Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Publishing for The ARC!

This was my first introduction to Autumn Krause's writing, and the vibes were there. This was such fun Royal Dark Fantasy. The story was a bit puzzling due to how there seems to be these layers of intentions between the characters interactions, which i assume the aim was to make them as morally grey as possible. I wish we had more interactions between Madalina and Aeric, since I felt like their interactions we did get felt more calculated rather than genuine at times. Which is a shame since I wanted to see more of it and how their relationship would work. Overall it's a more Vibe-y and atmospherical book that makes the ball rolling for that dark royal vibe.

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley from the author and publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

Grave Flowers is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! From the first page to the last, I was compelled to read. This was the second book I’ve read by Autumn Krause, and her stories are so unique and alluring, that I want to read anything that she writes from here on out. Grave Flowers is the twisty, dark royalcore fantasy that I didn’t know I needed!

The atmosphere in this book is everything. I felt transported to Princess Madalina’s castle in Radix that felt so oppressive and felt her need to be in the garden with her grave flowers. The grave flowers were one of my best-loved parts of the story. These magical flowers are ideal for torture and torment ironically, but each one was so interesting, and I loved learning about them.

The story is so much more than the atmosphere. It’s about family, sisterhood, grief, love and loss. It’s about betrayals and secrets, overcoming trauma, facing prejudice, and becoming your own person. This book also has courtly intrigue, murder and mayhem, beautiful clothing, and lots of angst and swooning. It has it all, in my book!

Grave Flowers releases on September 2, 2025. It was just announced that there will be a sequel, Wilted Crown coming from Peachtree Teen in the fall of 2027. I was literally screaming when I found this out!!

Add to this one to your TBR now! Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Holiday House for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
“I had never wanted the throne. But it seemed to want me.”
3.25/5
The grave flower pages in this book were one of my favorite parts. The story itself was filled with tense moments and shrouded in mystery, though it was hard to know everyone’s true intentions, it made it more difficult to really root for any of the characters besides Madalina. The Hamlet elements were alive and well in this story. Inessa as a character was very interesting as well. My main issue with the story though, was the climax. There was so many reveals that happened at once and there were moments where it seemed like the characters did a 180 and their personality completely changed towards certain characters almost instantly which made it very confusing to understand what their stance on the situation taking place actually was.

Madalina and Inessa are both Princesses of Radix and also opposite twins; Madalina keeps to herself and likes the company of fantastically voracious plants while Inessa prefers to ruthlessly scare and threaten those beneath her, which is everyone. When Inessa has to marry the enemy’s Prince, Madalina is left alone and well, finally free of the resentment of her sister (Madalina is to be Queen). But Inessa returns to Madalina in the form of a ghost to be avenged. Therefore, Madalina vows to replace her dead sister in the wedding that has yet to occur and murder the Prince. A long way from home, she becomes entangled in court lies and machinations, and she doesn’t know who and what to believe, nor does she is sure that Aeric is indeed what he lets the world believe he is.

The botanical, royalcore vibes were exquisite, I enjoyed learning about the magical and deadly plants of this world. It was such a fun part of Grave Flowers. Murderous plants, insidious poison, family rivalries… Sign me in. The slight enemies to lovers (more like the fathers despising each other) is always a trope that I get behind. However, I had trouble with the plot and the ‘’couple’’ that is Madalina and Aeric. I wished we got more scenes between them, they were sparse and formal, I felt like their ‘’relationship’’ wasn’t organic enough. I wanted to love this book more than I actually did.

I didn’t hate this book nor did I absolutely rejoice in reading it, that’s why I’m rating it a 3 stars.


Thank you so much to Autumn Krause, NetGalley, Peachtree Publishing and Holidayhousebks for the arc!


Keywords: Royalcore, Hamlet and Boylen influences, murderous intents, bloodstained family, botany, ghosts.

With Grave Flowers, Autumn Krause introduces readers to a lush and deadly world, where many of the plants and people are equally pernicious. I loved entering the world of this book which immediately drew me in with the introduction of a ghost and flowers that have different malevolent powers. The beginning gives so much promise, and I was eager to read the entire book. The fulfillment of these promises was shaky and in a couple cases incomplete. One question I had to ask myself as I read the story is whether the intended audience, being teen readers, would mind the cons. I tried harnessing my high school self, who loved all things fantasy.

