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Omen of Ice #1
Omen of Ice
Keltania Tunne has spent her whole life training to become a bodyguard for a Winter Fae. It’s the highest of honors for a druid…only when Tania arrives at the Winter Court for the first time, nothing is what she expected.
Her assignment is the heir to the throne, Valen, and he doesn’t want her protection. In fact, he wants her gone. Yesterday. But Tania will not compromise, even if he is the most arrogant jackass she’s ever met―because something isn’t right in the Winter Court.
Everyone has secrets. From the Winter Lord to the kitchen maids to the rising faction that wants the prince dead―no one is who they seem. And now it’s up to Tania to keep her sacred oath and protect Valen, even when his smart mouth makes her skate the razor-thin edge between love and hate.
But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes his secret is the biggest of all―and might just get them both killed.
Her assignment is the heir to the throne, Valen, and he doesn’t want her protection. In fact, he wants her gone. Yesterday. But Tania will not compromise, even if he is the most arrogant jackass she’s ever met―because something isn’t right in the Winter Court.
Everyone has secrets. From the Winter Lord to the kitchen maids to the rising faction that wants the prince dead―no one is who they seem. And now it’s up to Tania to keep her sacred oath and protect Valen, even when his smart mouth makes her skate the razor-thin edge between love and hate.
But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes his secret is the biggest of all―and might just get them both killed.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2023
108 people are currently reading
11930 people want to read
About the author
Jus Accardo
23 books1,492 followersJUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. But at the last minute, she realized her true path lay with fiction, not food.
Jus is the bestselling author of the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing, as well as the Darker Agency series, and the New Adult series, The Eternal Balance. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.
Jus is the bestselling author of the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing, as well as the Darker Agency series, and the New Adult series, The Eternal Balance. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
dnf
August 24, 2023DNF @ 27% 104 pages
The quality of the writing is not good and there’s nothing in this book to make up for it. The writing style says lower YA but the tone it attempts (and fails) to hit says NA so I really don't know who this book is supposed to be for. Every character is a cardboard cutout of a person with flimsy (or no) motivation for anything at the best of times and the story just drags you bodily from scene to scene with no connective tissue. The stakes are arbitrary and as a reader I’m given no reason to care about the setting, plot, or characters.
I gave it 100 pages and I’m calling it quits.
The quality of the writing is not good and there’s nothing in this book to make up for it. The writing style says lower YA but the tone it attempts (and fails) to hit says NA so I really don't know who this book is supposed to be for. Every character is a cardboard cutout of a person with flimsy (or no) motivation for anything at the best of times and the story just drags you bodily from scene to scene with no connective tissue. The stakes are arbitrary and as a reader I’m given no reason to care about the setting, plot, or characters.
I gave it 100 pages and I’m calling it quits.
January 18, 2024
2.5 stars
This was supposed to be a buddy read but unfortunately, my buddy bailed on me at the last minute and I had to power through it alone. I had low expectations for this book and unfortunately, it did not exceed any of them. It wasn’t an objectively bad book but it surely had it’s flaws (lots of them). First off, we have shifting POV’s from our two main characters – Keltania and Valen – and both were from first person. I enjoy all forms of narrations and since this was first person, I was hoping to connect with the characters immediately but even after many chapters, I gave up on that hope. Both characters lacked depth and there was hardly any growth in their personalities. Weak protagonists that I will easily forget.
Keltania was very annoying and if I had to read that she was “rolling her eyes” one more time I would’ve lost my mind. That specific line was mentioned in the book at least 15 times (yes, I counted) and it’s beyond me why the author repeatedly used the same phrase instead of choosing any other combination of words. Anyway, that wasn’t the only thing that irritated me about our FMC. She was very “hot n cold” when it came to Valen. One minute she would hug and kiss him, and in the next sentence she’d push him away and say she’d rather “scrape her mouth” than kiss him again BUT in the following paragraph she’d be thinking about “how good the kiss felt.” WHAT’S UP WITH THAT???? As a reader, it was very frustrating because I couldn’t decipher how the FMC truly felt about Valen until the final chapter where it became slightly clear but until then, her chapters really annoyed me because this back-and-forth thing between them was extremely redundant. I think the author was aiming to write a “girlboss” character who is good with a sword but Keltania came off as haughty and childish instead.
