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Hearts of Stone book cover
Hearts of Stone
Star-Crossed
2022
First Published
3.94
Average Rating
118
Number of Pages

Gaiath used to be a world of abundant magic and pristine beauty, a place where winged goyles and men lived in harmonious cooperation and where nature’s offerings were bountiful. Over the years, the elite of society reaped and plundered, transforming areas of the planet into dark, desolate lands, depleted of life. Meanwhile, they unjustifiably prospered at the expense of everyone and everything else. Today, massive megacities remain as the only home to humans, operating much like their own isolated countries. A thick, enigmatic, and unnerving fog called the Mist blankets the planet, yet it mysteriously cannot penetrate the overpopulated, polluted cities. In Noxhaven, a vast, vertical metropolis, where the privileged reside comfortably in Uppercity, while the destitute are segregated in the ground level of Lowercity, groups of curious plant-human hybrids have begun to proliferate. The mandracals, as they’re so called, have become a new race altogether, and they’re as feared to the masses as the great Mist. Yet, to the ostracized goyles, these beings are revered for their potential and purpose. Sakura awoke abandoned in the seedy, darkened, neon-lit streets of Lowercity without any memory of who she was or where she came from. Reborn as a mandracal, her dark hair transformed into a light pink, and her scalp sprouted vines. As lost as she was, she found others like her who offered their support. When she learns of her origins, she tenaciously finds a way to return to Uppercity, in the hopes of being reunited with her family, whom she believes will welcome her back. Instead, she finds herself in the clutches of the unforgiving authorities and quickly, thereafter, embarks on a wild, spontaneous ride. When Sakura meets Sylvan, a silvery goyle who insists on protecting her, she is made aware of a great many truths, including what exactly she now is. In addition to discovering more about herself, she finds a noble purpose. Determined to join Sylvan’s cause and make a difference, she soon realizes she’s not just being swept off her feet by his gallant dedication, but also by his personality and charm...

Avg Rating
3.94
Number of Ratings
17
5 STARS
29%
4 STARS
47%
3 STARS
18%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
6%
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Author

Velora Venn
Velora Venn
Author · 2 books

Velora Venn, a 30-something-year old, grew up in the Midwest, although she's lived all over, from the desert, to the tropics, and now in the mountains of Colorado. She knew she wanted to be an author since the first grade, when she started stapling together computer paper to make her own "books" that consisted of nothing other than crude drawings that she had done in crayon or colored pencil. (Even at this young age, funnily enough, she asked her mother to publish her books.) Growing up, she filled up countless notebooks with stories. Secretly, she desired to be the youngest published author of all time, which, like many silly childhood dreams, did not come close to happening. Although she may not have attained this, The White Mantle was written in five months, which, in itself, was a massive achievement for her and something she formerly wouldn’t have considered possible. In addition to writing, Velora also has a deep-rooted love of animals (her favorites being orcas, eagles, ravens, bats, and wolves) and drawing, both of which (like her affection for writing) were absurdly evident since childhood. A lifelong nerd, she's a gamer (World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, Journey, Horizon Zero Dawn) and grew up loving Buffy, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Matrix, His Dark Materials, Avatar (both), X-Men, Digimon, and Pokemon. Velora has a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Video Game Art and Design.

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