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Fairytale Retellings #4
Cold Spell
Kai and Ginny grew up together--best friends since they could toddle around their building's rooftop rose garden. Now they're seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora--a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved--and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him? Jackson Pearce, author of the acclaimed Sisters Red and Fathomless, has returned with a unique vision of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," one about power and redemption, failure and hope, and the true meaning of strength.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2013
39 people are currently reading
7482 people want to read
About the author
Jackson Pearce
30 books2,613 followersI am not very active on Goodreads-- this is largely a placeholder account! Therefore, I do not read Goodreads mail. If you want to get in touch with me, please go here: CONTACT ME!
Jackson Pearce currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and currently works for a software company even though she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled fire batons, but they still didn’t want her). Other jobs she’s had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress, and receptionist.
Jackson began writing when she got angry that the school librarian couldn’t tell her of a book that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals, and magic. Her solution was to write the book herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more concerned for her ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
August 31, 2016
There is something about Ms. Pearce’s writing that calls to me like a siren from the sea. Her words leap from the pages to wrap me in comfort. Picking up one of her books feels like wrapping chilly hands around a steaming mug of cocoa. The anticipation must be savored for a moment, before diving into the bliss. Cold Spell, her most recent novel is no exception.
This enchanting interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” captivated this reader immediately. Brimming with exceptional characters exhibiting quirks, wit, sweetness, determination, talent and compassion; this seemingly simple tale of one girl persistently pursuing her soul-mate becomes a book that cannot be put down.
At the tender age of 17, Ginny has known and loved Kia for a decade. With just a twist, a typical romance is transformed. You see, Kia loves her right back. Where does a story go when it starts with an uncomplicated, true and shared love? Well, in this case, on an epic adventure including Fenris, gypsies (Travellers), a compassionate and ultra-cool couple and the sinister, selfish Snow Queen, Mora.
When the Snow Queen chooses Kia for own court, she has no clue how far Ginny is willing to go to prevent this. Even during her time as a human, Mora has never known real love; therefore, she simply can’t fathom what one person may do to save a cherished soul from a life-time of suffering, servitude and pain. Until faced with it; The Snow Queen never anticipated that a girl would be willing to kill her own soul-mate as the last resort to free him.
This alone would make a fabulous book, but true to form, Ms. Pearce gives us so much more. Ginny’s chase after Kia and his captor is enriched with colorful characters, unique life-styles with funky traditions, and surprising common bonds. As Ginny meets new people, this reader enjoyed subtle reminders that translate to real-life such as; things are not always as they seem, trust your gut-feelings; sometimes, good people appear to be doing “bad” things and, on occasion, the proverbial “bad-guy” is a hurt, frustrated and confused being with no one to turn to.
Although the story and characters are fictional; emotions, concerns and certain dilemmas aren’t really that far from reality. It is to that end, I think, that Ms. Pearce’s books bring me happiness and satisfaction. Not only are they tremendously entertaining, but they help me remember that the story-book wrap-up I tend to carry in my head is not always the best ending.
This enchanting interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” captivated this reader immediately. Brimming with exceptional characters exhibiting quirks, wit, sweetness, determination, talent and compassion; this seemingly simple tale of one girl persistently pursuing her soul-mate becomes a book that cannot be put down.
At the tender age of 17, Ginny has known and loved Kia for a decade. With just a twist, a typical romance is transformed. You see, Kia loves her right back. Where does a story go when it starts with an uncomplicated, true and shared love? Well, in this case, on an epic adventure including Fenris, gypsies (Travellers), a compassionate and ultra-cool couple and the sinister, selfish Snow Queen, Mora.
When the Snow Queen chooses Kia for own court, she has no clue how far Ginny is willing to go to prevent this. Even during her time as a human, Mora has never known real love; therefore, she simply can’t fathom what one person may do to save a cherished soul from a life-time of suffering, servitude and pain. Until faced with it; The Snow Queen never anticipated that a girl would be willing to kill her own soul-mate as the last resort to free him.
This alone would make a fabulous book, but true to form, Ms. Pearce gives us so much more. Ginny’s chase after Kia and his captor is enriched with colorful characters, unique life-styles with funky traditions, and surprising common bonds. As Ginny meets new people, this reader enjoyed subtle reminders that translate to real-life such as; things are not always as they seem, trust your gut-feelings; sometimes, good people appear to be doing “bad” things and, on occasion, the proverbial “bad-guy” is a hurt, frustrated and confused being with no one to turn to.
Although the story and characters are fictional; emotions, concerns and certain dilemmas aren’t really that far from reality. It is to that end, I think, that Ms. Pearce’s books bring me happiness and satisfaction. Not only are they tremendously entertaining, but they help me remember that the story-book wrap-up I tend to carry in my head is not always the best ending.
January 9, 2018
Unforgivably boring. NONE of the characters were properly developed. Everything was bland. And boring.
The writing isn't horrible, but it has a very boring quality to it. (This book bored me, can you tell?)
1.5 stars and rounding down because the cool book cover feels like false advertising.
Read this for a reading challenge (re-tellings). It was my first one, so I guess I can only go uphill from here, right? ;)
The writing isn't horrible, but it has a very boring quality to it. (This book bored me, can you tell?)
1.5 stars and rounding down because the cool book cover feels like false advertising.
Read this for a reading challenge (re-tellings). It was my first one, so I guess I can only go uphill from here, right? ;)
January 7, 2015
Anyone here a Disney fan? Seen Frozen? Well, I am and have, which has evoked an intense interest in the Snow Queen fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. So, when I saw Cold Spell, I was like “Hella Yeah!” Immediately, when I got it, the book had two things going for it – that awesome cover and Jackson Pearce. I’ve never read anything else by Pearce, but I walked into the book having heard nothing but good things about her “dark, edgy” fairy tale retellings. So, when I found out she’d just written a retelling of the Snow Queen, I snatched it up.
I will be honest. I have never read the original fairy tale – the only Anderson one I have is The Little Mermaid (I know; it is severe negligence on my part) – so I wikipedia’d it to get the basics before starting Cold Spell. Based on that summary, it seems to me like the book is a pretty accurate retelling, both from the Snow Queen’s origins and the subsequent quest to retrieve a stolen boy. Now, the book had a third thing going for it. So, then, why did I find it so dull?
Cold Spell was a chore to get through, suffering from boring lead characters and poor pacing I believe. Kai and Ginny…I don’t know what to say about them because there isn’t much to them anyway. All you need to know about them, the only thing that defines them or gives them any kind of form, is that they love each other. Woo? Seriously, I mean Kai has a little background depth, what with his grandmother’s own encounter with the Snow Queen and her invaluable Guide to Hunting Fictional Creatures (if only they made those for everything in life!), but Ginny? *thinking hard* Nope, nothing but a girl who has no identity outside of her boyfriend. Thank you, Pearce; not like we don’t get enough of that already. Part of Ginny’s arc in Cold Spell is, admittedly, finding herself outside of Kai, but it just never felt genuine to me. Perhaps, it’s because she never really has to fight on her own, at least until the big baddie showdown? Or maybe it’s her severely incredible luck? I don’t know, but she was just boring!
Beyond the leads being dull, the general plot was, too. The only side characters I really liked were Ella and Luke, but I think that was mostly because of the pink Hummer. Otherwise, Ginny’s quest to find Kai was little more than a series of WTF? stops and gaps that left me suppressing the urge to throw the book at a wall. The sad part is that the plot would have been more engaging had certain things happened – more background info on the gypsy camp or something to make it worth spending 100 pages on (other than getting Ginny another member for her crusade), more on Ginny’s own background (so I would care more about the whole family theme going on with Luke and Ella), more info on Luke and Ella (why are they so eager to take in Ginny and her issues other than they “like taking care of people”?), more info on the Snow Queen (How did she learn to seduce the boys? Is ice an unknown aphrodisiac? More info on her relationship with Fenris. Why can’t she just kill them before the events of the book? Is she just incompetent?). I realize that some of these questions might have answers in other Pearce books – I know the Fenris are a recurring set of characters – but, even if I had read her other books, I should still be able to look at Cold Spell and find these answers in the book. However, either I don’t or I do but only in the vaguest way possible.
All-in-all, I didn’t care for Cold Spell. At best, it was an okay read, but it suffered from an irredeemable dullness that makes me sad. After this book, I really don’t see what the hype about Pearce’s retellings is – it isn’t even that dark! I suppose, if you are really bored, you could maybe read this book. It will still probably put you to sleep, though. Sorry, Pearce.
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I will be honest. I have never read the original fairy tale – the only Anderson one I have is The Little Mermaid (I know; it is severe negligence on my part) – so I wikipedia’d it to get the basics before starting Cold Spell. Based on that summary, it seems to me like the book is a pretty accurate retelling, both from the Snow Queen’s origins and the subsequent quest to retrieve a stolen boy. Now, the book had a third thing going for it. So, then, why did I find it so dull?
Cold Spell was a chore to get through, suffering from boring lead characters and poor pacing I believe. Kai and Ginny…I don’t know what to say about them because there isn’t much to them anyway. All you need to know about them, the only thing that defines them or gives them any kind of form, is that they love each other. Woo? Seriously, I mean Kai has a little background depth, what with his grandmother’s own encounter with the Snow Queen and her invaluable Guide to Hunting Fictional Creatures (if only they made those for everything in life!), but Ginny? *thinking hard* Nope, nothing but a girl who has no identity outside of her boyfriend. Thank you, Pearce; not like we don’t get enough of that already. Part of Ginny’s arc in Cold Spell is, admittedly, finding herself outside of Kai, but it just never felt genuine to me. Perhaps, it’s because she never really has to fight on her own, at least until the big baddie showdown? Or maybe it’s her severely incredible luck? I don’t know, but she was just boring!
Beyond the leads being dull, the general plot was, too. The only side characters I really liked were Ella and Luke, but I think that was mostly because of the pink Hummer. Otherwise, Ginny’s quest to find Kai was little more than a series of WTF? stops and gaps that left me suppressing the urge to throw the book at a wall. The sad part is that the plot would have been more engaging had certain things happened – more background info on the gypsy camp or something to make it worth spending 100 pages on (other than getting Ginny another member for her crusade), more on Ginny’s own background (so I would care more about the whole family theme going on with Luke and Ella), more info on Luke and Ella (why are they so eager to take in Ginny and her issues other than they “like taking care of people”?), more info on the Snow Queen (How did she learn to seduce the boys? Is ice an unknown aphrodisiac? More info on her relationship with Fenris. Why can’t she just kill them before the events of the book? Is she just incompetent?). I realize that some of these questions might have answers in other Pearce books – I know the Fenris are a recurring set of characters – but, even if I had read her other books, I should still be able to look at Cold Spell and find these answers in the book. However, either I don’t or I do but only in the vaguest way possible.
