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The Queen's Box
Willow Braselton grew up in Atlanta high society, trained to smile, be polite, and speak only of pleasant things.
But there were certain truths she couldn’t keep inside, no matter how hard she tried to swallow them.
Like what happened her senior year, the night she was left alone with her adored teacher.
Like the dark shapes she saw in the misty places where the world wore thin.
Her family dismissed her. Her friends turned away. But Willow knew what she knew.
When a visiting folklorist suggests the blood of old mountain families might run in her veins, Willow bolts for Hemridge, North Carolina—a town where the woods press close, the church bells ring too loud, and every porch light flickers a warning.
There, she meets Cole, a quiet, sharp-eyed local with grief etched into his bones. Together, they uncover a coffin-shaped relic whispered about for generations.
The Queen’s Box.
Once opened, it doesn’t just stir up Hemridge’s ancient secrets. It tears a hole between worlds—drawing Willow across the threshold into a cursed shadow-land where every lie she’s ever been told sharpens into monstrous truth.
What she finds there isn’t a fairy tale—it’s a snarl of stolen children, blood rites, and curses that bind her fate to Hemridge itself. To Cole. And to a hunger that will demand more than she ever meant to give.
Because the Queen’s Box isn’t just a relic.
It’s a reckoning.
But there were certain truths she couldn’t keep inside, no matter how hard she tried to swallow them.
Like what happened her senior year, the night she was left alone with her adored teacher.
Like the dark shapes she saw in the misty places where the world wore thin.
Her family dismissed her. Her friends turned away. But Willow knew what she knew.
When a visiting folklorist suggests the blood of old mountain families might run in her veins, Willow bolts for Hemridge, North Carolina—a town where the woods press close, the church bells ring too loud, and every porch light flickers a warning.
There, she meets Cole, a quiet, sharp-eyed local with grief etched into his bones. Together, they uncover a coffin-shaped relic whispered about for generations.
The Queen’s Box.
Once opened, it doesn’t just stir up Hemridge’s ancient secrets. It tears a hole between worlds—drawing Willow across the threshold into a cursed shadow-land where every lie she’s ever been told sharpens into monstrous truth.
What she finds there isn’t a fairy tale—it’s a snarl of stolen children, blood rites, and curses that bind her fate to Hemridge itself. To Cole. And to a hunger that will demand more than she ever meant to give.
Because the Queen’s Box isn’t just a relic.
It’s a reckoning.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2025
52 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Celeste Sutton
3 books20 followersCeleste Sutton writes about enchanted realms, dangerous bargains, and the kind of love that makes you ache.
For two decades, she published novels the traditional way—books that found millions of readers and spent months on bestseller lists. But eventually, Celeste did what any fantasy heroine worth her salt would do: she opened the door to something wilder. Indie publishing called, and she stepped through gladly, joining a fierce, brilliant community of storytellers who believe magic is meant to be shared.
Celeste’s love affair with fantasy began early, with the wondrous adventures of Edward Eager and the dragon-filled skies of Pern. Recently, thanks to her children, she rediscovered the genre as an adult—falling headfirst into Brandon Sanderson’s intricate worlds of intrigue and sacrifice, Travis Baldree’s cozy taverns where retired warriors serve cinnamon rolls, and Heather Fawcett’s wild meadows of charming but dangerous fae.
She now writes immersive, addictive fantasy (with just enough romance) for readers who crave wonder, adventure, and high-stakes enchantment.
If you, too, keep searching thrift stores for an old wardrobe—just in case—her books are for you.
For two decades, she published novels the traditional way—books that found millions of readers and spent months on bestseller lists. But eventually, Celeste did what any fantasy heroine worth her salt would do: she opened the door to something wilder. Indie publishing called, and she stepped through gladly, joining a fierce, brilliant community of storytellers who believe magic is meant to be shared.
Celeste’s love affair with fantasy began early, with the wondrous adventures of Edward Eager and the dragon-filled skies of Pern. Recently, thanks to her children, she rediscovered the genre as an adult—falling headfirst into Brandon Sanderson’s intricate worlds of intrigue and sacrifice, Travis Baldree’s cozy taverns where retired warriors serve cinnamon rolls, and Heather Fawcett’s wild meadows of charming but dangerous fae.
She now writes immersive, addictive fantasy (with just enough romance) for readers who crave wonder, adventure, and high-stakes enchantment.
