I. Am. Broken.

I sincerely hope that Reyker and Lira will have the happy ending that they deserve. Thinking that the person you love most in the world is disastrous and their story is one so full of passion, it was only fitting that the universe (a.k.a. Draki) will do everything is their power to keep them apart...

But this ending? I am crying all the tears.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Initial Thoughts
I was excited to dive into this book. I actually waited a while to read it because I wanted to have the third book in hand when I read (in case of a cliffhanger).

Some Things I Liked
Alternating POVs. Lira and Rekkar are not together for a large portion of the story so their different POVs made the world feel that much bigger. I loved that they each told parts of the same story and often didn't realize then their storylines were converging.
Romance. I also really loved the way the romance developed in this story. Lira and Rekkar knew they were in love but they also had things to do. Their love fueled them on their respective journeys but I loved their scenes when they were together.

One Thing I Wasn't Crazy About
The writing is heavy with names and terminology that made it a tiny bit hard for me to keep up with. The world building is quite dense and for a sequel, I felt like I still don't fully understand everything. I guess my criticism is that the world it a bit too dense.

Series Value
I'd definitely keep reading. But, I can't say how soon. I do want to find out what happens but this isn't a "drop everything to read more" series for me. I could easily not pick up book 3 for a while and be ok.

Final Thoughts
This book wasn't as good as the first in this series but I have high hopes for the third book. I will keep reading and I'd definitely read more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unfortunately I read this book without reading book one first, but overall I enjoyed it. I appreciate that the author did a mini recap at the beginning of this book so I felt like I had a good grasp on what happened in book one, and confidently kept reading. It was so wonderful how the author wove together the world circumstances alongside the love of two people - providing a wonderful example of the lengths they will go for love.

4 stars

What I Liked

An extremely well written fantasy with dynamic characters and an intricate plot. This series has depth to it and the world is very intriguing. The last 80% of this book really hooked me.

What I did not like

There are some lulls in the storyline, but overall this is building up to be a really great series.

In Conclusion
I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed book 1 and I would recommend this series to fantasy lovers of all kinds.

Picking up a few days after the first installment, both Lira and Reyker believe the other is dead, Reyker at the hands of mercenaries and Lira with her leap off the cliff in an effort to escape Draki. Both find themselves at a crossroads with threads of their destiny laid before them. However, without their other half, the two fight against these paths, aiming to chart their own way. As events in Glasnith unfold, both Reyker and Lira find themselves headed to Iseneld. But remember, Draki, the Dragon, is never far behind.

Jill Criswell expands on Beasts of the Frozen Sun by continuing the world building established in the first novel by allowing the reader to explore Stalwart Bay and eventually make their way with Reyker and Lira to Iseneld. And the land of Iseneld is not one to be trifled with as it seems to be built with the harsh, but beautiful, landscape of Iceland in mind, featuring everything from fields of flowers to harsh glaciers full of crevasses that can swallow an army whole. The settlements in Iseneld were no less fascinating as Fjullthorp, Dragon’s Lair, and Vaknavangur are explored along with the various peoples that live there. As the novel ends with various characters striking out toward The Haunted Isles, the world continues expanding in meaningful and important ways.

Kingdom of Ice and Bone also introduces several new characters, including Andrithur, Solvei, Brokk, Hilde, and several new Daughters of Aillira, most notably Alane, Keeva, and Bronagh. These characters help flesh out the cast of faces in Iseneld and allow the reader to feel as though they have entered another land. However, most of the focus remains on the main cast of Lira, Reyker, and Draki. As a reader, I particularly appreciated that Draki’s story is provided space in this novel. Draki was certainly a threat in Beasts of the Frozen Sun but a relatively unknown one, at least for the audience. In Kingdom of Ice and Bone, the reader is able to see what Draki means to those who serve him as well as the surrounding settlements in Iseneld. Despite a more in-depth view of Draki, the fact that he is a villain is never far, for the manipulative nature of Draki is front and center as he continues to move people around as if they are pieces on a gameboard.

And it wouldn’t be fair to discuss Kingdom of Ice and Bone without mentioning the bond that Lira and Reyker share. Beasts of the Frozen Sun set up a romantic partnership that was easy to root for. It was clear from the start of Kingdom of Ice and Bone that this would remain true. Criswell uses the plot beautifully to act as an authorial fate who continually puts Lira and Reyker in the same physical space without the characters realizing that their other half is still alive. As a reader, I know this is what kept me flipping pages long into the night since I kept hoping they would see one another or that a character they had both interacted with would drop their names so that they would recognize the truth. And while young adult novels often focus too much on the romance aspect, the love story here feels earned, particularly since Kingdom of Ice and Bone really leans into action and adventure with another hardship right around the corner. This novel was definitely darker, particularly with the choices made by Lira and Reyker at the conclusion of the novel.

