Dragonshadow: A Heartstone Novel
Written by Elle Katharine White
Narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
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.
Elle Katharine White
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.
Related to Dragonshadow
Titles in the series (3)
Heartstone Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Flamebringer: A Heartstone Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dragonshadow: A Heartstone Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Dragonshadow
32 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Aliza & Alastair are called out to battle an evil at Castle Selwyn. Aliza wants to be brave and strong, but discovers that there are things that make her shrink - specifically the much broader evil opponent that exists. The fairy tales of selkies figure strongly in this second novel in the series, as well as some thoughts on love versus obsession. There is also more world building in this novel which is exciting.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In this sequel, Aliza and Daired's honeymoon is interrupted when Daired receives a request for aid from one of the northernmost kingdoms in the realm. An unknown creature is killing Idar and stealing their heartstones. As Aliza and Daired find their way in their marriage, they must also unravel the mystery that points to a much larger battle ahead.The first novel in this series was a [Pride and Prejudice] retelling so I was surprised to discover the author had written a sequel. However, I'm very pleased she did as this is a very well-written fantasy novel that stands on its own without an Austen narrative to rely on. Aliza and Daired continue to grow here and it's interesting and lovely to see another novel who doesn't treat marriage as the end of the plot but rather the beginning. The fantasy world-building is solid, the central mystery of the novel is well-done, and the looming sense of threat from the larger conflict to come is well-established. I look forward to the release of the next book in the series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Sequel to Heartstone, which retold Pride and Prejudice in a world with dragons and numerous other fantasy creatures. Aliza has married Lord Alastair Daired, the “foremost Rider in the kingdom”. When Alastair and his dragon Akarra are offered a contract in the north, Aliza insists on coming with them.Aliza is still processing the loss and trauma of war, and adjusting to a new stage of life. It’s less common for fantasy to show the early days of a marriage (and of a pregnancy), which makes for some interesting territory to explore. But on the other hand, my favourite SFF books which explore similar territory are outstanding stories with a more epic scope, and I’m not sure if it’s fair to let them overshadow Dragonshadow by comparison.It’s also two years since I read Heartstone and I needed either a glossary or more in-text reminders of the meanings of certain words. And Akarra could have been more dragon-ish.I enjoyed Heartstone more, but I do want to see what’s next for Aliza.And standing like that, trembling under the weight of this thing we’d done and the weight of all we still had to do, I began to think that maybe -- just maybe -- it would be all right. We were scared, unprepared, and inexperienced, yes, but we were scared and unprepared and inexperienced together. It had to count for something.