What do you think?
Rate this book
The Crimson Crown Duology #2
The Witch Queen
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26Pay the price of blood and Snow White’s wicked queen rises to her destiny in the second book of a queer, witchy duology that's hailed as"an alluring, vengeful origin story that brings tremendous dimension to the classic fairy tale" (Chloe Gong)— from the author of Malice.
The wicked queen's story did not end with a happily ever after. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
With the king bound to her magic mirror and his daughter, the rightful heir, hidden away in the countryside, Queen Ayleth has the kingdom entirely at her command.
Despite her ultimate power, Ayleth finds herself With fears that the witches from her former coven will return to depose her. With the dread that someone at the palace will discover her secret. With her own deepening dark magic.
And with thoughts of her lost love, Jacquetta—the witch whose betrayal still haunts Ayleth as stubbornly as the lingering scent of juniper.
But Ayleth’s carefully-built world begins to unravel when Princess Blodwyn returns from exile in the company of Margaret, the king's scheming sister, and reveals a plan of her To invoke Braxos Trials, a contest of bravery, wisdom, and justice that will allow Blodwyn to retake the throne. Ayleth suddenly discovers herself in danger of losing the crown she sacrificed everything to win—and she will do anything to retain control.
And Ayleth isn't the only one struggling with her altered position. Blodwyn’s homecoming soon proves more difficult than she imagined. Embroiled in Ayleth’s viperous court, Blodwyn is surrounded by enemies and plagued by rumors of a long-buried curse come to life. As family secrets resurface, the princess isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Especially when she may be falling for one of her rivals in the trials.
As the battle for the realm intensifies, both Ayleth and Blodwyn find themselves fighting not only for the throne, but for the truth of their own souls. Soon, they must each What price are they willing to pay to wear the crown?
Book Two of The Crimson Crown Duology
The wicked queen's story did not end with a happily ever after. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
With the king bound to her magic mirror and his daughter, the rightful heir, hidden away in the countryside, Queen Ayleth has the kingdom entirely at her command.
Despite her ultimate power, Ayleth finds herself With fears that the witches from her former coven will return to depose her. With the dread that someone at the palace will discover her secret. With her own deepening dark magic.
And with thoughts of her lost love, Jacquetta—the witch whose betrayal still haunts Ayleth as stubbornly as the lingering scent of juniper.
But Ayleth’s carefully-built world begins to unravel when Princess Blodwyn returns from exile in the company of Margaret, the king's scheming sister, and reveals a plan of her To invoke Braxos Trials, a contest of bravery, wisdom, and justice that will allow Blodwyn to retake the throne. Ayleth suddenly discovers herself in danger of losing the crown she sacrificed everything to win—and she will do anything to retain control.
And Ayleth isn't the only one struggling with her altered position. Blodwyn’s homecoming soon proves more difficult than she imagined. Embroiled in Ayleth’s viperous court, Blodwyn is surrounded by enemies and plagued by rumors of a long-buried curse come to life. As family secrets resurface, the princess isn’t sure who—or what—she can trust. Especially when she may be falling for one of her rivals in the trials.
As the battle for the realm intensifies, both Ayleth and Blodwyn find themselves fighting not only for the throne, but for the truth of their own souls. Soon, they must each What price are they willing to pay to wear the crown?
Book Two of The Crimson Crown Duology
Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 4, 2026
3 people are currently reading
2313 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
Want to Read
February 10, 2025Who do I need to sell my kidney to for an arc of this?? I’m wishing 2025 away already.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey books for chance to review the long awaited conclusion of The Crimson Crown Duology.
The Witch Queen picks up Ayleth’s story — the self-made villain of this Snow White retelling — but this time she shares the narrative with Princess Blodwyn, and the dual POV really adds depth and balance. While the first book focused on origins, and world-building, this sequel moves into darker, more mature territory, and Walter handles that shift with confidence. The story is strongest when it breaks away from the familiar fairy tale beats instead of echoing them — those are the moments where Walter’s creativity really stands out.
