Read every series in the right order
Malice Books in Chronological Order – Complete Reading Guide
Table of Contents
Quick Answer (TL;DR)
Read the Malice duology exactly as published:
- Malice → 2) Misrule
That order preserves every reveal and gives you the full arc of Alyce (the Dark Grace) and Princess Aurora—from forbidden spark to kingdom-shaking consequences. If you came for Malice Books in Chronological Order, that’s the whole list.
Introduction
What if Sleeping Beauty’s “wicked fairy” wasn’t a cardboard villain, but a girl with power, a history of being used, and a heart that refuses to stop wanting? Heather Walter’s Malice duology answers that question with thorny grace. Alyce, the Dark Grace, is hired to bottle hexes for the very nobles who mock her. Aurora, the last heir of Briar, is running out of time, princes, and patience. Their collision turns the fairy tale you think you know into a romance that asks what “true love” means in a world built to keep certain people quiet.
This guide lays out Malice Books in Chronological Order, gives you spoiler-light blurbs, quick facts, buy links with formats, and a clean timeline so you can read straight through without second-guessing. We’ll keep the tone BICO-style: practical, a little bit personal, and focused on helping readers find the right edition at the right moment.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Series | Malice Duology (2 books) |
| Best Order | Malice → Misrule (publication order = story order) |
| Setting & Tone | Fantasy realm of Briar; court politics, curses, alchemy-adjacent “grace” magic; sapphic romantasy |
| Pages (approx.) | ~450–500 pp each (varies by edition); total ~900–1,000 pp |
| Estimated Read Time | ~18–25 hours for the duology at average pace; audiobooks ~11–13 hours each |
| Reading Difficulty | Moderate (political intrigue + romance + world lore) |
| Genres | Fantasy • Fairytale Retelling • Sapphic Romance • Romantasy |
| Content Warnings | Bigotry/xenophobia toward “Dark Grace,” emotional abuse/manipulation, violence, curses, transformation/body magic, on-page prejudice, grief and loss |
| Media Adaptations | None announced for this duology |
| Ideal Age Range | 16+ (YA-adult crossover appeal; romance/violence handled for older teen & adult readers) |
About the Malice Book Series
The Malice duology reimagines a tale you know—Sleeping Beauty—from the point of view of the girl history decided was the monster. Walter builds a glittering, vicious court where beauty can be bought by the vial and a person’s worth hinges on usefulness. In that gilded cage, Alyce is both coveted and despised. Aurora is cherished and doomed. Their relationship begins with curiosity, becomes partnership, then burns through every rule the realm tries to enforce.
Stylistically, expect:
- Court-intrigue pacing: plots, parties, betrayals, and bargains.
- Romance that matters to the plot: the love story is the fuse, not just the fireworks.
- A moral lens: who gets to be “good” or “evil” when the system is rigged?
If your goal is to read the Malice Books in Chronological Order with minimal spoilers and maximum emotional payoff, you’ll want to stick to the sequence below. It’s a duology—two books, one arc—so your reading weekend is perfectly scoped.
Malice Books at a Glance
| # | Title | Amazon Buy Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malice: A Novel | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | Misrule: Book Two of the Malice Duology | Buy on Amazon |
*Regional pricing/promotions may vary.
Malice Books in Chronological Order
1) Malice — “I am the villain.” (Book One of the Malice Duology)
Spoiler-light blurb:
In Briar, Graces sell charm-craft to the wealthy: beauty, talent, luck by the drop. Alyce is different—the Dark Grace—and the court treats her power like a stain it can’t scrub out. Princess Aurora, last in her line and doomed by a generational curse, is running out of time and the will to kiss yet another princeling. When Alyce and Aurora meet, the story’s axis shifts. Maybe the curse can be unraveled. Maybe love can be chosen on purpose. Or maybe the tale has been a trap all along.
Why read it
- Sapphic enemies-to-lovers-adjacent slow burn that earns its turns.
- Courtly glam framing real stakes: power, identity, and what a realm values.
- A Maleficent-coded heroine whose agency is the primary engine of the plot.
