What do you think?
Rate this book
Poisoned Beauty
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never leave you alone.
Life has never been kind to Nadia Crofton. Tossed from her home when she was eight, Nadia was grudgingly taken in and set to work in the kitchens of Westfold’s ruling family. But with meager meals of bread and water and a bed by the damp fish tank, Nadia’s life feels hopeless. Even Cinderella had it easier.
Everything changes when a rampaging dragon comes to town. Knowing there’s only one way to appease a dragon, the town holds a lottery to determine which maiden to offer to it. Nadia doesn’t cry when her name is drawn—she rejoices that her suffering will end.
Instead of eating her, the dragon leaves Nadia at the feet of its master, a handsome and terrifying being who goes only by the title “My Lord.” The Lord gives her the freedom to do as she chooses and provides her with a life fit for a princess. But Nadia’s explorations of the castle’s upper floors reveal that other princesses, ones told of in the fairy stories, once lived there. What happened to them? Why is the Lord alone in the massive castle? Is he the handsome prince or someone much more sinister?
In an empty castle full of secrets, Nadia isn’t sure who or what she can trust. Including the whisperings of her heart.
Life has never been kind to Nadia Crofton. Tossed from her home when she was eight, Nadia was grudgingly taken in and set to work in the kitchens of Westfold’s ruling family. But with meager meals of bread and water and a bed by the damp fish tank, Nadia’s life feels hopeless. Even Cinderella had it easier.
Everything changes when a rampaging dragon comes to town. Knowing there’s only one way to appease a dragon, the town holds a lottery to determine which maiden to offer to it. Nadia doesn’t cry when her name is drawn—she rejoices that her suffering will end.
Instead of eating her, the dragon leaves Nadia at the feet of its master, a handsome and terrifying being who goes only by the title “My Lord.” The Lord gives her the freedom to do as she chooses and provides her with a life fit for a princess. But Nadia’s explorations of the castle’s upper floors reveal that other princesses, ones told of in the fairy stories, once lived there. What happened to them? Why is the Lord alone in the massive castle? Is he the handsome prince or someone much more sinister?
In an empty castle full of secrets, Nadia isn’t sure who or what she can trust. Including the whisperings of her heart.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2024
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 26, 2024
I was given a free copy of this book and I decided to give it an honest review.
Nadia is the lowest ranking person: she is the butt of jokes, a source of free labor, and has no friends. When it is decided to offer a sacrifice to a rampaging dragon, she prays to win the lottery. When she wins the lottery and hopes the dragon will kill her quickly, she is stunned when the dragon picks her up and takes her someplace else. A place where she is fed, clothed, and well-cared for. She is told to address the owner of this magical place as "My Lord". But Nadia has been kicked so many she trusts nothing. This is not an insta-love story: Nadia has been the brunt of to much abuse to trust quickly. The entire story takes place from Nadia's perspective so we don't know what "My Lord" is really thinking. I enjoyed the characters and the slow development of their relationship. I understand that Nadia had to come from a mean-spirited place to have the trust issues she has but sometimes I found her back story tedious. I also wish I could have gotten more insight into "My Lord" and his thought processes. The story seems to wrap up with all the plot threads nicely tied up and it is a clean read, free of explicit content, making it suitable for a wide audience.
Nadia is the lowest ranking person: she is the butt of jokes, a source of free labor, and has no friends. When it is decided to offer a sacrifice to a rampaging dragon, she prays to win the lottery. When she wins the lottery and hopes the dragon will kill her quickly, she is stunned when the dragon picks her up and takes her someplace else. A place where she is fed, clothed, and well-cared for. She is told to address the owner of this magical place as "My Lord". But Nadia has been kicked so many she trusts nothing. This is not an insta-love story: Nadia has been the brunt of to much abuse to trust quickly. The entire story takes place from Nadia's perspective so we don't know what "My Lord" is really thinking. I enjoyed the characters and the slow development of their relationship. I understand that Nadia had to come from a mean-spirited place to have the trust issues she has but sometimes I found her back story tedious. I also wish I could have gotten more insight into "My Lord" and his thought processes. The story seems to wrap up with all the plot threads nicely tied up and it is a clean read, free of explicit content, making it suitable for a wide audience.
