The Frozen Crown is a fantastic adult fantasy debut. It's filled with so much delicious political intrigue. I seriously couldn't get enough. Princess Askia won me over easily. She is strong and determined but also flawed in a way that made her realistic as a character. The stakes in this story are very high and Askia is faced with many hard choices. I appreciated how believable it all was.

The world building was very well done. I especially appreciated the own world mythology the author created. It was really interesting. Greta Kelly created a vast world and it was a little hard to keep track of all the names of characters and places in the beginning. However, I was able to catch on pretty quickly. I also really enjoyed the magic system. It's not overly complex, but there are definitely rules and consequences for magic in the book.

The pacing was perfect. I was never bored while reading this book at any point. The ending left me dying for the next book! Be prepared for a cliffhanger. If you are looking for a fantasy with a ton of political intrigue, high stakes, and a dash of romance, definitely add this to your TBR. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager U.S. for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Loved this book, and I can't wait for the sequel! I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading, but this definitely surpassed all of my expectations. The characters all have so much depth and emotion and I can really resonate with them, and the vivid descriptions of everything makes it seem like a movie in my head. I normally can't get too into political books as much, but this one was amazing!

Thank so much to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this. It is filled with political intrigue, magic, and a strong female lead who will do anything to save her people. I really liked the magic system in this, it is fairly straightforward and uncomplicated. Much of it seems to be up to the user to explore their limits and see what they can do. I hope we learn more about the magic in book 2. There is a ton of political posturing that takes place and our leading lady Askia has to learn to play the game fairly quickly if she wants to win over the court of the Vishiri to gain enough allies to get them to go to war with her. You see Askia's crown was taken from her and she has traveled south to the Empire of Vishir to ask for aid to win it back from the false king and his puppet master the mad yet powerful emperor of Roven. Askia wants to fight for her people and finds the politics a waste of time, but she receives council that if she wants help she will need to win over those who control the troops and have the ear of the Emperor of Vishir. The longer she remains at court, she learns who she can trust and who she cannot. She also begins training to use her own magic, which she has hidden for a long time for her own safety.

Unlike most books with lots of characters I was able to keep them all straight and never lose track of who was who. This isn't told in alternating perspectives which helps. This is a bit slower paced than I prefer in my fantasy novels however it is so politically heavy that the pace fits the plot. I expect that the next book is going to have a lot more action and we'll see a quicker pace as things being to happen based on how this book ended. It does end on a tiny cliffhanger, but I think we all saw it coming and it wasn't that big of a surprise. The world building was excellent. The visuals were well described without being overly verbose. There are hints of romance in this but it doesn't take center stage. I suspect we will see more of the romance in book 2 as Askia's true feeling are revealed and the players and their motivations change.

Overall I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for the next book. I am dying to know what happens to Askia and the rest of the characters in the book.

First Thought After Finishing: I need the sequel immediately!

Any novel billed with both magic and treachery is one that makes it onto my TBR list immediately. I was very excited to get a copy of The Frozen Crown on Netgalley, and the intriguing synopsis of this book did not disappoint! From the magic system to the political intrigue, this book kept me turning page after page to see what would happen next.

Askia is the rightful heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh, but political maneuvering of her cousin has kept her from her throne. Instead, her country is embroiled in a war with the Roven Empire. Orphaned and desperate to win back her country, Askia has traveled among war camps, fought with her army, but now must journey to a foreign court to gain allies to defeat Roven. However, once in Vishir, Askia discovers that the real battle is just beginning. Forced to navigate secrets, political alliances, and budding romances, Askia must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for her country—or for herself.

In many ways, this book combined the best of YA and adult fantasy genres. The book was faced-paced with just enough world-building to appreciate the political dynamics. The magic system and guilds were very intriguing, especially Askia’s brand of witchery. There were definitely many powers and forces at play in the book, and it kept the storyline quite interesting trying to figure out how they would all interact together.

Askia is a strong female, forged through a difficult past, bound by loyalty to fight for her country. She wants to remain independent, to win her allies through her own merits and through the importance of her cause rather than playing romantic games. This is not to say that there are no attractions in this novel, or no good males, but it is not the overall focus. Instead, Askia spends most of her time training to be a better warrior, a better witch, and better able to navigate court politics. I enjoyed watching her come into her own, confront her past, and find a strength she didn’t know she had to make the difficult decisions.

I do wish that there had been a bit more world-building, especially at the beginning—the initial pages were a bit confusing, but the action quickly made up for that confusion. I would also have liked to see more time given to the relationship between Askia and some of the other characters. There is so much more I could say about this book, but it would be a shame to spoil anything. Many of the characters are more than they seem, and the truth only begins to come out the more that you read. I will be interested to see how the world expands in the next book, how the hints of romance play out, and how the characters will rise to new and unexpected challenges.

Most Memorable Aspect: Askia’s brand of witchery and her strength.

Visit a world suffering from war, and follow Askia’s journey to fight the expansion of a dark empire. Greta Kelly’s fantasy debut is full of intrigue, compelling characters, and action—it’s a story not to be missed. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel!

I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from this fantasy debut, but I enjoyed it immensely. While this book doesn’t really do anything new with the various standard fantasy bits and pieces, it’s an engrossing and fast-paced read. As a warning, this is the first book in a duology, and it does have a heck of a cliffhanger.

Askia’s cousin has killed her grandfather the king, stolen the throne, and basically made Seravesh into a vassal state of the Roven empire. Askia and her band of warriors have fled to a neighboring country in hopes of involving the Vishir empire, the only remaining country strong enough to oppose them. Askia grew up traveling the world with her father, a famous healer, and mother, and only returned to become the heir to the throne of Seravesh after her parents were murdered by extremists. She spent a good part of her youth in army camps so she’s more comfortable in training clothes than a courtier’s dress. But in Vishir, she’s expected to follow their rules – an unmarried woman can’t talk to a man without causing gossip, for instance. But Askia needs an army, and her best bet is to learn how to play the game – quickly. Because the truth of what’s happening in the Roven empire is even worse than she thought.

“Hope. My grandfather used to say that only fools think they can change the world with hope.”
“What would he tell you to do now?”
“He’d tell me to quit blubbering and do my damned duty.”


While this is an adult fantasy book, the naivety of the heroine causes it to read a bit like young adult, despite the fact that she’s in her early 20s. Both her upbringing following her parents around and her no-nonsense grandfather make her blunt and generally unaccustomed to political machinations, and she does suffer a bit from the “not like other girls!!” trope. It takes her a good part of the book to realize that clothes and makeup are just as much armor as the type she uses for sword fighting. What I think made her work for me, though, was that she was very aware of how little she knew and how unprepared she was, and for the most part, she makes her choices for the greater good of Seravesh. She knows exactly how much is riding on her every move. But she’s unfamiliar with court intrigue, especially the political sort drowning in misogyny that’s commonplace in Vishir, and has trouble identifying potential allies, let alone winning them to her side. On top of that, there’s the question of her magic, which she’s kept hidden all of her life, but which may be the key to saving Seravesh.

Vishir seems loosely based on the Ottoman empire, including the menagerie of the emperor’s women. The majority of the women there are political prisoners, sent to keep their conquered provinces in line, with only one woman being the actual wife of the emperor, Ozura. Though Ozura was my favorite, the rest of the secondary characters are also well-developed and interesting, from the handsome and reticent captain of the guard, Ilya, to the even-more-naive-than-Askia prince, Iskander, and Askia’s Vishiri maid and friend, Nariko. There’s a bit of a love triangle, but it’s not a big focus of the book. Askia herself says she’s not given to mooning around over people, which, aside from the epic eyeroll that caused, is honestly a good summation of her character.

The magic system is very interesting, and I wished we’d gotten to see more of the other types of magic. There’s a big subplot about Askia keeping her magic hidden and trying to decide who she can trust with that secret. It’s dangerous to be identified as a witch in the north, and while Vishir at first glance seems a bit more lax about it, there’s more going on beneath the surface. As if being a royal in exile wasn’t enough, her magic is another thing that leaves her adrift and alone.

The story starts right in the middle of the action. The first few chapters were confusing as they involved quickly dropping a lot of characters, countries, and backstory, but by about a quarter in I was absolutely riveted. I thought the pacing, besides the beginning, was well-done, and it kept me turning the pages well after I should’ve put the book down. The ending, especially, felt like it moved along at breakneck speed, and while my suspicions about what would happen played out as I expected, the journey to get there was incredibly fun.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable fantasy read, recommended for anyone looking for a strong heroine and lots of political intrigue.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When Radovan takes over the Kingdom of Seravesh, Princess Askia flees across the sea to Vishir to plead for help, only to end up in a tangled web of court politics.

Court intrigue and politics are some of my weaknesses when it comes to fantasy. I'll gladly forego all the violence, blood, action, and ultimate battles for court intrigue. Give me a bunch of characters who manipulate each other, have ulterior motives, and hold your fate in their hands and I'm a happy reader. Except I was a little frustrated with Askia and her childish behavior, so The Frozen Crown was a bit of a disappointment.

The Plot: Interesting Court Intrigue

Princess Askia and her soldiers have been pushed out of Seravesh by the invading Rovan Empire, who worked with her usurping cousin. Idun is supposed to be a place of safety, but the Roven Empire is prowling on the edges. With her life in danger, Askia convinces her childhood friend, Prince Iskander of Vishir, to take her across the sea to Vishir so she can petition his father the Emperor for an army to drive out the Roven Empire.

