a tale that is both tragic and compelling.

However, while Walter excels in her portrayal of villainy, I noticed that her writing occasionally falters in its reliance on the trope of attraction. The romantic elements, though initially intriguing, can veer towards predictability and cliché, detracting Ayleth's motivations, and feels muddled by her love for Jacquette. The goal to reach Rhea serves as a primary motivator, adding an interesting layer to the story but also posing questions about the depth of character development beyond romantic entanglements.

Additionally, it seems as if the main plot progression was rushed, where since there was a good portion of personal happenings, the main issue felt more like a side story. However, I liked the twist. The ending felt iconic and surprising. It leaves a bit of questions unanswered from the time in between where we assume Ayleth as the Evil Queen gains the throne and prior to the "start " of snow white

Overall, "The Crimson Crown" is a commendable reimagining of "Snow White" that shines in its exploration of villainy and redemption.

I really wanted to love this book after the Malice duology, but it just never hooked me. It wasn’t terrible, but also not incredible. There was very little in the way of romance, and I had a hard time connecting with and/or rooting for the main character, Ayleth. Perhaps she wasn’t meant to be likable, considering she grows up to be the evil queen in Snow White, but I’d at least have like to better understand and empathize with where she ended up.

Beautiful and dark retelling of Snow White, which version!! It was dark and fun! All of the things you would want from this author.

I had to sit with this one for a moment before I wrote a review. The ending is honestly mind blowing. The entire book is very well written. The middle gets a little slow for me and I couldn't see where we could be going, however, clearly the author had a plan in mind. The relationships feel very authentic and the way the characters interact and how their stories unfold really got me to feel. incredibly invested in where each of them ends up. The last third of the book was shocking in the best way. I can't wait to see where this story goes in the next book!

The Crimson Crown may be the most interesting fairytale retelling I’ve come across. It isn’t exactly Snow White retold. Instead, it is the witch’s story.

The Crimson Crown gives life to the evil queen and her origin. Ayleth was not always evil. She lived a life being forced into molds that she never quite fit into. After so much pushing, pulling, and prying a tether is bound to snap.

It took a while for me to get into the story and understand its connection to Snow White. I had been looking forward to reading The Crimson Crown since it was announced! I’ve read and enjoyed other Snow White retellings and this one seemed striking. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite grab me right away.

Overall, The Crimson Crown was not that bad. It was heartfelt and dark rolled into one. It just wasn’t that exciting until it was pretty much over. I kept thinking that there must be a second book, it must be another duology, there is no way it could conclude. The whole book seemed like this enormous buildup for it to, in fact, conclude in the last 10% of the book. It was a good conclusion! It just took a really long time to get there.

I loved it! I received this as an ARC and did not read the synopsis so that I purposefully went into the book blind. I loved the ending to the book. The characters were interesting and the story kept me hooked throughout!

heather walter's writing just keeps getting better and better. i loved the enemies to lovers dynamic in this. i knew there'd be a witchy snow white elements in here that i also loved but i wasn't expecting a tudors inspired twist

Great concept for a story, just poorly executed. Could not keep my attention span to get through the story.

Fair warning this may not be my best put together review because I am suffering heavily from jet lag but I hate not reviewing books when I immediately finish them. This book was another great sapphic fantasy by Heather Walter. I very much enjoyed it and finished the book yearning for more. This could be a great stand alone but also a great series. I must admit if you aren’t one for slow starts it is not going to be the book for you. The Crimson Crown is chalk full of mystery, you have multiple investigations going on at one time and by the end I had no idea how I was supposed to catch the plot twist but maybe I’m just stupid. The FMC, Ayleth, is the second daughter the one destined to be “nothing” and through this self proclaim prophecy she runs away from her duties. This running gets her into some mighty trouble but by her witt and insufferable need to be stubborn she survives every problem. This is her true villain origin story and honestly I feel for her and do not blame her.
This was an amazing Snow White evil queen retelling and one that was so unique the reader may not even realize where the inspiration was taken from. I would say I am not overly obsessed with it but it did pull me in and it felt that book moved quickly I didn’t feel like I was trudging through the plot. The romance in it was done very well and the YEARNING oml I was like please kiss already omfg. This book did not disappoint and I do enjoy Walter’s writing. A great way to make a reader root for the true villain!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Del Rey for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's been so long since I stayed up late reading a book that got me addicted. Until now. This novel gripped me in a way I cannot describe. As with the first book of the author, she focused a lot on world-building for the first half of it. Once everything was well-stablished and the characters presented, she went full-on wild with all the possibilities.