All-in-all, I didn’t care for Cold Spell. At best, it was an okay read, but it suffered from an irredeemable dullness that makes me sad. After this book, I really don’t see what the hype about Pearce’s retellings is – it isn’t even that dark! I suppose, if you are really bored, you could maybe read this book. It will still probably put you to sleep, though. Sorry, Pearce.
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March 30, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.
All I knew about this one was that it would be the last book and it ended up being a retelling of The Snow Queen. Granted, I don't know much about that fairy-tale so I went to Wiki and read a summary so I could at least compare this one to that. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Cold Spell is a great retelling and Jackson Pearce makes it her own. She also brings in her own characters who are just like the original characters, only they're living in a modern world. I thought the pacing was just right. And the characters just needed a bit of a push. Sometimes I thought they could had more back-story, but there was enough there to make sure they go through a character arc. One thing that bothered me through the entire book was that the flashbacks are in the most awkward places. I didn't really like how it flipped back and forth and it stunted the progress of the overall story. The journey was a bit dry and boring, but the end had an action-packed sequence so that made up for the less than stellar middle.
Overall, if you're looking for an ending to the entire series, you'll find one with Cold Spell. Some previous characters show up and it's nice seeing them appear in a later book.
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
"It's like I'm in one of those dreams where you can't run, can't scream, can't cry."
"People who don't do anything annoy me. People who don't do anything yet excite me, because they can potentially do everything."
"You can't live with a monster and walk out a person."
"They see a single woman as weak, while a married woman is strengthened by her husband."
"You can't be responsible for everyone."
"There are some things in the world that defy explanation."
All I knew about this one was that it would be the last book and it ended up being a retelling of The Snow Queen. Granted, I don't know much about that fairy-tale so I went to Wiki and read a summary so I could at least compare this one to that. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Cold Spell is a great retelling and Jackson Pearce makes it her own. She also brings in her own characters who are just like the original characters, only they're living in a modern world. I thought the pacing was just right. And the characters just needed a bit of a push. Sometimes I thought they could had more back-story, but there was enough there to make sure they go through a character arc. One thing that bothered me through the entire book was that the flashbacks are in the most awkward places. I didn't really like how it flipped back and forth and it stunted the progress of the overall story. The journey was a bit dry and boring, but the end had an action-packed sequence so that made up for the less than stellar middle.
Overall, if you're looking for an ending to the entire series, you'll find one with Cold Spell. Some previous characters show up and it's nice seeing them appear in a later book.
RATING 3/5
QUOTES
"It's like I'm in one of those dreams where you can't run, can't scream, can't cry."
"People who don't do anything annoy me. People who don't do anything yet excite me, because they can potentially do everything."
"You can't live with a monster and walk out a person."
"They see a single woman as weak, while a married woman is strengthened by her husband."
"You can't be responsible for everyone."
"There are some things in the world that defy explanation."
April 8, 2018
OMG! The synopsis of this book already had me intrigued before I was even writing the reviews for the three other books!
Cold Spell was a fantastic ending to this series! The characters in this book were awesome, kickass, hilarious, and overall enjoyable/lovable! Ginny, reminded me of Harry Potter, but I loved this character! She was awesome! Then there was the adorable yet hilarious Lucas, Ella the sweetheart that will surely kick your ass, Flannery, who was smart, strong, and overall pretty awesome. Last but not least, Callum and Kai were both awesome, amazing, and freaking adorable.
I
Before I dive into the review, this is a retelling of The Snow Queen! I absolutely love this fairy tale so I was really interested in reading this retelling. I enjoyed most of this book but really didn't like the unnecessary flashbacks. They just felt so out of place. Besides all of that, it honestly was a really quick and easy read to fall in love with. Sometimes I wish I could understand or love Kai's character more.. but I quickly overlooked that and ended up loving the character anyways.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. I'm sad it's over because there are so many fairytales Jackson could've covered but I did enjoy the ones I read. I will definitely look into other series written by this author!
Cold Spell was a fantastic ending to this series! The characters in this book were awesome, kickass, hilarious, and overall enjoyable/lovable! Ginny, reminded me of Harry Potter, but I loved this character! She was awesome! Then there was the adorable yet hilarious Lucas, Ella the sweetheart that will surely kick your ass, Flannery, who was smart, strong, and overall pretty awesome. Last but not least, Callum and Kai were both awesome, amazing, and freaking adorable.
I
Before I dive into the review, this is a retelling of The Snow Queen! I absolutely love this fairy tale so I was really interested in reading this retelling. I enjoyed most of this book but really didn't like the unnecessary flashbacks. They just felt so out of place. Besides all of that, it honestly was a really quick and easy read to fall in love with. Sometimes I wish I could understand or love Kai's character more.. but I quickly overlooked that and ended up loving the character anyways.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. I'm sad it's over because there are so many fairytales Jackson could've covered but I did enjoy the ones I read. I will definitely look into other series written by this author!
January 26, 2016
This was a really lovely way of ending the series, with little hints to the characters from the other books. I wasn't sure how the Snow Queen was going to link with the whole wolf-theme, but in the end, I thought it worked so well. Although the books can be read not in sequence or as stand-alones, this was still an excellent retelling of a tale I don't know much about!
June 18, 2014
Oh, where to begin? I was so excited to read this book, after the one-two punch of Sweetly and Fathomless. There are quite a few reasons why this book was a disappointment, not least of which is that I've read online numerous people saying that Jackson Pearce has said this would be the final book (I couldn't find a source, not even on her official site, so I'll live in hope that she won't give up on it now!) Which undeniably affected my feelings on the book and my review, since, as a wrap up of a strong series? Frankly, it blew. If you're going to have a common plot thread running through a series, you have to eventually resolve it; you can't pretend that they're four stand alone books. So, really? We're just leaving the Fenris to wander around and continue to prey on girls, to eat and to capture and make into ocean girls? I was hoping for some sort of great final entry where all the Reynolds siblings would get together and fight! To give some resolution to the over-arcing storyline.
And speaking of the Reynolds, it was something that bothered me in Fathomless as well, that they apparently don't share information, especially not with their little sister, who they've creepily just dropped into boarding school without so much as warning them about the Fenris. And if anyone had spoken to them, Lucas would have known about the ocean girls during this book, and they wouldn't have bumbled around in the dark. That said, I did really like Lucas, and Ella; they were, by far, my favorite of the characters aside from Ginny herself.
Ginny was sweet. She wasn't outstanding, especially within this series, but she wasn't offensive either, even if her first person narration often sounded bland and generic. But her journey as a person was easy to relate to, and, for me, enjoyable, to watch her becoming a fully confident and independent person outside of her relationship. Kai I could take or leave, but that has a lot to do with the fact that he only gets so much character development before Mora starts controlling him and he behaves, well, like a dick.
Ah, Mora. Not only did she suddenly spout powers it was in no way hinted at that the ocean girls ever had (the power to control water? Ummmm... Certainly they listened to the ocean, and knew how and when to move with it, but that's a long way from going to land and saying, 'okay, I can make it snow now, because rain is just water, and I have power over all of the water!' No.) Though, hooray for following up on the story about the ocean girl who regained her soul by successfully stealing one from a boy who loved her with a kiss, but that was all thrown in there so quickly, among the other revelations about Mora, it seemed weird, rushed.
And then there were the tinkers, aka the Irish Travelers. I had no idea they were so present in the american South (Wiki assures me this is so) as itinerant workers, NOT, as this book suggests, as thieves. It made me cringe, how much Pearce just wrote them to fit the mold as the stereotypical "gipsy," with the caravan and campfires and forced marriages and royalty. When this became the prominent plot thread in the book? I lost interest. Oh, God. Why? There was not one character I liked. Flannery was a little brat whose rolling of her eyes and threatening violence seemed childish, not in the least strong. When she actually left with Ginny, it felt like a punch to the soul, that I was stuck with her now.
Oh, and how about the scene where the young men all fight over who gets to "host" Ginny? Isn't that a bunch of fun, reading about boys fist fighting over the privilege to rape our heroine? Because that's what it is, let's be honest. Cooking and cleaning, my ass! and that's another strange thing: Flannery cusses up a storm, but sex seems to be a taboo subject to even touch. Mora? She makes the boys sleep with her (as far as we see, literally sleep, but, come on! For me, her physical comfort was implied), makes them "love" her, and yet, Kai is not allowed to deal with the implications of that afterward; he's still spouting that he loved her, and then worrying that Ginny'll be insecure about it. Well, what do you feel about it, boy? There's some heavy Stockholm going on there, and maybe that was the point, but if it was, she dropped the ball in dealing with it in its complexity and the actual horror of it. Oh, why?
Also, how does Ginny not get frostbite, at all? Running around in the freakishly cold snow in flimsy clothing for extended periods of time. She sort of gets hypothermia at the end, and then not really, even after falling into the water and not immediately getting help. All right.
On a whole, however, the book was probably the best paced of all four of them. The story wasn't rushed, it felt complete. There weren't five different climaxes, the pacing was right, and there was an emotional payoff for every character involved. She used a LOT from the fairy tale. Which was fun to spot, like the red shoes, but it also seemed more distracting than being a bit more fast and loose. A middle of the road read, with some problematic themes and material, made a bit worse by the fact that it's possibly the end to an otherwise strong series.
And speaking of the Reynolds, it was something that bothered me in Fathomless as well, that they apparently don't share information, especially not with their little sister, who they've creepily just dropped into boarding school without so much as warning them about the Fenris. And if anyone had spoken to them, Lucas would have known about the ocean girls during this book, and they wouldn't have bumbled around in the dark. That said, I did really like Lucas, and Ella; they were, by far, my favorite of the characters aside from Ginny herself.
