Dragonshadow - (Heartstone) by Elle Katharine White (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"White's 2017 debut, Heartstone, fused epic fantasy with the manners of Jane Austen so perfectly, she basically created a whole new sub-genre. The sequel picks up the charm offensive where the first book left off." - B&N Sci-fi & Fantasy Blog

The author of Heartstone once again infuses elements of Jane Austen's beloved novel with her own brand of magic in this addictive fantasy that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world.

The Battle of North Fields is over--or so Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe. But rumors are spreading of an unseen monster ravaging the isolated Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom. When she and Alastair are summoned from their honeymoon by the mysterious Lord Selwyn, they must travel with their dragon Akarra through the Tekari-infested Old Wilds of Arle to answer his call.

And they are not alone on this treacherous journey. Shadowing the dragonriders is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste. And soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth: the real war is only beginning.

From the Back Cover

The Greater Lindworm is dead, its monstrous armies have fled, and the Battle of North Fields is over--or at least that's what Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe.

With memories of the blood-soaked fields behind them, she and Alastair are happy to escape the aftermath within the walls of the Daireds' family fortress, safe from the Tekari bent on destroying them. There, gods willing, they can begin to enjoy their well-earned happily ever after.

Unfortunately, the gods have other plans. Rumors are spreading of a new monster creeping across Arle, something leaving the mutilated bodies of both humans and Oldkind creatures in its wake. When the plea for aid arrives from the remote Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom, Alastair and his dragon, Akarra, prepare once more for the hunt.

And if Aliza has anything to say about it, they won't be hunting alone.

Torn between the world she was born to and the high calling of the Riders, Aliza refuses to stay at House Pendragon, determined to do her part to protect those she loves. But their journey through the Old Wilds proves more perilous than she can imagine, for she is not the only one following her husband north. Shadowing the Daireds is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste, and all too soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth.

The Battle of North Fields may be over, but the real war is just beginning.

Review Quotes

"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)

"[A] lively adventure full of action, wit, and romance...there's more than enough originality here to please any fantasy reader." -- Publishers Weekly

"If you're into Austen retellings, or if you like talking dragons with your regency romance, or if you're just looking for an upbeat, lighthearted change to your fantasy routine, Heartstone is for you." -- The Book Smugglers

"White's 2017 debut, Heartstone, fused epic fantasy with the manners of Jane Austen so perfectly, she basically created a whole new sub-genre. The sequel picks up the charm offensive where the first book left off." -- B&N Sci-fi & Fantasy Blog