Why not
- If you want light, feel-good fantasy, Briar’s cruelty and the novel’s darker beats may be too sharp.
- Alyce’s moral evolution is thorny on purpose—some readers prefer a clearer white-hat/black-hat line.
For whom
- Readers who love fairytale retellings with teeth; fans of Naomi Novik, Alix E. Harrow, or Brigid Kemmerer but want it sapphic and more morally gray.
Ratings snapshot you shared
- Amazon: 4.5/5 (2,536)
- Goodreads: 3.9/5 (32,966)
Format notes
- HC $21.95, PB $10.91, Kindle $10.33, Audio trial $0.00 / $19.66 to buy.
2) Misrule — “Does true love break curses or begin them?” (Book Two of the Malice Duology)
Spoiler-light blurb:
The Dark Grace is “dead.” In truth, Alyce has made Briar into exactly what Briar accused her of being: a thorn-crowned domain ruled by the woman it tried to break. Princess Aurora—the person who saw Alyce clearly—is trapped by a curse that refuses to yield. Love promised a new world; the cost may be everything. Alyce will bend creation if she must, but every spell cuts both ways. The question that drove book one—who gets to define “monster”—becomes the question that ends a kingdom.
Why read it
- Delivers a conclusion that respects the darker premise and still finds a way to speak about love with conviction.
- Big, operatic set pieces; intimate confrontations where choices truly count.
- A satisfying “what now?” for a villain-coded heroine who claims her own label.
Why not
- It doubles down on the morally gray: vengeance, power, and collateral damage aren’t tidy.
- If you want your fairy tales to snap back to Disney-clean, you’ll bristle.
For whom
- Readers who want a finale that sticks the landing without betraying book one’s stakes.
Ratings snapshot you shared
- Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,061)
- Goodreads: 3.7/5 (11,342)
Format notes
- HC $29.77, PB $12.50, Kindle $12.47, Audio trial $0.00 / $19.66 to buy.
Series Timeline & Character Development
Alyce — the “Dark Grace”
- Identity vs. Usefulness: In Malice, Alyce’s worth is quantified by what she can bottle. Shame is a control mechanism; she begins to choose self-definition over acceptability.
- Power vs. Love: The series refuses to pretend those goals are always aligned. In Misrule, every attempt to save Aurora at scale introduces cost—political, personal, metaphysical.
- Villainy as Choice: The duology’s central pleasure is watching Alyce reject the script written for her while asking whether wielding the knife makes you the butcher.
Aurora — the cursed heiress
- Agency under Curse: Aurora’s arc negotiates duty, performance, and the exhaustion of being a symbol. Her insistence on choosing her life reframes “true love” as consent rather than destiny.
- Love as Standard, Not Reward: She does not “fix” Alyce; she sees her—and insists on a love that doesn’t require Alyce to be small.
Briar — the mirror that judges
- Court Culture: A kingdom polished to a sheen that hides rot. Graces are revered while being othered; princes are solutions until they aren’t; “happily ever after” is a transaction.
- Magic Economy: Beauty, charm, and luck are commodities; Dark Grace power exposes the hypocrisy that prettiness often requires violence to sustain.
Novels Sorted by In-Universe Events
- Malice
- Misrule
(The story chronology matches publication order—good news for anyone searching for Malice Books in Chronological Order.)
Novels Sorted by Publication
- Malice
- Misrule
Companion Works
Not required for comprehension, but great if you want to keep the vibe going after finishing the Malice books in chronological order:
- Sapphic retellings / romantasy cousins
- Girls Made of Snow and Glass (Melissa Bashardoust) — Snow White reimagined; mother/daughter power.
- Thorn (Intisar Khanani) — Goose Girl with grit; not sapphic, but ethically rich and beautifully told.
- A Spindle Splintered (Alix E. Harrow) — multiverse riff on Sleeping Beauty; novella length.
- Fairytale studies & essays
- Collections on the history of Sleeping Beauty/Sun, Moon, and Talia folklore—useful to see how Walter subverts long-standing tropes.
- Villain-POV fantasies
- For readers who loved watching a “villain” deconstruct her role: try The Shadow Queen (C. J. Redwine) or the darker corners of Naomi Novik’s work.
Editions & Formats (hardcover, collector, audio)
Choosing the right format can shape the experience. Here’s how we advise BICO readers:
Hardcover
- Why choose it: Best jacket art; durable; beautifully displays as a two-book set.
- Snapshot: Malice $21.95; Misrule $29.77.
- Collector tip: Watch for indie-exclusive or sprayed-edge runs; the duology makes a striking shelf pair.
Paperback
- Why choose it: Budget-friendly; lighter to hold for long sessions; annotate without guilt.
- Snapshot: Malice $10.91; Misrule $12.50.
Kindle / eBook
- Why choose it: Cheapest quick start; immediate access; searchable for quotes and lore details.
- Snapshot: Malice $10.33; Misrule $12.47.
Audiobook
- Why choose it: Voice acting gives Briar’s court a tactile, lived-in feel; great for rereads.
- Snapshot: Audible trial $0.00, both titles $19.66 to buy.
- Content note: Big emotional beats can hit harder in audio. If you’re trigger-sensitive, consider reading first.
Why Read Malice Books in Chronological Order?
- Revelation sequencing: Malice is the thesis (what the story says about love, power, and labels); Misrule is the test (what those claims cost). Reading out of order blunts both.
- Character arcs need the wound first: Alyce’s self-narrative—“I am the villain”—is the only lens through which her later choices make sense.
- Pacing & thematic echo: The duology is architected for escalation; the end only lands if you’ve walked the briar path in sequence.
In other words, Malice Books in Chronological Order isn’t just tidy—it’s necessary for the emotional math to add up.
Author Spotlight: Heather Walter
Heather Walter is a native Southerner who hates the heat, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, a former English teacher, and a current librarian. Perhaps because she’s surrounded by stories, she started writing them—plotting at all hours. Malice was her debut novel, followed by Misrule to complete the duology.
Why her voice works here
- She writes villain-POV with empathy and edge, letting rage, longing, and principle share the page.
- She’s excellent at worldbuilding through economics (what beauty costs, who pays) instead of just lore dumps.
- She respects romance as a driver of plot, not a garnish.
If you like authors who test the definition of “monster,” Walter should stay on your list.
Media Adaptations
As of the information you shared, there are no announced film/TV/radio adaptations for the Malice duology. The material is extremely adaptable (two books, one arc, bold visuals), so if news drops, expect it to move fast. For now, your best “screen” is a late-night reading session and a candle that smells like pomegranate and smoke.
FAQs
Do I need to know the original Sleeping Beauty tale to enjoy these?
No. The books stand alone. If you do know the tale, Walter’s inversions will make you grin (and wince).
Is the romance central?
Yes. The relationship between Alyce and Aurora is the engine, but it’s always braided with politics and personal ethics.
How dark is it?
It’s romantasy with bite: prejudice, violence, curses, and body-magic imagery. Check the content warnings above and pace yourself.
Is it YA or adult?
It reads like a YA-adult crossover: accessible prose, older-teen themes, and adult-level political ramifications.
Can I read Misrule first?
We strongly recommend reading the Malice Books in Chronological Order—Malice then Misrule—so reveals and character turns land as intended.
Which format should I pick?
Collecting/Display: Hardcover set.
Budget/Travel: Paperback or Kindle.
Atmosphere/Second Read: Audiobook.
Is there a happy ending?
No spoilers here—but the duology honors its premise. Expect resolution that matches the story’s moral weight.
Final Thoughts
What makes this duology sing isn’t just that it’s queer, or dark, or pretty (it’s all three). It’s that Malice and Misrule insist love means choosing—choosing a person, choosing a world, choosing the kind of power you are willing to use and the kind you’ll refuse no matter how tempting. Reading the Malice Books in Chronological Order lets you feel each choice snap into place, from Alyce’s first act of defiance to the last consequence that Briar can’t outrun.
If you want a fairytale you can argue with in the best way—about agency, ethics, and who gets to be the hero—this is the one to queue up next. Start with Malice, keep Misrule within arm’s reach, and clear your weekend. Briar likes to keep you longer than you planned.
