What do you think?
Rate this book
The Glass Witch
On a continent where the four seasons are tied to each country's traveling rulers, a Summer tragedy causes the Winter King to withhold his season from his neighbors—but without Winter, the other seasons can't turn.
Aveline, a half-Summer, half-Winter pariah, has no place in her country. She's mocked in Summer as The Glass Witch for her Wintry looks and magic, while Winter travelers always thought her a disturbing mutt. But when her emperor finds her barely surviving the endless Summer, he tells her that the mother she loves is dead—and it's Winter's fault. Only Aveline, the Summer woman with a Winter face, can end the seasonal standstill.
Vengeful, Aveline sneaks into Winter as a fake contestant in the king's bridal competition to kill him, only for a failed Winter assassin to shatter her plans. Aveline is stuck unarmed in the castle, and worse, to stay competing while finding her plan B, she has to court the king in earnest. But how long can she pretend before her identity is discovered—and the seasons' fate thrown into question?
Aveline, a half-Summer, half-Winter pariah, has no place in her country. She's mocked in Summer as The Glass Witch for her Wintry looks and magic, while Winter travelers always thought her a disturbing mutt. But when her emperor finds her barely surviving the endless Summer, he tells her that the mother she loves is dead—and it's Winter's fault. Only Aveline, the Summer woman with a Winter face, can end the seasonal standstill.
Vengeful, Aveline sneaks into Winter as a fake contestant in the king's bridal competition to kill him, only for a failed Winter assassin to shatter her plans. Aveline is stuck unarmed in the castle, and worse, to stay competing while finding her plan B, she has to court the king in earnest. But how long can she pretend before her identity is discovered—and the seasons' fate thrown into question?
386 pages, Paperback
Published January 30, 2023
14 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Sara Raztresen
11 books73 followersSara Raztresen is a Slovenian-American author dealing in the surreal--from magical realism to high fantasy, with a little dusting of magical topics in her nonfiction, as well. Themes of religion, romance, and the horrors of everyday life especially interest her, and she believes genre lines were meant to be bent and broken. She draws on the culture and folklore of her heritage and reimagines them in her works.
She's a graduate of the Popular Fiction and Publishing in Emerson's MFA program (Class of 2020), and her published works include "The Gray Mile" in Waxing & Waning: A Literary Magazine, "Čarovnica" in The Paragon Echo: A Journal of Literary Nonfiction, several short works in Rhode Island College's Shoreline, and her first novel, Quarantined, which she published as a high school graduation project.
She's a graduate of the Popular Fiction and Publishing in Emerson's MFA program (Class of 2020), and her published works include "The Gray Mile" in Waxing & Waning: A Literary Magazine, "Čarovnica" in The Paragon Echo: A Journal of Literary Nonfiction, several short works in Rhode Island College's Shoreline, and her first novel, Quarantined, which she published as a high school graduation project.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 5, 2022
Such a great page-turner with detailed characters and very immersive scenery. I love fantasy novels and have read many but this felt like something new and intuitive; perhaps including Norse and Icelandic mythology and magic. A great read and I am off to find the sequels when they are completed!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 25, 2023
To save the world, a woman must pretend to fall in love with the man who threatens it.
In The Glass Witch is a clever blending of Pride and Prejudice, Pretty Woman, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Raztresen then spices it with a bridal contest for the king, delivering a fantasy tale of high stakes palace intrigue. The setting is refreshingly new, a land where the seasons have been brought to a standstill by the King of Winter. Aveline, the heroine and bastard child of winter aristocracy, is recruited to get close to King Jadrich and kill him allowing the seasons to cycle naturally once again.
The book has a satisfying end, but one that opens the door for the next book in the series.
I have the book in both paperback and Kindle. It’s handsomely designed inside and out and includes a map and pronunciation guide. Both of which are very helpful for navigating her vivid worldbuilding. Highly recommend to fans of fantasy!
In The Glass Witch is a clever blending of Pride and Prejudice, Pretty Woman, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Raztresen then spices it with a bridal contest for the king, delivering a fantasy tale of high stakes palace intrigue. The setting is refreshingly new, a land where the seasons have been brought to a standstill by the King of Winter. Aveline, the heroine and bastard child of winter aristocracy, is recruited to get close to King Jadrich and kill him allowing the seasons to cycle naturally once again.
The book has a satisfying end, but one that opens the door for the next book in the series.
I have the book in both paperback and Kindle. It’s handsomely designed inside and out and includes a map and pronunciation guide. Both of which are very helpful for navigating her vivid worldbuilding. Highly recommend to fans of fantasy!
December 13, 2022
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to review “The Glass Witch.”