Ginny was sweet. She wasn't outstanding, especially within this series, but she wasn't offensive either, even if her first person narration often sounded bland and generic. But her journey as a person was easy to relate to, and, for me, enjoyable, to watch her becoming a fully confident and independent person outside of her relationship. Kai I could take or leave, but that has a lot to do with the fact that he only gets so much character development before Mora starts controlling him and he behaves, well, like a dick.
Ah, Mora. Not only did she suddenly spout powers it was in no way hinted at that the ocean girls ever had (the power to control water? Ummmm... Certainly they listened to the ocean, and knew how and when to move with it, but that's a long way from going to land and saying, 'okay, I can make it snow now, because rain is just water, and I have power over all of the water!' No.) Though, hooray for following up on the story about the ocean girl who regained her soul by successfully stealing one from a boy who loved her with a kiss, but that was all thrown in there so quickly, among the other revelations about Mora, it seemed weird, rushed.
And then there were the tinkers, aka the Irish Travelers. I had no idea they were so present in the american South (Wiki assures me this is so) as itinerant workers, NOT, as this book suggests, as thieves. It made me cringe, how much Pearce just wrote them to fit the mold as the stereotypical "gipsy," with the caravan and campfires and forced marriages and royalty. When this became the prominent plot thread in the book? I lost interest. Oh, God. Why? There was not one character I liked. Flannery was a little brat whose rolling of her eyes and threatening violence seemed childish, not in the least strong. When she actually left with Ginny, it felt like a punch to the soul, that I was stuck with her now.
Oh, and how about the scene where the young men all fight over who gets to "host" Ginny? Isn't that a bunch of fun, reading about boys fist fighting over the privilege to rape our heroine? Because that's what it is, let's be honest. Cooking and cleaning, my ass! and that's another strange thing: Flannery cusses up a storm, but sex seems to be a taboo subject to even touch. Mora? She makes the boys sleep with her (as far as we see, literally sleep, but, come on! For me, her physical comfort was implied), makes them "love" her, and yet, Kai is not allowed to deal with the implications of that afterward; he's still spouting that he loved her, and then worrying that Ginny'll be insecure about it. Well, what do you feel about it, boy? There's some heavy Stockholm going on there, and maybe that was the point, but if it was, she dropped the ball in dealing with it in its complexity and the actual horror of it. Oh, why?
Also, how does Ginny not get frostbite, at all? Running around in the freakishly cold snow in flimsy clothing for extended periods of time. She sort of gets hypothermia at the end, and then not really, even after falling into the water and not immediately getting help. All right.
On a whole, however, the book was probably the best paced of all four of them. The story wasn't rushed, it felt complete. There weren't five different climaxes, the pacing was right, and there was an emotional payoff for every character involved. She used a LOT from the fairy tale. Which was fun to spot, like the red shoes, but it also seemed more distracting than being a bit more fast and loose. A middle of the road read, with some problematic themes and material, made a bit worse by the fact that it's possibly the end to an otherwise strong series.
October 24, 2013
I am going to go out a limb here and say that the entire world heard the giant sigh of relief that I let out upon finished Jackson Pearce's Cold Spell. After more than two weeks of constantly struggling with every book I picked up (including walking away from two by two of my favourite authors of all time) it was nice to finally get sucked into a book. Two weeks may not seem like a long time, but when you are used to picking up 3-4 books a week and ploughing through them quickly that little rut takes it's toll.
Cold Spell is a fairytale retelling of the tale The Snow Queen. Now I have to be honest up front and admit that this is a fairytale that I have never had the pleasure of reading but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this story at all. We are treated to a fantastic prologue right off the bat that really sucks you into the story and tells the story of a young girls love being taken away in a snow storm in 1947, never to be seen again. Jump ahead to present day and we meet Kai and Ginny. These two have been best friends since Ginny moved into Kai's grandmother's apartment building when she was a young girl. After being best friends and confidantes for years their relationship has began to follow a more romantic path, with dreams of escaping to New York together and even young love plans of elopement. When Kai's grandmother passes away right after the onset of a severe snow storm, Mora walks into Kai and Ginny's life and changes everything.
First off I have to say that I loved all of the elements that were at play in this novel. We have a really great romance at the heart of the novel. Kai and Ginny's love for one another is strong when the book starts but through flashbacks we get to slow it's slow growth into what it is today. As Ginny sets out on her mission to rescue Kai from the Snow Queen she also forms some other really great, strong relationships along the way. I loved the Reynolds' with their resourcefulness and how they showed Ginny the kind of kindness that you just don't see everyday. I also came to really like Flannery, The Princess of Kentucky. She was from this gypsy-like group of travellers and was hilarious! She was definitely what I would think is the antithesis of your typical princess.
What really shines in this novel is the character growth of our girl Ginny. She starts out as someone who is very reliant on Kai. She is willing to do anything for him and put all of his needs before her own. As she sets out to get him back she grows into a kick ass girl and realizes that she can make it out in the world on her own. Most of her helplessness in the beginning of the novel is due to her absentee parents. Her dad moved out when she was young and her mom doesn't show much interest in her life at all. She makes her own little family as the story goes on and sees that blood does not make family, family is what you make it.
This being the 4th of Pearce's retellings has me wanting to run out and grab the rest as fast as I can. I loved how whimsical the story felt while still feeling very contemporary in the issues that it dealt with. I think there was a perfect balance of love, action and comedic relief and I hope to find more of that balance in her other novels. With that I must thank Jackson for taking me out of my reading funk and getting me excited to pick up a book again!
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
Cold Spell is a fairytale retelling of the tale The Snow Queen. Now I have to be honest up front and admit that this is a fairytale that I have never had the pleasure of reading but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this story at all. We are treated to a fantastic prologue right off the bat that really sucks you into the story and tells the story of a young girls love being taken away in a snow storm in 1947, never to be seen again. Jump ahead to present day and we meet Kai and Ginny. These two have been best friends since Ginny moved into Kai's grandmother's apartment building when she was a young girl. After being best friends and confidantes for years their relationship has began to follow a more romantic path, with dreams of escaping to New York together and even young love plans of elopement. When Kai's grandmother passes away right after the onset of a severe snow storm, Mora walks into Kai and Ginny's life and changes everything.
First off I have to say that I loved all of the elements that were at play in this novel. We have a really great romance at the heart of the novel. Kai and Ginny's love for one another is strong when the book starts but through flashbacks we get to slow it's slow growth into what it is today. As Ginny sets out on her mission to rescue Kai from the Snow Queen she also forms some other really great, strong relationships along the way. I loved the Reynolds' with their resourcefulness and how they showed Ginny the kind of kindness that you just don't see everyday. I also came to really like Flannery, The Princess of Kentucky. She was from this gypsy-like group of travellers and was hilarious! She was definitely what I would think is the antithesis of your typical princess.
What really shines in this novel is the character growth of our girl Ginny. She starts out as someone who is very reliant on Kai. She is willing to do anything for him and put all of his needs before her own. As she sets out to get him back she grows into a kick ass girl and realizes that she can make it out in the world on her own. Most of her helplessness in the beginning of the novel is due to her absentee parents. Her dad moved out when she was young and her mom doesn't show much interest in her life at all. She makes her own little family as the story goes on and sees that blood does not make family, family is what you make it.
This being the 4th of Pearce's retellings has me wanting to run out and grab the rest as fast as I can. I loved how whimsical the story felt while still feeling very contemporary in the issues that it dealt with. I think there was a perfect balance of love, action and comedic relief and I hope to find more of that balance in her other novels. With that I must thank Jackson for taking me out of my reading funk and getting me excited to pick up a book again!
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
September 5, 2013
Jackson Pearce's versions of those familiar fairy tales aren't sweet, sticky tales; they have that edgy darkness which lurks in the original stories by the brothers Grimm and others. The Snow Queen was one of those fairy tales which was really disturbing, the childhood friend changed into a cold creature by an icy supernational being and the struggles of the girl to have faith that her love and loyalty can save her friend. I recently read a very good version for younger readers, Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu. Pearce's Cold Spell is just as good. It is suspenseful and sometimes heartbreaking. How can it possibly have a happy ending? But, I couldn't stop reading because I had to know how it would all turn out. I read this in July, but I swear I could feel the chill in the air and see the early darkness of a winter landscape in this book. I do like how there are elements from other books in this story, the Fenris, the girls in the ocean, etc. which serve to connect the different stories. Great book!
November 1, 2013
4.5 stars
There is something very magical when ever I read one of Jackson Pearce’s fairytale retelling. I've always loved the story of the Snow Queen, her bitterness and her beauty, but this book was exceptionally remarkable, tangling fierce love and friendship against the backdrop of the harsh and cruelty of winter and the longing and evil that it brings.
Cold Spell captures the story of Kai and Ginny, they've been best friends since they were little kids and that friendship turned into a precious kind of love. But Mora, the Snow Queen’s, insatiable need to fill a deep void is powerful and goes after boys like Kai for her own twisted vendetta. But Ginny will do what ever it takes to bring back her love, no matter what it takes, even if it means that she will have to kill Kai…to save him.
Wow! This was such a fantastic escape, Pearce is a master storyteller when it comes to fairytales retellings. I don’t know how she does it, but her writing is so passionate that it makes me feel like I’m right in the middle of this world. I saw everything this story had to offer so vividly in my mind. The crisp winter snow, the grey flavor scattered on ever page and the terror of the Fenris and the desperation of losing the one person you love the very most. I've read my share of adult contemps, urban fantasy and new adults and while I love nothing more then reading sizzling heat or sexy times, I forget how powerful and touching love can really be. Kai and Ginny have fairytale love, it’s the kind that you would want to wrap your arms around with both arms and hold on tight. It’s the kind of love that you would go to hell and back again just to hear them breath. I wasn't sure how connected I would feel for them, since Kai was taken so early on in the story, but the past memories from Ginny provided us with a very effective look from childhood to teenage moments that made me feel just how wonderfully beautiful their love really is. It also gave Ginny and the reader the strength to continue on this impossible journey and hoping against hope that everything will turn out right come the end.
I really loved all of these characters. They are amazingly put together, they have amazing chemistry with one another that amused and charmed me from the first page on.
Ginny is a wonderful protag to be proud of. I love her dedication and fierce determination and heart to get Kai back against monstrous odds. I loved seeing her grow throughout the book, learning that she’s a lot stronger then she realized and that with or without Kai, she can make it on her own.
Kai is one of those characters that is genuinely good and kind. I have a hard time trying to explain how I feel about him since there are two versions of him in this book. The ever talented boy who loves Ginny and the boy who was under an evil spell and left her broken hearted. My heart truly went out to him, feeling badly for all that he was put through.
I love love loved Lucas and Elle, they are such good people, giving, loving and fun to be around. The only part of the story that felt a little off was during the Travellers moments in the camp since it didn't quite blend with the rest of the story at that point, but it gave us Flannery and Callum, who I grew to greatly love in this book.
All in all, I really loved this book. Cold Spell is a enchanting and magical tale of love, friendship and self discovery covered under a blanket of rich tainted snow. It was the perfect winter escape that gave me chills and warmed my heart at the same time.
Beautifully done! Another wonderful fairytale escape from Pearce!
There is something very magical when ever I read one of Jackson Pearce’s fairytale retelling. I've always loved the story of the Snow Queen, her bitterness and her beauty, but this book was exceptionally remarkable, tangling fierce love and friendship against the backdrop of the harsh and cruelty of winter and the longing and evil that it brings.
Cold Spell captures the story of Kai and Ginny, they've been best friends since they were little kids and that friendship turned into a precious kind of love. But Mora, the Snow Queen’s, insatiable need to fill a deep void is powerful and goes after boys like Kai for her own twisted vendetta. But Ginny will do what ever it takes to bring back her love, no matter what it takes, even if it means that she will have to kill Kai…to save him.
Wow! This was such a fantastic escape, Pearce is a master storyteller when it comes to fairytales retellings. I don’t know how she does it, but her writing is so passionate that it makes me feel like I’m right in the middle of this world. I saw everything this story had to offer so vividly in my mind. The crisp winter snow, the grey flavor scattered on ever page and the terror of the Fenris and the desperation of losing the one person you love the very most. I've read my share of adult contemps, urban fantasy and new adults and while I love nothing more then reading sizzling heat or sexy times, I forget how powerful and touching love can really be. Kai and Ginny have fairytale love, it’s the kind that you would want to wrap your arms around with both arms and hold on tight. It’s the kind of love that you would go to hell and back again just to hear them breath. I wasn't sure how connected I would feel for them, since Kai was taken so early on in the story, but the past memories from Ginny provided us with a very effective look from childhood to teenage moments that made me feel just how wonderfully beautiful their love really is. It also gave Ginny and the reader the strength to continue on this impossible journey and hoping against hope that everything will turn out right come the end.
I really loved all of these characters. They are amazingly put together, they have amazing chemistry with one another that amused and charmed me from the first page on.
Ginny is a wonderful protag to be proud of. I love her dedication and fierce determination and heart to get Kai back against monstrous odds. I loved seeing her grow throughout the book, learning that she’s a lot stronger then she realized and that with or without Kai, she can make it on her own.
Kai is one of those characters that is genuinely good and kind. I have a hard time trying to explain how I feel about him since there are two versions of him in this book. The ever talented boy who loves Ginny and the boy who was under an evil spell and left her broken hearted. My heart truly went out to him, feeling badly for all that he was put through.
I love love loved Lucas and Elle, they are such good people, giving, loving and fun to be around. The only part of the story that felt a little off was during the Travellers moments in the camp since it didn't quite blend with the rest of the story at that point, but it gave us Flannery and Callum, who I grew to greatly love in this book.
All in all, I really loved this book. Cold Spell is a enchanting and magical tale of love, friendship and self discovery covered under a blanket of rich tainted snow. It was the perfect winter escape that gave me chills and warmed my heart at the same time.
Beautifully done! Another wonderful fairytale escape from Pearce!
September 14, 2020
Thanks to 𝓞𝓦𝓛𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓷-𝓓𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 course for kicking my butt into gear and getting me into my OLDER TBR pile.
Cold Spell was such a sweet, great retelling. I enjoyed the story and the character development. Ginny had by far the most growth. She went from a sweet girl who was planning her entire future around her boyfriend, to someone who knows in her soul she can stand on her own two feet. I loved seeing the character development for Ginny because at the beginning it did feel kind of irritating how co dependent she was. But it was all part of the plan!
I had to look up the original story of the Snow Queen, and I did like the contemporary spin that Jackson Pearce gives it. I thought the red roses were going to be a bigger part of it, but I do think the way that Ginny "breaks the spell" on Kai is even more heart warming than in the original story.
The side characters also make the story that much more enjoyable, specially Flannery. Flannery is the Princess of the Traveler's, trying extra hard to win her people's respect and support. When Ginny crosses paths with the Traveler's Flannery is there to fight for her (but not in a heroic way). Eventually they become friends. Flannery's character is tough and complicated, as the thing that could help her with her people is the one thin she will never do.
Kai is a sweet boy who we don't get to see a lot of, but what we do see paints him in a cookie cutter perfect light... right up to he meets Mora and starts to change. We get to see more of Kai through Ginny's memories, and almost ALL of those are good memories. No fights, just two childhood friends who are destined to be right up to the point where the evil Snow Queen comes along and steals Kai away.
The Snow Queen, Mora--I really enjoyed that we are given her POV. It made her into a three dimensional character. She is absolutely doing the worst, but she does have her reasons, even if they are terrible. Just because you were hurt doesn't mean you get to hurt others; which she clearly doesn't get, but nevertheless she has a strength that is enviable.
Overall, this retelling was well worth the read and made me interested in maybe going back and reading the rest of the stories. Cold Spell may be the 4th in the "series" but it is essentially a stand alone and can be read without reading the rest. I did! I was hoping that there was a sequel, but since there isn't I can just read the rest of the books that came before ^^
PS; I was provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks go to the publisher!
Cold Spell was such a sweet, great retelling. I enjoyed the story and the character development. Ginny had by far the most growth. She went from a sweet girl who was planning her entire future around her boyfriend, to someone who knows in her soul she can stand on her own two feet. I loved seeing the character development for Ginny because at the beginning it did feel kind of irritating how co dependent she was. But it was all part of the plan!
I had to look up the original story of the Snow Queen, and I did like the contemporary spin that Jackson Pearce gives it. I thought the red roses were going to be a bigger part of it, but I do think the way that Ginny "breaks the spell" on Kai is even more heart warming than in the original story.
The side characters also make the story that much more enjoyable, specially Flannery. Flannery is the Princess of the Traveler's, trying extra hard to win her people's respect and support. When Ginny crosses paths with the Traveler's Flannery is there to fight for her (but not in a heroic way). Eventually they become friends. Flannery's character is tough and complicated, as the thing that could help her with her people is the one thin she will never do.
Kai is a sweet boy who we don't get to see a lot of, but what we do see paints him in a cookie cutter perfect light... right up to he meets Mora and starts to change. We get to see more of Kai through Ginny's memories, and almost ALL of those are good memories. No fights, just two childhood friends who are destined to be right up to the point where the evil Snow Queen comes along and steals Kai away.
The Snow Queen, Mora--I really enjoyed that we are given her POV. It made her into a three dimensional character. She is absolutely doing the worst, but she does have her reasons, even if they are terrible. Just because you were hurt doesn't mean you get to hurt others; which she clearly doesn't get, but nevertheless she has a strength that is enviable.
Overall, this retelling was well worth the read and made me interested in maybe going back and reading the rest of the stories. Cold Spell may be the 4th in the "series" but it is essentially a stand alone and can be read without reading the rest. I did! I was hoping that there was a sequel, but since there isn't I can just read the rest of the books that came before ^^
PS; I was provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks go to the publisher!
December 28, 2013
Cold Spell is a phenomenal, spellbinding novel that can melt any icy heart and will make readers fall in love with Jackson Pearce even more. This is, without a doubt, one of my favorite books of all time. From the world-building to the characters to the romance, everything about Cold Spell is fantastic.
Pearce can weave together one brutal, beautiful world. We've been through so many worlds throughout Sisters Red (the woods), Sweetly (the hidden South), and Fathomless (the ocean), but Cold Spell brings something even more epic than before. We get to see the heart of an endless winter, and the way Pearce brings this world to life off the page was amazing. The endless winter put our protagonists, Ginny and Kai, to the test, and I loved how Jackson Pearce wasn't afraid to knock her characters down. Speaking of which, Kai and Ginny made a fantastic duo. They complimented and contrasted each other in a wonderful balance; they're one of my favorite pairs of all time. Cold Spell knocked it out of the ballpark. I absolutely adored this book.
The writing style is so unique and captivating. It lures you in - almost like Mora! - and you can't escape this book. If I set it down for a single moment, it was the only thing that was on my mind. And oh Mora, how I love thee. She's so interesting and deadly, and I was never quite sure if she was all wicked or if there was some good buried within her. I loved the contrast of light and dark that was played on Mora - she was an exceptional character.
Oh man, how this book took so many plot twists! So many turns! All the feels! If you're needing a series to get attached to and fall head over heels in love with, this is the series for you. They're fun, addictive, and overall, an original gem that shouldn't be missed. I absolutely love this series to pieces. I'm sad to see it go, but every single book was phenomenal in its own way. Jackson Pearce, thank you so much for this series. It was marvelous!
Overall, Cold Spell is a fantastic novel that leaves a mark in YA. What a finale to a stunning series! Love, love, love. So incredible.
Pearce can weave together one brutal, beautiful world. We've been through so many worlds throughout Sisters Red (the woods), Sweetly (the hidden South), and Fathomless (the ocean), but Cold Spell brings something even more epic than before. We get to see the heart of an endless winter, and the way Pearce brings this world to life off the page was amazing. The endless winter put our protagonists, Ginny and Kai, to the test, and I loved how Jackson Pearce wasn't afraid to knock her characters down. Speaking of which, Kai and Ginny made a fantastic duo. They complimented and contrasted each other in a wonderful balance; they're one of my favorite pairs of all time. Cold Spell knocked it out of the ballpark. I absolutely adored this book.
The writing style is so unique and captivating. It lures you in - almost like Mora! - and you can't escape this book. If I set it down for a single moment, it was the only thing that was on my mind. And oh Mora, how I love thee. She's so interesting and deadly, and I was never quite sure if she was all wicked or if there was some good buried within her. I loved the contrast of light and dark that was played on Mora - she was an exceptional character.
Oh man, how this book took so many plot twists! So many turns! All the feels! If you're needing a series to get attached to and fall head over heels in love with, this is the series for you. They're fun, addictive, and overall, an original gem that shouldn't be missed. I absolutely love this series to pieces. I'm sad to see it go, but every single book was phenomenal in its own way. Jackson Pearce, thank you so much for this series. It was marvelous!