Characters like the witch Jacquetta and the ever-calculating Aunt Margaret are fantastic additions, bringing tension, moral complexity, and a sense of unpredictability to the court. They help transform what could have been a simple retelling into something much more layered. A looming fight for the throne alongside threads of romance keeps both perspectives engaging, and the way the two storylines come together feels seamless.
In the end, it delivers a conclusion that wraps things up cleanly without softening its darker edge — a fully satisfying duology that cements Heather Walter as one of the most exciting voices in queer fantasy right now. A must-read if you love atmospheric, witchy fairy tale retellings done well.
The Witch Queen picks up Ayleth’s story — the self-made villain of this Snow White retelling — but this time she shares the narrative with Princess Blodwyn, and the dual POV really adds depth and balance. While the first book focused on origins, and world-building, this sequel moves into darker, more mature territory, and Walter handles that shift with confidence. The story is strongest when it breaks away from the familiar fairy tale beats instead of echoing them — those are the moments where Walter’s creativity really stands out.
Characters like the witch Jacquetta and the ever-calculating Aunt Margaret are fantastic additions, bringing tension, moral complexity, and a sense of unpredictability to the court. They help transform what could have been a simple retelling into something much more layered. A looming fight for the throne alongside threads of romance keeps both perspectives engaging, and the way the two storylines come together feels seamless.
In the end, it delivers a conclusion that wraps things up cleanly without softening its darker edge — a fully satisfying duology that cements Heather Walter as one of the most exciting voices in queer fantasy right now. A must-read if you love atmospheric, witchy fairy tale retellings done well.
May 9, 2026
3.75 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
It was a very solid conclusion to the duology. It was definitely gripping and I was enthralled — it did not take me a full twenty-four hours time period to read it. The atmosphere was gritty and I liked that a lot. The plot was well-rounded and full of twists and reveals. And I did not see some of them coming, so that was good. The female characters were undeniably the most interesting ones, I didn’t really understand why the male characters were there to be honest. The female characters were enough to add some layers to the story. The sapphic romance was nice as well, not my all-time favorite (even from this author) but it was developed and full of pining. I would absolutely recommend this romantasy duology.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
It was a very solid conclusion to the duology. It was definitely gripping and I was enthralled — it did not take me a full twenty-four hours time period to read it. The atmosphere was gritty and I liked that a lot. The plot was well-rounded and full of twists and reveals. And I did not see some of them coming, so that was good. The female characters were undeniably the most interesting ones, I didn’t really understand why the male characters were there to be honest. The female characters were enough to add some layers to the story. The sapphic romance was nice as well, not my all-time favorite (even from this author) but it was developed and full of pining. I would absolutely recommend this romantasy duology.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
May 9, 2026
Netgalley arc.
This action packed sequel gives a whole new dimension to the classic tale of Snow White.
Fully of magic, witches, redemption, and complicated families this books was a wonderful ending to this duo.
Highly recommend for fantasy and fairy tale lovers.
This action packed sequel gives a whole new dimension to the classic tale of Snow White.
Fully of magic, witches, redemption, and complicated families this books was a wonderful ending to this duo.
Highly recommend for fantasy and fairy tale lovers.
April 15, 2025
I already know it’s going to be fantastic because it’s Heather Walter.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The sequel to The Crimson Crown picks up the story of the "evil queen" with the addition of a second viewpoint, with the tale told by both Queen Ayleth and Princess Blodwyn. This follow-up to the witch's origin story is something of a dark reimagining of the Snow White tale, but the most interesting parts for me were where it deviates from the classic children's tale. The additional characters from the witch Jacquetta to Blodwyn's aunt Margaret took the story into a more adult tale and more captivating narrative. With a contest for the throne, court politics, and some romance we follow both main characters through a plot that hints of Snow White and yet isn't. The delightful ending ties everything up with a fairytale bow, making the duology a complete entertaining read.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews