***I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for an honest review***

I am still reeling from the ending of this book. I am so glad the author is not stopping with this one, and that there is more to come because wow. The story follows our two main characters Lira and Reyker, who are both trying to come to terms with their lives. Lira has the gift to read people's souls, and her clan uses her power to determine the measure of their souls. Lira's findings basically determine if someone lives or someone dies. Reyker is cursed to basically be blood thirsty in battle, and in his own way a slave to his curse. When Reyker washes up on Lira's shore she discovers that there is more to him than what meets the eye, when she reads his soul. The relationship that blooms between Reyker and Lira is so beautifully written, that it made me root for them from the very beginning. There is some lore and magic thrown into the story that just makes the plot so much better. The first book hasn't even come out yet, and I already wish I had the second one so I can continue this amazing story and see where the adventure takes our characters next. Jill has a gem of a story on her hands and I can see this book becoming a movie in the future. This book will leave you wanting more, and it is one you can't miss. If you love action, romance, magic, and a story that will take you on a wild adventure, than on August 6th, you better pick up your copy and join what is sure to be the next big hit!

This book sounded right up my alley and I couldn't wait to get started on it. A historical setting with clans, warriors, forbidden love, God gifted women with unique powers, and an epic battle for freedom? Sounded like a grand adventure. It started out very strong, and while I liked a lot of elements in the plot, from a technical standpoint there were some things that didn't add up. One thing that did work in a big way was the forbidden romance, which ended up being my favorite thing about the book.

Lira lives in Glasnith, a community composed of many clans. Her grandfather is the chieftan of clan Stone, and upon his death, it will pass on to another male in her family. There is a lot of speculation who that will be, but as a female, Lira has two "options." Marry a highborn man of her father's choosing, or pledge herself to Aillira's Temple, a sanctuary where god-gifted women could study and hone their abilities. So though many women were clearly honored by their gods, the men failed to do so. They were simply used for their own gain. Lira in particular is used cruelly by her father for her gift of reading souls. She's nothing more than a tool for him to ascertain whether an accused is guilty or innocent, and she feels tremendous guilt for her part in condemning people to death.

Reyker is a savage marauder who has taken part in raids along the coast of Lira's land. In the prologue you see the devastation he causes along with the other warriors fighting for "the Dragon." Right away you realize that he's there against his will, and there is a glimmer of good inside him. It's just been suppressed under years of death and darkness and he no longer knows how to find his way out. When he washes ashore after his ship is attacked by a sea creature, Lira recognizes him as the man who once helped her escape the Dragon. Out of obligation she reluctantly takes him to a secluded place to nurse him back to health. Theirs wasn't an instant friendship, there was naturally a lot of distrust and animosity on her part. Knowing he was a Westlander, or what her people call a beast of the frozen sun, his kind is reviled by her clans. Legends called them monsters birthed by leviathans, not even considered human.

As Drakon starts to infiltrate their land, pillaging with the intent to conquer, her clan is suddenly in need of a new chieftan. This is where everything starts to implode. The god they worship is summoned to choose a new leader, but with that choice, dissent and scheming runs rampant under the surface. The whole foundation of the gods they worship could be crumbling under their feet.

Glasnith's only hope of protecting themselves is the man they call a Beast. A man who knows more about the enemy than anyone else and could help mobilize allies to come to their aid. I loved that he was a bit of an anti-hero. I think he was developed really well, and the author did a very good job of showing him in a way that draws your empathy. He's survived lots of tragedy, loss, and betrayal, and he was consumed with darkness because of it. Lira is a conduit back to the light. She digs through his layers and helps him to find the man he once was. Their faith and loyalty to each other in the face of her people's hatred was heartwarming.

This was more violent and bloody than I was expecting. The villain is a pretty chilling guy whom you can't wait to see brought down. As this is the first book in the series, of course we leave things at an unresolved place. It's a pretty strong cliffhanger, so be warned. Overall, there were a few things I loved, and some things that I felt could have used a better explanation or detail. However, the plot was fairly original and kept me guessing, so I really appreciated that. This was not a tame YA fantasy, so if you're looking for something a little grittier, this could be the book for you. Book two in the saga is set to release sometime next year.

First off, I need to say that this book was absolutely phenomenal! It really blew me away and exceeded all my expectations.
The characters were so well-written and interesting, and the world-building was just perfect. It was just enough world-building to get a good general idea of the world but not too much to bore the reader with too many details - and since this is going to be a trilogy I reckon there will be more world-building throughout the next books as well.

