Heartstone

by Elle Katharine White

Overview

Jane Austen meets dragons in this epic historical fantasy debut as a willful young woman and an arrogant warrior battle for each other’s heart.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters . . .

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when the people of Merybourne Manor scrape together the funds to hire a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her sister will soon be avenged.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that haunts them from Merybourne Manor, with its roots running as deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart . . .

In Heartstone, Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice with her own playful brand of magic. Filled with wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom—gryphons, direwolves, banshees, and lamias—this is an epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062451958
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/27/2024
Series:	Heartstone Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	355
Sales rank:	164,928
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

A textbook introvert who likes to throw out the (metaphorical) textbook every once in a while just to see what happens, Elle Katharine White grew up in Buffalo, New York, where she learned valuable life skills such as how to clear a snowy driveway in under twenty minutes and how to cheer for the perennial underdog. When she’s not writing, she spends her time drinking tea, loitering in libraries and secondhand bookshops, and dreaming of world travel. Heartstone is her first novel.

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2016
Debut fantasy novelist White pays homage to the prickly lovers from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in this lively adventure full of action, wit, and romance. When rapacious griffins threaten Merybourne Manor, the smallest holding in the island kingdom of Arle, Lord Merybourne hires a band of skilled Riders—warriors with magical animal mounts—to hunt them down. Moira Bentaine, wife of Merybourne’s clerk, hopes to gain a Rider husband for one of her four daughters, which will elevate their status. Pragmatic second daughter Aliza finds little to like in Rider Alastair Daired, even though he’s very handsome and his dragon is quite friendly. Aliza’s sister Angelina, on the other hand, is thoroughly charmed by Cedric Brysney, Daired’s friend and fellow Rider. But hunting deadly griffins leaves little time for romance, especially after the arrival of Daired’s old enemy, along with a mysterious stranger who delivers a grim warning. Referencing Austen just enough to ground her characters, White fills her unusual fantasy world with plenty of interesting conflicts to fuel this tale of romance and heroism. Austen purists may find things to quibble with, but there’s more than enough originality here to please any fantasy reader. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Calling all fans of dragons and Jane Austen! While White stays faithful to most of the classic story’s plot elements, she add hers own twists and turns as Aliza Bentaine’s world grows ever more dangerous. Definitely an author to watch!” — RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

From the Publisher

Calling all fans of dragons and Jane Austen! While White stays faithful to most of the classic story’s plot elements, she add hers own twists and turns as Aliza Bentaine’s world grows ever more dangerous. Definitely an author to watch!

RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

★ 11/15/2016
Aliza Bentaine is a witty young woman from a modest family, who holds the unfortunate position of second eldest in a house of four daughters. Her mother is on a mission to marry off Aliza and her older sister Anjey to well-connected Riders—warriors who are bonded with dragons. As fate would have it, an elite band of Riders are dispatched to Merybourne Manor to cull an extremely murderous band of gryphons; leading the charge are the callous and wealthy Alastair Daired and his dragon Akarra. True to his word, the haughty Alastair tames the monsters while a separate and unexpected battle rages in his heart when he trades barbs with Aliza. Unfortunately for both of them, an ancient evil still lurks in the shadows, waiting to wage what could be a final war for humankind. VERDICT White's engaging first novel is part fantasy and part Jane Austen Regency; recast from Pride and Prejudice, her plot and characters ring true to Austen's original. Janeites will enjoy this fantastical reimagining of a literary masterpiece that should also appeal to fans of Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series.—Jennifer Funk, McKendree Univ. Lib., Lebanon, IL

Library Journal

Billie Fulford-Brown gives a spirited narration of this retelling of Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, complete with dragons, hobgoblins, and other creatures. When Merybourne Manor falls prey to invading gryphons, a band of dragon riders must drive them out. The plot won’t hold many surprises for those who have read the Austen novel, but not having read it isn’t a problem. Fulford-Brown imbues passion and stubbornness in Aliza Bentaine, who clashes with the dashing and arrogant Alastair Daired as the inevitable romance develops. Fulford-Brown presents the dragon Akarra as important and self-confident. She also has plenty of opportunity to show her versatility by giving voice to other dragons, as well as hobgoblins and human characters of various ages, classes and attitudes. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile

Billie Fulford-Brown gives a spirited narration of this retelling of Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, complete with dragons, hobgoblins, and other creatures. When Merybourne Manor falls prey to invading gryphons, a band of dragon riders must drive them out. The plot won’t hold many surprises for those who have read the Austen novel, but not having read it isn’t a problem. Fulford-Brown imbues passion and stubbornness in Aliza Bentaine, who clashes with the dashing and arrogant Alastair Daired as the inevitable romance develops. Fulford-Brown presents the dragon Akarra as important and self-confident. She also has plenty of opportunity to show her versatility by giving voice to other dragons, as well as hobgoblins and human characters of various ages, classes and attitudes. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile