All hearts are capable of breaking.
Especially a heart of stone.
Eirwen Blackvein grew up in a dwarven mining camp at the edge of the map. A perfect place to hide an elven princess destined to destroy a queen and save a kingdom at war, as foretold in a seer’s magic mirror. Except, Eirwen doesn’t know she is the lost princess. Only that she was found as a newborn with her heart carved out. And why she now possesses a heart of stone in her chest, one forged by the dwarves.
A heart made from the black stone she mines to power war machines for her realm’s king.
The same enchanted stone coveted by a neighboring queen to destroy an entire kingdom.
Eirwen’s only desire is to protect her workers from the soldiers who are seizing mines for the crown. Even if it means kidnapping Lieutenant Prince Florian Halivaard, the youngest son of a warmongering king she discovers half-dead outside of the Dark Forest.
With monarchs from different kingdoms willing to kill for her heart’s magic, Eirwen finds herself at the center of a losing battle. Her only chance to protect those she loves and defend her kingdom is to trust her enemy—a prince with haunting silver eyes fated by the faeries to one day meet a heart of stone.
A heart he will break.
Eirwen is a gritty young adult epic dystopian fantasy spin on the romantic tale of Snow White, blending 1930s-1940s aesthetics and World War II technology with faerie magic. Guaranteed to please readers who love angsty, enemies-to-lovers medium-burn fated romances, twisted faerie tales, and strong found family themes.
STANDALONE in a connected series / shared world. Books can be read in any order.
Guaranteed happily ever after
"Gorgeous storytelling. Lip-biting romance. A world that will envelope you in wonder. Thank you for this fantastic book, Ms. Sundin!"
"A classic tale brilliantly reimagined for the modern age...From its gritty industrial aesthetic to its thoughtful and nuanced exploration of gender roles, Eirwen a multi-layered story that surprises and delights."
"Jasikah is a marvel. Her words are descriptive and beautiful like The Wrath and The Dawn's writer Renee Ahdieh. Eirwen is a tale in its own realm. The book fascinated me with it's world and can't wait to dive into it again and again."
—Gladys Atwell #TheNerdGirlOfficial
5 Stars
Jesikah Sundin sets the tone of this fairy tale world through Eirwen's voice and layers to the world reminiscent of World War II with an assortment of well-rounded characters. The setting blends a retelling of Snow White with Norse and German elements enriched by an aesthetic that feels strongly dieselpunk with ceremonial bowls of blood with nanotechnology, a shockwave bomb, and a world filled with dwarves, knockers, elves, and magic. Sundin twists the love story of a princess and prince with the chemistry drawn from an enemies-to-lovers plot. The story has poignant scenic descriptions and stunning visual illustrations on the pages that feel like you're stepping into a fairy tale. The book includes a fantasy lover's dream collection with a map, a list of pronunciations, mining terms, glossary, and historical notes. The story weaves between Eirwen and Florian, creating two journeys that follow female empowerment and breaking the mold of toxic masculinity. This magical story has amazing three-dimensional characters that embody female empowerment, breaking the glass ceiling, and calling out toxic masculinity through the retelling of a classic fairy tale. Sundin delivers a spell-binding adventure that is truly original and unique and weaves in a love story.
