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The King's Spies #1
Shadow of Ice Island
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26What happens when a reluctant spy discovers his greatest mission is protecting the woman who stole his heart?
Award-winning author Jill Williamson returns for more Blood of Kings adventures...
Award-winning author Jill Williamson returns for more Blood of Kings adventures...
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 3, 2026
5 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Jill Williamson
67 books1,621 followersJill Williamson is a multi-passionate creative who loves the arts. She’s written over thirty books for readers of all ages and is best known for her Blood of Kings fantasy series, two of which won Christy Awards and made VOYA magazine’s Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror list. She produces films with her husband and teaches about writing at conferences. Visit her at www.jillwilliamson.com.
Jill's author website.
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Click here for a FULL LIST OF Jill's BOOKS.
Newest Series:
Thirst Duology
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Writing books:
Jill's author website.
Jill's Amazon Author page.
Jill's Instagram.
Click here for a FULL LIST OF Jill's BOOKS.
Newest Series:
Thirst Duology
Fan favorites:
Writing books:
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Okay, this was pretty amazing! I was really excited to jump back into Cole and Mistel’s story, and it totally delivered! Seeing familiar characters pop up again and how their stories connected made this one even better. I was hooked early on and kept reading because I had to know how it would all turn out!
The king sends Cole undercover on a risky mission, and things quickly get messy when Mistel tags along and ends up right in the middle of it. Cole and Mistel have a past full of unfinished conversations and confusing feelings, which makes working together even harder. Mistel has to pretend to be Cole’s cousin, and Cole is constantly trying to keep her safe while staying focused on the mission. As the story unfolds, the danger ramps up and secrets start coming out that change everything!
This was such a page turner. Romance readers will love it. The chemistry between Cole and Mistel was so good and kept me invested the whole time. By the end, I was already excited for the next book, especially because I really want to know more about Kurtz. He is such an interesting character!
Giving this one 4.5 rounded to a 5 star read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review reflects my honest opinion.
The king sends Cole undercover on a risky mission, and things quickly get messy when Mistel tags along and ends up right in the middle of it. Cole and Mistel have a past full of unfinished conversations and confusing feelings, which makes working together even harder. Mistel has to pretend to be Cole’s cousin, and Cole is constantly trying to keep her safe while staying focused on the mission. As the story unfolds, the danger ramps up and secrets start coming out that change everything!
This was such a page turner. Romance readers will love it. The chemistry between Cole and Mistel was so good and kept me invested the whole time. By the end, I was already excited for the next book, especially because I really want to know more about Kurtz. He is such an interesting character!
Giving this one 4.5 rounded to a 5 star read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review reflects my honest opinion.
December 18, 2025
Squire of Truth is where you first met Cole and Mistel. Cole and Mistel's story continues in Shadow of Ice Island as Cole and a few other men embark on a mission as the king's spies. I enjoyed learning Cole's and Mistel's backstories. What a fun fantasy read with romance, faith elements, danger, and surprises.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 3, 2026
Y’all, it’s always fun getting to dive back into the world of The Blood of Kings and revisit a place that has become familiar yet explore more people’s stories and an expanding setting. After reading SQUIRE OF TRUTH from the BoK: Legends series and was introduced to Cole and Mistel’s dynamic duo on a fantasy/murder mystery/romance adventure, I was hooked on these two. And now their story continues in an ~entire series~ of fantasy spies.
I am delighted.
SHADOW OF ICE ISLAND is the first, and it at once swept me off to a wintry story not only of hidden corruption, crime busts, and blooming sweet romance, but also of facing deep-set fears and traumatic pasts with courage and truth.
If you’re looking for emotional depth and tension, it’s here. If you’re looking for bad guys getting their butts kicked, it’s here. If you’re looking for young hearts growing stronger together with spellbinding music, espionage, sleuthing, swordfights, prison breaks, and a double measure of ‘his freckles are adorable’ and ‘touch her and you will die’, it’s here.
Jill Williamson crafts a well paced adventure of unfurling mysteries, immersive worldbuilding, endearing character, and engaging action.
And now that the great Kurtz has met his match (on many levels), I’m eager to see what happens on the next mission.
I am delighted.
SHADOW OF ICE ISLAND is the first, and it at once swept me off to a wintry story not only of hidden corruption, crime busts, and blooming sweet romance, but also of facing deep-set fears and traumatic pasts with courage and truth.
If you’re looking for emotional depth and tension, it’s here. If you’re looking for bad guys getting their butts kicked, it’s here. If you’re looking for young hearts growing stronger together with spellbinding music, espionage, sleuthing, swordfights, prison breaks, and a double measure of ‘his freckles are adorable’ and ‘touch her and you will die’, it’s here.
Jill Williamson crafts a well paced adventure of unfurling mysteries, immersive worldbuilding, endearing character, and engaging action.
And now that the great Kurtz has met his match (on many levels), I’m eager to see what happens on the next mission.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Cole and Mistel return epically!