But Vishir is not Seravesh. Even though she spent her childhood traveling Vishir with her late parents, Seravesh has become her home and she has no idea how to navigate the foreign halls. At every turn her Seravesh ways are met with resistance and mockery from the Vishiri court, until she learns to play the game to get what she needs.

There's magic, danger, and court intrigue at every turn in The Frozen Crown. The story moves quickly as Vishiri court politics seem to be mercurial and Askia struggles to keep up. It's a dizzying game with some surprises thrown in, but, at the same time, complications and roadblocks are expected, so aren't complete surprises. It just begs the question of what's going to happen next.

Overall, the story is quite simplistic: a princess trying to keep out of Radovan's, the ruler of the Roven Empire, grasp by getting the attention of the Vishiri emperor so she can gain an army. Of course, there's more to it that Askia needs to do in order to fulfill her needs. But it's a simple story couched in court politics that changes with the wind.

But it also falls into what I think of as boring fantasy pitfalls. There's a great deal of focus of the clothes and costumes the members of court wear, as well as large ceremonial gatherings that require special attire. Then there's the focus on teaching Askia how to properly use her powers, which was mildly interesting, but felt like overly large scenes for smaller plot points.

Despite the stereotypical fantasy bits, The Frozen Crown presents an interesting enough story, but it's really the ending that steals the show, taking a turn I didn't expect. It's a quick, easy, and uncomplicated read that attempts to throw curveballs.

The Characters: A Young Princess

Askia is a bold, outspoken princess who was raised far from the land she becomes heir to. With a mother from Seravesh and a father from Vishir, she grew up traveling Vishir, exposed to war and battle, until she was orphaned and tortured by the Shazir. It presents few problems to her, though, as she appears to carry trauma when it suits her. Instead, she attempts to march full force as a Seravesh princess into a foreign court that doesn't take well to her presumption.

Askia is young, and it shows. I liked her fire, but was annoyed when she expected the Vishiri court to bend to her. She refused to play their games even though she needed them, so came off as a pampered brat with far too many love interests. The Frozen Crown isn't listed as being YA, but, with Askia being so young and so impudent, I got a very strong YA vibe. Needless to say, I was not impressed with her. Nor was I impressed by the men who kept falling in love with her.

The one I was absolutely impressed with was the emperor's primary wife. In Vishir, the emperor is married to a number of women in order to stitch the empire together. His first wife Ozura, though, rules over the other queens and it is she who determines if another woman will be allowed to enter court. She was strong and insightful and continually pushed Askia. She also had her softer moments and points, but I adored the strong hand she had and how self-assured she was.

There were a number of other characters surrounding Askia, from Prince Iskander to the head of her guard to her Vishiri lady-in-waiting, who helped round out the story and Askia. They were all interesting in their own ways and added a bit to the story, but also felt very one note.

The Setting: Polar Opposites, but Fascinating

Most of The Frozen Crown takes place in Vishir, but the lands north of it strongly reminded me of Russia. They were painted as being cold with heavy, white winters and full of evergreens. It's also clearly European-inspired with fortresses and cold castles. Even though little of the story takes place there, it still left a strong impression on me, likely because it did feel so stereotypically European.

Vishir, on the other hand, is described as warm and sun drenched. It appears to be the polar opposite of the lands to the north. It's full of bustling color, indulgences, and frivolities. It also made me think of Morocco. With the bold colors, fragrant foods, warm climate, and darker skinned characters than Askia and her people, I couldn't shake the feeling Vishir is Moroccan-inspired. It was vibrant and beautiful. There was such a strong sense of place that the world was probably my favorite part of it, and I really wanted to stay in Vishir forever, even though women are more limited in what they are allowed to do and are often to blame for men's actions.

The magic system was probably the most fascinating to me. Since a good portion of the story is focused on teaching Askia how to use her powers, there's quite a bit given about it. I liked that there are two sides to the god, one that rules over magic and one that fosters a religious order that seeks to purge the land of witches. The powers themselves are well-described and it was easy to figure out what was in the realm of which power. I was a little disappointed the more elemental powers didn't figure much in the story, but the other three (the powers of healers, truth witches, and death witches) were fascinating. With the way the book ended, I'm hoping for more exploration of the magic system in the next book.

Overall: Fun Court Intrigue, but Uncomplicated

The Frozen Crown is not a complicated book, but I did enjoy the court intrigue when Askia wasn't annoying. Askia spoiled much of the book for me with her childish unwillingness to work with the system she desperately needed help from, even though she had grown up in and around the very same court. In theory, this was an interesting idea. In execution, I think the main character falls short and I have a hard time looking past her bad points to find an interesting story. Overall, not a bad start to the duology, but I hope Askia matures quickly in the second book into a figure worthy of being a queen.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Link to post: https://thelilycafe.com/book-review-the-frozen-crown-by-greta-kelly/

I have received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was so good! I could not put it down. I really loved Askia and was rooting for her throughout her whole journey. I really loved her relationships with her guards and I liked to see that she was a Princess who really cared for her people and that she was willing to fight for them, literally. She is such a strong main character and I liked seeing her journey and the things she had to deal with when she went to Vishir and how politics were so heavily involved there that she had to change some of the ways she did things, and I found that part to be really interesting and infuriating at the same time because of the way she was treated. I loved the ending and cannot wait for the next one to come!

Thank you Greta Kelly, Harper Voyager, William Morrow Books & Netgalley for the #gifted copy of the book and ebook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
🔥🔥 2/5 Steam Rating

Askia is the heir to the Frozen Crown which has been usurped by her cousin, with the backing of the mad emperor of the Roven Empire. Askia travels to Vishir in the hopes of gaining an army, to help her fight against Roven. With enemies on all sides, she will stop at nothing to save her people; even if it means sacrificing herself.

This is a epic fantasy full of political intrigue and secret witches; Kelly did a marvelous job at world building and bringing these characters to life. Askia was skillfully created; she’s smart, strong and brave, while also being damaged and naive to life at court. So often these kind of characters become whiny, yet that couldn’t be further from the truth where Askia is concerned! Askia is the kind of woman that I love to read about; she’s unapologetically strong and knows that as a Queen, her happiness cannot come before the safety of her people. There’s so much push and pull between all of the characters, which just draws you into the story more with each turn of the page.

I honestly could not get enough of this story and these characters!! My heart breaks a little that I have to walk away from Askia until the next book releases this fall. But you better believe, I WILL be reading it!!!

I received a free e-ARC of The Frozen Crown thanks to BookRiot and HarperVoyager US in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

In this story we’re following Princess Askia of Seravesh as she travels to Vishir hoping to procure an army to defend her land. Radovan, the ruthless ruler of the Roven Empire, has been slaying villages inside her borders. Askia has run out of options. But life at Vishir takes political finesse, which is something Askia has little experience in. But Askia has a secret that is dangerous should it be found out. Can she secure an alliance while maintaining her secret? Can she save Seravesh?

Okay y’all, when I read the premise, I knew I had to read this as soon as I could. This book did not disappoint. It has a little bit of everything in it: politics, magic, romance, and war.

The magic system in this book is awesome. I look forward to book two because I really want more of it. The magic is in the form of witches, of which there are different kinds. I don’t want to give too much away, because I think it’s better to find out about it all as you’re reading. However, Kelly included that part of the magic system can be manipulated. That was very interesting and although I’ve seen similar things done in other books, I liked the way it was portrayed here. I’d really like to see more of it fleshed out in book two.

The characters were written well. Kelly did a great job portraying the conflicting emotions and situations that Askia and others were/would be in. We could see from some actions that certain characters took the slippery political slope and the games that they had to play at court.

One thing that I will say about this book is that I was confused at the beginning. Once I figured out what was going on, it was still a while for me to get into the “can’t put it down” groove. The ending felt a bit predictable and rushed. I enjoy a good cliffhanger, but I wish the ending would have happened a little differently. Regardless, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the sequel. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy!

The Frozen Crown will be available for purchase in January 2021.

Seravesh has fallen. Askia, princess of Seravesh and heir to the throne, has traveled south of her kingdom, away from the invading armies of the Roven Empire and its ruthless emperor. Askia knows that she can only save her kingdom through getting an army of allies, the strongest of which is the empire of Vishir. However, convincing them to help her isn’t going to be easy. Not only is Askia not used to a court with so many rules as in Vishir, but she has a secret to keep: she’s a death witch, a crime which could cost her her life as it cost her parents theirs. With so many enemies surrounding her, can Askia succeed and save her country?

I received an advanced reading copy of The Frozen Crown in exchange for an honest review.

The Frozen Crown is a fantasy novel by Greta Kelly. It also seems to be her debut, from what I could tell, and is a strong start to a duology. There’s a lot to talk about this book, so let’s dive in, shall we?

Opening this book, I found myself dropped straight into action. Askia is fleeing her land with her trusted guard, and already we begin to learn the names of so many characters, so many countries, and all their politics. I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed in the beginning, to the point where I began to consider keeping a list of all the places and people mentioned just so I could keep them straight! I will say I eventually got a hang of it, but it can be tricky to follow along for the first few chapters.

