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Kingdom of Birds and Beasts #1
Feathers of Snow
In Brianna’s new world of ice and snow, the coldest things by far are the eyes of her betrothed...
Brianna bears a deadly secret: she’s not the princess she is pretending to be. If the prince finds out, her life will be forfeit and her country plunged into war.
But there is more to the icy prince than meets the eye, and Brianna slowly unravels the secrets of his dark past while surviving in a strange culture.
However her goodness and wit will only get her so far. Terrifying beasts stalk the border and a murderer is at work in the town. They know the truth of Brianna’s identity and will stop at nothing to destroy all she has fought for.
Brianna bears a deadly secret: she’s not the princess she is pretending to be. If the prince finds out, her life will be forfeit and her country plunged into war.
But there is more to the icy prince than meets the eye, and Brianna slowly unravels the secrets of his dark past while surviving in a strange culture.
However her goodness and wit will only get her so far. Terrifying beasts stalk the border and a murderer is at work in the town. They know the truth of Brianna’s identity and will stop at nothing to destroy all she has fought for.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2021
90 people are currently reading
3006 people want to read
About the author
Alice Ivinya
32 books311 followersAlice is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes low spice fantasy and fairytales.
She lives in Bristol, UK, and has loved fantasy all her life. Her favourite authors are Holly Black and Brandon Sanderson.
When she's not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can find her looking after her two young sons, hanging out with her church family, or walking the best dog in the world with her husband.
She lives in Bristol, UK, and has loved fantasy all her life. Her favourite authors are Holly Black and Brandon Sanderson.
When she's not off gallivanting in other worlds, you can find her looking after her two young sons, hanging out with her church family, or walking the best dog in the world with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
November 14, 2022
Because this fantasy/medieval storyline reminded me of some of my Korean manhwas, 3 stars, personally. I would said that I overall liked it and plan to read the next book after that cliff-hanger of an ending.
I will easily say the whole "Spirit-Beasts" and "the Old Blood" and talking animals plot line were pretty much lost on me. Do I fully understand it? No way. But I kept going along with the story because the Goose Girl fairytale is one that I like reading. This was an interesting book. I wouldn't call it excellent by any means and I am not happy about that cliff-hanger ending, but at least I don't have to wait on the next book being released (which was my fear as I swiped that last page).
My main negative of this story would be all the animal cruelty and animal deaths (a butterfly, kittens, a dove, a wolf, and horses). I won't be reviewing this novel on BFCG or sharing an in-depth review, so I quickly skimmed over those scenes. Definitely a trigger warning to very sensitive animals lovers on those parts.
I was really tired when I started this book, but I wanted to read something I could easily read and be pulled into. That was definitely "Feather's of Snow and while it's not a book I would buy a physical copy of, it was engaging enough to keep my interest the entire time I was reading. (Also, that map at the beginning was by-far possibly the best map I think I've ever seen in a fictional book.)
Main Content: (that I can think to note)
Animal cruelty and animal deaths (a butterfly, kittens, a dove, a wolf, and horses, up to semi-detailed); Brianna has flashbacks to when the princess drowned kittens and when Brianna tried to save one, the little twit of a princess nailed her in a barrel with the last kitten (up to semi-detailed); Brianna grieves loved ones.
No language at all (besides words like 'stupid', 'idiot', and 'dumb' along with some fictional-world cursing like 'Spirits', 'Spirit-knows-where', etc.
I honestly don't understand enough of the Beast-Spirit/Old Blood/Souls stuff to explain it, from what I understood, all nobility and many animals have traces of the Old Blood which can cause them to bond and talk to each other. Those animals who have undiluted Old Blood can be taken over by a dark magic which causes them to become large and terrifying. (I'm not a fantasy writer or even a big fantasy reader, friends, cut me some slack.)
Fighting & Killing such beasts (semi-detailed, pretty intense at times); Seeing others injured (semi-detailed); Drinking wine (pretty often, for socializing at balls and dinner, and also implied for warmth); The Princess is an absolute jealous and spoiled brat that is constantly mean and belittling Brianna plus is verbally abuse towards Brianna (you'll hate her); Many mentions of wars, violence, deaths, and all of that (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of rumors of a crazy killer and someone who's said to have killed his wife; Mentions of lies, lying, & deception; Mentions of grieving (sons, daughters, parents, a close animal friend).
Sexual content: Mentions of having to bear an heir and a wedding night (other than Brianna blushing and being concerned, there's no details); There's some noticing and attraction between Brianna and the Prince, along with touches, embraces, hand holding, and nearness (nothing above semi-detailed); A few kisses (again, nothing above semi-detailed); Brianna has her "monthly bleed" (period) and has to clear herself up (barely-above-not-detailed).
I will easily say the whole "Spirit-Beasts" and "the Old Blood" and talking animals plot line were pretty much lost on me. Do I fully understand it? No way. But I kept going along with the story because the Goose Girl fairytale is one that I like reading. This was an interesting book. I wouldn't call it excellent by any means and I am not happy about that cliff-hanger ending, but at least I don't have to wait on the next book being released (which was my fear as I swiped that last page).
My main negative of this story would be all the animal cruelty and animal deaths (a butterfly, kittens, a dove, a wolf, and horses). I won't be reviewing this novel on BFCG or sharing an in-depth review, so I quickly skimmed over those scenes. Definitely a trigger warning to very sensitive animals lovers on those parts.
I was really tired when I started this book, but I wanted to read something I could easily read and be pulled into. That was definitely "Feather's of Snow and while it's not a book I would buy a physical copy of, it was engaging enough to keep my interest the entire time I was reading. (Also, that map at the beginning was by-far possibly the best map I think I've ever seen in a fictional book.)
