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Beyond the Four Kingdoms #3
A Crown of Snow and Ice: A Retelling of The Snow Queen
An unexpected gift from her godmother will give Celine enough fire to take on an entire kingdom of snow and ice. But first she needs to melt one frozen prince.
Rumors have long swirled about the strange kingdom of Eldon. The only thing more frozen than its mountains are the inhabitants themselves. But Princess Celine has never backed away from a challenge, so she eagerly accepts an invitation to visit.
Yet the situation in Eldon is even worse than Celine feared. And if the kingdom is to have any hope of freedom or a future, she’s going to have to call on new skills and new allies—including the crown prince, Oliver. But against an enemy stronger and colder than ice, all her fire may not be enough.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, The Snow Queen, one princess is ready to burn down everything in her path to save those she loves and their kingdom with them.
Rumors have long swirled about the strange kingdom of Eldon. The only thing more frozen than its mountains are the inhabitants themselves. But Princess Celine has never backed away from a challenge, so she eagerly accepts an invitation to visit.
Yet the situation in Eldon is even worse than Celine feared. And if the kingdom is to have any hope of freedom or a future, she’s going to have to call on new skills and new allies—including the crown prince, Oliver. But against an enemy stronger and colder than ice, all her fire may not be enough.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, The Snow Queen, one princess is ready to burn down everything in her path to save those she loves and their kingdom with them.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2018
About the author
Melanie Cellier
90 books2,929 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
June 19, 2024
4 stars (because of the bonus ending, else wise 3.5 for this book) ✨
I find her way less annoying that I did in the previous books she’s been in. I did feel like yelling at her “that’s a terrible plan!!” more than a few times, but no, she couldn’t hear me. I would have liked to learn more about how all of her siblings have been in the past few years, but we get glimpses of a couple of them here and there and mainly in the bonus ending on the author's website.
I found the city built into a mountain and all the tunnels interesting! This book definitely had the most “magic” content out of both series so far because of Celine’s new gift/ability from her godmother. Fire powers. Which is super handy for going to a freezing cold country. This Texas girl would like that just for a couple months out of the year. *nods*
For some reason I did struggle with keeping my attention in this book (perhaps that I’ve been reading a bunch of these?) and understanding what was going on (perhaps my brain is just distracted with other things?) so I didn’t like this book as much as the prior books in the series. Could totally be me, though.
Definitely make sure you read the bonus chapter on the author’s website after finishing this book! It truly made it so much better to me—even though it was bittersweet and like closing out the main series and all it’s characters. I’m curious about Snow’s story next, but this is the last one featuring a direct sibling from the main four kingdoms, so it was without a doubt, bittersweet. 🥹
Main Content:
Like I said above, this book has a lot of magic content because of the enchantment that a country and its people are under & Celine’s new godmother-gifted fire powers where she can start fires and shoot fire from her hands (lots about both of these elements but especially Celine’s powers with describing her using them and trying to figure them out, many sentences on the details of it all); Other mentions of the High King (who wants the kingdoms to rule with love), the godmothers acting on his laws, godmother objects (which should be used for good but some twist their use and use it for wrong reasons); If a kingdom turns their back on the High King, they do not prosper and will have problems; *Spoiler* ; Mentions of Christenings & gifts from godmothers; A few mentions of someone’s evil.
Knocking someone out, Being abducted, Being attacked by a wild animal, Being tossed into freezing water, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing out (up to a few sentences); Seeing fighting, injuries, & bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing someone die (*Spoiler* ).
Celine and the others are concerned that those under the enchantment may stop caring and just sit down and die; Someone under an enchantment looses all their drive & has to be encouraged back to the living.
Mentions of the possibility of freezing to death; Mentions of assassination attempts; Mention of treason & coups; Mentions of robbers, thieves, stealing, kidnappings/abductions, & ransom; Mentions of poison (including magical poison that can harden a person’s heart and make them see the world as ugly); Mentions of cave-ins & being attacked by wild animals; Mentions of fires & the possibility of burning something or someone; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of the death of a parent & grief; A few mentions of the Princess Tourney with injures and someone nearly falling to their death (Book #1); A few mentions of children being threatened with the Snow Queen (such as eating their vegetables or she will freeze them); A couple mentions of possible executions.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’, ‘idiot’, and ‘stupid’; ‘What in the kingdoms’ is also said a couple of times; A curse is swallowed (not written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Hurtful words are said by someone under an enchantment (Celine is a receiver of these words and is very hurt).
3 almost kisses,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
3 kisses lasting a handful of sentences (long paragraph);
Remembering kisses, touches, & warmth/heat (up to a few sentences); Touches, Dancing, Embraces/Nestling, Hand holding, Warmth/Heat, Nearness, & Noticing (up to a handful of sentences); When Celine touches/brushes against Oliver or they kiss, the fire powers in her react and have heat course through her; Oliver teases Celine about taking her to a secluded spot but when she questions it, he says it not about that but training her powers and that he won’t kiss her again unless she asks; Celine goes into Oliver’s room so they can talk & he’s concerned that she shouldn’t be in there (nothing sexual happens); Celine recalls fighting with her mother over her clothing having “daring ensembles” that weren’t age appropriate at her age then (her mother stopped trying to interfere with her choices once she turned eighteen); Celine wears a dress that shows a lot of her back; Mentions of kisses & kissing.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
I find her way less annoying that I did in the previous books she’s been in. I did feel like yelling at her “that’s a terrible plan!!” more than a few times, but no, she couldn’t hear me. I would have liked to learn more about how all of her siblings have been in the past few years, but we get glimpses of a couple of them here and there and mainly in the bonus ending on the author's website.
I found the city built into a mountain and all the tunnels interesting! This book definitely had the most “magic” content out of both series so far because of Celine’s new gift/ability from her godmother. Fire powers. Which is super handy for going to a freezing cold country. This Texas girl would like that just for a couple months out of the year. *nods*
For some reason I did struggle with keeping my attention in this book (perhaps that I’ve been reading a bunch of these?) and understanding what was going on (perhaps my brain is just distracted with other things?) so I didn’t like this book as much as the prior books in the series. Could totally be me, though.
Definitely make sure you read the bonus chapter on the author’s website after finishing this book! It truly made it so much better to me—even though it was bittersweet and like closing out the main series and all it’s characters. I’m curious about Snow’s story next, but this is the last one featuring a direct sibling from the main four kingdoms, so it was without a doubt, bittersweet. 🥹
Main Content:
Like I said above, this book has a lot of magic content because of the enchantment that a country and its people are under & Celine’s new godmother-gifted fire powers where she can start fires and shoot fire from her hands (lots about both of these elements but especially Celine’s powers with describing her using them and trying to figure them out, many sentences on the details of it all); Other mentions of the High King (who wants the kingdoms to rule with love), the godmothers acting on his laws, godmother objects (which should be used for good but some twist their use and use it for wrong reasons); If a kingdom turns their back on the High King, they do not prosper and will have problems; *Spoiler* ; Mentions of Christenings & gifts from godmothers; A few mentions of someone’s evil.
Knocking someone out, Being abducted, Being attacked by a wild animal, Being tossed into freezing water, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing out (up to a few sentences); Seeing fighting, injuries, & bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing someone die (*Spoiler* ).
Celine and the others are concerned that those under the enchantment may stop caring and just sit down and die; Someone under an enchantment looses all their drive & has to be encouraged back to the living.
Mentions of the possibility of freezing to death; Mentions of assassination attempts; Mention of treason & coups; Mentions of robbers, thieves, stealing, kidnappings/abductions, & ransom; Mentions of poison (including magical poison that can harden a person’s heart and make them see the world as ugly); Mentions of cave-ins & being attacked by wild animals; Mentions of fires & the possibility of burning something or someone; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of the death of a parent & grief; A few mentions of the Princess Tourney with injures and someone nearly falling to their death (Book #1); A few mentions of children being threatened with the Snow Queen (such as eating their vegetables or she will freeze them); A couple mentions of possible executions.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’, ‘idiot’, and ‘stupid’; ‘What in the kingdoms’ is also said a couple of times; A curse is swallowed (not written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Hurtful words are said by someone under an enchantment (Celine is a receiver of these words and is very hurt).
3 almost kisses,
3 kisses lasting a sentence,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
3 kisses lasting a handful of sentences (long paragraph);
Remembering kisses, touches, & warmth/heat (up to a few sentences); Touches, Dancing, Embraces/Nestling, Hand holding, Warmth/Heat, Nearness, & Noticing (up to a handful of sentences); When Celine touches/brushes against Oliver or they kiss, the fire powers in her react and have heat course through her; Oliver teases Celine about taking her to a secluded spot but when she questions it, he says it not about that but training her powers and that he won’t kiss her again unless she asks; Celine goes into Oliver’s room so they can talk & he’s concerned that she shouldn’t be in there (nothing sexual happens); Celine recalls fighting with her mother over her clothing having “daring ensembles” that weren’t age appropriate at her age then (her mother stopped trying to interfere with her choices once she turned eighteen); Celine wears a dress that shows a lot of her back; Mentions of kisses & kissing.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
March 5, 2021
*chef’s kiss*
November 4, 2020
A Crown of Snow and Ice by Melanie Cellier is the third book in the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series and is a retelling of The Snow Queen. Celine is off to visit the kingdom of Eldon after the Princess Tourney that occurred in the first book, A Dance of Silver and Shadow. Celine is used to a warmer climate but is always up for a challenge. But something is off about Eldon. Not only is the kingdom frozen, but it seems like the people are too. They can move but they have no emotion. Celine and Prince Oliver must find a way to release the curse that has taken hold of the kingdom. Thankfully, Celine discovers a gift within herself that just may do the trick.
Out of all the books in this series, this one is my least favorite. It just moves so much slower than the other books in the series. There were moments where I was bored and just wanted to story to keep moving forward. However, I did appreciate the dark tones of the plot. The Snow Queen’s character was really well done and is extremely creepy! This is definitely more of a retelling of the original Snow Queen and not Disney’s Frozen.