Cole and Mistel are so adorable and I absolutely loved seeing them grow, especially Cole, who had to choose to embrace the truth over lies. As for Anna and Kurtz, their parts were really interesting. I am not going to reveal anything, but there are hints at more, possibly in this series or more books. The plot itself was fast paced and kept me guessing, even surprising me a few times. I read Lord of Winter in preparation for this, and even though you don't have to, I feel like the plot was enhanced knowing what I do now. Honestly though, Cole's character arc carried this book to a 5 for me. His struggles were so relatable, and the romance was so beautiful, I just had to rate it higher! I only had two small annoyances: 1. Kurtz's speech tics got on my nerves after a while. It felt overdone. 2. Mistel's whole, "I was in a cage and now must be free" is such an overdone Christian fiction character development that I've been wondering if there's some sort of manual of repetition out there. That being said, I can put those both aside because I still loved Mistel and Kurtz!
Content: Lustful encounters, lightly described before being cut off.
PG violence and kissing. No language. Light drinking.
Cole and Mistel are so adorable and I absolutely loved seeing them grow, especially Cole, who had to choose to embrace the truth over lies. As for Anna and Kurtz, their parts were really interesting. I am not going to reveal anything, but there are hints at more, possibly in this series or more books. The plot itself was fast paced and kept me guessing, even surprising me a few times. I read Lord of Winter in preparation for this, and even though you don't have to, I feel like the plot was enhanced knowing what I do now. Honestly though, Cole's character arc carried this book to a 5 for me. His struggles were so relatable, and the romance was so beautiful, I just had to rate it higher! I only had two small annoyances: 1. Kurtz's speech tics got on my nerves after a while. It felt overdone. 2. Mistel's whole, "I was in a cage and now must be free" is such an overdone Christian fiction character development that I've been wondering if there's some sort of manual of repetition out there. That being said, I can put those both aside because I still loved Mistel and Kurtz!
Content: Lustful encounters, lightly described before being cut off.
PG violence and kissing. No language. Light drinking.
January 23, 2026
4.5 stars
If you remember the book Squire of Truth, this book starts up where that one left off and then overlaps the books following it in the previous series.
I really do enjoy these Christian medieval fantasy series with no spice romance. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to see Cole and Mistel again. It was interesting to see a different angle of events from the book Lord of Winter.
Cole and Mistel are so sweet together. Pretending to be cousins singing together in a band while Cole and Kurtz are spies for the King. I really enjoyed the addition of the perspectives of Kurtz and Zanna and the tension and banter between them. The dynamic of this group made for some great reading, the continued slow burn romance for Cole and Mistel settled really well, and the action, danger, adventure, revelation of secrets, and political intrigue kept me flying through the pages. I can’t wait to see what comes next for this group! The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 1. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Content warnings: violence and fighting, kidnapping, prison, mind control
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
If you remember the book Squire of Truth, this book starts up where that one left off and then overlaps the books following it in the previous series.
I really do enjoy these Christian medieval fantasy series with no spice romance. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to see Cole and Mistel again. It was interesting to see a different angle of events from the book Lord of Winter.
Cole and Mistel are so sweet together. Pretending to be cousins singing together in a band while Cole and Kurtz are spies for the King. I really enjoyed the addition of the perspectives of Kurtz and Zanna and the tension and banter between them. The dynamic of this group made for some great reading, the continued slow burn romance for Cole and Mistel settled really well, and the action, danger, adventure, revelation of secrets, and political intrigue kept me flying through the pages. I can’t wait to see what comes next for this group! The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 1. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Content warnings: violence and fighting, kidnapping, prison, mind control
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Favorite things:
*Mistel flummoxing Cole (and, really, everyone else) with her flighty antics that make their plan even better. It's super adorable. I also love how her impulsivity is both a strength and a drawback.
*Cole being protective and also genuinely appreciative of Mistel and what she brings to the team.
*Cole's character growth in general. I love how he's so much more confident in this story, and I have always loved how he powers through his insecurities and doesn't let them keep him from his mission. He is such a solid and complex character and I love him!
*Kurtz and Zanna's banter was THE ABSOLUTE BEST! I am genuinely excited to read their story!
*Achan's shameless meddling. (Love him!) I love how he checks in on Cole and also wants the gossip about him and Mistel.
I would have liked to have a little more development of Mistel and Cole's relationship. There's plenty of flirting, and plenty of appreciating each other's strengths, which was great. They both shared some vulnerability from their past. However, I felt Cole's fears and vulnerability as something he wrestled with constantly and had to overcome in order to do his job. When he told his story it made sense and I felt how hard it was for him to share it. I had a harder time connecting with Mistel's story. When she told her story it felt disconnected from the character I was reading because I hadn't felt her vulnerability and fears as something ever-present that was still affecting her today, at least not to the same extent.
I do love where they end up and how they made a good team (when Mistel wasn't jumping ahead).
It's really sweet, it just didn't feel quite as earned as it could have been.
The description of the settings and story world were, as always, amazing. I really felt the brutally cold winter and the warm tavern vibes. I liked that we got little peaks into Kurtz and Zanna's POV's as well.
Looking forward to their next adventure!
*Mistel flummoxing Cole (and, really, everyone else) with her flighty antics that make their plan even better. It's super adorable. I also love how her impulsivity is both a strength and a drawback.
*Cole being protective and also genuinely appreciative of Mistel and what she brings to the team.
*Cole's character growth in general. I love how he's so much more confident in this story, and I have always loved how he powers through his insecurities and doesn't let them keep him from his mission. He is such a solid and complex character and I love him!
*Kurtz and Zanna's banter was THE ABSOLUTE BEST! I am genuinely excited to read their story!
*Achan's shameless meddling. (Love him!) I love how he checks in on Cole and also wants the gossip about him and Mistel.
I would have liked to have a little more development of Mistel and Cole's relationship. There's plenty of flirting, and plenty of appreciating each other's strengths, which was great. They both shared some vulnerability from their past. However, I felt Cole's fears and vulnerability as something he wrestled with constantly and had to overcome in order to do his job. When he told his story it made sense and I felt how hard it was for him to share it. I had a harder time connecting with Mistel's story. When she told her story it felt disconnected from the character I was reading because I hadn't felt her vulnerability and fears as something ever-present that was still affecting her today, at least not to the same extent.
I do love where they end up and how they made a good team (when Mistel wasn't jumping ahead).
It's really sweet, it just didn't feel quite as earned as it could have been.
The description of the settings and story world were, as always, amazing. I really felt the brutally cold winter and the warm tavern vibes. I liked that we got little peaks into Kurtz and Zanna's POV's as well.
Looking forward to their next adventure!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Though this is a separate series, this book is a direct sequel to "Squire of Truth". I felt it could have used a little more background information to help us review as I was a bit unclear on what exactly the mission of the main characters was. This book does not stand on its own, so if you have not read the Blood of Kings triology, you will be lost. If you have, however, and you liked it, you will probably enjoy this book as well.
I did find the characters more likeable in this book. They were relatable and sometimes funny. I especially enjoyed Kurtz's perspective. One thing that felt weird to me was when a large group of characters showed up to the scene and the author listed each one by first and last names. I found this unnecessary because all these names meant nothing me as the reader since they hadn't been developed as characters.
The plot was pretty simple and predictable, but it was still a fun adventure to read. The pacing was very good and the action kept me engaged. Any danger was fairly short-lived, so it didn't have much of a sense of peril. I personally would have appreciated a little more intensity and a little less romance. However, it was probably meant for a younger audience. I appreciated that this book was clean and had positive themes. I think it would be appropriate for middle school or older.
Overall, it was a good read and I always enjoy Jill Williamson's writing.
I did find the characters more likeable in this book. They were relatable and sometimes funny. I especially enjoyed Kurtz's perspective. One thing that felt weird to me was when a large group of characters showed up to the scene and the author listed each one by first and last names. I found this unnecessary because all these names meant nothing me as the reader since they hadn't been developed as characters.
The plot was pretty simple and predictable, but it was still a fun adventure to read. The pacing was very good and the action kept me engaged. Any danger was fairly short-lived, so it didn't have much of a sense of peril. I personally would have appreciated a little more intensity and a little less romance. However, it was probably meant for a younger audience. I appreciated that this book was clean and had positive themes. I think it would be appropriate for middle school or older.
Overall, it was a good read and I always enjoy Jill Williamson's writing.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Hello Mistel and Cole, we've been waiting for more of your story...Shadow of Ice Island is an immediate jump back into the world of E'Rets and the love story of our protagonists. This time however, Cole and Mistel are working alongside Kurtz Chazir as spies for Achan Cham. Not only do we learn more of Cole and Mistel's story but we catch glimpses into Kurtz's backstory. I am intrigued and ready to hear more about the man Kurtz Chazir is becoming!
Shadow of Ice Island was another rollicking ride through E'Rets. Lots of action and intrigue. What I found I greatly enjoyed throughout Shadow of Ice Island were the trails of breadcrumbs and nods to stories both past and present. I was able to get just enough from all the story arcs that I had answers (finally!) and I also had just enough clues to know I need the next book in The King's Spies series!
Shadow of Ice Island was another rollicking ride through E'Rets. Lots of action and intrigue. What I found I greatly enjoyed throughout Shadow of Ice Island were the trails of breadcrumbs and nods to stories both past and present. I was able to get just enough from all the story arcs that I had answers (finally!) and I also had just enough clues to know I need the next book in The King's Spies series!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
BRAVO! Williamson has crafted an exquisite masterpiece! I was immediately immersed into the drama. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. These characters will linger long after turning the final page.
Recommend to readers who enjoy Christian fantasy.
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Recommend to readers who enjoy Christian fantasy.
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was thrilled to continue the storyline of Cole, Mistel, and Kurtz in the world of Er'Rets! Jill Williamson is a master at character building. This world is full of so many interesting characters with true to life hurts and hang-ups. Tagging along to see them grow, develop, and embrace redemption mid-adventure is pure magic!
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews