From New York Times bestselling author Robin Benway comes a journey into the wicked side of Disney's Cinderella--the first book in the Villains-focused Dark Ascension series, starring infamous stepsisters Drizella and Anastia. Before they were known as the wicked ones, they were two sisters fighting to escape their mother's iron rule. Drizella and Anastasia only know one thing for certain: they never want to end up like their mother, Lady Tremaine. When their father left them as young girls, he took what was left of their family’s fortune and their mother’s dignity with him. A few years and one deceased stepfather later, the only version of Lady Tremaine that Drizella and Anastasia know is a bitter and cruel head of house. But the sisters promise themselves they'll find love, see the world, and never let their hearts go cold. Then, on the cusp of the royal debut party--their one chance to impress the Prince and live up to their mother’s expectations--the sisters at last get a glimpse of what life could be like outside of Lady Tremaine’s intentions: Drizella discovers a love of science, and Anastasia sparks a secret romance. But escaping their mother's manipulation will no easy task. Would it be simpler to become as wicked as she is to survive in such a cruel world? Disney Villains meets Succession in the Dark Ascension series, which explores the complex origins of memorable characters and their siblings. Read the whole series: The Wicked Ones by Robin Benway The Lost Ones by Lauren DeStefano  The Wishless Ones by Hafsah Faizal