Together, they work on dismantling the curse, leaving Alyce to learn more about her mysterious Vila heritage, and honing the magic she had grown to hate. There is a curse hanging over Aurora’s head that can only be broken with true love’s kiss. Further, she doesn’t seem even the slightest bit frightened. Aurora seems to be the only person who sees her for who she is, not what. Until she meets Princess Aurora and they become fast friends. Try as she might to make herself fit, it’s clear she never will. The Graces can make people beautiful, but she can only make them ugly. However, Alyce’s half Vila blood has given her the reputation as the “Dark Grace.” Her magic doesn’t work quite the same. Often for the vanity of the upper echelon. In general, they are capable of using their magic for charms and enchantments. She is, by trade, a Grace - someone whose magical aptitudes put them in roles of service for the Kingdom. Malice follows our anti-hero Alyce (also known as Malyce) as she navigates the sticky waters of Briar’s polite society. You’re not here to hear about my youthful gay panic. Anyway, let me get into the nitty-gritty. And then we got into the Lara Croft era, and that was enlightening. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become?Īlyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be.It’s Pride Month, so you know I had to absolutely go for this queer fairytale retelling! I don’t know a single millennial-gay that didn’t realize they were just a hair on the gay side after crushing on some Disney princesses. And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.Īlyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But it is a love that came with a heavy price: Aurora now sleeps under a curse that even Alyce’s vast power cannot seem to break. Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. Not even the one person who holds her heart.

And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. “Fans of reimagined fairy tales and LGBTQ+ themes will be delighted with the conclusion of this fantasy duology.”- Booklist (starred review)įeared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Does true love break curses or begin them? The dark sorceress of “Sleeping Beauty” reclaims her story in this sequel to Malice.

Malice book summary heather walter