This is the story about how Ana and Elsa's parents met and fell in love. It is a sweet tale of young Iduna learning how to fit into a place that fears and hates her people and herself if they knew who she was. It is also the story of how Agnarr basically becomes king at a very young age after losing his father.

They both have to fight against some traditions that have affected how people treat them and what they will allow the pair to do. Iduna's character is feisty and loyal and makes you want her to win at everything she does (although that would be boring.) It was really nice to see some of the backstory the a Disney story that has become so beloved. We also get to see several nods to the original story that just make you want a warm hug.

This book was amazing. I read it in one afternoon. It’s YA but is amazing for adults too. It was such a fun read and really makes the reader love the characters. The characters are great and the story is told in such a wonderful way. 5/5⭐️

This was such a fun read. I love when we get stories that fill in the gaps of some of our favorite movies and books. This is an awesome companion to the move Frozen 2, as it tells the story of Elsa and Anna’s parents when they first met and their lives together. The story is fun and further fleshes out these characters, making Iduna a smart and creative inventor and Agnarr a fun-loving and loyal future king. When a rogue group threaten the livelihoods of the people of Arendelle, Agnarr has to come into his leadership fast. This book is an easy read for anyone who enjoys the world of Frozen. It goes further in depth into the spirits of the elements and how Elsa’s story came to be. My only nitpick is that the time jumps can be confusing at first. Other than that, this story was really fun!

*uncorrected proof provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

A tame but mature and appropriate romance story. The romance was fantastically done and fit well into the existing canon.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr

Author: Mari Mancusi

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: In the movie it’s clear that Iduna is clearly meant to represent a native culture, but it’s not really mentioned or really described in this book.

Recommended For...: fantasy, Frozen, Disney, romance

Publication Date: November 3, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (romance, slight violence)

Publisher: Disney Press

Pages: 352

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Iduna harbors a dark secret. On the surface, she is an Arendellian village girl, an aspiring inventor, and the best friend of Prince Agnarr, but she is also secretly Northuldra.

Ever since the day the forest fell, Arendellians have despised and distrusted Northuldra with a vengeance. No matter that the Northuldra-along with some of Arendelle's own-have been trapped in the Enchanted Forest behind an impenetrable wall of mist since the day of the battle.

Iduna doesn't know why the mist refuses to part, or why it descended to begin with. The only clear thing is that she must keep her identity from everyone, even Agnarr. Her life depends on it.

Fortunately for her, Agnarr doesn't know that Iduna is the Northuldra girl he saw seemingly flying on a gust of wind all those years ago, the day of the celebration turned disaster. The day Agnarr lost his father, the king. The day Agnarr himself almost died.

What Agnarr does know is that Iduna is a true ally in the face of his royal responsibilities and the expectations of an overbearing council and a well-meaning regent who will rule in Agnarr's place until he turns twenty-one and assumes the Arendellian throne.

As Iduna and Agnarr grow ever closer, however, friendship is no longer enough. If only falling for each other didn't mean risking their futures: Iduna's as a hidden-in-plain-sight citizen of Arendelle, and Agnarr's as imminent king.

But for a chance at true love, the risk might be worth taking

Review: I really liked this book! I’m not a huge fan of Frozen but I’m so intrigued by the backstory of Anna and Elsa’s parents. The book did better than the Disney movie, which is what I always look for in a Disney book. The book did great with character building and world building. The writing was amazing, the plot was intriguing, and I loved the pacing as well.

My only issue is the romance. It felt a little too much for a book that’s more targeted to younger audiences (and I mean the Frozen hungry 7 year olds), though it doesn’t go beyond kissing.

Verdict: Don’t let this go.

Book includes SPOILERS for the Frozen movies!
4 stars = Great! Might reread.

This was fun! The author does a great job anchoring this into the film world with big and small references which all felt natural to the story. The bulk of the story focuses on the years between their first meeting in the Enchanted Forest and when they are married. While readers know they will eventually get there, there are enough roadblocks to keep you reading to find out how they pull that off. The book wraps up beautifully with tie-ins to the full family scenes from the first movie, and includes scenes of the couple on their final voyage to find answers for Elsa. I thought this was a delight!

Judge my review by the fact that I am an avid Disney fan, and love Frozen 2 (The music was the best part of the first movie, and I felt 2 had a better storyline and much less plotholes.)

But I really liked this book. It's short and sweet, in the way most Disney's children's novels are, with uncomplicated plot lines. It's a nice read on it's own and very appropriate for any fan of any age, and is great to read aloud together.

As an entry in the Frozen universe, it definitely fills many plot gaps and answers questions I had. You see more of the history of Arendell and Northuldra, and the role of the spirits in both countries. Elsa makes so much more sense now, knowing her parents' (her MOTHER'S) backstory. Iduna's kindness and grace shines through and you can see her in Elsa and Anna so much easier. The movies mean a little more now. Also, it's just a sweet story on it's own. You could cup your hands around it and block out the movies and still get a great story of growing up and falling in love.

If you're a Frozen fan, you definitely need to read this. Even if you're kind of a casual fan, you'll like it. And if you're like me and have too many questions about the Frozen universe... you neeeed to read this!

This was just not for me. The prose was just so purple to start with that I couldn't get into it at all. I think it will be appealing to a lot of high fantasy and Disney fans, but even though I loved Frozen 2, this just didn't do it for me. Sorry!

This book was amazing! It gave so much insight to the lore behind Frozen, and it was nice to learn about Iduna and Agnarr. It definitely helped to fill in the gaps that Frozen 2 left behind, and gave me much more insight about the Northuldra. I also loved that we got to see the entirety of Agnarr and Iduna's relationship, especially as they navigated parenthood. It kept me hooked from the beginning to the end of the book. If you are a Frozen fan, this is absolutely a book you need.

This was a really well written book. It gets told from two different perspectives, each one does a great job moving this story along. As secrets come to the surface, Iduna aches to tell Agnarr something. As this story comes to a close, Iduna sees something that gives her hope. Fans of the Frozen series will want to read this book.

This story of Elsa and Anna’s parents was super cute and fit very well in the Frozen world. It was great to learn their story and see qualities from Elsa and Anna in them. If you are a fan of Frozen, there is a very good chance that you will enjoy this book.

I'm not gonna lie. This is not really that good. It's fanservice at best, with a few boxes ticked off in the name of feminism and making the characters really modern and "ahead of their time". But also...I don't really care? I love Frozen. It's embarrassing. I'm an adult. But it's so much fun. And thus, this was fun and I enjoyed it. So sue me. Also, I loved getting to know Iduna and Agnarr and reading about their love story. While the writing is basic at best with a narrative that just isn't that riveting, it's not what we're here for. We're here because we love Frozen and we want more of it. We get it, and it's essentially movie format translated into book format, and feels like all book adaptations do when they start out first as movies, which is generally not good. But ANYWAY, I had a great time reading this and don't regret it at all. It probably didn't need to be a full on YA hardcover novel, but whatever.

I loved Iduna and her background story. She's an inventor, and great at it. She's independent, and cares about the small people. She buys DOZENS of cookies for the children at the orphanage because she's worried they never get dessert. She teases Agnarr endlessly about his cushy life as a prince and how he takes forever to read books. Their story is the perfect story I dreamed about as a kid. They start off as inseparable best friends, until hormones get in the way, they both realise they want more, and spend nearly all their free time making out behind trees. Agnarr is supposed to marry a princess according to some dumb law and it throws a rift in their relationship. Of course, after a few awkward encounters with a neighbouring princess and the lovable yet meddling trolls, Iduna and Agnarr realise they love each other TOO MUCH to let that happen, this "law" is overrulled and they live happily ever after (well, ideally).

Agnarr was quite boring, TBH, and I sped through his chapters quickly. The story starts with a "current day" event, then flashes back to the beginning when Iduna saves Agnarr in the Enchanted Forest. Despite this, Iduna in particular is written like she is an adult for the entire book, which is fine when she's 16 but really weird when she's 12 and demanding she's practically a woman and acting far too wise beyond her years. There's also a subplot about a neighboring kingdom blaming recent violent acts on the Northuldra, but honestly, it's fairly clear who is the real culprit. It does feel like a Disney book trying it's hardest to be *with the times* and have people blame the local indigenous tribe until they realise how racist those claims are (except they never do, because as we all know, Iduna and Agnarr perish and we don't find out her Northuldra connection and the truth about them for like another 20 years). But you know. They tried. We know how it all turns out anyway, it just sucks the Northuldra spend so much time as the perceived enemy.

It's short, it's quick, and if you love the cheesiness of Frozen, you'll probably find some joy in this. It's not meant to win a Pulitzer Prize. Or a Man Booker Prize. Maybe a Smarties Prize? But I liked it and it was fun and you know what, it was a distraction in 2020. So it was worth it in my books.

Frozen 2 Dangerous Secrets The Story of Iduna and Agnarr
By Mari Mancusi
The backstory of how Iduna and Agnarr met. How they became friends and then fell in love with each other.
Their story is not an easy one. Nor does it have a happy ending. We already know that from the Frozen stories. But they did have each other. And their love is all encompassing.
Iduna and Agnarr come from two different kingdoms and Agnarr isn’t aware of the secrets that Iduna is keeping. Together they learn the importance of fairness, peace and love. In the end, it’s their love for their daughters that motive this story.

Middle grade to teen but more importantly for fans of the Frozen stories.
Alternating chapters / point of view between Iduna and Agnarr.
Its a wonderful love adventure on its own. At least until the inevitable sadness for their ending.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I would and have purchased a copy for any avid fan of the Frozen stories.

I received an E-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you, NetGalley!

I was so excited to dive into this book because I absolutely love the Frozen series and I particularly enjoyed the backstory in Frozen 2. This book did not disappoint. It was great to learn about the backstory of Iduna and Agnarr and I felt like it really did justice to carrying on the Frozen 2 story without just simply being a backstory. I loved how Iduna was portrayed because, so often, books tend to lean toward the “damsel in distress” plot and, instead, this book incorporated strength, power, and bravery into a female character. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves the Frozen series.

What a treat to read the story behind the story. Helpful in giving perspective to Frozen II and lesser known characters to bring it all together and complete the tale.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you so much, Disney Publishing worldwide and Disney Press, for this chance.

Apparently Iduna is a normal girl. She's an Arendellian village girl, an aspiring inventor and the best friend of Prince Agnarr. But she's also Northuldra, who is despised and hated by the Arendellian. For her own sake, Iduna hides her identity, above all from Agnarr, who, in that day of celebration turned nightmare, lost his father and almost his own life.
Slowly, though, Iduna and Agnarr become closer and closer, Iduna helping him facing the expectations, the throne, the council and the future. But their love risk their own futures. What to do?

I've always loved Frozen, the plot, the setting and the characterization. So I was really happy when they gave the chance to read about Iduna and Agnarr, captivating and interesting characters. Written beautifully and skillfully, the author wrote a story of friendship and love, bond, identity and more.
The characters are amazing and I saw so much of Anna and Elsa in them, in their behaviours and feelings.
I loved the way their friendship grows and I totally recommend this book, to anyone curious about this universe and their love.

After Frozen 2 came out last year, I had a lot of questions. All the questions actually, especially about Iduna. So when I found out that this book was coming out, I was excited to get to learn more about her.

Despite knowing the beginning and end of their story already, I really enjoyed learning more about the middle part, where we get to see how Iduna and Agnarr's relationship grows from friendship to more.

Mari Mancusi does a wonderful job at bringing another story to life from the word of Arendelle. She writes the characters in a way that is familiar (as they ARE the parents of Anna and Elsa, and you can see where they get many of their traits). But even with the familiar parts, there is plenty to be surprised by. I laughed, I cried, and I am sure Frozen fans will love to add this to their collection.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Frozen 2 and enjoyed how it developed on the story of the first movie, especially in terms of making the parents a bit more sympathetic. And Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr expands on that further, delivering on Iduna and Agnarr’s love story, as the title promises.

I love seeing aspects of Elsa and Anna that Iduna and Agnarr passed down in both of them. Iduna is compassionate, brave, and strong, while also dealing with the secret of her heritage in the aftermath of what happened between Arendelle and the Northuldra. I was chilled every time Agnarr tried to ingrain himself with “Conceal, don’t feel” in regards to his own emotions, considering the results in Elsa’s case.

And in spite of the high stakes, I love the way Iduna and Agnarr are able to confront obstacles to be together, which helps to define the way they approached things as a team over the course of their marriage, even if some of their choices aren’t right.

It is a somewhat predictable story, but it fits very well within both the Frozen and wider Disney brands. If you loved the movies, you’ll enjoy this too.

I'm not typically a fan of movie tie in novelizations, but this is one of the better ones I've read. I picked it up because I was curious to see if some of the questions I had about Iduna after watching Frozen 2 would be answered, and they were! The timeline of the story is pretty long and jumps around a bit which might throw some younger readers off. There were also SO MANY Frozen references which depending on how big of a fan you are could either be a fun easter egg type thing or really annoying. Overall I had an enjoyable time reading this and would totally recommend it for fans of Frozen who want to explore the world more.

Disney doesn't disappoint and this book is no exception. Good for those that want to "fill in the gaps" on the backstory introduced briefly in Frozen 2. It's a love story without feeling too trope, and keeps the reader hooked until the last page. Would recommend for an upper elementary/middle grade library.