The Winter Duke

By: Claire Eliza Bartlett

Narrated by: Chloe Cannon

Ekata’s family is in trouble and since she survived the curse, she must survive the throne–but first she needs to find out how to save the people she loves.

All Ekata wants is to stay alive—and the chance to prove herself as a scholar. Once Ekata's brother is finally named heir to the dukedom of Kylma Above, there will be nothing to keep her at home with her murderous family. Not her books or her experiments, not her family's icy castle atop a frozen lake, not even the tantalizingly close Kylma Below, a mesmerizing underwater kingdom that provides her family with magic. But just as escape is within reach, her parents and twelve siblings fall under a strange sleeping sickness, and no one can find a cure.

In the space of a single night, Ekata inherits the title of duke, her brother's captivating warrior bride, and ever-encroaching challengers from without—and within—her ministry. Nothing has prepared Ekata for diplomacy, for war, for love . . . or for a crown she has never wanted. If Kylma Above is to survive, Ekata must seize her family's magic and power. And if Ekata is to survive, she must quickly decide how she will wield them both.

The Winter Duke is an enchanted tale of intrigue by Claire Eliza Bartlett, author of the acclaimed young adult fantasy novel We Rule the Night.

Critic reviews

Praise for The Winter Duke:

"The intrigue begins unfolding immediately and draws readers through to the last page.... Fresh and filled with magic and personality. An enchanting queer fairy tale."
—Kirkus Reviews

"The twist-filled mystery and compelling characters will keep readers guessing and the unexpected but satisfying conclusion will delight those who long for emotional realism within a fantastical story. Refreshing and unique story elements abound in this magic-filled political mystery"—SLJ

"[A] glittering portrait of a cursed kingdom and a girl searching for strength.Fans of dark, queer fairy tales will be eager for this."—Booklist

Praise for We Rule the Night:

* "The richly textured world, painted in snow and fire, filled with disparate, diverse people who all want to win the war, is background to a powerful, slow burning story that develops Linné and Revna's reluctant friendship, their growing understanding of the world, and their emerging identities as soldiers who may not entirely trust the country they are willing to die for. Undercurrents of religion, hypocrisy, betrayal, and honor roil beneath the alternating third-person perspectives.... A fierce and compelling breakout debut that should not be missed." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Bartlett's electrifying feminist fantasy debut uses keenly wrought characters, harrowing action sequences, and creative yet economical worldbuilding to explore misogynistic military culture and the human cost of war." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Full of sharply realized characterizations, intriguing magical elements, and twisty plots." --School Library Journal, starred review

* "Rich characterizations and an enemy that, while it looms in the background, never feels quite as threatening as the country the girls are fighting for complete a story set against the bright, brutal backdrop of war. A breathless series starter from a new voice to watch." --Booklist, starred review

Good book

I loved the voice of the narrator and the story flowed well. The main character is a bit hard to get use to at first and the love interest is easy to like right away. I enjoyed the the story and twists and turns of the book

Great coming of age story!

The story of a young woman thrust into an unusual position of power she never wanted and how she discovers how to use the strengths she has to navigate an unfamiliar world! It’s so great to see stories with strong, complex and confident women!

lovely

I really enjoyed this story, the author has a good sense of humor and does a great job.

Problematic story structure & bad main character

There are a lot of issues with this book that caused me to not enjoy it. The story structure and the main character are extremely frustrating. The only enjoyable character in the book is the love interest.

Unfortunately, the story is setup in such a way that the main character has to spend 80% of the book being downright awful to the love interest. If Joffrey and Sansa's romance was your favorite part of game of thrones, you'll love this story.

The story structure was unfortunately disappointing too. The story just resolves itself at the end because the characters decide to end the story. I think the book assumes its audience lacks critical thinking. I can go on and on, but I hope you get the picture. Save your money.

No idea how this book is rated so highly.