This was a really great book full of daring escapades and unspeakable punishment. The relationship between the two sister was probably one of the best ones I have read, because they will do anything for one another, even risk their life. Valar does everything throughout the book with her sister in mind and doesn't stop caring about her for even a moment.

The friendships formed with the other characters were great as well. There were good bonds formed between them, ones that you can only form by risking your lives for one another.

Valar was such a great character as well. She was literally willing to do anything to achieve her goals, even when she feels like breaking. She's a strong, brave girl who doesn't let other people get in the way of rescuing her sister.

I definitely want to read more about Valar.

Book Review:

When I first heard about Prisoner of Ice and Snow I was definitely intrigued especially as the book has been described as Prison Break meets Six of Crows or Frozen..which is pretty interesting especially as it is labelled as a Middle-Grade book. Prisoner of Ice and Snow does deliver on this promises showing a character driven prison break out book which easily blurs the boundaries of YA and Middle Grade.

To be honest, I didn't really have any problems with the book itself but one of the things that did let the book down for me was the format on Netgalley as when I finished the book, the file still told me that still had 2 hours left so I was left disappointed because I thought there was going to be some massive reveal and then it just ended and the things that I wanted to happen just didn't and now there is no sequel so yes slightly disappointed about this but it is not really the book's fault.

This book is also character driven and we are basically thrown straight into the plot of the story as Valor attempts to murder a prince to save her sister. It is therefore really nice to see the book evolve by seeing who she meets and how they ended up being included in the story. The story kept me entertained throughout and I did not know what would happen and was kept in suspense throughout which often made it have a mystery element to it because you don't know why Valor's sister was framed into stealing the music box. Although I did really enjoy the plot and that it did deal with breaking out from a prison, you have to ask how 4 teenagers manage what they do in the book.

I also really enjoyed the characters in the book especially but also the relationships in the book as they often did become more developed throughout and were not what you thought they were.

The Verdict:

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is a quick and interesting fantasy story that will capture the imaginations of both YA and MG audiences alike.

<b>This is a really lovely read</b>. At 288 pages it's a short and quick with a focus on sisterhood, friendships and the ties of family. The only thing that really confuses me is why this one is billed as 'equal parts Prison Break and Frozen'. I can see the Prison Break aspect, obviously, but there's no Snow Queen or mystical magical powers in this one at all.

Valor and her twin sister, Sasha are thirteen years old and their parents are in service to the royal family; their mother the 'First Huntswoman' and their father the royal political adviser. When Sasha is imprisoned in Tyur'ma, a children's prison of ice and snow, Valor is determined to rescue her and <b>from the very first chapter we are thrown into the fast paced action that doesn't let up throughout all of the twists and turns</b>.

Valor is a daring and courageous heroine who puts it all on the line for her sister and I couldn't help but be drawn in and I found myself rooting for her from the start.

The friendships formed in this are great to see and the fact that there was no romance was actually a relief for me, especially considering the young ages of most of the characters and it was just really nice to see a focus on platonic relationships.

The writing was simple and easy to read and yet it wove <b>a beautiful Russian inspired fantasy world</b> that didn't shy away from politics and betrayals. I loved that you could clearly see that the world was so well thought out - from the history to the geography to the food and the clothes.

<b>My favourite aspect of this book would have to be the matriarchal society and the bending of gender tropes</b> - the country is ruled by a Queen and the next in line for the throne is her daughter rather than her eldest, a son. The twins' mother is the hunts-woman and their father the historian and adviser. There are women in every role - from the head of the prison, to doctors, to guards and it's a great representation to give to readers, especially younger readers.

<b>A really lovely Middle Grade book full of adventure and intrigue, a captivating heroine who will stop at nothing to rescue her sister and friendships that may shape the future of a country. Totally entertaining and poised for a sequel. </b>

Prisoner of Ice and Snow starts with Valour preparing to act on her secret plan- we have no idea what she is doing or why until it happens. This draws us into her story. When we discover Valour's plan we realise she hasn't thought it through particularly well, which adds tension and makes the reader root for her to suceed throughout the book.

After a while I found Valour a difficult character to like: she acts without thinking  about the consequences of her actions on others, makes silly decisions, and jumps to conclusions quickly with little evidence. She switched allegiances so quickly at points that it made my head spin and I struggled to follow her thought processes. I admired her determination and loyalty to her sister and felt invested in their safety, but otherwise found Valour very frustrating. It's impossible to know which other characters can be trusted in the novel: we kmow very little about them and their motivations, and because of this I found it hard to relate to any of them or be invested in what happened to them.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is very much a plot-driven novel with a swift pace that keeps the reader's interest, although at times it felt a little clumsy and I found some of the 'twists' to be very predictable. The descriptions of the scenery are beautiful and contrast starkly with the horror of the actions in the book. Personally, I'd have liked a little more characterisation: I wanted to know what motivated the characters and how they came to be where they are.

I felt the ending lost a little of the excitement and the events immediately preceeding it, but I'm intrigued enough that I am looking forward to the sequel.

This book is like a mash up of Six of Crows and Prison Break! Such a strange mix of things that I would never of thought I would use to describe the same book. I feel like the atmosphere and way of writing was more intense than I first expected with this being advertised as a middle grade story and that was really great. I've seen a few others compare it to Disney's Frozen which I was a little put off by, but I went into it anyway to see for myself as I like to gather my own opinions. I am glad I didn't let it persuade me not to read this as I didn't get the link or feel like it was like frozen at all. It seemed much darker in tone and the only aspects that resembled Frozen in my eyes were the setting and the fact that the main character is trying to help her sister. So don't the fact that this book has been compared to frozen let it put you off. The book follows Valor and her attempt at the impossible quest of breaking her sister out of prison by getting arrested herself.

The humour and the main group of characters in particular really reminded me of Six of Crows. It's amazing that the author was able to bring all these things together to create a brilliant concept that is a perfect fantasy. The sister relationship we see was brilliant as well and I adored that it was sort of the focus of this book in a way.

Often things are wrapped in cotton wool when it comes to middle grade so the fact that some of the plot twists were so dark and twisty, really made this book stand apart from others I have read. I was a little apprehensive first going into this because I tend to stick to the YA, NA and Adult genres but the concept of this really intrigued me so I had to dive into it and give it a go. I am very glad that I did because it was very enjoyable and a very quick read for anyone looking for a fantasy/adventure story that is easy to get into and that has characters you will no doubt fall in love with. Other than the Six of Crows and Prison Break vibe I think that the plot was quite original and not very predictable which was very nice.

I feel like the ending and a few of the aspects introduced later in the book are definitely hinting at a sequel, which I do hope is the case as I would pick it up because I would love to see more from these characters and this world. The main problem I had was with the last few chapters of the book and the way some things were just thrown in at the end. It really seemed rushed compared to the progression and development we see throughout the beginning and middle sections. Overall I have decided to give this book 4/5 stars as I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it.

4 Stars

Shorter than I expected, but fast moving and tense. I'm glad I was reading this in blazing sunshine as it made me quite cold! The ending was clearly setting up a sequel and I'll be keeping an eye out for it eagerly. I can't wait to be back with Valor and Sasha.
The only thing I didn't like was the random words in another language. I understood them from context, but they did throw me out of the story a little.
All in all a great read, one I'll whole heartedly recommend to other people. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Lauren creates a vivid and action-packed world in Prisoner of Ice and Snow. The stakes are high and the plot boasts a sisterly bond that is both powerful and sweet.

This book was so fun! It was light-hearted enough that it filled me with warmth, but there was enough action to keep me rooted to the story. It's definitely a great mix for Middle Grade readers.

There was constant pressure on Valor because she's in prison, and needs to bust out. She's clever and quick, but not overly so that she jumps into Mary Sue territory. A great heroine. And the relationship with her sister is the driving force of this novel and the conflict, and it really works. You can clearly see the bond between her and Sasha. They're different in their strengths, but still work together well.

Also, I really didn't expect the twist in the middle, which is great, because I'm rarely caught by surprise. I did feel like the Anastasia thing came out of nowhere, but otherwise, it felt really organic.

My only problems with this novel is firstly, their escape was too easy. You're telling me no one in Tyur'ma's history ever thought to check that grate in the kitchen?

Secondly, the lack of character description. Natalia, who is an important character, isn't given much description beyond her height. I kind of just headcanoned most of the characters' appearances because there wasn't anything to go on in the text.

Despite this, I would absolutely read on!

The way that Lauren creates this sinister and brutal frozen prison for children is just phenomenal. You read this book and you genuinely start to feel cold! Since much of this book is confined to the prison I think I'm alright to say that this book therefore has great world building. You get a feel for the dynamics of this entire world just through the prison which is no easy feat. 

In a book such as this characters are very important since the book relies on them to drive the action. I found Valor a hugely likeable and believable character which isn't something I often say about 'strong female characters' in middle grade fiction. I think, because her motivation is so clear from the beginning, it is easy to understand why she acts the way that she does. You have a clear understanding of her thought process so she feels more real. 

The side characters in this book are also pretty interesting, though I would have liked to get to know them a little more, they are in a prison so must have some decent backstories. They are a decent mix of male and female, but I don't recall them being noticeably diverse so that's a bit of a downside (I may be misremembering). 

A prison break plot is not particularly novel in YA fiction, but a prison break from within felt very different, though I'm sure there are examples of books that have this as their plot. It's also the perfect place to sow seeds of insecurity, who can Valor trust? Who will betray her plans? It's thrilling and unpredictable from moment to moment. 

I definitely enjoyed this book, it was a nice and easy read for me, though it might be challenging for some younger readers, who knows. If you like the sound of this it's probably a book you will enjoy.  This book is one of the many that publish at the start of September (the 7th in this case) so be sure to preorder if you don't want to wait!

My rating: 4/5 stars

By the way, I received an advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The blurb for this immediately caught my attention as it sounded so unique - a mixture of Frozen and Prison Break in a middle-grade fantasy setting.

Valor, as a character, is rather unusual in that she wants to get arrested. Sister Sasha is already locked up in Demidova's prison for criminal children, and Valor intends to break her out from the inside. The story itself has a great set of female characters. Valor is a great role model for girls - she's intelligent and independant, and her interaction with the other prisoners is great. The fact that Valor is prepared to get herself arrested in order to break her sister out of prison (and just by commiting a small crime either!) proves how tough she is. I wish when I was growing up their were more female heros like Valor.

I think the 'Frozen' linked theme here is the sisterly bond between the two girls, which is very much apparent throughout the whole of the novel. If anything, it's the other characters that are somewhat lacking in depth - a common issue in most middle grade novels, as the writing is more heavily biased towards plot development.

I also wished this has been a stand alone novel. There are too many books around at the moment which are pushing for multiple stories, and I'm getting a little bored of cliffhangers on all the books I read. It spoils the story somewhat when I think there hasn't been a satisfactory ending.

This was a fantastic read - while the finale wasn't particularly surprising, the plot held together quite well. The characters were well written, it was fun, adventurous and I'm really looking forward to the next one.

NB: This is not the full review, which will be published on 12th September as part of the UK Blog Tour.

As a lover of fantasy and a die-hard Prison Break fan, the blurb for this book had me well and truly hooked, so I was delighted when I was asked to take part in the Blog Tour. A Prisoner of Ice and Snow promised strong female characters, action and intrigue in a frozen fantasy world, and it didn't disappoint.

How far would you be willing to go to protect your sister?

The Siberean-esque setting, sisterly solidarity and spine-chilling suspense in Ruth Lauren’s debut novel combine to create a book that demands to be devoured, snuggled under a blanket to ward off the cold that seeps from its pages.

Looking forward to book two in this fabulous series already.

Great for fans of The Dreamsnatcher, The Huntress: Sea, The Wolf Wilder.

This was a fun, quick middle grade read that focuses on a bond between sisters and a strong female cast. I really enjoyed this. It was action packed and entertaining with a great female MC. We really need more books like this that focus on girls being strong and how strength comes in many guises. Will recommend to all my kids reading groups at the library. Especially those who enjoyed books like Ella Enchanted.

This is a highly enjoyable children's adventure with classic ingredients: fictional countries and royal families; palace, prison, and dungeon; and themes of loyalty and betrayal.

Valor cannot rest until and unless she saves her twin sister Sasha, who has been found guilty of stealing a valuable music box that was to seal the treaty of alliance between Demidova and neighbouring country Magadanskya. Sasha has been sentenced to a harsh children's gaol that nobody has escaped from in 300 years but Valor is determined to join her sister and break them out of prison. Who can Valor trust to help in her quest?

This book is really good in its treatment of friendship, trust and loyalty and how these elements drive Valor to persevere and not give up. I admire how the writer Ruth Lauren illustrates the dangers in the story by examples of extreme heat and cold, from scalding hot water in a kitchen to becoming perilously cold in a cell of ice.

I recommend this story and I am looking forward to the second book in the series.

I received this ebook free from Net Galley and publisher Bloomsbury.

The story was engaging from the start! A dystopian novel following a young girl determined to help her sister. The writer has created a story of hope, friendship and tenacity, perfect for teenagers who question their identity and challenge their place in society. There is always hope...

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is about a girl called Valor who is determined to break her sister out of prison - from the inside. After she commits a crime and is sent to prison, she couldn't be happier. Now she just has to follow her plan, and Valor and her sister Sasha will be free in no time... Or so she thinks.

This story is suitable for younger teenagers. Prisoner of Ice and Snow is a fast paced story, set in a fictional world. There is no romance, but I didn't miss it. The relationship between Valor and Sasha is well done, and there is some great supporting characters as well.

This story was very entertaining and had me hooked from the start. I'll be keeping my eye out for a sequel after that ending too!