The Book: Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.
Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans. (from Goodreads)
My Feels: Remember how in my last post I said Mic let me borrow her ARC of HEARTLESS? Well, here is the proof! I think I devoured this in about 2-3 days. What can I say, I'm obsessed with Meyer's work. This beauty comes out November 8th, and it's been one of the Fall reads I've been anticipating. This standalone completely differs from The Lunar Chronicles in terms of world building and societal norms. TLC gives you the future, but HEARTLESS brings us back into the past, at times reading like a YA Victorian novel--I absolutely adored it. Also Cath's character ARC was so perfectly aligned with the plot. And Cath and Jest! Be still, my heart!
What really shined for me was the characterization. Meyer put her own spin on these memorable characters that made reading this retelling so refreshing. Not to mention, Cath bakes! I don't know why, but I loved this side of her and all the similes/metaphors using food.
If you love Meyer as much as I do, you won't be disappointed picking this up. Make sure to get some yummy desserts as a reading companion while you gobble these words up!