On the other hand, Valen equally annoyed me but for different reasons. He wasn’t as insufferable as Keltania but he too, couldn’t identify how he really felt for her. Yes, there is a reason behind why they were so confused about their own feelings for each other, but the execution fell flat. It could’ve been explained better because if they both had the Heartbreaker sigil (which prevents them from feeling any romantic feelings) and can only indulge in physical relations, then why did they question their physical attraction and kissing so much??? It didn’t make sense. They overcomplicated things for no reason so that the story can have some “tension.” Their chemistry with each other was absent or bland at best because I didn’t sense any emotional bond cultivating between the two. What romance? What angst? What the fuck? Valen also hid an important truth from Keltania and she from him. There was so much miscommunication between them regarding those issues that they kept misunderstanding what the other meant most of the time. If they could’ve just talked it out instead of dragging the matter and keeping each other in the dark, it would’ve saved me a lot of headache. Everytime either of them mustered the courage to come clean, they’d get interrupted by a beast attacking or someone else walking in on them.
Overall, the plot was meh and honestly, I only kept going out of mild interest in the storyline. I found the side characters more interesting than the MC’s, especially Delkin, Daroose, and Benj. They were a good addition to the story and deserved to have more time on page. The magical abilities of the Fae and Druids were an interesting touch as well. The ending was by far one of the worst I’ve ever read. It literally ended with someone saying “we have a situation.” THAT’S IT. THE END!!! I thought surely that cannot be the last chapter but boy was I wrong. I get that this is the first book in a series but the ending could’ve been a hundred times better. I know that ciffhanger endings are super popular but not when they’re done in a way where readers aren’t given any hints of what the characters will face next. I’m unsure if I will read the sequel, or perhaps I will out of morbid curiosity, who knows?
This was supposed to be a buddy read but unfortunately, my buddy bailed on me at the last minute and I had to power through it alone. I had low expectations for this book and unfortunately, it did not exceed any of them. It wasn’t an objectively bad book but it surely had it’s flaws (lots of them). First off, we have shifting POV’s from our two main characters – Keltania and Valen – and both were from first person. I enjoy all forms of narrations and since this was first person, I was hoping to connect with the characters immediately but even after many chapters, I gave up on that hope. Both characters lacked depth and there was hardly any growth in their personalities. Weak protagonists that I will easily forget.
Keltania was very annoying and if I had to read that she was “rolling her eyes” one more time I would’ve lost my mind. That specific line was mentioned in the book at least 15 times (yes, I counted) and it’s beyond me why the author repeatedly used the same phrase instead of choosing any other combination of words. Anyway, that wasn’t the only thing that irritated me about our FMC. She was very “hot n cold” when it came to Valen. One minute she would hug and kiss him, and in the next sentence she’d push him away and say she’d rather “scrape her mouth” than kiss him again BUT in the following paragraph she’d be thinking about “how good the kiss felt.” WHAT’S UP WITH THAT???? As a reader, it was very frustrating because I couldn’t decipher how the FMC truly felt about Valen until the final chapter where it became slightly clear but until then, her chapters really annoyed me because this back-and-forth thing between them was extremely redundant. I think the author was aiming to write a “girlboss” character who is good with a sword but Keltania came off as haughty and childish instead.
On the other hand, Valen equally annoyed me but for different reasons. He wasn’t as insufferable as Keltania but he too, couldn’t identify how he really felt for her. Yes, there is a reason behind why they were so confused about their own feelings for each other, but the execution fell flat. It could’ve been explained better because if they both had the Heartbreaker sigil (which prevents them from feeling any romantic feelings) and can only indulge in physical relations, then why did they question their physical attraction and kissing so much??? It didn’t make sense. They overcomplicated things for no reason so that the story can have some “tension.” Their chemistry with each other was absent or bland at best because I didn’t sense any emotional bond cultivating between the two. What romance? What angst? What the fuck? Valen also hid an important truth from Keltania and she from him. There was so much miscommunication between them regarding those issues that they kept misunderstanding what the other meant most of the time. If they could’ve just talked it out instead of dragging the matter and keeping each other in the dark, it would’ve saved me a lot of headache. Everytime either of them mustered the courage to come clean, they’d get interrupted by a beast attacking or someone else walking in on them.