Overall, Cold Spell is a fantastic novel that leaves a mark in YA. What a finale to a stunning series! Love, love, love. So incredible.
May 11, 2014
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
17-year-old Ginny and Kai have been best friends forever, and girlfriend/boyfriend for a while, when suddenly a girl called Mora turns up, and Kai leaves Ginny for her.
Ginny is convinced that Mora has done something to Kai though, and thinks she may be the Snow Queen, intent on turning Kai into a Fenris.
Can Ginny save Kai before Mora turns him? And will he ever be her Kai again?
This was an okay story, but I lost interest half-way through.
Ginny was an okay character, but I got sick of the way she kept rushing head-first into dangerous situations. She was a bit naïve at times, and thinking that she could somehow get her boyfriend back, singlehanded, from some mythical snow queen just seemed a bit silly to me.
The storyline was okay, but again, I had lost interest by the half-way mark, and Ginny’s continued rushing into things without thinking about the consequences started to get annoying, and there were parts of the story that were just ridiculous. What is the point of talking to someone about hiring a plane when you have no money whatsoever? Is it a good idea to walk alone on a frozen lake, when no-one knows where you are or what you are doing, and you have no idea if the ice will take your weight? Not clever. The whole mess with the Princess of Kentucky didn’t interest me either.
There was some romance, but that lost me after the first few chapters as well.
The ending was okay, but there were a few unbelievable bits which didn’t exactly help the story. I thought that this was a real shame as I really liked the book at the start.
Overall; okay story, but with too many ridiculous moments,
6.5 out of 10.
17-year-old Ginny and Kai have been best friends forever, and girlfriend/boyfriend for a while, when suddenly a girl called Mora turns up, and Kai leaves Ginny for her.
Ginny is convinced that Mora has done something to Kai though, and thinks she may be the Snow Queen, intent on turning Kai into a Fenris.
Can Ginny save Kai before Mora turns him? And will he ever be her Kai again?
This was an okay story, but I lost interest half-way through.
Ginny was an okay character, but I got sick of the way she kept rushing head-first into dangerous situations. She was a bit naïve at times, and thinking that she could somehow get her boyfriend back, singlehanded, from some mythical snow queen just seemed a bit silly to me.
The storyline was okay, but again, I had lost interest by the half-way mark, and Ginny’s continued rushing into things without thinking about the consequences started to get annoying, and there were parts of the story that were just ridiculous. What is the point of talking to someone about hiring a plane when you have no money whatsoever? Is it a good idea to walk alone on a frozen lake, when no-one knows where you are or what you are doing, and you have no idea if the ice will take your weight? Not clever. The whole mess with the Princess of Kentucky didn’t interest me either.
There was some romance, but that lost me after the first few chapters as well.
The ending was okay, but there were a few unbelievable bits which didn’t exactly help the story. I thought that this was a real shame as I really liked the book at the start.
Overall; okay story, but with too many ridiculous moments,
6.5 out of 10.
May 19, 2022
#1) Sisters Red ★★★★★
#2) Sweetly ★★★★☆
#3) Fathomless ★★★☆☆
• A fantastic finale (much better than Fathomless, thank God)
• The cast was fantastic.
• Ginny? Strong-willed and persistent.
• Lucas? Hilarious and loyal.
• Ella? A kickass sweetie.
• Flannery? Feisty, strong and so lovable.
• Callum? Adorable and surprisingly intelligent.
• Kai? ... the weak link.
• I don't know if I understood his relationship with Ginny. There definitely wasn't that connection I felt with the other couples in the series.
• The plot was slower than I normally like. I wasn't bored but there were times, especially in Princess of Kentucky's home, that was a little pointless.
• I didn't really understand the Travellers' connection to the Fenris and Snow Queen but I enjoyed the fresh perspective they brought with them.
• Jackson Pearce is simply a bloody amazing writer.
Overall? Cold Spell was the perfect ending to one of my favourite series.
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October 20, 2013
I do not know a lot of fairytales and fantasy isn't my favorite genre, so I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book. As I received an advanced reading copy of this book, I had not read any of the other books in this series before, but I hardly felt lost or confused. Pearce does a great job at reexplaining things so it is easy for readers to pick up any book in the series and enjoy it. There are some crazy, eccentric characters in this book, but they're written so well that it never seems campy or over the top. I also loved Ginny and Kai's relationship and felt like it was played out very well and realistically (although this is a fantasy novel). Even more than that, though, after Kai disappears, Ginny actually realizes she does not need him and can live without him if need be. THANK YOU, JACKSON PEARCE, for FINALLY breaking the pattern of extreme codependency on boys which we see too often in YA novels.
The only complaint I have is that I wish we had learned more about Mora. You never really get to see past the villain side of her, and I felt like a little more development or explanation in her character could have made all the difference.
All in all, I will give this book 3.5/5 stars. I was satisfied with it and it has earned a spot on my bookshelf, but there were a few things that were missing.
The only complaint I have is that I wish we had learned more about Mora. You never really get to see past the villain side of her, and I felt like a little more development or explanation in her character could have made all the difference.
All in all, I will give this book 3.5/5 stars. I was satisfied with it and it has earned a spot on my bookshelf, but there were a few things that were missing.
March 17, 2014
Describe this book in one sentence- An interesting take on the classic Ice Princess story.
Rating- PG-13
Why this rating?- Violence, destruction, mild kissing, and some mild language.
For ages- 15-18
Recommended to- Fans of fairy tale retellings
Stars- Three out of Five.
Why this number of stars- Before I start critiquing the content, I'd like to say that the cover (amazing as it is) has absolutely nothing, as far as I can tell, to do with the book. Now with that out of the way, my favorite aspect of this novel is the strong theme of self-empowerment. I enjoy the fact that the female lead, in the end, ends up not just getting the guy, but understanding that without him she is her own person. This sends a great message to girls that the guy is not what defines you, but your actions are. The two stars I knocked off were for not being descriptive enough. In some scenes you would get the entire surroundings, but in others the reader was lucky to get a house and a few furnishings described. My belief is that the perfect book should have you living and breathing with the main characters.
Would I read the second book?- This is the fourth book in it's series, but I read it before the others. I was able to understand it as a stand alone, however I would like to read the other books.
http://ya411.blogspot.com/
Rating- PG-13
Why this rating?- Violence, destruction, mild kissing, and some mild language.
For ages- 15-18
Recommended to- Fans of fairy tale retellings
Stars- Three out of Five.
Why this number of stars- Before I start critiquing the content, I'd like to say that the cover (amazing as it is) has absolutely nothing, as far as I can tell, to do with the book. Now with that out of the way, my favorite aspect of this novel is the strong theme of self-empowerment. I enjoy the fact that the female lead, in the end, ends up not just getting the guy, but understanding that without him she is her own person. This sends a great message to girls that the guy is not what defines you, but your actions are. The two stars I knocked off were for not being descriptive enough. In some scenes you would get the entire surroundings, but in others the reader was lucky to get a house and a few furnishings described. My belief is that the perfect book should have you living and breathing with the main characters.
Would I read the second book?- This is the fourth book in it's series, but I read it before the others. I was able to understand it as a stand alone, however I would like to read the other books.
http://ya411.blogspot.com/
March 12, 2019
"In the dark we always found each other."
Ginny and Kai have been in love since they were six years old. They've listened to his grandmother's stories and developed their own flashlight signals and fashioned their own secret hideaway out of the rose garden on the rooftop. But when they meet a girl called Mora, their love for each other is tested. When Kai runs away, Ginny knows that it's up to her to bring him home but there is a new world out and it is colder and crueller than the fiercest winter storm.
The Snow Queen is probably my favourite fairy tale and I am so glad Jackson Pearce did it justice. This was an exciting, thrilling read with heaps of twists and turns while remaining true to the source material even as it brings it into the modern age. And the way she weaved it into her established world was just exquisite. Pearce is a wonderful storyteller and I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for her other books.
I do like childhood sweetheart romances so seeing how much Ginny loved Kai was fun to read. It was especially cool to have a heroine who didn't have a clear perception of herself or what she wanted to do with her life. And I liked that she didn't figure it out by the end of the book but was taking steps towards self-discovery. I also loved the background characters - Lucas, Ella, Callum, Flannery. Though I do think the representation of Travellers could've been more respectful. I figure that Pearce was only describing the fictional community within the novel but it scans way too easily to real-life people who are already so marginalised.
Cold Spell was a wonderful retelling and a lovely end to the series. Definitely pick these up if you need some fairy tales (or some werewolves) in your life.
March 18, 2018
Though the character of Ginny left me wanting more from her, I really enjoyed this book as a whole. Mora was a well written characrer, and an amazing Snow Queen! Check this series out if you havent.
June 14, 2019
Actual rating is 3.5 Stars.
February 6, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5
Review to come...
Review to come...
February 27, 2014
3.5 Sterne
± Im Gegensatz zu Jackson Pearces anderen Märchenbüchern sind Ginny und Kai bereits von Anfang an ein Paar. In den anderen Büchern verliebt die Hauptfigur sich immer erst Stück für Stück. Einerseits erfrischend, andererseits fehlte mir dadurch der Zugang zu Kai und das Gefühl für die Beziehung der Beiden. Ich glaube Ginny zwar, dass ihre Beziehung wirklich toll ist und sie schon viele wunderbare Momente zusammen erlebt haben, aber mir wäre das ganze näher gegangen, wenn ich dabei gewesen wäre. Doof ist natürlich auch, dass Ginny und Kai den Großteil des Buches über voneinander getrennt sind... trotzdemm flammt diese tiefe Liebe in Ginny, die sie dazu antreibt die Suche nach Kai nicht aufzugeben. Diese Liebe hätte ich gern mehr gespürt und ich glaube das wäre möglich gewesen, wenn ich die Erlebnisse der beiden und die Entwicklung ihrer Beziehung mehr miterlebt hätte.
± Nicht weiter tragisch, aber schade ist, dass es in Cold Spell keine besondere Geschwisterbeziehung gibt. Vor allem Zwillinge spielen in der Reihe eine große Rolle. In Sisters Red haben wir Rosie und Scarlet, in Sweetly haben zwei Figuren ihren Zwilling verloren und in Fathomless gibt es sogar Drillinge. In diesen Büchern wurde die Beziehung zwischen Geschwistern immer sehr genau erforscht und realistisch dargestellt, deshalb fand ich es schade, dass sowas in Cold Spell fehlt.
+ Richtig gruselig fand ich die Szenen, in denen plötzlich die Fenris auftauchen. Davon gab es mehrere und mir ist jedes Mal Angst und Bange geworden o.o
+ Jackson Pearce hat perfekt zahlreiche Motive des Originalmärchens eingewoben. Sie erzählt nicht die Geschichte nach sondern bedient sich nur verschiedener Elemente. Es gibt Gerdas rote Schuhe (High Heels von Ella), einen Prinz (Lucas) mit seiner Prinzessin (Ella) in einem prunkvollen Schloss (Villa), eine Räuberbande (die travellers) samt Räubertochter (Flannery) und natürlich die Schneekönigin selbst.
- Ella und Lucas waren mir ein bisschen zu glatt. Die beiden sind einfach soo nett und Ella ist übertrieben doll nicht das dumme Püppchen nach dem sie aussieht sondern eine Beauty Queen mit Köpfchen. Keine Frage, ich mag die beiden, sie sind so nett, aber sie kamen mir auch ein wenig random vor. Sie konnten immer genau das und waren dann zur Stelle, wenn man sie gerade gebraucht hat. Überhaupt hat Ginny auf ihrer Reise unheimlich viel Glück gehabt und immer von überall Hilfe bekommen. Ihre Geschichte hat sich nicht so recht von allein fortbewegt sondern wurde etwas von erzwungenen Geschehnisse voran gezerrt.
- Was mich schon am Märchen stört, ist Kais total passive Rolle. Er wird von der Schneekönigin entführt und sie verzaubert ihn so, dass er Ginny nicht mehr wiedererkennt und sich nicht an seine Liebe zu ihr erinnern kann. Gleichzeitig setzt Ginny Himmel und Erde in Bewegung, um ihn zu finden und zu retten. Ginnys Reise und Stärke ist so beeindruckend und sie wächst so über sich hinaus, dass sie am Ende eigentlich jemand Besseres verdient hat. Nicht einen Jungen, der nach ein bisschen Zauberei ihr Gesicht vergessen hat. Klar, ist irgendwie unfair so zu denken, Kai kann ja nichts dafür, aber ich mag es einfach nicht, dass er diese "damsel in distress" ist, die gerettet werden muss.
+ Ginny macht auf ihrer Rettungsaktion eine fantastische Wandlung durch. Am Anfang ist sie nichts ohne Kai, sie hat keine richtigen Interessen und Hobbys, hat ihren Weg einfach noch nicht gefunden. Durch die Erlebnisse im Buch findet sie immer mehr zu sich selbst und merkt, dass sie auch ohne Kai kann (auch wenn sie nicht will).
- Es wird nie aufgeklärt wie Mora es eigentlich geschafft hat, dass
± Ich möchte noch mehr Fairytale Retellings von Jackson Pearce!! Am besten eins aus der Sicht der Fenris. Die sind bisher nur so einseitig böse, die haben bestimmt mehr zu bieten.
± Im Gegensatz zu Jackson Pearces anderen Märchenbüchern sind Ginny und Kai bereits von Anfang an ein Paar. In den anderen Büchern verliebt die Hauptfigur sich immer erst Stück für Stück. Einerseits erfrischend, andererseits fehlte mir dadurch der Zugang zu Kai und das Gefühl für die Beziehung der Beiden. Ich glaube Ginny zwar, dass ihre Beziehung wirklich toll ist und sie schon viele wunderbare Momente zusammen erlebt haben, aber mir wäre das ganze näher gegangen, wenn ich dabei gewesen wäre. Doof ist natürlich auch, dass Ginny und Kai den Großteil des Buches über voneinander getrennt sind... trotzdemm flammt diese tiefe Liebe in Ginny, die sie dazu antreibt die Suche nach Kai nicht aufzugeben. Diese Liebe hätte ich gern mehr gespürt und ich glaube das wäre möglich gewesen, wenn ich die Erlebnisse der beiden und die Entwicklung ihrer Beziehung mehr miterlebt hätte.
± Nicht weiter tragisch, aber schade ist, dass es in Cold Spell keine besondere Geschwisterbeziehung gibt. Vor allem Zwillinge spielen in der Reihe eine große Rolle. In Sisters Red haben wir Rosie und Scarlet, in Sweetly haben zwei Figuren ihren Zwilling verloren und in Fathomless gibt es sogar Drillinge. In diesen Büchern wurde die Beziehung zwischen Geschwistern immer sehr genau erforscht und realistisch dargestellt, deshalb fand ich es schade, dass sowas in Cold Spell fehlt.
+ Richtig gruselig fand ich die Szenen, in denen plötzlich die Fenris auftauchen. Davon gab es mehrere und mir ist jedes Mal Angst und Bange geworden o.o
+ Jackson Pearce hat perfekt zahlreiche Motive des Originalmärchens eingewoben. Sie erzählt nicht die Geschichte nach sondern bedient sich nur verschiedener Elemente. Es gibt Gerdas rote Schuhe (High Heels von Ella), einen Prinz (Lucas) mit seiner Prinzessin (Ella) in einem prunkvollen Schloss (Villa), eine Räuberbande (die travellers) samt Räubertochter (Flannery) und natürlich die Schneekönigin selbst.
- Ella und Lucas waren mir ein bisschen zu glatt. Die beiden sind einfach soo nett und Ella ist übertrieben doll nicht das dumme Püppchen nach dem sie aussieht sondern eine Beauty Queen mit Köpfchen. Keine Frage, ich mag die beiden, sie sind so nett, aber sie kamen mir auch ein wenig random vor. Sie konnten immer genau das und waren dann zur Stelle, wenn man sie gerade gebraucht hat. Überhaupt hat Ginny auf ihrer Reise unheimlich viel Glück gehabt und immer von überall Hilfe bekommen. Ihre Geschichte hat sich nicht so recht von allein fortbewegt sondern wurde etwas von erzwungenen Geschehnisse voran gezerrt.
- Was mich schon am Märchen stört, ist Kais total passive Rolle. Er wird von der Schneekönigin entführt und sie verzaubert ihn so, dass er Ginny nicht mehr wiedererkennt und sich nicht an seine Liebe zu ihr erinnern kann. Gleichzeitig setzt Ginny Himmel und Erde in Bewegung, um ihn zu finden und zu retten. Ginnys Reise und Stärke ist so beeindruckend und sie wächst so über sich hinaus, dass sie am Ende eigentlich jemand Besseres verdient hat. Nicht einen Jungen, der nach ein bisschen Zauberei ihr Gesicht vergessen hat. Klar, ist irgendwie unfair so zu denken, Kai kann ja nichts dafür, aber ich mag es einfach nicht, dass er diese "damsel in distress" ist, die gerettet werden muss.
+ Ginny macht auf ihrer Rettungsaktion eine fantastische Wandlung durch. Am Anfang ist sie nichts ohne Kai, sie hat keine richtigen Interessen und Hobbys, hat ihren Weg einfach noch nicht gefunden. Durch die Erlebnisse im Buch findet sie immer mehr zu sich selbst und merkt, dass sie auch ohne Kai kann (auch wenn sie nicht will).
- Es wird nie aufgeklärt wie Mora es eigentlich geschafft hat, dass
± Ich möchte noch mehr Fairytale Retellings von Jackson Pearce!! Am besten eins aus der Sicht der Fenris. Die sind bisher nur so einseitig böse, die haben bestimmt mehr zu bieten.
November 14, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: A unique retelling of The Snow Queen with cute romance, and a interesting mythology. The pacing was a little slow, but overall it was a quick read.
Opening Sentence: There were plenty of reasons to love winter.
The Review:
Ginny met Kai when she was seven years old. She moved into the apartment complex his grandmother owned. She asked him to play one day and they have been best friends ever since. Somewhere along the road their friendship turned into something deeper, filled with love and understanding. Ginny doesn’t have much of a home life; her parents ignore her, so she has turned to Kai for comfort. He is her home, and she doesn’t know what she would ever do without him. She has planned her whole future around him and she wants nothing more than to be with him forever.
Kai’s eccentric grandmother passes away and he is left devastated. She was his only family and while he is struck with grief, a beautiful girl named Mora enters into the picture offering comfort and understanding. Ginny doesn’t trust Mora, something about her is so cold and dark, but Kai seems to be entranced with her. Then suddenly Kai disappears without a trace and Ginny is left alone and heartbroken. She refuses to believe that he would leave her willingly, so she takes off after him. She is thrown into a world she never knew existed, filled with monsters and darkness. She has always believed that love could conquer all, but now she’s not so sure.
Ginny is a sweet protagonist. She is young and inexperienced, but also strong and loyal. As a character she really grows throughout the book with everything she experiences. Growing up she always relied on others to provide her happiness, but as she goes on this adventure she realizes that she has to rely on herself for her own happiness. She is a very determined young woman and didn’t give up even when things seemed impossible. She was a likeable character and easy to connect with. I also felt that she was a little bit forgettable and lacked any really unique characteristics.
Kai is a sweet boy, but I had a hard time connecting with him. Being the love interest, I really wanted to swoon over him, but I didn’t find anything that made me really care about him. He’s cute, respectful and an amazing violin player, but he had no personality. He was a slightly dull character that just didn’t quite cut it for me. The romance between Kai and Ginny is adorable, but nothing really unique or different.
Overall, this was a really quick read. I obviously didn’t love the main characters, but there were some secondary characters that I adored. There are some previous ties to other books in the series, and I enjoyed hearing about old faces. I liked the mythology and the interesting take Pearce took on the original story. There were parts that dragged, but for the most part, it was a pretty quick read. While this book was far from perfect, it was still an enjoyable read for me. If you like retellings or are a fan of Pearce’s other books, I would recommend giving this one a try.
Notable Scene:
“You know I’m in love with you, right, Ginny?” He’s looking at my knuckles, running his thumb across them. His eyes flicker to mine. It’s the first time he’s said it aloud, or at least, aloud and meant it like this. “I’ve always been in love with you.”
