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A Fate So Cold #1
A Fate So Cold
TWO CHOSEN ONES WITH ONE THE WORLD OR EACH OTHER
A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.
For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.
Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility—but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.
Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician—and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.
Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second to fall in love.
Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.
This is no love story. It's a tragedy.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.
For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.
Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility—but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.
Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician—and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.
Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second to fall in love.
Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.
This is no love story. It's a tragedy.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
Audible Audio
First published November 4, 2025
98 people are currently reading
12501 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Foody
26 books3,027 followersAmanda Foody is the New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of All of Us Villains (with C.L. Herman), the Wilderlore series, the Shadow Game series, and more. Her work has appeared in publications including Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Culturess, and Amazon selected All of Us Villains as the Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, she lives in Boston, MA with her partner and their orange tabby, Jelly Bean. When not writing, she unironically loves to cook.
The Night Compass, the fourth installment in the Wilderlore series, releases on March 5, 2024. A Fate So Cold, her next novel with C.L. Herman, follows in Fall 2024.
The Night Compass, the fourth installment in the Wilderlore series, releases on March 5, 2024. A Fate So Cold, her next novel with C.L. Herman, follows in Fall 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
October 9, 2025
A Fate So Cold is both a fresh and nostalgic new fantasy.
This is a book about sacrifice and love, above all. I went in knowing nothing and I strongly believe everyone should do the same. The summary pretty much tells the whole story of the book, so I'll leave a very summarized one here: In this world, almost all year is summer but when winter comes it brings monsters and destruction with it. Every few years, it gets worse and destiny chooses its favored to save everyone. Only this time, there's not only a Chosen One, but a Chosen Two. And one of them is not Summer's champion, but Winter's.
That's all you should know going in.
A Fate So Cold is very different from the authors’ previous duology, but I enjoyed it immensely. I love this spin in the chosen one trope, it is very clever and well done. The writing is great, but I was expecting that from the duo that wrote one of my favorite series(if you haven't read All Of Us Villains go read it now!!). I love the characters, and I hope we get to see more of Hanna, Julian and Kester in the next book. I'm really curious about them.
The ending left me breathless, I need the conclusion immediately.
Thank you Tor Teen for replying to my email and letting me read this one as an ARC!
This is a book about sacrifice and love, above all. I went in knowing nothing and I strongly believe everyone should do the same. The summary pretty much tells the whole story of the book, so I'll leave a very summarized one here: In this world, almost all year is summer but when winter comes it brings monsters and destruction with it. Every few years, it gets worse and destiny chooses its favored to save everyone. Only this time, there's not only a Chosen One, but a Chosen Two. And one of them is not Summer's champion, but Winter's.
That's all you should know going in.
A Fate So Cold is very different from the authors’ previous duology, but I enjoyed it immensely. I love this spin in the chosen one trope, it is very clever and well done. The writing is great, but I was expecting that from the duo that wrote one of my favorite series(if you haven't read All Of Us Villains go read it now!!). I love the characters, and I hope we get to see more of Hanna, Julian and Kester in the next book. I'm really curious about them.
The ending left me breathless, I need the conclusion immediately.
Thank you Tor Teen for replying to my email and letting me read this one as an ARC!
Want to read
November 22, 2023Amanda Foody said that this would be angstier than All of Us Villains and I came running
April 30, 2025
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✧
3.5 stars rounded up
⋆⁺₊❅. arc review .ᐟ
features-
- YA
- academia
- winter vs. summer
- sorcery/wands
- fantasy/romance
- dual POV
- 3rd person
⋆⁺₊❅. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
- preread -
can’t wait to start this one!!
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc <3
3.5 stars rounded up
⋆⁺₊❅. arc review .ᐟ
⊹ ࣪ ˖ overview ⋆˚࿔a fate so cold is a young adult fantasy about magic and sorcery. in alderland, there are 2 seasons: summer and winter. summer is a peaceful time fertile lands, while winter is 6 weeks of despair, with monsters and snow storms. one wand in particular is known for its power and ability to help fight winter, valmordion, and its wielders go down as some of the greatest in history. we follow domenic and ellery, two students who find they have a lot in common despite being polar opposites. although domenic never wanted fame, he is chosen by the great summer wand, while ellery creates a winter wand, something completely unheard of. a fate so cold follows ellery and dom on their journey to fight winter, and their attraction to each other, before time runs out.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ my thoughts ⋆˚࿔i ended up enjoying this one more than i thought i would! i found that the concept of this book was very interesting, and the magic system with the seasons was unique. i had a bit of trouble relating to ellery, but i think dom made up for that, because he’s a character that’s very easy to like. ellery and dom’s relationship almost has a “puppy love” vibe to it, in my opinion, even though dom is supposed to be the misunderstood one who hooks up with everybody. the writing as well as the world building was solid, very immersive. i do wish the ending had been a bit different, especially because it felt like a very predictable ending, but i still plan on reading the next book.
features-
- YA
- academia
- winter vs. summer
- sorcery/wands
- fantasy/romance
- dual POV
- 3rd person
⋆⁺₊❅. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
- preread -
can’t wait to start this one!!
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc <3
October 29, 2025
3.25 ★— I tried my hardest to get into this one, but while there was a lot to love, it overall didn’t hit the notes I wanted it to.