Overall, the plot was meh and honestly, I only kept going out of mild interest in the storyline. I found the side characters more interesting than the MC’s, especially Delkin, Daroose, and Benj. They were a good addition to the story and deserved to have more time on page. The magical abilities of the Fae and Druids were an interesting touch as well. The ending was by far one of the worst I’ve ever read. It literally ended with someone saying “we have a situation.” THAT’S IT. THE END!!! I thought surely that cannot be the last chapter but boy was I wrong. I get that this is the first book in a series but the ending could’ve been a hundred times better. I know that ciffhanger endings are super popular but not when they’re done in a way where readers aren’t given any hints of what the characters will face next. I’m unsure if I will read the sequel, or perhaps I will out of morbid curiosity, who knows?
August 20, 2023
I got this book in my Owlcrate this month and I was looking forward to it because it’s not an author I’ve heard of before and it’s not a book that every other box is also doing.
That being said…the writing here is very juvenile even for a YA book and so I’m not going to be able to finish it.
I like the idea of the plot, but we are immediately presented with the typical “badass, sheltered warrior woman” who turns into a total clumsy idiot the minute she is required to perform her duties.
And this Fae prince she is supposed to be protecting? If he can do the things he can do (trying not to give spoilers) why would he need a body guard? Plus, his personality is giving Cardan Greenbriar ordered off of Wish. Drinking and cavorting shouldn’t be a character’s whole personality.
The dual POVs is also not working for me because the two POVs sound the same (other than the male character constantly referring to his sexual prowess). The female MC reads very robotic and naive.
Also, there are the occasional slang words thrown in that wouldn’t be used in a setting like this IMO (for instance: “thanks for the heads up” said by the warrior priestess when being warned about the prince she will be guarding)
And this is just me knit picking but…someone tell authors that “low ponytails” on men are not cute 😬
I don’t know, maybe I’m just too old for YA books but this just isn’t for me. Which is sad because the art on the Owlcrate edition is so beautiful and the book looks awesome.
That being said…the writing here is very juvenile even for a YA book and so I’m not going to be able to finish it.
I like the idea of the plot, but we are immediately presented with the typical “badass, sheltered warrior woman” who turns into a total clumsy idiot the minute she is required to perform her duties.
And this Fae prince she is supposed to be protecting? If he can do the things he can do (trying not to give spoilers) why would he need a body guard? Plus, his personality is giving Cardan Greenbriar ordered off of Wish. Drinking and cavorting shouldn’t be a character’s whole personality.
The dual POVs is also not working for me because the two POVs sound the same (other than the male character constantly referring to his sexual prowess). The female MC reads very robotic and naive.
Also, there are the occasional slang words thrown in that wouldn’t be used in a setting like this IMO (for instance: “thanks for the heads up” said by the warrior priestess when being warned about the prince she will be guarding)
And this is just me knit picking but…someone tell authors that “low ponytails” on men are not cute 😬
I don’t know, maybe I’m just too old for YA books but this just isn’t for me. Which is sad because the art on the Owlcrate edition is so beautiful and the book looks awesome.
August 3, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I thought that this was great! I love books filled with magic so when I saw the description of this book, I just knew that I had to give it a try and I was hooked almost immediately. Keltania and Valen were both great characters and I thought that they were the perfect match for one another. I found this book to be incredibly entertaining and I was glued to the pages until the very end.
Keltania has trained her whole life training as a druid to be a guard to a Winter Fae. She is determined to make sure her charge is kept safe regardless of the cost. Valen isn’t interested in having her protection and tries to ditch her at every opportunity. Things are not exactly as they seem at the Winter Court and before long Tania and Valen form a bond that they would have never expected. One secret leads to another and I love that the story was full of so many unexpected twists and turns. The story had plenty of action as the pair faced danger from a variety of sources.
I hated to put this book down so when I noticed that the audiobook had become available from my local library, I downloaded it right away and started listening to the story about halfway through. This worked perfectly because I was able to continue with the story even when I didn’t have the time to sit down and read. I thought that Alex Kydd and Amy Melissa Bently did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. I loved the character voices that they used and thought that they added just the right amount of emotion to their reading. I do believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that this book was filled with just the right amount of excitement and the characters were easy to fall for. This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to see what will happen next.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen.
I thought that this was great! I love books filled with magic so when I saw the description of this book, I just knew that I had to give it a try and I was hooked almost immediately. Keltania and Valen were both great characters and I thought that they were the perfect match for one another. I found this book to be incredibly entertaining and I was glued to the pages until the very end.
Keltania has trained her whole life training as a druid to be a guard to a Winter Fae. She is determined to make sure her charge is kept safe regardless of the cost. Valen isn’t interested in having her protection and tries to ditch her at every opportunity. Things are not exactly as they seem at the Winter Court and before long Tania and Valen form a bond that they would have never expected. One secret leads to another and I love that the story was full of so many unexpected twists and turns. The story had plenty of action as the pair faced danger from a variety of sources.
I hated to put this book down so when I noticed that the audiobook had become available from my local library, I downloaded it right away and started listening to the story about halfway through. This worked perfectly because I was able to continue with the story even when I didn’t have the time to sit down and read. I thought that Alex Kydd and Amy Melissa Bently did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. I loved the character voices that they used and thought that they added just the right amount of emotion to their reading. I do believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that this book was filled with just the right amount of excitement and the characters were easy to fall for. This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to see what will happen next.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen.
October 10, 2023
This has all the charm of a bad 2008 twilight clone a decade too late. I wanted to like it so badly, and it feels like it should be right up my alley in terms of plot, but it started poorly and just got worse.
I feel like there was an easy fun fantasy read in there somewhere, but I simply can't read another line about how special his eyes are. 75% of the way in, after many moments of development, they STILL are repeating the line "I mean everyone can tell she's hot but gross I don't like her."
Please save yourself the added cringe of the male narrator doing a half laugh after every single line.
I feel like there was an easy fun fantasy read in there somewhere, but I simply can't read another line about how special his eyes are. 75% of the way in, after many moments of development, they STILL are repeating the line "I mean everyone can tell she's hot but gross I don't like her."
Please save yourself the added cringe of the male narrator doing a half laugh after every single line.
April 3, 2024
2024 reads: 83/250
2024 tbr: 43/120
keltania has trained her whole life to become a bodyguard for a winter fae, the highest honor for a druid. but when she arrives to the winter court, she discovers her charge is valen, heir to the throne, who wants nothing to do with her. determined to carry out her duty, she vows to protect him anyway, but soon discovers she may be in over her head.
i had a lot of fun reading this book! it’s not the best fantasy out there but it captivated me anyway. there were so many plot twists that my head was spinning by the end, so i’ll definitely be reading the sequel. i loved the dynamic between tania and valen, when it came to their personalities and their magic. druids don’t show up in many of the fantasy books i read, so i enjoyed seeing how tania’s magic played out.
i recommend this to anyone looking for a romantic fantasy read.
2024 tbr: 43/120
keltania has trained her whole life to become a bodyguard for a winter fae, the highest honor for a druid. but when she arrives to the winter court, she discovers her charge is valen, heir to the throne, who wants nothing to do with her. determined to carry out her duty, she vows to protect him anyway, but soon discovers she may be in over her head.
i had a lot of fun reading this book! it’s not the best fantasy out there but it captivated me anyway. there were so many plot twists that my head was spinning by the end, so i’ll definitely be reading the sequel. i loved the dynamic between tania and valen, when it came to their personalities and their magic. druids don’t show up in many of the fantasy books i read, so i enjoyed seeing how tania’s magic played out.
i recommend this to anyone looking for a romantic fantasy read.
August 30, 2023
DNF @ 60 pages, this is so boring and stupid.
It's a romance. That's the first thing. It's not a fantasy, it's a piss-poor imitation of fantasy in which a human can pass for fey as long as she hides her ears and for some reason would be considered a bodyguard? In a world of immortals? Really? A teenage bodyguard? Not only that, she's terrible! He has to save her their very first night of meeting! It reminded me of this book I read as a kid, Rent A Third Grader, about a bunch of 8-year-olds hiring themselves out for odd jobs as a fundraiser. One girl is hired as a babysitter and spends the evening with an older boy, only for his mom to come home and discover her babysitter is even younger than her child. The boy orchestrated this to demonstrate that he was old enough to be left alone. Congratulations, Tania, you're as competent as that 8-year-old. (Actually less so, the 8-year-old did a pretty good job all things considered.)