The one plus about this book is the characters! Celine is spunky and not one to follow the rules. But she is loyal and always willing to help. She can be a little sure of herself, which is why I really appreciated her struggling with her gift. (You will have to read it to find out what her gift is!) She has to find the strength within to be able to control it.
As always, Esther Wane does a fantastic job at narrating. I wouldn’t have anyone else! I rate this audiobook 3 out of 5 stars.
Out of all the books in this series, this one is my least favorite. It just moves so much slower than the other books in the series. There were moments where I was bored and just wanted to story to keep moving forward. However, I did appreciate the dark tones of the plot. The Snow Queen’s character was really well done and is extremely creepy! This is definitely more of a retelling of the original Snow Queen and not Disney’s Frozen.
The one plus about this book is the characters! Celine is spunky and not one to follow the rules. But she is loyal and always willing to help. She can be a little sure of herself, which is why I really appreciated her struggling with her gift. (You will have to read it to find out what her gift is!) She has to find the strength within to be able to control it.
As always, Esther Wane does a fantastic job at narrating. I wouldn’t have anyone else! I rate this audiobook 3 out of 5 stars.
May 11, 2026
*let’s just say it physically pains me to give a Melanie cellier book three stars* 😣
Sooooo this review *cries*
Okay so this book is so interesting but not necessarily in a good way 🫠. I was so looking forward to it, the cover was my favorite color and the FMC was Celine who quite frankly I love so I thought what could go wrong??!! Well some things did 😭.
At first I was hooked I gobbled up the first 150 pages in a night past midnight. The cave scene like *chefs kiss*. But then after that it just got so boring as they literally went hiking through the snow for pages on pages and I just didn’t care. Like nothing happened and I feel like the story would have been exactly the same had all of them been cut out, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
And then during that time Celine suddenly became annoying to me. In the beginning of the book I loved her spunk tho a little much at times but during that time and the village she just made stupid decisions and was kind of like a spoiled child. I was like what happened to Celine????
And then we finally got to some action but I was so confused with what was going on, not sharing specifics for spoiler purposes, and so it was good but not as good as it could have been if I was tracking.
So yeah a bit of a disappointment. The romance as well, it was good but then i think it developed the confessing of feelings so soon that there was no tension or built up to a confession so it felt more insta love, and im a slow burn kinda gal. Anyways, yeah i didn’t love this one tho ofc i didn’t hate it either. Definitely not a fav from this and the previous series tho… :( I did enjoy the next book tho!
Sooooo this review *cries*
Okay so this book is so interesting but not necessarily in a good way 🫠. I was so looking forward to it, the cover was my favorite color and the FMC was Celine who quite frankly I love so I thought what could go wrong??!! Well some things did 😭.
At first I was hooked I gobbled up the first 150 pages in a night past midnight. The cave scene like *chefs kiss*. But then after that it just got so boring as they literally went hiking through the snow for pages on pages and I just didn’t care. Like nothing happened and I feel like the story would have been exactly the same had all of them been cut out, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
And then during that time Celine suddenly became annoying to me. In the beginning of the book I loved her spunk tho a little much at times but during that time and the village she just made stupid decisions and was kind of like a spoiled child. I was like what happened to Celine????
And then we finally got to some action but I was so confused with what was going on, not sharing specifics for spoiler purposes, and so it was good but not as good as it could have been if I was tracking.
So yeah a bit of a disappointment. The romance as well, it was good but then i think it developed the confessing of feelings so soon that there was no tension or built up to a confession so it felt more insta love, and im a slow burn kinda gal. Anyways, yeah i didn’t love this one tho ofc i didn’t hate it either. Definitely not a fav from this and the previous series tho… :( I did enjoy the next book tho!
September 23, 2018
“The Snow Queen” is one of my least favorite fairy tales because I find both the concept and many aspects of its plot creepy. However, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of Melanie Cellier’s books, particularly those in her Beyond the Four Kingdoms series, so I decided to try her take on it in A Crown of Snow and Ice. I'm pleased she managed to create an interpretation of the fairy tale I enjoyed.
Princess Celine—a mischievous and delightful character featured in several other books from Melanie Cellier—is the heroine of this icy tale. After being gifted with the ability to control fire from her Godmother—the perfect gift to fit her spunky personality—she travels to the snowy, mountainous kingdom of Eldon, where all the residents are under an enchantment of their hearts being frozen. She manages to unthaw the Crown Prince, Oliver, and his sister Giselle, and together they embark on a cold trek to break the spell and save the kingdom before it becomes completely consumed by ice.
While Celine has matured throughout the several books she's been featured in, she still maintains her spunky and fun personality. While she's no longer as reckless and emotional as she used to be, she's still brave, bold, daring, and fiercely determined to prove herself and help others. I enjoyed watching her not only come to understand herself but also discover her new powers and how to control them. In addition, her romance with Prince Oliver was adorable; I really liked his character as well as his mischievous younger sister, Giselle.
