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Tales of the Gemstone Kingdoms #1
The Prince and the Ice King
Every Winter Solstice, the Emerald Kingdom sends the dreaded Ice King a sacrifice—a corrupt soul, a criminal, a deviant, or someone touched by magic. Prince Reardon has always loathed this tradition, partly because he dreams of love with another man instead of a future queen.
Then Reardon’s best friend is discovered as a witch and sent to the Frozen Kingdom as tribute.
Reardon sets out to rescue him, willing to battle and kill the Ice King if that’s what it takes. But nothing could prepare him for what he finds in the Frozen Kingdom—a cursed land filled with magic… and a camaraderie Reardon has never known. Over this strange, warm community presides the enigmatic Ice King, a man his subjects call Jack. A man with skin made of ice, whose very touch can stop a beating heart.
A man Reardon finds himself inexplicably drawn to.
Jack doesn’t trust Reardon. But when Reardon begins spending long days with him, vowing to prove himself and break the curse, Jack begins to hope. Can love and forgiveness melt the ice around the king's cold heart?
THIS SECOND EDITION INCLUDES A NEW COVER AND RE-FORMATTED INTERIOR BUT NO SIGNIFICANT CONTENT CHANGES FROM THE ORIGINAL.
Then Reardon’s best friend is discovered as a witch and sent to the Frozen Kingdom as tribute.
Reardon sets out to rescue him, willing to battle and kill the Ice King if that’s what it takes. But nothing could prepare him for what he finds in the Frozen Kingdom—a cursed land filled with magic… and a camaraderie Reardon has never known. Over this strange, warm community presides the enigmatic Ice King, a man his subjects call Jack. A man with skin made of ice, whose very touch can stop a beating heart.
A man Reardon finds himself inexplicably drawn to.
Jack doesn’t trust Reardon. But when Reardon begins spending long days with him, vowing to prove himself and break the curse, Jack begins to hope. Can love and forgiveness melt the ice around the king's cold heart?
THIS SECOND EDITION INCLUDES A NEW COVER AND RE-FORMATTED INTERIOR BUT NO SIGNIFICANT CONTENT CHANGES FROM THE ORIGINAL.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2021
252 people are currently reading
1085 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Meuwissen
57 books659 followersAmanda Meuwissen is a queer author with a primary focus on M/M fiction and romance. As the author of LGBTQ+ Fantasy #1 Best Seller, Coming Up for Air, LGBTQ+ Horror #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release, A Delicious Descent, and several other titles through various publishers, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
October 16, 2021
Oh, this was lovely 🥰🥰, a retelling of beauty and the beast with its own magic twist that makes it totally unique on it's own. 💗
I had a lot of quotes on this book, but my phone got robbed (third world problems) so I lost all of it, but I do remember having enjoyed it a lot, having felt a lot and being in love with all the characters.
It was a beautiful world, beautifully described and very detailed in the magic, the world building was amazing, the love and the friendship even more so.
So yeah, I totally loved this. 🥰📍
I had a lot of quotes on this book, but my phone got robbed (third world problems) so I lost all of it, but I do remember having enjoyed it a lot, having felt a lot and being in love with all the characters.
It was a beautiful world, beautifully described and very detailed in the magic, the world building was amazing, the love and the friendship even more so.
So yeah, I totally loved this. 🥰📍
August 3, 2021
4.5 stars In the Emerald Kingdom magic is corruption, as is loving the same gender. Prince Reardon’s best friend Barclay has magic, Reardon is attracted to men, and both will keep it secret.
Reardon is kind, soft, and sweet. When his best friend was punished and sent to the Frozen Kingdom, Reardon wants to save and rescue him.
Arriving at the Frozen Kingdom Reardon finds nothing but resistance from Ice King Jack, who’s cursed into an Ice beast, touching him is impossible.
How do you rescue the ones who don’t need to be rescued?
This Kingdom is the opposite of the Kingdom of Emerald. Reardon wants to learn about this Kingdom so he can convince his people magic isn’t a threat, to quit sacrificing people to the Frozen Kingdom, only, the grumpy, cursed Ice King doesn’t trust Reardon.
The citizens of the Ice Kindom are melting one by one by Reardon’s kind personality.
The sword of Damocles is hanging above Jack, when the ugly truth shows, Reardon will run. Throwing out Reardon would be the best but Reardon won’t let him, he’s on a mission, one of his mission is to conquer Jack’s frozen heart.
Wow, what a wonderful fantasy story this is. With an epic ending! Read it yourself!
Beautiful creatures are living in the Frozen Kingdom, Elves, half and full-blooded, elements of gold, ice or flames, wizards, healers. The fantasy world-building was absolutely stunningly done, wonderfully pictured, I loved all the aspects. The plot is quite captivating, original and the story has unexpected twists, marvelously done!
It’s a fast-paced exciting fairytale, with all the feelings, smoothly written and very entertaining.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes LGBTQ bookreviews
Reardon is kind, soft, and sweet. When his best friend was punished and sent to the Frozen Kingdom, Reardon wants to save and rescue him.
Arriving at the Frozen Kingdom Reardon finds nothing but resistance from Ice King Jack, who’s cursed into an Ice beast, touching him is impossible.
How do you rescue the ones who don’t need to be rescued?
This Kingdom is the opposite of the Kingdom of Emerald. Reardon wants to learn about this Kingdom so he can convince his people magic isn’t a threat, to quit sacrificing people to the Frozen Kingdom, only, the grumpy, cursed Ice King doesn’t trust Reardon.
The citizens of the Ice Kindom are melting one by one by Reardon’s kind personality.
The sword of Damocles is hanging above Jack, when the ugly truth shows, Reardon will run. Throwing out Reardon would be the best but Reardon won’t let him, he’s on a mission, one of his mission is to conquer Jack’s frozen heart.
Wow, what a wonderful fantasy story this is. With an epic ending! Read it yourself!
Beautiful creatures are living in the Frozen Kingdom, Elves, half and full-blooded, elements of gold, ice or flames, wizards, healers. The fantasy world-building was absolutely stunningly done, wonderfully pictured, I loved all the aspects. The plot is quite captivating, original and the story has unexpected twists, marvelously done!
It’s a fast-paced exciting fairytale, with all the feelings, smoothly written and very entertaining.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes LGBTQ bookreviews
January 27, 2022
Well, I'm having a hard time believing Lombard's plan actually worked considering, the only reason it had any chance of success was because Reardon was incredibly naïve, which was a variable that could have changed any time, you know, since he jumped right into enemy territory and all that.
The ending was too poof-and-tada-its-done for me to actually like it. And I was expecting more of a grumpy, frustrated Ice King because of the whole fuck boy turned celibate for 200 years for no reason thing but alas.
The ending was too poof-and-tada-its-done for me to actually like it. And I was expecting more of a grumpy, frustrated Ice King because of the whole fuck boy turned celibate for 200 years for no reason thing but alas.
August 10, 2021
This is my first book of this author and I'm definitely enchanted by the story. The Prince and the Ice King is like a beauty and the Beast retelling with the author's own twist.
Prince Reardon is young, honorable, courageous, idealistic and a dreamer. The Ice King, Jack seems like a cold hearted jerk due to his frozen heart, but underneath his cold exterior hide a remorseful man who blame himself for what befall his kingdom.
The Frozen Kingdom was cursed but the people within live a charm life free from society judgement. What was supposed to be Reardon's mission to rescue his best friend, turn into an adventure of a lifetime and meeting his one true love.
I enjoyed reading about the cursed and magical kingdom with it's quirky people. The secondary characters are well fleshed out and had me caring for each and everyone of them. I craved Reardon's every interaction with Jack, from their frosty beginning to their friendship and being lovers. Reardon is so pure and had so much goodness in him, which make Jack feel unworthy for his love. But Jack is definitely a redeemable hero and all he needs is to believe and hope again. Reardon is all about loving Jack and believing love can conquer everything, even breaking the curse. Of course things ain't as easy as it seems and they will have much challenges ahead before they achieve their HEA. I love the twist that was thrown in with the unexpected villain that keep me engrossed with the climatic ending wondering how will our cursed lover find their way back together.
Prince Reardon is young, honorable, courageous, idealistic and a dreamer. The Ice King, Jack seems like a cold hearted jerk due to his frozen heart, but underneath his cold exterior hide a remorseful man who blame himself for what befall his kingdom.
The Frozen Kingdom was cursed but the people within live a charm life free from society judgement. What was supposed to be Reardon's mission to rescue his best friend, turn into an adventure of a lifetime and meeting his one true love.
I enjoyed reading about the cursed and magical kingdom with it's quirky people. The secondary characters are well fleshed out and had me caring for each and everyone of them. I craved Reardon's every interaction with Jack, from their frosty beginning to their friendship and being lovers. Reardon is so pure and had so much goodness in him, which make Jack feel unworthy for his love. But Jack is definitely a redeemable hero and all he needs is to believe and hope again. Reardon is all about loving Jack and believing love can conquer everything, even breaking the curse. Of course things ain't as easy as it seems and they will have much challenges ahead before they achieve their HEA. I love the twist that was thrown in with the unexpected villain that keep me engrossed with the climatic ending wondering how will our cursed lover find their way back together.
July 5, 2021
I loved everything about this magical fairytale book! Prince Reardon and King Jack melted my heart. The world was fascinating. The plot gave me Beauty and the Beast vibes. And I can't wait to return to this series and explore the other kingdoms (that teaser at the end has me majorly intrigued). But I desperately hope we get to see this cast of characters again because it wasn't just our two leads I fell in love with, the side characters had just as much to offer and I adored each and every one of them (but especially Barclay). Five out of five snowflakes!
An ARC was provided by the author.
An ARC was provided by the author.
August 20, 2023
This was a truly enchanting story featuring grumpy/sunshine MCs, lots of longing, some steam and a touch of magic. I enjoyed it.
August 4, 2021
This had real beauty and the beast vibes going for it, but everything felt new. I loved the world and story this author created with all it's interesting characters. The secrets of the Ice Castle were fun to guess about until they were revealed, never mind the secrets that were waiting for Prince Reardon back home in the Emerald Kingdom.
I liked reading about Reardon slowly "thawing" Jack's frozen heart. He gave Jack hope, even if he'd felt he'd lost all of it long ago. Jack of course would never admit this. He is a good king, but stoic. Jack keeps to himself mostly no matter that he longs for companionship. He blames himself for the curse, not matter that the blame is not on his head alone. His daily meetings with Reardon once he arrives turn out to be one of the highlights of his day.
The foreshadowing of other couples was fun too, because once you think back it just clicks in your head what the author was trying to show you. I enjoyed all the funny bard moments as well. I'm guessing there is a reason bards were able to support themselves well enough back then. Who can resist a funny bard tale?
The end of the book gives a little snippet of the next Jeweled Kingdom book. I have to admit, it's a tad OTT, but it seems like it's going to be interesting. I'll be keeping an eye out for when it releases.
I liked reading about Reardon slowly "thawing" Jack's frozen heart. He gave Jack hope, even if he'd felt he'd lost all of it long ago. Jack of course would never admit this. He is a good king, but stoic. Jack keeps to himself mostly no matter that he longs for companionship. He blames himself for the curse, not matter that the blame is not on his head alone. His daily meetings with Reardon once he arrives turn out to be one of the highlights of his day.
The foreshadowing of other couples was fun too, because once you think back it just clicks in your head what the author was trying to show you. I enjoyed all the funny bard moments as well. I'm guessing there is a reason bards were able to support themselves well enough back then. Who can resist a funny bard tale?
The end of the book gives a little snippet of the next Jeweled Kingdom book. I have to admit, it's a tad OTT, but it seems like it's going to be interesting. I'll be keeping an eye out for when it releases.
July 27, 2022
Good Premise
The only reason why I wasn't wowed by this book despite it having such a great premise was predominantly the pacing. I can also make a case for it being longer than it needed to be but above all was the pacing.
It dragged so much for me that it wiped away the gains made by the solid writing by the author.
Had it been shorter and more to the point, I would've liked it better.
The only reason why I wasn't wowed by this book despite it having such a great premise was predominantly the pacing. I can also make a case for it being longer than it needed to be but above all was the pacing.
It dragged so much for me that it wiped away the gains made by the solid writing by the author.
Had it been shorter and more to the point, I would've liked it better.
March 12, 2022
Tem livro que eu não tenho a mínima ideia de porque eu terminei... E esse definitivamente é um deles.
July 20, 2021
4.5 stars
This is a new to me author, and I absolutely loved this book. It is a darker retelling of a beauty and the beast fairy tale, far removed from your typical Disney characters and story line.
In this, Reardon is an idealistic young Prince, believing that the current state of beliefs in his Kingdom are not accurate and hurt innocent people. He has been looking for a way to prove his hypothesis to his father, the King, and when his friend is sent to the Ice King's Palace, he knows what he must do.
What he finds is the remains of a kingdom, cursed long ago, and ruled by King Jack and his "counsel." The author does an excellent job creating these fantastical characters and their back stories. The world building is imaginative and fresh, while maintaining the basic premise of the tale.
As with all great fantasy stories, the villain has to make their move at some point, but of course young Prince Reardon doesn't see it coming. On the verge of disaster, only the measure of true love and the belief in one's own self will unlock the curse.
The story is fun and kept me entertained. I thought the secondary characters were wonderful, and the sexy times thrown in were somewhat funny when put in the context they were cast. I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy fantasy, slow burn romance, and of course enjoy a world where LGBT rights are becoming more acceptable with the help of brave members of the community, and allies along the way. This is definitely a happily ever after, and it sets the stage for more Gemstone Kingdom books in the future. I wish the author the best of luck.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest opinion.*
This is a new to me author, and I absolutely loved this book. It is a darker retelling of a beauty and the beast fairy tale, far removed from your typical Disney characters and story line.
In this, Reardon is an idealistic young Prince, believing that the current state of beliefs in his Kingdom are not accurate and hurt innocent people. He has been looking for a way to prove his hypothesis to his father, the King, and when his friend is sent to the Ice King's Palace, he knows what he must do.
What he finds is the remains of a kingdom, cursed long ago, and ruled by King Jack and his "counsel." The author does an excellent job creating these fantastical characters and their back stories. The world building is imaginative and fresh, while maintaining the basic premise of the tale.
As with all great fantasy stories, the villain has to make their move at some point, but of course young Prince Reardon doesn't see it coming. On the verge of disaster, only the measure of true love and the belief in one's own self will unlock the curse.
The story is fun and kept me entertained. I thought the secondary characters were wonderful, and the sexy times thrown in were somewhat funny when put in the context they were cast. I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy fantasy, slow burn romance, and of course enjoy a world where LGBT rights are becoming more acceptable with the help of brave members of the community, and allies along the way. This is definitely a happily ever after, and it sets the stage for more Gemstone Kingdom books in the future. I wish the author the best of luck.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest opinion.*
Read
September 20, 2021DNF at 50%. I’m only writing a short review because all I saw before I read this was 5 star reviews so I had high expectations.
This just didn’t work for me at all. The characters were so 1 dimensional; Reardon the perfect, virginal, sweet, good at everything prince (who reads like a child even though he’s 21 and heir to a kingdom). Jack the cold, angry, scarred but actually deep down lovely King… there was no depth at all (at least not in the first 50%). The romance itself felt so forced- Reardon picking anybody with blue eyes because of the damn vision- there was no actual substance just “you have blue eyes you can be my true love”. I’m not even gonna talk about how Jack was cursed because he slept away his kingdom and the FIRST thing he does when Reardon sees him in his true form is SLEEP WITH HIM. Lesson not learnt I would say.
This just didn’t work for me at all. The characters were so 1 dimensional; Reardon the perfect, virginal, sweet, good at everything prince (who reads like a child even though he’s 21 and heir to a kingdom). Jack the cold, angry, scarred but actually deep down lovely King… there was no depth at all (at least not in the first 50%). The romance itself felt so forced- Reardon picking anybody with blue eyes because of the damn vision- there was no actual substance just “you have blue eyes you can be my true love”. I’m not even gonna talk about how Jack was cursed because he slept away his kingdom and the FIRST thing he does when Reardon sees him in his true form is SLEEP WITH HIM. Lesson not learnt I would say.
August 16, 2021
Rating: 2/5
Feels: 🙂😕🙂
One Liner: Pretty simple and straight-forward fairytale with generic fairytale main characters.
Rec: Not really :/ unless if you really like fairytales.
I really wanted to like this one and had high hopes because of the ratings and the fact that Amanda Meuwissen wrote Lovesick Gods which is very good. Being a fairytale, this one has a whole different vibe which I was totally down for. Maybe it is because I went in with very high hopes, but I just didn't like this book - but I didn't hate it either. It was okay - nothing new, overly complex or challenging.
Feels: 🙂😕🙂
One Liner: Pretty simple and straight-forward fairytale with generic fairytale main characters.
Rec: Not really :/ unless if you really like fairytales.
I really wanted to like this one and had high hopes because of the ratings and the fact that Amanda Meuwissen wrote Lovesick Gods which is very good. Being a fairytale, this one has a whole different vibe which I was totally down for. Maybe it is because I went in with very high hopes, but I just didn't like this book - but I didn't hate it either. It was okay - nothing new, overly complex or challenging.
October 28, 2023
1.5 — rounded DOWN
“Don’t push me away. Don’t tell me to go home. Let me show you that this curse can be broken if only you’d let me melt the ice caging your heart.” 🤢🤢
He LOVES him??? Why???
Nope. If you love the Beauty and the Beast story, stay away from this. Be not mistaken — I didn’t expect this to just be an exact MM retelling of the original or Disney adaptation, which I do love dearly. This just fails on its own merit and also shits all over the source material. Let’s break down the sins of this story.
No contemporary Beauty and the Beast adaptation (however loose) should have the Beauty character being TOLD the rules of curse and then actively seeking to break it. It’s not Beauty’s obligation to save the cursed inhabitants of the enchanted castle. Nor is it Beauty’s role to fix the Beast by their own plotting and scheming. THAT IS NOT ROMANTIC!!! There is an ulterior motive to every interaction Reardon has with Jack. He treats the relationship like a project and vocalizes his end goal very clearly to Jack, breaking any semblance of romantic tension. He is actively trying to FIX HIM. BLEGH. This is so insanely disappointing because before he suddenly discovered he could get a leg up by banging human Jack at night, the two of them were developing so well naturally. They didn’t even really get to be friends before love becomes the obtrusive forefront of their relationship.
The emotional core of the original story is that Beauty develops love for Beast on her own terms and in her own time. The original story sees Beauty through her character arc, learning to find beauty where she wouldn’t normally expect to find it. Conversely, the Disney adaptation sees Beast through his character arc, learning to put others before himself through his love for the kind and caring Belle.
Here, we have two muddled character focuses: Beauty learns not to be so dang naive, while Beast learns to give in to prophesies and believe in himself (aww!). The emotional arc is missing in this story because all emotion is forced upon the characters. I have no idea why characters love each other. I can probably see that they like each other and want to have hot sex with each other, but love? Nope.
This story seems to be flipping the dynamic between the Beauty and Beast characters in the Disney adaptation. Notably in that version (which this so obviously references), Beauty does not return any grace or kindness towards Beast until he gives it himself, and the respect Beast feels towards Beauty encourages him to become his best self by his own volition. Beauty calls Beast out on his bullshit, NOT singing his praises whenever Beast self-deprecates. And most importantly — everything develops in its own time. Here, however, the whole romance is literally contrived in-story from Barclay’s vague prophesy and Reardon’s grand planning. What a clumsy dynamic to have Beast WANTING Beauty to leave the castle while Beauty sticks his ass around like a clingy motherfucker😭🤭
Even if this wasn’t so obviously a retelling of BatB, this horrible dynamic wouldn’t work regardless. The “I can fix him” attitude is never EVER endearing or romantic. It insinuates that the deeply-flawed love interest can only be redeemed through the presence of the “healer” in their life, otherwise the person would stay horrible and wouldn’t actually grow mentally/emotionally. It reveals that the “healer” quite literally sees something wrong with the love interest and wants to actively snuff the bad qualities out so they could be a good partner FOR THEM. This is NOT. ROMANTIC.
The smut. Dear god it came like a sudden unwanted plague. The bumbling Reardon before the first sex scene was not the same that participated in that sex scene. The whole thing seemed so tonally dissonant from the rest of the story I got whiplash from it. And every subsequent sex scene after that was equally bad. Reardon was treating their “nightly audiences” like steps toward his ultimate end goal, and Jack proved exactly why he deserved his curse by bedding Reardon the first chance he got. Any time the intimacy would get remotely romantic, Reardon would ruin it by declaring his supposed love to Jack. He absolutely does not love Jack. I’m not sure if his naïvety is meant to be charming, but it destroys his character and the romantic development that’s clearly meant to be at the heart of this story.
Let’s talk more about Reardon. Reardon is a bumbling ignorant idiot who doesn’t know when to stop talking. He’d be eaten alive by his subjects. To put it clearly — I’m not supposed to be disliking Beauty instead of the Beast. Not supposed to be desperately trying to find redeeming qualities in the Beauty instead of the Beast. How could anyone in their right mind call another person their “love” out of the blue after one measly hookup? What a horrible representation of the Beauty character. His kind and caring disposition ALONE is supposed to bring out the best in the Beast, whose reciprocated generosity wins over the Beauty in turn. No grand plan. No ploy. No scheming. No “oh well I’ll get him next time!” Just plain old innocent romance.
Having the Beauty fall for the Beast first was such a laughably bad decision. It’s not lost on me that the reversed dynamic was deliberate. But maybe it’s not that way because it wouldn’t work that way. How can you tell me that the quote at the top of this review is romantic? How can a desperate Beauty and unyielding Beast make for a romantic story? How am I supposed to appreciate this romance when it’s pressured onto another? When it’s not from one’s own will and desire but prophesied through shadowy foretellings? When the character is so constantly bombarded with the idea that they start to go “might as well!”
Clearly this author knows what real romantic development looks like. They told a love story for the ages through Josie and Barclay in just a few sentences. But the gays can’t have that!
This story drags. As in half of this is literally the castle dragging the secrets of the curse until a specific date. It’s dull as hell. The worldbuilding is fascinating for the first 20% and then…nothing. There’s so little whimsy for a story set in an enchanted castle with cursed elementals and immortal magic-wielding occupants. I guess it doesn’t help that I didn’t really like those characters either lol.
It’s incredibly frustrating and laughably idiotic how every character seems to want to be in control of everything, from the occupants setting a date at which Reardon can find out about the big mystery to Reardon setting out to win over the Beast. This whole castle was pretty horrible to Reardon too. There’s so much talk of warmth in the castle that I just can’t feel. So many of these characters feel mean-spirited and at best dull. Even Barclay and Josie, some of the the only remotely likable characters, are just really uninteresting. Barclay especially feels like his whole character is solely a plot device to dole out vague prophesies that ruin the natural progression of the story. And Josie is just…nice. Their love story is what makes them interesting, which is horrible since they can’t be compelling themselves, yet at the same time, their love story so easily trumps the main one.
Oh and I saw that plot twist from a continent away. I tried to at least get into that conflict but couldn’t really care. The story became really corny by the 75% mark. And then characters started doling out the lessons they learned like it was a sharing circle after a retreat. Just bad.
And I didn’t even bother with that last chapter talking about god knows what lol.
I hate myself for not DNFing this. It took me so damn long for me to finish because I couldn’t get invested. But I guess just like Reardon I’m a bumbling naive idiot who tries to sees the best in the worst. Maybe I too have a lesson to learn and to share with the class. But for now I’m gonna do some healing and watch the movie that’s actually worth my time :)
———————————
Update: 10/27/23
I’d like to retrospectively thank this story for making me so upset that I finally succumbed to AO3 and got obsessed with fairytale fanfics for two whole weeks. I never could’ve done it without you😘😘
“Don’t push me away. Don’t tell me to go home. Let me show you that this curse can be broken if only you’d let me melt the ice caging your heart.” 🤢🤢
He LOVES him??? Why???
Nope. If you love the Beauty and the Beast story, stay away from this. Be not mistaken — I didn’t expect this to just be an exact MM retelling of the original or Disney adaptation, which I do love dearly. This just fails on its own merit and also shits all over the source material. Let’s break down the sins of this story.
No contemporary Beauty and the Beast adaptation (however loose) should have the Beauty character being TOLD the rules of curse and then actively seeking to break it. It’s not Beauty’s obligation to save the cursed inhabitants of the enchanted castle. Nor is it Beauty’s role to fix the Beast by their own plotting and scheming. THAT IS NOT ROMANTIC!!! There is an ulterior motive to every interaction Reardon has with Jack. He treats the relationship like a project and vocalizes his end goal very clearly to Jack, breaking any semblance of romantic tension. He is actively trying to FIX HIM. BLEGH. This is so insanely disappointing because before he suddenly discovered he could get a leg up by banging human Jack at night, the two of them were developing so well naturally. They didn’t even really get to be friends before love becomes the obtrusive forefront of their relationship.
The emotional core of the original story is that Beauty develops love for Beast on her own terms and in her own time. The original story sees Beauty through her character arc, learning to find beauty where she wouldn’t normally expect to find it. Conversely, the Disney adaptation sees Beast through his character arc, learning to put others before himself through his love for the kind and caring Belle.
Here, we have two muddled character focuses: Beauty learns not to be so dang naive, while Beast learns to give in to prophesies and believe in himself (aww!). The emotional arc is missing in this story because all emotion is forced upon the characters. I have no idea why characters love each other. I can probably see that they like each other and want to have hot sex with each other, but love? Nope.
This story seems to be flipping the dynamic between the Beauty and Beast characters in the Disney adaptation. Notably in that version (which this so obviously references), Beauty does not return any grace or kindness towards Beast until he gives it himself, and the respect Beast feels towards Beauty encourages him to become his best self by his own volition. Beauty calls Beast out on his bullshit, NOT singing his praises whenever Beast self-deprecates. And most importantly — everything develops in its own time. Here, however, the whole romance is literally contrived in-story from Barclay’s vague prophesy and Reardon’s grand planning. What a clumsy dynamic to have Beast WANTING Beauty to leave the castle while Beauty sticks his ass around like a clingy motherfucker😭🤭
Even if this wasn’t so obviously a retelling of BatB, this horrible dynamic wouldn’t work regardless. The “I can fix him” attitude is never EVER endearing or romantic. It insinuates that the deeply-flawed love interest can only be redeemed through the presence of the “healer” in their life, otherwise the person would stay horrible and wouldn’t actually grow mentally/emotionally. It reveals that the “healer” quite literally sees something wrong with the love interest and wants to actively snuff the bad qualities out so they could be a good partner FOR THEM. This is NOT. ROMANTIC.
The smut. Dear god it came like a sudden unwanted plague. The bumbling Reardon before the first sex scene was not the same that participated in that sex scene. The whole thing seemed so tonally dissonant from the rest of the story I got whiplash from it. And every subsequent sex scene after that was equally bad. Reardon was treating their “nightly audiences” like steps toward his ultimate end goal, and Jack proved exactly why he deserved his curse by bedding Reardon the first chance he got. Any time the intimacy would get remotely romantic, Reardon would ruin it by declaring his supposed love to Jack. He absolutely does not love Jack. I’m not sure if his naïvety is meant to be charming, but it destroys his character and the romantic development that’s clearly meant to be at the heart of this story.
Let’s talk more about Reardon. Reardon is a bumbling ignorant idiot who doesn’t know when to stop talking. He’d be eaten alive by his subjects. To put it clearly — I’m not supposed to be disliking Beauty instead of the Beast. Not supposed to be desperately trying to find redeeming qualities in the Beauty instead of the Beast. How could anyone in their right mind call another person their “love” out of the blue after one measly hookup? What a horrible representation of the Beauty character. His kind and caring disposition ALONE is supposed to bring out the best in the Beast, whose reciprocated generosity wins over the Beauty in turn. No grand plan. No ploy. No scheming. No “oh well I’ll get him next time!” Just plain old innocent romance.
Having the Beauty fall for the Beast first was such a laughably bad decision. It’s not lost on me that the reversed dynamic was deliberate. But maybe it’s not that way because it wouldn’t work that way. How can you tell me that the quote at the top of this review is romantic? How can a desperate Beauty and unyielding Beast make for a romantic story? How am I supposed to appreciate this romance when it’s pressured onto another? When it’s not from one’s own will and desire but prophesied through shadowy foretellings? When the character is so constantly bombarded with the idea that they start to go “might as well!”
Clearly this author knows what real romantic development looks like. They told a love story for the ages through Josie and Barclay in just a few sentences. But the gays can’t have that!
This story drags. As in half of this is literally the castle dragging the secrets of the curse until a specific date. It’s dull as hell. The worldbuilding is fascinating for the first 20% and then…nothing. There’s so little whimsy for a story set in an enchanted castle with cursed elementals and immortal magic-wielding occupants. I guess it doesn’t help that I didn’t really like those characters either lol.
It’s incredibly frustrating and laughably idiotic how every character seems to want to be in control of everything, from the occupants setting a date at which Reardon can find out about the big mystery to Reardon setting out to win over the Beast. This whole castle was pretty horrible to Reardon too. There’s so much talk of warmth in the castle that I just can’t feel. So many of these characters feel mean-spirited and at best dull. Even Barclay and Josie, some of the the only remotely likable characters, are just really uninteresting. Barclay especially feels like his whole character is solely a plot device to dole out vague prophesies that ruin the natural progression of the story. And Josie is just…nice. Their love story is what makes them interesting, which is horrible since they can’t be compelling themselves, yet at the same time, their love story so easily trumps the main one.
Oh and I saw that plot twist from a continent away. I tried to at least get into that conflict but couldn’t really care. The story became really corny by the 75% mark. And then characters started doling out the lessons they learned like it was a sharing circle after a retreat. Just bad.
And I didn’t even bother with that last chapter talking about god knows what lol.
I hate myself for not DNFing this. It took me so damn long for me to finish because I couldn’t get invested. But I guess just like Reardon I’m a bumbling naive idiot who tries to sees the best in the worst. Maybe I too have a lesson to learn and to share with the class. But for now I’m gonna do some healing and watch the movie that’s actually worth my time :)
———————————
Update: 10/27/23
I’d like to retrospectively thank this story for making me so upset that I finally succumbed to AO3 and got obsessed with fairytale fanfics for two whole weeks. I never could’ve done it without you😘😘
April 9, 2022
I love me fairytale retellings and I enjoyed the magical vibes of this one, however...
For me, Reardon's fixation on the prophecy was really detrimental to the romance. I didn't feel like there was any actual love involved. It was just Reardon being obsessed with being the one who gets to save everyone and him finding his twuu love in the process.
In general, I was not very impressed with the main characters. Reardon was pretty much a Mary Sue, who is beautiful, and elegant, and humble, and great at everything and basically perfect, so everyone loves him. And Jack was just... not very interesting, though his lack of synergy with perfect Reardon might be to blame rather than Jack himself.
For me, Reardon's fixation on the prophecy was really detrimental to the romance. I didn't feel like there was any actual love involved. It was just Reardon being obsessed with being the one who gets to save everyone and him finding his twuu love in the process.
In general, I was not very impressed with the main characters. Reardon was pretty much a Mary Sue, who is beautiful, and elegant, and humble, and great at everything and basically perfect, so everyone loves him. And Jack was just... not very interesting, though his lack of synergy with perfect Reardon might be to blame rather than Jack himself.
August 5, 2021
this was so much fun.. these characters made me love them.. made me feel as if i was a part of them.. made me feel their emotions and their personalities and their conflicts. it made me laugh.. the bantar was amazing and heartfelt.. it made me sad and mad.. it made me happy. i love adult fairytales and this one made me happy.
dnf
June 20, 2022Dnf at 17%. Too much found family/worlbuilding/history lessons/poetry I didn’t try to understand and too little attraction between the MCs. I was shipping a different couple.
September 18, 2021
I loved Jack and Reardon’s story!! They are a beautiful couple and their friends and family are all wonderful! I’m really looking forward to reading more of their kingdoms. I’m also looking forward to reading Ash and Levi’s story!
September 14, 2021
5 stars for me and can't wait for stiches's story
March 16, 2025
3/16/2025:
Almost four years later and I still adored this story just as much as I did the first time I read it. The fairytale elements, the diverse cast of characters, the fascinating world full of magic and things unknown -- all of it captivated me effortlessly and kept me invested from start to finish. I fell head over heels for Jack and Reardon's slow-burn romance and was thrilled by the way their relationship progressed throughout the book. The main storyline was one of hope and perseverance and learning from past mistakes, and its twists and turns kept me riveted. Reardon and Jack's happy ending was hard-fought and well-deserved, and I couldn't be happier seeing the way things worked out for them in the end.
7/27/2021:
A spellbinding tale of romance and magic
I've never read anything by this author before, and wow am I glad I gave this story a chance. Jack and Reardon's romance was outstanding--with elements reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast that were elevated by wonderfully original characters and plot points. I was fascinated by the mysterious Ice King, and the more I learned about his curse and his kingdom the more enamored I became with him. Reardon's initial quest was simply to rescue his closest friend from a perceived threat, but what awaited him was so much more than that. From that first terrifying encounter with Jack, Reardon impressed me with his bravery and persistence. As he adjusted to a reality that didn't match up with the stories passed down from his family, I really enjoyed seeing how he coped with all the unexpected changes. I loved watching Reardon win over all of Jack's closest friends with his positive attitude and hard work, and it was even sweeter to see Jack himself start to cave to Reardon's charms. Their romance built up slowly, over long days of feeling each other out and deciding if they could trust each other, but it was so worth it for the deliciously steamy nights they shared later in this story. When the Emerald Kingdom reappeared to steal Reardon away from the happiness he'd found with Jack and the whispers of a suspense plotline escalated into something much more tangible, I knew there was no way I could put this book down until I found out what happened. The last several chapters were riveting--with shocking betrayals, buildup to an epic final battle, and an emotionally devastating sacrifice that put everything into perspective. I thought I was so smart to have figured out one tiny piece of the puzzle, but Reardon and Jack's love story had a lot more depth than I ever expected. It was incredibly satisfying to see the character growth Jack and Reardon underwent in this story, and it made their happily ever after feel even more deserving.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
Almost four years later and I still adored this story just as much as I did the first time I read it. The fairytale elements, the diverse cast of characters, the fascinating world full of magic and things unknown -- all of it captivated me effortlessly and kept me invested from start to finish. I fell head over heels for Jack and Reardon's slow-burn romance and was thrilled by the way their relationship progressed throughout the book. The main storyline was one of hope and perseverance and learning from past mistakes, and its twists and turns kept me riveted. Reardon and Jack's happy ending was hard-fought and well-deserved, and I couldn't be happier seeing the way things worked out for them in the end.
7/27/2021:
A spellbinding tale of romance and magic
I've never read anything by this author before, and wow am I glad I gave this story a chance. Jack and Reardon's romance was outstanding--with elements reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast that were elevated by wonderfully original characters and plot points. I was fascinated by the mysterious Ice King, and the more I learned about his curse and his kingdom the more enamored I became with him. Reardon's initial quest was simply to rescue his closest friend from a perceived threat, but what awaited him was so much more than that. From that first terrifying encounter with Jack, Reardon impressed me with his bravery and persistence. As he adjusted to a reality that didn't match up with the stories passed down from his family, I really enjoyed seeing how he coped with all the unexpected changes. I loved watching Reardon win over all of Jack's closest friends with his positive attitude and hard work, and it was even sweeter to see Jack himself start to cave to Reardon's charms. Their romance built up slowly, over long days of feeling each other out and deciding if they could trust each other, but it was so worth it for the deliciously steamy nights they shared later in this story. When the Emerald Kingdom reappeared to steal Reardon away from the happiness he'd found with Jack and the whispers of a suspense plotline escalated into something much more tangible, I knew there was no way I could put this book down until I found out what happened. The last several chapters were riveting--with shocking betrayals, buildup to an epic final battle, and an emotionally devastating sacrifice that put everything into perspective. I thought I was so smart to have figured out one tiny piece of the puzzle, but Reardon and Jack's love story had a lot more depth than I ever expected. It was incredibly satisfying to see the character growth Jack and Reardon underwent in this story, and it made their happily ever after feel even more deserving.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
February 6, 2023
4.5 great start to the series!
Imaginative fairytale type world with an almost perfect Prince to the rescue! I loved Jack and Reardon and the rest of the Ice Kingdom’s inhabitants although i was sad for their plight. I didn’t suspect the real villain until the reveal but it madd sense. I will definitely read book two!
Imaginative fairytale type world with an almost perfect Prince to the rescue! I loved Jack and Reardon and the rest of the Ice Kingdom’s inhabitants although i was sad for their plight. I didn’t suspect the real villain until the reveal but it madd sense. I will definitely read book two!
August 2, 2021
The Prince and the Ice King is the first book that I have read from Amanda Meuwissen and I have not been disappointed. The story is an adult fairy tale - a darker retelling of Beauty and the Beast mixed with a bit of the Snow Queen in it.
Prince Reardon had a secret and if discovered, it will have him exiled - offered as a sacrifice to the Ice Kingdom (Sapphire). When his best friend Barclay was accused of being corrupted due to his gift of foresight, Reardon decides to journey to the Ice Kingdom in order to find the truth about the stories surrounding it and to bring his bestfriend back. Haunted by the prophecy given by Barclay before he was taken - the prince finding love, death, and blue-eyes in a sea of white - Reardon embarks on his epic task of finding his friend, getting rid of his kingdom of its notions regarding corruption, magic and of being different. What happens when he gets into the Ice Kingdom is more than what he expected and it will take more than just his sheer optimism to overcome the obstacles ahead.
The author does an excellent job in making the reader care so much for all these interesting characters. Reardon is brave, naïve, persistent and have just such an unfaltering optimism in life it is hard not to like him. Jack the Ice King on the other hand is brooding, pessimistic and utterly jaded considering all the things he had experienced and seen in his long life. These two are a perfect match and Amanda Meuwissen did a good portrayal of that by creating a wonderful balance in their relationship. The secondary characters are just as fascinating and multifaceted as the main leads - each with their own unique tale told within the story.
The banters and dialogue between the casts is witty and spot on. The world building is fantastic. I liked the unique details she weaved for the two kingdoms that were presented in the story and the overall feel of the setting.
The overall plot of the story is simple but the writer was still able to make it intriguing that it is hard to put it down. Also that twist in the end! I didn't see that coming especially on who the true villain. That was such a delight really.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Such an excellent start to a new series. I am looking forward to the next installment from it. That teaser in the end had me looking forward to it.
I give this a 4.5 stars out of 5.
I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
Prince Reardon had a secret and if discovered, it will have him exiled - offered as a sacrifice to the Ice Kingdom (Sapphire). When his best friend Barclay was accused of being corrupted due to his gift of foresight, Reardon decides to journey to the Ice Kingdom in order to find the truth about the stories surrounding it and to bring his bestfriend back. Haunted by the prophecy given by Barclay before he was taken - the prince finding love, death, and blue-eyes in a sea of white - Reardon embarks on his epic task of finding his friend, getting rid of his kingdom of its notions regarding corruption, magic and of being different. What happens when he gets into the Ice Kingdom is more than what he expected and it will take more than just his sheer optimism to overcome the obstacles ahead.
The author does an excellent job in making the reader care so much for all these interesting characters. Reardon is brave, naïve, persistent and have just such an unfaltering optimism in life it is hard not to like him. Jack the Ice King on the other hand is brooding, pessimistic and utterly jaded considering all the things he had experienced and seen in his long life. These two are a perfect match and Amanda Meuwissen did a good portrayal of that by creating a wonderful balance in their relationship. The secondary characters are just as fascinating and multifaceted as the main leads - each with their own unique tale told within the story.
The banters and dialogue between the casts is witty and spot on. The world building is fantastic. I liked the unique details she weaved for the two kingdoms that were presented in the story and the overall feel of the setting.
The overall plot of the story is simple but the writer was still able to make it intriguing that it is hard to put it down. Also that twist in the end! I didn't see that coming especially on who the true villain. That was such a delight really.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Such an excellent start to a new series. I am looking forward to the next installment from it. That teaser in the end had me looking forward to it.
I give this a 4.5 stars out of 5.
I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.
March 30, 2023
I don’t even know, this book is just all over the place! The pacing and structure felt strange the entire way through.
First off, I wouldn't have picked up this book if it were up to the cover - I just find it ugly.
The beginning did not grab me at all. The first few sentences and pages just were not hooking me in any way. I did stick to it though and it eventually got a bit better.
I did not like how Reardon came across as such an utterly perfect, good person, absolutely flawless, mastering everything, having no difficulty - not really - doing anything asked of him or befriending even the grumpiest people. I found that extremely boring to read and started skipping a lot of pages when I realized that's just how it was.
At 40% in, a sadly predictable twist is revealed, and out of absolutely nowhere, the protagonist and the love interest are in full-on dirty talk fuck-me mode. I don’t see how this was built up to at all, and even the Ice King behaves completely different than expected.
After that point, the story goes back and forth between different moods and themes, positive, negative, positive, negative, and a lot of small things happen that should be very impactful but somehow just aren’t.
Personally I love good tension, and especially well written enemies to lovers, which this could have been, but turned out rather shallow and stale instead. There was very little sexual tension between the characters because to me it felt like they immediately got what they wanted, right when they first wanted it. The premise was good, and the stakes should have been good, but instead the story really lacked in drama/tragedy, and barely made me feel anything, which is a shame! I feel like this kind of set-up should have had me crying tears of relief by the end!
I think the idea was a good one, but the story ended up being so drawn out in the writing, that most scenes lacked any kind of impact or shock value, and so the entire book ended up lukewarm.
I just dropped it at the last chapter because I wasn't even interesting in reading the epilogue.
First off, I wouldn't have picked up this book if it were up to the cover - I just find it ugly.
The beginning did not grab me at all. The first few sentences and pages just were not hooking me in any way. I did stick to it though and it eventually got a bit better.
I did not like how Reardon came across as such an utterly perfect, good person, absolutely flawless, mastering everything, having no difficulty - not really - doing anything asked of him or befriending even the grumpiest people. I found that extremely boring to read and started skipping a lot of pages when I realized that's just how it was.
At 40% in, a sadly predictable twist is revealed, and out of absolutely nowhere, the protagonist and the love interest are in full-on dirty talk fuck-me mode. I don’t see how this was built up to at all, and even the Ice King behaves completely different than expected.
After that point, the story goes back and forth between different moods and themes, positive, negative, positive, negative, and a lot of small things happen that should be very impactful but somehow just aren’t.
Personally I love good tension, and especially well written enemies to lovers, which this could have been, but turned out rather shallow and stale instead. There was very little sexual tension between the characters because to me it felt like they immediately got what they wanted, right when they first wanted it. The premise was good, and the stakes should have been good, but instead the story really lacked in drama/tragedy, and barely made me feel anything, which is a shame! I feel like this kind of set-up should have had me crying tears of relief by the end!
I think the idea was a good one, but the story ended up being so drawn out in the writing, that most scenes lacked any kind of impact or shock value, and so the entire book ended up lukewarm.
I just dropped it at the last chapter because I wasn't even interesting in reading the epilogue.
July 17, 2023
THE PRINCE AND THE ICE KING starts off a new series where some of the kingdoms are named after gemstones. In this one, we have Emerald - where our prince comes from, and Sapphire - where our frozen king resides. Reardon sets out to rescue his friend who was an unwilling sacrifice to the Frozen Kingdom. He just hopes he isn't too late. When he gets there though, things are not as he thought they would be...
What a fantastic story this was! I loved every word from the very beginning. It hooked me in and I was invested in this story, which not only made it a joy to read but stayed with me when I didn't have the book in my hands.
Jack and Reardon have their differences - and difficulties - but Reardon is not about to let something as small as a kingdom-wide curse affect him. Oh, no! Indeed, he charms the inhabitants of the Frozen Kingdom with his willingness to help and learn.
But it wasn't just Jack and Reardon who helped make this story outstanding. They have a wonderful supporting cast with their own tales to tell. I can't tell you who my favourite was because I simply couldn't choose.
With a smooth pace, action, adventure, betrayal, love, honour, and some steamy moments to melt the ice, this book had everything I could possibly have asked for. I can't wait to continue this series and look forward to reading more by this author.
A magnificent start to the series and a new-to-me author to watch. Absolutely and utterly recommended. Loved it!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 6, 2021
What a fantastic story this was! I loved every word from the very beginning. It hooked me in and I was invested in this story, which not only made it a joy to read but stayed with me when I didn't have the book in my hands.
Jack and Reardon have their differences - and difficulties - but Reardon is not about to let something as small as a kingdom-wide curse affect him. Oh, no! Indeed, he charms the inhabitants of the Frozen Kingdom with his willingness to help and learn.
But it wasn't just Jack and Reardon who helped make this story outstanding. They have a wonderful supporting cast with their own tales to tell. I can't tell you who my favourite was because I simply couldn't choose.
With a smooth pace, action, adventure, betrayal, love, honour, and some steamy moments to melt the ice, this book had everything I could possibly have asked for. I can't wait to continue this series and look forward to reading more by this author.
A magnificent start to the series and a new-to-me author to watch. Absolutely and utterly recommended. Loved it!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 6, 2021
August 1, 2021
Based loosely on Beauty and the Beast, The Prince and the Ice King took place an a fascinating world. There was the curse, the innocent and the beast, and the villain as a base for the storyline, but, aside from that, the author took it hugely off course. It was amazing and a surprise after another, starting with the fact that Reardon stepped willingly into the Ice King's castle and then willingly remained.
Reardon stayed because he wanted to brake the curse, win Jack's heart and elucidate the mystery of his mother's death, and each day he found himself more and more at home at the cursed castle, among all the people living there. There were plenty men and women, and, for me, they were a huge part of what made this book incredibly charming. Quirky and special, each gave something to the story, while helping Reardon become a better man.
As for winning Jack's heart, Reardon was the one to fall first. Together, they were sweet and funny, precisely the kind of swoony love story that would warm any romantic's heart to the brim.
The villain of the book was another surprise, as was the level of danger that put at risk everything Reardon and Jack had found with each other, and all their friends' lives. The last chapters were high on suspense and I couldn't put the book down, thrilled to see what might happen next.
I loved this fantastic story and didn't want it to end. If you're a fan of fairytale romance, you'll simply adore this one just like I did.
Reardon stayed because he wanted to brake the curse, win Jack's heart and elucidate the mystery of his mother's death, and each day he found himself more and more at home at the cursed castle, among all the people living there. There were plenty men and women, and, for me, they were a huge part of what made this book incredibly charming. Quirky and special, each gave something to the story, while helping Reardon become a better man.
As for winning Jack's heart, Reardon was the one to fall first. Together, they were sweet and funny, precisely the kind of swoony love story that would warm any romantic's heart to the brim.
The villain of the book was another surprise, as was the level of danger that put at risk everything Reardon and Jack had found with each other, and all their friends' lives. The last chapters were high on suspense and I couldn't put the book down, thrilled to see what might happen next.
I loved this fantastic story and didn't want it to end. If you're a fan of fairytale romance, you'll simply adore this one just like I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2021
2.5 stars
There's two types of books that get a low rating from me: books that are just plain bad and books that just aren't for me. The Prince and the Ice King definitely belongs to the latter category. I can see its appeal and it wasn't badly written, but it had a lot of elements that I personally just don't care for.
If you're into "Beauty and the Beast" and want romance over Fantasy, then give it a shot. If you want a good Fantasy story with some romance and plenty of action, then don't bother. Like I said above, "The Prince and the Ice King" isn't badly written or anything, it just wasn't for me.
May 4, 2022
There were two places where transitions were sudden and confusing, and some stuff could have been chopped out to help with how lengthy the book felt sometimes but I liked it! It was very cute and I'm definitely reading the next one.
July 31, 2021
“Is this what you wanted?” the king roared, shaking him. “To see the true, ugly me? Ugly and earned, have no doubt about that.”
“No, I… I could never think you ugly, Majesty, no matter what the rest of you looks like. Please, I have seen too much beauty in you to see ugliness.”
What happens when you mix ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Frozen’ and m/m? A great book with fairy-tale vibes. Fantasy at its purest form. Loved the world building and the writing style. This series started off on the right foot!
Both Reardon and Jack could be some stubborn MCs, in their own way. The former being hopeful and cheerful where the latter was more brooding and pessimistic. That made them a perfect match, creating a great balance. Also, the secondary characters’ remarks were spot on, either the funny or the serious ones.
If I’ve got to say something negative, for me it was the length of the chapters. I do prefer books with shorter chapters, but that's just my personal taste. I'm sure other people wouldn't mind about it.
Btw, at the end there’s a sneak peek of the next installment and I just can’t wait to read it. The new MCs caught my attention from that few pages right away. New kingdoms and curses to discover and new.
A king hunted by his actions. An idealistic prince wanting a better future. A solid start for this series. If you like reading fantasy tales, this is definitely for you.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a free and honest review*
August 4, 2021
*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*
The Prince and the Ice King is the first novel in the Gemstone Kingdoms series. In a bid to save his best friend who was offered as sacrifice the year before, Prince Reardon trades places with a condemned man and sets out for the Sapphire Kingdom. He prepares to battle and defeat its cursed King, but he discovers that everything that he has been told is a lie and that there is more warmth in this frozen land than in his own. As Reardon comes to know the King, his court, and his subjects he vows to find a way to bring an end to the curse. Jack, the Ice King, does not share in Reardon’s optimism, however as the two of them become closer, Jack dares to feel some hope after all.
I absolutely loved The Prince and the Ice King. It is a darker retelling/mash up of several fairy tales with the author’s own incredibly imaginative additions and twists to the plot. Both Kingdoms contrasted at first, as did their respective sovereigns, yet as the novel progressed, I realised that the Sapphire Kingdom was a warning to the Emerald Kingdom that was in danger of going down its own dark path.
Reardon is very much an idealist who can see the warning signs and wants to turn things around. His passion for both the Kingdom that he will one day rule and the changes that he wants to make is infectious, despite Jack’s best attempts to remain detached from it. At first, he does seem a little naïve, but he grows as the story develops whilst retaining this hope that will become crucial as the novel reaches its end. The curse has worn away any hopes that Jack has and he’s initially dismissive of Reardon and he does his best to remain detached. However, this is not part of his true nature when he finally starts to show Reardon his true self, he dares to hope that Reardon is going to be the one to break the curse.
The Prince and the Ice King has pretty much everything you would be looking for in a dark fairy tale. A cursed Kingdom, a love story, a villain, a battle, and an agonising leap of faith. I highly recommend it and cannot wait to read further books in the series.
The Prince and the Ice King is the first novel in the Gemstone Kingdoms series. In a bid to save his best friend who was offered as sacrifice the year before, Prince Reardon trades places with a condemned man and sets out for the Sapphire Kingdom. He prepares to battle and defeat its cursed King, but he discovers that everything that he has been told is a lie and that there is more warmth in this frozen land than in his own. As Reardon comes to know the King, his court, and his subjects he vows to find a way to bring an end to the curse. Jack, the Ice King, does not share in Reardon’s optimism, however as the two of them become closer, Jack dares to feel some hope after all.
I absolutely loved The Prince and the Ice King. It is a darker retelling/mash up of several fairy tales with the author’s own incredibly imaginative additions and twists to the plot. Both Kingdoms contrasted at first, as did their respective sovereigns, yet as the novel progressed, I realised that the Sapphire Kingdom was a warning to the Emerald Kingdom that was in danger of going down its own dark path.
Reardon is very much an idealist who can see the warning signs and wants to turn things around. His passion for both the Kingdom that he will one day rule and the changes that he wants to make is infectious, despite Jack’s best attempts to remain detached from it. At first, he does seem a little naïve, but he grows as the story develops whilst retaining this hope that will become crucial as the novel reaches its end. The curse has worn away any hopes that Jack has and he’s initially dismissive of Reardon and he does his best to remain detached. However, this is not part of his true nature when he finally starts to show Reardon his true self, he dares to hope that Reardon is going to be the one to break the curse.
The Prince and the Ice King has pretty much everything you would be looking for in a dark fairy tale. A cursed Kingdom, a love story, a villain, a battle, and an agonising leap of faith. I highly recommend it and cannot wait to read further books in the series.
July 30, 2021
A high 4-4.5 stars for this.
I am wary about trying fantasy novels from an author I haven't read before. In my experience it really can be very hit or miss. I was immediately hooked from the blurb on this one although I did sit on it for a while before I started reading it. I wasn't really sure before I started, and even then it did take a little bit to get into the story. I needn't have worried, this was very well written, I like when I can imagine a world that the author has painted for me, when I can imagine it then I can really get into the story, and that was the case here. I loved the world building of the Emerald (and then the Sapphire) Kingdom.
This really did have very strong beauty and the beast vibes, I felt that really strongly - which is probably deliberate - and it wasn't a bad thing. It all felt like a fresh take on that tale, honestly with the form of the curse on the court, and the 'sacrifices' sent to the Ice King.
Both Jack and Reardon were likeable, I liked Reardon's unfailing optimism that he could break the curse and save everyone, and change attitudes in his own kingdom. He had such a great character arc and really came into his own over the course of the book. Jack too, while starting out as the stereotypical gruff beast also had a great arc over the course of the book. Also liked the progression of Jack and Reardon's relationship, not too fast and not too slow. There was also a fair bit of heat which I honestly wasn't expecting. That is not a bad thing though.
Also didn't really see that twist coming at the end, not what I thought it would be at all. Overall I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from the Gemstone kingdoms.
I received an ARC of this from GRR and this is my honest review.
I am wary about trying fantasy novels from an author I haven't read before. In my experience it really can be very hit or miss. I was immediately hooked from the blurb on this one although I did sit on it for a while before I started reading it. I wasn't really sure before I started, and even then it did take a little bit to get into the story. I needn't have worried, this was very well written, I like when I can imagine a world that the author has painted for me, when I can imagine it then I can really get into the story, and that was the case here. I loved the world building of the Emerald (and then the Sapphire) Kingdom.
This really did have very strong beauty and the beast vibes, I felt that really strongly - which is probably deliberate - and it wasn't a bad thing. It all felt like a fresh take on that tale, honestly with the form of the curse on the court, and the 'sacrifices' sent to the Ice King.
Both Jack and Reardon were likeable, I liked Reardon's unfailing optimism that he could break the curse and save everyone, and change attitudes in his own kingdom. He had such a great character arc and really came into his own over the course of the book. Jack too, while starting out as the stereotypical gruff beast also had a great arc over the course of the book. Also liked the progression of Jack and Reardon's relationship, not too fast and not too slow. There was also a fair bit of heat which I honestly wasn't expecting. That is not a bad thing though.
Also didn't really see that twist coming at the end, not what I thought it would be at all. Overall I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from the Gemstone kingdoms.
I received an ARC of this from GRR and this is my honest review.
July 29, 2021
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book by Amanda Meuwissen but it certainly won't be my last! This book was like a fairytale come to life; it had all the magical qualities you love in a fairytale but it wasn't predictable, it went deeper into the characters and the world and it was fabulously original. I loved it! Price Reardon was such a sweetheart, always seeing the best in everyone and wanting the best for his kingdom's future. In contrast, Jack (the Ice King) was jaded, lonely and had given up all hope of the curse being lifted. These were such heartwarming characters that I loved in their own right but who had real chemistry together. The writing in this book was great; it had good pace, lots of detail and really built up the relationship between the main characters. This book also had some brilliant world building. The secondary characters played big parts in the story and Meuwissen sets this book up well for any follow up stories - I know I'm eager to explore other parts of the world, including the shadowlands!
Overall, this was a great first book in the series and sets up nicely for a second story. While it does have some sizzling scenes, the main focus of this book is clearly the romance and relationship so anything steamy that happens always works to enhance this. Word of warning: this is a VERY long book. There are only 14 chapters but don't let that fool you. Each chapter could easily be split into 2 or 3 smaller ones. However, I definitely think it's worth investing the time into such a wonderful MM romance.
This was my first book by Amanda Meuwissen but it certainly won't be my last! This book was like a fairytale come to life; it had all the magical qualities you love in a fairytale but it wasn't predictable, it went deeper into the characters and the world and it was fabulously original. I loved it! Price Reardon was such a sweetheart, always seeing the best in everyone and wanting the best for his kingdom's future. In contrast, Jack (the Ice King) was jaded, lonely and had given up all hope of the curse being lifted. These were such heartwarming characters that I loved in their own right but who had real chemistry together. The writing in this book was great; it had good pace, lots of detail and really built up the relationship between the main characters. This book also had some brilliant world building. The secondary characters played big parts in the story and Meuwissen sets this book up well for any follow up stories - I know I'm eager to explore other parts of the world, including the shadowlands!
Overall, this was a great first book in the series and sets up nicely for a second story. While it does have some sizzling scenes, the main focus of this book is clearly the romance and relationship so anything steamy that happens always works to enhance this. Word of warning: this is a VERY long book. There are only 14 chapters but don't let that fool you. Each chapter could easily be split into 2 or 3 smaller ones. However, I definitely think it's worth investing the time into such a wonderful MM romance.
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