Main Content: (that I can think to note)
Animal cruelty and animal deaths (a butterfly, kittens, a dove, a wolf, and horses, up to semi-detailed); Brianna has flashbacks to when the princess drowned kittens and when Brianna tried to save one, the little twit of a princess nailed her in a barrel with the last kitten (up to semi-detailed); Brianna grieves loved ones.
No language at all (besides words like 'stupid', 'idiot', and 'dumb' along with some fictional-world cursing like 'Spirits', 'Spirit-knows-where', etc.
I honestly don't understand enough of the Beast-Spirit/Old Blood/Souls stuff to explain it, from what I understood, all nobility and many animals have traces of the Old Blood which can cause them to bond and talk to each other. Those animals who have undiluted Old Blood can be taken over by a dark magic which causes them to become large and terrifying. (I'm not a fantasy writer or even a big fantasy reader, friends, cut me some slack.)
Fighting & Killing such beasts (semi-detailed, pretty intense at times); Seeing others injured (semi-detailed); Drinking wine (pretty often, for socializing at balls and dinner, and also implied for warmth); The Princess is an absolute jealous and spoiled brat that is constantly mean and belittling Brianna plus is verbally abuse towards Brianna (you'll hate her); Many mentions of wars, violence, deaths, and all of that (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of rumors of a crazy killer and someone who's said to have killed his wife; Mentions of lies, lying, & deception; Mentions of grieving (sons, daughters, parents, a close animal friend).
Sexual content: Mentions of having to bear an heir and a wedding night (other than Brianna blushing and being concerned, there's no details); There's some noticing and attraction between Brianna and the Prince, along with touches, embraces, hand holding, and nearness (nothing above semi-detailed); A few kisses (again, nothing above semi-detailed); Brianna has her "monthly bleed" (period) and has to clear herself up (barely-above-not-detailed).
December 9, 2021
This book was such an enjoyable read and one of the most interesting fairytale retellings that I have read in a while. If you're looking for some adventure, a unique world building, interesting characters and a slow-burn romance, consider giving this book a chance.
Good:
The heroine. Brianna is not a badass by any means, but she's kind and has a good head on her shoulders, and continued to be that way throughout the story, despite the circumstances.
The hero. Prince Jian. What can I say, I have a thing for brooding guys with a good heart.
The worldbuilding piqued my interest and was my second favorite thing about the book. I got a slight impression that The Borderlands and its people had elements borrowed from medieval Mongolian culture.
The romance is a slow-burn. No insta-love, not even insta-attraction. The romance felt natural and not forced. Both Brianna and Jian - two unwilling participants in a politically arranged marriage, they wanted nothing to do with each other in the beginning, but accepted their duties for the sake of their kingdoms. Their romance progressed slowly from enemies to friends to first glimpses of attraction and love (not too slowly, so don't worry, slow-burns are good, but not when you have to wait a couple of books for two people to get together).
What I didn't like:
TW needed. There's some animal cruelty and deaths portrayed in this book (on and off-pages). I'm kinda surprised that the author, who is also a vet, decided to include these scenes in their book.
Also, this one very WTF moment that happened near 70% into the book, was a reason I took one star away, because...WHAT??
The main villain was a bit flat, I find villains who are evil just because they're evil rather boring.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I'm definitely looking for the next book.
Good:
The heroine. Brianna is not a badass by any means, but she's kind and has a good head on her shoulders, and continued to be that way throughout the story, despite the circumstances.
The hero. Prince Jian. What can I say, I have a thing for brooding guys with a good heart.
The worldbuilding piqued my interest and was my second favorite thing about the book. I got a slight impression that The Borderlands and its people had elements borrowed from medieval Mongolian culture.
The romance is a slow-burn. No insta-love, not even insta-attraction. The romance felt natural and not forced. Both Brianna and Jian - two unwilling participants in a politically arranged marriage, they wanted nothing to do with each other in the beginning, but accepted their duties for the sake of their kingdoms. Their romance progressed slowly from enemies to friends to first glimpses of attraction and love (not too slowly, so don't worry, slow-burns are good, but not when you have to wait a couple of books for two people to get together).
What I didn't like:
TW needed. There's some animal cruelty and deaths portrayed in this book (on and off-pages). I'm kinda surprised that the author, who is also a vet, decided to include these scenes in their book.
Also, this one very WTF moment that happened near 70% into the book, was a reason I took one star away, because...WHAT??
The main villain was a bit flat, I find villains who are evil just because they're evil rather boring.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I'm definitely looking for the next book.
February 12, 2022
This was engaging and I am looking forward to reading the next book. The world gave me a GOT vibe, I especially found likeness to the Wall and Wildings. Ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger.
CW/TW: animal death
CW/TW: animal death
February 8, 2021
TLDR? I put my general observations and overall assessment first, and more particular details later (no spoilers). So just read until you’ve seen enough.
If you like fairy tale retellings, you should read this one. Strong fairy tale style, great retelling, but it's not one of the most well-known tales so it hasn't already been done a half a dozen different ways.
The main character is very empathetic, likeable, flawed but no more than the average person would be in her situation. I rooted for her from the first page, and staid with her at every turn, eager to know how it turns out. All the characters in this book are believable characters with unique personalities, although Brianna is the only POV character through the whole story – but that works well. I read it fast, and it felt short even though it’s not, because I remained immersed in it and enjoyed every page.
But you should know, before you start it, that it is the first book in a series. The story is not complete at the end of this book. There is at least one more book, which is not out yet. I don’t know whether there will be more.
