Wind Daughter

This has been my most-anticipated release of 2022 – and it did not disappoint! In fact, while I may be writing this review in February, I can guarantee that it will make on my list of favorites for the entire year. Talk about an absolutely spectacular sequel to Echo North. It’s actually rare for me to be so pleased with a sequel, because they regularly don’t live up to how much I loved the first book. However, Wind Daughter certainly left me in awe.

I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that it didn’t try to be the first book. There was a lot about it that was very different. This particular book felt much more character-oriented to me, while Echo North was really focused on the plot and the magic – and really just the overall vibes. Wind Daughter started out with a much slower pace, allowing you to really grow attached to the characters and understand them in a much deeper way. By the halfway point, I truly felt as though Satu had become a close friend of mine and I was able to connect to her emotions even more.

And we really must touch on Satu’s emotions, of which there were plenty. This beautiful character is practically made of feelings and I loved her for it. She grows up thinking there is something wrong with her, and the entire time, I wanted to just yell at her that she was even more precious because of her empathy! While the plot is full of fantasy, Satu’s personal story is really a coming-of-age, and it was wonderfully done.

Since I had just done a reread of Echo North, it was especially fun to be reintroduced to beloved characters from the first book. I won’t go too in-depth about who we run into, so as not to spoil anything, but let’s just say that there are some familiar faces that will brighten your day (and you may learn even more about them, which makes the plot thicken phenomenally). OH! And there’s a fun little Easter egg for anyone who has read Into the Heartless Wood as well. This part literally made me screech aloud and was followed by me taking a photo of the page and texting it to the author to confirm that it really was what I thought it was!

The second half of the book will blow.your.mind! Originally, I planned to read the book in three sittings. Instead, I read it in two – with the second sitting being the last two-thirds of the book – because I literally couldn’t put it down. I actually tried. It was before bed and I set down the book and turned off the light… only to undo those moves because I absolutely had to know what happened next. It’s been a very, very long time since I read past my bedtime, but this story had me coming back for more. It was riveting!

Read this book if you enjoy the idea of:
– bee magic (I’m terrified of bees and this book made me love them… from a distance… but still love them nonetheless)
– a girl with “too many” feelings
– winter demons
– stories that feel both ancient and new
– time-bending and elemental magic
– love that defies all odds

[Content Warnings: (major) death/death of parent, (minor) suicidal thoughts, (additional) If you have any sort of opposition to bees, be aware that there are lots of them in this book. They aren’t wicked little stingers though – they’re beloved and kind and make delicious honey. I’m terrified of them, but this book never once had me cringing in fear.]

I did enjoy the mythology of this book with it's own original twist. Ms. Meyer is one of my new favorite ya authors.

It was such a wonderful read, had me captivated as everything was setting up, and things unpacked. Moreover, I really liked the word building and how well paced it was. Also, the characters were quite fun too. So, it’s a 4.5 stars read for me.

Thank you for this e arc!!

I havent read Echo North (but I ordered a coly!!) but had to read this. It was SO good! Beautifully written, so entrancing and gorgeous. I loved it. I read it in one sitting and fell in love with the Winter Lord. I sort of called the twist but it was such a beautiful read. Highly recommend and can’t wait to read Echo North. This is a magical, romantic, atmospheric read

I was so intrigued about this one, right after reading that blurb, so I went into it with quite huge expectations and *phew* it really didn’t disappoint. It was so beautifully written and the characters are quite exceptionally amazing. If I have to define this book with a mere sentence; I would say, reading it was like, watching a beautifully serene landscape and getting lost in its beauty and magical touch of grace and naturalness.

Wind Daughter was a beautiful tale of personal growth told through the lens of a girl who has to save the world. It was a great blend of fantasy elements mixed in with real human emotions and relationships. This would be a great YA read, and I will be recommending it to my students (and adults too!).

A hauntingly beautiful fairy tale about love and loss, this Echo North companion novel is perfect for fans of the Winternight Trilogy.

In the dark, cold reaches of the north lives a storyteller and his daughter. He told his daughter, Satu, many stories—romances like the girl who loved a star and changed herself into a nightingale so she could always see him shining—but the most important story he told her was his own. This storyteller was once the formidable North Wind, but he lost his power by trading it away in exchange for mortality—he loved her mother too much to live without her. The loss of his magic impacted more than just their family, however, and now the world is unraveling in the wake of this imbalance.

To save the North, Satu embarks on a perilous journey to reclaim her father’s magic, but she isn’t the only one searching for it. In the snow-laden mountains, she finds herself in a deadly race with the Winter Lord who wants the North Wind’s destructive powers for himself.

Satu has the chance to be the heroine of her own fairy tale, only this one has an ending she never could have