Set in an urban fantasy world that shifts between its safe summers and the six weeks of harrowing winters it must endure, A Fate So Cold follows Domenic Barrow and Ellery Caldwell, both students at a prestigious magical school and both chosen to serve as the literal Chosen Ones, destined to defeat winter and the peril it brings.
Oof, so, where do I start?
The worldbuilding felt really opaque. I never felt settled into the world or its rules, and that sense of disconnection started in the first chapter and never quite let up. At first I assumed it was a fantasy world separate from the modern one, then it was confirmed that it wasn’t, but everything still felt oddly detached and unclear as I went along. It often felt like the world’s rules and boundaries were never fully set in the beginning.
This confusion wasn’t helped by the book’s many flashback chapters and the dual POV storyline. Both really messed with my sense of direction and made it difficult to figure out where I was in the story at any given point.
The romance between Domenic and Ellery was just as confusing. Domenic has been in love with her for years, which, to me, is always a fun trope because I love a pining MMC. The problem came when their relationship started developing. Their connection felt jumpy and underexplored. One moment they were kissing and being physical, and the next Ellery was referring to things ending as a breakup. It felt strange, since they had never defined their relationship, never said they were together, and were barely communicating at that point. How is that a breakup? Moments like that added to the overall unevenness.
There were still some things I liked. The worldbuilding ideas were great, especially the living wands, and when we got glimpses of Domenic and Ellery on their own, exploring their individual arcs and characterizations, I really enjoyed that. But the story itself struggled with pacing problems and an uneven plot that kept it from fully landing for me.
🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
I really liked both narrators. They fit their characters well, and honestly, they made me enjoy this story much more than I probably would have if I had read it in print.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the ARC, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, both provided in exchange for an honest review.
Set in an urban fantasy world that shifts between its safe summers and the six weeks of harrowing winters it must endure, A Fate So Cold follows Domenic Barrow and Ellery Caldwell, both students at a prestigious magical school and both chosen to serve as the literal Chosen Ones, destined to defeat winter and the peril it brings.
Oof, so, where do I start?
The worldbuilding felt really opaque. I never felt settled into the world or its rules, and that sense of disconnection started in the first chapter and never quite let up. At first I assumed it was a fantasy world separate from the modern one, then it was confirmed that it wasn’t, but everything still felt oddly detached and unclear as I went along. It often felt like the world’s rules and boundaries were never fully set in the beginning.
This confusion wasn’t helped by the book’s many flashback chapters and the dual POV storyline. Both really messed with my sense of direction and made it difficult to figure out where I was in the story at any given point.
The romance between Domenic and Ellery was just as confusing. Domenic has been in love with her for years, which, to me, is always a fun trope because I love a pining MMC. The problem came when their relationship started developing. Their connection felt jumpy and underexplored. One moment they were kissing and being physical, and the next Ellery was referring to things ending as a breakup. It felt strange, since they had never defined their relationship, never said they were together, and were barely communicating at that point. How is that a breakup? Moments like that added to the overall unevenness.
There were still some things I liked. The worldbuilding ideas were great, especially the living wands, and when we got glimpses of Domenic and Ellery on their own, exploring their individual arcs and characterizations, I really enjoyed that. But the story itself struggled with pacing problems and an uneven plot that kept it from fully landing for me.
🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
I really liked both narrators. They fit their characters well, and honestly, they made me enjoy this story much more than I probably would have if I had read it in print.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the ARC, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, both provided in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
October 6, 2022can this one be gay please
Read
December 9, 2025dnf @ 18% — i just find i could not be interested in the plot or characters ):
February 13, 2026
I’m suing for emotional distress
February 6, 2026
A fate so cold was so reminiscent of Harry Potter that the disjointed world building made it difficult not to compare the two. This book left me feeling cold (pun unintended) and extremely detached. The authors did mention in their acknowledgments that the Chosen One trope was one of their favourites but how annoying is that trope when it’s shoved in your face every second sentence or so?
The 2 mc’s didn’t want to be the Chosen One and so they ended up falling into the extreme of the victim mindset and it was incredibly tiring to be reading about this. The romance was also very jarring and uneven.
And how many times did those characters run away? After the fourth time I read : « he/she then ran away. » I laughed out loud because why do they love running so much?😂 they never train or run otherwise but every time something big happened they just sprinted off 😂 I can’t lol.
The 2 mc’s didn’t want to be the Chosen One and so they ended up falling into the extreme of the victim mindset and it was incredibly tiring to be reading about this. The romance was also very jarring and uneven.
And how many times did those characters run away? After the fourth time I read : « he/she then ran away. » I laughed out loud because why do they love running so much?😂 they never train or run otherwise but every time something big happened they just sprinted off 😂 I can’t lol.
