Title: The Frozen Crown (Warrior Witch Duology)
Author: Greta Kelly
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
Genre: Fantasy
A princess with a powerful and dangerous secret must find a way to save her country from ruthless invaders in this exciting debut fantasy, the first novel in a thrilling duology packed with heroism, treachery, magic, and war.
Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy’s advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land to the south, to seek help from its ruler, Emperor Armaan.
A young woman raised in army camps, Askia is ill-equipped to navigate Vishir’s labyrinthine political games. Her every move sinks her deeper into court intrigues which bewilder and repel her, leaving her vulnerable not only to enemies gathering at Vishir’s gates, but to those behind the palace walls.
And in this glittering court, where secrets are worth more than gold, Askia fears that one false step will expose her true nature. For Askia is a witch gifted with magical abilities—knowledge that could destroy not only her life but her people. As her adversaries draw closer, Askia is forced to make an impossible choice—and no matter what she decides, it may not be enough to prevent Seravesh’s fall.
–from Amazon
Why This Book
This may seem like a bit of an odd choice, considering this book is called The Frozen Crown, but it’s set in two very different countries an ocean apart. To the north is Seravesh, where Askia is supposed to be the queen wearing the Frozen Crown. But the power hungry Radovan has been collecting and killing witches for their power and the only power he doesn’t have happens to be the one Askia has. So she runs to the south, across the sea to sun drenched Vishir.
Vishir is quite different from Seravesh. It felt lavish and spectacular with sunlight and sunshine dripping from the sky. I always envision this country as golden and warm and so full of sunshine I can’t even imagine nighttime. Of course this had to be on my list of sun drenched books, despite the title.
Reviews
My review: “Despite the stereotypical fantasy bits, The Frozen Crown presents an interesting enough story, but it’s really the ending that steals the show, taking a turn I didn’t expect. It’s a quick, easy, and uncomplicated read that attempts to throw curveballs”
Julie from One Book More gave this 4 stars, saying “The Frozen Crown is a gripping story filled with political intrigue, dynamic characters, and a jaw-dropping cliffhanger ending”
Alexa from Writing the Universe gave this 3.5 stars, saying “And even with the complaints I have with this book – most are born out of heightened emotion and should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Overall, I did enjoy this book. It’s interesting, the plot is a take back the throne fantasy, but it doesn’t feel like every other YA take back the throne fantasy”
M.T. Wilson from The Last Book on the Left gave this 3 stars, saying “The Frozen Crown seemed to be heading a predictable direction, but some massive twists in the last few chapters left me shocked, the final chapter spinning the story in a totally new direction for the next book in the series”
Michael from City on the Moon said “The Frozen Crown, like many books unfortunately, is fun to read in the moment, as long as you do not think about it too hard. However, once you take a step back to really look at the book, the problems become increasingly apparent. The façade shatters in the face of even the smallest amount of critical thinking”
Mogsy from The Bibliosanctum gave this 4.5 stars, saying “A fantasy debut by Greta Kelly, this book was utterly absorbing and took me by surprise in the best of ways. From the first word to the very last, I was riveted by the story, the characters, all the magic and the politics, and yes, even those little fine sparks of romance”
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