Loved receiving this book from Netgalley for review.

I have to go read book one now to follow this story
This was a good read. Good YA fantasy book.

"Cinders in the Snow" is a novella nestled within the expansive world of The Trials of Ildarwood series by S.C. Selvyn, immersing readers in a realm brimming with darkness and enchantment.

In this multi-perspective narrative, we follow the journey of Tannus and Dasia, both aged eleven, as they are drawn into the treacherous depths of the Ildarwood — a perilous domain reserved for children yet to overcome their trials. Amidst their struggle to evade the dangers lurking within the forest, they embark on a transformative odyssey of self-discovery, grappling with the harsh realities of life.

At its core, this tale delves into themes of gender identity, societal pressures, resilience in the face of trauma, and the complexities of isolation, guilt, and the pursuit of freedom.

This was a delight to read! An enchanting journey with elemental magic, mystical forests, confronting enemies, embracing destiny and being yourself. Excited to read the rest of this series!

Thank you NetGalley and S.C. Selvyn for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fantasy YA novel that follows Dasia and Tannus as they navigate a magical and dangerous world while also dealing with grief and childhood trauma. The two protagonists are young (ages 10 and 11 iirc) and they meet seemingly by chance but quickly become close as they find support in one another that they never received from their own families.

The world building and magic system is interesting, I like how everything in Ildarwood sort of reflects the human elements that are explored. For example, the woods have the ability to change someone's outer appearance to match their inner self. A magical house can make adjustments to make a child feel more at home. Even the evil "Cynders" live off of human emotions like misery and tears.

The author states that the inspiration for this was to create a safe escape for children who are dealing with things like grief, trauma, and rejection by their families. I found the book to be a huge success in that way. There is a trans MC (as well as other queer SCs), and while there is a lot of acceptance and found family, this book doesn't ignore the reality that many LGBTQIA2S children will face hardship and trauma because of who they are. The queer characters are encouraged that even if/when they are rejected, they are always loved and worthy of love. And I really appreciated that.

The book was actually really good. I personally feel that maybe had I paid attention and noticed that this book was of a series my feelings towards the book may have changed. I did this book a disservice by not familiarizing myself with the series BUT with that being said I still give the book four stars. I had little confusion, which was great and appreciated since my knowledge of prior events was non-existent. I'm sure my thoughts and review will change upon reading the prior book in the series. But for now, I still recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is an absolutely enthralling page-turner. I finished it in one day! The characters are gripping and realistic. At first I thought there were too many characters and they would get biggest down or be bland background characters. Boy was I wrong! I felt personally invested in the experiences of each and every one of them. It was so good. The world-building, the complex magic system... nothing was written to fill up space. And though I got annoyed with a few characters, I remembered that they're teens and did exactly what I did growing up. Hence the annoyance for them to act better, ha! Eagerly awaiting the next book!!!

Cinders in the snow, a YA fantasy, by S.C. Selvyn is an origin story novella in the award-winning* Trials of Ildarwood series. Inside one can find illustrations, three chapters of lore, and more.

I have not read any other works from this series.

Dasia and Tannus want to unlock their elemental gifts but to do so must face the Trials of the Ildarwood which few children their age survive.When they are lured into forest they face unknown dangers. Will they survive?

I like that this book benefits charity. 100% of author royalties from sales of this novella will be donated to charities like True Colors United.

* Best Young Adult Fiction ebook in the 2023 Independent Publishers Book Awards, and Silver Medal Finalist for "Best Fantasy Novel" in the 2023 National Indie Excellence Awards.

"Cinders in the Snow" is a spellbinding novella that swept me away on an unforgettable journey of courage and magic. From the moment Dasia and Tannus stepped into the ancient Ildarwood, I was enthralled by the richly imagined world and the perilous trials they faced. The vivid descriptions and immersive storytelling brought the forest to life, making me feel like I was right there beside the characters, navigating the dangers of the Trials.

One aspect of the book that I particularly appreciated was its exploration of friendship, resilience, and the power of embracing one's true self. As Dasia and Tannus confront their fears and tap into their elemental gifts, I found myself cheering them on every step of the way. Additionally, the author's dedication to supporting LGBTQ+ youth through charitable donations added a poignant layer of meaning to the story, highlighting the importance of representation and acceptance.

