Daughter of Crows

The Kindness Academy #1

by Mark Lawrence

The survivor of a brutal academy must exhume her own past in the first book in a new series from the international bestselling author of the Library Trilogy and the Broken Empire series.

Set a thief to catch a thief. Set a monster to punish monsters.

The Academy of Kindness exists to create agents of retribution, cast in the image of the Furies—known as the kindly ones—against whom even the gods hesitate to stand. Each year a hundred girls are sold to the Academy. Ten years later only three will emerge.

The Academy’s halls run with blood. The few that survive its decade-long nightmare have been forged on the sands of the Wound Garden. They have learned ancient secrets amid the necrotic fumes of the Bone Garden. They leave its gates as avatars of vengeance, bound to uphold the oldest of laws.

Only the most desperate would sell their child to the Kindnesses. But Rue … she sold herself. And now, a lifetime later, a long and bloody lifetime later, just as she has discovered peace, war has been brought to an old woman’s doorstep.

That was a mistake.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Academia, Adult, High Fantasy, Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Dark

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 24, 2026

About the author

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Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. Before becoming a fulltime writer in 2015 day job was as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.

Mark used to have a list of hobbies back when he did science by day. Now his time is really just divided between writing and caring for his disabled daughter. There are occasional forays into computer games too.

Reviews

[Mark Lawrence]

I've written a DARK book here!

Currently there's a US giveaway going on: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

And you can pre-order signed copies from Waterstones (UK) now! https://www.waterstones.com/book/daug...

Here's the cover reveal, along with an interview with the artist!
https://thatthornguy.com/2025/10/21/i...



There are ARCs - you'd have to contact Ace (US) or Voyager (UK) to lay hands on one though.

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[ଘRory]

_A great cover,gods and academic vibes plz sign me up .

[Mitriel Faywood · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of heroine this book is about you might ask? “The kind that crawled from the grave spitting dirt and ready for vengeance.”

I beta-read this in 2023-24, chapter by chapter as it was written, and later edited, providing detailed feedback.

It’s a grimdark novel, blurbed as Squid Game meets John Wick, with an old woman as the main character. The story shows her at different ages (the trilogy’s original working title is Maiden, Mother, Hag—if that doesn’t mean anything to you, look up "Triple Goddess").

Needless to say following the blurb, it’s a very dark book. A LOT of people die and some in terrible ways. Some will then even come back for a while. But necromancy has never been written more beautifully before.

It’s a revenge story that is powerful, fascinating, grim and even creepy at times, with a seasoning of occasional dry humour and lumps of heartache.

Additionally, I’ve just seen the final version of the UK cover art and it’s so hauntingly beautiful I’ve got goosebumps all over!

It’s another triumph for HarperVoyager after the stunning Library trilogy covers. Cover artist Tom Roberts is definitely a keeper!

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Now that was some VERYYY DARK fantasy.
My first book written by Mark Lawrence and already perfectly suited to my bookish taste. Can’t wait to read more!

"Daughter of Crows" is the first book in a new series written by Mark Lawrence. It tells the story of an older woman living in a very cruel and brutal world. It tells a story of an Academy, where each year a hundred girls are sent to become extremely dangerous and powerful, but only three of them can survive the process. It's a story about revenge, friendship and discovering the truth that lies within oneself.

Mark Lawrence created a very dark and dangerous world, where death is something that even kids have to get used to. The fact that described events concerned 12+ y.o. children made it even more grim and deeply sad. It's definitely not a book for someone who can't handle reading about violence.

Author creates characters that are very easy to like and to care about. Since at some point they are only children the only thing I wanted to do was protect them agains the cruelty of this world. The book is split into different times and we spend the majority of it in the Academy, which for me was both fascinating and absolutely terrifying to read about (which is a good thing!). Getting to know different point of views was extremely engaging and I really appreciate how intelligently Mark Lawrance interweaved the threads of the plot. All those secrets, all those plot twist, they were perfectly balanced and at the same time very accurate to what was going on.

The story is overall pretty sad. To see how many pain can one person suffer and see that this pain will never end is absolutely heartbreaking.
It ended with a plot twist which makes me wonder where will the author take as next and if we'll ever get back to the place we've been.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This was my first time reading anything by Mark Lawrence. I actually planned to start with The Book That Wouldn’t Burn this year, but when I spotted an ARC of Daughter of Crows on NetGalley I abandoned all plans like a crow chasing something shiny. Zero regrets.

This book is chaotic in the best way. You’re thrown into the story with "a lot of characters" and shifting perspectives, and at first it feels overwhelming. But after a few chapters, everything starts to click, and suddenly the chaos makes sense.

Mollandra’s storyline at the Academy had me in a chokehold. That POV was my favorite by far, no competition. I was fully invested, emotionally attached, and absolutely not okay with everything that happened to her because let’s be honest, the girl did not get a single happy moment in this book. Not one. Zero. Just pain, trauma, and suffering on repeat. She was funny, loyal, and the kind of person you know you’d want in your life. The type who has your back no matter what. Which makes it even worse, because she deserved so much better than what she got. For her, I would become Kindness itself, just so I could get revenge and kill everyone who hurt her.

-"You told him to fuck off!"
-"I know what i did."
-"But he's the ferryman! He's Death with his scythe! He's the winged ones who take the warriors straight from the battlefield. He's-"
-"He's propably used to it. Dying's enough to give most people an attitude."

Honestly, in every book there’s usually at least one character I can’t stand, but not here. Somehow, everyone made sense. Every character had a purpose, and even when they were awful, it was clear they were like that because the world broke them first. The Academy, the system, the whole mess. No pointless villains, no “why are you even here?” characters, just deeply damaged people doing their thing.

If you’re into Greek mythology, this book will be right up your alley. The Furies (Erinyes) are basically the backbone of the story: ancient goddesses of vengeance pulling the strings, ruining lives. Fans of Squid Game should feel right at home here, too. It’s drenched in blood, death and gore.

Last but absolutely not least, the magic in this book is chef’s kiss. There are magical mixtures designed to unlock your inner rage, mess with your memories, or erase things entirely. And yes, there’s a talking crow. No, I will not explain. Just read the book.

[Paul Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being in my 60s it was refreshing to read a book where the main character was relatable (except the knitting) 😉 I have struggled with some previous books by the author but this book was a pure joy from start to finish
Well done sir, well done

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (semi-ia)]

THIS COVER OH MY GOD

[LambchoP]

Love the cover art! From the synopsis it sounds like Lawrence is going back to grimdark territory and I am all in! Hoping to get an ARC;)

[Maëlys]

gorgeous gorgeous cover with an intriguing synopsis (and i do love to follow an older character!!)

[Emilie Margolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5!!

This book was such an amazing ride and I couldn’t predict a minute of it. First book by this author but will pick up many more of his books going forward!

[KnightsandFables · Rating 4 out of 5]

rtc

[sophie ☁️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re only a couple of weeks into 2026 and this may already be a top competitor for one of my top books of the year.

Daughter of Crows is a dark, macabre and atmospheric first instalment to a new fantasy series. It revolves around the Academy of Kindness, where girls are sold to become powerful and bloodthirsty agents of justice to serve the gods. The world was immersive and the character development was a real highlight, Rue is our main character and takes on several forms throughout the different timelines we visit in this story, and she is GREAT.

Absolutely loved this world (despite how dark it is!) and I’m intrigued to explore more of it in the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the eARC!

[kyra ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪]

when i saw mark lawrence was dropping a new book i rejoiced

[Lysandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity of reading this ARC! All opinions are my own.

This book interested me a lot upon first seeing its summarised description a few months ago. It sounded exactly like my sort of grimdark fantasy. Meanwhile, I also read Mark Lawrence’s “The Book That Wouldn’t Burn” and I realised that his world-building and lore development was done pedantely in the best way possible — well-researched and thoroughly explored and explained in a way which twists the original concepts we have in reality into a fantasy version which borders realism itself. I am glad to say my judgement was confirmed by “Daughter of Crows”.

The lore and world-building are interestingly thought of — an amalgam of mythological references, religions, and esotericism which ultimately tie to one another in a well-constructed lore. I will not dive in much, as I don’t want to reveal any spoilers, but I just have to say I terribly enjoyed the leitmotif of the number three which haunts the narrative from the very start. Three Furies, three Kindnesses, three sisters, three daughters. Furthermore, our main character Rue does not escape this leitmotif — we get to know her to an extent from all three “traditional” roles. Maiden. Mother. Crone. The leitmotif was brilliantly executed, even more so that it is done in a perfect circle. I already have high expectations of how it will further haunt the narrative in the next books!

The storytelling is done through several perspectives, but the division is clear through past and present. We experience Rue’s life in the present (in her state as Crone), but also see her time at the Kindness Academy and before (her life as Maiden), with bits dropped in between of her life as a Kindness/Mother (I expect we will see more of that in the following books). The fact that we experience so much of Rue and her character throughout different ages in one book is what pushes the plot forward, both in the past and in the present, for she presents not only character development but also the state of having to deal with the consequences of one’s actions, and how ghosts of the past can haunt one throughout the ages.

The plot is relatively slow paced, but this is completely normal for the first novel of a series. However, the story remains engaging through its dramatic twists and reveals. There is a constant tension, centred on how everything connects and how it will unravel, a puzzle solved neatly by the end. The thrill still remains as the cliffhanger simply dives into more dramatics. Without revealing too much, the story revolves around found families of different levels of toxicity — you can count on it being quite entertaining from that perspective. This is also a very nice touch, taking a concept which is stereotypical to cosy fantasy, and turning it dark. I enjoyed this twist.

The atmosphere is very eerie and, upon finishing, I would say this novel leans towards the more grim side of the grimdark fantasy spectrum. It is less horror and more macabre. The prose mirrors that perfectly, sometimes through language and other times through sinister descriptions. If one is not into the genre, I suggest they read this at a time when they are in the right mood for this specific sort of story.

As far as my personal recommendation goes, if you enjoyed the concepts of Bene Gesserit, Aes Sedai, Amazons, the Brendok Coven or other similar female-led organisations, I strongly recommend this book. Furthermore, to me, Rue was, at times, reminiscent of Fitzchivalry Farseer, Kaladin Stormblessed and Feyre Archeron, so if you enjoyed their journeys, Rue’s is definitely a must as well.

[Luke Scull · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my eleventh Mark Lawrence novel. After hearing from the man himself how it was going to be a return to grimdark (or at least both grim and dark) and reading an early draft of the opening chapter, I was eager to get hold of the finished book. I'm pleased to say it's one of his best!

If I had to describe DAUGHTER OF CROWS in a sentence, it would be "Prince of Thorns and Red Sister had a baby, and they named her Granny Weatherwax." Our heroine, Rue, is the embodiment of the retired badass. A distant graduate of an academy of super-assassins in which only three in every hundred survive, Rue has resigned herself to living out the rest of her days in a sleepy village. When bloodthirsty mercenaries show up and put the place to the sword, leaving her for dead, it takes the intervention of a goddess to restore her chosen servant and set her on the road to vengeance.

The story that follows alternates between Rue's current-day quest for revenge and her early years at the academy. Mark Lawrence expertly weaves the past with the present, telling a story that is rich with interesting characters and twists and turns. Themes of ageing, friendship, and the nature of self are explored with a deft touch between surprisingly violent action scenes that pull very few punches. This is a brutal, brutal book: in many ways darker even than PRINCE OF THORNS. The chapters in the mansion, set before the Academy, are like something from a nightmare - psychologically terrifying in the same way the various "exams" at the Academy are constantly nerve-wracking. It's a testament to the author's versatility that he's able to nestle a horror story within a dark academia story within a grimdark revenge story and pull it off so convincingly.

The world-building, too, is fascinating: the Furies, the trio of sisters from Greek mythology who punish the most heinous moral crimes, sponsor the Academy and buttress much of the worldbuilding, but they are joined by gods and goddesses from other mythologies who, after a cataclysmic event that destroyed much of the known world, have cross-pollinated among the survivors as they fled to two great islands. History and mythology buffs will enjoy the various references hidden and not-so-hidden. There are even hints that this story takes place in the same world as that of THE BROKEN EMPIRE and RED QUEEN'S WAR, though this may be a case of wishful thinking on my part!

DAUGHTER OF CROWS is a book that will likely unify a huge proportion of fans of Mark Lawrence's various earlier books, all of which are rather different. It has a kickass female protagonist, one of the deadliest schools ever committed to paper, dark necromantic magic, true friendship, found family, and the author's usual razor-sharp humour. It is also unflinchingly brutal and will likely end up near the top of the author's very own Grimdark Scale. It's yet another excellent addition to one of the most impressive and diverse bodies of work in fantasy, and something tells me book 2 will be even better. I don't know how he keeps doing it, but he does!

[Erik Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book, I thought this was going to be about a teenager from the title reminiscent of an YA novel, so you can imagine my surprise when I opened the book only to find out that the main character was in her 60s. I just want to say that I’m a huge fan. I haven’t seen an old person complete with grey hair, wrinkles, and a knitting hobby as a protagonist in fantasy/scifi before, and I thought it was very refreshing to read about. Molly has a very interesting life behind her, and it’s fun to read about a character with more life experience in a fantasy world. She’s also really cool in my opinion.

I enjoyed this nonlinear format of storytelling. The story jumps between 3 different points in time: Rue as an old woman, Mollandra in the academy, and her childhood. Also, the dialogue is great in this book. The characters also acted believably in my opinion and made decisions that make sense. I also thought the friendship between the girls was great.

While necromancy doesn’t feel like the most unique power for a protagonist to have as someone who has read solo leveling and a bunch of copies of it, I like how it is executed in this book. The main character can’t just raise an army of dead people to fight for herself most of the time, and she still has to be good at hand-to-hand combat and doesn’t have a huge advantage over base humans.

I liked the magical elements of the book: the elixir and the Ingredient remind me of the spice in Dune, and I’ve always preferred stories where magic is acquired rather than being innate. I also thought the triple goddesses were really interesting.
However, the nonmagical aspects I found meh for me. I like that the author took inspiration from Greece, but it felt too generic to really pique my interest.

Anyway, I thought this was a good fantasy novel and definitely recommend it. Excited to see what the author has in store for the other books of the series.

[Robin Hobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A caveat! Mark Lawrence is a friend. I received this free advance reading copy from the publisher. I do not think either of these things affect my rating of the book.

A couple or three more things. I really like crows. I am fascinated with memory and what we recall or don't recall. And I identified strongly with Rue.

I've been reading Mark Lawrence's books for years now. The first one I read, Prince of Thorns was sent to me by our mutual editor. Several chapters in, I was wondering, "Why would she send me this book!?" But before long it was, Aha. This book is for me.

Mark's books are not, perhaps, for the faint of heart. Harsh things happen. Characters experience things we don't like and take actions that may be hard to understand in that first moment. But trust me and trust Mark. These are books you will remember and keep on your shelves.

The cover blurb gives away this so I don't mind mentioning it. Our main protagonist is a student in a harsh Academy of Kindness. The training to become a Kindness will weed out those who are weak, lack the required talents or are simply unlucky.

This is not your usual Fantasy Academia book. We follow our protagonist both as a student, flashing back to her early life and then venture on with her as an old woman (one I very much identified with!)

Although this is the first book of a trilogy, I think he has selected a good stopping space. I will wait a year (or more!) for the remaining two books.

And I will mention here a very different trilogy of books written by Mark that I absolutely love. It has been very hard to keep them in my house as offspring keep borrowing them. If you have ever enjoyed D&D, they might be for you. Or even if you haven't. One Word Kill, Limited Wish and Dispel Illusion.

[Mylee J. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Daughter Of Crows by Mark Lawrence, the Academy of Kindness was created to hone agents of justice to be used against those their gods fear. But when one year's annual sale of a hundred girls to the academy results in three survivors a decade later, the Academy's halls are stained with bloodshed and murder. Determined to seek vengeance for their experiences and bound to the laws they're sworn to, most of the girls - who are mostly dead - aren't willing participants in their sale. This isn't the case for Rue, who sold herself to the gods she now serves. But her lifetime of violence didn't end how she would've liked, and when violence arrives to take her in its grasp once more, she's forced to return to the life she once knew: one of murder, of secrets, and of darkness.

I've never read anything by Mark Lawrence before, but I was thrilled to get accepted for an ARC of his newest novel to dive head-first into his fantasy worlds. It paid off, certainly, because Daughter of Crows is nothing short of a masterpiece. I absolutely loved this novel, especially the descriptions if the magic system and the desperation of the characters. The twists regarding Rue's backstory truly struck me, and I loved the immersive world of gods and killers Lawrence created to cradle the cast he built. The dark academia aspects were foreboding, and it was dark in such a delicious and satisfying way that is not often found in more romance-driven dark fantasy. I loved it, and I can't wait to read the sequel!

[Kiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter of Crows tells the story of an elderly woman with a tragic history. Throughout the book, we get glimpses of her life in the form of three different timelines. Each phase gradually pieced together how we got to the present. As well as allowing us as the reader to develop a connection and deeper understanding of her.

What intrigued me most when starting this book was the main character herself, never did I think I would read something quite like this. It’s gritty, emotional and gory. The protagonist brings something fresh to the table. She's very much a morally grey character you find yourself rooting for, despite her nonconformity to typical heroic archetypes. She is a hero in a way—just one that is a lot more evil than she is good.

When it comes to Lawrence’s writing, it is complex, unpredictable and leans more toward show than tell. There were moments in the story that only made sense later, once we could piece things together ourselves. I loved that some details might be missed on a first read.

There were a few caveats. At times the pacing felt inconsistent, mostly due to the multiple timelines. While it makes sense structurally, it did feel a little jarring. And I would have liked the plot to be a little clearer at the beginning.

Overall, I cannot wait to read the next instalment in this trilogy and will most likely do a reread beforehand. I would highly recommend this book if you love dark stories that are incredibly unpredictable and have a lot of focus on character development over plot.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately sold by this concept, and oh, I definitely
wasn't prepared for what was about to come. The story is dark, bloody and sad but deeply intriguing and quite unique in its own way.
I was pleasantly surprised when the FMC was introduced in the early chapters as a 60 year old woman, which is not something you see often in fantasy books. The story is told through multiple points of view and across different timelines. I did find this aspect a bit confusing at times, especially in the first half of the book, but they definitely served their purpose by the end. My favourite storyline was definitely her time in the academy. And it was intense to say the least.
The book blends together elements of mythology and religious themes, a tapestry of lore, magic and symbolism. It was a combination that kept me intrigued to the point that I finished the book in only 3 days.
The pacing is a bit slow but mostly due to the heavy worldbuilding, however I was fully immersed in it.
Overall it was an incredible book with lots of unique elements, sad and bloody but absolutely fascinating and I cannot wait for the sequel.
(Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

[ReneeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the blurb "The survivor of a brutal academy must exhume her own past" I instantly knew this was something I needed to read because it sounds amazing. I have read other works from this author and liked them but there is just something for me that misses the 5 star rating and this one is no exception. Others will rave about this book and I can see why because I thought it was very good, but it wasn't as compelling as I wanted it to be. I think the character work is strong and these gals are ruthless! The chapters where they focus on the school were gruesome and horrific and I loved every second of it. I think the flip flopping of the POV's and the timeline may have been what I would have liked to see done differently as I prefer a linear story but the switching does add a layer of tension to the story which I can appreciate. I love books with necromancy, and it's not something done too often so I was also excited about those parts and they were definitely satisfying. Overall this was a great book and I will definitely recommend to others even if it was more of a 4 star read to me and not 5 stars. Gruesomely good.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chloe Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Rating: 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, more than any other Mark Lawrence book I have read! Daughter of Crows is dark, atmospheric, and completely gripping from start to finish. What really made it stand out for me was the way the story is told through multiple points of view of the same character at different points in time — such a clever structural choice, and one that adds so much emotional depth as you slowly see how everything connects. Watching the same character change, harden, and grow through different versions of herself was honestly fascinating.

The character development here is a huge strength. Everyone feels layered and real, with motivations that make sense even when they’re making terrible or painful choices. The story doesn’t shy away from bleakness, but it never feels gratuitous — it’s dark in a way that serves the narrative and makes the stakes feel genuinely high.

Overall, this was a rich, haunting, and beautifully structured fantasy that kept me completely hooked. I’m already very much looking forward to the next book — this is absolutely a series I want to stay with.

[Mackenzie Schley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This certainly isn’t a lighthearted, cozy fantasy and instead looks at the darker side of what humanity is capable of. The characters are constantly struggling on, fighting through adversity after adversity, while in the shadows the “true” villain takes shape. There is a lot of going back and forth between multiple points of view, sometimes with characters taking on new identities as their lives shape them anew, so you have to stay sharp and track the storylines through. While certainly not a book filled with heartwarming characters, you do still root for them and perhaps see them as more real because of their copious flaws as they struggle to do the right thing in impossible circumstances. Its a tough one to say “I enjoyed” because it is so dark, but I sped through it as I used my free time to discover what happens next, which is a testament of its own for the quality of the story.

[CallyMia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this a very clever and interesting read.

Every year 100 girls are sold to the Academy of Kindness., however after 10 years there only 3 will survive.
I liked the multiple pov and the fact that the relevance of this isn’t revealed to you at first, you learn its reasoning as you read on. It was refreshing to see a much older fmc when we start the book as we don’t see many cool warrior grandmothers! The world building and necromancy was good, I felt it definitely set a dark atmospheric vibe that fit the plot and the characters and helped me to immerse myself in the book.
My only criticism would be that I’d like the pace to be a little bit faster and focus more on the main characters goal, but that is personal preference.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

thx to Edelweiss for the arc!

I always like to try something new in fantasy - I never finished “Prince of Thorns,” but the description of this book was too interesting to pass up so I’d thought to try another Mark Lawrence! Without going into spoilers, the Academy portions of the book were incredible - so many unique characters, the atmosphere was so tense and dark, the slow reveal of information, all perfect. I struggled a bit more with Rue’s story, which had a jarringly slower pace and significant amounts of internal monologue that felt repetitive. I was also so disappointed to find out this is a book one; I think it would have been a stronger standalone, which might have helped with the pacing issues (especially with the political plot).

But still enjoyed overall!

[Gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I see a lot of really great reviews for this book on here, and I'm glad that so many people have already enjoyed it. To be honest, it just wasn't for me, or perhaps I even tried to read it at the wrong time. I would still recommend this title to my library clients though, especially fans of female-centric fantasy who aren't looking for romance. This book was really dark and I've heard it described as Squid Game-esque, but for fantasy school stories. I think that would appeal to a large number of fantasy readers out there!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC!

[eva ☾]

just stumbled across this and it sounds amazing incredibly interesting? posting this to remind myself to check it out upon release. lmk if you’ve heard anything about this or read any of this author’s works!

[Alex]

i need this now. that cover is immaculate. also, the premise is already going to send me. it's going to be read and sat right next to my red sister collection

[Karrthick]

jaxnancmacnac