One thing I particularly appreciated about the main character, Madalina, is her characterization as being more cautious; breaking away from a common YA heroine trope of impulsivity. Madalina is referred to as “weak” by her family because of her emotions and lack of ruthlessness. She struggles with this throughout the book, but I would’ve loved for her to learn to embrace what others see as weakness as strength. She is constantly compared to her dead sister, but she never stops to think about what really got her sister killed and how she can escape the same fate through living differently.

The romance did not play nearly as much of a role as I thought, given the blurb. Aeric, the love interest, is mostly portrayed as drunk which limits the development of their relationship. I didn’t mind though because Madalina didn’t need to be in love with him for the plot to work. While I wish I fell for their relationship, they don’t spend enough time together for it to sink the book for me.

I’m not sure how to assess the main plot line. It’s in first person which limits the reader’s understanding of what’s going on to Madalina’s which is fine excepting the fact that she spends most of the book trying to avoid the other power players which undercuts some of the tension. The larger political landscape and religion are vague for their importance to the plot. While I loved the world Krause created, I wish we understood it more.

Overall, it’s a readable gothic story with a fascinating botanical bent. If the blurb sounds up your alley and you’re more along for the vibes rather than reading deeply into anything, pick it up. but if you’re not a big YA reader, I fear the flaws will prove fatal to your enjoyment.

3.5/5

Dark, twisty, and emotionally gripping, Grave Flowers is a fantasy that demands your full attention—and rewards it with jaw-dropping reveals, morally grey dilemmas, and a romance steeped in danger.

The setup is immediately compelling: Princess Madalina must impersonate her twin sister Inessa, betrothed to a foreign prince, and carry out a covert assassination plan that could shift the future of their warring kingdoms. But nothing is as it seems—least of all Prince Aeric, whose charm and defiance challenge everything Madalina believes.

What makes this story so strong isn’t just the clever use of royal tropes—it’s the layered characterizations. Madalina and Aeric are both navigating expectations, grief, and betrayal, and their chemistry is as much intellectual as it is emotional. Their interactions are laced with sharp dialogue and genuine tension, as each tries to outmaneuver the other without falling too far.

Even with its roots in familiar stories like Hamlet or historical Boleyn intrigue, this novel creates something original. You may recognize echoes of other works, but the plot twists are all its own—and they come hard and fast. I was constantly second-guessing everyone’s motives, which made for a thrilling, immersive read.

If there’s one minor critique, it’s that the pacing leans heavily on atmosphere early on—setting the stage with slow, deliberate tension. But once the threads start to unravel, the payoff is absolutely worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

i've met autumn krause before (major flex, major flex). had the privilege of listening to her speak about her previous projects such as DRESS FOR THE WICKED and BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE HERE. however, when it comes to reading, GRAVE FLOWERS was my first introduction into the autumn-verse and when i say I was hooked from the beginning, i mean I was HOOKED.

a forsaken royal heiress. a dead sister. a plot to kill the prince upon marrying him. necromantic flora with an insatiable hunger. this took gothic historia to a new level, keeping me company at a dead-end ice cream shop, transporting me to a place i never knew existed in my mind.

I’m a huge Anne Boleyn/Tudor fan, and I love Shakespeare, so the Hamlet influences were fun. Krause uses some of the Hamlet plot and character points but when combined with the Boleyn family, not everything works out the same way, which keeps it fresh.

Madalina has lived in the shadow of her twin sister Inessa, and she has to figure out who she is on her own. She is trying to save her sister from purgatory, save her kingdom, live up to her father’s expectations, kill her fiance, and uncover some hidden truths. She’s got a lot going on!

I liked the political aspects and differences in the kingdoms. The grave flowers magic was really cool too. The different flowers and their functions are both fun and super creepy!

Back to the Hamlet influences — I loved Yorick! He was a great character. Aeric is the Hamlet character. He’s putting on a play, his father died and his mom married his uncle. He appears to be disinterested in running his kingdom effectively but as the book goes on we get to see how this may not be the full story.

There is romance, but it doesn’t overshadow the plot. There’s a nice balance and interplay between the mystery, tension and romance, as Aeric and Madalina decide whether or not they can trust the other.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen for the opportunity to read this e-arc!