Overall, "Cinders in the Snow" is a captivating prelude to the Trials of Ildarwood series that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. With its compelling characters, breathtaking world-building, and heartfelt message of hope, it's a must-read for fans of fantasy and adventure alike.

This was a great sequel in the Trials of Underwood serit was beautifully done and took care of what I was expecting from this type of book. It worked as a novella and I enjoyed how good and full it was. S.C. Seven has a great writing style and it worked with what I was hoping for. It does a great job chab. And showing the struggles that the characters had and that things do get better. I enjoyed how realistic the characters were for the setting and that it worked in this fantasy genre.

** 3.5 Stars **

I read this immediately after finishing Fall of the Forsaken, and I think it's interesting to get more of the world of Ildarwood before I officially start Spectres of the Fall. Even though I read them per the Amazon recommended reading order (Fall of the Forsaken, Cinders in the Snow, & then Spectres of the Fall), I feel like the first 2 prequels / origins stories could be read as stand-alones or in reverse order.

We see Tannus & Dasia, two children ages 11 & 10 who are lured into the Ildarwood following who they think are long lost friends. Once in the Woods, they are met with many obstacles & at risk of Breaking their souls. It is only through teamwork & friendship will they be able to help each other work through their haunting traumas & safely get out of the woods.

I love YA Fantasy, & this was another great read from Selvyn. This edges on the darker side of YA Fantasy, but I think the allegories that Selvyn presents about the struggles of LGBTQIA+ youth are amazing. I won't go into spoilers but I think Selvyn did a good job presenting such heavy subject matter in an eloquent and digestible way. I think this would be a great read not only for LGBTQIA+ children looking for fantasy characters similar to them, but also to any child empathetic to their struggles. I think he presents these issues in a way that makes sense for the fantasy realm he has created, and in a way that still makes it relatable for the reader.
I also very much enjoyed the 3 extra chapters of lore! Very fun to read more history of the Ildarwood.

My complaint of the magic system is very similar to the one I made for Fall of the Forsaken - I think the soul & stone concept is super unique, but I wish we explored a little more of how that magic system works. We are briefly given explanation of the elements each child should be able to control, but I wish we get more information on how this magic system works. It appears as though the element and stone are random at birth, that there's no predetermined factors that lead to what each child is born to be aligned with. However, I wish that was more explicitly explained. It also appears as though children can sometimes be overpowered with another element while in the Ildarwoods that replaces the element they were born with? The concept was a little confusing to me. The magic system felt a little rushed & not quite fleshed out, & I'm hoping that's mostly due to the fact that this is an Origin/Prequel story that is only about 230 pages long. As well as the fact that these children still have yet to start their trials, meaning they have very limited experience with their magic. I hope the first official installment of the series takes more time to explain this system more in depth and flesh out what was glossed over in these first 2 prequels.

Still a great precursor to what I hope is a great YA Fantasy series!

Would I re-read? Probably not. I'm very picky with books I re-read, and while this was enjoyable the first time around, I don't see myself feeling like I'll need to read it again
Will I continue the series? Yes! Although I received this book as an eARC, I enjoyed it enough to want to keep going with the series. I shall be started Spectres of the Fall in the next couple days for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, S. C. Selvyn, & Avylaan Kingdom Press for this eARC, IDK if I would've discovered the world of Ildarwood without it!

The story of Dasia/Dustane and Tannus is meaningful and deep, told in an easily understood writing style. This book is a bit on the younger end of the YA spectrum, though the world building is a little erratic and may be hard to follow at times for younger readers.

I really enjoyed the side characters that appeared throughout the book. They also had meaningful stories to be told and weren’t simply used as props for the main storyline.

Overall, this was a nice, easy read.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC on netgalley.

Dasia and Tannus truly want to get away. They have heard that Ildarwood can be their escape, but they also know that few children survive the Trials. Some soul-stealing hunters want to stop them from overcoming, but they must face their pasts to discover their true powers. What secrets will they discover during their Trial?

The Trials of Ildarwood: Cinders in the Snow is a stand-alone story set in the world created by Selvyn. I haven’t read any other stories set in this world, yet I was able to enjoy this story fully. My main complaint is that the ending was rather abrupt. This fantasy adventure was a wild ride throughout, yet as the end approached it felt forced. This will not be a satisfying read for everyone, but for those also on an inner quest of self-discovery, it may be a mirror into their thoughts.