“I know,” I whisper, and he smiles, leans forward, and kisses me. I lift out of my chair and move to him; he pulls me down into his lap and wraps his arms around me. My fingertips curl at the nape of his neck, and when we break away he finds my eyes and is silent for a long time. He exhales, reaches up, and tucks my hair behind my ears, letting his palm linger by my cheek.
I smile and say, “I’ll always—
FTC Advisory: Little, Brown provided me with a copy of Cold Spell. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A unique retelling of The Snow Queen with cute romance, and a interesting mythology. The pacing was a little slow, but overall it was a quick read.
Opening Sentence: There were plenty of reasons to love winter.
The Review:
Ginny met Kai when she was seven years old. She moved into the apartment complex his grandmother owned. She asked him to play one day and they have been best friends ever since. Somewhere along the road their friendship turned into something deeper, filled with love and understanding. Ginny doesn’t have much of a home life; her parents ignore her, so she has turned to Kai for comfort. He is her home, and she doesn’t know what she would ever do without him. She has planned her whole future around him and she wants nothing more than to be with him forever.
Kai’s eccentric grandmother passes away and he is left devastated. She was his only family and while he is struck with grief, a beautiful girl named Mora enters into the picture offering comfort and understanding. Ginny doesn’t trust Mora, something about her is so cold and dark, but Kai seems to be entranced with her. Then suddenly Kai disappears without a trace and Ginny is left alone and heartbroken. She refuses to believe that he would leave her willingly, so she takes off after him. She is thrown into a world she never knew existed, filled with monsters and darkness. She has always believed that love could conquer all, but now she’s not so sure.
Ginny is a sweet protagonist. She is young and inexperienced, but also strong and loyal. As a character she really grows throughout the book with everything she experiences. Growing up she always relied on others to provide her happiness, but as she goes on this adventure she realizes that she has to rely on herself for her own happiness. She is a very determined young woman and didn’t give up even when things seemed impossible. She was a likeable character and easy to connect with. I also felt that she was a little bit forgettable and lacked any really unique characteristics.
Kai is a sweet boy, but I had a hard time connecting with him. Being the love interest, I really wanted to swoon over him, but I didn’t find anything that made me really care about him. He’s cute, respectful and an amazing violin player, but he had no personality. He was a slightly dull character that just didn’t quite cut it for me. The romance between Kai and Ginny is adorable, but nothing really unique or different.
Overall, this was a really quick read. I obviously didn’t love the main characters, but there were some secondary characters that I adored. There are some previous ties to other books in the series, and I enjoyed hearing about old faces. I liked the mythology and the interesting take Pearce took on the original story. There were parts that dragged, but for the most part, it was a pretty quick read. While this book was far from perfect, it was still an enjoyable read for me. If you like retellings or are a fan of Pearce’s other books, I would recommend giving this one a try.
Notable Scene:
“You know I’m in love with you, right, Ginny?” He’s looking at my knuckles, running his thumb across them. His eyes flicker to mine. It’s the first time he’s said it aloud, or at least, aloud and meant it like this. “I’ve always been in love with you.”
“I know,” I whisper, and he smiles, leans forward, and kisses me. I lift out of my chair and move to him; he pulls me down into his lap and wraps his arms around me. My fingertips curl at the nape of his neck, and when we break away he finds my eyes and is silent for a long time. He exhales, reaches up, and tucks my hair behind my ears, letting his palm linger by my cheek.
I smile and say, “I’ll always—
FTC Advisory: Little, Brown provided me with a copy of Cold Spell. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 30, 2013
Kai and Ginny have grown up together, and they knew when they were were 11 they'd spend their lives together. Ginny knows Kai loves her, so when Kai disappears with a strange girl named Mora, Ginny knows he hasn't just left her. Ginny sets out to find Kai, discovering along the way a world of darkness and monsters she never knew existed.
This was a retelling of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Sort of. I mean, that was the intention, and it did certainly have call-backs to the story. But it was pretty different, which is true of the other books in Jackson Pearce's Fairy Tale Retellings series. They're not retellings exactly, maybe "inspired by The Snow Queen" would be more accurate.
I haven't loved most of the Jackson Pearce I've read. I read Sweetly and Purity. Maybe I should read Sister Red. I'd heard good things about that one. Anyway, I enjoyed this more than the others, although I found it choppy and the world building was weak. Although perhaps if I read all the books in the series I would understand the world better. I recall now there were evil, girl-eating wolves in Sweetly. The probably build on each other.
The core of both the original fairy tale and Cold Spell is there, which is that love can be incredibly powerful. Cold Spell puts a twist on this by questioning whether love is enough. I liked that Ginny, who doesn't really have an identity of her own at the beginning, she just sees herself as part of Kai, learns her own strength and starts to realize that while she loves Kai and never falters in her determination to find him, she doesn't need him to be her life the way she did before.
The biggest difference between the original Snow Queen and Cold Spell was the Snow Queen herself. In the original, Kai's eyes and heart are pierced by shards of a broken mirror that had been made by an imp which causes him to see everything good as ugly and distorted. Then the Snow Queen shows up and takes him away. In Cold Spell, the Snow Queen isn't actually a snow queen. She was a girl once, and then she lived under the ocean, and then she was made into a Fenris, which is some kind of evil wolf-like creature that eats young women.
This is where the story was weakest, I thought. There's all these vague hints of a magical world, but we don't actually learn what it was or anything about it. Mora was a girl at one point, this we know for sure. She had a twin sister who was killed by the Fenris (who we really don't learn anything about) and this somehow made Mora a Fenris? I think? Except she didn't become a wolf creature right away, she first lived underwater with other underwater girls. Or something like that. And they slowly turned into Fenris. Except Mora escapes (by being kissed by the boy she used to love and then her memories return) and used her knowledge of water to create snow and cold, which the Fenris hates. And now she steals boys and makes them forget their pasts and makes them love her while creating cold to keep ahead of the Fenris. I didn't understand Mora's motivation at all, because it was never really explained. I didn't understand the Fenris, or why they were there or their purpose. I guess there's the assumption that you've read all the other books in the series so you understand what she's talking about. Since I have not, I was totally confused.
There were lots of little connections to the original story, like a prince and princess (in this case a wealthy man and woman) who take in Ginny and want her to stay with them. Or "the little robber girl" who in this case was part of some kind of nomadic gypsy-like tribe.
So if you like books inspired by fairy tales, this is a good one to check out, but read all the books in the series in order or you'll just be confused.
Cold Spell comes out November 5, 2013.
This was a retelling of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Sort of. I mean, that was the intention, and it did certainly have call-backs to the story. But it was pretty different, which is true of the other books in Jackson Pearce's Fairy Tale Retellings series. They're not retellings exactly, maybe "inspired by The Snow Queen" would be more accurate.
I haven't loved most of the Jackson Pearce I've read. I read Sweetly and Purity. Maybe I should read Sister Red. I'd heard good things about that one. Anyway, I enjoyed this more than the others, although I found it choppy and the world building was weak. Although perhaps if I read all the books in the series I would understand the world better. I recall now there were evil, girl-eating wolves in Sweetly. The probably build on each other.
The core of both the original fairy tale and Cold Spell is there, which is that love can be incredibly powerful. Cold Spell puts a twist on this by questioning whether love is enough. I liked that Ginny, who doesn't really have an identity of her own at the beginning, she just sees herself as part of Kai, learns her own strength and starts to realize that while she loves Kai and never falters in her determination to find him, she doesn't need him to be her life the way she did before.
The biggest difference between the original Snow Queen and Cold Spell was the Snow Queen herself. In the original, Kai's eyes and heart are pierced by shards of a broken mirror that had been made by an imp which causes him to see everything good as ugly and distorted. Then the Snow Queen shows up and takes him away. In Cold Spell, the Snow Queen isn't actually a snow queen. She was a girl once, and then she lived under the ocean, and then she was made into a Fenris, which is some kind of evil wolf-like creature that eats young women.
This is where the story was weakest, I thought. There's all these vague hints of a magical world, but we don't actually learn what it was or anything about it. Mora was a girl at one point, this we know for sure. She had a twin sister who was killed by the Fenris (who we really don't learn anything about) and this somehow made Mora a Fenris? I think? Except she didn't become a wolf creature right away, she first lived underwater with other underwater girls. Or something like that. And they slowly turned into Fenris. Except Mora escapes (by being kissed by the boy she used to love and then her memories return) and used her knowledge of water to create snow and cold, which the Fenris hates. And now she steals boys and makes them forget their pasts and makes them love her while creating cold to keep ahead of the Fenris. I didn't understand Mora's motivation at all, because it was never really explained. I didn't understand the Fenris, or why they were there or their purpose. I guess there's the assumption that you've read all the other books in the series so you understand what she's talking about. Since I have not, I was totally confused.
There were lots of little connections to the original story, like a prince and princess (in this case a wealthy man and woman) who take in Ginny and want her to stay with them. Or "the little robber girl" who in this case was part of some kind of nomadic gypsy-like tribe.
So if you like books inspired by fairy tales, this is a good one to check out, but read all the books in the series in order or you'll just be confused.
Cold Spell comes out November 5, 2013.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2013
With book 4 of Jackson Pearce's fairytale retellings series, we are neck-deep in her rich and thrilling world of magic and monsters. In Sisters Red we learned of the Fenris--werewolves--and their lust for blood. In Sweetly we learned the secret of twins and the magic of one soul in two bodies. In Fathomless we discovered one of the secrets of the Fenris and the girls that they capture. And now in Cold Spell we look into the dark heart of magic and see its consequences.
Cold Spell takes us on a journey into snow and ice with a retelling of The Snow Queen. The original story tells of two young friends who grow up together and eventually fall in love. One day the boy gets shards of the Troll Mirror in his eyes, turning his heart bitter cold. He runs away and joins the Ice Queen, but the girl follows after him. She meets up with a robber girl who helps her on her quest. Eventually the girl rescues the boy and they go home to live happily ever after (not always the case in Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales). In this version of the tale we see many of the original elements reused in creative ways, which gives the story a solid grounding in the mythic while still maintaining a strong sense of the present.
While she uses piece of the original tale--such as the young lovers meeting on a rooftop rose garden--Jackson makes this story her own from page one. This Snow Queen doesn't run into Kai by accident, and her realtionship to the snow is far more complicated than it seems on the surface. At the end of Fathomless we saw a white wolf with ice blue eyes, and now we see her in human form, stealing boys to be her protectors and lovers for all eternity.