It gets even trickier as Askia moves from the lands bordering her kingdom to Vishir, which has its own rules, politics, and nobles. Also, I’ll go ahead and say it now: this isn’t necessarily a novel that’s packed full of action. This is a novel that mostly deals with politics and court intrigue, both things I think are fantastic, but if you’re looking for a novel full of exciting event after exciting event, you might struggle with this one. However, I loved every moment where Askia found herself floundering in the midst of the Vishir court, struggling to adhere to rules she didn’t know and didn’t feel comfortable with.

Since I’ve mentioned Askia, I might as well talk a bit more about her. She’s quite a mature character, despite being in her early twenties. She knows what her responsibilities are, and while she can sometimes be a bit hot-headed, she ultimately knows that she has to curb herself to reach her goal. She’s also a princess figure I’m quite familiar with: a princess, but able to fight with a sword and hold her own against the best. I’ve read so many books about girls and women like this, so it was no surprise. She embodies a more masculine strength even as a woman. However, she has a very interesting antithesis in this book: Queen Ozura. Queen Ozura is the principal wife of the emperor of Vishir, and while she doesn’t appear to have all the freedoms the men of court do, she does wield a sort of power. Wielding influence, politics, and favor, she holds court with an iron will, and her actions ultimately compelled me much more than Askia’s did. You could tell Ozura was strong, and that she’d learned how to juggle multiple people and responsibilities in a single hand, with the other keeping her husband happy. It was absolutely fascinating!

The male characters sort of faded into the background for me, really. Sure, there’s some romance for Askia blossoming between a few (not gonna say who, since I really don’t want to spoil it for you guys), but I’ll say that the romance didn’t really appeal to me. In fact, I didn’t find most of the men to be Askia’s equal as Ozura was. I do think there was one who stands out, but I’m not gonna mention who because, again, spoilers.

Now that I’ve talked in depth about the characters, I want to talk about how fully-fleshed out this world is! We don’t just get to hear about the different countries and who they’re led by, but their rules, their cultures, and their religions are intricately described by Kelly, giving me a feel for a more realistic world. Also, with peoples of so many lands coming together, of course there’s going to be conflicts. Adding these conflicts, resulting in either allies or enemies for Askia, worked out incredibly well, I thought. Everybody had a different motive, depending on where they came from, and Askia, as well as me, the reader, had to evaluate them well and think about how they could help or hinder her in her search to get an army.

The plot is fairly simple: Askia needs to get an army to save her country, and a huge part of the book is dedicated to her maneuvering court to do that. Again, some readers might feel like it stalls in the middle there, with a lot of politics happening, but there was a lot of world and character development here, so I didn’t mind it. I think, though, that the second novel is going to have to use a lot of what we learned, since so much time was spent on it.

The Frozen Crown was a fun and relatively quick read for me, and filled my mind with a lot of intrigue and moving parts! I really enjoyed the novel, and recommend it to anyone who’s also a fan of politics between different kingdoms. I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel too.

The Frozen Crown will be released on January 12. You can preorder your copy from Harper Voyager here.

THE FROZEN CROWN - GRETA KELLY

A young princess who's kingdom has been stolen travels to adjacent lands to try to secure an army to fight the villain. A magic system slowly unfurling. Sword play. Political intrigue. Forbidden love. A woman who can fight in a patriarchal society. Easy to hate bad characters, easy to love good characters, and easy to love/hate the in-between.

I loved this debut from Greta Kelly. The beginning was a bit slow as I tried to catch up with what was happening, but as soon as our main character arrives at the capital of the neighboring country, I was hooked. Even though this book is not light, it didn't feel relentless in the horrors of war and violence, which for me is a nice change of pace. The book strikes a good balance between "courtly arts", political intrigue, duty, war, and magic. The end is a page-turner and ends in a cliff-hanger, and I'm anticipating the next book.

I really really loved this book and it took me a second to figure out why. And I'm having a tough time explaining why. I read a review on Goodreads that referenced Tamora Pierce, and that clicks. Its setting is euro-centric, but its not artificially trying to be something that its not. This book has the same energy and vibes as Tamora Pierce's work, which I loved. Highly recommend this one.

Thank you to @harpervoyagerus and @netgalley for the advanced e-book!! The book is being published on Jan 12!

I read this in 24ish hours, which I think makes it clear how gripping and addictive this book is. It was a pleasure to pick up and dive into for hours on end, which I feel like I’ve rarely had the chance to do in 2020, both because I didn’t get the chance to read much fantasy and also because 2020 was... what it was. This book helped me get into the vacation mindset, which makes me wish it were out now—so other people could experience the same joy I did from losing myself in it.

