Kingdom Cold

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Pub Date 14 Feb 2019 | Archive Date 27 Jun 2019

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Description

Attempted murder, that’s how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts. It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.

When her kingdom’s attacked, Charlotte’s parents renegotiate her hand in marriage to a handsome stranger with a sinister plan. With the people Charlotte loves dying around her, and her kingdom’s future at stake, the only person she can turn to is the prince she betrayed. But, should she save her kingdom or her heart? One must fall.

Multicultural Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance

BRITTNI CHENELLE currently lives in Seoul, Korea which inspires her multicultural fantasy books. Her favorite genres to read and write are Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance, Fairytale Retellings, and Young Adult Dystopian novels. She's very passionate about equal representation and makes a point to include characters from different backgrounds and cultures in her Fantasy stories.

Attempted murder, that’s how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts. It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.

When her...


Advance Praise

"Kingdom Cold is a unique blend of reality, fantasy, and exhilaration." -Book Blogger

“KINGDOM COLD is Brittni Chenelle’s answer to ‘How to write something completely alive, fresh and filled with the unexpected!’” - Book Blogger

"Somehow, I managed to count the major plot twists in the story. Yes! Twist with an 'S'" - Book blogger

“One of the most dazzling YA releases of the year.” - Book Blogger

The last few chapters had my mouth dropping open in surprise whispering ‘No, no, no! It can’t end! OMG!’” - Book Blogger

“The story gives us all the drama, intrigue, angst, and mystery we can handle.” - Book Blogger

"Kingdom Cold is a unique blend of reality, fantasy, and exhilaration." -Book Blogger

“KINGDOM COLD is Brittni Chenelle’s answer to ‘How to write something completely alive, fresh and filled with the...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781790794034
PRICE $2.99 (USD)

Average rating from 120 members


Featured Reviews

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An ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

First off, I have to say that this cover is absolutely stunning! It matches the book very well, so props to the designer!

The book was a very promising premise and I was not disappointed. The book hooked me from the very first line.

Secondly, the book is written so amazingly. The author manages to have both beautiful prose and action-packed scenes down to a T. Her flow and style were so easy to visualize. The pacing of the story is also so well done. It's fast-paced and gripping from start to finish that I actually could not physically put this book down.

Lastly, the representation in the book was awesome! The main characters are of Asian and African descent which I really appreciated.

Brittni Chenelle is definitely on my radar after reading this. I will for sure be looking forward to other releases by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

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3.5 stars.

My thoughts are as disjointed as unfortunately, this book is. The gorgeous cover drew me in, and the blurb seemed interesting, but I was immediately taken aback by the spoiled, childish nature of the heroine.

Unfortunately the remainder of the book, and the characters follow suit, their actions largely immature and fickle. I also didn't really follow the tie-in/reimagining of Arthurian legend, other than a bit of haphazard name dropping.

I remain slightly curious to see where the author is going with this, but hope for more consistently likable characters in the next installment.

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I really enjoyed this, yes the main character is very self centred but I found that more realistic given the age and I found it interesting, fast paced and fun. I can’t wait for the next book. An interesting fun read, great characters and good plot.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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A round of applause to the cover designer!

Now, let's talk about the story: young princess forced to marry a young prince to save her kingdom from an impending war, and in her push and pull, war arrives at their gates, and they've got to flee and suddenly she learns that the war is all about who wins and gets to stay in power longer, but what of her life? What of the lives of those she loves?

So, it's got a myriad of feelings and with a fast pace, you can't help but get from one sword fight to another to another conspiracy to another and so on.

It's entertaining, that's for sure. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

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Chenelle incorporates aspects of various genres to construct a well-thought, imaginative piece. Traipsing boundaries of conventional genres, Chenelle manages to beautifully allude to character-isms that make the novel an all round success.

