by Robin Benway
First published 2023
Drizella and Anastasia have watched their mother Lady Tremaine transform into a bitter tyrant after their father abandoned the family and drained their fortune. The sisters make a pact to never become like her. They will find love, explore the world, and keep their hearts warm. Yet Lady Tremaine controls their lives through manipulation and cruelty, constantly turning the daughters against each other in a delicate dance of rivalry and alliance. As the royal debut party approaches, their single opportunity to impress the Prince and meet their mother's demands, both sisters discover forbidden possibilities. Drizella finds herself drawn to science while Anastasia begins a secret romance. These glimpses of independence threaten everything Lady Tremaine has planned. The sisters must navigate their mother's schemes while protecting their newfound dreams, but Lady Tremaine's talent for manipulation runs deep. Even the coldest hearts can draw blood when threatened.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, fantasy, young-adult
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, sibling-rivalry
Setting: Royal Court
Period: 19th-Century
316 pages · Hardcover · Random House/Disney
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse, gaslighting