November 16, 2025
2025 reads: 310/300
i received a complimentary audio copy and hardcover finished copy from the publishers. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
for most of the year, summer reigns peacefully over alderland. for six brutal weeks, though, winter takes over, bringing destruction and despair to the land and its people. to help fend off some of this tragedy, magicians bond with powerful wands of summer. domenic barrow, who never wanted such a responsibility, is thrust into the spotlight when the greatest summer wand chooses him. ellery caldwell, top of her class, shocks everybody when not only does she not bond with a summer wand…she accidentally creates the first-ever winter wand. as the chosen two, domenic and ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. as they make preparations, they begin to wonder if they were destined for a second fate: falling in love.
i have been waiting for this book for over three years, so i was both excited and nervous to finally get my hands on it! the authors initially teased this on instagram as being “angstier than all of us villains,” and the angst in that book was one of my favorite parts, so i could not wait for this book! luckily, it definitely did live up to this promise. domenic and ellery are star-crossed chosen ones, a trope mashup i’m not quite sure i’ve ever seen before. i absolutely loved their relationship and how they navigated this in the face of having to work so hard to protect their country. i was truly gripped from start to finish. i can’t wait for book two!
narration: andre bellido and mia wurgaft did a lovely job bringing their respective characters to life. i’m so glad the audiobook had two narrators to reflect the dual narration of the book. i hope they return to narrate book two!
pre-review (from 2022)
ANGSTIER THAN ALL OF US VILLAINS??? i’m going to die
i received a complimentary audio copy and hardcover finished copy from the publishers. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
for most of the year, summer reigns peacefully over alderland. for six brutal weeks, though, winter takes over, bringing destruction and despair to the land and its people. to help fend off some of this tragedy, magicians bond with powerful wands of summer. domenic barrow, who never wanted such a responsibility, is thrust into the spotlight when the greatest summer wand chooses him. ellery caldwell, top of her class, shocks everybody when not only does she not bond with a summer wand…she accidentally creates the first-ever winter wand. as the chosen two, domenic and ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. as they make preparations, they begin to wonder if they were destined for a second fate: falling in love.
i have been waiting for this book for over three years, so i was both excited and nervous to finally get my hands on it! the authors initially teased this on instagram as being “angstier than all of us villains,” and the angst in that book was one of my favorite parts, so i could not wait for this book! luckily, it definitely did live up to this promise. domenic and ellery are star-crossed chosen ones, a trope mashup i’m not quite sure i’ve ever seen before. i absolutely loved their relationship and how they navigated this in the face of having to work so hard to protect their country. i was truly gripped from start to finish. i can’t wait for book two!
narration: andre bellido and mia wurgaft did a lovely job bringing their respective characters to life. i’m so glad the audiobook had two narrators to reflect the dual narration of the book. i hope they return to narrate book two!
pre-review (from 2022)
ANGSTIER THAN ALL OF US VILLAINS??? i’m going to die
Read
November 7, 2025Magic wands, starcrossed lovers, and fated prophecy drive the narrative of A Fate So Cold. This is the start of a new YA fantasy duology with a romantic element that is very driven by the action. The world feels very modern in terms of technology and culture, but there's also magic and these wands that people link up with. Summer reigns and winter is feared. They are waiting for a chosen one to finally conquer winter and banish the monstrous winter ghasts.
Dominic never expected to do anything of significance, but when he awakens a powerful summer wand he is drawn into prophesy and fate. Ellery always knew she was destined for greatness, but she fears the winter magic she secretly wields. When she awakens a new and powerful winter wand, her worst nightmares become reality. Sparks fly between Ellery and Dominic, but will their fates bring them together or rip them apart?
This feels solidly YA, not cross-over like some books in the genre. It's also much more action and plot driven rather than character-driven, so it may not work for all readers but some will love it. It does have a twist ending! The audio narration is pretty good. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Dominic never expected to do anything of significance, but when he awakens a powerful summer wand he is drawn into prophesy and fate. Ellery always knew she was destined for greatness, but she fears the winter magic she secretly wields. When she awakens a new and powerful winter wand, her worst nightmares become reality. Sparks fly between Ellery and Dominic, but will their fates bring them together or rip them apart?
This feels solidly YA, not cross-over like some books in the genre. It's also much more action and plot driven rather than character-driven, so it may not work for all readers but some will love it. It does have a twist ending! The audio narration is pretty good. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
July 16, 2025
I went into this one a little bit blind. Never read these co-authors, but I liked the beautiful cover and the synopsis sounded like something I'd like. But unfortunately, I found it kind of formulaic and tedious.
"A Fate So Cold" is the story of playboy and notorious underachiever Domenic, and Ellery, star student and overachiever, who are looking to bond with Living Wands to graduate and work for the Order as magicians. Then Domenic bonds with an all-powerful wand that marks him as a Chosen One hero to save Alderland, a Summer wand, and Ellery bonds with a Winter wand of her own creation. The two become a Chosen Two super duo, have some cute flirty banter and a rivals-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance.
I found the story to be like Harry Potter meets the MCU meets The Boys and thus not really my thing. I may have found Domenic more believable if he were bi, but I didn't buy his whole playboy reputation. He struck me as an anxious yapper and procrastinator instead. I also didn't believe in their romance. I would have rather seen them have a friendship. I also felt like I was knocked over the head with Chosen One this, Chosen One that... a little too on the nose.
So sadly this just did not work for me. Just too tropey and unoriginal for my tastes.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"A Fate So Cold" is the story of playboy and notorious underachiever Domenic, and Ellery, star student and overachiever, who are looking to bond with Living Wands to graduate and work for the Order as magicians. Then Domenic bonds with an all-powerful wand that marks him as a Chosen One hero to save Alderland, a Summer wand, and Ellery bonds with a Winter wand of her own creation. The two become a Chosen Two super duo, have some cute flirty banter and a rivals-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance.
I found the story to be like Harry Potter meets the MCU meets The Boys and thus not really my thing. I may have found Domenic more believable if he were bi, but I didn't buy his whole playboy reputation. He struck me as an anxious yapper and procrastinator instead. I also didn't believe in their romance. I would have rather seen them have a friendship. I also felt like I was knocked over the head with Chosen One this, Chosen One that... a little too on the nose.
So sadly this just did not work for me. Just too tropey and unoriginal for my tastes.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 28, 2025
I don't even know why I forced myself to finish this. Everything felt irrelevant and lacked the ability to crate an original plot.
November 8, 2025
I am so sorry to say this is a DNF for me at 55%. This book had an interesting premise, but I found myself bored, and not invested in the characters or story. This book is marketed as YA, but some parts almost feel young reader level. Issues were immediately resolved, dialogue felt basic, and there was minimal world building. The Chosen One (or Two) was discussed ad nauseam. Overall, this book fell flat for me.
I listed to the ALC of this book. I enjoyed the female narrator, but the male narrator’s tone and cadence further perpetuated the feel of this book being for a much younger audience.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the Advanced Listener’s copy of this book.
I listed to the ALC of this book. I enjoyed the female narrator, but the male narrator’s tone and cadence further perpetuated the feel of this book being for a much younger audience.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the Advanced Listener’s copy of this book.
May 16, 2025
2.5 ⭐ rounded up
i admit i still haven't read the all of us villains duology, but i've read so much praise for it that i was extremely excited to see the authors' take on reinventing another big trope, that of the chosen one. unfortunately a fate so cold did not hit for me at all. it's definitely on the younger side of ya, which ends up usually not being my taste. even so, in the first 200 pages or so i was ready, even the school setting and puppy love premise were working for me, the writing is so quick and flows really well, but the execution, especially as soon as the story starts getting into its core, into the war against winter, did not deliver.
most - if not all - of the plot points are breezed over quickly and very superficially, every fight is resolved in the blink of an eye, and even the romance has very little basis in the actual chemistry between the two leads and more on big declarations of love which after a while sound hollow. the magic system is cool and i loved the concept of living wands, but i wish it was expanded way more than the bare bones we got. i feel like this book was rigged from the start to lead towards the big, capital T Tragedy that is the love story between ellery and domenic, something that both amanda foody in an interview and the blurb remarked heavily on, so a lot of plot in between ended up just feeling almost like seasoning. the ending was also a sort of letdown for me, as it took a narrative direction into trope subvertion that i was actually enjoying for a while, only to end up into a sort of cop-out which i felt like could have been left out to really drive home some Tragic stuff.
overall, i think a younger reader or somebody new to fantasy would 100% appreciate this more than me, a grump™, and i am curious to see the direction the story will take in the conclusion to the duology, so i am going to be sat for the next book regardless.
thank you to netgalley and tor publishing for the arc!
i admit i still haven't read the all of us villains duology, but i've read so much praise for it that i was extremely excited to see the authors' take on reinventing another big trope, that of the chosen one. unfortunately a fate so cold did not hit for me at all. it's definitely on the younger side of ya, which ends up usually not being my taste. even so, in the first 200 pages or so i was ready, even the school setting and puppy love premise were working for me, the writing is so quick and flows really well, but the execution, especially as soon as the story starts getting into its core, into the war against winter, did not deliver.
most - if not all - of the plot points are breezed over quickly and very superficially, every fight is resolved in the blink of an eye, and even the romance has very little basis in the actual chemistry between the two leads and more on big declarations of love which after a while sound hollow. the magic system is cool and i loved the concept of living wands, but i wish it was expanded way more than the bare bones we got. i feel like this book was rigged from the start to lead towards the big, capital T Tragedy that is the love story between ellery and domenic, something that both amanda foody in an interview and the blurb remarked heavily on, so a lot of plot in between ended up just feeling almost like seasoning. the ending was also a sort of letdown for me, as it took a narrative direction into trope subvertion that i was actually enjoying for a while, only to end up into a sort of cop-out which i felt like could have been left out to really drive home some Tragic stuff.
overall, i think a younger reader or somebody new to fantasy would 100% appreciate this more than me, a grump™, and i am curious to see the direction the story will take in the conclusion to the duology, so i am going to be sat for the next book regardless.
thank you to netgalley and tor publishing for the arc!
May 26, 2025
*thank you to net galley, and publishers for this arc, all opinions are my own*
Age rating: 12+
Content: Mild violence, death, and manipulation
my favorite quote: “He’d probably give her anything, if she asked”
my review!
This one wasn’t really for me. The premise had promise, but I struggled to stay interested after the 50% mark. I almost DNF’d more than once. The characters felt pretty generic and didn’t leave a strong impression, and the writing style just wasn’t my taste — kind of flat and predictable. I was hoping for deeper worldbuilding or a twist that would pull me back in, but it never really came. If you like light fantasy with surface-level romance and action, maybe give it a try — just wasn’t what I was looking for.
Age rating: 12+
Content: Mild violence, death, and manipulation
my favorite quote: “He’d probably give her anything, if she asked”
my review!
This one wasn’t really for me. The premise had promise, but I struggled to stay interested after the 50% mark. I almost DNF’d more than once. The characters felt pretty generic and didn’t leave a strong impression, and the writing style just wasn’t my taste — kind of flat and predictable. I was hoping for deeper worldbuilding or a twist that would pull me back in, but it never really came. If you like light fantasy with surface-level romance and action, maybe give it a try — just wasn’t what I was looking for.
November 28, 2025
I enjoyed this read. The wand choosing and sentient nature of the different wands was very interesting. The battle between summer and winter was well done and you can't beat a story arc that has some deep betrayal embedded.
I felt the characters lacked a bit of depth, but this is a YA story that I found quite fast paced. I am hoping for more of one certain character who is promising to be a bit more interesting in the second book.
I will definitely pick up book 2 to see where the story goes.
I felt the characters lacked a bit of depth, but this is a YA story that I found quite fast paced. I am hoping for more of one certain character who is promising to be a bit more interesting in the second book.
I will definitely pick up book 2 to see where the story goes.
Want to read
February 5, 2025i'm a simple girl, i see a new book by a favourite author, i immediately get excited it and add it to my tbr
December 31, 2025
A Fate So Cold
by Amanda Foody/C.L. Herman
A Fate So Cold #1
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Nov 4, 2025
Tor
Ages: 14+
In Alderland it is summer for most of the year, but when Winter arrives, it destroys. But Magicians are bonded to wands made from summer to battle Winter's storms, but many lose their lives, and the wands go dormant until another magician is worthy to wield it.
Domenic and Ellery are both studying to become Magicians, but Ellery wants to become powerful and wield a strong wand, while Domenic doesn't want that much responsibility. Ellery gets her wish, but accidentally creates a Winter wand, the first ever. But Domenic doesn't get his. The strongest wand, the wand of the Chosen, chooses him to lead the battle against winter.
Believing they were chosen to work together to bring peace between Summer and Winter, Domenic and Ellery work together to protect the land from the storms and to stop the upcoming cataclysm, and fall in love when they know they shouldn't because not all of the past chosen Magicians survived Winter.
I did like this story, the idea of summer and winter battling, and magicians and their wands standing against the storms, but it's missing a lot of backstory/history of this world. A lot of the history was skimmed, never diving more than a few ideas under the surface. I'm not sure how this 'battle' between Summer and Winter came to pass, and what about spring and fall. How can it be perfect one day and the next freezing with killer storms?
While the school setting was typical, what bothered me was the idea that most of the 'political' aspects were done in this school, including housing the dormant wands. Another thing that struck me as odd was the fact that most of the 'teachers' acted like young adults instead of mature adults.
As for the MCs, I understand Ellery's situation; it was detailed, but Domenic's, I'm not sure because it felt brushed over.
Overall, the story was great. Besides the vagueness of histories, it was a good plot idea, and it moved at a good pace, and I wanted to find out what was going to happen.
Even though I feel as if it was lacking emotion, I liked the ending, until the twist, just so there can be another book. I didn't care for it, or the idea of continuing the story. I thought it was fine how it ended, but I can guess what is going to happen, and I don't know if I want to read it or not.
I like the cover, simple, pretty, and matching with the story, as does the title. There is romance, but it's mostly clean; however, the violence is the reason why I think this book is more suitable for readers fourteen and older.
A little more love for the history of the world and no twist at the end to make room for a second book would have earned this one more star.
3 Stars
by Amanda Foody/C.L. Herman
A Fate So Cold #1
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Nov 4, 2025
Tor
Ages: 14+
In Alderland it is summer for most of the year, but when Winter arrives, it destroys. But Magicians are bonded to wands made from summer to battle Winter's storms, but many lose their lives, and the wands go dormant until another magician is worthy to wield it.
Domenic and Ellery are both studying to become Magicians, but Ellery wants to become powerful and wield a strong wand, while Domenic doesn't want that much responsibility. Ellery gets her wish, but accidentally creates a Winter wand, the first ever. But Domenic doesn't get his. The strongest wand, the wand of the Chosen, chooses him to lead the battle against winter.
Believing they were chosen to work together to bring peace between Summer and Winter, Domenic and Ellery work together to protect the land from the storms and to stop the upcoming cataclysm, and fall in love when they know they shouldn't because not all of the past chosen Magicians survived Winter.
I did like this story, the idea of summer and winter battling, and magicians and their wands standing against the storms, but it's missing a lot of backstory/history of this world. A lot of the history was skimmed, never diving more than a few ideas under the surface. I'm not sure how this 'battle' between Summer and Winter came to pass, and what about spring and fall. How can it be perfect one day and the next freezing with killer storms?
While the school setting was typical, what bothered me was the idea that most of the 'political' aspects were done in this school, including housing the dormant wands. Another thing that struck me as odd was the fact that most of the 'teachers' acted like young adults instead of mature adults.
As for the MCs, I understand Ellery's situation; it was detailed, but Domenic's, I'm not sure because it felt brushed over.
Overall, the story was great. Besides the vagueness of histories, it was a good plot idea, and it moved at a good pace, and I wanted to find out what was going to happen.
Even though I feel as if it was lacking emotion, I liked the ending, until the twist, just so there can be another book. I didn't care for it, or the idea of continuing the story. I thought it was fine how it ended, but I can guess what is going to happen, and I don't know if I want to read it or not.
I like the cover, simple, pretty, and matching with the story, as does the title. There is romance, but it's mostly clean; however, the violence is the reason why I think this book is more suitable for readers fourteen and older.
A little more love for the history of the world and no twist at the end to make room for a second book would have earned this one more star.