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We went through a COMPLETE GAUNTLET of emotions while reading Kingdom Cold by @brittnichenelle . At first, we hated Charlotte, thought Young was as bland as lukewarm plain oatmeal, Minseo was the Quagmire (Family Guy reference) of the book, and Mili was as loyal as a hand feed puppy... NONE OF THESE THINGS WERE TRUE!!! (Well, the Quagmire thing was kind of true, but let's not split hairs, shall we?) The character development was AMAZING, pacing was on point and the part right before the ending caused legit tears 😭. The end was satisfying enough, but we NEED us a happy ending!!! Since the author has indicated that this book is the first of a trilogy, we hope we get it!!!

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My rating: 3.75 stars

I was captivated by this book! There was something charming about the setting and characters that drew me in right away. Not to mention the beautiful cover!

The story featured diverse characters who, at first glance, perhaps seemed a bit immature or just not developed enough. But as the book progressed, I looked forward to seeing their personal growth. Especially the heroine, Charlotte. In the beginning of the book, she is spoiled and self-centered. Refusing to accept the news of her betrothal, she decides to take matters into her own hand without taking time to think things through. Young, her betrothed, seems at first to just accept things without revealing much of an opinion, but he quickly became one of my favorite characters. I do wish some of the supporting characters had received a bit more development. Milly could have been a great addition to the plot, but she just wasn't used enough. I wish we could have seen more friendship between her and Charlotte.

As for the pacing, the ending did feel a little bit rushed. I would have liked to see it a little bit more fleshed out. I didn't want the story to end, and then all of a sudden it was over. But, I'm glad to see that there will be two more books in this series, so I can't wait to see what happens next!

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I received this book from the author/publisher for my honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

I really did love this book. I really enjoy reading books about royalty and this was that but with a twist. Charlotte is not your average princess and I loved that about her. She didn’t let others tell her what she could or couldn’t do, GIRL POWER! This book sure takes you through a lot of emotions, one minute you are happy and the next angry. It really keeps you engaged in the story. Very well written and easy to read. Can’t wait to read the next installment!! I need more!!

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Attempted murder, that’s how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts. It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.
This was honestly all I needed to read to know this was going to be an amazing ride and I was willing to jump on and ride this ride.
I was so glad I read this book and the writing is amazing beautiful.

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I started Kingdom Cold right after finishing Cage of Deceit so it was not hard to notice some of the similar main plot points. That being said Kingdom Cold did provide a different story in tone and pacing.

I like the author's ability to adjust the pace throughout the book. Not wasting time and pages on unimportant details and focusing on key plot development points. The 2 main characters were complex and nuanced. While Charlotte started off quite self-centered, I appreciated that flaw since she had self-awareness of it and worked throughout the book on it. Young was my favorite and I was very unsatisfied with the ending for that reason. I also wish his POV was featured more.

Mineseo and Milly were frustrating flat characters for me that added a layer to the story that I just don't like. I never like stories that focus on love triangles or unrequited love so that definitely affected my overall impression of the book.

The King Arthur tie-ins felt forced and I'm not really sure where the author plans to go with the next 2 books. I am a bit curious since I am a long-time fan of Arthurian literature but I honestly don't know if I'll invest the time to read them as I'm not really interested in hearing more from these characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC copy I was given to review honestly.

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I loved this one! When I was asked if I'd like to read it, I didn't know anything about this book or the author, but it sounded like the kind of story I'm drawn to..I had no idea it would be one of my favorite reads so far! I loved reading this, yes it's got romance and courtly intrigue, but the twists kept coming and I loved all the surprises that the characters were faced with! It's a lot like the YA books I normally read, and yet is something all it's own. A must read!

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Let’s start with the chance to read and review this book! I’m always appreciative that I get to read books before they are released, it kinda gets me excited. Now, the cover is always the first thing I look at while buying a book. If the cover is not looking too hot, i usually won’t read it. This cover is really pretty, however I hope the physical copy has maybe a little shimmer and embossing on it! It adds a little extra. The story itself was really good. I really wanted the prince to be more Open about the way he was attracted to the princess. However, in light of that....I did feel like the feelings between the two were forced. I wish it flowed a little more naturally. But still both are very likable characters and I’m glad I got to read about this world that the writer has created!

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This book was absolutely thrilling and amazing!! I loved every second of it! I loved that the story kept moving along quickly and how well developed the characters were. I fell for Young the moment Charlotte shot her arrow at him! I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

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This was pretty spectacular if you asked me! I adored it nonstop and would not put it down. Loved the pacing and world the author created! Definitely could have used less POV’S but loved Prince Young a ton! Would definitely reading more from author!

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This is probably closer to a 3.5, but I'm bumping it up because I generally enjoyed everything until the very end? This was a super quick read, and while at times it felt like important things were happening off-screen, for the most part, I enjoyed watching Young and Charlotte fall for each other. I wish there had been a little more development of them, and that we had gotten a little more time with them, though. Emmett was...a strange character. He seemed to have his own motivations, but then he just became jealous and vengeful when he came back at the end? Minseo was SO GREAT and then I absolutely DESPISED him. Because he was a great brother to Young and I loved the two of them. And then there was that extremely strange and wholly unnecessary thing at the end with Minseo randomly falling for Charlotte and acting on it and freaking challenging Young and ugh. That was all so awful, especially with Charlotte being pregnant with Young's child and the fact that Charlotte and Young had genuinely come to love one another. And then Young freaking DYING and the description for the sequel...I DON'T KNOW. The ending was just really conflicting for me. And freaking Milly was such a ball of trash characterization. also, Leon DESERVED BETTER. Overall, fun, quick read? Probably won't continue with the series just because my favorite character has left us and I don't want to deal with that, though.

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Recommended: sure!
For those who enjoy the fight-for-your-crown plot line, and unexpectedly realistic characters in this otherwise unrelatable setting for modern-day people (unless you're modern-day royalty, I suppose!)

Summary:
When the fighting of her country's endless war spills into Princess Charlotte's her own courtyard, she's delighted to call off her arranged marriage with Prince Young. After fleeing with her stoic betrothed, they finally escape one battle and immediately find themselves in another. A sleazy new suitor is suddenly scheming for her hand --- and her kingdom --- and suddenly Young doesn't look so bad as an ally, if not a husband. Trying to save the kingdom Besmium from being overrun with enemies begins with figuring out who among their own they can really trust.

A very bold ending that I deeply applaud. I'm hoping Kingdom Soul delivers just as much in the sequel!

Overall, I quite enjoyed the story! The characters had distinct and developed personalities that consistently carry through in their actions, and have the miraculous ability to actually talk to each other (instead of that thing where the conflict would be resolved by a short chat). We got a few chapters from the perspectives of the not-quite-main characters, which actually worked really well to add depth all around and tangle you up by making you feel a bit sympathetic even for the villains.

The places I stumbled were the grammatical errors, particularly issues with missing commas. Those really stand out to me, and it took me out of the story at best, and at worst made me actually not understand what was happening. There were also a few times when actions were inconsistent (such as Charlotte saying she sat up to talk to her mother, then when her father entered the room "it was almost enough to make her sit up". I'm like, girl you're already sitting up??).

These are small issues that can easily be solved with a second pair of eyes taking a look at the text, though, and the driving force of characters and story was solid!

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Kingdom Cold was an amazing ride. I loved the cover art one of the reasons why I decided to request the book in the first place. The plot line was very promising and it did deliver which is always a good thing.

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READ IT! Oh wow, this is a rare find. The story was mind blowing, I loved it. If I could choose a book to give an award to, it would be this one. The author has absolutely outdone themselves! Not only did it touch me in ways I can’t explain, but it really made me open my eyes to a whole new reality.

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This book was very entertaining and engaging and I ended up finishing it in a night because I could hardly put it down. The characters are intriguing and not everybody is who they seem. Charlotte, the main character, definitely sees some character development, as well as most of the other characters. This is always a plus since static characters are boring and typically lead to an undeveloped story. This story developed quite nicely though and held my interest throughout.

I was surprised by the ending and the story as a whole was a lot darker than I originally suspected. There is a lot of death and grief for the characters. However, it is still YA appropriate, with no graphic violence scenes.

