I gave Snow 3 stars and Blizzard wasn't much better for me. I didn't enjoy where the story was going in Blizzard and I found the characters a little boring but I did finish it.

The quality of this novel just picks up right where the previous one left off. I'm not disappointed in the sequel after 'Snow'. Thanks for the copy!

The exciting follow up to Snow that gives you more history, more hope, more despair, more angst, more love, more questions, a few more answers. As Neva learns more about the role she plays she also learns that she may have been played. Secrets swirl all around her as her gift shows her a disastrous and deadly outcome. More questions are answered and new questions remain plus the glimmer of love that is new and old and some that has been renewed. So much more than a regular vampire story, the vampire aspect is like eye color or hair color it is a trait but it doesn't determine how one behaves especially Neva. Hail cannot get here soon enough!

Having not read Snow, I was lost in Blizzard. For now, it's dnf. I might go back and read the first one and try again. I think it's a good story if you know what is going on.

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

WOW. Mikayla Elliot does it again with the next enthralling release of her The Black Ice trilogy: Blizzard. Just when you thought things couldn't get more thrilling, action-packed, or mysterious, Elliot makes the stakes at an all-time high, leaving readers grappling with where the story went and just what the implications will be for the third installment.

Where we left in Snow, there were a lot of questions left dangling just in front of us. The betrayal of Zachariah, the fact that Eliza is technically Neva's mother, Neva is left reeling from the death of all but one member of her family, a niece who is presently missing and presumably in terrible danger, by the hands of her long-gone husband. Elliot packed a lot into the climax of Snow, leaving us all breathless and intrigued at one comes next--fortunately for readers, Blizzard is just as complex and richly written as its predecessor and will, once again, leave us longing for more.

Armed with a darkly unique take on the classic vampire plot, Blizzard picks up on very two different timelines; on one end, we see the origins of Eliza and Zachariah, the start of the vampires of their world, we get an idea on who Kareese was in that fateful first life, and we rotate back into the thick of where we left off in Snow.

Elliot shows no sign of slowing down. Not only do we get a artfully done backstory for many of the characters, we are introduced to many new plot-twists and characters. We get a glimpse of what other, let's call them, creatures are in this world--and we witness just a bit more worldbuilding.

Further, Blizzard maintains that beautifully suspenseful and magical feeling that Snow had in tone and prose; tying into the at times heart-wrenching and heart-warming series of events. There are so many emotions I felt while reading Blizzard. Elliot proves once again how much heart and soul she poured into the trilogy; captivating readers from the start in a way that is admirable and fully engrossing. If I am being unclear and appear to be babbling, just know this: you should be reading these books.

I went from intrigued, to surprised, to horrified, to all-swooned-out and flipped around in my many emotions. There were several twists and turns that even I didn't see coming straight away. If you're keen on surprises, there are at least three in this book that I can list off the top of my head.

This is a sign of not only a great series, but an incredible talent. Mikayla Elliot should be applauded for revitalizing the tired genre and creating something so fun.

My personal favourite parts of the novel were:

-Neva seeing more of not only her past life as Kareese, but also seeing Eliza's story. I think that the backstory between Eliza, Zachariah and Reegan (I may be spelling his name wrong?) may be my favourite part of Blizzard and I'd totally read more from their past in a heartbeat.
-One specific familial revelation that I will not mention for fear of spoiling.
-The rise of a new big bad.
-A little redemption.

That being said, I was completely blown away by Snow and even more so by Blizzard. This is truly a can't-miss-series by an exceptionally talented author. While many would argue that vampires are, like, so yesterday, Mikayla Elliot is here to remind what the genre could--and should--be.

Say hello to your next obsession!

Engaging, vivid, and engaging — a perfect mixture of elements for readers young and old. My students would gobble this one up.

First i just want to say how thankful i am to have received this ARC!

The cover of the book is amazing and the synopsis seemed to pull me in however I just couldn’t get myself attached like I thought I would be. The writing is good but doesn’t connect me to the characters or the story. I will try to read again in the future and write a review on the entirety of the novel however I just am finding that this book is not holding my attention.

im engrossed and enthralled with this novel. the second in its series and i can not tear myself away. The writing is superb with great character development. I loved the flash back portion and how this picked up right where novel one left off!!

The overall story line was good, however, the characters lacked depth. I think if the characters were reworked a little better the story would flow much better.

L

This story gets more and more crazy! There's so many stories within the main story. At first I was confused and had a tough time getting going in this book. After a short intro by Neva, it suddenly switches to a third person flashback to Neva's parents' story. Then after a time goes back to first person, but it's Neva's first life. I have to admit I wasn't crazy about the opening of the book, but once the story really started flowing there was no stopping me! I was fascinated by her parents' story and all the events that lead to Neva's first death. I was so into the story that it took my brain a bit to switch back to her current life. Then my brain fog lifted and pieces all fell together.

Elliot brings back Helsing as a main character and introduces a whole new type of character. The more answers you get, the more questions you ask! How did he get there? How many types of character are there? How did Zachary go from being a great guy to the villain from the first novel? Who is this mystery woman Neva keeps seeing and how does she fit?

By the end of the book I was so on edge. I wanted to read more. I wanted to know what was going to happen to all these complicated people I loved and hated (and those aren't mutually exclusive!) I was so into it that I turned the last page looking for more. And was sorely disappointed to find the end. I can't wait to see what twists and turns Elliot throws at us in the final book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Actual rate: 3.5

Blizzard is the second book in the Black Ice series. It follows Neva and her conquest to search for her niece. Other characters from Snow, such as Thedryk, Eliza, Zachariah and Van Helsing are present also. 

There are two parts of the book, the first part is how the characters became vampires and what began the war, and the second part is the continuation of the first book. It was so long because of that, and I just did not find it in myself to finish it in one sitting. 

Young Eliza was a bit naive and arrogant. She trusted too easily, eventhough it was understandable on why she trusted. I hate backstabbers. I just want to stab them with a knife for real. There were no rape scenes described, but it did happen. So I just wanted to take a moment to say, rape is wrong. Also, cheating is wrong. Especially with your wife's best friend. 

(my) Thedryk was introduced as an orphaned child, who lost his family due to the war. He latched onto Eliza and pretty much was a blessing. Karasee, our savior, was no different than Neva. She's a bit impulsive and doesn't think much before acting. 

New characters and species are introduced! Shapeshifters, werewolves and lab rats. Also, who would have known that the original vampires are not even full vampires? I thought, since they were the first, they would be much powerful than the rest. Turns out, a full vampire can only be born. Which like in the Twilight series, they are still dangerous. 

Neva has a new superpower, other than being immortal. She can do stuff that's quite amazing. 

Also, cliffhanger -again.

I did not enjoy the book as much as I did with Snow, mainly because of the flashback. The flashback part itself could have been made into a book, that I hated the fact that it wasn't. I'm very looking forward to the last book in the trilogy -I just want Thedryk to finally be happy again. That's all.

i really struggled with this book. got half way through and just had to stop reading it was so bad. I realy did try to read but , i think this book was just not for me.

Once again I would personally like to thank the author for this opportunity to review their book.

Our story carries on with our protagonist Neva and her search for her lost niece Lucy.
Eliza knows that Neva still has a lot to learn before going out into the world on her own so she sends Helsing and his men to search for Lucy knowing that they will not fail. With so many questions unanswered for Neva, Eliza knows she must continue her training by first learning where she came from and the battle that began before the vampires existed on earth. With Neva’s ability to look into the past, their minds travel back where Eliza grew up and first met Zachariah and his cousin Lord Reegan.

The first half of the book draws us into Eliza’s complicated past, betrothed at the age of 12 to secure her families situation, she finds herself whisked off to Lord Reegans’s castle to wed. Her mother, Janice, does not trust Lord Reegan or his means to marry her daughter so young, especially as he is 10 years older than she is.
Lord Reegan commands Zachariah to train Eliza to use a sword in order to defend herself if necessary which he is not happy with but trains her all the same. We begin to see how this creates a bond between them over the years they fight together. Lord Reegan attacks Zachariah for keeping secrets as well as his unmasked feelings for Eliza, which leaves Zachariah severely wounded. Eliza uses her powers to heal him infront of Lord Reegan and refuses to heal or return with him. He threatens to kill her family if they do not return to the castle, so they come up with a plan to get rid of Lord Reegan for good.

Without giving too much away, Eliza shows us the past up right until Kareese, who Neva is able to see the world through, turns 14 and her destiny is revealed. Still young and naive, Kareese is a typical teenager who is going through too many emotions including jealousy of the closeness between Thedryk and her mother. She’s brought up in war and bloodshed that still affects her until the very end. It’s good to get a glimpse in Kareese’s life to understand how young and innocent she really was but she still stood her ground when she needed too. It’s interesting to see how Thedryk reacts around Kareese when they are betrothed, there is only pain and jealousy on her side and duty on his.

In the second half of the book, Neva is brought back to the present day after experiencing her past life with Eliza and Zachariah and the war that occurred when she was young. Her older self is now experiencing visions of a full vampire that she is destined to fight against but cannot see what she looks like. Something is blocking her vision, but as her ability is getting more powerful, everyone in the castle is also able to see and experience her night terrors with her. With too many secrets still going around, Neva decides to leave the castle in search for her niece herself, of course with Thedryk by her side. Their feelings towards one another is still complicated with too many things left unsaid.

The story is great, I loved the way it brought us into the past to experience Eliza’s own story, which just made you fall in love with Zachariah. Neva and Thedryk’s relationship is still up and down as trust is still an issue, especially when Thedryk has secrets he cannot share. You know it’s going to last a lifetime, that their love will never die, but the tension remains. It would have been nice for the to have shared a kiss at least once.

One thing I found difficult to understand is how Zachariah returned and everything was normal again. Not that you really minded after you witnessed his past and how heroic and in love his was with Eliza. I read back through but I still couldn’t get my head around it. After the last book introduced us to his new stolen title as Lord Vlad, it just created more confusion and felt unfinished. I hope the next book will provide us with more about what happened to him in that timeline.

While I was really not impressed with the first book, I found this one to be much better. This was kind of like two books in one. The first half was a prequel to the first book in a sense and told Eliza's story. I really enjoyed it and would rate that a 4-4 1/2 on its own. It was intriguing and captivating. The second half, was back in the present time for Neva, and I really did not enjoy it near as much. I would have rated that more like a 3 by itself. I find Neva/Kareese to be kind of boring and the story drags a bit. It is still better than the first, but it could have been better.

Overall, I would give this book a 3.5, but will round up to 4. In large part because I feel like this author has really improved from her debut novel and hope that her books will continue to improve.

The wording was still a bit awkward throughout. Some of the writing was still too wordy and some of the word choices just felt a little off, like one sat with a thesaurus and picked words that have the same meaning, yet did not feel right in certain sentences. Editing could have been improved as there were some issues with tenses, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am about vampires. this book did not upset. so unlike many other vamp books I've read but still just as well written and easy to love. It has just the right amount of angst, sappiness, and adventure.

This is the second book in the Black Ice trilogy and after reading the first one I was dying to get my hands onto this one. Thanks to the generosity of the author, the book is up to "read now" on Netgalley, so thank you for that.

Unfortunately I was a little disappointed after the first book. I found this one went more into details about Neva's past, and yet I found myself very bored through it. There was times I was skimming it altogether. This does not mean I will not be reading the third book--oh, on the contrary I would love to see how this series ends. I just wasn't as into this one as I was in Snow.

I biggest compliment of Snow was the author's flawless writing, and this praise is still true. Wow, it's so nice to read. So even when I wasn't into the actual storyline, the writing kept me going. Some of her phrases, and use of words are so beautiful and flawless that you can't help but be intrigued.

Thedryk and Neva's relationship takes more of a turn and they're getting closer. He is all-in with her, while Neva has a slight push-pull thing going on. She experiences jealousy and love for him, but also is sure to keep a bit of a distance until this is all over. There is a less of a slow build between them in this one like the first book (obviously, since now they are in the romance) but it still doesn't go full-blown onto the track or anything. The slow progression and growth of their romance is wonderful, but more so, the two of them together is just adorable.

Thanks to the author for putting this free on Netgalley. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it, but do look forward to reading how it ends.

While I enjoyed the first novel...this novel was so much more!
The writing was better, the plot was so interesting, and I loved the characters.
In blizzard, we get a past flash back for a good portion of the beginning novel as to how eliza, zachariah, thedryk and kareese came to be. It was such a different unique take on how vampires came to be and I love it so much. Neva also grows in the end of the novel becoming so much stronger and fighting for what she believes. I cant wait for the third novel! There be better a third novel anyways xD Ill post a full review soon here and on my blog also one spoiler/compliant below so look away if you havent read >.>



My only compliant about this book was I need Thedryk and Neva to stop being brats and love each other already!! Kiss damn itxD

I must say this vampire tale enthralled me, it totally engrossed and captivated my attention, it is indeed like a boiling pot filled with steaming rage, deceit, steeped deep in treachery and betrayal. Imagine selling your twelve-year-old daughter into marriage on a guise of this joining would provide a means of protection and preserving you and your people way of life, only to be threatened by the very evil you sacrifice her to. Life is a bitch indeed sometimes karma is well deserving. A terrible ordeal for any child to endure, and mature real quick too. In my opinion, this twelve-year-old is our young heroine. Eliza is the heroine of this book to me she had no one she could trust or rely on except herself and Zachariah. Petty jealousy and envy caused a deep gulch and doubt in our young heroine’s mind now at the tender age of fourteen and forcibly impregnated by her monster of her husband all seem lost, but alas out of the ashes comes a tiny spark that ignited the flame of hope illuminating her way forward. A truly masterful storyline and an awesome crew of characters to back it, well written and induced with a lot of intrigues, a vampire tale that rivals others.

Haven’t read a vampire story in a while, plot twists always capture my attention. Best part about it is that it left me wanting more.

This is unlike any vampire story I have read before. There are lots of characters and plot twists. The ending is not really an ending and leaves you wanting to know what happens next.