It was wonderful, but it wasn’t perfect. Several villainous characters are described as having “weak chins” or other physical flaws, which is a lazy trick and unfair to all the heroes out there with weak chins. I also really wish I knew why Askia loves her homeland so much—her backstory is critical to the plot of the book yet there’s almost no time spent explaining what the deal is with Seravesh, why Askia is the heir, or why she is so devoted to it.

I pray that Askia gets better self control in the next book. She needs it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5/5 stars!

This book blew me away! I really didn't expect much from it, but The Frozen Crown ran laps around my expectations! It was an intricate royal politics read that was far better than most I've read in the genre!

In The Frozen Crown, we follow Askia, the heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh. Her nation is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands, no matter how hard she fights back. She is forced to go south and ask for aid from Emperor Armaan of Vishir. Askia is a willful, spirited woman, and has difficulty playing the political games of Vishir. As her adversaries draw closer from all sides, Askia is forced to make an impossible choice—and no matter what she decides, it may not be enough to prevent Seravesh’s fall.

Lately, I've had a hard time finding a main character that I actually enjoy reading about. When reading about a character as stubborn as Askia, there is a thin line between "get 'em, girl!" and "help, my head hurts from banging it on this wall because of this stupidity" that authors cross way too often. Askia managed to stay on the good side of that line for the entire book! I never disliked her once. She was a strong, obstinate character that I rooted for the entire time! This may sound random, but she reminded me of Boudica, the strong and brave queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61

I know that this book isn't YA, (though it's probably only marked as adult because there are some pretty graphic gore descriptions) but it redid a bunch of the horribly overdone YA tropes in a way that it was still interesting! There is...a love triangle? But it's not a love triangle in a traditional sense. Actually, all the relationships in this book weren't traditional. There's a mutual, though forbidden, love, that I actually enjoyed. It was probably because it was addressed as a fact, and Askia didn't spend all her time mooning over him. And the tension near the end? Chef's kiss worthy perfection.

When reading a high fantasy book, if the world-building is terrible it brings down the book so much that the book is easily taken down a half or full star, at least in my book. And you'll be happy to know I didn't take any stars off for worldbuilding! Authors generally inspire places in books after real places in our world, so we had a very diverse world! There was a country that seemed eastern European, one that seemed like pre-industrialized England, and one that seemed middle eastern. It made for an interesting blend of cultures!

I took half a star off because I sometimes got confused with the names. I understand that in a political book like this, you need to know a lot of names. And the names were pretty different from each other! But there were so many of them that I just couldn't keep them straight! Again, this might just be a me thing, but I got pretty switched around.

This book was amazing and so close to perfect! I'm so glad I got a copy. I am definitely interested in reading the sequel and I would recommend it for sure!

Askia is the rightful heir to the Frozen Crown, but her cousin Goran currently rules the kingdom of Searvesh and wears her crown. Askia wants to save her people from his deadly leadership and claim her throne, but she needs an army to do that. She ventures to nearby kingdoms in the Empire of Vishir to ask for aid, and of course, she gets swept up in more than she bargained for.

“I’m here for an army, not to play court politics.”

I loved Askia. A badass orphan princess and witch who wields death magic—what more could you want? She knows what she wants and cleverly plays her way through the court with a quick tongue. Early on, she runs into her childhood friend Iskander who’s the current prince of Eshkaroth, and she realizes it might easier than she thinks to persuade him to help her. But naturally, events don’t go according to plan, especially when she realizes there are enemies on every side and one of them expects her to marry him so he can claim the crown instead!

I also loved Nariko, Askia’s lady-in-waiting and newfound friend in the court of Eshkaroth. Her soft but firm personality made her my favorite character. In general, the characterization in this book was well done. Each character had their own identity and felt distinct from one another.

I’m giving the book five stars because I rate books based on my personal enjoyment of them and I loved this book; I really enjoyed my time reading it and I actually looked forward to reading it whenever I put it down, which is kind of rare for me, but there still is a lot that could have been done better here.

I really wish we got to see more magic and that the author went more in-depth with how it works and about the seven different kinds of witches. I also wish I had a better idea of what the characters looked like because I don’t think any physical descriptors were mentioned other than Askia’s red hair. I also would have liked the world to be slightly more fleshed out. We get some descriptions but there’s still so much about the empires that we don’t know. As this entire story takes place in Eshkaroth, we don’t learn much about the surrounding lands. Askia mentions them in passing, which is better than completely ignoring their existence like I sometimes see in epic fantasy novels, but I still wanted a little more. I also wanted to know more about the Frozen Crown, like why is that its name? Is it because it’s cold up in Seravesh? We sadly don’t learn much about Askia’s homeland. I wish a little more detail and description would have been included, and that’s my biggest criticism of this book.