I noticed five or six typos, half of them grammatical errors that look like the result of sloppy editing (a word being removed that leaves the sentence incomplete), and the other half issues of punctuation – a sentence with no closing punctuation, a sentence at the end of a paragraph that ends with a comma instead of a period, etc. Enough to know it’s not a fully professional production, but relatively few errors for an indie author. Not enough to stop me from enjoying the read.
Other than being a fairy-tale retelling, set in a high fantasy style world, it manages to blend in parts of other genres.
Drama:
Drama seems to be the main focus of the story – there is personal drama between the main character Brianna and the princess she serves, and later between Brianna and the man she is sent to marry against her will. There is a horse who can talk to her and is her best friend (one of my favorite characters), and other talking animals who are not so friendly. But that gets more into the action/adventure section.
Romance:
The romance is slow-burn, slightly hostile strangers to lovers. I wouldn’t quite say enemies to lovers because they were never really enemies, but they certainly both had their guard up to start. There is one scene near the end where there starts to be quite a few sparks, but they are very proper in their etiquette so there is no sex. The romance is strong, central to the story, believable, heart-warming, and completely PG.
Mystery:
There are a couple of deaths under mysterious circumstances, and voices on the wind that seem to know more than they should. There is political intrigue, there are hidden pasts. There is plenty of mystery, and some of the mysteries are revealed along the way while some remain unsolved to draw you into the next book.
Action/Adventure:
There is certainly the threat of danger at every turn. There are treacherous nobles, giant talking Spirit Beasts plotting to kill as many people as they can, giant raging insane beasts out to attack everything in sight, as well as normal environmental hazards of the far north. But 90% of it remains only a potential threat. There are only a couple of actual fights on screen, and they are both resolved rather quickly. The action/adventure side of the story is the weakest, but I didn’t miss it too much because of the tension from the drama and mystery aspects of the story, and the interesting relationships.
If you like fairy tale retellings, you should read this one. Strong fairy tale style, great retelling, but it's not one of the most well-known tales so it hasn't already been done a half a dozen different ways.
The main character is very empathetic, likeable, flawed but no more than the average person would be in her situation. I rooted for her from the first page, and staid with her at every turn, eager to know how it turns out. All the characters in this book are believable characters with unique personalities, although Brianna is the only POV character through the whole story – but that works well. I read it fast, and it felt short even though it’s not, because I remained immersed in it and enjoyed every page.
But you should know, before you start it, that it is the first book in a series. The story is not complete at the end of this book. There is at least one more book, which is not out yet. I don’t know whether there will be more.
I noticed five or six typos, half of them grammatical errors that look like the result of sloppy editing (a word being removed that leaves the sentence incomplete), and the other half issues of punctuation – a sentence with no closing punctuation, a sentence at the end of a paragraph that ends with a comma instead of a period, etc. Enough to know it’s not a fully professional production, but relatively few errors for an indie author. Not enough to stop me from enjoying the read.
Other than being a fairy-tale retelling, set in a high fantasy style world, it manages to blend in parts of other genres.
Drama:
Drama seems to be the main focus of the story – there is personal drama between the main character Brianna and the princess she serves, and later between Brianna and the man she is sent to marry against her will. There is a horse who can talk to her and is her best friend (one of my favorite characters), and other talking animals who are not so friendly. But that gets more into the action/adventure section.
Romance:
The romance is slow-burn, slightly hostile strangers to lovers. I wouldn’t quite say enemies to lovers because they were never really enemies, but they certainly both had their guard up to start. There is one scene near the end where there starts to be quite a few sparks, but they are very proper in their etiquette so there is no sex. The romance is strong, central to the story, believable, heart-warming, and completely PG.
Mystery:
There are a couple of deaths under mysterious circumstances, and voices on the wind that seem to know more than they should. There is political intrigue, there are hidden pasts. There is plenty of mystery, and some of the mysteries are revealed along the way while some remain unsolved to draw you into the next book.
Action/Adventure:
There is certainly the threat of danger at every turn. There are treacherous nobles, giant talking Spirit Beasts plotting to kill as many people as they can, giant raging insane beasts out to attack everything in sight, as well as normal environmental hazards of the far north. But 90% of it remains only a potential threat. There are only a couple of actual fights on screen, and they are both resolved rather quickly. The action/adventure side of the story is the weakest, but I didn’t miss it too much because of the tension from the drama and mystery aspects of the story, and the interesting relationships.
October 9, 2022
This was a fun retelling of the Goose Girl fairytale.
Lady Brianna is forced to take on the identity of the cruel Princess Elyanna and enter into an arranged marriage with a foreign prince. Brianna was a likable heroine, she is put in an impossible situation, but slowly learns to make the best of it. Prince Jian isnt the monster they first assumed, and it was fun to watch their relationship grow. Even though he is cold and unwelcoming at first, she is determined to build at least a friendship with him and I think everyone is surprised when that turns to more.
Secret identity stories always gives me a bit of anxiety, always wondering when the truth will be exposed and how all the key players will respond. I thought it was a tad rushed towards the end, lots of build up to the big reveal and I guess I was expecting more? I did like how things weren't quite how I expected, and it leaves with some closure but definitely a little cliffhangery so I am eager to pick up the next book to see what happens next. I'm actually really looking forward to the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I thought it was well written, pretty good pacing throughout. I knew it was the first in the series, so there is some worldbuilding going on and I do wish the romance had been amped up a tad more, but I am curious to see how it plays out in the next books. Would recommend to others.
Content Rated PG
Very mild slowburn romance, no language, mild violence
Lady Brianna is forced to take on the identity of the cruel Princess Elyanna and enter into an arranged marriage with a foreign prince. Brianna was a likable heroine, she is put in an impossible situation, but slowly learns to make the best of it. Prince Jian isnt the monster they first assumed, and it was fun to watch their relationship grow. Even though he is cold and unwelcoming at first, she is determined to build at least a friendship with him and I think everyone is surprised when that turns to more.