And the only thing that sets fey apart is rounded ears and wild hair colors. Otherwise? There's a good reason we see very little outside of Tania (I think her name is Tania? The main girl) and Valen. The author doesn't care. What was her training like? Her community? Her life before? Hell if I know, here's a quick infodump ceremony and then it's fey time, gotta get your sexy mc into a skimpy dress against her will because she needs to be eye candy but she may NOT like this. There are some references but they're perfunctory, nothing remotely unique or engaging because that's not the point. No, this is about forcing together two people to make them tingle in their naughtyfuntime zones for each other despite determinedly not getting along. Even the dialogue is so modern I expected someone to exclaim, "Christ!" in surprise. Literally NO worldbuilding. Complex backstory with no meaning to justify MacGuffin quest, yes. Worldbuilding, no.
Also they were really determined to dislike each other and it got old FAST. Like, he's not that rude, and the author relies on this incredibly misogynistic double standard where him sleeping around is supposed to be both impressive and yet a negative? I didn't think less of him because he slept around, I thought less of him because he clearly led women on to bed them. (Only women, of course, because Valen is No Homo.)
So, yeah, all the women are awful. Character development is for Menfolk! Depth? Goals? Personality? Not without a penis! (If this book had even a glimmering awareness of anything outside of cishet existence, it's not in the first 60 pages.)
It's a romance. That's the first thing. It's not a fantasy, it's a piss-poor imitation of fantasy in which a human can pass for fey as long as she hides her ears and for some reason would be considered a bodyguard? In a world of immortals? Really? A teenage bodyguard? Not only that, she's terrible! He has to save her their very first night of meeting! It reminded me of this book I read as a kid, Rent A Third Grader, about a bunch of 8-year-olds hiring themselves out for odd jobs as a fundraiser. One girl is hired as a babysitter and spends the evening with an older boy, only for his mom to come home and discover her babysitter is even younger than her child. The boy orchestrated this to demonstrate that he was old enough to be left alone. Congratulations, Tania, you're as competent as that 8-year-old. (Actually less so, the 8-year-old did a pretty good job all things considered.)
And the only thing that sets fey apart is rounded ears and wild hair colors. Otherwise? There's a good reason we see very little outside of Tania (I think her name is Tania? The main girl) and Valen. The author doesn't care. What was her training like? Her community? Her life before? Hell if I know, here's a quick infodump ceremony and then it's fey time, gotta get your sexy mc into a skimpy dress against her will because she needs to be eye candy but she may NOT like this. There are some references but they're perfunctory, nothing remotely unique or engaging because that's not the point. No, this is about forcing together two people to make them tingle in their naughtyfuntime zones for each other despite determinedly not getting along. Even the dialogue is so modern I expected someone to exclaim, "Christ!" in surprise. Literally NO worldbuilding. Complex backstory with no meaning to justify MacGuffin quest, yes. Worldbuilding, no.
Also they were really determined to dislike each other and it got old FAST. Like, he's not that rude, and the author relies on this incredibly misogynistic double standard where him sleeping around is supposed to be both impressive and yet a negative? I didn't think less of him because he slept around, I thought less of him because he clearly led women on to bed them. (Only women, of course, because Valen is No Homo.)
So, yeah, all the women are awful. Character development is for Menfolk! Depth? Goals? Personality? Not without a penis! (If this book had even a glimmering awareness of anything outside of cishet existence, it's not in the first 60 pages.)
August 26, 2023
I am not the target audience of this book.
I really didn't enjoy it.
The Owlcrate edition is gorgeous, with a beautiful cover and sprayed edges, and I wanted to love it. However, the cover copy didn't sound appealing to me, and the book itself proved to be unappealing as well.
Normally, my complaint about YA novels is that they spend too much time on action and not enough on character development. This book took a slightly different route: it tried to substitute banter for character development. It didn't work. I assume that the author was trying to use the banter between the characters as a way to demonstrate who they were, but it was just too repetitive. It also wasn't funny.
There's a genre of films that began in the Great Depression and remained popular through the early 1940s called "screwball comedy." This was a romantic comedy genre known for its witty banter and battles between the sexes. There were often issues of economic class disparity, as one of the leads would often be from a much higher class than the other. I feel like Accardo was trying to tell a screwball story here, as Keltania is a guard to the royal heir Valen (economic disparity). However, while the romance element of the story was obvious, the comedy was entirely lacking. Sure, the characters talked all the time and sniped at each other, but they weren't funny. In a screwball comedy, the banter serves to either tell a story about the character and what they value or about the miscommunication in the relationship. Keltania and Valen were communicating just fine--they just weren't saying anything interesting. At all.
