The Poet Empress (hardcover with beautiful end papers and sprayed edges)

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao is a dark, Chinese-inspired fantasy standalone novel about a poor village girl, Wei Yin, who becomes a concubine to a cruel prince to save her family from famine, only to get caught in the palace's deadly political intrigue and a succession war.The book features a unique magic system based on poetry, court politics, and a brutal, emotionally complex story that is not a romance, despite its title. It's praised for its intricate world-building, morally gray characters, and heartbreaking, yet hopeful, narrative.