“With a captivating premise and a deeply poetic style, Kim crafts a gothic fantasy world brimming with fear, sorrow, and ghostly unease… Kim excels at scene-setting, using lush, lyrical prose and unsettling imagery to conjure a suffocatingly oppressive realm.” — Publishers Weekly

“Both bizarre and enchanting, both romantic and unforgettable, the plot twists and turns like a winding forest path—I cherished every single moment this book gave me.” — Hannah Whitten, author of the New York Times bestseller For the Wolf

“With elegant yet biting prose, this novel weaves together a haunting tale under the guise of gothic romance, draped in a deep-red lace cloak—one that feels both familiar and alluring, hiding countless secrets within its darkness.” — Maggie LaPierre, author of the USA Today bestseller The Soul Seer

“Rich in emotion and told in a fairy-tale-like voice, this book perfectly captures the ache of female anger and the price we are willing to pay to break free from feelings of powerlessness.” — Lindel Clipstone, author of the critically acclaimed Gently, I Am Devoured

“In this ethereal, gothic work, every page is steeped in unforgettable imagery. It beautifully explores religion’s bloody sins, the power of female autonomy, and the distinction between eternal existence and truly living. I couldn’t put it down!” — Alexandra Kennington, author of Blood Beneath the Snow

“Dark, harrowing, yet ultimately redemptive, this novel is an enthralling journey. Readers will lose themselves—and ultimately find their way—within this gripping tale of reckoning.” — Autumn Krause, acclaimed author of Grave Blossoms

“Kim’s writing strikes like a death knell, heartbreaking in its portrayal of life’s inevitable blend of joy and sorrow. Tightly plotted and decadently bleak, this book is perfect for anyone seeking a touch of horror woven into a fantastical love story.” — Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Magic

“This is a beautiful yet eerie work. Like a sharp-edged, dark fairy tale, it draws readers in and lingers long after the final page.” — Amanda Linsmeier, author of Dancing with Death

“A sardonic, razor-sharp, and utterly engrossing novel, filled with heart-wrenching poignancy and a plot that surges forward with thrilling intensity. The cruel world Kim creates will seize your very soul, compelling you to stay up late just to finish it.” — Ruth McKee, author of Honey in Our Veins

★ Gothic Aesthetics × Dark Forest
Bloody bitter flowers, the Ravenwood Forest that holds captive the spirits of the dead, and the ghostly whispers from the midnight clock tower—author Teagan weaves a suffocating yet poetic dark fantasy world with a “death-knell heartbreak” of a pen. Every image is like a carving knife, etching the fated patterns where fear and desire entwine.

★ A Fusion of Horror-Romance and Dark Fantasy
Bloodshed and sin twine like vines around hidden love. The author masterfully employs a “horromance” style, pitting spine-tingling dread against searing emotion in a desperate, hopeless setting. Readers will feel the chilling approach of specters while holding their breath at the faint glimmer of humanity that flares up on the brink of annihilation.

★ The “Thorned Blossom” in Trauma Narrative
Drawing on her own experiences with anxiety and PTSD, the author allows her characters to bloom with “blood-stained resilience” amidst the darkness—a highly anticipated follow-up to her previous work, Bone-Blossoms. From “a sacrificial prisoner” to “a spellbreaker who confronts the dead’s secret whispers,” Addie embodies the idea of “a flower that refuses to bow to fate, growing even in decay.”

★ A Soul-Level Game Behind the Curse of the Bitter Flowers
Is Addie’s “curse” merely calamity, or a long-buried truth? As the tolling bells rouse the spirits of the dead, three strangers enter the forest, each driven by their own desires. Lies and betrayal take root deep within the woods. This is no mere escape tale; it is a brutal exploration of “guilt, redemption, and soul pacts.”

For fans of Hannah Whitten and Ava Reid comes a thrilling new fantasy by the author of Spit Back the Bones. This paperback edition features stunning duplex art by María Fernanda Rodríguez Pasillas.

In a village plagued by mysterious deaths, Adelaide Thorn wonders if she is truly touched by the Devil.
The villagers of Rixton—including Adelaide’s father, the vicar—believe her to be the monster responsible for all the town’s tragedies, spurred on by the strange visions and blackouts caused by her chronic illness. Kept locked away except for funerals, even Addie herself begins to wonder if she is the one with blood on her hands.
But when she discovers a peculiar bell nestled in a riverbed, Addie realizes the truth behind her strange visions—they are actually the ghosts of the village’s dead searching for rest. With the bell’s strange power allowing her to see the lost souls and open a doorway to the Rowan Wood where they are trapped, she strikes a deal with the ghost of Bram Avery and the young lord Ransom Black to venture into the hellish purgatory.
As the three make their way deeper into the Wood, each motivated by their own desperate desires, trust turns to betrayal and flawless facades begin to flicker. It may be that the ones Addie has so longed to reunite are those who have been lying to her her entire life.

Teagan Olivia King
Teagan Olivia King holds a degree in Creative Writing from Northern Michigan University and has published numerous short horror stories in anthologies from Phantom House Press, Quill & Crow Press, Shortwave Press, Black Spot Press, and Weird River Press, as well as in literary journals such as Diet Milk and Straight into the Wind. Her short story “All Our Fertile Bones” was included in an anthology that went on to be shortlisted for the 2023 Bram Stoker Award.
Diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder for most of her life, Teagan is passionate about telling stories of resilience—tales of characters who discover the strength within their emotions and use that power to overcome adversity.
Teagan grew up on Michigan’s wild Upper Peninsula, but eventually traded the rugged shores of Lake Superior for the windswept sand dunes along Lake Huron. When she’s not writing, she enjoys wandering through the woods or howling at the moon. She lives in an old farmhouse with her beloved companions: Remus, a stray puppy; Chester, a black cat rumored to harbor the spirit of a long-dead deity; and a few ghosts.