All you Disney Frozen fans, you’ll enjoy this YA novel telling the tale of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna. It’s the beautiful love story of Elsa's and Anna's parents. I loved Iduna because she isn’t a damsel in distress who needs saving, but a strong, independent, smart woman who does quite a bit of saving.
The story switches between the perspective of Agnarr and Iduna, giving the reader an inside glimpse into each character and provides emotional depth that lacked in their brief appearance in the movies. It’s a fun and fast read.

Dangerous Secrets is a great companion to the Frozen films and is highly recommended for teenage and adult fans of the films. The novel is a love story that takes place in what I call "fairy tale" time -- like the film, it takes place in a fantasy 19th century past where the character dialogues and personalities feel right at home today. This is very important to how Iduna and Agnarr's stories are presented and how themes first brought up in the films get addressed.

The book's strongest aspects is how it feels like a proper backstory for the films -- including in-jokes and references to things to come -- but also carries the story forward from Frozen 2. It's not just a backstory for a backstory's sake, but addresses the issues from the first film (being true to yourself, secrets, concealing and not feeling) and the issues of the second film (magic, discrimination, colonialism). Though we the reader know where the story is going to go, it is great for these issues to be addressed in the backstory too.

Lastly, I greatly appreciated how the love story and the conflicts associated with it felt refreshing and well-thought out instead of resorting to drama for the sake of drama. You really get to feel for Iduna and Agnarr, and their journey together. I'm especially grateful that Iduna gets her voice after being so silent in the first film -- she's a great character and you can see a lot of both of her daughters in her.

I was so immensely excited to read this book and went into it with somewhat lofty expectations. Thankfully they were met. It was refreshing to get to know the origin story of the events of the Frozen movies and some of the motivations behind all of the kept secrets (Iduna hiding her past from Agnarr & the parents asking Elsa to conceal her powers). This backstory does help explain what seems like horrible decisions at first glance.

Everything about this, from the "awww" moments to the obvious villains makes this quintessentially Disney. I expected nothing less.

One note I feel like needs to made; Reading this story does make their deaths infinitely more painful.

My heart totally needed this love story between Agnarr and Iduna, it perfectly describes that first time true love that we all look for! All of the questions i had about Elsa and Annas parents were perfectly answered during this fantatstic novel. I absolutely loved it and even though i knew how the story would end the book was much better than i expected because it gave those extra bits and pieces. Mancusi did a fabulous job on this novel and i look forward to much more from her! I literally cried at the end and i couldnt be happier with how the story was told!

Wow. Just wow. What a great adventure this book was. I thought the author caught the voices of Agnarr and Iduna so well. The sweet, fluffy love that grew between the parents was joyful to read and I cheered them on throughout the entire book. From the day they remet to the birth of Elsa, I was glued to every word. The end even made shed a tear. It was beautiful story and really helped filled in some gaps. I definitely recommend this to any Frozen fan. It was well worth the read.

Any excuse to be able to immerse my Disney loving heart into a new glimpse at a beloved character is an absolute win in my book, and I was so excited to receive a copy of this title from Disney Books & Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. #gifted

The fact that this was two characters I was beyond hoping to get more backstory from when watching Frozen 2 made reading this story even more special for me. I cannot wait for my little girl to get a little older to be able to share this story with me.

At first this book was hard to get into at first, but the plot slowly picked up. It was really a great story. I loved how I learned about Anna and Elsa's parents, and their journey towards love and happiness. I loved how I could spot Anna and Elsa in their parents. :)

I received an advance review copy of this book from Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley in exchange for a review of the work.

I enjoyed this book a lot! There's a good amount of meat on its proverbial bones, which bolsters the tired tropes used in teen romance/drama. I loved the persevering spirit it added to the narrative of the Frozen Universe, and I appreciated how in-depth the characterizations of Agnarr and Iduna were. The story was ultimately a bit predictable, but this didn't take any of the enjoyment out of the experience. It never shied away from the grim fate of the couple, and I loved the narrative bookends that frame the story... no spoilers here! Definitely recommended for fans of Frozen or Frozen II.

One note: There are A LOT and I mean A LOT of references to songs in both movies. Enough that each time one came up I mentally made another tickmark and by the end of the book I was OVER it. But I digress. Some folks will probably even like these heavy-handed self-referential moments.

Ever since I watched Frozen 2 I had been wanting a story about Iduna and Agnarr! Their backstory fascinated me and I just wanted to know all the details!

When I saw Dangerous Secrets up for request, I jumped at the chance to review. I couldn’t believe I was finally getting their backstory and I was excited to dive in!

This book definitely didn’t disappoint. If it further developed the Frozen world, which is a world I find so interesting and well developed already, and it made me love Iduna and Agnarr just as much as I loved Elsa and Anna and the Frozen gang.

I would recommend this to every single Frozen fan, I can’t see anyone finding it anything less than an amazing addition to this universe, and I can’t wait to own a finished copy. Loved it!

