Winter, White, and Wicked is one of those debuts that is equally captivating and gorgeously crafted. I was glued to the story and the characters and I was blown away by the beautiful prose.

This book took me by surprise. Winter, White, and Wicked was such a fun roller coaster ride of a story! It’s fast-paced and intriguing, brimming with exquisite writing and exceptional characters. It’s a story I couldn’t put down.

I was captivated and fascinated with the world building. Distemper has created a truly compelling world, and it’s a world that is not afraid to illustrate its harshness. It’s a world left in an eternal winter, and the people on this island are just as cold and deadly. The history behind the world and why it’s cursed was really fascinated and I felt that Dittemore executed it all really well. It’s easily a world that many will find unique.

The characters were by far amazing and beyond mysterious. Sylvi was an interesting main character and one I could easily connect with. I loved her relationship with Winter and I was eager to find out why an icy spirit was traveling with Sylvi. She’s a character that’s brave and determined but also cautious. She doesn’t want to take too many chances, but she also wants to save her friend. She has the help of the one and only Mars Dresden, who I absolutely loved. I loved his fierceness and loyalty and determination. I devoured almost all the scenes between Sylvi and Mars. I do wish there was a bit more romance (I’m a sucker for romance), but the storyline was still enjoyable without the romance aspect.

With how Winter, White, and Wicked ended, the author could easily travel back into this world with a sequel, which I would easily devour. Overall, I was very pleased with this debut and I’m looking forward to reading more from Dittemore.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher for TBR and Beyond Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Winter, White and Wicked

Author: Shannon Dittemore

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: fantasy, found family

Publication Date: October 13, 2020

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Pages: 384

Recommended Age: 16+ (drugs, smugglers, monsters)

Synopsis: Twice-orphaned Sylvi has chipped out a niche for herself on Layce, an island cursed by eternal winter. Alone in her truck, she takes comfort in two things: the solitude of the roads and the favor of Winter, an icy spirit who has protected her since she was a child.
Sylvi likes the road, where no one asks who her parents were or what she thinks of the rebels in the north. But when her best friend, Lenore, runs off with the rebels, Sylvi must make a haul too late in the season for a smuggler she wouldn’t normally work with, the infamous Mars Dresden. Alongside his team—Hyla, a giant warrior woman and Kyn, a boy with skin like stone—Sylvi will do whatever it takes to save her friend.
But when the time comes, she’ll have to choose: safety, anonymity, and the favor of Winter—or the future of the island that she calls home.

Review: I thought this was a good read. The book had excellent character development and the plot was great. The book is so creepy and it's perfect for the winter and mystery reads.

However, the writing in this book is bad. The book is wrote so weird that I had issue reading it and had to reread numerous chunks of the book. The book is super confusing and doesn't show the readers what is happening, only telling what is going on. The books characters also speak weirdly in this book and there's not a lot of world building.

Verdict: It’s good, but it was a hard read for me.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars

This was an interesting fast-paced fantasy that had some unique elements I haven't come across in the YA I've read. Since finishing the book I've waffled on my rating as there were parts I really enjoyed, but others that I wished had been much better developed. However, it was the ending that ultimately kicked it up to 3.5 stars for me and I'm very keen to see what happens in the sequel! Also, this cover is so gorgeous and I love it! 😍

CW/TW: torture, mentions of drug use and addiction, animal death, attempted rape of a child (flashback scene)

We follow Sylvi's perspective and honestly? I really struggled with her. Sylvi thrives in the independence that rig driving gives her and that was a unique element that surprised me. I loved that she was a rig driver and it's definitely something I've never seen in YA before. It takes a lot to be a successful young woman in a field that is solely dominated by men, and I admired her courage her solid abilities to so effortlessly handle a beast like the Dragon in such treacherous conditions. It was fantastic! That said, Sylvi is selfish and full of bitterness (so much of it!), rage and contempt that I had a lot of trouble understanding. Some of it is explained later and I understood it to an extent, but her contempt and need to rebel against those who tried to help her, just didn't make sense to me. She's flawed and I'm okay with flawed characters if their actions make sense, but I really struggled with Sylvi! She does experience growth by the end though, and although it's slow and at the same time, kind of abrupt, it was a relief to watch her accept the changes and finally arrive at the realisation that maybe she has been played.