While I thoroughly enjoyed A Crown of Snow and Ice, I didn't like how much of the plot was devoted to a long, arduous trek up the mountain. Journey plots are some of my least favorites, and while I was never bored, I did have a more difficult time picking up the book while the characters were still on the snowy mountain. In addition, my least favorite aspect of “The Snow Queen” fairy tale was included towards the end . Thankfully, that aspect only lasted a chapter or two rather than being a huge focus of the story. Despite these minor quibbles, the book was enjoyable, especially Celine’s first-person narration, the portrayal of her inner growth, and her adorable romance with Prince Oliver.
As a side note, I’ve read all of Melanie Cellier’s books more or less in the order they were written and released, and as a writer myself it’s been so fun watching her skills—which were already good to begin with—continue to grow and develop. In A Crown of Snow and Ice, in particular, I noticed just how well she’s honed her craft. I’m now even more excited to experience more of her fun stories in the years to come!
Princess Celine—a mischievous and delightful character featured in several other books from Melanie Cellier—is the heroine of this icy tale. After being gifted with the ability to control fire from her Godmother—the perfect gift to fit her spunky personality—she travels to the snowy, mountainous kingdom of Eldon, where all the residents are under an enchantment of their hearts being frozen. She manages to unthaw the Crown Prince, Oliver, and his sister Giselle, and together they embark on a cold trek to break the spell and save the kingdom before it becomes completely consumed by ice.
While Celine has matured throughout the several books she's been featured in, she still maintains her spunky and fun personality. While she's no longer as reckless and emotional as she used to be, she's still brave, bold, daring, and fiercely determined to prove herself and help others. I enjoyed watching her not only come to understand herself but also discover her new powers and how to control them. In addition, her romance with Prince Oliver was adorable; I really liked his character as well as his mischievous younger sister, Giselle.
While I thoroughly enjoyed A Crown of Snow and Ice, I didn't like how much of the plot was devoted to a long, arduous trek up the mountain. Journey plots are some of my least favorites, and while I was never bored, I did have a more difficult time picking up the book while the characters were still on the snowy mountain. In addition, my least favorite aspect of “The Snow Queen” fairy tale was included towards the end . Thankfully, that aspect only lasted a chapter or two rather than being a huge focus of the story. Despite these minor quibbles, the book was enjoyable, especially Celine’s first-person narration, the portrayal of her inner growth, and her adorable romance with Prince Oliver.
As a side note, I’ve read all of Melanie Cellier’s books more or less in the order they were written and released, and as a writer myself it’s been so fun watching her skills—which were already good to begin with—continue to grow and develop. In A Crown of Snow and Ice, in particular, I noticed just how well she’s honed her craft. I’m now even more excited to experience more of her fun stories in the years to come!
April 18, 2025
I love Celine. And the real Giselle. And, of course, the real Oliver. And I loved how similar it was to the original Snow Queen, with the mirror stuff.
August 28, 2018
Oh my gosh. SO GOOD. Even better than I was expecting. I’m speechless.
September 11, 2019
I have loved the Snow Queen since I was a little girl. Honestly, I blame the picture book I had as a child. But truth be told, I still love it--and not just for nostalgia. It's a fascinating tale with themes of good vs. evil, love vs. hate, and sibling relationships!
This rendition of the Snow Queen was well done. I loved how Cellier touched some of the classic elements of the tale and incorporated them seamlessly into her world and plot. The plot felt really quick to me; not like, it's-moving-too-fast quick, but like I-looked-up-and-I-was-already-almost-done quick. I wouldn't say it was a page-turner, but then again, I've always gone through Cellier's stories pretty quickly. They draw me in and I don't come out til I finish most times. This one was no different.
In this story we get to follow Celine! She's always popping up here and there and it's cool to finally get to see her story. I loved the contrast of fire and ice and the clash of her culture with that of Oliver's. I thought the distinctions were very well done and made the world even richer. Lanover is warm and tropical, flat and floral, while Eldon is far from it. We see secret tunnels, shops, and even homes built into the very face of the mountains. We have to deal with the very real possibility of snow ins and blizzards. Cellier's world is so diverse and full, and yet, I've never had difficulty keeping track of the places--which is a feat for me, let me tell ya!
I do wish the tunnels had had more significance in the story. It seemed like we kind of blew past those, whereas I thought they would come up again later in the story--especially the writing on the walls! That was such a cool touch! I just knew the language would provide some crucial detail at the last minute! But alas, it was not to be. I also sort of expected Celine's ankle to be more important--not because of the Tourney, but because it was mentioned a few times. Not sure exactly what I expected, but I just got the feeling it would come into play for some reason, though it never did.
Also, the way the Snow Queen climax and resolution came about was really neat, but it was all over very quickly. I liked how it happened very much! So much so that I wasn't super bothered by the fact that it was over almost as quickly as it had begun, but it still kind of stood out to me. I mean, we built up to this point and spent the whole book trying to figure out what was going on and this figure was kind of thrown in last minute, but she wasn't a shock cause it was sort of foreshadowed, but then everything ended in a pretty quick confrontation.
The plot was well paced, and I never bored of it. The change in scenery, even within the land of Eldon kept things moving and fresh. The challenges the characters faced--both internal and external--kind of intrigued me. I loved how Celine dealt with the snowshoes and the journey up the mountain. That was just awesome! I also really loved the whole enchantment over the people. I thought it was a very clever way to do the Snow Queen and made for a great contrast and struggle for Oliver. I liked him a lot. He was a fun character and getting to know him was something I think I was a little surprised by.