3 Stars
February 2, 2026
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Fate So Cold is the first installment in authors Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman's A Fate So Cold duology, the same duo behind the All of Us Villains series. This book features two narrators: 18-year-old Dominic Barrow and 19-year-old Emery Caldwell. Dominic is the kid in class who has all sorts of potential but plays the part of someone who doesn't care. Emery is at the top of her class, but carries a memory of her past that weighs her down.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult, Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Fate So Cold is the first installment in authors Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman's A Fate So Cold duology, the same duo behind the All of Us Villains series. This book features two narrators: 18-year-old Dominic Barrow and 19-year-old Emery Caldwell. Dominic is the kid in class who has all sorts of potential but plays the part of someone who doesn't care. Emery is at the top of her class, but carries a memory of her past that weighs her down.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 2, 2026
❀° ┄───╮
review
╰───┄ °❀
thanks to netgally, authors, and publisher for this arc in exchange with an honest review <3
✨✨✨ ~ 2.8 rounded to 3 stars
it was okay to say the least. i loved the idea, but a lot of the writing was kind of boring and generic. i wanted more depth and just more. the romance was lwk lacking and i don't know, i just never was hooked. the beginning wasn't really that special and i wish readers got more information about the ghasts and the living wands because it did get confusing trying to differentiate all the names of everything. i do think that some people might like this book, but it just wasn't for me.
❀° ┄───╮
pre-read
╰───┄ °❀
eeeeeee I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS ARC!!!!
review
╰───┄ °❀
thanks to netgally, authors, and publisher for this arc in exchange with an honest review <3
✨✨✨ ~ 2.8 rounded to 3 stars
it was okay to say the least. i loved the idea, but a lot of the writing was kind of boring and generic. i wanted more depth and just more. the romance was lwk lacking and i don't know, i just never was hooked. the beginning wasn't really that special and i wish readers got more information about the ghasts and the living wands because it did get confusing trying to differentiate all the names of everything. i do think that some people might like this book, but it just wasn't for me.
❀° ┄───╮
pre-read
╰───┄ °❀
eeeeeee I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS ARC!!!!
Read
October 24, 2025Thanks to Tor and Macmillan Audio for the preview. All opinions are my own.
I’m devastated, but this is a DNF at 49%. I tried. This was sadly incredibly boring. And the characters are so flat. The audio narrators didn’t add anything to the experience either.
This just felt extra young for YA, and the Chosen One bit was a tad over the top. At the end of the day, I just don’t care about the characters or the plot.
I’d absolutely loved All Us Villains, and am so sad this was a miss for me.
I’m devastated, but this is a DNF at 49%. I tried. This was sadly incredibly boring. And the characters are so flat. The audio narrators didn’t add anything to the experience either.
This just felt extra young for YA, and the Chosen One bit was a tad over the top. At the end of the day, I just don’t care about the characters or the plot.
I’d absolutely loved All Us Villains, and am so sad this was a miss for me.
Want to read
May 1, 2025chosen ones that are unknowingly 2 halves of one whole and also a living wand.....? Unfortunately I need it.
December 31, 2025
Disappointed. The story was way more involved and descriptive than in needed to be. It felt like I'd never finish it. I need to accept that it's OK to DNF more.
December 2, 2025
book 2 will have the insane potential to absolutely wreck me to pieces and i can't wait
December 12, 2025
Didn't quite live up to my expectations, but felt scrumptious by the end regardless, and I'll be SAT for the sequel.
me when the lovers are doomed by the narrative:
me when the lovers are doomed by the narrative:
December 11, 2025
I was very excited to see this writing duo at it again, after reading and loving the All of Us Villains by them several years ago. And this one started so great. I loved the world building (not too complex and fairly unique) and the “chosen one” trope. The romance was sweet, as well, or at least it started off that way. Dominic and Ellery were both strong characters, and I loved seeing their vulnerable sides. However, at some point I started to feel disconnected from them. There was a lot of back and forth (will they/won’t they), and I think I got a little tired of it. I’m not sure how I felt about the ending either. This is book one of a duology, so no surprise it ends on a cliffhanger. I will probably continue with this duology to see how things play out, but I’m not as excited about it as I thought I’d be. The beginning was strong, but just kind of fizzled out for me towards the end.
𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Fans of fantasy with low spice, magical worlds, and tropes like chosen one and he fell first.
𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
I started this as audio, but I had trouble paying attention to it, so I did a lot of this with my eyes instead. The narrators did a fine job- I think it was more of a “me” issue. I wouldn’t *not* recommend the audio, but I didn’t listen to the whole thing, so I can’t necessarily recommend it, either.
𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Fans of fantasy with low spice, magical worlds, and tropes like chosen one and he fell first.
𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
I started this as audio, but I had trouble paying attention to it, so I did a lot of this with my eyes instead. The narrators did a fine job- I think it was more of a “me” issue. I wouldn’t *not* recommend the audio, but I didn’t listen to the whole thing, so I can’t necessarily recommend it, either.
![Profile Image for ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Want to read
April 28, 2025i got the arc hehehehe
lon wanna buddy read??
lon wanna buddy read??
January 8, 2026
It’s with tears in my eyes that I leave this review, because I ADORED these authors’ first duology so much, it became one of my core readings that I always recommend both in private and at work.
This book though… it just didn’t make the cut. And at first I thought because of it being romance-focused, but the more I read, the more I tried to like it, the less I did. And I ended up disappointed at everybody, both the authors and myself.
Let us start with the awful spoiler that is the blurb. I am not of the industry, but my experience tells me that the blurb should summarize a part of the novel in order to get the reader’s interest. But this… “Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.”
This basically spoils the last third of the story. And there I was, waiting for something else to happen… except it doesn’t. The authors spoiled the book for me before I could even read it, and didn’t even bother to leave a small surprise. I am so pissed.
The story begins right in the middle of the action, and there is little time to get acquainted with the world, the characters and the magical system. I remember distinctly the authors’ first book, All of Us Villains, being exactly the opposite: very slow beginning, lots of telling, lots of details. The first time I read it I thought I hated the beginning, but now I’m taking everything back. I want the gradual, slow welcome, I want to have time to look around and see the world for myself, and not just delivered at my plate. I might be getting old, but I really don’t understand the need to write “snappy” and quick-paced stories just because we are in the time of social media when everything has to be quick to keep someone entertained. I’d rather see books that diverge from this trend, instead.
The result is a world with much potential (magical beings living alongside “normal” humans, modern technology woven together with magic, etc.), but that remains superficial. I came to know later that there is a sequel on the way, but still no excuse not to dig a bit deeper in to worldbuilding.
The two main protagonists unfortunately also come out as superficial and poorly developed, because of this “snappiness” of the plot. Domenic should have an infamous reputation, but it feels as though only in his head, because it doesn’t reflect on how people treat him. The only moment I connected with him was when he refused to be a hero, but that struggle also resolved itself very quickly, and there was nothing left to feel for. Ellery still is the paper doll that everybody cuts her out to be, tries to be deeper but comes out just as the Mary Sue/chosen one/tragic girl of any other YA fantasy/dystopian.
I hate insta-romances, and this is no exception. The chemistry between Dom and Ellery is forced from the beginning, very rom-com like (which is ironic, giving the circumstances of their first meet cute), very puppy-love, which of course crumbles as soon as someone says something negative or dubious. I know they are supposed to be teenagers or barely legal adults, but I am so tired of the “we break up because you gave me a weird look”- kind of thing, and the lack of communication. I should stop reading such books.
And I feel very dumb, but I just don’t get the whole “forbidden love” thing. Why forbidden? Who said that? Why should the public frown upon it? The whole public campaign reminded me very much of the Hunger Games, and maybe that’s what makes me biased, because if we follow Collins’ logic, shouldn’t the two Chosen Ones being together make them more likable, just like it did with Katniss and Peeta? And why do they have to be likeable in the first place? It’s not like the public has a choice in the matter. It’s either them or they are doomed. The stakes are very low, the government is not that weak to need legitimization and the favor of the people, and we really don’t see the effects of these campaigns on people, so why bother?
I would have enjoyed much better if it became sort of a self-inflicted or self-fulfilling prophecy, like Dom and Ellery becoming “enemies” because of their stupid decisions. THEN their struggles would have made sense. But in the end it’s all already written, so all the struggle and angst was worthless.
Last but not least, I felt that the story was very unbalanced when it comes to violence and high stakes. The combat scenes all throughout the book last a couple of pages and they are easily managed, and then there is the LITERAL APOCALYPSE in the last 5 pages. It serves the crescendo of the plot, but I would have preferred more suspense from the beginning.
I shall give credit where credit is due. This duo has a FORMIDABLE writing, so elegant, so seamless, so tragic and devastating. You could never tell that two people have written one book. And, they knew how to get to my simpy heart with a couple of well-placed blows in the romance scenes. These are the only reasons why I read until the end, but unfortunately, I won’t be picking up book 2.
This book though… it just didn’t make the cut. And at first I thought because of it being romance-focused, but the more I read, the more I tried to like it, the less I did. And I ended up disappointed at everybody, both the authors and myself.
Let us start with the awful spoiler that is the blurb. I am not of the industry, but my experience tells me that the blurb should summarize a part of the novel in order to get the reader’s interest. But this… “Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.”
This basically spoils the last third of the story. And there I was, waiting for something else to happen… except it doesn’t. The authors spoiled the book for me before I could even read it, and didn’t even bother to leave a small surprise. I am so pissed.
The story begins right in the middle of the action, and there is little time to get acquainted with the world, the characters and the magical system. I remember distinctly the authors’ first book, All of Us Villains, being exactly the opposite: very slow beginning, lots of telling, lots of details. The first time I read it I thought I hated the beginning, but now I’m taking everything back. I want the gradual, slow welcome, I want to have time to look around and see the world for myself, and not just delivered at my plate. I might be getting old, but I really don’t understand the need to write “snappy” and quick-paced stories just because we are in the time of social media when everything has to be quick to keep someone entertained. I’d rather see books that diverge from this trend, instead.
The result is a world with much potential (magical beings living alongside “normal” humans, modern technology woven together with magic, etc.), but that remains superficial. I came to know later that there is a sequel on the way, but still no excuse not to dig a bit deeper in to worldbuilding.
The two main protagonists unfortunately also come out as superficial and poorly developed, because of this “snappiness” of the plot. Domenic should have an infamous reputation, but it feels as though only in his head, because it doesn’t reflect on how people treat him. The only moment I connected with him was when he refused to be a hero, but that struggle also resolved itself very quickly, and there was nothing left to feel for. Ellery still is the paper doll that everybody cuts her out to be, tries to be deeper but comes out just as the Mary Sue/chosen one/tragic girl of any other YA fantasy/dystopian.
