She survived a curse. Now she must survive the throne it gave her.
The Winter Duke is available now.
When Ekata’s brother is finally named heir, there will be nothing to keep her at home in Kylma Above with her murderous family. Not her books or science 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.
In the space of a single night, Ekata inherits the title of duke, her brother’s warrior bride, and ever-encroaching challengers from without—and within—her own 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 power. And if Ekata is to survive, she must quickly decide how she will wield it.
Part Sleeping Beauty, part Anastasia, with a thrilling political mystery, The Winter Duke is a spellbinding story about choosing what’s right in the face of danger.
The Winter Duke has been included in the Rainbow Book List, for LGBTQ+ books of outstanding quality.
“An enchanting queer fairy tale.”
Kirkus
“Bartlett delivers a feminist fantasy fraught with tension and political intrigue.”
Publisher’s Weekly
“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.”
School Library Journal