House of Hearts was an enchanting and heartfelt read that completely drew me in. I loved the way the story balanced romance and emotional depth, making the characters feel real and relatable. The plot had a few predictable moments, but the writing and the emotional connections more than made up for it. Overall, it was a warm, engaging read that left me satisfied and eager to explore more from Skyla Arndt.

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Gothic horror romantasy? Count me in for MORE of this. I could see Mike Flanagan directing a TV show about this!

This book had me hooked from the first page. The writing is so eloquent and beautifully done, and after the prologue there was a section discussing experiments and invocation for grave flowers and that was so cool! This goes on through the entire book between chapters and you learn more about the journal and why it is being kept and by whom.

The supernatural element with her sister's ghost intrigued me and I was excited to see where that went, like twin telepathy but in ghost form. The horror elements are also a very nice touch. Romantasy and horror are my 2 favorite genres and this blends them so nicely in a perfect gothic package.

The twist at the end of Act 2 I did sort of have suspicions about but I also kept thinking I had to be wrong. The last 20 pages had me at the edge of my seat. Absolutely a book I didnt want to put down, a masterpiece I dare say.

Thank you so much to netgalley for allowing me to read early in exchange for my review.

As someone who loved Hamlet, I love this book. It perfectly captures the despair of Hamlet while incorporating fantasy twists. Yorick was my absolute favorite. And at times I felt the same strange fear I felt while reading Bunny. Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

LUSH AND SINISTER ATMOSPHERE OMGGGG
This was fantastic!! This really hit the summer-ween vibes I've been looking for. The vicious murderous courts the ancient castle all the morally gray characters you could want! Gothic goodness abounds in this amazing story!

𝕲𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝕱𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖘 🥀
𝔟𝔶: Autumn Krause
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𝔅𝔩𝔲𝔯𝔟: “A sumptuously dark tale of revenge and atonement that beautifully explores the ties both duty and family use to claim us. From the first page to the last, I was dazzled.” —Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child
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𝔔𝔲𝔬𝔱𝔢: “What’s your favorite grave flower?” …
“Oh, I could never choose,"
"I love them all. They probably don't love me back, but I wouldn't change it. In fact, it means more to me that they don't. They belong to no one.Their wants and intents are theirs alone, unshaped by circumstances or the wills of others. It's a rare thing in this life. An impossible thing, even. But it becomes transferrable, somehow. When I'm in the garden, I'm one of them, and I'm free too, just so long as I'm there."
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𝔉𝔞𝔳𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔢𝔯: Prince Aeric! I just really love everything about him! I will never spoil anything, so I’m just going to say I think he is an extremely smart, witty, caring, absolutely adorable mmc 🥹
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𝔚𝔥𝔞𝔱 ℑ 𝔏𝔦𝔨𝔢𝔡: The vibesssss!!! The dark, gothic, candlelight, moody atmosphere, was so perfect! The betrayals and secrets run deep in this one! Sprinkle in some beautifully haunting bits of horror and you have (imo) a pretty amazing book! I was literally having heart palpitations at the end! Autumn Krause’s writing is captivatingly beautiful and poetic, I am running to get all of her other books, and she is definitely an “auto buy” author for me now!
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It’s been an honor to be on her street team! Not only is Autumn an amazing author, she’s also (from the intersections I’ve had with her) a wonderful human being. Thank you for this privilege 🙏🏻
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Grave Flowers releases September 2nd!

Grave Flowers follows Princess Madalina after her sister gets trapped in a purgatory and she must set her free by marrying and then killing the Prince of a wealthy kingdom. But danger, secrets, and betrayals lurk in the wings and Madalina will have to harden her heart to fulfill her mission and save her sister and kingdom.

The vibes in this one were on point! It was so haunting and beautiful and I adored the writing style. If court politics are your thing, you’ll love this one. I was constantly wondering who was telling the truth and being genuinely helpful and who was lying. It was very gripping and intriguing. Especially the grave flowers. Such a unique, fascinating concept that will stay with me. I loved that element!

I really enjoyed the characters and how morally gray everyone was. They all felt very real and flawed and had good growth. Madalina has to overcome a lot of expectations and beliefs of her weaknesses. She definitely deserves a lot of happiness out from under her father’s thumb! She’s easily grasp your heart and you can’t help but want the best for her. Aeric was lovely and very much a tortured soul. And their romance was so swoony and perfect. I also found Inessa SO fascinating and loved when we got to see her.