The Frozen Crown is not perfect, but it was still an impressive debut that I immensely enjoyed way more than I expected to. I’m now eagerly waiting for the sequel and final book in this duology, which I believe is set to come out later next year (2021).

“There was nothing I wouldn’t do—nothing I wouldn’t give, to convince the emperor to save my people.”

I don’t know why I loved this book so much but I did. The Frozen Crown is an adult fantasy but feels like the perfect mix between young adult and adult, so a good book for someone looking to transition into adult fantasy or for someone who likes fantasy on the lighter side. There is no gore, mild language, and mild romance. The prospect of a future romance has me curious to see how this will play out in the sequel because the ending definitely goes in a direction I didn’t expect!

If you like epic fantasy with uniquely imagined worlds, gritty heroines, midnight magic lessons, and lots of political scheming and drama, you should check out The Frozen Crown. As a bookseller, I can’t wait to recommend this as much as possible when it comes out; in fact, I’ve already got a few coworkers excited to read it too!

SPOILERS HERE: There were some things didn’t make sense to me that I wish we’d gotten answers for, such as why Iskander insisted Askia win the duel against Armaan, and why Askia suddenly had feelings for Armaan out of NOWHERE when she’d previously expressed feelings for Illya. She was adamant about not marrying Armaan, about getting an army without getting married first, and then one night she seduced him and was suddenly attracted to him and contemplating marrying him, like what??? That whole scene was uncomfortable and left me completely shocked at how out of place it felt in the story, and I did not understand the thought or reason behind it at all. That was definitely my least favorite part of the book, and I wish we got to see more of Askia’s thought process during that scene because I just couldn’t believe that she was displaying genuine feelings for Armaan.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. I am choosing to leave a fair and honest review.
Please note this book will be released on 1/12/2021
“ I came to Vishir for an army not a husband.”
Askia, soon after the assassination of her parents, seeks aide from an ally. Her kingdom is now in the hands of an age old adversary. Her only choice is to head south and beg for troops.
This is a worthy successor to the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carrey. Much like that classic, this a book filled with intrigue and unrequited love. Askia is a fascinating character. She is pragmatic, intelligent and extraordinarily brave. She is will to do whatever it takes to save her nation.
The magical system is complicated and brilliant. With seven forms of magic, most witches are hunted down. Askia is a Death Witch. Her struggle to hide it and deal with it at the same time is well-balanced, which brings the reader closer to the story.
Askia was trained as a warrior. The fighting scenes are well-choreographed. Ms. Kelly does a good job of using real fighting techniques. People who seek some kind of realistic fighting scenes would truly love the fight between the princess and the emperor Armaad. It is as sexy as it is thrilling.
World-building was the some of the best I have read, particularly the religious system. There is a two-faced god – Lady Night and Lord Day.
Askia and her friends witness more than their share of intrigue in the foreign court. The one drawback was the number of characters. I had to page back several times trying to remember who a character (who hadn't been on the stage for a few chapters) was and where we were in the story.
The final chapters will cut out the reader's heart.
Ms. Kelly flavors her world's cultures with Russo-Slavic and Middle Eastern names and behavior. It provides the fantasy and real world balance that I personally love. Because of this the book's visuals and royal courts are very textured and I couldn't help falling into the story
All is all, this is a wonderful epic fantasy. At times, it is grimdark and brighthope, so it appeals to all fantasy fans.
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Crown-Novel-Greta-Kelly/dp/0062956957

I just finished a digital arc from NetGalley. I was very impressed with this book. I loved the main character, Askia. The plot was a combination or magic, adventure, and political intrigue. This is a definite must read for 2021.

Fantasy readers may expect Greta Kelly’s The Frozen Crown to follow the lines of other fantasy novels meant for young adult readers that are popular within the genre. However, the amount of action, politics, adventure, and much more keeps readers interested and rooting for our cast of characters as they try to navigate the conflicts at hand.

The first in a new fantasy series by Greta Kelly, The Frozen Crown follows the story of young Princess Askia, heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh. After the evil Emperor Radovan killed her parents and began his tirade into Seraveshi lands, the task of finding an army to save her people fell into Askia’s hands. Her army has been able to keep the Roven Empire’s forces at bay, but after the discovery of a town burned to the ground Askia realises her time is running out and she needs to make some important moves in order to secure her peoples’ safety. After riding to the desert lands of Vishir and spending time amongst the court trying to figure out a way to convince Emperor Armaan to join her cause to save her people. However, shortly after Askia becomes accustomed to her life in Vishir she realises that one of her biggest secrets could be revealed—and get her killed.