If there's something Heather Walter likes to do, is play with her readers like the villains do in her stories. She's cautious, leaves some clues, some ideas, and while there are things you might see coming, you don't see the how. This is what happened. I devoured that second half as if there was no tomorrow, craving another chapter, another page.

With a gripping style and an immersive plot, The Crimson Crown is a strong origin story to Snow White's Evil Queen. With several references but enough original material to make it stand on its own, it is a dark fantasy tale of pain, family, loss, and revenge. I have my reserves about the male representation in this book, so while I expected something better, it is all very well justified in most cases.

I've had an unhealthy obsession with the Evil Queen, and this is a refreshing, excellent take on her figure. We all love a good villain, and we have all read those memes about "the evil queens are the princesses who weren't saved". Well, this is the best example of it, with the key difference that the princess decided to save herself. It's impossible not to sympathize with Ayleth, even if you don't approve some of her choices, because she is painfully human. The Crimson Crown, by Heather Walter, reminds us just that, how much it can hurt to be alive. And it hurts so good.

While I, too, am slowly starting to suffer from retelling fatigue, I can't stop myself from wanting to read those retellings that focus on the villains of the story. So obviously, Heather Walter's <i>The Crimson Crown</i> is right up my alley. It tells the story of Snow White's evil stepmother before she became just that - or at least that's what the blurb promises. I haven't read Walter's previous retellings but they're really popular, so I was excited to dive right in. Especially because it's wlw, promising a new spin on an old story.

And I did enjoy my time with Ayleth, our future evil witch. She's a complex character who I emphathized with, and I was invested in her story. The writing is beautiful, the world intriguing. There are little nods throughout the story reminding you that this is, indeed, a Snow White "prequel" if you will. Though quite frankly, if they weren't there I wouldn't have guessed it at all. It definitely does not feel like a retelling, and I'm not sure it had to be one as it had an intriguing story to tell on its own. As a retelling, it honestly didn't work for me.
The pacing was a little meandering at times and the "corruption" of Ayleth was teased throughout the story but then came rather suddenly in the end, with our girl going from zero to 100 in what feels like minutes. I also, sadly, wasn't a fan of the relationships in this book. While I enjoyed the conflict between Ayleth and her mother as well as Ayleth and the princess, the story focused more on the romance between her and Jacquetta, and because the latter never felt like a fully fleshed out character to me and I didn't feel any chemistry between them, this part fell flat. Generally, I think the whole story would have benefitted from being shorter, too. It's a pretty long book for what it contains.

I don't know if this will get a sequel - there is definitely potential for one - but if it does, I might still read it. It's a perfectly fine 3 star book with a lot of interesting ideas.

Jiminy Christmas, what can I say about this book? Of course it was amazing, Heather Walter wrote it, duh? The character arc for the MC was so well done, the magic was enjoyable and the ending was absolutely brilliant. I will always read anything this author puts out and I LOVED the chance to have an advanced copy.

I'll be honest, I was surprised by how much I liked this book. When I chose it I did not look at the back but I really liked the cover and it said it was a fairy tale retelling. The story was long but I enjoyed each page. The ending blew my mind when I realized what fairy tale this was from and who the main character turned out to be.

Ayleth is the heroine of the story but she is also a witch. In this story the witches are the good guys and they are being unfairly persecuted in the realm. All Ayleth wants is her sister back but her mother is determined that she will become her second. Ayleth must go on her own journey to try and save her world but there are so many obstacles in her path.

This book was filled with action and great characters. I enjoyed each page as I Ayleth's journey and how she was going to meet each obstacle thrown her way. Although the romance in this book was not my cup of tea, it was extremely well written. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for this ARC.

Wow, Walter’s has done it again. Crimson Crown has it all: love, betrayal, family angst, and an awesome cat. Ayleth just wants her sister back. She doesn’t want to be her mother’s second; she has no power. Or does she? Through twists and turns Ayleth finds her true self away from the expected coven norms. The question is what will she do with it.

Heather Walter had quickly become my favorite fantasy retelling author she builds such compelling stories for her villains! Can’t wait for more!

I enjoyed this book. The story and pacing were both good. I think the characters were relatable and fun.

Shoutout to NetGalley and Random House for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first dive in to “witchy” themed book. This absolutely did not let me down! There were many emotions that came to surface during my read of The Crimson Crown. There were some repetitive bits but they didn’t sway me from hunkering down to finish this book and I’m glad I did.

The characters are relatable and cute when they want to be. I absolutely adore the princess and that whole relationship that bloomed throughout the story. Sapphic romance? Check. Character growth? Check. Character decline? Check. “Why would you do that to me cliffhanger?” Check.

I can’t wait for the next in the series because I have to know where my favorites are going. I 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy, intrigue, heartbreak, love, and adventure. You don’t want to miss this one.