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Astrid V.J.'s retellings of lesser-known fairytales,
Elisabeth and Edvard's World

The Siblings' Tale

New, single-volume edition

Elisabeth’s life is in tatters.

Her mother is dead and the rest of her family ignores her existence. The only one Elisabeth can turn to in her grief is her faithful horse, Nyriana.

She rides out into Vendale’s forests and mountains every day, trying to make sense of her mother’s final words. Magic is real. Elisabeth has latent powers. And a coven of witches, who are plotting to take over the kingdom, want to enslave her. What Elisabeth needs, more than anything, is training, but there’s no one in the Royal Circle of Mages willing to do so.

Elisabeth’s summer outrides come with another unexpected revelation. Her brother’s best friend sweeps her into a whirlwind romance and brings a new light into Elisabeth’s life. But not all is well on that front either.

Young and naïve, distracted and untrained, Elisabeth is a fly bound to get trapped in the witches’ web…

This novel is currently only available through my current Kickstarter campaign an will not be on sale commercially until November 2024.

Read an excerpt here.

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Part 1 of The Siblings' Tale is also available in

audio book format.

Gisela's Passion

Ever since she can remember, 18-year-old Gisela Winry has wanted to dance. Her strict father sees dancing as the path to immorality, licentiousness and debauchery.

Devastated at his wrath after she secretly auditions and wins the title Harvest Queen of Ylvaton, Gisela turns to her best friend, Hilarion, who proposes a path she cannot take.

With their friendship broken, Hilarion retreats to the solace of the forest where he lets his hatred and jealousy fester.

Meanwhile, Gisela meets Vincent, a young nobleman seeking to escape his dead brother’s shadow. Will Gisela be able to uphold her family honour and get to do the one thing she’s always been passionate about? Will Vincent’s chance encounter with the lovely harvest queen from a tiny village become more meaningful than earning his father’s approval? And will Hilarion fight for the love of his life or give in to the darkness within him?

Immerse yourself in the life of the common people of Vendale in this prequel to The Siblings’ Tale. Gisela’s Passion is the retelling of a lesser-known Slavic folk tale, which is better known in its incarnation as a French ballet.

Read an excerpt here

Naiya's Wish

Naiya makes a wish, but it comes with unforseen consequences, spiralling into a force of magic beyond her control. The humans in the village of Kvarn see it as a curse—The Naiad’s Curse.

 

Join Amina, the baker’s daughter, as she battles to rectify the wrongs of the past. When the love of her life is taken by the naiad in the local mill-pond, Amina is faced with a tough choice: let things be and raise her child alone in a man’s world, or rise to the challenge and fight for her love even if the consequences change her life forever. Is she willing to lose her family, her social standing, and her home to rescue Phillip? And what of the naiad? Will she let Phillip go?

 

This retelling of The Nixie of the Mill-pond, a lesser-known Grimm fairy tale.

Read an excerpt here.

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Johara's Choice

Johara's Choice

A retelling of The Tinderbox (due to release fall 2022)

The Lion, the Lark and the Lady (due to release fall 2023)

Firmament (due to release fall 2024)

A two-part retelling of The Singing Soaring Lark

Down the Well (due to release 2024)

A retelling of Mother Holle

Locked in a tower with the fear of prophecy holding her parents back, Johara dreams of freedom. However, her time in confinement is spent well, researching the true state of her country. When she realises her father has ignored the importance of ancient ritual, Johara must find a way to break free and avert the gathering catastrophe, or risk the annihilation of her people and their way of life.

Haunted by the horrors of war, Erik has given up hope of ever finding anything truly worth fighting for. When a twist of fate allows his path to cross Johara's, everything changes and he begins to hope there might yet be a chance at happiness. But can he embrace life and the spitfire princess who never does as she's told, running headlong into danger at every turn? Or will he let that, too, slip through his fingers.

Embark on a magical high-stakes adventure in this retelling of Andersen's fairytale, The Tinderbox.

Read an excerpt here.

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Forthcoming titles in this series

The Lion, the Lark and the Lady (due to release September 2024)

Firmament (due to release spring 2025)

A two-part retelling of The Singing Soaring Lark

Down the Well (due to release 2025/2026)

A retelling of Mother Holle

Subscribe to Astrid's newsletter to get updates on her forthcoming books and make the most of pertinent promotions associated with books in the series. Additionally, as a thank you for signing up you will receive access to The Sewing Princess, a tale from the Wordmage's Tales series that is exclusive to this newsletter and Astrid's street team. Just click on the button above to subscribe.

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