Lira was such a great heroine, and I actually found her very realistic and likeable. Reyker was also great and I really enjoyed the complexity of his character. I loved their relationship and how it progressed throughout the book and I can’t wait to read more about them in the coming books! Lira and Reyker have definitely claimed a spot on my top 7 fictional relationships list!

I also need to talk about the pacing in the books, because it was perfect! Often, the pacing in books is either too slow or too fast, but Beasts of the Frozen Sun had PERFECT pacing in my opinion. I was never bored and I never felt like things were moving too fast. Sure, a lot of things were happening all the time, but it just felt right.

I loved the world Criswell created and how a lot of it was based on nordic/north European landscape, geography, history and language, and viking & Celtic mythology. The mythology aspect of the story was great! I loved hearing about all the different gods & goddesses, as well as all the myths and legends of that world, and the different beliefs and faiths that the different clans/countries had.

If you like mythology, magic, romance, sword fights, vikings, kickass heroines and steamy guys - or just a really good story tbh - this book is for you. Also, I NEED THE SECOND BOOK ASAP!

Like many people, that gorgeous cover draw me in pretty much immediately. The premise of this book was very interesting and I was excited to find out if the inside was as good as the outside.

I ended up reading this book in two settings. First, I read 42% and I really liked where the story was going and I thought this was going to be a 4 stars book. But then some other shiny new books distracted me and I had to put down this one for a few days. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the last 58% quite as much as the beginning. I'm not sure if it was my mood or just the book itself but I just didn't care about anything. I couldn't care less about the romance or the story and I just wanted to skip some of it to get to the end. It's a bit disappointing considering how much I enjoyed and really liked the first 42%. The romance and the plot intrigued me and I was hooked when she found him on that beach.

I'm sure lots of readers will enjoy this one even if for me this book will end up in the average category, which I tend to forget very easily.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC of this via Netgalley)

Beasts of the Frozen Sun follows the story of Lira, daughter of the chieftain of clan Stone, and Reyker, a warrior from a distant, frozen land who is forced to fight for a warlord known as the Dragon. The Dragon sets his sights on the island of Glasnith to conquer next, and en route, Reyker is separated from the rest of his company, eventually washes up on the shores near Lira's home. Although the invaders are commonly seen as cruel savages, Lira realizes he is different. As a daughter of Aillira, touched by the gods, Lira's gift is reading a person's soul, and when she sees that Reyker is good at heart, she takes care of him. But the Dragon is not far behind, and an attack on her people is imminent.

The cover of this book is what initially got my attention, and I picked it up even though my initial thought was it was going to be a cliched story. I was quite relieved to be proven wrong. I liked that the bond between Reyker and Lira was slow to form, and it was very realistic. Reyker's story and background was very interesting, especially to see him fight the battle-madness that he is cursed with. There is a lot of scope for character development on Lira's part. Up until now, her arc was largely focussed around feeling trapped by her family, clan and their culture, and then upon escaping, possibly with Reyker. But with the twist at the end of the book, things have changed for Lira and I'm enjoying guessing what her path ahead might be.

While this started off quite interesting, after a point, it felt very repetitive, where Lira and Reyker basically run, hide and get caught over and over. This, among other things made it extraordinarily hard for me to connect to either protagonist. I also found the world-building to be largely insufficient. While Glasnith itself is well described, other aspects such as the green gods and ice gods are rather vague and I'm still more than a little confused how this stuff works. Hopefully the sequel will expand on this a little more, especially since the magic and myth portions are what I liked best about this book.

With Celtic and Viking themes to it, Beasts of the Frozen Sun is definitely one of the more unique stories I've come across, particularly in terms of setting. I'm still conflicted about it plot wise, and I really hope that ending is resolved sooner rather than later in the sequel, but that aside, this was a good, somewhat dark, fantasy read with a lot of potential, and I would definitely recommend it.

This book was in one word amazing. But I’m getting way ahead of myself. Let’s start chronologically. First, the book cover, which is gorgeous! It was the cover that drew me first and then the blurb held my attention.

Second, writing style. The author’s writing style is so on point with beautiful prose that was a pleasure to read. I fell down the rabbit hole from the first page and kept going deeper and deeper until it was vital for me to get to the end of the book before I could do anything else. The world-building was so rich with vivid detail that I felt like I was there with Lira, living her life.