March 23, 2025
Nadia Crofton has been treated as the lowest of the low since being cast out of her home at the age of eight. She works in the kitchen where she's treated with scraps of bread, left to sleep on the floor and subjected to the taunts and beatings of those around her. When a dragon comes to terrorize the town Nadia is chosen as the sacrifice and is whisked away to castle run by a mysterious man only known as "My Lord". Here she is finally fed, clothed and well cared for and determined to either die or solve the mysteries of this place.
I wanted to like this book so much and it just fell flat for me. I feel this book could have been much better if it wasn't so slow paced and repetitive. I appreciated the idea of Nadia struggling with what she thought her worth was and what she could be but for over 300 pages it didn't seem to progress. Her constant wavering between wanting to die and wanting to find answers grew tiresome and I could only read "My Lord" so many times before I grew annoyed with it. It's only in the last 50 pages that thins pick up and answers are given. Although this tied up very nicely with no loose ends, it was an extremely slow-slow-burn and had me struggling to finish it.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book so much and it just fell flat for me. I feel this book could have been much better if it wasn't so slow paced and repetitive. I appreciated the idea of Nadia struggling with what she thought her worth was and what she could be but for over 300 pages it didn't seem to progress. Her constant wavering between wanting to die and wanting to find answers grew tiresome and I could only read "My Lord" so many times before I grew annoyed with it. It's only in the last 50 pages that thins pick up and answers are given. Although this tied up very nicely with no loose ends, it was an extremely slow-slow-burn and had me struggling to finish it.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2024
All her life Nadia has been treated worse than the dogs. The lowest of the lowest rung on the ladder. She's let all their loathing words settle deeply in her heart and so she welcomes immanent death when her name is drawn for the lottery as the sacrifice to the dragon that is terrorizing their community. Nadia faces her death with a smile on her face and gladness in her heart, for the end of the torment has come at last. But death never comes for her. Finding herself now in a castle full of mysteries, Nadia must piece together the past of those who have come before her, and discover herself along the way.
I loved this read- it's written in such a way that it reminds me of the writing style of your favorite fairy tales. There is mystery and self discovery with a dash of fantasy.
If you're sensitive to self loathing and things of the type though I'd avoid this one, though the ending is well worth it.
I loved this read- it's written in such a way that it reminds me of the writing style of your favorite fairy tales. There is mystery and self discovery with a dash of fantasy.
If you're sensitive to self loathing and things of the type though I'd avoid this one, though the ending is well worth it.
Read
February 15, 2025Dnf’ed at page 98.
The way the author pitched this to me had me so exited for this.
My first major issue was the writing style. It came off as mildly juvenile. If this was a lower ya book, that’d have been fine. But I don’t think that’s the intended audience of this book.
The second issue is Nadia’s obsession with dying. Like she wants it so badly she looks for situations in which will get her killed. It just gave me an ick I can’t explain.
The last issue was that almost nothing happened. The plot was so slow that it’s ultimately what made me dnf.
The way the author pitched this to me had me so exited for this.
My first major issue was the writing style. It came off as mildly juvenile. If this was a lower ya book, that’d have been fine. But I don’t think that’s the intended audience of this book.
The second issue is Nadia’s obsession with dying. Like she wants it so badly she looks for situations in which will get her killed. It just gave me an ick I can’t explain.
The last issue was that almost nothing happened. The plot was so slow that it’s ultimately what made me dnf.
May 12, 2024
Her life is even worse than Cinderella and she is about to be entered into a lottery to stop a dragon. She is happy to be picked as it could end her misery. She is in for a shock when she finds a man wants her. Now what? How will she get on? Can life finally get better for her? See how she gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews