Grave Flowers - by Autumn Krause (Hardcover)

About the Book

When her murdered twin sister's ghost appears to her, begging to be freed, Princess Madalina poses as Inessa, her more ruthless sister, to marry and assassinate Prince Aeric and solidify a pact between her family and his uncle.

Book Synopsis

A twisty, dark royalcore fantasy that takes the courtly intrigue of Hamlet and infuses it with the vicious ambition of the Boleyn family. For readers who love Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas.

"A sumptuously dark tale of revenge and atonement that beautifully explores the ties both duty and family use to claim us. From the first page to the last, I was dazzled." --Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child

Marry the prince, then kill him.

Princess Madalina and her twin sister, Inessa, were born attached at the hand and separated right after. That's the only time the sisters ever held hands. The girls' personalities have been shaped in the Sinet family's drive to make their kingdom more than what it is: unrespectable and loathsome, a damp place where deceit fills the palace walls like mold.

Madalina is different from her family. She's considered the weak one and only finds peace in the garden, tending her magical flowers, which are pejoratively called grave flowers because they are ideal for torture and torment. Secretly, she dreams of escape and a new life.

Then Inessa, who was betrothed to the heir of a wealthy kingdom--Prince Aeric--gets trapped in Bide, a terrifying purgatory, and begs Madalina to set her free. Now, not only must Madalina take her sister's place as Aeric's bride-to-be, but she also must finish Inessa's secret mission: Inessa wasn't just sent to marry Prince Aeric, but to kill him, too, and solidify a profitable pact with his traitorous uncle.

On behalf of her family, Madalina will need to resist the infuriatingly clever prince--as well as her own heart--if she's to free her sister and finish the job.

Perfect for fans of:

• Enemies to lovers
• Royal rivalry
• Arranged marriage
• Deadly games
• Dark royalcore
• Reluctant ruler
• Bloodstained family

Review Quotes

A twisty plot in an intricately wrought world--Grave Flowers is a romantic, botanical fever dream.
--Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of The Foxglove King

A sumptuously dark tale of revenge and atonement that beautifully explores the ties both duty and family use to claim us. From the first page to the last, I was dazzled.
--Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child

If a book could take root and bloom, this one would. Brimming with wonder and treachery, love and magic, Grave Flowers is a beautiful and compelling garden of all the best delights fantasy has to offer.
--Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

Both frightening and enchanting. Grave Flowers blooms with atmosphere and viciously throned prose. Readers will find themselves swept away in this gorgeously gothic fairytale, complete with doomed lovers, ghostly ballrooms, and bloodthirsty flowers.
--Skyala Ardnt, author of Together We Rot

Autumn Krause immerses us in this world so fully and forces us to care for these characters so deeply, that when betrayal inevitably comes, it feels visceral in its severity. Smart, twisty, and deliciously dark, with touches of sweetness in bloom, this story wrapped around my heart like clinging vines and holds it ransom even now.
--Angela Montoya, author of A Cruel Thirst

Inspired by multiple Shakespeare plays and Tudor history, as addressed in an author's note, Krause (Before the Devil Knows You're Here) blends gothic fantasy and courtly intrigue into a story of love, betrayal, and power. Playful repartee turns electric as Madalina and Aeric fight a growing attraction.
--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Autumn Krause is the critically acclaimed author of the YA novels A Dress for the Wicked (Harper) and Before the Devil Knows You're Here (Peachtree Teen). She currently lives in Orange County, CA with her husband and three children. Most of the time she can be found wearing a black lace dress and refinishing old vintage frames. Other times, she can be found--in the tradition of Emily Dickinson--out with lanterns, looking for herself and stories. Find her on social media @Autumn_ _Krause.