Through the dense politicking throughout the novel, there is a lot Askia needs to learn about the customs of the Vishiri Empire and through the conversations Askia has in and out of court the reader is provided with important insight when it comes to each of the important leaders Askia comes face to face with. In addition, the heated discussions Askia has with Prince Enver of Vishir proves to the reader that her journey in this territory is not going to be an easy one—it will take a lot of willpower and negotiating to get these people to stand with her cause. These discussions that take place throughout the entirety of the novel proves to keep readers interested and wondering what could come next.

Through Princess Askia’s cutthroat attitude and compelling story, readers may find her and her many friends easy to fall in love with. From watching Askia’s development from the beginning of the novel in Eshkaroth to watching her fight and win over the Khazan Guard in Vishir, each twist and turn in this novel shows the true development of a young princess turning into the queen she needs to become. In addition, the conflict of heart Askia faces throughout the novel provides tension and mystery that compels readers to continue turning the pages to see just who Askia will or will not end up with in the end.

While there is a lot of information revealed about Askia’s past throughout the novel, there is more information needed in order to really understand Askia’s rage. It is known that the Shazir, a group of believers of The Day Lord who seek to expel witches from the world are the people who killed her parents. However, when the Shazir pledge alliance to Askia it seems very suspicious and out of context. This could just be more court politicking, but it would be helpful for readers to understand the Shazir’s intentions a little bit more without revealing too much.

Overall, The Frozen Crown is an epic tale of love, loss, and how much a young princess will sacrifice herself in order to save her people. Readers who enjoy adventure, action, and just the right amount of politics may find this novel the perfect read to keep them warm and excited in the impending cold winter months.

Greta Kelly spins an engaging yarn about a woman with a claim to a crown who has had to flee her country because her cousin has been installed as a puppet king by a foreign power who is looking to take over. She goes to another foreign power to take back her country, thinking they’d be willing to repay an earlier favor.
How Kelly handles powerful women is interesting. The protagonist, Askia, is something we see a lot in fantasy: the warrior maiden who has learned how to fight like the boys, and basically shoots the finger at the dominant patriarchal society. She does this well, for even though she sounds suspiciously contemporary, it’s not problematic for me, because, despite the setting, everyone sounds pretty contemporary. The other powerful woman, Queen Ozura, must exercise her power indirectly from the harem, which is a much more traditional way women had to exercise power—from the shadows.

The characters grow on you. I’d have liked to know more about some of the secondary characters, but since this is a first person narrative, the character’s lack of interest in the backgrounds of the people around her works. She’s so focused on solving her immediate problem, and doesn’t always think through how to best utilize the contacts she has, that it makes sense to me that she doesn’t sit down and ask, say, Nariko, the woman who is her primary contact with the local culture, about her life and motivations.

The book is paced well and has clean, clear writing. The plot isn’t exactly novel, but there are some nice twists, and Kelly does a nice job of making you feel as though Askia is being pressured into a corner. The biggest problem I’d predict someone would have is that it’s definitely a first installment, so if you don’t like waiting to find out what happens next, you may want to wait until the entire series has been published. Overall, this fantasy is well-executed and fun, and I can’t wait to see how it ends.

[Review will be posted later this week.]

A big thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Greta Kelly for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I found the beginning to run a bit slow, but toward the middle and especially the end, that's where the real story starts. I enjoyed Askia as a strong heroine - she spent the entire book fighting for her country with one goal in mind: convincing a neighboring empire to give her an army to defeat a ruthless emperor trying to take over her country and eventually the world. No matter who failed to take her seriously (being a woman and all), she went above and beyond, willing to sacrifice everything for her people and gaining the respect of many, both in Vishir's King's Guard and its court.

I believe this is a good start to what may become an excellent series. It ends on a cliffhanger, and after reading the first few preview pages of the second book, I have a feeling the next installment will be even better than the first. I am very excited to see what happens next for Askia.

Princess Askia has fled her country in the face of an invading army. She sails to what she hopes will be a friendly empire to ask for help. Instead what she finds is a court full of intrigue and politics that are difficult to navigate. For Princess Askia has a dangerous secret, she is a witch. To help her country and get the army she needs to drive the invaders out, she needs to keep her secret a secret and navigate the traps and pitfalls of her enemies that spring up at every turn.
The characters are good. Askia is sassy and flawed. Every character has their own personality and motivations. They are unique. I really like Illya and Ozura, they are my favorites.
The worldbuilding is good. I especially like how the magical/religious elements combine with the political elements to add richness and realism to the world.
The plot is okay. The tension is fair. It was only around the last twenty percent of the book that the tension really starts to build.
This book is predictable. There are no surprise twists. So while it is good, it still feels more on the bland side. This may not have been the best book I read this year but I will be around to read the second book. Because it was still good enough for me to care enough about the characters.
Overall 3.5/5