Enter a world of magic which weaves together folktales and historical fantasy. Each Hearth and Bard Tale is a stand alone fantasy inspired by a less known fairy or folktale and based in a different part of the world.
Vasilisa
A Retelling of Vasilisa and Staver
A misfit servant with a dark past, a noble’s son who would give up everything for her, and an invasion that will tear them apart.
Vasilisa, a forest-born servant, has always been an outcast for her wild ways. Only Staver, the master’s son, shows her kindness, and his friendship pulls as strong as the forest.
But when war comes, their paths are ripped apart, and she will need all the cunning and strength of her frightening heritage to save Staver, even though it could separate them forever.
Vasilisa is a retelling of the folktale, Vasilisa and Staver, where “Cinderella saves the prince” with a vivacious heroine, a gentle hero and old fairytale magic.
“An incredible story of overcoming one’s past, sacrificing for love, and finding strength within.” — Kimberly King, author of The Trouble with Fairy Godmothers
Fourth Sister
A Retelling of The Seven Brothers
Whitney Award Finalist 2021
Shisei is said to be the cursed twin—bringer of death—plagued by a kitsune only she can see.
When another of her brothers dies at birth, Shisei, the fourth of seven sisters, flees her home, disguises herself as a boy, and apprentices herself to an isolated mask maker.
But death follows her still, and when her youngest sister is accused of murder, Shisei can either keep running or lead her sisters in a deception that may save the youngest or condemn them all.
An exquisite tale of hope and redemption that combines complicated sisterly bonds, deadly deceptions, the poetry of possibility, and a trickster kitsune.
Inspired by the folktale The Seven Brothers
“Every description and dialogue is so authentic that it is like looking into another place and time and immerses you in a world where myths are reality but superstition also abounds. The characters are intensely human. One of the captivating elements is how true to life they are.” – Rick Haws
Little Women x Spirited Away
Heartless Hette
A Retelling of the Princess Who Never Laughed
SPFBO8 Semi-Finalist 2022
When Princess Hette refuses a sorcerer’s proposal, he retaliates by stealing her heart—literally.
Desperate to resist his influence, Hette makes herself emotionless, stifling all feelings until she can find her heart and win it back. Only Konrad, the despised Court Fool, knows where to find the sorcerer, and he has his own curse to battle.
Riddles and magic plague their path, including a memory stealing witch, an unbeatable knight, and a magic book that would as soon drown them as lead them to their destination. Yet, if Hette can’t find the sorcerer in time, her heart will be the least of her losses.
Inspired by the folktale The Princess Who Never Laughed
“Lush in details, rich in characterization, and written with (forgive me) heart, Heartless Hette is far more than just another rewritten fairytale. This is many fairytales woven into an epic quest, one that will test Farb’s characters and delight readers for generations to come.” — Jennifer deBie (rosieamber.wordpress.com)
ML Farb 