Beyond Those Gilded Walls is the perfect read for this time of year, this standalone gothic fantasy romance inspired around the various works of Edgar Allen Poe delivered everything I wanted and more. It has the perfect creepy and eeri atmospheric vibes that I absolutely loved and a really unique and imaginative magic system based around dark magic and tattoos and a ghost cat that you can’t help but love. 

I loved the journey our fmc Odyessa goes on she is strong and determined and will stop at nothing to protect her family even when they don’t deserve it. The world is overtaken and wrecked  from a blood plague and the people of Veressia are struggling and dying  under the rule of a coward prince who hides inside the gates of his palace and entertains parties every night with the nobility that have also taken refuge behind the gilded walls, to get the cure to save her family and to kill the prince Odyessa takes a job as castle serving girl while also catching the attention of the princes right hand man a masked figure who carrys out every cruel and violent task the prince demands. 

I loved the writing and the way Jessica can pull you in and engage you with not only the characters but the vivid and eerie world that you find yourself steeping into. The slow burn romance is perfect and adds so so much to the story of both these characters who each have their own trials and tribulations that they have to go through behind the gilded palace walls. This book is a new favourite for this time of year and I can’t recommend it enough!