Description

This captivating second book in Bree Barton’s Heart of Thorns trilogy deftly explores the effects of power in a dark magical kingdom—and the fierce courage it takes to claim your body as your own. This feminist teen fantasy is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo.

Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive.   

After her mother’s betrayal, Pilar is on a hunt of her own—to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.

As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom…but nothing is as it seems under the kingdom’s glimmering ice.


  • Rivals to Romance: She killed his sister by mistake. He’s the one she must now rely on to survive. Pilar and Quin’s reluctant alliance sparks with an undeniable, dangerous tension.
  • Strong Female Characters: With Mia grappling with a numb body and Pilar honing her rage into a weapon, two fierce young women fight to reclaim their power in a world that wants to control them.
  • Intricate Magic System: A world of enkindling, magic-storing stones, and ancient elemental power where the lines between good and evil—and life and death—are constantly blurred.
  • High-Stakes Political Intrigue: In the glimmering but treacherous snow kingdom, new allegiances are as dangerous as old enemies, and the promise of freedom may be the most deadly trap of all.

About the author(s)

Bree Barton is a writer in Los Angeles. When she’s not lost in whimsy, she works as a ghostwriter and dance teacher to teen girls. She is on Instagram and YouTube as Speak Breely, where she posts funny videos of her melancholy dog. Bree is not a fan of corsets.

Reviews

“A fantastical feminist fairy tale. Full of love, mystery, sisterhood, and severed hands, Heart of Thorns casts a fierce and magical spell.”  - Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary

“A compulsively readable fantasy.” - Booklist

“Barton weaves a girl-powered tale of love, family, and self-acceptance, and readers who appreciate fast paced, high-stakes fantasy will be ensnared by Mia’s adventures. Those looking for rich world-building will also find much to love. A must-buy for any library where fantasy is popular.” - School Library Journal

“[An] evocative, epic ode to feminism, magic, and the wonder of fairy tales... A gripping, complex narrative balances emotion and logic in this trilogy opener, while vividly crafted characters and cinematic details create a world readers will want to get lost in.” - Publishers Weekly

“Magic and sisterhood intertwine in the high-stakes sequel to Heart of Thorns. A thoughtful examination of agency, female empowerment, and the history of magic.” - Kirkus Reviews

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