If you, too, keep searching thrift stores for an old wardrobe—just in case—her books are for you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 6, 2025
Ahhhh Celeste you’ve done it again! I loved it. 10/10, chefs kiss, perfection! Now this book is darker than baby blue but I liked it I think it was a perfect amount of darkness. I liked that we had mentions of the ballad of baby blue and we found out what evies life was like after blue left, now I still need to know what happened to blue when she crossed worlds but I’m hoping you’ll give me answers in the next book or books. I’ll just wait and see. Now willow she is amazing to have the courage to leave home and go embark on a journey that will start her life it was truly inspiring to go at it alone but not completely alone right because we meet Cole and the sisters who are amazing as well and then sisters seem to know all I wonder how they do. The queen? SMH don’t like her and that plot twist at the end as we find out who the prince is woah did not see that coming. He just wants to do good and he is a terrible mother although not going to lie I hate the grandmother from the ballad of baby blue more because she got under your skin the queen I’m sure I will come to hate her just as much the more we see of her and I’m curious as to what her background is and why she is the way she is I have my theories about who she could be im probably wrong but I’ll wait to see how it all pans out. Overall this book was amazing and a great opening to the rest of the series and I just love how it tied in with its prequel the ballad of baby blue. I can’t wait to see where willows journey takes us next and trust me you want to come along for the ride so add to your TBR and go read! I recommend reading the ballad of baby blue first which releases on July 11 and then this will release on July 25th trust me you don’t want to miss out!!
July 1, 2025
The Queen’s Box is Book 1 in the Her Dark Inheritance series and is a fantasy adventure that is a tad darker and a big step from the Prequel!
I enjoyed reading this story. It was uniquely different and had such a creative spin. The first thing I thought of when I finished reading was: everything is not always as it seems, and the grass is not always greener on the other side, so if there was a moral of the story that’s what I’d say! The storytelling is immersive, and the writing is fluid, almost lyrical and you can feel the emotion in it. There are some twists, turns, and surprises throughout. We got to experience some life lessons through Willow and her growth as a character. I’m excited to see where it goes!
Thank you to the author for a gifted eARC.
I enjoyed reading this story. It was uniquely different and had such a creative spin. The first thing I thought of when I finished reading was: everything is not always as it seems, and the grass is not always greener on the other side, so if there was a moral of the story that’s what I’d say! The storytelling is immersive, and the writing is fluid, almost lyrical and you can feel the emotion in it. There are some twists, turns, and surprises throughout. We got to experience some life lessons through Willow and her growth as a character. I’m excited to see where it goes!
Thank you to the author for a gifted eARC.
June 30, 2025
so good it kept goinf from.book 1 and made you want more i cant wait for the next one
June 22, 2025
I enjoyed this!
There was a lot going on in the book, and I needed some time to process it all. I still have a lot of questions lol, but I am interested to see where this story goes!
The story is unique combination of backwoods mystery and magical fae realms - and it gives this book a different feel, unlike anything I’ve read so far.
I really loved the characters in Lost Souls - especially the sisters. They brought a certain levity and coziness to story that I enjoyed.
My only “complaint” is that Willow seemed a lot younger than 19, and I found it a bit distracting. But she definitely has room to grow! It will be interesting to watch her transformation as the series continues.
There was a lot going on in the book, and I needed some time to process it all. I still have a lot of questions lol, but I am interested to see where this story goes!
The story is unique combination of backwoods mystery and magical fae realms - and it gives this book a different feel, unlike anything I’ve read so far.
I really loved the characters in Lost Souls - especially the sisters. They brought a certain levity and coziness to story that I enjoyed.
My only “complaint” is that Willow seemed a lot younger than 19, and I found it a bit distracting. But she definitely has room to grow! It will be interesting to watch her transformation as the series continues.
June 29, 2025
Loved the twists and the references/easter eggs to Ballad of Baby Blue! Definitely got dark quick, but looking back it was subtly building up. I’ve been thinking about this book for 3 days straight since finishing- I’m excited to see what comes next!
June 18, 2025
I liked this book a lot! I'm excited for more! There was some twists. It was an easy read, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat.
October 27, 2025
This was such a great read—I devoured it in a single day! I loved the mystery, the magic, the fae realm, and the darker tone woven throughout. The concept of moving between worlds felt fresh and full of potential, and I was especially intrigued by the secrets surrounding Willow (the FMC) and her family. I’m really hoping we get to learn more about that in book two. 🤔
Some of the high-stakes scenes could’ve been expanded a bit—they moved quickly, and I found myself wanting more buildup and detail to really feel the tension. Willow also has a lot to work through in this story. I’m excited to see how she grows in the next book, but I also hope she has to face the consequences of some of her choices. 👀
Book 2 can’t come soon enough! I’m excited to see where the story goes next! 😊
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Book Sirens for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🧡
Some of the high-stakes scenes could’ve been expanded a bit—they moved quickly, and I found myself wanting more buildup and detail to really feel the tension. Willow also has a lot to work through in this story. I’m excited to see how she grows in the next book, but I also hope she has to face the consequences of some of her choices. 👀
Book 2 can’t come soon enough! I’m excited to see where the story goes next! 😊
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Book Sirens for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🧡
November 30, 2025
If y’all are looking for something fresh that will keep you guessing with every page, check out this Southern Gothic series !🖤 I devoured book 1, The Queen’s Box. The atmosphere is dark in the best way: foggy woods, old bloodlines, rotting secrets, and that slow-creeping sense that something ancient is watching. It’s moody, witchy, gothic… a perfect cozy winter read by the fire 🔥 also what surprised me is that there’s so much heart beneath the dread, like the found family trope brewing. But what truly hooked me were the characters. Willow and Cole are so wonderful to read, I love their banter. This isn’t just a spooky read, it’s character-driven, emotional and filled with mystery.
What you can expect:
🖤Southern gothic
🖤witchy vibes
🖤old bloodlines
🖤forbidden magic
🖤fae realm
🖤small town secrets
🖤found family
What you can expect:
🖤Southern gothic
🖤witchy vibes
🖤old bloodlines
🖤forbidden magic
🖤fae realm
🖤small town secrets
🖤found family
July 15, 2025
Αρχικά το βιβλίο μου θύμισε πολλά διαφορετικά αποσπάσματα από κλασικά παραμύθια καθώς κυλά η ζωή της πρωταγωνίστριας πράγμα που βρήκα ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον. Ωστόσο θα ήθελα πιο ομαλή μετάβαση και περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες στα μισά του βιβλίου. Η πρωταγωνίστρια μου φάνηκε παρορμητική σαν να βιαζόταν να κυνηγήσει την μοίρα της βασισμένη μόνο σε οράματα αλλά παρόλα αυτά γενναία. Ωστόσο τονίζω ότι το βιβλίο αυτό το αγάπησα και μας αφήνει σε αγωνία με το τέλος του. το βιβλίο πραγματικά δίνει ανατριχιλες ωστόσο εξακολουθώ να έχω αρκετές ερωτήσεις ωστόσο το θεωρώ αξιόλογο για άνοιγμα μιας σειράς
July 5, 2025
This book is amazing. There is so much empowerment in it. The imagery was so vivid. As a local to Western North Carolina, I loved the nods to our area. Willow's journey is just beginning, and I'm so happy to be along for the ride.
November 22, 2025
The Queen’s Box took me a little while to settle into, but once I was in, I was in. This world, with Hemridge, Eyrth, and the thin places in between, has a way of creeping up on you slowly before pulling you firmly across the threshold. I also want to note up front that a copy was generously gifted to me by the author, and I’m grateful for the chance to read it.
Our main character, Willow, inspires a lot of mixed feelings in me. She's an older sister sandwiched between one sibling who refuses to believe in magic and another who still sees her with that soft, wholehearted admiration only a youngest sibling can give. Willow herself ricochets between teen impulsiveness and moments of sincere maturity (so, yes, she's a true teen). She longs so deeply for the magical life she believes she was denied that she runs toward the first sign of wonder, even when it may not be safe. She doesn't always make the right choices, but she does learn from them... even when the consequences come too late for some.
The romantic thread was fine. Nothing overly spicy or out of place for the audience, but while things felt believable from one character's POV, they didn't land as solidly from the other. Authentic in intention, I could see where things were going as the story progressed but, hey, teens.
What surprised me most was the darkness braided into the mythology of the book which lays the groundwork for what feels like a much larger, deeper series arc. I'm left with more questions than I'd prefer, but with the kind that make me want to pick up book two, not the kind that leave me (wholly) frustrated. I want to know more about the Sisters and the duskwyrms, especially one in particular who was betrayed and abused. I have suspicions about Miriam and Amira, and wonder about Serrin's own truth, his memory. Now that we know the truth about Willow's bloodline, Severine's secret, and the strange disappearances that are more warning than loose thread, there's so much to address in the sequel.
A bright spot for me was Brooxie, who with her sister, Ruby, carved out a warm corner of the story that radiated comfort. Their scenes felt like childhood home in a way that made me feel deeply nostalgic.
While I ended up rating this 3 stars, I want to be clear that for me, that's not a negative rating. Most of my books end up with this rating, and I'm notoriously series-averse, so the highest praise I can offer a series opener is this: I'd read the next one. And for The Queen's Box, I will.
Our main character, Willow, inspires a lot of mixed feelings in me. She's an older sister sandwiched between one sibling who refuses to believe in magic and another who still sees her with that soft, wholehearted admiration only a youngest sibling can give. Willow herself ricochets between teen impulsiveness and moments of sincere maturity (so, yes, she's a true teen). She longs so deeply for the magical life she believes she was denied that she runs toward the first sign of wonder, even when it may not be safe. She doesn't always make the right choices, but she does learn from them... even when the consequences come too late for some.
The romantic thread was fine. Nothing overly spicy or out of place for the audience, but while things felt believable from one character's POV, they didn't land as solidly from the other. Authentic in intention, I could see where things were going as the story progressed but, hey, teens.
What surprised me most was the darkness braided into the mythology of the book which lays the groundwork for what feels like a much larger, deeper series arc. I'm left with more questions than I'd prefer, but with the kind that make me want to pick up book two, not the kind that leave me (wholly) frustrated. I want to know more about the Sisters and the duskwyrms, especially one in particular who was betrayed and abused. I have suspicions about Miriam and Amira, and wonder about Serrin's own truth, his memory. Now that we know the truth about Willow's bloodline, Severine's secret, and the strange disappearances that are more warning than loose thread, there's so much to address in the sequel.
A bright spot for me was Brooxie, who with her sister, Ruby, carved out a warm corner of the story that radiated comfort. Their scenes felt like childhood home in a way that made me feel deeply nostalgic.
While I ended up rating this 3 stars, I want to be clear that for me, that's not a negative rating. Most of my books end up with this rating, and I'm notoriously series-averse, so the highest praise I can offer a series opener is this: I'd read the next one. And for The Queen's Box, I will.
July 10, 2025
I really struggled with the rating on this one. I'm rounding up to 4, but I'm giving it a true 3.5. This book features my *only* trigger warning grooming and it's a significant part of the plot thus hard to ignore. HOWEVER, it is written well, though some of the information is on page via flashbacks, it is done in such a way that is carefully curated and constructed to illustrate the effects it had on the character and minimizes the adverse effects towards the reader.
Synopsis: Willow Braselton is a young lady whom most believe lives in a fairytale in her head. As such, her family is quick to judge and not believe her when she says anything about magic or authority figures in her life. She clings to praise because its rarely given. When she finally finds someone who believes her tales, she sets off in search of a greater tomorrow and the promise of a beautiful love. But first, she must find The Queen's Box.
What I liked:
- The descriptive writing is absolutely one of the most beautiful things about this book. I can see/smell/feel the atmosphere, no matter what scene we're in.
- Cole. I absolutely, positively, love this character. I want more.
- The spoon. I don't know what it was about that darn spoon, but I feel like it's super duper significant and has a massive history I need information on.
- Duskwyrmikins. He wasn't named, but that poor little guy was so cute that (eventhough I hate snakes) I REALLY WANTED HIM TO COME LIVE WITH ME.
- The trek across the country to get to Hemridge and the tie in to The Ballad of Baby Blue. I love seeing the result of TBBB and how that affected the current characters.
What I didn't like:
- I had a very hard time connecting with Willow as a character. Perhaps it is because of how different we are and I didn't find qualities I could connect with, but I also found I could not follow her logic during certain scenarios. However, I really understood and connected with Juniper.
- The abrupt change in tone and several twists that came out of nowhere that didn't make sense to me. I think that it'll be explained in the next book, or at least that's how it reads, but it kind of smacked me in the face with the surprise and not in the fun way.
It was an absolute honor to receive an ARC from Celeste and Jessica. The information provided herein is my honest review of the book. I feel like I really need the next book in the series to fully grasp and process this book. I look forward to more!
Synopsis: Willow Braselton is a young lady whom most believe lives in a fairytale in her head. As such, her family is quick to judge and not believe her when she says anything about magic or authority figures in her life. She clings to praise because its rarely given. When she finally finds someone who believes her tales, she sets off in search of a greater tomorrow and the promise of a beautiful love. But first, she must find The Queen's Box.
What I liked:
- The descriptive writing is absolutely one of the most beautiful things about this book. I can see/smell/feel the atmosphere, no matter what scene we're in.
- Cole. I absolutely, positively, love this character. I want more.
- The spoon. I don't know what it was about that darn spoon, but I feel like it's super duper significant and has a massive history I need information on.
- Duskwyrmikins. He wasn't named, but that poor little guy was so cute that (eventhough I hate snakes) I REALLY WANTED HIM TO COME LIVE WITH ME.
- The trek across the country to get to Hemridge and the tie in to The Ballad of Baby Blue. I love seeing the result of TBBB and how that affected the current characters.
What I didn't like:
- I had a very hard time connecting with Willow as a character. Perhaps it is because of how different we are and I didn't find qualities I could connect with, but I also found I could not follow her logic during certain scenarios. However, I really understood and connected with Juniper.
- The abrupt change in tone and several twists that came out of nowhere that didn't make sense to me. I think that it'll be explained in the next book, or at least that's how it reads, but it kind of smacked me in the face with the surprise and not in the fun way.
It was an absolute honor to receive an ARC from Celeste and Jessica. The information provided herein is my honest review of the book. I feel like I really need the next book in the series to fully grasp and process this book. I look forward to more!
June 19, 2025
I am so happy to have the privilege of being a beta and arc reader for this book! This is Celeste’s novel that will be coming out just next month and guess what… you will get to read the prequel novel next month as well! It’s not often you get books in order and not only that, within the span of 2 weeks 🤩!!!
Literally, I fell in love with he-who-shall-not-be-named, and y’all just won’t know him like I did 😭🤧. But of course, I’m sure others will fall for him too 🤭. Out of the fantasy books that I have read so far, this one is definitely unique in its own way!
A Southern Gothic novel set in the 1980s (I THINK... I believe so...😂 I'm sorry Celeste if I said the wrong date 😭 [will correct later if needed lol]). This novel is unique where you have dark elements (trust me, even though they aren't graphically discussed but mentioned, it's still dark 😰), an FMC who is battling to find her self-worth, her voice, and her power. Ultimately, what any person, any woman is trying to do in this man-filled world. And Celeste did just that when writing Willow, as she learned the hard truths, learning from mistakes, and to empower herself with help from others and herself.
Our FMC, Willow, is a feisty one! Despite how things are with her family, she still stayed strong and did what she needed to do (no spoilers here 🤐) . She endured something that no one should ever experience but, no one believed her. I don’t blame her for wanting to leave home!
Our MMC, Cole, he said “I know what I want and I’ll show it” 🤭. I will leave it at that. Literally, the romance was like “stranger-to-friend-to-something?” cause their romance was something that could really happen in real life - you meet this person and despite your dislike or misunderstanding of them, you eventually see these things about them and fall for them. That’s how I saw Cole and Willow’s romance. It’s also a bit fast-pace which I loved!
Overall, if you want something very different, with some dark theme, and if you’re from NC then this book is for you!
Thank you again Celeste for this ☺️🤗💕.
Literally, I fell in love with he-who-shall-not-be-named, and y’all just won’t know him like I did 😭🤧. But of course, I’m sure others will fall for him too 🤭. Out of the fantasy books that I have read so far, this one is definitely unique in its own way!
A Southern Gothic novel set in the 1980s (I THINK... I believe so...😂 I'm sorry Celeste if I said the wrong date 😭 [will correct later if needed lol]). This novel is unique where you have dark elements (trust me, even though they aren't graphically discussed but mentioned, it's still dark 😰), an FMC who is battling to find her self-worth, her voice, and her power. Ultimately, what any person, any woman is trying to do in this man-filled world. And Celeste did just that when writing Willow, as she learned the hard truths, learning from mistakes, and to empower herself with help from others and herself.
Our FMC, Willow, is a feisty one! Despite how things are with her family, she still stayed strong and did what she needed to do (no spoilers here 🤐) . She endured something that no one should ever experience but, no one believed her. I don’t blame her for wanting to leave home!
Our MMC, Cole, he said “I know what I want and I’ll show it” 🤭. I will leave it at that. Literally, the romance was like “stranger-to-friend-to-something?” cause their romance was something that could really happen in real life - you meet this person and despite your dislike or misunderstanding of them, you eventually see these things about them and fall for them. That’s how I saw Cole and Willow’s romance. It’s also a bit fast-pace which I loved!
Overall, if you want something very different, with some dark theme, and if you’re from NC then this book is for you!
Thank you again Celeste for this ☺️🤗💕.
August 4, 2025
I really wanted to like this story. I LOVED The Ballad of Baby Blue and I will say there are a number of things I do like about the Queen's Box.
So, the things I love are the call backs that we got to The Ballad of Baby Blue and so it was nice to see how these two books connect to each other. I also liked the answer I got at the end of the book as now one portion of the story makes sense.
I spent most of this book being confused honestly. I don't understand half of what has happened, and feel that things could have been better flushed out with this story to make it far less confusing. There are moments that have been made clear that a character is not in fact present nor alive, but then there is a scene that clearly states that person is at the table. I do feel this book has a lot of promise to it and outside of the confusion it's brought forth with the back and forth in the story that it could be really good. I do wish it was more similar to The Ballad of Baby Blue but kept on the darker tones. Sadly these books feel like they were written far far apart.
Maybe eventually I will come back to this and attempt to give it another read, but I don't think this one was very fitting for me in this case.
There's many mentions of the character being 19 but being a child, not being a child and so on. Some moments felt like it was being dark for no real reason to the story which didn't make it feel to genuine. I didn't feel really any connection to any of the characters in this book compared to the other one which is really unfortunate. Plenty of other people have loved this story, so don't just take my word as we all have different opinions. I'm hoping that with the ending of this one that maybe more things will make sense in the next book as this definitely feels like there should be another one coming. I will definitely pick up the next book to see if it clears anything up for me.
So, the things I love are the call backs that we got to The Ballad of Baby Blue and so it was nice to see how these two books connect to each other. I also liked the answer I got at the end of the book as now one portion of the story makes sense.
I spent most of this book being confused honestly. I don't understand half of what has happened, and feel that things could have been better flushed out with this story to make it far less confusing. There are moments that have been made clear that a character is not in fact present nor alive, but then there is a scene that clearly states that person is at the table. I do feel this book has a lot of promise to it and outside of the confusion it's brought forth with the back and forth in the story that it could be really good. I do wish it was more similar to The Ballad of Baby Blue but kept on the darker tones. Sadly these books feel like they were written far far apart.
Maybe eventually I will come back to this and attempt to give it another read, but I don't think this one was very fitting for me in this case.
There's many mentions of the character being 19 but being a child, not being a child and so on. Some moments felt like it was being dark for no real reason to the story which didn't make it feel to genuine. I didn't feel really any connection to any of the characters in this book compared to the other one which is really unfortunate. Plenty of other people have loved this story, so don't just take my word as we all have different opinions. I'm hoping that with the ending of this one that maybe more things will make sense in the next book as this definitely feels like there should be another one coming. I will definitely pick up the next book to see if it clears anything up for me.
November 12, 2025
“This is your life, Willow. You’re the only one with the power to change it.”
Ever since she was a little girl, Willow has known there is a world beyond ours where Magic and Fae live. Too bad no one in her upper class family believes her. At 19 years old, at a party at her house, she meets someone else who tells her what she knows is real. Willow decides to flee her life as she knew it and head to Hemridge , NC, a small mountain town where her mother was adopted, and grew up, though she never talks about it.
“I’d rather be a fool who dreams of flying than a bitch who shoots them down.”
In Willow’s dreams, she meets Serrin, who she later finds out is a prince. She’s told that he’s dying and only she can save him by his mother. But first she needs to find something called The Queen’s Box, a portal between worlds. She gets a lead on it and on her way to Lost Souls, she meets Cole. With his help she searches for what she’s looking for.
“Spite could nudge her forward, but love was a hundred times more powerful.”
Will she find her way to Eryth, the Fae world? Can she save Serrin? What if not everything is as it seems?
“Some people are driven to find things others choose to forget. I guess I’m one of them.”
I never feel like I do fantasy novel’s justice because the world-building is always so amazing and I can never stress that enough. This one was no different though what makes it different from some is that the story takes place in the normal, mortal, human world and the other half in the Fae realm. The author does an excellent job with the blending of the two. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
But you’ve got the will of the queen and the instincts of a lamb, which makes it my job to make sure you don’t get slaughtered.”
I’ve thrown in some of my faves lines/quotes to entice you into reading this one. Did it work? 😊
Ever since she was a little girl, Willow has known there is a world beyond ours where Magic and Fae live. Too bad no one in her upper class family believes her. At 19 years old, at a party at her house, she meets someone else who tells her what she knows is real. Willow decides to flee her life as she knew it and head to Hemridge , NC, a small mountain town where her mother was adopted, and grew up, though she never talks about it.
“I’d rather be a fool who dreams of flying than a bitch who shoots them down.”
In Willow’s dreams, she meets Serrin, who she later finds out is a prince. She’s told that he’s dying and only she can save him by his mother. But first she needs to find something called The Queen’s Box, a portal between worlds. She gets a lead on it and on her way to Lost Souls, she meets Cole. With his help she searches for what she’s looking for.
“Spite could nudge her forward, but love was a hundred times more powerful.”
Will she find her way to Eryth, the Fae world? Can she save Serrin? What if not everything is as it seems?
“Some people are driven to find things others choose to forget. I guess I’m one of them.”
I never feel like I do fantasy novel’s justice because the world-building is always so amazing and I can never stress that enough. This one was no different though what makes it different from some is that the story takes place in the normal, mortal, human world and the other half in the Fae realm. The author does an excellent job with the blending of the two. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
But you’ve got the will of the queen and the instincts of a lamb, which makes it my job to make sure you don’t get slaughtered.”
I’ve thrown in some of my faves lines/quotes to entice you into reading this one. Did it work? 😊
November 18, 2025
4.5 rounded up
Willow has finally reached her breaking point. No longer fitting into her own family, she reaches for a lifeline to understand the misconstrued stories of her grandmothers past. Running away is what she's always planned to do, yet now it's not just to glean the secrets of her bloodline, but to find her future in the fae who appears in her dreams.
*****
I unabashedly loved this. The book was quirky and strange, with a lead that walked to the beat of her own drum, and danced within the worlds she inhabited. She was a freethinker who also had to play a part within her home and life that she was no longer suited for. Who could see other worlds, and was seen too much in her own. The author balanced her as both naive, yet desperately aware of everything around her.
She saw but didn't act. She thought but held back. She went along with what others wanted, while all along having niggling doubts in the back of her head. She made for an intriguing lead that could be frustrating but also relatable as a young teen on the cusp of adulthood.
I loved how fast the pacing was, how strange the current world and fae world were laid out, almost as if the magic and oddities should be normal to the reader, and it made how quickly we moved from one place to the next feel right.
There was a semblance of a romance, but it was slow and set aside in favour of the main storyline for the majority of the book, and I loved that we followed Willow in her own choices instead of simply caving to love early on. Also, the cliffhanger that sets us up for a potentially devastating next book, and I can't wait!
*****
Thank you to the author, Celeste Sutton, for providing a reader copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Willow has finally reached her breaking point. No longer fitting into her own family, she reaches for a lifeline to understand the misconstrued stories of her grandmothers past. Running away is what she's always planned to do, yet now it's not just to glean the secrets of her bloodline, but to find her future in the fae who appears in her dreams.
*****
I unabashedly loved this. The book was quirky and strange, with a lead that walked to the beat of her own drum, and danced within the worlds she inhabited. She was a freethinker who also had to play a part within her home and life that she was no longer suited for. Who could see other worlds, and was seen too much in her own. The author balanced her as both naive, yet desperately aware of everything around her.
She saw but didn't act. She thought but held back. She went along with what others wanted, while all along having niggling doubts in the back of her head. She made for an intriguing lead that could be frustrating but also relatable as a young teen on the cusp of adulthood.
I loved how fast the pacing was, how strange the current world and fae world were laid out, almost as if the magic and oddities should be normal to the reader, and it made how quickly we moved from one place to the next feel right.
There was a semblance of a romance, but it was slow and set aside in favour of the main storyline for the majority of the book, and I loved that we followed Willow in her own choices instead of simply caving to love early on. Also, the cliffhanger that sets us up for a potentially devastating next book, and I can't wait!
*****
Thank you to the author, Celeste Sutton, for providing a reader copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read
August 17, 2025The Queen’s Box centers around Willow Brasleton, a rebellious but kind young woman who finds out that she is a descendant of Wrenna Carter the Wrathful. Wrenna was a woman said to have old blood, fae blood, which meant she carried powerful magic through her veins; in turn meaning Willow had old blood as well. Willow always knew she was different, seeing things that others did not, things that shouldn’t exist, a whole other world. As she begins piecing together the past she begins to realize her future and what she must do, but will she be able to combat forces working against her? This was yet another winner for me from author Celeste Sutton. A fantasy with dark tendencies but lead by a tender, kind-hearted FMC gave me just the right amount of juxtaposition. I love that there is a bit of a love triangle happening and I was hanging on by a thread just waiting to see what was going to happen next. Finally, the ending closes on a bit of a cliffhanger leaving some threads untied, however, I love this because it’s just making me that much more excited to read the next novel. So far the books have intergenerational vibes, each taking place in different times throughout one families female descendant line, pretty cool idea! Definitely recommend!
December 13, 2025
The Queens Box by Celeste Sutton
Her Dark Inheritance, Book 1
This series should be read in order
The Queens Box s such a uniques and eerily beautiful story. It has darker fantasy elements so please check the content before diving it.
I Loved the story and the in depth characters. The world building and very descriptive writing give this story such a detailed look into the fae realm. While we follow Willow and her journey, we are also introduced to so many of the characters that play a very large role in this book. Their parts are integral to the story and yet I still found myself shocked at some of the twists and turns as I read.
The ending had me so shocked....It was something that I did not expect yet it made so much sense. I immediately dove into the second book, The Hollow Crown. I haven't stopped thinking about these characters. I know that if you love fantasy with some hits of romance, you will love this story. Truly an amazing read.
Her Dark Inheritance, Book 1
This series should be read in order
The Queens Box s such a uniques and eerily beautiful story. It has darker fantasy elements so please check the content before diving it.
I Loved the story and the in depth characters. The world building and very descriptive writing give this story such a detailed look into the fae realm. While we follow Willow and her journey, we are also introduced to so many of the characters that play a very large role in this book. Their parts are integral to the story and yet I still found myself shocked at some of the twists and turns as I read.
The ending had me so shocked....It was something that I did not expect yet it made so much sense. I immediately dove into the second book, The Hollow Crown. I haven't stopped thinking about these characters. I know that if you love fantasy with some hits of romance, you will love this story. Truly an amazing read.
August 5, 2025
The eldest of three sisters have begun a journey searching for a hidden portal to the fairy realm, one of the three doesn’t believe in that which she cannot see, but Willow can’t help but believe, she isn’t meant for this mortal world.
This is the first of the author’s Her Dark Inheritance, I have given this book a 2.5 star rating. The world building and plot is vague, I don’t know if it is supposed to be since this is the first book in a series but it is difficult to get intrigued. I am interested in reading the next book to know what happens especially in relation to the prologue and certain characters.
I would like to thank the author and BookSirens for a free advance reader copy of this book The Queen’s Box.
This is the first of the author’s Her Dark Inheritance, I have given this book a 2.5 star rating. The world building and plot is vague, I don’t know if it is supposed to be since this is the first book in a series but it is difficult to get intrigued. I am interested in reading the next book to know what happens especially in relation to the prologue and certain characters.
I would like to thank the author and BookSirens for a free advance reader copy of this book The Queen’s Box.
December 26, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive this book from the lovely Celeste and WOW this book finished me when i finished it. It’s such a brilliant world she’s created and I can’t wait to continue diving in. The FMC is such a strong woman, facing adversity and being always ‘different’ just to find out that she is incredibly special. This was such a brilliant story where the underdog ends up being the chosen one and I made me so attached to her, rooting for her constantly. Thank you Celeste, really brilliant and I can’t stop recommending this book to everyone for their next Fantasy read that doesn’t take an encyclopaedia of terms and definitions to understand but one that is still complex and surprising.
June 15, 2025
The Queen’s Box is a beautiful, aching exploration of self worth, sisterhood, and the sacred messiness of being a woman. Celeste Sutton’s writing hits like a whisper and a war cry at the same time. Every page feels like it was written in the quiet between heartbeats, holding space for pain, power, and the complicated truths we carry.
This book is for the woman who’s been silenced and is ready to roar, the one who forgot her magic but is learning to remember. There’s poetry here, but also power. And more than anything, there’s permission to feel, to grieve, to rebuild.
A must read if you’ve ever doubted your worth, your strength, or your story.
This book is for the woman who’s been silenced and is ready to roar, the one who forgot her magic but is learning to remember. There’s poetry here, but also power. And more than anything, there’s permission to feel, to grieve, to rebuild.
A must read if you’ve ever doubted your worth, your strength, or your story.
July 21, 2025
The idea of this book really captured my attention but the story itself just didn’t fully feel developed like I thought it would be. For more than half the book it’s just set up and then the setting change feels super rushed and then boom it’s over. Plus there were so many grammatical errors that my literary heart was going crazy. Overall I think I’ll read another book in the series just to see where we take the story. But please Celeste, slow down and let the story be felt and heard. I don’t want to be as confused and rushed in the next installment. I had so many questions about what was going on.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 29, 2025
Celeste doesn’t steer from her atmospheric writing style in this installment, she LEANS into it. And the result of that makes for a phenomenal read. This read was much darker and there were moments where I had to take a step back due to a specific trigger, but once I settled back into the right mindset, I picked this back up with ease. All around wonderful read. I fear I am committed to seeing this series through. I will recommend this to anyone who wants a unique read!
November 17, 2025
I loved the story, the way it is written and the language used is so magical. It really draws you in and has you rushing through to see what would happen next.
I do wish there had been more at the end, and maybe that was the intention, but I felt like it ended quite abruptly and the story wasn’t finished. This is the only reason for the 4 stars and not a 5. Hopefully the next book will tie that up!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I do wish there had been more at the end, and maybe that was the intention, but I felt like it ended quite abruptly and the story wasn’t finished. This is the only reason for the 4 stars and not a 5. Hopefully the next book will tie that up!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 7, 2025
This book was a wild ride, in a really good way. There's multiple mysteries, travel to different worlds, love interests, potential enemies everywhere and a plucky FMC. I don't even have my thoughts in order because I have not stopped thinking about this since I finished. I need to know what happens next.
July 21, 2025
Secret sisters hidden in the forest
Seeing tree
(Snakes)Duskwyrms, poison deadly turn into dragons
Wrenna the wrathful subdued dragons
When you think willow story is going one way its a twist and turn moving another direction.
Thinking she cares for one but really it turns into another.
Highly recommend this fantastic fantasy
Theres fae, others worlds, evil queen
Seeing tree
(Snakes)Duskwyrms, poison deadly turn into dragons
Wrenna the wrathful subdued dragons
When you think willow story is going one way its a twist and turn moving another direction.
Thinking she cares for one but really it turns into another.
Highly recommend this fantastic fantasy
Theres fae, others worlds, evil queen
October 18, 2025
Magic, generational trauma, and a world of faeries that is incredibly broken… and the only things that can begin to heal it all is a girl, named Willow! Getting to dive into this dark work and hear about the legendary Queen’s Box as Willow fought for a world she had only dreamt of was such a blast!
Celeste Sutton outdid herself with this one!
Celeste Sutton outdid herself with this one!
November 18, 2025
Celeste Sutton had me at Southern Gothic plus fae plus portal fantasy, then she created characters with depth and heart, and a story that carried me from page one to the end without letting me go. Her writing is beautiful--vivid and deeply immersive. Every moment was rich in imagery and sensory detail, letting me sink into this creative world full of ugliness and beauty and wonder.
July 21, 2025
When you like fantasy, you will definitely need to read this book.
I loved Willow trying to find who she was, and Cole helped her to be strong. I love her determination and untangling things, and finding her family history is awesome.
I loved Willow trying to find who she was, and Cole helped her to be strong. I love her determination and untangling things, and finding her family history is awesome.
July 17, 2025
Oh freaking cliffhangers!!! Thats all I can say… I was sucked into this book almost immediately. It did not disappoint. Please I need the next book like yesterday!
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