Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

I have read many retellings about the Evil Queen from “Snow White.” The Crimson Crown stands out among them because it is not simply a retelling, it is a total reimagining of the world the story is built around. You will find glimmers of the original fairytale in this book, but the story is unlike any retelling you’ve read before. Heather Walter takes a classic story that we’ve all come to love and puts her own unforgettable mark on it.

Ayleth is a young witch, living in hiding with her coven, as magic is forbidden. She has spent her life practicing magic, but she is not the powerful witch that she hoped to become. As the magic in her world becomes ever more fragile, Ayleth sets out on a quest to the White Court to help her coven and prove herself. She is immediately pulled into the deceiving world of court life and learns that a dark force may be lurking in the palace. To save her coven and uncover the secrets of the White Court, Ayleth will have to summon a power within herself to become the witch she never imagined she could be.

Heather Walter creates a dark and enticing world steeped in political intrigue, betrayal, and romance that I found hard to leave. I cannot recommend adding this book to your box enough. I know you’ll find yourself easily immersed in Ayleth’s world, unwilling to put the book down, just like I was.