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: 1/30/23
After following the author on TikTok for some time and loving their content, I was so honored to receive an ARC of their novel “The Glass Witch.” This high fantasy book is set in a world divided by seasons. Aveline, a woman who is half Summer and half Winter, is outcasted in the Summer kingdom. She is eventually tasked to assassinate the king of Winter, who has isolated Winter from the other kingdoms, causing disruption to the natural order of the seasons. Aveline joins the king’s bridal competition to get close to him - which may work better than expected. 😉
When it comes to high fantasy for me, it’s all about the world building and the lore. And this book is RICH with it. I love the concept of kingdoms separated by seasons, and this author does a phenomenal job of giving you the history of each season’s lore, legends, religion, culture, magic and more. The characters are fantastic too - lovable, hateable, and morally grey.
The pacing of the book was really well done - there were moments that make your head race, and while sometimes the competition felt slowed down, these moments were complimented with witty banter and more information on the world, especially the magic system.
When I finished the book, I audibly said “WAIT what! I need more!” I hope this turns into a series, as the ending definitely sets it up for that. I’d love to explore more of the seasons in future books, and cannot wait to see what the author writes next!
For fans of high fantasy with rich world building, pick up a copy of this beautiful novel! 💖
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: 1/30/23
After following the author on TikTok for some time and loving their content, I was so honored to receive an ARC of their novel “The Glass Witch.” This high fantasy book is set in a world divided by seasons. Aveline, a woman who is half Summer and half Winter, is outcasted in the Summer kingdom. She is eventually tasked to assassinate the king of Winter, who has isolated Winter from the other kingdoms, causing disruption to the natural order of the seasons. Aveline joins the king’s bridal competition to get close to him - which may work better than expected. 😉
When it comes to high fantasy for me, it’s all about the world building and the lore. And this book is RICH with it. I love the concept of kingdoms separated by seasons, and this author does a phenomenal job of giving you the history of each season’s lore, legends, religion, culture, magic and more. The characters are fantastic too - lovable, hateable, and morally grey.
The pacing of the book was really well done - there were moments that make your head race, and while sometimes the competition felt slowed down, these moments were complimented with witty banter and more information on the world, especially the magic system.
When I finished the book, I audibly said “WAIT what! I need more!” I hope this turns into a series, as the ending definitely sets it up for that. I’d love to explore more of the seasons in future books, and cannot wait to see what the author writes next!
For fans of high fantasy with rich world building, pick up a copy of this beautiful novel! 💖
October 13, 2022
The name of the book is alittle deceiving in my opinion and Im bitter about it. Avaline the female main character isn’t the only “person” that could do “special” things. This story follows Avaline a “young women” and I use that term loosely because of the humanoid appearance. She is the biracial daughter of two different species of people. One day while suffering the DNA of her father in her mothers land an unexpected mission was dropped in her lap. Now she is on the path she must win the bride games and become the Ice Kings wife. From her position by his-side she can exact the revenge her soul craves. In this land every season has a King and each Kings royal procession moves with the seasons. Until the Ice Kings refuses leaving the land in turmoil. Nothing is what Avaline was told her brain is at war with her heart and the Doe waits to battle the winner. At first glance I really thought this work would be very similar to ACOTAR. They do have the over powerful men with golden receiver energy, unusual people and some even have wings. This is very different from that; it is a slow burn. It has an intriguing end. I would recommend to fantasy lovers because the world the author builds is immersive.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 20, 2023
i’ve been following the author on tik tok for a while now, and was thrilled to be able to get one of the first printed thanks to a pre-order on her website.
i don’t know how much i should say for fear that i’ll accidentally spoil things, but i truly loved this book, it was brilliant.
the world is captivating, the magic systems and religions therein are unique and inspired, and the characters themselves are truly their own, individual, unique people.
the plot itself is also fantastic in my opinion. the romance was a brilliantly-executed slow burn, the political arc was detailed and constant, and the happy ending still left so many questions due to the nature of the characters behaving like actual people with actual emotions and allegiances. i wish i could have devoured this faster, alas, life gets in the way.
whether sara writes a sequel to the glass witch or a completely different novel, i can’t wait to see what she puts out next.
i don’t know how much i should say for fear that i’ll accidentally spoil things, but i truly loved this book, it was brilliant.
the world is captivating, the magic systems and religions therein are unique and inspired, and the characters themselves are truly their own, individual, unique people.
the plot itself is also fantastic in my opinion. the romance was a brilliantly-executed slow burn, the political arc was detailed and constant, and the happy ending still left so many questions due to the nature of the characters behaving like actual people with actual emotions and allegiances. i wish i could have devoured this faster, alas, life gets in the way.
whether sara writes a sequel to the glass witch or a completely different novel, i can’t wait to see what she puts out next.