The main characters Lira and Reyker were both compelling characters. Throughout the book, I was like a cheerleader waving my pom-pom in the air, cheering for them. All their troubles, everything they went through, I couldn’t believe they’d survive it. This book make me experience so many emotions I was soaked in them.

The plot-line was excellent with twists and turns that caught me like sudden tennis balls winging at my head. Every time I thought they’d make it, something worse happened. They just couldn’t seem to catch a break. And the revelations? Boy, I so did not see them coming.

To summarize, this was a splendid book with a fantastic story-line that will keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your fingernails and deprive you of sleep, food and drink until you finish it. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun, Jill Sasinowski
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. This does not affect my review in anyway and the thoughts expressed are my own.
I found this book very slow and hard to get into initially. It spent plenty of time developing the characters – Reyker, Lira, her family and her clan – the world and the myths surrounding this land. Our snippets into Reyker and his background while interesting and explained him, it did slow down the story.
When the action did start it was captivating, especially the election of the chieftain. The clans reminded me of many northern European clan, especially Vikings, which I enjoyed. The Westlanders, aka the Dragonmen, were great villains and really suited this world.
The magic system was intriguing, and I really loved how the gods were essentially locked into their continents. It felt unique and I loved how intertwined the mythology and magic system were. This book did a good job of showing the two perspectives surrounding the same story and how history – or in this case myths – is written by the victors.
I was unable to finish this book but is one of the few I am eager to finish and am happy to recommend without finishing it. This world was so fully developed and every aspect was intriguing, it felt like a great beginning to a new epic fantasy world. I find my mind returning to this story and world and am curious how this adventure finishes.

(I got an Arc of this from Netgalley for review. Thanks!)

First thoughts after finishing this book: THESE CHARACTERS DID NOTHING BUT SUFFER.

Can I just say, that there was not a moment these characters didn’t have to deal with some enemy attacking them, hurting them, threatening to rape them...it was never ending.

Okay there was like...ONE happy moment, but still! 90% sadness. 10%...decentness.

Anyway, overall I was conflicted with this book. While it definitely had potential to be memorable, a lot of it I found myself not truly interested in. I have a feeling a lot of people will like this book though, and if you’re into romance, magic, and SUFFERING, this book is definitely for you. I personally, didn’t love it.

—BEYOND THIS POINT, SPOILERS LURK—

Let’s just dive into the likes: I liked the language Jill crafted up for The Dragonmen (one of the...races? In the book). I found that when Reyker spoke his languages—there were words like like Nai (no) and Sitja (sit)—I was very entertained. He said many more fun things but I don’t remember them right now. Anyways, I’m always a fan of fictional languages, especially when they’re used frequently throughout the book.

I enjoyed the banter between the two characters, as well as their relationship. It was sweet, their banter was fun, and that was one of the more entertaining parts about this book.

Now for the things I didn’t particularly care for: I didn’t enjoy the world building. More so because I didn’t get it. Like the magic needed more development. The races? Or whatever the Dragon men were supposed to be? I don’t even know. But I would have enjoyed more on things like that and I feel like they were barley mentioned.

I didn’t care for some of the decisions the characters made. Like when they decided they would make out in a cell RIGHT BEFORE THEY WERE GOING TO ESCAPE. No. I didn’t like that at all. I didn’t like when the Dad tried to kiss her—even if he was possessed—I wasn’t with that. Made me uncomfortable.

I didn’t particularly enjoy the surface level characters. And maybe that’s because this is only book one, and if I decide to read the rest my opinion might change, but for now they seem very surface...like I need more in order to latch on and actually care about them.

So overall it was an okay read. Not memorable but not horrible. Again, I think for other people this will be a very good read, but for me, in this moment, I just wasn’t feeling it.

I received an ARC of this book from netgalley.

When I first started to read this book it sucked my right in. I was intrigued by the prologue, and I absolutely loved Lira. The world that Criswell built was fascinating. I didn't want to put it down to do anything. As I got farther into the book it started to feel like there were just too many setbacks and it had begun to drag on. Luckily, there came a point when it started to drown my in the story again.

This book is extremely well written. I am amazed at what Criswell created here.

I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy and romance. If you don't like romance, you probably wouldn't like this book. It's almost more a romance than a fantasy. There is some non-graphic sexual content.

If i’m being perfectly honest I really did not like this book. It wasn’t for me at all.. I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the writing style of the author and the writing was very atmospheric. But I didn’t feel connected to the characters or the plot at all. It was like a more gruesome, unneeded retelling of beauty and the beast almost. It should have a LOT of tether warnings including rape, which was pushed over and over again as a threat throughout the book. I even reached out to the author asked if it was consistently in the book and was told no. But that isn’t correct because the threat of rape is from the very first chapter all the way to the end of the book. More trigger warnings should be animal violence and cruelty, slavery and incest/threat of rape by a relative. The plot seemed pushed on by nothing more than threats of cruelty with no REAL goal. The book lacks a goal other than fleeing. So in short I liked the potential of the book and the writing but I did not enjoy the story or plot.

"Look in her eyes, yeetozurri. No force on earth could stop her. She would battle the gods themselves before she let you die quietly. Such loyalty is rare. You'd best live to repay it."


TW: gore, attempted rape, a lot of people are murdered brutally


I solely read this book because I loved the cover. These days, I don't even read synopsizes anymore, I see a pretty cover and my monkey brain goes "read!!!". I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover (especially without reading the synopsis), but look at me judging well! And if you want to judge me for judging book covers, go ahead and do it.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun is a Fantasy book that was, in my opinion obviously, inspired by either the Normans' (not the French dudes, the Vikings) invasion of the British Isles, which I personally loved. Not the invasion, but, y'know, the setting. For a book.

So let's talk about the book.

Lira of Stone (yes, the clan name is, in fact, stone) is a god-gifted girl that can read human souls by touching them. Cool af, considering she can look at memories of other people. Not so cool is that her father uses her abilities instead of any kind of legal system. After she watched the memories of a dude stealing some armor or weapons, he gets hanged and she's rightfully upset about this (since she basically sentenced him to death by telling her father about how he did steal) and goes to the ocean to calm down.

There she meets Reyker, a man (more beast) born of the Frozen Sun, and the sworn enemy of the whole isle, five minutes from death. She rescues him, nurses him back to health and all those things that happen in a YA novel with the theme of forbidden love. Shit goes down from there.



I made it sound kinda boring and average, so let me present to you a few plus points to consider:

+ I was prepared to be disappointed, since I seem to dislike a lot of generally well-liked historical (Fantasy-)YA (looking at you, And I Darken), but was actually super into this. Take from that what you will

+ Lira is a fucking badass. She is headstrong, she is ready to murder the invaders, she loves her family and is generally a pleasure to read about. She actually has the ability to spend time not thinking about the Love of her Life™, which I thought was a given, but was proven wrong by so many YA novels that I lost count

+ for those of you that like lore and worldbuilding (me). This is very lore heavy. We get told about the gods of the land, and the history without too much infodumping. As far as I can tell, it's conclusive in itself

+ and, with the lore, come the gods. There's a bunch of them and they have their own agenda and merely play with the mortals and push them where the gods need them to be.

- While we're talking about gods, I want to just say this: there's a bunch of "your religion is false, this is the true religion". It works in this context, as one religion is built upon what actually happened between the gods and the other on lies, but I think telling someone their religion isn't real is never a good move, so have this as a short warning before I continue to rave about this book.

+ a certain plot point took me by complete surprise, since I was busy gloating about how I accurately predicted another plot point (that was extremely predictable in the first place, but I felt really smart for a minute)

+ it's a really strong debut and I personally look forward to more of Criswell


I did have tiny issues with the story, namely Ileesh having very little on-page-time.
My other issue was the writing style, or more the language. It was really weird. That was most likely due to me not being a native speaker tho. I struggled, and I don't struggle with English often these days.


Tl;dr: All in all, a very good debut that I really liked a lot. I was honestly surprised by how much I liked it. Definitely going to buy that as soon as it comes out. Probably shove it into a face or two to show people how lovely the cover is.



Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for providing this ARC!

This is a vibrant YA read, full of torment, battles and angst. It wraps itself in mythology, magic and a fantasy world, where an epic story begins; our MC in all this drama is Lira, a young chieftain's daughter, whose value to her people is steeped in her ability to read souls and find the truth. This is both a gift and a torment to her. Alongside and entwined in her story is Ryker, a young man from an opposing land who is left wounded and vulnerable after a battle at sea against a monstrous sea serpent creature. Lira, although unsure exactly why, hides away and helps Ryker and a bond begins to form.

This is a novel of family conflict, aggression, control and greed. It's also about bonds, relationships and love. It's not a quick read and some of the story elements are a little repetitive - I think some closer editing would make this a better book. But overall, it's a solid YA fantasy read, that leaves the reader with an emotional cliff-hanger of an ending. Whilst this is frustrating, I was aware it would be the first in a series, so expected to be left unfulfilled.

Overall, an epic YA fantasy story immersed in magic and mythology, with strong developed characters battling on a seemingly impossible quest, and at its heart a powerful love story.

WARNING: Do not start reading this book at 10pm at night. You will NOT be able to put it down until you finish it. I devoured this book and finished it at 2am. I’m now sleep deprived but it was absolutely worth it. I went to sleep thinking about it. I woke up thinking about it. I’m now addicted and obsessed. Lia and Reyker have captured my heart and taken it with them.

The most incredible thing about Beasts of the Frozen Sun is that it is the author’s debut novel which absolutely just blows my mind. It is beautifully written with an incredible setting and world-building so established and detailed, you’d never even know you weren’t physically living in it from the moment you read the first page. Every visual detail is vividly described - from the land they reside on down to the glint of the weapons they carry. It’s a story full of magic, gods, epic battles between clans, and a villain that will have you worrying about the fate of our beloved characters until the very end.

All of the characters were beautifully created and introduced to us with a purpose. The leads have a smoldering slow-burn romance that will literally ignite you on their first contact. Their love story is magical and INTENSE. We first learn that they share a brief history in the past that still connects them to each other in the present. They have a language barrier that totally gave me “Me Tarzan, you Jane” vibes which I could honestly just immerse myself in over and over again. To my delight, it is resolved by communicating through Lia’s soul touch which ends up being so personal and intimate that I just wanted more and more. Our beloved heroes are incredibly selfless as each is determined to sacrifice themselves to protect the other. Lia and Reyker are far from perfect, both with individual flaws that add true character and essence, but they are perfect for each other. Their character development is unmatched and it's so satisfying to see them grow as both individuals and a pair.

And the villain - the villain is everything you want the big bad to be. Mysterious, terrifying, powerful and full of unanswered questions. And that twist at the end? Oh my. Could this story get any better?

I’m at a loss as to what to say because it was THAT good. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it all morning. I don’t even know what I’m going to do with myself until the next one in this series comes out. 2020 can’t come soon enough.

Oo such a pretty cover, there's no wonder it caught my attention. This is set on an island not too dissimilar in many ways to ancient Britain and has what I can only describe as Vikings attacking with the usual murder, rape and pillaging going on but actually there's far more to it than that. We have Draki, a truly nasty villain who appears to be a demigod of some type and he's pitted against Lira who is also God touched in that she can quite literally read souls. Her ability is both a blessing and a curse and it's quite intriguing the way the author leads her readers to second guess just what truly is Liras purpose and destiny.
Now every story needs a hero so step forward Reyker. He is an enemy and yet he is also this truly sweet man who battles to do the right thing. The romance between them might not read as torrid but it does feel genuine and well timed.
There's a wealth of supporting characters too from old friends to family members who just might break Liras heart and as events unfolded at times this was anything but a pedantic run of the mill fantasy. Atrocities occur, characters the reader could like die and through it all Lira and Reyker battle on. Not perfect as I didn't really care for the made up language although I did think the author did a good job of showing how females were sadly undervalued as well as underrated. These Gods are not kind though but selfish and pernicious and as this ends our couple are far from safe and happy but that's only going to make readers want to read more.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from NetGalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair.

A really fresh and exciting high fantasy read , I loved this so much, strong female character, great action and adventure , wonderful writing with well developed characters and well constructed worlds. This is a highly enjoyable and interesting read, can’t wait for more in the series.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I really liked this book.

Even though she has been gifted with the ability to read someone's soul, Lira is a girl who has seen heartbreak. Still, life seems normal, until it starts to fall apart. Until she meets Reyker, who is one of her clan's enemies... only... he's not like most of them.

Throughout the course of the book, she discovers that her own clan can be just as evil as the enemies she's grown to despise. Not everybody is as they seem. Not everything she's been taught is what it seems.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun has a nice romance, a sweet friendship, siblings, and political intrigue. The end of the book was great. I only knocked it down a star because it took a little while for me to get into. However, there was an earthquake while I was reading the end of the book (my mother-in-law saw the chandeliers sway) and I completely missed it because I was so absorbed in the book.

I received an ARC of Beasts of the Frozen Sun from Blackstone Publishing through NetGalley. What follows is my fair and honest review, but be warned, there are some mild spoilers.

I have to say, Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill Criswell ended up being a bit of a surprise for me, with the plot heading in some unexpected directions. A word of warning, though: the book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, and waiting for the next installment may drive you a bit batty. Here’s my quick summary:

Lira has always lived with her family and the clan of Stone in Glasnith, but the arrival of invaders, so-called warriors of the Frozen Sun, unexpectedly alters the course of Lira’s life. As a soul-reader, Lira can see the humanity in those men others call beasts, and so she hides and heals one of the wounded invaders, named Reyker. This choice ultimately forces Lira to make difficult choices and to question the truths her clan has always held sacred.

In many ways, Beasts is not much different from many other YA fantasy-romance-adventure stories. It has many of the common tropes, after all. A young woman with a special ability, set apart from her peers, sees her world upended. A forbidden romance. A conflict between the heroine and the authority figures in her community. What works about Beasts, in my opinion, is how it handles those tropes, or how it remains interesting in spite of their presence.

For one thing, Beasts of the Frozen Sun is angstier than I anticipated. While many YA fantasy novels have an element of darkness to them, I think Criswell’s novel can be particularly brutal, especially with regards to Lira’s relationship with her father. I don’t see much room for hope or redemption in that relationship, but perhaps the sequel will prove differently. The reason I think this plot element is to the novel’s benefit is because it adds a sense of seriousness or weight to the novel. The stakes are more realistic. However, I did not think the novel got so dark that it isn’t appropriate for a young adult audience.

I also enjoyed how the relationship between Lira and Reyker seemed to progress at a realistic pace. Lira doesn’t fall instantaneously for Reyker, and in fact resists his pull, but her falling for the enemy does make sense in light of her ability to read souls. I also think the obstacles they face make sense in the context of the story, and aren’t just conflict thrown in to add more drama. I also think the novel uses the relationship to explore, to some extent, themes of xenophobia and violence.

Overall, I was a bit surprised with how compelling I ultimately found Beasts of the Frozen Sun, but I did still have some issues with it. One was a simple “language tic,” for lack of a better term, wherein the author uses “bloody” as an expletive-adjective (e.g. “I’m bloody tired of hearing about frost giants”). I always thought this use of “bloody” was a fairly contemporary phenomenon, and it felt very out of place in a historical-fantasy world.

My other concern about this novel is that I found the worldbuilding to be confusing at times. There’s a lot of history/mythology to the world that I never felt I fully understood. This is partly because the truth of those myths is thrown into question throughout the course of the novel, but I never understood the stories enough to understand what was being subverted. On top of this, I had a hard time understanding the “contemporary” politics of the story, in terms of the clans, the mercenaries, the enemies, the exiles, and the other people that populate this world. I could never quite grasp how they all fit together.

Still, I was interested enough to read through the whole novel, and it delivered some cliffhangers at the end. Literally, there’s a cliff involved, though I suppose no one is truly hanging off of it. Except, perhaps, us readers, who are left with some big news in the novel’s final pages. Some of the reveals were anticipated. Others were not, and they definitely change the stakes for the story moving forward. I would be interested in a sequel, but I hope it’s just a sequel. It feels like a story that could be neatly tied up in a duology.

I recommend Beasts of the Frozen Sun for fans of YA fantasy, especially Viking/Norse-inspired and British Isles-inspired fantasy (I think those were the main influences). I also think fans of Leigh Bardugo’s first Grisha trilogy, Mary E. Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles, and Erika Johnson’s The Queen of the Tearling series.

4 stars

"The wolf must be kindhearted, and the deer must be brave."

