Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Zoe Hana Mikuta's spellbinding narrative, reminiscent of Chloe Gong and Judy I. Lin, weaves a Korean-inspired Alice in Wonderland retelling that captivates readers from the first page. In this dark and twisted world, Saints are monsters, and Wonderland is a foreboding forest where they lurk. Caro Rabbit and Iccadora Alice Sickle, once young witches and lovers, were wrongly sentenced to this forest five years ago, their hearts shattered in a brutal betrayal.

Caro now thrives as a royal Saint-harvester in the opulent capital, turning a blind eye to the Red Queen's sinister experiments. Meanwhile, Icca has transformed into a relentless hunter, driven solely by vengeance against Caro and the queen. But beneath their personal vendettas lies a dangerous secret guarded by the queen, a secret with the power to unravel everything.

Mikuta's prose is lush and terrifying, immersing readers in a world teetering on the edge of chaos. As the narrative unfolds, tensions mount, fueled by the volatile magic that threatens to consume everything in its path. Through vivid imagery and masterful storytelling, Mikuta delivers a gripping tale that explores the depths of betrayal, love, and the darkness that lurks within us all.

With "The Red Queen's Heir," Mikuta proves herself as a master of dark fantasy, skillfully navigating the complexities of power, identity, and the consequences of our choices. Fans of surreal fairytales will find themselves enchanted by Mikuta's reimagining, unable to escape its haunting allure long after the final page is turned.