Secret identity stories always gives me a bit of anxiety, always wondering when the truth will be exposed and how all the key players will respond. I thought it was a tad rushed towards the end, lots of build up to the big reveal and I guess I was expecting more? I did like how things weren't quite how I expected, and it leaves with some closure but definitely a little cliffhangery so I am eager to pick up the next book to see what happens next. I'm actually really looking forward to the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I thought it was well written, pretty good pacing throughout. I knew it was the first in the series, so there is some worldbuilding going on and I do wish the romance had been amped up a tad more, but I am curious to see how it plays out in the next books. Would recommend to others.
Content Rated PG
Very mild slowburn romance, no language, mild violence
February 3, 2022
Beautiful tale of love, discovery and loyalty
I love a good take on fairy tales and you can see some many inspirations here yet it never takes away from what is a unique and beautiful story.
The relationships are built well and the impact on the characters feels real. There are no simple solutions and the characters have to figure things out as they go.
The relationship between Brianna and her guard and her horse are worth the read in and of itself. But you’ll find plenty more to enjoy.
On I go to find Book 2!
I love a good take on fairy tales and you can see some many inspirations here yet it never takes away from what is a unique and beautiful story.
The relationships are built well and the impact on the characters feels real. There are no simple solutions and the characters have to figure things out as they go.
The relationship between Brianna and her guard and her horse are worth the read in and of itself. But you’ll find plenty more to enjoy.
On I go to find Book 2!
October 6, 2021
It was a great book and I enjoyed reading it. I loved the storyline and the characters in this book.
January 17, 2022
This was such a fun read!! I’ve already started book two, because I loved it so much. The story follows a lady-in-waiting named Brianna who is forced into accepting a marriage proposal for a horrible spoiled evil Princess that I have a LOT of thoughts about. So to save her family, Brianna takes the Princess’s place and travels to a faraway kingdom to wed a Prince with a vile reputation.
You guys…I loved Jian! Yes, he’s got a hard exterior, but he’s soft on the inside and really just afraid to trust again. Sigh. The chemistry between Brianna and Jian was so fun to read and the looming danger of the Spirit-Beasts created a dangerous atmosphere in the story. I won’t say anything more, cause I don’t want to spoil anything, but I really enjoyed this! The writing was buttery and rich. The characters were so easy to root for. I literally finished it in two days. Highly recommend!
You guys…I loved Jian! Yes, he’s got a hard exterior, but he’s soft on the inside and really just afraid to trust again. Sigh. The chemistry between Brianna and Jian was so fun to read and the looming danger of the Spirit-Beasts created a dangerous atmosphere in the story. I won’t say anything more, cause I don’t want to spoil anything, but I really enjoyed this! The writing was buttery and rich. The characters were so easy to root for. I literally finished it in two days. Highly recommend!
February 25, 2021
Court intrigue, New worlds, overcoming despair, heartache and difficulty, along with deep old magic and magical creatures, this book was immensely satisfying. I also love a cold start to slow burn interest in my romance, and this was smoothly and wonderfully done.
This book is incredibly written, full of detail that makes the world vibrant and clear. Her characters are unique, defined and endearing. It was so captivating with an enthralling plot. I am ravenous for book 2.
Anxiety alert: it ends in discord, the truth filleted out uncomfortably. but the main character is so strong you don't feel hopeless. It's worth the read to see her growth and overall arc.
December 7, 2022
So surprised! I've been cleaning out my Kindle and I've had this book in there for a while. I just read four or five chapters get a feel for the book and normally stop reading. I thought this would just be another book like that. But I was so pulled in from the first chapter. The writing is so well done. The characters are developed and deep. This reminds me of the goose girl by Shannon Hale. But less wordy. I enjoyed it so much. I'm on to read the next and I'm not even worried that it will just be a page filler. Here's hoping.
This is a 14 and up book. There's some violence. Animal violence and people violence. Some talk of torture to a child. A sweet kiss.
This is a 14 and up book. There's some violence. Animal violence and people violence. Some talk of torture to a child. A sweet kiss.
December 30, 2025
This was fine. For some reason I thought there would be more court intrigue and maneuvering, but pretty much every liked her from the beginning. Jian, her betrothed, is indifferent to her, but he is mostly kind to her, even if he has little patience for her AND it feels cleared up so quickly.
There is quite a bit of death here, mostly animal death or cruelty, but the major deaths that do happen are abrupt and out of nowhere. I really don't understand how the ending came about as it doesn't quite mesh with how the characters are.
So, all in all this is fine, but ultimately forgettable. I don't quite care to read on.
There is quite a bit of death here, mostly animal death or cruelty, but the major deaths that do happen are abrupt and out of nowhere. I really don't understand how the ending came about as it doesn't quite mesh with how the characters are.
So, all in all this is fine, but ultimately forgettable. I don't quite care to read on.
March 27, 2021
This book genuinely surprised me. I loved the concept and the plot and how it ran so smoothly from one moment to another.
Brianna had a hard life but when she went to stonekeep she decided to give it her best. My favourite part is that she decided to do it as herself. Her personality is sweet and caring and you can see she would make a great queen.
Jian’s story is one of tragedy but after being surprised by her good nature is also willing to make the best of the situation and open his heart once again.
I am beyond intrigued about the spirit-beasts and the voice Brianna hears and I wish that it works out for them in the end. Hopefully next book!
Overall this was a great read, fun to experience, painful at times to hear their stories and just beautiful to see her grow. Can’t wait for the second.