A few things I did not love:

The tone of the voice was very 21st century. The timeline is obviously much, much earlier than the present but the way many of the characters talked and their arrangement of words was not true to the time period.

While entertaining, it wasn't very descriptive and some more background on the characters would have been nice before plunging head into the action. The writing itself was good, just a bit too concise for a YA. It felt a bit rushed. I honestly would have liked many parts to last longer. The end especially was extremely quick, which left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

The ending. As I said before, my biggest issue was how quick and disconnected it felt. However, it was also darker than I was expecting or wanting. There was an epilogue of sorts that I suspect was supposed to make it a bit happier but it actually made me more depressed to be honest. I had to read another book before going to bed because I really didn't want to go to bed feeling that miserable. Being able to move the reader to feel particular feelings while reading is a very good thing, it just wasn't what I was wanting to feel. She set it up for more books and has said she plans on continuing the series but I just have a hard time seeing this being able to go to a happier place, but I am anxious to see what happens next.

Despite what I didn't like about the book, it was written well and fits well with trending genres. I feel it will be enjoyed by most who read it!

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My rating: 3.5 stars
Hmm, where do I begin?

If someone would have asked me about 3, no, 4 chapters from the end, if I would read the next book in this series, I would have said "No, most likely not." But once I finished this novel, my opinion changed.

Going into this book I did not know it was Arthurian. Reading the little tidbits were fun and, I believe, added to the story.

If I had to chose a favorite character, it would be a toss up between Charlotte and Young. I enjoyed reading there chapters. In the beginning, Charlotte really irritated me with her behavior, but eventually she grew on me.

At first, It was a little weird to me that the princess made several attempts at murdering her marriage partners, but I don't think I could blame her too much. Not only was she being forced into marriage before she was ready, but it was also with someone she didn't even love.

I really liked the transformation of Charlotte and Young. There hate-to-love relationship was cute and heartfelt.

They were pretty much the only characters I liked. Which might have been the authors point. (?) Young's brother, Minseo, was a crummy person. Sleeping around with different people, and even trying to convince his brother to as well. And then, when he was trying to "get over his feelings" for another character, he slept with someone else! What a scum-o.

Don't even get me started on Milly, Charlotte's maid.

This book was in all honesty, a page-turner for me. I wanted to know what happened next! But for a while I felt very, meh, about the book. I can't quite put my finger on it. It might have been how some of the scenes did not change smoothly. At times, it felt like one big scene that just suddenly had a different setting.

But it all changed when it came to the ending. If you like your heart being ripped into a bunch of little pieces, and feeling all the feels, then read this book. And because of said ending, I will most likely be reading the next book in the series.

In conclusion, Kingdom Cold was a dramatic Arthurian story about love and duty. Even though there were things I disliked or disagreed with, the story was undeniably a page-turner, worthy of staying up late into the night to find out what happens next.

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This cover is absolutely gorgeous. And that's what attracted me to the book at first.

Although the main character wasn't as lovable as i would have wanted it, she did bring a certain element and dept to the story.
The story is a bit all over the place at sometimes, but still very easy to read. It has some typical young adult elements in it which isn't a real surprise anymore
But still was a nice read and I would recommend the book.

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The first thing that I noticed going into this book was the pacing, unlike some of the chunkier fantasy books I've found myself reading lately, this one had a fast pacing. It made it easier to read in just a few sittings and I didn't find myself getting bored and have to skim read sections. I've seen this book advertised in a few places so I'm glad I got to read it, it was a quick and entertaining read with good writing.

My only issue was the characters, I would have liked to see them with a bit more depth But even then it was a minor issue.

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This book was interesting and I enjoyed reading it, however i feel as though the end had too much going on and was quite rushed. It felt too concluded, but I intend to read the other two books in this trilogy and I am intrigued on how the story is going to progress.

