Risingshadow
Speculative Fiction Books
  • About
    • Home
    • Articles
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Staff Members
    • Newsletter
    • Finnish (FI)
  • Books
    • New Releases
    • Coming Soon
    • Books of the Year
    • Bookshelves Activity
    • Recently Added
    • Advanced Search
    • Reviews / Comments
    • Genres and Tags
    • * Submit Book
  • Community
    • Discussions
    • - Recent Messages
    • - Recent Topics
    • - Hot Topics
    • - Popular Topics
    • - Search
    • CHALLENGES
    • - Reading Challenge
    • - Book Trivia Quiz
  • Home
  • Books
  • Serena Valentino
  • Villains
  • Heartbroken

Heartbroken

Villains #12 / 13
by Serena Valentino
Heartbroken (Villains #12) by Serena Valentino
★ 5.50 / 2
1123456781910

She missed the days of wonder. But those days were long past. All that remained was the anger.

You may think you know the story of the Queen of Hearts, the bloodthirsty tyrant known for seeing red. Surely you’ve heard of the young girl Alice, who fell through the rabbit hole to a place called Wonderland, and how she defeated its villainous ruler in order to find her way back home.

But have you ever wondered about the Queen’s own first day in Wonderland? Did she encounter the same wonders—and horrors—as Alice? Are the laws of the land her royal decree—or a desperate attempt to bring order to a place that refuses to make sense?

And why is she so angry?

It may be hard to answer, with any certainty, questions about a world created from the broken shards of others. In the end, it all comes down to a woman fighting against the darkness within, and her unlikely friendship with a little white rabbit.

Amazon: Check Best Offer

FantasyYoung AdultRetellingsFairy Tale RetellingsDisney
Release date: July 29, 2025

Book Order
Amazon
Kindle
Audible
Amazon CA
Amazon UK
Amazon Europe

Your Rating
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Standard Shelves

Readers also enjoyed

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1)
★ 9.16 / 12
Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart #1)
★ 7.70 / 10
Odin's Child (The Raven Rings #1)
★ 7.78 / 9
Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker #1)
★ 6.84 / 6
Prince of Blue Flowers (Adventures of Takuan from Koto #1)
★ 10.00 / 5
The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1)
★ 8.42 / 14
Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
★ 8.24 / 17

Join the Discussion
You can post as a guest or sign in for more features.
Have questions about this book or want to share your thoughts? Join the conversation!

Serena Valentino

Serena Valentino's storytelling is as dark and enchanting as the fairytales she reimagines. Born with a love for the macabre and the mysterious, Valentino grew up captivated by stories that twisted familiar tales into something new, unexpected, and often a little bit eerie. Her early fascination with the darker side of folklore and fairy stories naturally led her to a career in writing, where she could craft her own versions of the classic characters readers know so well, but with a twist.

Read more ...

With a special affinity for villainous characters and the untold stories lurking beneath the surface of popular fairytales, Valentino has become a master at exploring the complexities of these often misunderstood figures. Her Villains series, which delves deep into the minds and hearts of Disney’s most iconic antagonists, has become a fan favorite, offering readers a chance to see the world from a darker perspective. In her novels, she paints the villains in shades of gray, making them relatable and, at times, even sympathetic—challenging readers to rethink the old narratives and question what really defines a villain.

A lifelong lover of Gothic literature and classic Disney, Valentino's work is an intersection of these two influences, blending whimsical fantasy with somber, atmospheric tones. Her ability to weave a tale that feels both magical and haunting is what sets her apart in the world of contemporary fairy tale retellings. While her stories remain steeped in enchantment, they also explore themes of power, betrayal, redemption, and the complexities of human nature.

Her career took off with Fairest of All, the first book in her Villains series, which was met with critical acclaim and became a New York Times bestseller. Since then, she’s continued to expand her dark, alluring world with books like The Beast Within and Poor Unfortunate Soul, all while maintaining a steady connection with her readers—many of whom are enchanted by the unique, emotionally resonant way she reimagines classic stories.

Serena Valentino's work is more than just a collection of darkly whimsical tales. It’s a journey into the untold stories of characters we thought we knew, offering a fresh, often chilling perspective on the fairy tales that have shaped our cultural imagination. Her writing reminds us that there’s more than one side to every story—and that sometimes, the most captivating characters are the ones who have been misjudged.

Villains

In the Villains series, fairytales are reimagined through the eyes of those we were taught to fear. Serena Valentino invites readers to step behind the masks of iconic Disney villains, offering an intricate exploration of their backstories, motivations, and desires. These aren’t the one-dimensional antagonists from the stories we know—these are multi-faceted characters with rich histories, complicated emotions, and, perhaps, reasons for their actions that will leave you questioning everything you thought you understood about good and evil.

Read more ...

Each book in the series delves deep into the psychology and lives of figures like Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and Ursula, revealing the layers of betrayal, heartbreak, and desire that have shaped them into the characters we love to hate. Valentino’s writing blends gothic, atmospheric storytelling with a touch of whimsy, making each novel a captivating journey into the darker corners of familiar tales. The Villains series doesn’t just retell fairytales; it transforms them, presenting these legendary figures as more than just obstacles for heroes to overcome.

The series invites readers to empathize with characters often relegated to the shadows, offering a fresh, nuanced take on their lives. The result is a world where magic and darkness intertwine, and where the line between villain and hero becomes blurred. Through Valentino’s lens, we begin to see that even the most wicked figures have their own version of the truth, and sometimes, their greatest flaw may be their inability to be understood.

With each new installment, the Villains series expands its web of intrigue, drawing readers deeper into a world where the familiar is always up for reinterpretation, and every character’s story is worth telling. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the original tales or a newcomer to this darker reimagining, this series is bound to captivate your imagination and change the way you view the classic villains who have been a part of your childhood.


Villains consists of twelve books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen (Villains #1)
★ 7.40 / 5
The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince (Villains #2)
Unrated
Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains #3)
Unrated
Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy (Villains #4)
Unrated
Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch (Villains #5)
Unrated
The Odd Sisters (Villains #6)
Unrated
Evil Thing (Villains #7)
Unrated
Cold Hearted (Villains #8)
⧗ 8.00 / 1
Never, Never (Villains #9)
Unrated
Fire & Fate (Villains #10)
★ 10.00 / 1
Kill the Beast (Villains #11)
★ 10.00 / 3
Heartbroken (Villains #12)
★ 5.50 / 2
Villains Book 13 (Villains #13)
⧗ 7.60 / 5


^ Top
Follow Us: Newsletter | Facebook | X | Mastodon | RSS
Hosted by Planeetta Internet Oy
© 1996 - 2026 Risingshadow. All rights reserved.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Privacy Policy