Brianna had a hard life but when she went to stonekeep she decided to give it her best. My favourite part is that she decided to do it as herself. Her personality is sweet and caring and you can see she would make a great queen.
Jian’s story is one of tragedy but after being surprised by her good nature is also willing to make the best of the situation and open his heart once again.
I am beyond intrigued about the spirit-beasts and the voice Brianna hears and I wish that it works out for them in the end. Hopefully next book!
Overall this was a great read, fun to experience, painful at times to hear their stories and just beautiful to see her grow. Can’t wait for the second.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2021
Oh my gosh. I just finished this book and I am dying to know what happens (excuse me for a moment while I go preorder book 2...)
Feathers of Snow is one of the best books I’ve read this year. As someone who personally appreciates clean, sweet romances and well-built fantasy worlds, this book checked all the boxes. I loved it and will be recommending it to every reader I know. 5/5 without a doubt!
Feathers of Snow is one of the best books I’ve read this year. As someone who personally appreciates clean, sweet romances and well-built fantasy worlds, this book checked all the boxes. I loved it and will be recommending it to every reader I know. 5/5 without a doubt!
January 11, 2026
Well, it's a shame I didn't fully enjoy this because it's got so much potential! For one, it's not a "romantasy" IMO, since it talks more about the differences between two nations, potential dangers at the border, mystery surrounding the "Old Blood" and "Spirit Beasts" that occupy the area. Basically, the romance was the least present, which I didn't mind one bit 😂
The second thing I appreciated about this book is how dark it gets at times. Judging by that cover, you would never guess how many shocking deaths and cruel actions are mentioned in the book. This might be someone's con, but to me it's a pro because ultimately, this story is about political marriage and a possible upcoming war.
The third aspect I'll mention is the characters. Brianna started off as a meek, slightly boring character who got stronger and better as the story progressed. I think she'll become an even more amazing character in the sequels. Jian was okay. I appreciated what he did for his people, and while he slightly annoyed me at the start, after his true intentions were revealed and we learned more about him, I started to like him 😂
All of these were good points, so why didn't I rate this higher? It didn't make me feel anything. I cared for the story, but not too much. The characters were fine, but not great. The romance, while not being the centre focus, didn't wow me. The whole "Old Blood" talk and world-building slightly bored me. I would skip entire paragraphs of description because I truly didn't care and TBH didn't understand how any of this worked. I doubt I'll remember anything significant after a month or two, which is a shame because I can see the author had some great ideas and the sequels would probably be better, but I don't have the will to continue reading them to see if I was right 😂
The second thing I appreciated about this book is how dark it gets at times. Judging by that cover, you would never guess how many shocking deaths and cruel actions are mentioned in the book. This might be someone's con, but to me it's a pro because ultimately, this story is about political marriage and a possible upcoming war.
The third aspect I'll mention is the characters. Brianna started off as a meek, slightly boring character who got stronger and better as the story progressed. I think she'll become an even more amazing character in the sequels. Jian was okay. I appreciated what he did for his people, and while he slightly annoyed me at the start, after his true intentions were revealed and we learned more about him, I started to like him 😂
All of these were good points, so why didn't I rate this higher? It didn't make me feel anything. I cared for the story, but not too much. The characters were fine, but not great. The romance, while not being the centre focus, didn't wow me. The whole "Old Blood" talk and world-building slightly bored me. I would skip entire paragraphs of description because I truly didn't care and TBH didn't understand how any of this worked. I doubt I'll remember anything significant after a month or two, which is a shame because I can see the author had some great ideas and the sequels would probably be better, but I don't have the will to continue reading them to see if I was right 😂
September 24, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very entertaining! My only complaint is that the ending leaves you hanging. Otherwise, it was great! I couldn't put it down.
November 23, 2022
Didn’t she understand that this was always going to happen? There had always been a political marriage awaiting her. This was the price for her life of privilege and luxury.
Brianna was Princess Elyanna’s lady-in-waiting. When it is announced that Elyanna’s father and his council have proposed marriage to the prince of the Boarderlands, Elyanna and her mother come up with the idea to send Brianna instead.
Elyanna can only be described as a selfish, cruel, abusive girl. Her mother isn’t any better. In fact, she is worse because she knows how to be manipulative.
This is a retelling of Goose Girl which is a fairy tale I am unfamiliar with. While I liked the story it felt like it dragged on. I liked Brianna and Jian was okay. He didn’t really have much until after the halfway mark. At first, I was glad to start reading this book. It seemed like it was going to be amazing, but I figured out where the plot was going and from there on it was just waiting. Waiting for the attack to happen and for everything to blow up.
If it wasn’t for the last chapter, I wouldn’t continue with the series. But that last chapter shed a bit of light on the situation and it wasn’t the normal betrayal issue that plagues many YA books.
Brianna was Princess Elyanna’s lady-in-waiting. When it is announced that Elyanna’s father and his council have proposed marriage to the prince of the Boarderlands, Elyanna and her mother come up with the idea to send Brianna instead.
Elyanna can only be described as a selfish, cruel, abusive girl. Her mother isn’t any better. In fact, she is worse because she knows how to be manipulative.
This is a retelling of Goose Girl which is a fairy tale I am unfamiliar with. While I liked the story it felt like it dragged on. I liked Brianna and Jian was okay. He didn’t really have much until after the halfway mark. At first, I was glad to start reading this book. It seemed like it was going to be amazing, but I figured out where the plot was going and from there on it was just waiting. Waiting for the attack to happen and for everything to blow up.
If it wasn’t for the last chapter, I wouldn’t continue with the series. But that last chapter shed a bit of light on the situation and it wasn’t the normal betrayal issue that plagues many YA books.
March 20, 2021
I absolutely adored this book! I can’t say I’m an especially fast reader, but I genuinely couldn’t put this book down. It had fantastic pace, I just so loved the main character and I can’t wait to be able to read the sequel!
November 20, 2023
The medieval and northern ice vibes had me drawn and it was a nice twist on fantasy to see the mani character grow and not always be surprisingly good at everything but know she has room to grow. And also wants to grow and has a keen sense to keep her wits about her. I was not expecting this to be as good as it was and clearly so good I was able to finish in a matter of days. Can’t wait to get the next one!
December 31, 2021
So Good!
From start to finish, I could not put this book down! Masterful writing, character development and a spellbinding plot; Feathers of Snow is a fantasy tale I highly recommend. The novel was satisfying on every level—so good! Alice Ivinya, I applaud you.
From start to finish, I could not put this book down! Masterful writing, character development and a spellbinding plot; Feathers of Snow is a fantasy tale I highly recommend. The novel was satisfying on every level—so good! Alice Ivinya, I applaud you.
December 22, 2021
I had never been familiar with the story of the “Goose Girl” until I had read Thorn which was a fantastic book. In fact, I would recommend anything by Intisar Khanani for those who love drama, fantasy, action and romance and most importantly, excellent story telling. So I was rather looking forward to this story as it was another version of the Goose Girl. However, I found myself feeling increasingly frustrated at the story went on because it started incorporating some of the elements of YA romance that I really dislike. Namely, a young girl (I think she’s 18 so while young, not THAT young) who spends an incredible amount of time pissing and moaning to herself about her life. I sympathized with the spirit horse that she was bonded to who would point out that she was full of self-pity, hate, etc. But then I also didn’t know if I liked the spirit horse Falada either. I found it strange that the horse was bonded to more than one person. Also, that the other person the horse was bonded to was a homicidal b*tch. I mean, it calls into question this horse’s judgment. The other YA factor I dislike is when the young girl spends SO MUCH of her time wondering if the guy likes her and how can she get the guy to notice/like her and especially within the first 15 minutes of meeting said guy.
October 27, 2021
This story was such an interesting retelling of the Grimm fairytale. The orignal story is incredibly short and very brutal. AI was able to capture the essence of the story, weaving in intricate details (the barrel is a big one, but even the three drops of blood on a handkerchief) in ways that flowed well and fit the characters.
Brianna has gone through incredibly intense traumatic events at the hand of the real Elyanna and these are sprinkled throughout really well. The flashbacks happen in scenes where they fit and they're fully realized for the scenes without overwhelming anything.
I loved having this story told from Brianna's POV with her inner dialogue and conflicting thoughts about the position she has been forced into. The way she begins to try to make a life in this cold place feels real. She is hesitant, but determined which fits her background and she fights against what she has been conditioned to believe about herself and her new home.
Perhaps when the series is complete, we can get a few scenes from Jian's POV - I'd love to have the first dance, the walk in the garden, and the scene in his room.
Jeremiah was such a great supporting character. His position is so precarious and he seems guess that there's a deeper reason for his promotion, but never voices doubts. His allegiance and genuine care for Brianna is a wonderful, trusting friendship.
Highly recommend.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Brianna has gone through incredibly intense traumatic events at the hand of the real Elyanna and these are sprinkled throughout really well. The flashbacks happen in scenes where they fit and they're fully realized for the scenes without overwhelming anything.
I loved having this story told from Brianna's POV with her inner dialogue and conflicting thoughts about the position she has been forced into. The way she begins to try to make a life in this cold place feels real. She is hesitant, but determined which fits her background and she fights against what she has been conditioned to believe about herself and her new home.
Perhaps when the series is complete, we can get a few scenes from Jian's POV - I'd love to have the first dance, the walk in the garden, and the scene in his room.
Jeremiah was such a great supporting character. His position is so precarious and he seems guess that there's a deeper reason for his promotion, but never voices doubts. His allegiance and genuine care for Brianna is a wonderful, trusting friendship.
Highly recommend.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2021
This is in my top 3 reads this year by far.
I have never read the goose girl before but when I read the synopsis of this book I could not wait to get started. I was gifted this book for an honest review in return.
Normally a lot of my reviews will contain spoilers but I really don’t want to spoil this for anyone.
Honestly, I laughed, I cried, I squealed in excitement and I giggled, a lot. The relationship between the 2 main characters and how things were explained, including emotions, characters looks and personalities, it was portrayed so well! I honestly couldn’t fault it.
I’m really not ashamed to say this had me feeling ‘young’ again. With the giggling etc, it was just such a joy to read!
I cannot wait to read and review the next one!
I will also be looking into other books by this author ❤️
I have never read the goose girl before but when I read the synopsis of this book I could not wait to get started. I was gifted this book for an honest review in return.
Normally a lot of my reviews will contain spoilers but I really don’t want to spoil this for anyone.
Honestly, I laughed, I cried, I squealed in excitement and I giggled, a lot. The relationship between the 2 main characters and how things were explained, including emotions, characters looks and personalities, it was portrayed so well! I honestly couldn’t fault it.
I’m really not ashamed to say this had me feeling ‘young’ again. With the giggling etc, it was just such a joy to read!
I cannot wait to read and review the next one!
I will also be looking into other books by this author ❤️
February 12, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive this ARC a week or so before pub day, and flew through the story.
Briana’s story grips you from the very beginning, and keeps you intrigued throughout the entirety of the book. It’s a fun retelling of Goose Girl that is quick paced, an easy read, and has a slow burn romance intertwined into the plot.
I enjoyed this book so much. It was a fun read for me, as most things I read have extremely heavy and dark plots. This was like a breath of fresh air. I can’t WAIT for the next two books so I can follow along with Briana’s story!
I would definitely recommend this book for those that might just be starting out in the fantasy world, love retellings, or ANYONE who likes a quick read with lots of feels.
Briana’s story grips you from the very beginning, and keeps you intrigued throughout the entirety of the book. It’s a fun retelling of Goose Girl that is quick paced, an easy read, and has a slow burn romance intertwined into the plot.
I enjoyed this book so much. It was a fun read for me, as most things I read have extremely heavy and dark plots. This was like a breath of fresh air. I can’t WAIT for the next two books so I can follow along with Briana’s story!
I would definitely recommend this book for those that might just be starting out in the fantasy world, love retellings, or ANYONE who likes a quick read with lots of feels.
December 5, 2021
I would have given this 3 stars because the first 85% were... okay, but all I'm going to say is that if you're blackmailed into doing something under the threat that your family will die, it really, REALLY shouldn't be held against you that you lied under threat, especially that the Queen's argument that Brianna should have trusted them doesn't even hold water because she barely knows them anyway lmao
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 15, 2023⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars
This book was on the recommended page on StoryGraph and from the description it seemed like the perfect book for me. I ordered it almost immediately and was very excited to read it. Unfortunately it wasn’t was I was hoping for.
I don’t want to leave a star rating on the actual review because though it was only a 2 star for me, I can see the love that the author has put into it and I would never want to hurt the overall rating of a less known novel like this. I can see many people enjoying it in the future and wouldn’t want my review to stop someone from picking it up in the future.
I took these notes as I read so if it is unorganized and slightest unhinged, I apologize in advance haha.
I thought the over all plot was interesting, but it just started out already feeling forced. The way the queen came up with the idea to send Brianna instead of Elyanna was super cringe. It was giving ‘high school scheme’ not royal monarch with decades of political experience.
Another thing that struck me as ‘off’ from the beginning is that MC is so trusting everyone with her inner thoughts and random secrets. It’s weird, and felt out of place, especially because she kept the one secret that she should have shared to herself. Another thing I found starnge was that Ruo, the person who is supposed to be her new maid at Stonekeep, after knowing her for mere hours told her to calm down and enjoyed herself, dismissing valid worries (that MC shouldn’t have been sharing in the first place tbh). The reason I am even pointing that out is because all the relationships in the book felt unnatural to me. A person she just met is acting way too familiar to a new princess.
On page 78 when she is fleeing after eavesdropping on the conversation with the queen and the prince and running off down the hall and the turns to Jeremiah and thinks something like ‘he is the one person besides my horse that has always been loyal and friendly and on my side’. Like, girl, you do not know this person. You have known him for one week and have had like maybe three conversations with him. What is his last name? How old is he? Does he have a wife or kids? What is his favorite color? Oh you don’t know? Oh ok maybe you shouldn’t trust him as your closest confidant just yet. I was so sure that he was going to betray her in the book. Especially towards the end when every conversation they have was him hating on Jian (the prince). Now I’m thinking it might be possibly a love triangle being set up for the sequels. Not sure though.
The MC is very selfish. Often when people are talking to her or confiding in her she just makes it about herself. Once when her maid was talking to her she mentioned her dead husband and Brianna responded with a question about the prince. In the middle of the book when she is literally in the room with the dead elder prince she is only sad because he was nice to her and now he is dead. Not for the loss of him, and his future life. Not for his family, but for herself. As the royal family grieves their dead son and brother she is casually pondering burial customs in this new land and it’s upset because Jian isn’t paying her enough attention while they are viewing his dead brothers corpse.
Towards the end of the book Brianna becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea the Elyanna is there and stalking her. Which doesn’t make sense for a myriad of reasons. She has been shown to be extremely spoiled, yet the readers are supposed to believe that she is living in the wilderness, outside in the cold, watching MC living in a palace? I don’t think so. Additionally, on page 241 MC talks about how Elyanna had always wanted to be queen. That literally makes no sense at all. If she had wanted to be queen why would she give up her position and go hide in the winter palace? I understand that she was scared of the boarderlands or whatever stupid nonsense but 1) she had been preparing for this her whole life so it shouldn’t be such a shock that she is being married off even if it wasn’t ideal for her, and 2) she has been described as ruthless and sociopathic. She always wanted to be queen, yet gave up a marriage to a second prince - one easy death away from ruling as queen? Yeah, no.
The first kiss scene was actually really sweet. It was quite adorable. She was all nervous and didn’t know if she wanted to kiss him or not but afterwards she says “That’s it?” and he says he will try not to be offended, but she just thought it was going to be more complicated. She was surprised how easy it was to kiss him. Aww how cute. I was smiling the whole scene.
I really hate the lies trope. Ugh I hate it so much. It is probably my most hated trope in literature. What happened in the book was the same thing that happened in Bridge kingdom. I understand the point of the lies in the beginning of the story. It is the set up to the entire book, obviously it has to be a part of the story at least for the first portion. But just once I would love for the protagonist to come clean of their own accord. To earn some trust back by telling the truth and coming clean. Now the she has been ‘exposed’ against her will it will be nearly impossible to win that trust back. And I don’t want to read that story.
The story ended with some redemption. I think the way the royal family handled it was one of the only realistic (to the story) ways that was also satisfying. They didn’t believe the real Elyanna but for politics had to placate her. The fact that they let Brianna go free to start a new life was solid considering they all seemed to love her. I don’t really see where the story can go from here though, as I am unfamiliar with the Goose Girl fairytale. I really enjoy reading about solid couples who are strong together (or couples who are working towards that goal), but I have little interest in the begging for forgiveness storyline.
