Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyage for the ARC!

This book immediately sparked my interest! There isn't a Russian Folklore adaptation I haven't gravitated towards. I love the visual references to the OG Baba Yaga and the winterscape of Chernozemlya. The interplay of polarizing personalities from Baba Zima, Olena, Marisha and Valdium provides a beautiful alternative to a reader. We're not meant to adore them universally. They make mistakes, they're caustics and prickly. The book had a beautiful and visual premise. There are a few critiques based upon my own preferences.

The last 20% of the book exceeded expectations, but the first 80% felt lackluster. There was so much opportunity to really lean into the atmosphere of the story and allow the reader to live in that environment for a while. Instead, the majority of the page was dedicated towards discussing the limited interpersonal interactions of our cast without providing the full picture of their backstories. It felt like the writer was trying to leave breadcrumbs to have a big reveal at the end. It didn't work mostly because none of the characters were worth rooting for and not enough information was shared to make us invested in them. The sentient house and Golgolin were the most likable characters and they don't have any dialogue. Especially knowing that, I think there was way too much time wasted on the auxiliary characters. We don't really need to spend as much time on Dunya and Anka-ny as they don't provide much momentum to the story.

Final commentary...the ending. Again, a stylistic decision to leave so much unresolved, but on a slight optimistic tone. However, there was so much internal agonizing on the page, both for Marisha and Olena! Yet, we don't address any of the core issues which I've spent several hundreds of pages reading. The ending felt rushed and forced, like there was no need to write anything else after the physical altercation in the Other World.

I don't regret reading this and would potentially reread the story; however, I do think with a few more revisions it would have been Excellent.

Every ten years, the sleeping plague comes around. Most sleepers sleep for a year and a day, but some others fall into a deep sleep. Both of Marisha's parents are deep sleepers, her mother first, and her father ten years later. Her brother has vanished, and her aunt treats her with disdain, believing the sleeping plague is a moral blight on the family's character. Marisha stumbles upon an old witch, Baba Zima, who offers her an apprenticeship and the chance to discover the cause of the sleeping plague. Baba Zima has a cruel reputation, but her other apprentice, Olena, is worse. Working for Olena is hard and unrewarding, but that's because Olena carries her own burdens, and Marisha and Olena will have to rely on each other's strengths to find a cure for the sleeping plague.

A house on chicken legs, a sleeping plague, researching in old Slavonic...this book has all of the elements for a story to spark my imagination. I found the pacing to be a little uneven, though listening to the audiobook helped with that. Daphne Kouma is a great choice for the narration, bringing a sense of imagination, adventure, and wonder to the story, suitable for both Marisha and Olena's perspectives. There's a touch of light romance, but it's not the driving force of the plot. Marisha is looking for a home, and she finds one... it just happens to be on chicken legs and skis around from village to village. This isn't a new favorite, but hits all the right spots for me for an enjoyable read.

okay when I saw this compared to "the bear and the nightingale" I was all in on this title.......I really wish that comparison hadn't been made.
this title is not at all the same vibe as TBATN

What I DID enjoy....the very well crafted all female case was so refreshing! The character dynamics were so well executed.

I wanted more plot complexity and world building but found this easy to read when I picked it up to read it, some parts did drag for me which kept me from being excited to finish it

Marisha’s parents were struck by the sleeping plague, a mysterious illness that leaves its victims sleeping for a year - or in the case of her parents, for the rest of their lives. She is desperate for a job so her cruel extended family can’t force her into an unwanted marriage. With another plague approaching, few people are interested in hiring, especially not someone whose family is so unlucky.

The only person willing to hire her is Baba Zima, a koldunya (essentially a witch). Marisha is tasked with helping Baba Zima’s ornery apprentice, Olena, as she tries to find a cure for the sleeping plague. Marisha is a skeptic, but she soon sees the power magic has, and is determined to find the cure that will save her parents.

Overall I enjoyed House of Frost and Feathers! The world and magic elements are clearly inspired by Slavic folklore, which I found really interesting. This is an atmospheric and immersive read, but it’s fairly slow paced. In some ways this pacing works - it allows a lot of time for character development, for example - but in some ways it is just a bit too slow. The middle of the book suffers at times from the slow pacing, there were times where it felt like it was dragging on. It was still an enjoyable read, but I found myself much more invested in the beginning and end of the book.

I would definitely recommend this book, but only to readers who enjoy slower paced and/or character focused books. I don’t think this would work for readers who prefer fast paced, action packed books. I also think this would be a GREAT atmospheric read in the winter!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me an eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I think this book could have earned more stars, but it was paced too slowly. At times, it was hard to keep going, especially when paragraphs turned into page-lengths. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

A cute and cozy novel with some elements of folklore mixed into magical scenes. The characters were relatable and easy to get to know. I felt like while the story was good, there was something missing.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

unfortunately, dnf @53% — which is disappointing considering i was excited for a fresh baba yaga retelling (after not liking the many i had previously read). sadly, house of frost and feathers fell into the dislike category as i did not really care for the plot.

i did, however, really enjoy one of our fmcs olena! i appreciated her hard-work, wit, and the fact despite having magic, she did not want to heal her stump arm — this i felt a very refreshing take.

i saw another review that mentioned they wished marisha and olena ended up together — i DID think this was a sapphic retelling and so i’m disappointed to hear it is not.

as for the audio, the narrator did a great job!

My favorite no spoiler quote is an insult. "My dear buttered blin..."
I actually laughed out loud at that one. There needs to be more creativity in insults.

The sleeping plague is this strange event that comes and takes with no way of knowing. Something that cannot be reasoned with and there is no protection against. Even so, life must go on. Society has just accepted that this is something that happens.

There are some who rely on old world medicines, charms and beliefs. Baba Zima and her strange walking house full of herbs and experiments travels around. Offering remedies and looking at all sorts of people who pass the house.

This is a mystical tale that is a slow build perfect for snowy reading by the fire. The characters are lovely, the terms are a bit hard to follow in the beginning, and the cover art is whimsical!

3.5 stars rounded to 4 because the last 25% just flies and I couldn’t put it down.

This was a chunk of a book and it took me ages to get into (and through). It really wasn’t until around 30% in that I found my reading stride and I honestly debated DNFing for a while. I really think strong editing would help with a lot of the bulk. So little actually happens in the beginning third and this book is plenty long. To put it in perspective, it took me 5 days to get through the first 50% and I zoomed through the rest in one day.

Comparisons to the Winternight trilogy do this book a great disservice. The only similarity is that both draw heavily on Slavic folklore and history. The writing, storytelling and focus is so different. Readers should know this going in. The writing here is much less delicate and lyrical and - at the end - extremely fast paced. Bling writing isn’t a bad thing here as it’s very reflective of our primary main character, Marisha. She’s a blunt woman rapidly passing marriageable age trying to escape the plan that her aunt has mapped out for her life. Her parents have both succumbed to a sleeping plague, her brother has bankrupted their family and she’s lost all hope for an escape when she begs Baba Zima to take her on as an assistant to Olena, Zima’s apprentice, despite being a skeptic.

Marisha, Olena and Zima are the focus of the story. They’ve all been shaped by their interwoven pasts in ways I didn’t foresee and the reveals of how all their histories relate was such a delight. All these characters grow so much over the course of the story - Marisha becomes confident and learns to believe in her koldrunic abilities, Olena learns to trust and love her found family and Zima learns the cost of hiding her history.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, I went in blind and have been enjoying this cozy read.
I liked the fantasy elements that are sprinkled in, especially the chicken legged house!
I found that although the Slavic folklore elements were unique and interesting, i did not like all of the "lingo" - I am not a fan of all the names and many words either being another language or made up entirely. I find it frustrating and it slows my read way down. And this is already a slow read.
I think the story could have been told in about 250 pages. The front 75% was very slow and could have been cut in half. The final 25% has a faster pace with the action, however so many names and titles made it confusing to keep track of who is doing what.
I love the cover design, would pick that up and buy it in a flat minute!
I also enjoyed the prose, her descriptive writing is really enjoyable, but sometimes a little overdone and felt like filler.
I read the first 60% on the epub and the last 40% by audio (i really wanted to experience both! I will review the audio next)
I would call this a 3.5 or 3.75 star read, will land it at a 4 on the rating here and on goodreads.
Thank you for the ARC!

A slow-burning, bleak fairytale steeped in grief and memories, The House of Frost and Feather delivers an original retelling where plague and magic intertwine at the bone-deep level. Marisha, left alone after the sleeping plague claims her family, takes desperate refuge as an assistant to the infamous Baba Zima. The magic system is intricate and rooted in a give-and-take, which is one of the most compelling and original elements of the book. The pacing is slow but deliberate, drawing out the tension and suffocating dread as Marisha and Olena search for a cure. Their story is one of betrayal, unspoken grief, and dreams that border on nightmares. It's as if a figure is stalking their every step. This book is harsh and unrelentingly heavy. I wish there had been a thread of romance to soften the edges.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager / Avon for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

The moment I saw the cover, I knew I would love the book. My favorite part about the book was how the magic system was on display, and the feel of the book was as described, folkloric. I felt very engaged with what I was reading and truly loved every moment.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I really wanted to love this book. I love Slavic folklore and the promise of this book being similar to Juniper & Thorn. Sadly, I couldn't even make it past the 10% mark. The story moves so slow and the constant description of what exactly is happening made me feel extremely separated from the story. It was like the author was trying to describe things to a kindergartner.
On top of that, the main character that we're following is 21, but seems to have the thought processes of an early teen. The early teens/pre-teens around her seem much more mature and developed than she is.

The atmosphere/setting created held so much promise. It definitely gave me Studio Ghibli vibes. But I honestly couldn't stay awake every time I sat down to read it. Good for insomnia, bad for wanting to experience a fantastical world.

Did not match the comps it was given unless the only thing you're looking for is Slavic inspiration. That being said, it was fine. The writing was lovely at times and the characters were fun. It could have been a lot shorter and have a better impact.

All in all, not really my cup of tea but I'll be curious what Wiesebron comes out with down the line.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun story! I’ve never read a story featuring Baba Yaga’s house (or in this story, Baba Zima’s) until now, but I loved following Marisha’s and Olena’s story as they worked and tried to coexist together in this sentient home. We see our two FMCs butting heads often, but at the end of the day they looked out and took care of each other when it mattered most.

Marisha was hands down my favorite character. Even though she had her moments of dishonesty for the sake of self preservation, she was still a kind, young woman with a strong sense of morality and integrity. Olena was a bit more of a prickly character and self-centered at times, but we still get to see her softer side, such as when she took care of Marisha or when she was cuddling and baby talking to Golgolin.

I wish we could’ve explored more of the other world but maybe we’ll still get that opportunity. I was under the impression this was going to be a standalone novel, but there were definitely some unanswered questions and loose ends left untied by the end of the story, potentially setting up for a sequel.

I would definitely recommend this story to anyone looking for a cozy, folklore fantasy to read in the colder months!

2.5 stars
Let me start off with saying I loved the premise. I think my expectations were a bit too high going in as I was expecting lyrical writing (similar to Divine Rivals) and a touch of The Bear and the Nightingale. I also feel like there was so much potential for a side sapphic romance that would’ve elevated the story.

Unfortunately I did not click with the authors writing style, and I think that’s where things started to go down hill. I also just couldn’t connect to the characters. All of that being said, if you’re looking for a young adult fantasy with no romance and folklore feel, maybe give this a try.

If you're in the mood for a nice and straight-shooting Cottagecore story with Slavic folktale inspirations, this is the book for you. It's not a book you can read in one sitting due to length and bloat, but it isn't a complex or demanding read at all. Just do not expect plotting complexity, do not expect much in terms of worldbuilding, and do not expect much of the characters beyond what is offered either.

(Full review in link.)

I have to start by saying , I almost gave up on this book. I had to keep pausing my reading to look up words and terms I had never encountered in novels before. . I truly knew nothing about this type of Slavic folklore and I was LOST.

However, I'm glad I continued. Once I looked up the foreign (to me) terms, I definitely began to enjoy the story more. And what a story it is. It's strange. Expect to be a little c0nfused, a little bewildered and leave your expectations of reality at the door. Once I relaxed and just rolled with it, I began to love the story. But again, it's strange. A house on chicken legs? What??

I recommend this book to fantasy lovers who crave something new.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this as an ebook for review from NetGalley.

Thoughts: I stopped reading this about 50% of the way in. There just isn't a lot happening in this book. We spent most of the time in this magical house while a sleeping plague threatens outside. It was very slow and the characters weren't very interesting.

Marisha is penniless and doesn't want to marry. Desperate to escape a bad marriage she accepts a job as an assistant to Baba Zima's apprentice Olena. Baba Zima is a famous koldunya (sorceress) and Olena feels threatened by Marisha's presence. Olena is trying to do the impossible which is to solve the sleeping plague that has taken so many lives. Marisha must survive Olena's tricks if she is to prove her worth to Baba Zima and keep her place in the house.

The POV here changes between Marisha and Olena and neither of them is very engaging or even likable. The book is decently written and the writing flows well, but I found it fairly boring. We spend nearly all of our time in this magical house watching the women there try to trick each other and tear each other down.

That was the other thing I really didn't like about the story, all of the characters are trying to hurt each other rather than help each other. Baba Zima is constantly testing Olena in cruel ways, Olena is constantly punishing Marisha for basically existing. Even the magical house gets in on the cruelty. It wasn't something I enjoyed reading.

The Russian folklore throughout is intriguing. The idea of the sleeping plague is also interesting, but we only deal with it from a distance. There was a lot of potential here, but it just fell short for me.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this wasn't for me. The story was too slow, the characters weren't engaging and I didn't like how they tried to push each other down rather than help and lift each other up. The magical house is intriguing, but we never leave it....the sleeping plague is also interesting, but we are distanced from it. There was a lot of potential for a good story here, and I do think the writing flowed well and was easy to read, there just wasn't anything here to keep my interest.

House of Frost and Feathers was a cozy, slow-paced novel good for any reader who enjoys Slavic folklore and easy building mystery.

While the core of the story was interesting to me, I felt the structure of the book did not serve it well. The alteration between the two female point-of-views of inconsistent and made the story feel slanted in favor of one of them instead of being co-main characters. I would have preferred an equal split between them or having only focusing on one to further develop her characterization. In addition, the prose had a tendency to be heavy-handed. I felt too often that I was guided in how to think and what questions to ask instead of allowing me to make the connections myself. This happened with character emotions as well, where I felt that instead of describing the emotions I was simply being told what the character felt.

While the story itself was interesting (if a little slow for me) the overall story was lackluster for me and I would only recommend it to those who don't mind a slower pace and who are already enthusiasts of Slavic folklore.