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The Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace's enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete--all except yokai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yokai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari's fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yokai outcast. Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA...
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The Language of Roses by Heather Rose Jones (Queen of Swords Press Minis #3)

A Beauty. A Beast. A Curse. This is not the story you know.

Join author Heather Rose Jones on a new and magical journey into the heart of a familiar fairytale. Meet Alys, eldest daughter of a merchant, a merchant who foolishly plucks a rose from a briar as he flees from the home of a terrifying fay Beast and his seemingly icy sister. Now Alys must pay the price to save his life and allow the Beast, the once handsome Philippe, to pay court to her.

But Alys has never fallen in love with anyone; how can she love a Beast? The fairy Peronelle, waiting in the woods to see the culmination of her curse, is sure that she will fail. Yet, if she does, Philippe’s sister Grace and her beloved Eglantine, trapped in an enchanted briar in the garden, will pay a terrible price. Unless Alys can find another way…

This is the third volume of the Queen of Swords Press Mini Series.

COVER DESIGN: Terry Roy
PUBLISHER: Queen of Swords Press
YEAR: 2022
LENGTH: 216 pages
AGE: Adult
GENRE: Fantasy, Retelling
RECOMMENDED: Highly

Queer Rep Summary: Lesbian/Sapphic Main Character(s), Ace/Aro Main Character(s).

*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book. 

THE LANGUAGE OF ROSES is an excellent retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with an aromantic heroine asked to love and marry a beastly man before his and his sister's transformations are made permanent. When her father plucks a rose from a garden, Alys is sent to live with the Beast (Philippe) and his sister (Grace) as payment. Alys could marry him, but he asks for love with marriage and she cannot promise that. It's an excellent portrayal of emotional abuse exacerbated by sexism and social structures. There are so many little things done so well in this novella, it stays true to the bones of the original story without forcing Alys to fit the mold of a romantic heroine against her nature. This is perfect for those who love retellings and anyone who's tired of romance being required for a happily ever after.

Moderate CW for sexism, confinement, bullying, emotional abuse.

Minor CW for sexual content, abandonment, domestic abuse.

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