If you love court politics, sisters, and creepy flowers, you’ll love this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Publishing for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to the eARC of this book!

Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause is a dark and moody, vaguely enemies to lovers-esque book filled with murder, mystery, and intrigue. Two sisters, born and then pitted against one another, must work together to solve a murder, the sister’s murder. But nothing in this story is as simple as it seems.
I enjoyed the writing style of this book very much. Also the “magic system”, if it can be called that, was very interesting and unique.
Because this was an uncorrected proof I did catch some very minor errors like quotation marks missed or spaces not between words, but they were nothing so jarring as to take me out of the book.
All in all Grave Flowers is a fabulous read and I would suggest it to anyone who loves a good dark royal mystery.

Gorgeous. Haunting. Suspenseful. Romantic. Disturbing. Floral. PERFECT.

Grave Flowers is the perfect balance of everything I look for in a book. The characters are incredibly well-written, with secrets and motives and fears and dreams and loves. The plot kept me on my toes. The romance had my jaw dropping every other page, which is even more impressive when you remember it is not the primary focus of the novel. This was also my first time reading a true flower horror, and I need a million more as soon as possible.

While this is my first Autumn Krause book, it will certainly not be my last.

I was immediately drawn in by the novel’s blend of Hamlet and Tudor influences—two of my favorites! The atmosphere is wonderfully vivid: sentient grave flowers, a murder plot, and a dark royal core setting. For a young adult novel, it’s highly compelling.

That said, there were moments where it didn’t quite work for me. The tone, pacing, and political threads occasionally felt a bit disjointed. Still, there were passages where the prose and lush world completely captivated me, and in those moments, the flaws didn’t matter as much.

Overall, this is a very solid YA novel. It’s not entirely for me, but I’m glad it exists in the world and that I had the chance to read it—I just wish I’d loved it more.

Grave Flowers is everything you want in a book -- political intrigue, two wounded souls who fall in love, and an ASSASSINATION PLOT. Autumn Krause crafted this dark world of courtly intrigue and draped it with bloody petals. The characters were so enticing -- both Madalina and Aeric show themselves to the world in one way, but their inner wounds they hide keeps you turning the pages. Their banter was so fun to read, and their romantic arc was incredibly crafted! I really enjoyed the protagonist, Madalina. She shows inner vulnerability, and learns how to unravel herself from her family's expectations. Her arc was so well crafted, and having a character foil such as her twin sister, Inessa, really strengthened her character. I loved the world building, especially that of ghosts. The magic system was unique, and blooming with darkness. Would definitely recommend if you love beautiful prose, detailed world building, and a romance arc filled with banter and unique characters!

Such an atmospheric read. I thoroughly felt like I was there within the castle walls, with the grave flowers. I found myself sucked into the mystery of it all, and really enjoyed the world that was built. I'd love to see more in this world, the cultures were fascinating. I also loved the grave flowers themselves, they had such personality and I thought they were a really unique part of the book!
You could feel the struggle Madalina had over her new life in Acus and her role within it, as well as Aeric's. I thought this story was so well written, and absolutely blew me away. I didn't know that "dark-royalcore" was a thing, but honestly it was so good!

Grave Flowers is a fabulous mix of Hamlet and Tudor royalty with ghostly, darker Gothic elements thrown in! I highly recommend for fans of royalcore, Shakespeare, and just plain fantasy.

Princess Madalina must marry Prince Aeric to save her kingdom from ruin--and murder him. This classic (and true!) enemies to lovers set up weaves in references to the Bolyens, Hamlet, and even the current British royal family. Most fascinating to me were the grave flowers, vicious flowers with different sinister abilities. I loved how the stakes rose higher with each new layer of mystery and that Prince Aeric might not be as innocent as he seems. There were several ghostly twists that I genuinely did not see coming and absolutely loved. The romance was sweet but tension-filled and the characters kept you guessing about who was lying about what.

I would recommend this book for the vibes alone! Creepy flowers, vengeful spirits, Shakespeare! Readers who love watching royalty will also enjoy this fantasy. I'd recommend it for all YA fantasy readers that want a new, fresh enemies to lovers story that's not the same old booktok plot!