Journey to the Heart Stone: A Novel

-For readers who liked …:Radiance: A Novel and the rest of the Wraith Kings trilogy by Grace Draven, or the When Women Were Warriors series by Catherine M. Wilson. In today’s polarized political climate, it can often feel like Americans are irreconcilably divided. This story can offer hope in such times, with its message that adversity can be overcome by building connection, community, and trust (similar to the recent Disney hit Raya and the Last Dragon). According to NPD BookScan, in the first quarter of 2021, US adult fiction sales were up 35 percent over 2020, with 39 million units sold in the first quarter, a jump of 10 million units over 2020’s first quarter. Patriarchy overwhelms the fantasy genre; most fantasy books feature male protagonists, and female heroes are rare. This novel features multiple strong, well-developed female characters, a female hero, a culture governed through matriarchal rule, and a Goddess (rather than a God).