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Love, war, and tragedy are the three words that come to mind when I think about Kingdom Cold. I felt so much while reading this book and I was surprised by its ability to captivate me. I'm a sucker for a good romance and I was not disappointed, Chenelle crafts a reluctant but beautiful love story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
It starts with a simple desire: freedom to choose. "“I won’t say ‘I do’,” I said, locking my knees to keep them from shaking . Marriage? Even the word repulsed me. It sat at the back of my throat and I choked on it." Charlotte, the princess of Besmium and main protagonist, is a rebellious girl with the simple wish to get married on her own terms. Besmium is facing a brutal war and the promise of a marriage between Princess Charlotte and Prince Young could unite the East and West to save the kingdom of Besmium. But through tangle after tangle the love story deepens winding in and out of characters until they must face an even more powerful enemy than they ever imagined. Death lurks at their doorstep and they must think quickly to save everything they love.

What I love about this book is the depth of each character. Everyone has wants and their own motives that make them unique. There is a rich history, that while it doesn't delve super deep it feels well rounded and complete. Every single character down to the smallest of servant has their own special personality, there are no cardboard cutout characters. My all-time favorite is Charlotte herself, she reminds me of Celaena from Throne of Glass. She takes her fate into her own hands and makes the absolute best of each situation. She's analytical and blossoms into a full blown badass who isn't afraid to get blood on her royal hands. She is not a damsel, she is a warrior in her own rite. She is not afraid to speak her mind and no man is her master. Her fate is her fate alone.

The antagonists are done so authentically, even minor antagonists like Charlotte's mother. While not intending to be evil and cruel, the queen is brutal and horrible to her daughter. Charlotte's hatred for her mother feels real and justified. Charlotte is not just a silly teen girl that is irritated with her mother, she is full on verbally abused by the queen. It's so satisfying watching Charlotte defy her mother at every turn. While the queen isn't the main antagonist, I felt so empowered everytime her plans were foiled.

This story has so many layers and felt like a roller coaster ride. My only quarrel with this book is that it felt like it was written as a standalone and changed towards the end to make it span a few more books. The plot would heighten and dip making me feel like it had three different stopping points. I will say that I am glad that this series is going to be three parts because I really enjoyed the story and characters. I was angry when I read the ending but with a promise of continuation in the acknowledgements my anger was quelled. I need to know more and I refuse to be left with the ending presented.

I give Kingdom Cold a 4/5 stars. This book surprised me and has a love story that I won't soon forget. I will be looking forward to reading the next installment.

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First of all, thank you for the e-ARC!

The first sentence of the synopsis drew me in hard. "Attempted murder, that’s how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts." I mean it has attempted murder, engagement, and a princess. What else could I want?

Princess Charlotte is a spoiled brat at the beginning of the story and I won't lie, it almost made me stop reading. I felt that I would never be able to read a whole book where the main character is someone I hate. But she grew up over the course of the book and I actually started enjoying her character. Young is an interesting character than I enjoyed learning about. He opens up slowly over the course of the book which I found to be a good balance to Charlotte's character.

The secondary characters were a little flat at times and sometimes seemed to do things that didn't seem like something they would actually do. I wish they had been developed more. But this may be coming in the next book(s).

I enjoyed the romance aspect of the book the most, but the political intrigue was a nice touch. The twists and turns kept me fully invested and not trusting ANYONE. Although I enjoyed the ending, I felt that it was a bit rushed. If it would have taken a bit more time to allow things to play out, I may have ranked it a little higher.

Overall, I did enjoy reading Kingdom Cold and will most likely be reading the next book in the series.

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although it has not been able to tie with the Ma in characther, the plot is interesting. it reads quickly and is very pleasant

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Kingdom Cold was interesting, unique, and breathtaking. It was something I could read and read again, with how much is in this book and it was written beautifully.

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As with most books on NetGalley, this book is a great read. Captivating and intriguing. Thematically beautiful. Gorgeous writing.

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Apologies for the very late review, I thought I had posted my review but it is only upon checking my netgalley account that I realised it never sent.


I loved everything about this book; the world, the characters and the way it kept me guessing! I look forward to seeing more from Chenelle

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