Bookshelf Must-Have:
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

by the Brightly Editors

Illustration: popmarleo, iStock

Dark magic, mystery, romance, and suspense combine in spellbinding fashion in our latest Bookshelf Must-Have pick. A reimagining of the Evil Queen legend, this stunning YA novel from debut author Julie C. Dao is completely captivating.

  • Why You Need: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

  • Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

    by Julie C. Dao

    Heroines are interesting. Anti-heroines even more so, especially when they're drawn with nuance, complexity, and smarts. Xifeng is beautiful, destined for a greatness that far exceeds her humble origins. But that greatness, becoming the Empress of Feng Lu, comes at a price. To climb high, she'll have to succumb to the dark forces deep within her, give up the man who loves her, and embrace a twisted kind of magic. Succeeding in a world ruled by men, designed for their pleasure and benefit, is not for the faint of heart.

    A story that's by turns beautiful, shocking, and thought-provoking, Dao's reimagining of this slice of the Snow White fairy tale feels both fresh and timeless. The East-Asian inspired fantasy world she creates is intoxicating, frightening, and very hard to turn away from. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a rich and diverse addition to the fairy tale canon, a masterful fantasy that will transport readers to an enchanting and dangerous place beyond.