SOLVED. Boy and girl meet secretly in a garden and tell stories to each other [s]

[Rebecca]

This may have been a YA fiction book, but I'm pretty sure it was adult fiction. I think it may have been a series, maybe a trilogy.

The boy and girl are in their early teens, I think. They were not supposed to be seeing each other but would secretly meet in the garden of a palace or castle and tell stories. I think the boy told most of the stories. I think the girl didn't talk much, possibly due to trauma or she was maybe not quite human. One of the stories involved birds - swans or geese. I think the stories were interwoven, like they were creating a fantasy world together. I think the girl had some sort of tattoos over her eyelids.

I remember the book was quite good but I'm completely blanking on the title and I never can remember author names.

If you know what book(s) I'm thinking of, please help. It would be most appreciated!

In the future, I need to keep better track of what I read.

[Rebecca]

I found it!

The series is The Orphan's Tales by Catherynne M. Valente. The first book is In the Night Garden and the second is In the Cities of Coin and Spice. I don't know if another book is coming - there are only the two now.

[Rainbowheart]

In the Night Garden for the link.