The Everlasting Rose-The Belles Series, Book 2 - by Dhonielle Clayton (Paperback)

About the Book

"The evil queen Sophia's imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep Camille, her sister Edel, and her loyal guard Râemy, from returning Charlotte to the palace and her rightful place as queen. With the help of an underground resistance movement called the Iron Ladies--a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely--and the backing of alternative newspaper the Spider's Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections, and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and attempt to restore peace to Orlâeans. But enemies lurk in the most unexpected places, forcing Camille to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice to save her people."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Staggering... A world that is breathtaking and crushing, beautiful and vile, and whimsical and terrifying. [Clayton] poignantly uses a harrowing, fantastical tale to illuminate the very real horrors of unattainable beauty standards and the enslavement of marginalized bodies. As relevant as it is exquisite."
--Booklist, starred review

In this sequel to the New York Times best-selling novel, The Belles, Camellia Beaureguard, the former favorite Belle, must race against time to find the ailing Princess Charlotte, who has disappeared without a trace.

The evil queen Sophia's imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep Camille, her sister Edel, and her loyal guard, Rémy, from returning Charlotte to the palace and her rightful place as queen.

With the help of an underground resistance movement called the Iron Ladies-a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely-and the backing of alternative newspaper the Spider's Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections, and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and attempt to restore peace to Orléans. But enemies lurk in the most unexpected places, forcing Camille to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice to save her people.

Nothing is what it seems in this must-read sequel to the instant New York Times best-seller.

Review Quotes

*"Staggering... A world that is breathtaking and crushing, beautiful and vile, and whimsical and terrifying. [Clayton] poignantly uses a harrowing, fantastical tale to illuminate the very real horrors of unattainable beauty standards and the enslavement of marginalized bodies. As relevant as it is exquisite."--Booklist, starred review

*"The sequel to Clayton's The Belles (2018) freezes blood and steals breath... Narrative craft that can hold the tension of the implicit (and sorely lacking) value of black and brown features as beautiful as it intertwines with incisive commentary on the overall commodification of beauty is no small feat, and Clayton manages thrills of action, magic, romance, and revolution as well. Beauty comes at a price; so too does freedom."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Belles fans will be eager to revisit this lavishly imagined, immersive fantasy realm, which Clayton effectively uses to critique several ugly aspects of our own society."--Horn Book Magazine

"Clayton paints a stunning world with chilling characters...that will absorb readers.... This unique story remains a terrific metaphor for beauty and its place in society and culture."--School Library Journal

Accolades
Kirkus: Kirkus Reviews Stars Recommendations, selection
BNTeen: 50 of Our Most Anticipated YA Fantasy Books of 2019, selection
BookRiot: 50 YA Books That Should Be Added to Your TBR ASAP, selection (2019)
PopSugar: 23 New Books by Black Women You Should Add to Your Reading List, selection (2019)
BNTeen: March's Best New YA fiction, selection (2019)
The Booklist Reader: Best New Books: Week of March 5, 2019, selection
Paste: 10 of the Best Young Adult Books of March 2019, selection
Stylist: Your guide to 2019's best science fiction and fantasy books by women, selection (2019)

About the Author

Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times best-selling author. She's written a myriad of books such as The Belles series, The Mirror: Shattered Midnight, and The Marvellers. She's the co-author of Blackout and the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books. She's an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. You can find her on social media @brownbookworm.