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! This was an amazing and well thought out story. The author definitely put the time into the making of this origin story, down to the last detail. I could picture every scene in my head and it all matched up perfectly to what I had seen in both of the films. I would recommend this to any Disney fan, but more than that, I would recommend this to anyone who just wants a really adorable love story. You can just feel the love between Agnarr and Iduna coming off the pages. I also loved the fact that the narration was from both Iduna and Agnarr's points of view making the story come alive even more. It is just all around an great story.

**I received this book from netgalley in exchange for a review**

This book a quick, fun little read for Frozen fans. It's well written and evenly paced, and Mancusi successfully "introduced" us to characters viewers previously only knew in passing. She actually warmed me up to Iduna and Agnarr a lot, since their actions in the first film, lacking any context, frustrated me to no end. That being said, this book contains tons of spoilers for both films, so it probably should not be read on its own. I believe it is considered a YA book, but it did read more like middle grade. It was also a bit overly cheesy at moments, but that is pretty on brand for a Disney Frozen piece.

Frozen 2 just may be my favorite Disney movie to date, and I was extremely excited for Dangerous Secrets - it's one of the few on NetGalley I immediately requested without even reading the description. I've found that the Disney novels - at least, those which serve as prequels or sequels to the movies, not the film novelizations - are either hit or miss. There's not a lot of wiggle room for me, so I was relieved to find that Mancusi was able to reach a hit here. Iduna and Agnarr's story is hinted at much more in the second Frozen film, and Dangerous Secrets takes this subtlety, expanding to form a coherent story on its own. I found this to be a nice, quick read, though it definitely took me a bit of time to get into. By starting the tale off upon the ship that ultimately crashes while fully grown Iduna and Agnarr attempt to find answers to their daughter's powers, readers are given context to who and what the story will be about. But I found that the stark change from this finality to their childhood growing up was a bit jarring, especially as their final voyage is not revisited until the end. I want to rewatch both movies now that I've read this, seeing the scenes in the light of this novel.

This is a wonderful prequel of sorts for the relationship that developed between Anna and Elsa's parents. It really gives some great background for Frozen 2. My daughter really loved my summary of the story. She is 7, so it was too difficult for her. It would've been fine for my 12 year-old.

This book is perfect for any fans of Disney and especially fans of Frozen ! It is a beautiful love story about Anna and Elsa parents ! It just gives amazing backstory to both movies and their love story was just so well written ! I love the fact that this book was written from both points of views so you could see how each of them grew to love the other!!! It is perfectly paced and the time jumps fit in nicely with the movie as well! I really loved little lines in it that pay homage to the movies , it made me smile every time I read one !

I didn't expect to love their relationship as much as I did and truly hurt me even more to know how it ended !! But this is a must read for any Disney fan and for anyone who LOVES Frozen!!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for giving me the ARC!!!

I love the Disney books, and requested this as soon as it popped up on my NetGalley dashboard. After viewing Frozen 2, I found that this book answered many questions that the movie skipped over as the focus is on Elsa's parents. I will be adding this to the library for my son and I to read together when it is released!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC!

“Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr” by Mari Mancusi does a great job of adding important context to both Frozen films, in particular the sequel. Using key moments, Mancusi expands on the story of Iduna and Agnarr, exploring their relationship over the course of several years, from pre-teen to their eventual death.

She does so with near perfect time jumps, delicate exposition, and striking the right balance of romance and intrigue. And in spite of the predictable nature of the book, she keeps your attention with great character work, clearly understanding the DNA of her MC's. But make no mistake, this IS a love story, yet she manages deliver a sweet and sincere tale without being overly saccharine.

“Dangerous Secrets” fits right in with the Frozen franchise and adds an emotional depth I wasn’t expecting. I definitely recommend revisiting Frozen 2 after you've read it, especially if you need a good cry!

Great stuff!

Only Ahtohallan knows.

Some books are worth melting for, and this is definitely one of them. Dangerous Secrets is the Frozen prequel I never knew I needed and details the story of Anna and Elsa's parents that we only get teases of in the movie.

This book is just fun. Far off places, daring romance, magic spells, a Northuldra in disguise. It's a little cheesy at times and gets a predictable towards the end, but it's full of Disney magic and I loved every minute. The references to the movie are subtle and clever, and when there are overlapping scenes from the movie, Mancusi doesn't make the mistake of simply rehashing the script.

The story is solid and moves at a good pace as we follow Iduna's rise from orphan to inventor's apprentice to queen. I do think the first dozen or so chapters could have been a bit tighter. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching Iduna and Agnarr's friendship develop, but the subsequent acts are really where the meat of the story is. I would've loved it if Mancusi spent a little more time detailing the transitional period leading up to Agnarr's coronation a bit more just because I wanted to hear more about Iduna's apprenticeship and the mystery behind Agnarr's mother's disappearance. (Maybe we could've cut some of the romance? It was a little heavy-handed.) The book also touches on issues of fearmongering and prejudice, and the message feels timely without being didactic.

This book was such a delight. The magic of Disney is that it brings out the kid in all of us, and Mancusi captured that perfectly. My only real complaint is that I want more--more Iduna-Agnarr banter, more glimpses into Arendellian life, more time with the new characters Mancusi introduced, more scenes with the trolls, more chocolate...

Since I can really only control the last one, I'm off to stuff some chocolate in my face and blast the Frozen 2 soundtrack on loop.

Honestly, I was stupidly excited to be able to read this early!

Gale and I blew through it in one sitting! And then I had to read it again.

For teens that grew up with the Frozen movies, we know so much about the love that the sisters share, and the sacrifices they make to keep each other safe. But we see very little of Agnarr and Iduna, the king and queen who will do anything for their daughters, even cross the Dark Sea to reach Ahtohallan in a fatal attempt to find answers for Elsa.

In this wonderful young adult novel the story picks up from just before the Arendellians attack the Northuldra as we see in Frozen II. Twelve year old Iduna loves to play with the wind spirit and it is helping her snoop on the Arendellians when the fight starts. She sees Agnarr lying unconscious and she makes the decision to save his life. To her confusion, Gale hides her under a cloak in the wagon and she is transported to Arendelle with Agnarr and those that got out before the mist came down.

Mancusi tells a near flawless tale of how Iduna has to play the part of orphan Arendellian, slowly finding her place in a strange kingdom, with its strange ways and fear of magic, spirits and the unknown which regularly tips over into bigotry against her own people. And of Agnarr as he tries to learn kingship through his teens and the distraction of his growing feelings for Iduna. The chapters switch back and forth between their two perspectives with ease and the story moves forward at a good pace, with so much happening that it’s hard to put down.

There are regular flashes to the movies, with familiar scenes and characters, and phrases subtly woven through that will make you sad and wistful, but also make you smile. This is a book for both diehard and casual fans, and stands alone as a novel as well as being a precursor to the most successful animation franchise of all time.

This was a nice read. As a Frozen & Frozen 2 fan, I enjoyed reading Iduna and Aggnar's story. I loved seeing their romance blossom. I loved seeing all the nods to the song lyrics throughout (conceal don't feel, etc.). I do wonder who this book is for -- the writing style is definitely for older kids (tween/teen) but I am not sure they'd pick it up. Only hardcore Frozen fans, I'd think. Still a pleasant, nice rainy day read.

Often when one enjoys a good book, they may say “I couldn’t put it down.” A nice saying, but when your tummy grumbles reminding you that you have not eaten for a long while because you really couldn’t put this book down, it takes enjoyment to the next level…

Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets by Mari Mancusi is my favorite, new, epic love story.

It is an easy, enthralling read; one that left me feeling like there is no other way Iduna and Agnarr’s story could be told.

How does Mancusi weave such magic? I don’t know, but here’s a few of many things I adored about this book.

A traditional love story – but Iduna is the hero
A mesmerizing nostalgia oozes out of each adventure-filled page of this book. The story reminded me of my favorite film Ever After, or even Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, and other such transporting tales of star-crossed lovers. While Frozen and Frozen 2 introduced us to the unprecedented adventure story of two sisters, Dangerous Secrets winds back the clock to traditional storytelling while remaining compelling for the modern reader.

Such a description should not deny or dampen the power behind the book’s hero, Iduna, or her perfectly dashing Disney prince, Agnarr. Not only is Iduna a brave, strong, resourceful, kind, person; she is the embodiment of both Elsa and Anna. I am not sure any good qualities are missing from that sort of combination in a person. Agnarr has his faults (as any "human" would), but his devotion to Iduna triumphs, making him a wish-upon-a-star kinda guy.

Iduna is also the crucial link between two worlds; the key to bridging the gap between Arendelle and the Northuldra and disproving misconceptions about foreign peoples and magic. We know that this task falls to Elsa and to Anna in Frozen and Frozen 2, but Iduna paves the way, begins the journey, such that not one but two determined daughters are needed to fill her shoes.

Perfect pace
The pace of this story is flawless. The back and forth chapters between Iduna’s and Agnarr’s perspectives is masterfully crafted such that it propels the story forward without any event overlap.

Also, while I do consider myself an old-school romantic who enjoys playful scenes between friends and lovers complimented by perfectly primed jokes, stories, and in this case, chocolate, not once did I feel that even these relationship-development scenes dragged on. Nor did I grow impatient wondering what might happen next. So much HAPPENS in this book. While “dangerous secrets” lie under the surface at every turn, Iduna and Agnarr’s day-to-day (or year-to-year) twists and turns are such that the reader, too, is forced to shelve the underlying secrets for a while to carry on with the story. Much like real life, no?

The story brilliantly builds on Frozen lore
The story is infallibly consistent with, and beautifully builds upon, Frozen lore. Mancusi cleverly and oftentimes subtly incorporates some of our favorite Frozen events, phrases and language into the book which are a sure treat for diehard fans. It also must be said that Dangerous Secrets is a powerful, standalone story, not just a backstory to Frozen. Readers will not be disappointed. In fact, they will be proud to add this story to the Frozen universe and their collection of Disney stories to revisit for generations to come.

Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets is currently available for preorder on Amazon and will be released on November 3, 2020.