Overall, great story! Gorgeous cover! Clean story: no foul language, very mild violence (non-graphic), and clean romance (nothing more graphic than a kiss). Easily recommendable to middle grade and up.
This rendition of the Snow Queen was well done. I loved how Cellier touched some of the classic elements of the tale and incorporated them seamlessly into her world and plot. The plot felt really quick to me; not like, it's-moving-too-fast quick, but like I-looked-up-and-I-was-already-almost-done quick. I wouldn't say it was a page-turner, but then again, I've always gone through Cellier's stories pretty quickly. They draw me in and I don't come out til I finish most times. This one was no different.
In this story we get to follow Celine! She's always popping up here and there and it's cool to finally get to see her story. I loved the contrast of fire and ice and the clash of her culture with that of Oliver's. I thought the distinctions were very well done and made the world even richer. Lanover is warm and tropical, flat and floral, while Eldon is far from it. We see secret tunnels, shops, and even homes built into the very face of the mountains. We have to deal with the very real possibility of snow ins and blizzards. Cellier's world is so diverse and full, and yet, I've never had difficulty keeping track of the places--which is a feat for me, let me tell ya!
I do wish the tunnels had had more significance in the story. It seemed like we kind of blew past those, whereas I thought they would come up again later in the story--especially the writing on the walls! That was such a cool touch! I just knew the language would provide some crucial detail at the last minute! But alas, it was not to be. I also sort of expected Celine's ankle to be more important--not because of the Tourney, but because it was mentioned a few times. Not sure exactly what I expected, but I just got the feeling it would come into play for some reason, though it never did.
Also, the way the Snow Queen climax and resolution came about was really neat, but it was all over very quickly. I liked how it happened very much! So much so that I wasn't super bothered by the fact that it was over almost as quickly as it had begun, but it still kind of stood out to me. I mean, we built up to this point and spent the whole book trying to figure out what was going on and this figure was kind of thrown in last minute, but she wasn't a shock cause it was sort of foreshadowed, but then everything ended in a pretty quick confrontation.
The plot was well paced, and I never bored of it. The change in scenery, even within the land of Eldon kept things moving and fresh. The challenges the characters faced--both internal and external--kind of intrigued me. I loved how Celine dealt with the snowshoes and the journey up the mountain. That was just awesome! I also really loved the whole enchantment over the people. I thought it was a very clever way to do the Snow Queen and made for a great contrast and struggle for Oliver. I liked him a lot. He was a fun character and getting to know him was something I think I was a little surprised by.
Overall, great story! Gorgeous cover! Clean story: no foul language, very mild violence (non-graphic), and clean romance (nothing more graphic than a kiss). Easily recommendable to middle grade and up.
April 22, 2019
What to do with the rating of a book when you are a hundred percent certain that the problem of the book lies entirely with you and not with the book? Especially because I know that books like this DO need the high ratings and people telling others how much they love them. And I do hope that my rating will not keep anyone from buying the book, because that's not what this book deserves. It deserves to be read by the right people, who will appreciate it because it's a better fit with them.
Because like all the other books in this series it has all the ingredients for an awesome read: A dark curse, a beautiful new kingdom to explore and discover, new people to meet and new characters to fall in love with. Celine finally gets to star as the main character and we meet the prince who appreciates who she is more than anyone else in the world might have ever done. And of course, Celine ends up playing the main part in an epic adventure filled with magic and breathtaking scenes and plottwists.
But, it's very clear that both Celine and Oliver are not my kind of characters. Especially Celine is everything I am not and don't want to be. She's reckless, impulsive, way too curious for her own good, she acts before thinking things through and her mind always figures things out a few seconds too late. It's very dynamic and fits the curse she has to break and the prince she has to win, but it just doesn't fit me as a person. Same goes for Oliver. And the same goes for the fairytale of the Snow Queen in general.
It's a classic case of: "it's not the book, it's me." I am however really looking forward to the next book! Blanche seemed very interesting in the first book and I can't wait to get to know her (and I assume Alexander) better!
Because like all the other books in this series it has all the ingredients for an awesome read: A dark curse, a beautiful new kingdom to explore and discover, new people to meet and new characters to fall in love with. Celine finally gets to star as the main character and we meet the prince who appreciates who she is more than anyone else in the world might have ever done. And of course, Celine ends up playing the main part in an epic adventure filled with magic and breathtaking scenes and plottwists.
But, it's very clear that both Celine and Oliver are not my kind of characters. Especially Celine is everything I am not and don't want to be. She's reckless, impulsive, way too curious for her own good, she acts before thinking things through and her mind always figures things out a few seconds too late. It's very dynamic and fits the curse she has to break and the prince she has to win, but it just doesn't fit me as a person. Same goes for Oliver. And the same goes for the fairytale of the Snow Queen in general.
It's a classic case of: "it's not the book, it's me." I am however really looking forward to the next book! Blanche seemed very interesting in the first book and I can't wait to get to know her (and I assume Alexander) better!
December 17, 2018
Celine has been a favorite character since the first book with her in it, and I was so excited to finally read her story! This is a really neat twist on the Snow Queen fairy tale!
Re-Read update: This book is finally available on audiobook!!!! Woot! Woot! Of course, I immediately bought it and re-listened to it. Just as amazing listening to it!
Re-Read update: This book is finally available on audiobook!!!! Woot! Woot! Of course, I immediately bought it and re-listened to it. Just as amazing listening to it!
December 3, 2019
Not my favorite version of a snow queen retelling but it also wasn't completely horrible.
A Crown of Snow and Ice was an okay book if I'm being honest. Not a lot stuck out to me or made me ooh and ahh. It was an interesting take on the snow queen but again, not my favorite. In it, you will meet Celine and Oliver.
Maybe it's just me, but I was hoping for more a frozen feeling than anything. Ya know? No idea if that actually makes sense but it's what I wanted. Celine is one of those free spirit kind of characters that isn't afraid or shy about anything. YET, she wasn't my absolute favorite character in the world (or this book). Maybe it's me but I was really bored with this one and her.
Enter Oliver, who was super adorable. God damn, his feelings and love towards Celine made her more likable. Heck with him by her side, I could get a little (okay, teeny tiny bit) invested into her character. Without him, then I would much rather read a book about Oliver. Just saying.
Overall, not my favorite book of the series. Maybe the next one will be better?
A Crown of Snow and Ice was an okay book if I'm being honest. Not a lot stuck out to me or made me ooh and ahh. It was an interesting take on the snow queen but again, not my favorite. In it, you will meet Celine and Oliver.
Maybe it's just me, but I was hoping for more a frozen feeling than anything. Ya know? No idea if that actually makes sense but it's what I wanted. Celine is one of those free spirit kind of characters that isn't afraid or shy about anything. YET, she wasn't my absolute favorite character in the world (or this book). Maybe it's me but I was really bored with this one and her.
Enter Oliver, who was super adorable. God damn, his feelings and love towards Celine made her more likable. Heck with him by her side, I could get a little (okay, teeny tiny bit) invested into her character. Without him, then I would much rather read a book about Oliver. Just saying.
Overall, not my favorite book of the series. Maybe the next one will be better?
December 3, 2019
I enjoyed book 2 more but this still had some good parts. The snow queen was a nice touch and I liked how she used the Godmother's items namely the locket. I liked how the enchantment worked and how basically the kingdom has defrosted including the people. I wonder how sterling will affect the other kingdoms as he seems to be going form kingdom to kingdom getting the godmother's items.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2025
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
Gorgeous cover! One of my favorites! It was perfect for the snow and cold weather I’ve had lately where I live! I’m intruigued to see Celine again, hopefully more grown up…lol! She is a character! She is daring, brave, bold and makes me laugh! I liked Oliver almost immediately! He was so good and I loved him! He was funny, selfless, protective and brave! When they first kissed, my mouth dropped open…I was shocked. I did not see that coming! I was giggling at some of his comments! He was delightful! Giselle was funny! I can’t wait to read about her again!
Celine and Oliver were so perfectly matched! I loved it! I loved the scene where they were chasing each other and rolling down the hill! They were SO good together! Their love story was beautiful, passionate and one of my favorites! The part towards the end reminded me of Tangled and I absolutely loved it! This was an interesting retelling of the Snow Queen especially with Celine and her gift. It was action packed and heart pounding! I was hooked from the beginning! I throughly loved all of the ice and snow! It brought such beautiful images to my mind! Wow, that was incredible!! I throughly LOVED that!! How Melanie Cellier keeps writing one amazing book after another is amazing!! I can’t wait to read the next one!! 5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quotes I liked:
❄️ "Sorry about that. Or, well.." He gestured at the cleared stones. "Maybe not so sorry?"
❄️ He held up both hands. "I promise Princess Celine that I will never kiss you again." He leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Unless you ask me to, of course." I rolled my eyes. “Sometimes I think I liked you better when you were a walking ice block." He just continued to grin, unrepentant, and I shook my head.
❄️ "I will sit here and await rescue by the brave and handsome prince." I batted my eyelashes at him as angrily as I could. “Did you hear that, Giselle?" Oliver grinned. "She thinks I'm brave and handsome."
❄️ His body shook with silent laughter. "Why do I have the feeling you're going to keep me on my toes?" “Because you're very wise. Like I was just saying."
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
Gorgeous cover! One of my favorites! It was perfect for the snow and cold weather I’ve had lately where I live! I’m intruigued to see Celine again, hopefully more grown up…lol! She is a character! She is daring, brave, bold and makes me laugh! I liked Oliver almost immediately! He was so good and I loved him! He was funny, selfless, protective and brave! When they first kissed, my mouth dropped open…I was shocked. I did not see that coming! I was giggling at some of his comments! He was delightful! Giselle was funny! I can’t wait to read about her again!
Celine and Oliver were so perfectly matched! I loved it! I loved the scene where they were chasing each other and rolling down the hill! They were SO good together! Their love story was beautiful, passionate and one of my favorites! The part towards the end reminded me of Tangled and I absolutely loved it! This was an interesting retelling of the Snow Queen especially with Celine and her gift. It was action packed and heart pounding! I was hooked from the beginning! I throughly loved all of the ice and snow! It brought such beautiful images to my mind! Wow, that was incredible!! I throughly LOVED that!! How Melanie Cellier keeps writing one amazing book after another is amazing!! I can’t wait to read the next one!! 5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quotes I liked:
❄️ "Sorry about that. Or, well.." He gestured at the cleared stones. "Maybe not so sorry?"
❄️ He held up both hands. "I promise Princess Celine that I will never kiss you again." He leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Unless you ask me to, of course." I rolled my eyes. “Sometimes I think I liked you better when you were a walking ice block." He just continued to grin, unrepentant, and I shook my head.
❄️ "I will sit here and await rescue by the brave and handsome prince." I batted my eyelashes at him as angrily as I could. “Did you hear that, Giselle?" Oliver grinned. "She thinks I'm brave and handsome."
❄️ His body shook with silent laughter. "Why do I have the feeling you're going to keep me on my toes?" “Because you're very wise. Like I was just saying."
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
July 29, 2019
Another delightful addition to the Four Kingdoms world! This book follows Celine, the youngest of seven royal siblings, to a northern kingdom being slowly frozen in more than one way!
Melanie Cellier's books always contain sweet romance, fun characters, and some intriguing twists. I've been holding back a few for some fun reading escape, and this one definitely satisfied that need.
A truly delightful fairy tale!
Melanie Cellier's books always contain sweet romance, fun characters, and some intriguing twists. I've been holding back a few for some fun reading escape, and this one definitely satisfied that need.
A truly delightful fairy tale!
March 29, 2021
Icy
Intriguing take on the Snow Queen with a plotline reminiscent of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I'd been eager to read Celine's story and she did not disappoint!
Intriguing take on the Snow Queen with a plotline reminiscent of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I'd been eager to read Celine's story and she did not disappoint!
July 18, 2024
This was my least favorite because it dragged on and was the least entertaining. I did not like the magical powers that were brought into the story because it doesn’t follow the rest of the storyline or princesses. The fight between the princess and villain was about 2 chapters out of the whole book. I could have done without the whole middle. I also thought the princess wasn’t as spunky as she should have been compared to how she was in the previous stories.
December 28, 2021
review coming soon
June 12, 2021
All of Melanie Cellier's fairy tale retellings are wonderful, and I do like the story about Princess Celine using her newly acquired heat/fire powers to save the frozen kingdom of Eldon. I also think that her relationship with Prince Oliver is one of the most realistic and organic out of the whole series. Plus, little sister Princess Giselle is spunky and funny and brave. However, makes this book feel a little more disjointed than the others. It's still an excellent book, just not quite as perfect as some of the others in the series.
Re-read, re-review January 2023
This story is unique among Cellier's fairy tales (at least, up to this point), because the Snow Queen isn't the hero of the novel. Most stories have the princesses standing in for The Little Mermaid or Red Riding Hood. Celine is not the Snow Queen -- in fact, she's the exact opposite. I agree with my previous review that the plot speed could have been better, with the story moving too slow in the beginning, and then too fast with the confrontation with the Queen. However, the characters are still intriguing and wonderful, and the book is good enough to re-read (maybe multiple times).
Re-read, re-review January 2023
This story is unique among Cellier's fairy tales (at least, up to this point), because the Snow Queen isn't the hero of the novel. Most stories have the princesses standing in for The Little Mermaid or Red Riding Hood. Celine is not the Snow Queen -- in fact, she's the exact opposite. I agree with my previous review that the plot speed could have been better, with the story moving too slow in the beginning, and then too fast with the confrontation with the Queen. However, the characters are still intriguing and wonderful, and the book is good enough to re-read (maybe multiple times).
January 7, 2023
2.5 stars, rounded up
I was so looking forward to Celine's story after her many appearances in The Four Kingdoms series. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this really missed the mark for me. Snow Queen retellings are generally pretty hit or miss for me, but this felt like it started in the middle of a story. I could not bring myself to care about Oliver or his sisters, with Casandra being the most interesting of everyone involved (hopefully that means she'll have her own story in the next series 🤞). There was far more emphasis on magic in this one as well, with a romance that read as very insta-love; both of which are elements I don't care for in books.
All that to say, you may like this more than I did- but it's my least favorite in the two series.
I was so looking forward to Celine's story after her many appearances in The Four Kingdoms series. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this really missed the mark for me. Snow Queen retellings are generally pretty hit or miss for me, but this felt like it started in the middle of a story. I could not bring myself to care about Oliver or his sisters, with Casandra being the most interesting of everyone involved (hopefully that means she'll have her own story in the next series 🤞). There was far more emphasis on magic in this one as well, with a romance that read as very insta-love; both of which are elements I don't care for in books.
All that to say, you may like this more than I did- but it's my least favorite in the two series.
November 16, 2022
4.5 Stars
February 25, 2019
4.5 stars! I really wish Goodreads had a rating system for half stars.
