Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce

Series: Fairytale Retellings (bk. 4)

Genera: Paranormal Romance/Fantasy Adventure

Subjects: werewolves, winter, magic, supernatural, love, rescues, retellings

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 323 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.

But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.

If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?

Cold Spell is a retelling of the Snow Queen”

My Review: This is a perfectly wintery read and I definitely recommend reading it this winter. Although, the book technically starts in October, there’s a freak winter storm in Atlanta. Snow in Georgia seems unthinkable, especially this early. Something happens to Kai’s grandma and then a mysterious girl offers Ginny and Kai a ride to the hospital. Mora is the Snow Queen and she kidnaps Kai with her mind control and cold kisses. Mora used to be a mermaid/water girl, like in the previous book, Fathomless. Kai says he doesn’t love Ginny, even though he’s loved her since they were kids. Ginny goes on a quest to find Kai and get him to love her again.

This is the best book in this series yet. Maybe it was because the time of year. Maybe it’s just because I love the whole Snow Queen story, even though this is a completely different take. I read the Stork series by Wendy Delsol, and the 2rd book, Frost, is also inspired by the Snow Queen. This book has a fun, fast adventure and it’s a complete page-turner.

I liked that we got to see another of the older Reynolds brothers. We met Silas in Sisters Red, and he had 8 siblings. Lucas is one of the older ones, and he’s married to a woman named Ella. They’re really nice and take Ginny in for a few days and that’s how she learns more about Fenris, the were-wolves. I also loved the part when Ginny end up “kid-napped” by Travellers in Kentucky. They’re Gypsies and they’re kind of Irish, because they speak some other langue to, possibly Gaelic. One character, Flannery, is a real tough girl. She’s the Princess of Kentucky, or at least the clan in Kentucky. She’s really great in a fistfight. There are other exciting and funny parts. I love the wintery road-trip that Ginny and Flannery go on in order to track down the Snow Queen. Near the end of the book they end up on an island that’s part of Michigan, in Lake Superior. I’ve never been there, but I know a lot about it. I love the great lakes, though.

This is a great edition to the series. You don’t have to read them in order, but I still suggest that you do. It’s fun to see the connections between different characters. I recommend this book if you loved the books Stork, Frost and Flock by Delsol, the Need series by Carrie Jones, the Siren series by Tricia Rayburn, Lies Beneath series by Anne Greenwood Brown, and Shiver, Linger and Forever by Maggie Steifvater.

Cover Art Review: Love the broken mirror and the title. The lines that swirl around the title are a bit tangled, but look nice. It’s all very beautiful. Wish is was metallic like Fathomless was.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

For other wintery books to read click here:

http://www.breathlessbookreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/winter 

Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Series: Article 5 (bk. 2)

Genera: Sci-fi Dystopian

Subjects: resistance to government, fugitives, orphans

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 398 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: TorTeen

Summary/ product description: “The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.
After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….
Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.
Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.
With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?”

My Rating: êêê1/2

My Review: I don’t know why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Article 5. Probably because I was in the wrong mood for dystopian, or stressed about school work. It’s just hard to get into a book when there’s so much on your mind. I finished it anyways. It’s kind of hard to review a book when you can’t remember everything that happen or how it felt, but I’ll try.

It was well written, and has great characters. The second half of the book was more exciting. And they go to Chicago! So, maybe the sequel was not as good as the 1^st book, but it’s probably pretty close. There’s no love triangle and Chase is awesome as ever. Tucker’s back, and Ember hates him. He kind of grew on me though. He’s done bad things, but he deserves a chance to help.

So, Ember is being framed as the Sniper. She can’t really shoot a gun, so she clearly isn’t. She gets a disguise, though. Changes her hair, dresses up. It’s a smart idea. And Chase puts on the soldier uniform again. They go on a mission to pick up a “package” and don’t get recognized!  They’re in Knoxville, still. There’s a safe house in a motel. There’s some new and old characters. Cara’s there and she’s so funny and sassy. Something happens to the motel, and Chase, Ember and Sean go to Chicago to find Rebecca. The Chicago part was the most interesting because I actually am from Chicagoland.

So, even if the book seems to drag on in parts, there’s still a lot of action and romance. There’s some gruesome scenes too, and sad parts. I recommend this series if you like resistance and survival dystopias like Legend, Delirium, Divergent, Shatter Me, or Eve.

Cover Art Review: I love the illustrations that Nekro does! This cover it amazing. It took a lot of work to make the city look ruined and deserted. I’m pretty sure the city is supposed to be Chicago because all the sky-scrapers and that bridge looks vaguely familiar. (Does it go over the Chicago River, maybe?) And the back cover with the wanted poster is awesome.

 

~Haley G