Ginny, our heroine, was a pleasure to journey with. She's been waiting her whole life for her life to start, and now with Kai gone, she's left without a vision for her future. Her journey to find him starts out as a simple rescue mission, but turns into something more: a rescue mission for herself. She doesn't set out to do some yoga and soul searching and find her inner peace; finding out who she is comes with the journey, and in unexpected ways. The best part about Ginny's story is that it isn't just about being in love with a boy: it's about finding your place in the world when you have nothing and no one left to hold you up.
A sweet romance, a daring adventure, and a wonderful retelling of a classic tale. Cold Spell proves that Jackson has hit her stride, and we can expect many more great tales from her in the future.
Cold Spell takes us on a journey into snow and ice with a retelling of The Snow Queen. The original story tells of two young friends who grow up together and eventually fall in love. One day the boy gets shards of the Troll Mirror in his eyes, turning his heart bitter cold. He runs away and joins the Ice Queen, but the girl follows after him. She meets up with a robber girl who helps her on her quest. Eventually the girl rescues the boy and they go home to live happily ever after (not always the case in Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales). In this version of the tale we see many of the original elements reused in creative ways, which gives the story a solid grounding in the mythic while still maintaining a strong sense of the present.
While she uses piece of the original tale--such as the young lovers meeting on a rooftop rose garden--Jackson makes this story her own from page one. This Snow Queen doesn't run into Kai by accident, and her realtionship to the snow is far more complicated than it seems on the surface. At the end of Fathomless we saw a white wolf with ice blue eyes, and now we see her in human form, stealing boys to be her protectors and lovers for all eternity.
Ginny, our heroine, was a pleasure to journey with. She's been waiting her whole life for her life to start, and now with Kai gone, she's left without a vision for her future. Her journey to find him starts out as a simple rescue mission, but turns into something more: a rescue mission for herself. She doesn't set out to do some yoga and soul searching and find her inner peace; finding out who she is comes with the journey, and in unexpected ways. The best part about Ginny's story is that it isn't just about being in love with a boy: it's about finding your place in the world when you have nothing and no one left to hold you up.
A sweet romance, a daring adventure, and a wonderful retelling of a classic tale. Cold Spell proves that Jackson has hit her stride, and we can expect many more great tales from her in the future.
November 8, 2013
I knew that the stories build on themselves, but had only read Fathomless, the last book in this series. It did help me to have read that last book and now I do want to read the ones prior as well. Sort of work my way back to where it all started. I may even understand more by the time the next book appears. :)
This one is based on the Snow Queen with the author's own twist. In this book the Queen was once an Ocean Girl who gained back her memories and therefore broke from the pack. She finds she can manipulate the water into snow which slows down her pursuers. She is also lonely and finds that what was done to her she can do to others and they become her companions until she is bored with them and discards them. Kai captures the Queen's interest but Ginny, the girl he loves and loves him back, decides to fight the Queen. It is what happens on Ginny's quest to get back the boy she loves is the real story here. It is her growth and the way she finds that she can love another without being lost herself. In fact, she finds herself along the way and it opens up a sense of freedom she never knew before. I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this tale. I'm curious to see if either of those will take precedence in the next installment of this series. If so, I would enjoy reading it.
One of my biggest complaints of the story is that the romance between Ginny and Kai is poorly developed at the beginning, but as stories were told I did finally get why there was such a connection between the two. The adventure slowly reveals the tale of their romance and that was better than finding the instant connection at the beginning. So my complaint turned into a positive in the end.
I give this book 4 stars. I enjoyed my time here and really enjoyed the growth Ginny goes through in her adventure. I recommend it to those that enjoy retellings and those following this series which I now need the first 2 books. :)
This one is based on the Snow Queen with the author's own twist. In this book the Queen was once an Ocean Girl who gained back her memories and therefore broke from the pack. She finds she can manipulate the water into snow which slows down her pursuers. She is also lonely and finds that what was done to her she can do to others and they become her companions until she is bored with them and discards them. Kai captures the Queen's interest but Ginny, the girl he loves and loves him back, decides to fight the Queen. It is what happens on Ginny's quest to get back the boy she loves is the real story here. It is her growth and the way she finds that she can love another without being lost herself. In fact, she finds herself along the way and it opens up a sense of freedom she never knew before. I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this tale. I'm curious to see if either of those will take precedence in the next installment of this series. If so, I would enjoy reading it.
One of my biggest complaints of the story is that the romance between Ginny and Kai is poorly developed at the beginning, but as stories were told I did finally get why there was such a connection between the two. The adventure slowly reveals the tale of their romance and that was better than finding the instant connection at the beginning. So my complaint turned into a positive in the end.
I give this book 4 stars. I enjoyed my time here and really enjoyed the growth Ginny goes through in her adventure. I recommend it to those that enjoy retellings and those following this series which I now need the first 2 books. :)
February 24, 2017
It was an okay story.
February 12, 2014
At 200 pages into this book I realized I couldn't remember the main character's name. That pretty much says it all.
This is one of those times I wish I could give half stars, because Cold Spell is a little better than two, but nowhere near a three. The biggest problem is the desperately boring main character, who we're *told* is growing as a person as the story moves on, but not really *shown*. The convoluted mythology is another issue (Irish Gypsy werewolf-hunting Kentuckians? Huh?) and the tale just lurches from one point to another without any solid connection. And the way the mother, who I'm sure is working three jobs just for her health, is dismissed as neglectful set my teeth on edge.
(As a side note, for me, the worst part was reading a Georgian bitching about the cold. At the moment I type this it is -3°F outside and I am *grateful* for the warm up. The author writes about wind chill and snow storms without authority, making descriptive mistakes that take me instantly out of the story. You cannot walk fifteen miles across frozen Lake Superior in a blizzard. And yes, I'm being snide. It's been a long-ass winter up here.)
All this being said, the story has its moments. The descriptions of the main character and the love interest as children, sprinkled into the story here and there, are very sweet and the most genuine parts of the book. The female side characters, Flannery and Ella (see, their names I remember!), get stronger as the plot progresses. And the epilogue gets points for not being as bad as I expected.
I didn't hate Cold Spell, but in a month I doubt I'll remember I read it. Do not recommend.
August 5, 2014
I don't know what to think of Cold Spell. It wasn't terrible. I enjoyed it enough. But I didn't love it.
Things I liked:
Mora (aka the Snow Queen)- She was a very complex villain, and I actually wish there was more about her. I really liked the chapters from her perspective.
The Travelers/Tinkers: The story got a lot more interesting when they were introduced. I love Flannery, she's a fun character.
The Writing: Jackson Pearce is a good writer
The story: For the most part, the story was interesting. The prologue was very intriguing, but the beginning was kinda slow. Things started to pick up once the Travelers were introduced, though.
Things I didn't like:
Ginny She was such a boring character. There are so many interesting characters in this book; Mora, Flannery & the Tinkers, Dalia (who ), even Kai! But Ginny was sooooo boring. I did not like reading from her perspective
I'm pretty sure this is the last book in the Fairytale Retellings series. But I hope Jackson Pearce decides to write more, because I just feel that Cold Spell wasn't the best ending to this series. When I'm reading a series, I like it to have a very strong conclusion. .
Jackson Pearce's books are always hit or miss with me. I either love/like it (As You Wish, Sweetly) or I hate/really don't like it (Sisters Red, Fathomless). Cold Spell lies somewhere in the middle.
I do recommend Cold Spell. It was enjoyable enough. But I couldn't help but feel somewhat let down. But, if Jackson Pearce does write more books in this series, I will read them.
Things I liked:
Mora (aka the Snow Queen)- She was a very complex villain, and I actually wish there was more about her. I really liked the chapters from her perspective.
The Travelers/Tinkers: The story got a lot more interesting when they were introduced. I love Flannery, she's a fun character.
The Writing: Jackson Pearce is a good writer
The story: For the most part, the story was interesting. The prologue was very intriguing, but the beginning was kinda slow. Things started to pick up once the Travelers were introduced, though.
Things I didn't like:
Ginny She was such a boring character. There are so many interesting characters in this book; Mora, Flannery & the Tinkers, Dalia (who ), even Kai! But Ginny was sooooo boring. I did not like reading from her perspective
I'm pretty sure this is the last book in the Fairytale Retellings series. But I hope Jackson Pearce decides to write more, because I just feel that Cold Spell wasn't the best ending to this series. When I'm reading a series, I like it to have a very strong conclusion. .
Jackson Pearce's books are always hit or miss with me. I either love/like it (As You Wish, Sweetly) or I hate/really don't like it (Sisters Red, Fathomless). Cold Spell lies somewhere in the middle.
I do recommend Cold Spell. It was enjoyable enough. But I couldn't help but feel somewhat let down. But, if Jackson Pearce does write more books in this series, I will read them.
October 26, 2013
I liked Cold Spell a lot, but not as much as Fathomless. Cold Spell was fairly average plot-wise. It was light on lore, and the clear cut goal didn't leave much room for unexpected plot twists. I thought it was very anticlimactic. Of course, I've never read the original Snow Queen so I can't compare it to that.
For the people who have read the other books in this series, you'll be happy to know that there are references back to them!
I liked all the supporting characters, but I didn't feel too empathetic for Ginny or Kai. I supported Ginny, but I didn't really sympathize for her if that makes sense. I wasn't upset with any of the choices she made but everything about her was a bit blah. I appreciated her development when she realized she could live without Kai, but she still didn't actually grow--she just realized she could live without him if she absolutely had to.
I liked Mora but I thought her backstory was a little confusing for the average reader. I wish there had been more of her PoV, and more explanation of the Fenris.
I found this book to be fairly average. Pearce has a wonderful writing technique and if you read the other novels, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
For the people who have read the other books in this series, you'll be happy to know that there are references back to them!
I liked all the supporting characters, but I didn't feel too empathetic for Ginny or Kai. I supported Ginny, but I didn't really sympathize for her if that makes sense. I wasn't upset with any of the choices she made but everything about her was a bit blah. I appreciated her development when she realized she could live without Kai, but she still didn't actually grow--she just realized she could live without him if she absolutely had to.
I liked Mora but I thought her backstory was a little confusing for the average reader. I wish there had been more of her PoV, and more explanation of the Fenris.
I found this book to be fairly average. Pearce has a wonderful writing technique and if you read the other novels, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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