February 14, 2023
Absolutely tore this book apart. Really enjoyed the evolution of characters and depth that so few writers are capable of exploring. Sarah Raztresen created a slow burn revenge romance that's just steamy enough to keep you warm in her magical world of ice.
October 12, 2022
I’m generally not one for the Bridal Competition stories, won’t go into why, but this one caught my attention so I gave it a go, and I’m glad I did. It’s written well, the characters are interesting and believable and easy to connect to, and the storyline and plot points are fun and entertaining. This is a wonderful story and I can’t wait to get the next one!
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 14, 2023
Not my usual fare, however Raztresen is clearly an artist in her world building!
We follow Aveline, a child of opposing forces, both Summer and Winter, on her journey from an isolated mountain top to the royal court of Winter. As well as on the journey of discovering (or perhaps deciding) who she will be. Tasked with an assassin's mission under the guise of just another bridal contestant, we watch with bated breath as Aveline attempts to ensnare her prey.
Through the course of the story, Raztresen raises a fundamentally human set of questions: Which is stronger, Love or Hate? Revenge or Mercy? Destiny or Choice? All without devolving into the saccharine or the homiletical! There is something here for all, a (new to us) world rich with history and culture, deep philosophical question, intrigue, conspiracy, seduction, romance, and more.
Regardless of what piece might draw you in, you are in for a well written ride!
We follow Aveline, a child of opposing forces, both Summer and Winter, on her journey from an isolated mountain top to the royal court of Winter. As well as on the journey of discovering (or perhaps deciding) who she will be. Tasked with an assassin's mission under the guise of just another bridal contestant, we watch with bated breath as Aveline attempts to ensnare her prey.
Through the course of the story, Raztresen raises a fundamentally human set of questions: Which is stronger, Love or Hate? Revenge or Mercy? Destiny or Choice? All without devolving into the saccharine or the homiletical! There is something here for all, a (new to us) world rich with history and culture, deep philosophical question, intrigue, conspiracy, seduction, romance, and more.
Regardless of what piece might draw you in, you are in for a well written ride!
October 30, 2022
Woah. That's the word that describes this book best. The Glass Witch by Sara Raztresen picked me up in a worlwind and dropped me into an icy wonderland full of mythology, wonder, and the unexpected. I was not ready for this adventure of a book to keep me up all night but it did. I finished it in one sitting and I'm so glad I did. Aveline was obviously my favorite, a badass that is vengeful and strong in their own right. It follows the bridal competition trope which I've regretfully read a lot of in my recent weeks and has therefore been a tad bit overplayed for my personal taste. But this did take a different approach to that trope and I loved it either way. Overall my rating for this book is 4.25/5.
Extended Breakdown:
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Magic System: 5/5
TikTok: @wvbookwitch
Blog: http://wvbookwitch.blogspot.com/
Extended Breakdown:
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Magic System: 5/5
TikTok: @wvbookwitch
Blog: http://wvbookwitch.blogspot.com/
February 26, 2023
“The Glass Witch” introduces Aveline, a half summer and half winter being who’s down on her luck and close to dead when the emperor finds her. He recruits her to help overthrow the Winter King by sneaking into his bridal competition.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Aveline is a vivid and strong protagonist. Her motivations are established from the beginning of the story and her emotions jump off the page. A majority of the story is told from her POV, but there are portions that are told from others and I don’t think it added much to the story. The magic in the tale is a little different and I especially liked the part about the innernfroscherl. I also found the details about the eyes to be an interesting detail. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Aveline is a vivid and strong protagonist. Her motivations are established from the beginning of the story and her emotions jump off the page. A majority of the story is told from her POV, but there are portions that are told from others and I don’t think it added much to the story. The magic in the tale is a little different and I especially liked the part about the innernfroscherl. I also found the details about the eyes to be an interesting detail. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
July 19, 2023
i am pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed this!!!
the worldbuilding is immense — it definitely has the makings of a great high fantasy book. but because of that, my singular braincell took like ten chapters to understand what was going on lol.
what really kept me on my toes was the way aveline manipulates her way into the castle. some might say its a bit plot-holey (she lived on a mountain for a century and was a distraught mess when she got off, so how could she arguably entrance two men in a very dangerous and unknown country) but i found it very entertaining. yknow what was also entertaining???
the romance. god damn the slow burn was absolutely immaculate. the yearning, pining; the way her realisation for her feelings comes in at the end with this bitter punch to the gut UGH SO GOOD!! the banter and dialogue between them was perfect. im obsessed!!
the worldbuilding is immense — it definitely has the makings of a great high fantasy book. but because of that, my singular braincell took like ten chapters to understand what was going on lol.
what really kept me on my toes was the way aveline manipulates her way into the castle. some might say its a bit plot-holey (she lived on a mountain for a century and was a distraught mess when she got off, so how could she arguably entrance two men in a very dangerous and unknown country) but i found it very entertaining. yknow what was also entertaining???
the romance. god damn the slow burn was absolutely immaculate. the yearning, pining; the way her realisation for her feelings comes in at the end with this bitter punch to the gut UGH SO GOOD!! the banter and dialogue between them was perfect. im obsessed!!