As a whole, this was brilliant, heartbreaking, and all around amazing, even with the bleaker turn for both the characters and plot. Will I be tuning in for the final installment in the trilogy? I sure will!

This one wasn’t bad at all, and I definitely felt like the authors writing had improved since book one. I’m just a huge romance fan, and was frustrated at how the characters spent most of the book apart when they got SO CLOSE SO MANY TIMES!!

I did enjoy this book (and love the magic system), but because of personal preferences in storylines it’s a 3 stars for me (still a good rating, just not perfect). But I think there’s a lot of people that would love this with their whole hearts - definitely a personal thing!!

I didn't love this book quite as much as the first book but it was still great! The romance was heart-wrenching and the battles were brutal! My main complaint is not having enough of Reyker. I will definitely be reading the 3rd book when it comes out!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

The Beasts of the Frozen Sun and The Kingdom of Ice and Bone by @authorjillcriswell

This is the perfect read for fans of Sky in the Deep and the Sewenwaters trilogy.
This amazing adult fantasy follows the story of Lira, a god-gifted girl with the power to read people’s soul and Reyker, the Beast, the ruthless soldier of the Dragon.
When Reyker washes ashore as the sole survivor of his ship, Lira, daughter of the clan leader, saves his life instead of turning him in. They form a bond and their journey to stop the rule of Dragon begin. This is a dark tale where the past and present, humans, gods and the in between intertwines.

The worldbuilding, the mythology and the different cultures depicted are captivating. I find a likeness to celtic/viking lores. The writing style allows for a fast and easy reading experience. Everything is detailed enough but not overly depictive.
Be prepared for some sleepless nights and major cliffhangers when reading these books. The story is full of action, but if you don’t fancy gore and brutality, it might not be your cup of tea.
One of the reasons why I only gave 4 stars is that while the story is action packed, it feels a bit like running in a hamster wheel. A lot of things happen, yet the characters don’t really gain that much ground.
The second reason is the lack of strong and likeable side characters in the story.
Regardless of the latter I just can not wait for the next book. I had a hard time doing anything productive before I got to the end of each book, it was that addictive. Also this is the kind of book where I have absolutely no idea if we’ll get a happy ending or not. The suspense...

Thank you for @netgalley for giving me the chance to read Kingdom of Ice and Bone in exchange for my honest review.

This review contains spoilers for Beasts of the Frozen Sun!


In this installment we rejoin Lira and Reyker in the war against the Dragon. Both believe the other to have died and are fighting with everything they can muster. They both are changed irrevocably from book 1.

It took me a bit to get into this book for some reason, but once I did I could not put it down! This was a hell of a ride and I cannot wait for Book 3 to come out!

This book was really enjoyable! I loved the pace of this, and I loved the plot. It was a bit predictable for me, however. Also: can we talk about Reyker? Oh my gosh I love him.

I was absolutely enraptured by this book. It only took me a few pages to be invested in the story and from that point forward I read every chance I could. Jill Criswell's storytelling ability was such a pleasure to read. She wrote the characters beautifully and with a delicate complexity. Every character was filled with a sense of good and evil and a desire for love. These characters are what brought the story to life.

Another part of Kingdom of Ice and Bone that I loved was the unique world-building and ties to some mythological aspects. Iseneld, where Reyker is from and Lira ends up, was such a beautiful and complex place. There were seers, Gods of all kinds, and skrikflaks (giant rams with ancient powers). The world-building was so well put together that nothing seemed to stand out in a way that was jarring or unexpected, but rather in a way that made sense and was appealing.

Kingdom of Ice and Bone is a tale of adventure, duty, and the power of love. The ending tore me apart but it was so worth it to have traveled with Lira and Reyker until that point.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.

Let's start with the things I enjoyed. I really liked that we got to see more of the world, especially the land of the Frozen Sun. There has been a lot of talk about this land so it was nice to spend some time there. We got to see more of the gods in this one as well. With more of the gods came a better understanding of the magic Lira wields, as well as the Dragon's magic.

Here are some thoughts that I had throughout reading this:
"Ok, so that was painful"
"Gah! Maybe they'll catch each other next time."
"REALLY?!?! Again??!"
"OMG y'all are blind"
"That was even more painful!"
<screams in pain into the void>

Seriously though, the amount of turmoil in this book is just unreal. Lira and Reyker spend the entire book, minus maybe 10 pages, just circling each other and assuming the other is dead. At one point they are in the same town, and same battle and STILL miss each other. Then things happen, and we end up in the land of the Frozen Sun, home to Reyker and the Dragon. As you can guess from the above reactions, more tension and painful things happen. Then the end comes and you're just praying for a glimmer, just a SLIVER OF HOPE....do you get it? No you do not! The ending takes your bruised and battered heart and just rips it clean to shreds! I would have thrown this across the room, but it's an ebook on my phone..so I was left screaming at everyone. I'm also afraid there may be a love triangle (or square) on the horizon. Normally.even with emotional pain, I would probably rate this highly, however this honestly felt almost excessive. There could have been plenty of tension even with Reyker and Lira being somewhat together. I am conflicted. 3.5 maybe??

Kingdom of Frozen Sun is the second book in the Frozen Sun saga. This sequel was exciting yet frustrating as hell. The romance was heart wrenching. The author took star crossed lovers to another level. Nonetheless, I really had great time reading it. So many aspects were explained in depth in this sequel such as the characters backstories, the world, and the magic. So you'll not find much action, but you're still going to love it.

After the events in the first book, Lira and Reykar find themselves on the opposite sides. They're both unaware of each other still being alive and tries to mourn for their loss. Alongside her exiled brother and his band of refugees, Lira fights with the forces that conquered her island. On the other side, Reykar once again becomes the dragonman and he must feign loyalty to the warlord aka the draki. While fighting the battle madness, he tries to help Lira's people by joining with the renegade soldiers. When both of their paths collide, they desperately try to find a way back to each other.

Lira grows more mature and powerful in this book. Even though she's heart broken, she still stood strong and helped her people to fight against the Draki. Reykar is complex, and very intriguing. Even after getting captured by the dragon. He's not given up hope and tries his best to defeat his brother. The character development of both of these characters were well done. The romance was emotional and heart wrenching. There're so many obstacles between the main characters. The ending left me sad. Draki was an interesting addition to the plot. He's kind of a morally grey type of character and an interesting villain. Even though he's a bit dark and twisted, I really enjoyed his backstory. The secondary characters were also pretty good.

The plot was engaging throughout! The pace was perfect, and things get pretty intense in the last part. FYI Lira and Reykar doesn't meet until the end of the book, and it killed me especially at the near miss scenes. There are so many surprising plot twists, and they kept me hooked till the end. The writing was pretty good. The story was shifted between Reykar and Lira's POV. The world building was amazing. The book was set in Iseneld, Reykar's hometown. I enjoyed the Icy landscape, the magic and the myth about the Fallen Gods.

Overall, It was a great read! Even though I was a little bit disappointed with the bittersweet ending, I can't wait to know how the story unfolds in the next book.

After the train wreck of book one. I am not sure how I got this one. BUT!! I am so glad we did!! Because I dived right in thinking that I was going to hate it. But I was happily surprised to find out that where book one was jumping all over the place and felt more like an adult fantasy this one was so much better. The writing felt more fleshed out and the story felt like it was well on its way. If you got through book one with a sad heart this one will blow you away! I hope we get more!

This was such a hard good book. I spent most of it reading furiously and trying not to throw my kindle across the room. The ending of it killed me and I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lira and Reyker are separated, each believing the other to be dead. But they are determined to complete their missions: to defeat Draki and save their homelands. Reyker could not save Lira, but he is determined to honour her memory by protecting her people by doing the one thing he never thought he’d do – return to being a Dragonman. Lira on the other hand, takes a different path. Imbued with the power of the Fallen Gods, she accepts the chance they offer her to take down Draki and sets off on a journey that takes her to Iseneld. Though they don’t know it, Lira and Reyker’s paths are destined to cross once more, but the cost of defeating Draki will be higher than either of them have imagined.

I really like that the mythology of this world continues to play such a large part in this story because honestly, that was the more interesting part for me. Much of this book takes place in Reyker’s homeland, Iseneld and it was nice to get a glimpse into the country, its people and their ways. There weren’t as many action scenes in this book and much of it was centred around the magic of the Fallen Gods, their goals to free themselves from their imprisonment. Lira’s experiences combined with the magic from the Fallen Gods has changed her a lot, and this is evident in her character growth which was very well done. Reyker on the other hand, while as central to the plot, just felt pushed to the background in contrast, because all the interesting stuff was happening in Lira’s arc.

While the pacing and presentation is much better than the first book, it would have been nice to see more of Lira and Reyker than the number of near misses they kept having, not knowing that the other is so close, or indeed, even alive. I actually missed their scenes, considering how interesting their dynamic has been so far. Considering the number of dreams Lira keeps having though, I thought she should have figured it out much earlier. Draki’s backstory was an unexpected addition, but it makes him a very interesting villain, now that we know his motivations. A villain with depth is a pretty rare thing and makes the story that much better.

The ending kind of ruined things for me though. Memory loss is a trope I’m not too fond of. As I said with the ending of the first book, hopefully this is resolved quickly in the story going forward, as I find it to be rather frustrating, but I can’t really complain about a cliffhanger. I think the author did a good job of avoiding the second book syndrome and kept the story interesting. This was a definite improvement on book one and I’m looking forward to reading the finale in this series.

Kingdom of Ice & Bone was a much anticipated sequel for me. I adored Beasts of The Frozen Sun. Unfortunately I did not fall in love with Kingdom of Ice & Bone. I appreciated the romance that continued because I loved that in the first book. Reyker and Lira continue to be strong willed, badass characters that kept me turning the pages. There was action, there was excitement... But there was way too much politics. It took away from the entire book for me. I loved the idea behind this book and it just unfortunately fell short because of the politics. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest. I’m really pissed at this book. A CLIFFHANGER! This book just made me mad. It was full of gut wrenching heartache. I wish I had never read it. It just felt like the whole of all the Game Of Thrones series in a book. Draki is the Night King basically. There were too many similarities. It kept me in its thrall but I wish I had never read it.

Kingdom of Ice & Bone is the follow-up to Beasts of the Frozen Sun, which I liked way more than anticipated. Lira was a headstrong character, the worldbuilding was fascinating and the historical influence was one not used too often.

Unfortunately, Kingdom of Ice & Bone didn't work for me.
I don't usually need much to be happy about a book. The first one had a lot of it: gods being dicks, people getting murdered, magic, all that good stuff! And I really liked Lira and Reyker, even when I usually can't see the appeal in the "romances" that get forced in YA and NA novels. It's just a whole ass genre I do not care about.
The romance was still as strong in this one as it was in the first book, even when Lira and Reyker think the other's dead for a big part of the book.
Lira's powers get stronger and she turns into a very morally-grey character and I was here! for! it!
We also got to meet new characters (Alane, for example, who I adore and really hope gets to become the bamf I know she can be!)

What killed my joy was the politics.
I don't have the patience to deal with political intrigue and subtlety.
Action? Absolutely.
A few pages taking place in a royal court? Sure.
A book that's 80% of political intrigue? Absolutely not.

But, if you enjoy, say, And I Darken for example, this book might be the thing for you! Morally grey-ish characters, trauma, murdering, political intrigue, this book has it all! It just really didn't work for me!


@Blackstone and Netgalley: Thank you guys for this ARC!

(Could have spoilers for book 1)
This is the 2nd book in the Frozen Sun Saga.,

I loved this book and am loving this series! Picking up where Beasts of the Frozen Sun left off, we think we get some answers to the questions: Did Reyker and Lira survive? Are they together? Will they get their happily-ever-after? Things are never as they seem, are they? (It's what makes a story great!)

I have come to hate Draki. His manipulative, self-serving torture is almost too much to bear at times. He is the perfect villain. He's relentless, treacherous, and evil. I don't know of any other character that I've ever wanted to see get what's coming to him more. Then, guess what. That villainous armor slips for half a second. No! I don't want to care about this guy. Oh, but there it is.

The love story between Reyker and Lira is becoming one of my favorites. They are up against impossible odds and each does the unthinkable for the other. The sacrifices they make in order to maybe, one day, be given a chance at love together make me shake my head in disbelief. But, that is what love does to us, isn't it?

The battle scenes are intense. The world-building is fantastic. The characters have become real with their flaws, faith, beauty, and their ugliness.

The only complaint I would have (and it's a very small one) is that this seems to be a damsel-in-distress story with the woman waiting to be saved by her conquering hero. I'm not opposed to this trope as long as the damsel isn't a powerless little mouse that can't do anything for herself. So far, Lira is not that kind of character. I hope this continues in the next book.

Speaking of book 3, I need it now! I gave this book 5 stars and would highly recommend it to any fan of fantasy.