Of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms books so far, Princess Celine has been my favorite princess. She's strong-willed, sassy, and will do whatever it takes to help the people she loves, no matter what damage she does to herself in the process. The characters were strong in this one, but sadly the plot wasn't as enchanting as the characters. I'm so glad Giselle and Oliver were on the journey with her, because I didn't want her to have to face everything alone, plus it would not have been as exciting. But there were a lot of travel scenes in this book, which in my opinion has always made for boring reading. There is A LOT of trekking through snow and ice. A LOT. And we don't see the villain until the last third of the book, and it seems far too easy to defeat her after everything she was able to do to the kingdom. Of course I don't want it to be too hard, either, but after all the lead-up, the battle just wasn't that major.
But overall I love Celine and Oliver, and Giselle was such a fun side character that I would love for her to eventually get her own story, too!
Of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms books so far, Princess Celine has been my favorite princess. She's strong-willed, sassy, and will do whatever it takes to help the people she loves, no matter what damage she does to herself in the process. The characters were strong in this one, but sadly the plot wasn't as enchanting as the characters. I'm so glad Giselle and Oliver were on the journey with her, because I didn't want her to have to face everything alone, plus it would not have been as exciting. But there were a lot of travel scenes in this book, which in my opinion has always made for boring reading. There is A LOT of trekking through snow and ice. A LOT. And we don't see the villain until the last third of the book, and it seems far too easy to defeat her after everything she was able to do to the kingdom. Of course I don't want it to be too hard, either, but after all the lead-up, the battle just wasn't that major.
But overall I love Celine and Oliver, and Giselle was such a fun side character that I would love for her to eventually get her own story, too!
April 23, 2021
Cinderella retelling
Whatever spell they are under is nuts. What the Godmother gave Celine is amazing. I love the tension between Celine and Oliver. Gizelle is very bold. I enjoyed the adventure. Sterling what? Celine is so hard on herself. The Snow Queen knew who? I like the growl. What about the snow? The Snow Queen is scary. The action was cool. The ending was what I needed. Good story.
Whatever spell they are under is nuts. What the Godmother gave Celine is amazing. I love the tension between Celine and Oliver. Gizelle is very bold. I enjoyed the adventure. Sterling what? Celine is so hard on herself. The Snow Queen knew who? I like the growl. What about the snow? The Snow Queen is scary. The action was cool. The ending was what I needed. Good story.
July 21, 2022
Loved this book! I've always loved Celine and her story was great... and she got a little comeuppance for her former schemes which was great too XD 11+
March 5, 2024
I LOVE YOU OLIVER 😭😍😍
August 21, 2023
4.5*
I liked this one more than the first two.1) because Celeste felt more relatable, flawed in a way that made her more human instead of a princess in a fairytale. She constantly was beating herself up for how she did or didn't do something, as well as second-guessing throughout the story. I enjoyed her character way more than I thought I would just based on the little bits of interaction she had in the first book, in which she came across as a bit overly confident and I felt she was a little stuck up, but she really was none of those things.
2) The story itself was just better. I felt more invested in it, and I thought the love story was sweet.
I liked this one more than the first two.1) because Celeste felt more relatable, flawed in a way that made her more human instead of a princess in a fairytale. She constantly was beating herself up for how she did or didn't do something, as well as second-guessing throughout the story. I enjoyed her character way more than I thought I would just based on the little bits of interaction she had in the first book, in which she came across as a bit overly confident and I felt she was a little stuck up, but she really was none of those things.
2) The story itself was just better. I felt more invested in it, and I thought the love story was sweet.
August 23, 2018
I adore this series to pieces, and I’m so thrilled that Celine got her own story. It’s little surprise that I loved this book.
The characters were great, the conflict was well-realized, and the incorporation of different elements of the Snow Queen fairy tale was fun to read about.
No complaints, and I’m really looking forward to the next story, as it’s been built up since the beginning of this new series. Snow White, here we come!
The characters were great, the conflict was well-realized, and the incorporation of different elements of the Snow Queen fairy tale was fun to read about.
No complaints, and I’m really looking forward to the next story, as it’s been built up since the beginning of this new series. Snow White, here we come!
September 21, 2018
Another fun addition to the series. I appreciate getting to read about fiery heroines who who *don't* have an incredible level of physical fitness, and actually struggle walking up steep inclines almost as much as I do.
This has a bit of kissing, but nothing beyond that, and seems appropriate for nearly any age level.
This has a bit of kissing, but nothing beyond that, and seems appropriate for nearly any age level.
July 9, 2022
I’m super hot right now so a snowy setting is an extra star from me, lol.
The mc here, whose name starts with a C I think but I already forgot because I have a pea brain, was one of my favorite characters from the original series so I was happy for her to get her moment in the limelight. Even though she did something sort of impulsively stupid, which is fairly on-brand.
The mc here, whose name starts with a C I think but I already forgot because I have a pea brain, was one of my favorite characters from the original series so I was happy for her to get her moment in the limelight. Even though she did something sort of impulsively stupid, which is fairly on-brand.
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