Midsommar meets The Shadows Between Us in this alluring mash-up of horror and fairy tale from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux,where a girl must embark on a harrowing journey through a deadly forest filled with otherworldly creaturessupernatural forcesand one maniacal villain who will stop at nothing to bring her down. For as long as she can rememberValla’s been told her beauty would give her a life most people only dreamed of. So when the mysterious Count Leonid calls on her to be his betrothedValla jumps at the chance to leave her smallbleak village. The only thing standing in her way? The journey through the dangerous Gottyar Wood that many don’t survive. Filled with deadly and cunning creaturesthe Gottyar immediately delivers on its reputation with an attack that leaves Valla injured; her face torn to shreds. Barely making it to the castle in one pieceValla is relieved to finally be safe. But things have changed. Valla’s face is no longer beautiful. And the Count is not happy…Valla thought making it through the Gottyar was a victorybut when she sees what awaits beyond the palace wallsthe true battle begins. In this ruthlessly female-forward narrative that borrows from the best of horrorfairy talesand folklorea chewed-up-and-spit-out heroine must lean on the brutality of nature and her biggest fears in order to win back what’s she’s been robbed of: her life.