Heart of Iron - by Ashley Poston (Paperback)

About the Book

An action-packed tale full of romance, royalty, and adventure, inspired by story of "Anastasia." "Tangled politics, electrifying twists, and heady romances--the stars align in Poston's faster-than-light sci-fi adventure."--Sara Raasch, "New York Times"-bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy.

Book Synopsis

*A 2019 Rainbow Book List Selection*

An action-packed tale full of romance, royalty, and adventure, inspired by the story of Anastasia. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows, Cinder, and the cult classic television show Firefly.

Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09--one of the last remaining illegal Metals--has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana's desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn't care what he'll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them--and the coordinates--and not everyone wants them captured alive.

What they find in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives--and unearth dangerous secrets. But when a darkness from Ana's past returns, she must face an impossible choice: does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?

Review Quotes

"The perfect blend of action, romance, technological futurism, sci-fi, and fantasy, this intergalactic drama demands attention and rewards its readers." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

"Tangled politics, electrifying twists, and heady romances--the stars align in Poston's faster-than-light sci-fi adventure. A delicious, absorbing book." -- Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy

"With sharply drawn characters, a relentless plot, and an utterly spellbinding world, Heart of Iron is a must-read for sci-fi fans." -- C.J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen

"Poston delivers a delightful cast and non-stop thrills in this lightspeed space adventure. The pages flew by, and I couldn't put it down." -- Victoria Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Savage Song and Our Dark Duet

"The legends surrounding Anastasia Romanove get an sf makeover in this...exciting Firefly-style space opera." -- Booklist

"A great choice for fans of Victoria Aveyard's "Red Queen" trilogy and for young readers looking for a hint of Game of Thrones" -- School Library Journal

"Fast-paced...will leave readers waiting for the sequel." -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)