I enjoyed the read for what it was. I finished it in only two days so it would be hard to say I didn’t like it at least a little bit. The story was interesting, I think I just saw so much more potential in it. I kept hoping it would surprise me. I don’t think I will continue on with the series, but anything is possible.
This book was on the recommended page on StoryGraph and from the description it seemed like the perfect book for me. I ordered it almost immediately and was very excited to read it. Unfortunately it wasn’t was I was hoping for.
I don’t want to leave a star rating on the actual review because though it was only a 2 star for me, I can see the love that the author has put into it and I would never want to hurt the overall rating of a less known novel like this. I can see many people enjoying it in the future and wouldn’t want my review to stop someone from picking it up in the future.
I took these notes as I read so if it is unorganized and slightest unhinged, I apologize in advance haha.
I thought the over all plot was interesting, but it just started out already feeling forced. The way the queen came up with the idea to send Brianna instead of Elyanna was super cringe. It was giving ‘high school scheme’ not royal monarch with decades of political experience.
Another thing that struck me as ‘off’ from the beginning is that MC is so trusting everyone with her inner thoughts and random secrets. It’s weird, and felt out of place, especially because she kept the one secret that she should have shared to herself. Another thing I found starnge was that Ruo, the person who is supposed to be her new maid at Stonekeep, after knowing her for mere hours told her to calm down and enjoyed herself, dismissing valid worries (that MC shouldn’t have been sharing in the first place tbh). The reason I am even pointing that out is because all the relationships in the book felt unnatural to me. A person she just met is acting way too familiar to a new princess.
On page 78 when she is fleeing after eavesdropping on the conversation with the queen and the prince and running off down the hall and the turns to Jeremiah and thinks something like ‘he is the one person besides my horse that has always been loyal and friendly and on my side’. Like, girl, you do not know this person. You have known him for one week and have had like maybe three conversations with him. What is his last name? How old is he? Does he have a wife or kids? What is his favorite color? Oh you don’t know? Oh ok maybe you shouldn’t trust him as your closest confidant just yet. I was so sure that he was going to betray her in the book. Especially towards the end when every conversation they have was him hating on Jian (the prince). Now I’m thinking it might be possibly a love triangle being set up for the sequels. Not sure though.
The MC is very selfish. Often when people are talking to her or confiding in her she just makes it about herself. Once when her maid was talking to her she mentioned her dead husband and Brianna responded with a question about the prince. In the middle of the book when she is literally in the room with the dead elder prince she is only sad because he was nice to her and now he is dead. Not for the loss of him, and his future life. Not for his family, but for herself. As the royal family grieves their dead son and brother she is casually pondering burial customs in this new land and it’s upset because Jian isn’t paying her enough attention while they are viewing his dead brothers corpse.
Towards the end of the book Brianna becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea the Elyanna is there and stalking her. Which doesn’t make sense for a myriad of reasons. She has been shown to be extremely spoiled, yet the readers are supposed to believe that she is living in the wilderness, outside in the cold, watching MC living in a palace? I don’t think so. Additionally, on page 241 MC talks about how Elyanna had always wanted to be queen. That literally makes no sense at all. If she had wanted to be queen why would she give up her position and go hide in the winter palace? I understand that she was scared of the boarderlands or whatever stupid nonsense but 1) she had been preparing for this her whole life so it shouldn’t be such a shock that she is being married off even if it wasn’t ideal for her, and 2) she has been described as ruthless and sociopathic. She always wanted to be queen, yet gave up a marriage to a second prince - one easy death away from ruling as queen? Yeah, no.
The first kiss scene was actually really sweet. It was quite adorable. She was all nervous and didn’t know if she wanted to kiss him or not but afterwards she says “That’s it?” and he says he will try not to be offended, but she just thought it was going to be more complicated. She was surprised how easy it was to kiss him. Aww how cute. I was smiling the whole scene.
I really hate the lies trope. Ugh I hate it so much. It is probably my most hated trope in literature. What happened in the book was the same thing that happened in Bridge kingdom. I understand the point of the lies in the beginning of the story. It is the set up to the entire book, obviously it has to be a part of the story at least for the first portion. But just once I would love for the protagonist to come clean of their own accord. To earn some trust back by telling the truth and coming clean. Now the she has been ‘exposed’ against her will it will be nearly impossible to win that trust back. And I don’t want to read that story.
The story ended with some redemption. I think the way the royal family handled it was one of the only realistic (to the story) ways that was also satisfying. They didn’t believe the real Elyanna but for politics had to placate her. The fact that they let Brianna go free to start a new life was solid considering they all seemed to love her. I don’t really see where the story can go from here though, as I am unfamiliar with the Goose Girl fairytale. I really enjoy reading about solid couples who are strong together (or couples who are working towards that goal), but I have little interest in the begging for forgiveness storyline.
I enjoyed the read for what it was. I finished it in only two days so it would be hard to say I didn’t like it at least a little bit. The story was interesting, I think I just saw so much more potential in it. I kept hoping it would surprise me. I don’t think I will continue on with the series, but anything is possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2021
Loved this clever reimagining of the goose girl. The story is original, the world-buikding is well done, the main characters tugged on my heart strings, and I can't wait to know what happens next. Great book. Would definitely recommend.
June 23, 2022
Why do I keep doing this to myself with these goosegirl retellings?
Well written and engaging characters is probably the reason. No more time for reviewing I need to continue on to the next book in the series.
Well written and engaging characters is probably the reason. No more time for reviewing I need to continue on to the next book in the series.
May 15, 2021
Absolutely an amazing book. Tons of danger, and I can relate to the character well in many different ways. Definitely a worthwhile read!
May 1, 2022
BRILLIANT, loved every second of it
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