In a world where warring gods manipulate humankind to carry out their wills, magic and mysticism cloak the land and sea, and clans battle for primacy, a spark of passion, and tears of treachery carried upon the wings of time descend through the ages. A girl in the clutches of a monster hidden beneath the skin of a man; a boy with eyes far older than his years; a mark binding them together forever. The boy, now a man, is left broken upon faraway shores after a deadly attack at sea, healed and protected by a woman with familiar violet hair and grass-green eyes. He is just a beast in the eyes of her people, and an omen of ill fortune that will bring the wrath of both the Dragonmen and the true gods upon them. Each has always been the other’s fate, but the monster has other plans. The gods have other plans. They must endure the onslaught, as enemies close in on all sides, to save her life, and his soul.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun is the first installment in the Frozen Sun Saga, and is an incredible Celtic and Norse-inspired tale of forbidden, undying love, and transformation. The saga of Lira and Reyker goes far beyond the realm of men and deep into the long-lost and often misunderstood myths of those who came before. Is this history repeating itself, or is divine intervention weaving the threads of their hearts and souls together? It’s a story that focuses on the corruption of power and battle of control, holding fast in the face of sorrow and suffering, and finding solace beyond the wall of the norm in the most unexpected places. It’s a beautifully stunning debut – one I wished would never end.

Criswell has brought to life a cast of magnificent characters, and although I usually discuss each individually, then explore their relationships, I feel as though I need to speak of Lira and Reyker as one. Theirs is one of the most genuine, organic romances I’ve ever read. While Reyker battles the black river, Lira struggles to find her purpose and destination. She calms his turbulent soul, and he bolsters her wavering resolve. The two balance each other perfectly, each specifically crafted to fill the void in the other. It’s really a pleasure to watch their relationship slowly unravel as they explore each other in mind, body, and spirit. In addition to our lovers, we’re presented with several antagonists throughout, including Torin, Madoc, and of course, Draki, warlord of the Dragonmen. Each so different, but when examined more closely, so alike in many ways. Touched by the gods, they’ve all had a taste of power, a power which pushes them to seek domination. Torin wants more, Madoc wants what’s due, and Draki wants Lira. All are willing to go any lengths to gain what they seek. And Reyker is willing to go any lengths to protect his love.

This book gets quite dark and graphically violent, pulling you into a world being realistically torn at the seams by war and deception. It has a very grimdark-esque flavor – hope seems to be an increasingly foreign notion as the characters are met with trials and tribulations at every turn. Death and the afterlife are recurring concepts, playing crucial roles in the links between the past and present, and Criswell does not shy away from presenting the grisly details associated with either. While I’ve seen this labeled YA, I feel that classification ends with the main characters falling within the 17-18-year-old age bracket. Personally, I’m a huge fan of dark fantasy, so this was a pleasant surprise. If I had to give one bit of criticism, it would be to give these poor souls a break…the instances of “out of the frying pan into the fire” began to feel a little too inevitable.

Criswell’s prose is striking, flowing exquisitely across the pages like a saga of old. From start to finish, I was dazzled by the world she constructed around me, full of enchanting forests, hungry and violent seas, and charming villages veiling terrible secrets. The pacing is perfect, slowing down when necessary, then speeding up to create such a sense of palpable urgency – the pages were practically flying by. The love emotional, the battles visceral, the mysteries awing. After turning the final page, I’m still finding it difficult to believe this is a debut, her craft is just superb.

The gorgeous cover of this book initially caught my eye, and I’m thrilled it aptly reflects the content within. A world shrouded in darkness, enemies approaching from the horizon, and the light of love the only hope remaining, Beasts of the Frozen Sun leaves us at a cliffhanger, and I’ve been left hungry for more. For lovers of myth and mystery, dark fantasy, and romance, this book is for you. I’m anxious and excited to see where Lira and Reyker are taken next. I highly recommend.

Note: A huge thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun is encapsulated within myth and mist and fire in a way which reminds of the classicality of authors such as Tamora Pierce. I adored the dichtomy of the men that featured within Lira's story, torn between the traditional (and perhaps toxic) male driven teachings, and striving towards understanding emotionally the plight of this young girl.

*ARC received from Netgalley in return for an honest review*

I have some very complicated feelings about this book. It took me quite a while to get fully invested in the book because I felt like there was too much going on while also not enough. Some pages would be packed full of plot and then others would be slow going over weeks worth of events. The pacing seemed to be the major key problem for me that sadly made this book a little forgettable. The world is the one thing that I will remember since the different gods and lands were interesting to me. Other than that, the characters are interchangeable and can be from any other fantasy setting. Still, I did finish the book and left with a content feeling so if one likes a good Fantasy world with some okay characters I would totally recommend this book.