We also get to learn a bit about the side characters: Mars, Kyn, and Hyla. Although they were at times baffling and frustrating (Mars especially) I did get attached to them. I loved how their stories and histories unfolded as the story went on. I felt their pain, anger, frustration and I was 100% rooting for the rebels by the end! I'm really keen to see how their characters will further develop. Another character we learn a lot about is Winter. She was a unique element to the story and I really liked how Dittemore breathed life into her character. Winter is a malevolent spirit that has turned the island of Layce into a snow-covered frozen "wonderland" out of jealousy and loneliness. She was definitely an interesting entity and nemesis and a well-formed character overall. There was no doubting her wickedness, but there were times I also pitied her because I understand how consuming loneliness can be.

While I didn't think the writing was bad, the main issue I struggled with was the world-building. The introduction to various elements of the world, the magic, and the histories and mythology felt very patchy; you would only get very small bits and pieces at a time and it made it difficult to form a cohesive understanding of the world. I'm still not 100% sure how the magic really works and I also don't really have much of a clue about who the Majority are. From what I gather they're the ruling class and biggest threat aside from Winter, but where did they come from? Why are they so powerful? How come Winter doesn't control them? I kept hoping that things would be further explained, and while I did understand some things better by the end, I still wished it was done better.

3.5/5 stars

I decided not to continue reading this after the 3-quarter mark. Funny I should drop a book when I'm already so far in, it's just that I'd already felt like stopping much earlier and simply wanted to give the story more chances. It's not a bad book, I just felt bored by the events happening, especially the history lessons on the mythology. I did enjoy some of the scenes while they were on the road though. Another reason why I decided to quit was because of the annoying MC. At one point she did an incredibly irritating thing that I, personally, wouldn't be so quick to forgive(unlike some of the characters in the story). Mind you, she's already made many small annoying actions up to then. Let it be known that I'm not against having unrelatable or flawed characters, they're just not for me as I read books mainly for enjoyment. So, if I was not enjoying it, why was I even pushing myself through it, right?

Anyway, it's got quite an original premise but didn't have the best execution. Not only did I care less about the history lessons, I couldn't keep up with it either. It got confusing and ended up going in a cliche direction(from the spoilers I read in other reviews). I think this story can very easily get lost amongst all the other books out there, so only a select few would enjoy this immensely.

My goodness gracious I needed this type of book and Shannon Dittemore delivered with Winter, White and Wicked.

First, let me say CONGRATULATIONS to your book birthday Winter, White and Wicked! You are now out in the world and ready for consumption.

Review Time!

First of all, I love the premise of this story. The whole trucker/dystopian vibe is not something usually done and it was just amazing here. Not only that, but the world building for the history of this island was unique. The author built a gritty but magical world, that wasn’t forgiving and full of people that learned to survive.

Second, THE CHARACTERS. Oh my goodness, we know I love good side characters and we are bursting at the seams here! The main character is also fantastic, shout out to Sylvi, but I’m team Kyn. Also, let’s take a moment to appreciate Hyla, as she’s the real MVP of this book. As you know, that’s my opinion, but feel free to read the book and argue with me. #FightMe

I do have a favorite quote from the book and will share it with you all.
“Yesterday does matter.’ The thought is a dangerous one, the words mutinous on my tongue. “Understanding what happened, it’s how we’re going to save tomorrow.” (Heavy but so good)

Lastly, the writing on this one was gripping. The reader is in it for the long haul (PUN INTENDED), and kept chugging along with every action packed moment. I would recommend this to anyone that is feeling daring, adventurous, or just the need for speed and action.

I will say based on that ending, I hope we have a book two in the works. If it ends there I will be…forever guessing.

Overall Summary:

Overall Rating: 4 Stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Character Development: 4 Stars
Dialogue: 4 Stars
Writing: 4 Stars
HAPPY READING~~
Ash <3

~I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.~

I loved this book so much! I was apprehensive going into it because I love Frozen, but I don't know that much about trucking and I've never seen any Mad Max movies. Was I only going to like half the book? Nope, I liked the whole thing. Sylvi is the main character, and she is real and flawed and wants to protect the people she loves at all costs. She is favored by the spirit Winter, who has control over the whole island. Sylvi spends the frozen months driving runs around the island for a living, which is the safest time to go since the ice creates the only roads on the island. She likes being alone best, but she's forced to work with three other very different people in order to get her sister/best friend back. Along the way, Sylvi's journey of self-discovery is profound and definitely what I enjoyed most. Seeing where she started and where she ended was very rewarding as a reader. A close second was getting to know Mars, Kyndel, and Hyla, the other most prominent characters, and seeing how the author developed the invisible yet very present character of Winter. Winter, White and Wicked is a standalone from what I gather, but I could easily enjoy another story that continues Sylvi's journey. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a good YA adventure. There's something for everyone.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: If you are someone who buys YA, this needs to be part of your collection. I usually favor series over standalones, but I already know I will reread this one in the future. Plus, the cover is extremely shiny and beautiful. If you mostly borrow, then go for it. But don't bypass this one! The writing is wonderful, and you are sure to fall in love with it, the characters, and the world.

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

This was a hard book for me to rate because I struggled a bit in the beginning. I had trouble getting into the story, and I was very confused about the world, and I didn't really care much about the characters (and one just pissed me off a lot when I was reading, although I do think that was the point). But once I got into it and more of the world was explained, I started to enjoy it a lot more.

Once I understood more of the world, and the history of it, I found it to be really fascinating, and I did grow to care more about the characters, which is also good. There were twists and turns that I didn't expect, and the ending has me interested in a sequel. Overall, I think this was a really unique fantasy and I would recommend it to people who enjoy YA fantasy.

Take Grisha or Mistborn, mix it with Snowpiercer or Mad Max and sprinkle more YA vibes and you'll get Winter, White and Wicked. In this book, Winter is not a season, but a conscious being that can grant one magical powers. It's also infinitely dangerous. What could possibly go wrong?
⁠
The book follows Sylvi, who lives on Layce, an island cursed by eternal winter. Alone in her truck, she takes comfort in two things: the solitude of the roads and the favor of Winter, an icy spirit who has protected her since she was a child. When her best friend, Lenore, runs off turns to the infamous smuggler Mars for help. There, she meets a whole team of misfits.⁠
⁠
⁠The book comes to an unexpected climax, which is a big plus. Other things I enjoyed included the main character, who was not the perfect YA protagonist you'd expect, but a girl that some considered selfish, the personalization of a season, and the way magic entailed some consequences. I'm also a sucker for trucker stories, as my grandfather used to be a trucked. But he drove in a completely different climate (Libya isn't exactly cold).

Otherwise, it's not exactly my cup of tea. If you enjoy large casts, embarking on quests and convoluted magic and political/social systems, it's definitely up your alley.

It was a decent book. I wasn't super wow-ed but I liked it. I think it had a solid overall plot and the characters were good. Average read for an above-average premise. Not much stands out to say more.

Winter White and Wicked is the perfect blend of current day technology and magic. I love the way Shannon Dittemore was able to recreate the dark whimsy of classic fairytales and mix it with something brand new. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

"Kyn's eyes are wine and rage. They're passion and loss. They're flame, the embers of a fire that could die as easily as catch."

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book by the beautiful cover, and I immediately requested it. The premise was really interesting and different from other YA fantasy.

The malicious spirit of Winter has cursed the island of Layce, and yet, she favours Sylvi, who has heard her voice since she was a child. As a rig driver, Sylvi likes the solitude of her truck and is in no way interested in joining the rebellion. However, when her best friend, Lenore, signs up to their cause, Sylvi knows she must find her and bring her home. This leads to the acceptance of a job from the notorious rebel smuggler, Mars Dresden. She must transport him, his companions and his haul across Winter's treacherous mountains, despite the late season and the risks involved.

I really enjoyed Sylvi's development throughout the book. She was fierce, intelligent and has grown up hearing Winter. I also really liked Kyn's personality and I thought him and Sylvi complimented each other perfectly. The novel was very character driven, and I was invested in everyone's story. The romance was slow and believable, and there was plenty of action throughout. The world-building was also well-done and I liked the contrasting versions of the same creation myth.

However, only small snippets of world-building and history are released as you read on. By the end, I fully understood this beautiful, fantasy setting, but during, I was left confused and lost. The pacing also varied, with some sections being really gripping and other chapters being slow and lengthy. Overall, the book was enjoyable and I would recommend curling up in front of a fire and reading it.

Sylvi drives the frozen tundra, alone except for Winter, the spirit who grants her protection on the icy, lonely island of Layce. It is a harsh existence, and Sylvi's parents, first her birth parents, then her adopted parents, have both perished. Although Sylvi's friend Lenore is still alive, she no longer travels with Sylvi, and has joined the rebel cause in Northern Layce. Sylvi isn't concerned with who's on top, so long as she's left to her own devices, but then smuggler Mars Dresden offers her a job to support the rebellion, and Sylvi decides to make the drive. Along the way, Sylvi must come to grips with the nature of her solitude, the reality of her relationship with Winter, and what it means to be human in a world where spring never comes, and the people in it are almost as cold as the island itself.

What an action-packed, gritty tale of survival this was! Sylvi and Winter have a peculiar relationship at the onset, and this story doesn't waste much time on early exposition, favoring instead a tempo and feeling of danger on an island that'll just as soon bury you as allow you to survive. Mars and his group aren't Sylvi's favorite at first, but they are tough and much like the family Sylvi wishes was still alive. I really enjoyed how Sylvi and Kyn become closer over time. Of course, with how dark this story's premise is, there are twists and turns that will churn your stomach and make you yell at the pages, and the worldbuilding will encircle you like a cold winter storm. Assumptions are frequently challenged throughout the story, and Sylvi learns a lot about herself and how she wants to live before the last page turns. Winter, White and Wicked is as sharp and dangerous as a glistening icicle, and also beautiful in its crystalline perspective of a world hardened by the winds of Winter. Get your parka out for this one, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

This was a 3.5 star rating to me. Not 3. It was better than a 3, but didn't leave me with the sense of enjoyment that I would bump it to 4Stars.

Ok, now to the review. Sylvi is content with her life as a rig driver on an island cursed to an eternal winter. She revels in her solitude and her connection to a wintery spirit named Winter, who she's had a connection with since she was a child. When her best friend runs off with the rebels, Sylvi makes a deal with a shifty rebel leader to use her rig to haul a load across a treacherous pass. She's soon confronted with the darker side of Winter as secrets come to life about her island's history as well as her own. Sylvi is now faced with a choice: to go back to the anonymity of her old life or to step up and claim her newfound birthright.

Winter, White and Wicked was hard for me to get into at first. Part of it is the slow pacing at the beginning of the novel, but I just had trouble adjusting to a fantasy with big rigs in them. It was an interesting mix. But I did get over that, and the book does pick up in terms of action and plot lines. I will say that the fantasy world of Winter, White and Wicked is really really unique, unlike anything I've ever read before. I also was fascinated and pulled into the lore of Sylvi's lost heritage and how Winter came under her control, and the history of how the island was cursed to eternal winter. The world-building, once it gets going and the big reveals happen, is probably the strongest part of this novel. It was just the pacing issues and the facts that the characters had some annoying little moments that caused me not to connect with this book as I normally would, but it was still really good. Winter White and Wicked is a story about the choice we all face to run from our problems or to face them head-on, a story with lots of action that fans of Frozen and Mad Max will enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy!

Okay first... Lets give this book cover some love!!!! I loved this story so much. It gave me all feels I was looking for. I was so excited to see when I got approved! This plot and story were done great and so easy to follow. The characters were written very well!

I highly recommend this read!

“That’s how I first heard Winter. Her words fell lightly into my head as I lay there, soft and enchanting like the snow gathering just outside on the ground.”

Ms. Dittemore has created a solely unique and complex world in Winter, White and Wicked; one that is quite unlike any I’ve read before. The synopsis says it’s Mad Max: Fury Road meet Frozen but it’s really so much more. The island of Layce has been cursed by the spirit Winter, a cunning spirit who has manipulated and beguiled her way into an eternal winter. It’s a brutal world full of the magical dust Kol – deadly and crazy-making to most, Winter-made abominations that will tear you limb from limb and a ruling Majority that keeps the people down.
Sylvi is the main character and favored by the spirit Winter. Winter speaks often to Sylvi and has since she was a child, has even saved her from a vicious attack but does Winter really care about Sylvi or are there more wicked reasons for her favor at heart? Sylvi is well-known for her truck driving skills and would rather be off running her truck, the Dragon, in solitude than anywhere else. She doesn’t know who her parents are but was taken in by a man and his granddaughter, Lenore (Leni), after she was found in the woods by Leni. This is the only family she knows. When Leni decides to run off and join the Rebels fighting the Majority, Sylvi makes the choice to team up with a notorious smuggler, Mars Dresden and his team to make the treacherous trip to save Leni.

WWaW is non-stop, high-octane action in a world full of danger! I loved how the general feelings of mistrust eventually grew in to something more between some of the characters. This is one of my favorite tropes! Also, this is a strongly character driven plot, another favorite! Every character is well-developed and emotive, I am invested in them all and I know there has to be a sequel because the ending just left me wanting more. More of the characters, more of this world, more of the story!

I highly recommend this if you enjoy unique fantasy with dystopian elements!

The title and cover of this book caught my attention, and then when I read the description, "Mad Max meets Frozen" I was doubly intrigued.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one, but Shannon Dittemore has created a dark fantasy wonderland full of imaginative lore and icy scenery. The entire book was action-packed and the main character Sylvi is one of those characters that sticks with you for a long time after you've read the book.

Winter White & Wicked takes the YA trope of going on a journey or quest to save the world, & twists it into something fresh & original, using nothing but an ice-rig & a badass driver! I absolutely loved travelling through this wintery world in the warm cab of Sylvi’s Dragon, especially when facing danger over & over again, & the author did a fantastic job of telling a great story whilst mostly confined to a very small setting. I also loved the bitterness of the magic in this world & the brutal history uncovered throughout the book. I never wanted to put my kindle down whilst reading this story & I could have continued travelling with Sylvi & company for days & days. I’m so excited about this series because it feels so fresh & mysterious, & I cannot wait for more people to get caught up in Winter’s magic!

⚠️ This book contains addition, violence, torture, murder, kidnap, gun use, fighting/killing animals (wolves), a form of slavery & death of family members. There is also one scene including, & a few passages describing of the memory of, an attempted rape of a child, which her guardian allows. ⚠️

I rounded up, but my review sits at 3.75 .// 5

This one is hard to put into words because there was a lot about this book I liked, but there was also a lot that I didn't like. I enjoyed the magic system and history of this world, especially with the Winter entity. I thought the history was portrayed well and we get a good idea of how the different cultures view their creation. I liked how the characters had different interpretations of the events that happened in the past and the ones happening in front of them. It added depth to our story besides "Winter is an evil spirit" and "Winter is a blessed one".

What I didn't like so much was all the information about trucks/cars/rigs that I had no idea what was going on. The premise is that she's hauling something across the country to the rebels as her best friend left her to go be with them. The second the book started talking about the rig or anything related to her rig, I was absolutely lost. I know nothing about it and I got a little bored reading these scenes because besides crashing into something, I had no idea what was going on.

Besides my ignorance to transportation, the fantasy element was really cool and I'm interested in what happens next! I think this could be a really cool fantasy series, but I want to see more moments of our characters fighting Winter rather than being used/using her.

Either way, I like this book and I think even with my ignorance to how a rig works - this was a solid fantasy book. I can't wait for the next one!

Three Stars: Good book, may read again

This is the first book by Shannon Dittemore I've read. When I learned that it had to do with semi trucks and a frozen fantasy world, I knew that it sounds like a book I'd enjoy.
I didn't end up enjoying Winter, White, and Wicked as much as I had hoped to, but it still was a good book. I'm also trying to keep the fact that I read an e-copy of it, and I don't read e-books as well as paperbacks. I just don't get into the story as much.

What I Liked:
First off, the world building in this novel is super extensive. The world feels larger than the book, which is great. You know that there is so much more of Layce to explore. Dittemore also has fleshed-out history and mythology fo the world, which she also ties skillfully into the plot, making them not just cool tidbits. There are also a number of different fantasy races, which was cool. I haven't really read of a race like the Shiv before, so that was neat.
I also really loved the trucking elements. I have a soft spot for semi trucks because of family ties, so I loved seeing trucking in a story. I do wish that I had been a little more prevalent, but that's probably just a me thing.

What I Didn't Like So Much:
I have to admit, I was really, really surprised by the amount of language in this story. Most of the time, Christian authors don't write swearing, or will just do in-world swearing. Winter, White, and Wicked has both real and in-world swearing. I think there was about ten instances of swearing. There is also a in-world swear word that felt uncomfortably like a real, strong swear word, and poped up a number of times throughout the book.
There were also a few instances of crude humor that didn't seem exactly necessary. Another thing for those who might care, Sylvi was raised by a prosititue, and a few things about her are mentioned.
I did find it a little hard to stay in the story, but that might have been because I was reading an e-copy. As I mentioned at the beginning, I have a really hard time getting sucked into e-books, so that was probably due to the edition I was reading of Winter, White, and Wicked.
The ending also felt a little too open. I know that Dittemore left it open on purpose, but I felt like the ending came too soon and there were a few more things that still should have been tied up. That too, though, could be because I read an e-copy, and you don't know exactly how many pages are left like you do when reading a paperback. So I may have not been aware that the ending was coming, if that makes sense.

TRIGGER WARNING:
There is a chapter involving assault. It is a hard scene to read. (I'm trying to write without spoilers here, so sorry if these sentences feel clunky). The adult who sees it does nothing about it, which is heartbreaking. The assault is stopped though by someone else.
Dittemore handles the scene carefully, but it did feel harder to read than some other books I've read that also have a brief assault in them.

Overall Thoughts:
Winter, White, and Wicked is original from other books I've read. The worldbuilding is fantastic. I loved the trucking element. The cover is beautiful.
However, there were some things I could have done without. If someone asks me about Winter, White, and Wicked, I will probably tell them that it feels very much like a regular, mainstream YA book, and you wouldn't know that it was written by a Christian author.
Will I read it again? Probably. Will I read it again often? Probably not. Would I recommend it to someone? It's not on my top recommendations list, but if someone asks me about it, I'll tell that that it's a fine read but also give them a few caveats.

This book started out as one I was dying to read. But sadly upon starting it I couldn’t get into it. The story was too abrupt and confusing and the world building was oddly done. The characters weren’t developed well enough for me to grasp them either. I’m sad to say that this story wasn’t one for me.