January 9, 2025
This was a very interesting read. I enjoyed how the magic system worked and how the author wasted no time in jumping straight into the story. With that being said, I felt like the world building and character development wasn't all there. I'm not saying Sara should've described every leaf on a tree or every fabric that ever existed in the book, I just found it slightly difficult to picture certain places and characters. I enjoyed how each of the courts were affected by one court not doing its job. I would've loved to know more about the gods and goddesses in the book and how they impacted the story. Sara Raztresen is a very smart and creative individual, and I will be reading the next instalment to see what happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2022
This read was so enthralling and suspenseful that I was on the edge of my seat the entire book, not realizing I was holding my breath. It was full of fantasy and imagination and the writing was easy to read, even though some of the names could be hard to pronounce if you’re not familiar with it, but there is a pronunciation guide at the end. It would have been a bit more helpful at the front I believe had I known it was there. The story was easy to follow and hard to guess what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
September 23, 2022
This is my first bridal trope. Honestly, I didn't even know that was a thing! Following Aveline's journey was amazing. The depth of the characters and the slow burn to learn about each of them. This was a whole new section of fantasy for me and I loved every second of this book. Is it too soon to want book two?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 30, 2022
This book is a quick & easy read, however, that’s about it. The bridal competition was underwhelming because the challenges were incredibly basic and the other bridal contestants had little to no character development. Although I was able to finish the book, I wasn’t able to enjoy it because all of the characters felt shallow & 2 dimensional and the entire plot was too predictable. 1.5 out of 5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 3, 2022
Gosh, what a page turner! I would love to have Aveline's sass/confidence, I really liked her character!
Tropes: slow burn, wedding contest, secret identity.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspensful slow burn page -turner.
I can't wait to see what the second book has in store for us readers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tropes: slow burn, wedding contest, secret identity.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspensful slow burn page -turner.
I can't wait to see what the second book has in store for us readers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 11, 2023
so i havent read fiction for pleasure (or really any book for that matter) since mmm… middle school? and i want to singlehandedly thank this book and the author for creating this universe and book for hooking me back into reading.
not only is this world she built amazing but that ENDING!!! i need the second book now. this book satisfied all the cravings i have for any fantasy world and characters so yes yes i couldnt recommend this book enough.
not only is this world she built amazing but that ENDING!!! i need the second book now. this book satisfied all the cravings i have for any fantasy world and characters so yes yes i couldnt recommend this book enough.
September 15, 2022
I enjoyed the Glass Witch. The characters were interesting, the changes in POV gave greater scope of the overall story. The mild spice from the romances was enjoyable, and the cliffhanger definitely has me curious as to what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 1, 2022
This book was amazing. The characters are complex and the world building was incredible. I felt like I was walking with the characters in the book. I read through this one fast. I just had to know what happens. I was not disappointed. I think this book was beautifully written. I loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 22, 2023
Terrible book: unbelievably bland characters with the personalities of cardboard boxes; poor writing featuring the most incoherent syntax I have ever encountered, full of cliches and cut-and-paste themes. The plot is equivalent to a high schooler's Wattpad fanfiction. In short, The Glass Witch shatters on impact. Its one saving grace is a pretty cover.
September 30, 2025
absolutely obsessed with this book! Aveline is so messy and I love that for her and I can't wait to see where the rest of the story goes. It was so refreshing to get an enemies to lovers story where they actually hate each other! The tension and pacing were absolutely perfect, and I found myself saying "oh my god" more times than I can count!
September 1, 2022
Brilliant book.read it all in 1 go. Shaping to be a cracking ride.i love roysl backstabbing courtly intrigues. Can't wait for the next instalment.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 4, 2022
This was a Beautifully done enemies to lovers novel. I loved the way the author wrote this, it was unique and what I was expecting. It left me wanting more and enjoying the journey.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 17, 2023
So gripping!
Amazing pace and just enough lore to keep you enthralled. I was on the edge of my seat to see the next thing Aveline would do on each page.
Slow burn and suspense wrapped in magic and ice made me dream of it each night I read it before bed.
Amazing pace and just enough lore to keep you enthralled. I was on the edge of my seat to see the next thing Aveline would do on each page.
Slow burn and suspense wrapped in magic and ice made me dream of it each night I read it before bed.
May 10, 2024
It's pretty good ngl 👌
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews