In a land long ruled by men, young Queen Diem must forge her own path as the first female ruler Domhan has seen in two centuries, a task that will be dangerous at best, and fatal at worst. If she is to survive, she must take a throne she's never wanted and enforce the bloody, semi-annual ritual of the Ivory Rite, a practice that keeps more than half of her people oppressed. 

Living as a prisoner in a castle made of ice and glass, Diem is plagued by dreams of Mam, the kind-eyed woman who raised her, and Colter, her childhood best friend. The responsibility of their deaths is almost too much to bear, until she meets a boy with familiar eyes and hair kissed by fire; a boy with a startling resemblance to someone long thought dead. The gift of a seemingly innocent trinket and an ominous prophecy will cause her to question everything she thought she knew.

PRAISE

"Johanna Hartford highly impresses with her debut novel The Ivory Rite. As an admirer of Hartford's writing, I was drawn in by the world created, one in which a woman must forge her own path in a setting otherwise ruled by men. A page-turner. I was left inspired and excited for the next books ahead."                                                              ―Tiffany Pham, Founder & CEO, MOGUL Inc.

Hartford does an amazing job in the writing, the fiction, and the make-believe world she creates for us to be a part of. She has a fast-paced theme that makes the book an easy read, but not at all predictable. Her character development with Diem is constantly shown through her thoughts, her diction, and her ever-changing mind. We can relate to the doubt, worry, and fears Diem has as she’s transitioning from a girl to a young woman. The main character teaches us that strength comes in many different forms and having emotions doesn’t make a girl weak. The portrayal of Diem throughout the entire novel exemplifies female empowerment in itself and the idea that equality is necessary no matter how hard it may be to accomplish or to respond to. [Full Review]                                                                           ―Maddi Burns, MOGUL President at Colorado State University

...Finished in less than 24 hours ― I could not put it down... The detail and character development had me so engaged and attached to the characters within just a few chapters... I am so anxious to read the next book to find out what happens! [Full Review]                                                                                                                                       ―Novels & Noms.

A prologue has the power to build or destroy a story. With a short, yet highly impactful prologue, Johanna Hartford is able to prove her prowess as a storyteller. [Full Review] ―Megha Shah, MOGUL Global Ambassador