I hate insta-romances, and this is no exception. The chemistry between Dom and Ellery is forced from the beginning, very rom-com like (which is ironic, giving the circumstances of their first meet cute), very puppy-love, which of course crumbles as soon as someone says something negative or dubious. I know they are supposed to be teenagers or barely legal adults, but I am so tired of the “we break up because you gave me a weird look”- kind of thing, and the lack of communication. I should stop reading such books.
And I feel very dumb, but I just don’t get the whole “forbidden love” thing. Why forbidden? Who said that? Why should the public frown upon it? The whole public campaign reminded me very much of the Hunger Games, and maybe that’s what makes me biased, because if we follow Collins’ logic, shouldn’t the two Chosen Ones being together make them more likable, just like it did with Katniss and Peeta? And why do they have to be likeable in the first place? It’s not like the public has a choice in the matter. It’s either them or they are doomed. The stakes are very low, the government is not that weak to need legitimization and the favor of the people, and we really don’t see the effects of these campaigns on people, so why bother?
I would have enjoyed much better if it became sort of a self-inflicted or self-fulfilling prophecy, like Dom and Ellery becoming “enemies” because of their stupid decisions. THEN their struggles would have made sense. But in the end it’s all already written, so all the struggle and angst was worthless.
Last but not least, I felt that the story was very unbalanced when it comes to violence and high stakes. The combat scenes all throughout the book last a couple of pages and they are easily managed, and then there is the LITERAL APOCALYPSE in the last 5 pages. It serves the crescendo of the plot, but I would have preferred more suspense from the beginning.
I shall give credit where credit is due. This duo has a FORMIDABLE writing, so elegant, so seamless, so tragic and devastating. You could never tell that two people have written one book. And, they knew how to get to my simpy heart with a couple of well-placed blows in the romance scenes. These are the only reasons why I read until the end, but unfortunately, I won’t be picking up book 2.
October 30, 2025
I’m sure it’s the Gen X kid inside of me that was raised on a steady diet of Star Wars movies, but no matter how cliche The Chosen One trope may be, I’m probably always going to be a sucker for it. A Fate So Cold gives us two of them, so you know something’s gotta give. Then it makes them fall helplessly and hopelessly in love with one another. So you know it’s gonna hurt.
Honestly, I was drawn to read this book because I loved the All of Us Villains duology, which deliberately makes The Death Trials its central plot device like AFSC does with The Chosen One. I was so pleased that Foody and Herman’s enormous talent for dialogue and characterization continues to amaze. Yes, it’s one thing for our protagonists to have some of the best banter and dialogue I’ve read so far this year (I giggled, kicked my feet, curled my toes, swooned, and cried…a lot), but their dialogue with other characters was just as expressive, snappy, and effortless. In a book that deals with a lot of dire situations and heavy themes, the dialogue means so much.
Even though Foody and Herman talk about how many iterations of this novel they went through before they settled on this one in the acknowledgments, you can tell how much work and care went into writing this story as you read it. The complexity doesn’t come from the plot but from the characters, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. It also comes from the trauma the characters experience, both psychological and physical. But this story would be nothing without the absolutely wonderful love story at the center of it all. 5⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Stars/Duology/Coming of Age/Fantasy/Romantasy/Forbidden Romance/Found Family/Urban Fantasy/YA Fiction
Honestly, I was drawn to read this book because I loved the All of Us Villains duology, which deliberately makes The Death Trials its central plot device like AFSC does with The Chosen One. I was so pleased that Foody and Herman’s enormous talent for dialogue and characterization continues to amaze. Yes, it’s one thing for our protagonists to have some of the best banter and dialogue I’ve read so far this year (I giggled, kicked my feet, curled my toes, swooned, and cried…a lot), but their dialogue with other characters was just as expressive, snappy, and effortless. In a book that deals with a lot of dire situations and heavy themes, the dialogue means so much.
Even though Foody and Herman talk about how many iterations of this novel they went through before they settled on this one in the acknowledgments, you can tell how much work and care went into writing this story as you read it. The complexity doesn’t come from the plot but from the characters, the worldbuilding, and the magic system. It also comes from the trauma the characters experience, both psychological and physical. But this story would be nothing without the absolutely wonderful love story at the center of it all. 5⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Stars/Duology/Coming of Age/Fantasy/Romantasy/Forbidden Romance/Found Family/Urban Fantasy/YA Fiction
November 28, 2025
I really struggled with this one, All of Us Villains is one of my favorite young adult novels ever so I was very excited for another duology from this duo. Sadly, something just felt off while reading this and I can’t exactly put my fingers on it. Dominic and Ellery were good characters to follow, reluctant Chosen One following their Prophecy to save the country. I think where I struggled is the worldbuilding, the idea of living wands was something but I don’t think I really got everything. Why is it always summer with 6 weeks of disastrous winter? What’s the origin of this? Is there any history pre permanent summer? I have too many questions!! Luckily, the ending (although predictable to some degrees and expected in others) stuck with me as I had emotion towards these character and even knowing what was to come I was still sitting on the edge of my seat. I didn’t loooove the epilogue but I’m intrigued for the conclusion to this story.
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