I feel like this book missed its mark. Other readers may enjoy it, but I really didn't. [It is a fast read, as the fact that I finished it in two days attests. Fast reads are not always good reads.]
I really didn't enjoy it.
The Owlcrate edition is gorgeous, with a beautiful cover and sprayed edges, and I wanted to love it. However, the cover copy didn't sound appealing to me, and the book itself proved to be unappealing as well.
Normally, my complaint about YA novels is that they spend too much time on action and not enough on character development. This book took a slightly different route: it tried to substitute banter for character development. It didn't work. I assume that the author was trying to use the banter between the characters as a way to demonstrate who they were, but it was just too repetitive. It also wasn't funny.
There's a genre of films that began in the Great Depression and remained popular through the early 1940s called "screwball comedy." This was a romantic comedy genre known for its witty banter and battles between the sexes. There were often issues of economic class disparity, as one of the leads would often be from a much higher class than the other. I feel like Accardo was trying to tell a screwball story here, as Keltania is a guard to the royal heir Valen (economic disparity). However, while the romance element of the story was obvious, the comedy was entirely lacking. Sure, the characters talked all the time and sniped at each other, but they weren't funny. In a screwball comedy, the banter serves to either tell a story about the character and what they value or about the miscommunication in the relationship. Keltania and Valen were communicating just fine--they just weren't saying anything interesting. At all.
I feel like this book missed its mark. Other readers may enjoy it, but I really didn't. [It is a fast read, as the fact that I finished it in two days attests. Fast reads are not always good reads.]
August 8, 2023
The male audiobook reader adds so many weird little laughs and giggles whenever women speak and maybe it’s bc I listen at 2.5x speed and got through this quickly but it became really grating. Also keltania makes tons of dumb decisions and, as a supposed skilled bodyguard, really makes tons of mistakes.
January 1, 2024
4.5 stars
I didn't suspect how much I would like all the twists at the end! There were a lot of twists and reveals at the end of the book that tilted the book and your perceptions upside down. What I liked about them is you knew about half of them or knew there was something fishy, but you may not have known the exactly what was coming at you.
In addition, the voice of this book is more upper YA. It's not NA, but it definitely reads easy for an adult and you can still connect with the main characters who are 18 and 19 years old.
I liked Keltania who was raised to be an Aphelian Druid and took her duty and honor very, very seriously. In the beginning you're a little worried that her perception of the world is very skewed because of her upbringing and while she's devoted, it's not a "religious" devotion. It's more a way of life and history of honor rather than a cult or religious thing. When she's sent to become the Aphelian Guard to the King of the Winter Court's nephew (and heir), Valen, things definitely get interesting for her.
Valen has a lot of secrets and an unfortunate childhood, which explains a lot about why he tries to be cocky, charming, and glib about what happens around him. He also does NOT want an Aphelian Guard and at first tries to get Keltania to leave. After a time, though, they end up forming a bond despite their opposites attract situation.
Valen and Keltania are very good for each other as they are opposites and balance each other. There is some great banter and Valen made me smile a lot with his charming personality. Keltania I enjoyed her "can do" attitude, but also her voice that tried to get Valen to realize he is more than what he thinks of himself.
The story was well-paced and had some great action. About the middle half of the book is an adventure, which is something I was not expecting. They meet and pick-up some beings along the way, which added to the story and the adventure. This was definitely my favorite part of the book.
Once you get to the end, the reveals and twists just hit you one after another and I was gasping through a few things. The end was a little poignant with Keltania's and Valen's personal relationship, but the end doesn't leave you on a cliffhanger. It really left you at a breather before the story has a new problem (that's not just the one we already know about!). I am definitely interested to see what happens in the next book and see how Keltania and Valen navigate their duties.
Omen of Ice releases on August 1
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the free ARC.
I didn't suspect how much I would like all the twists at the end! There were a lot of twists and reveals at the end of the book that tilted the book and your perceptions upside down. What I liked about them is you knew about half of them or knew there was something fishy, but you may not have known the exactly what was coming at you.
In addition, the voice of this book is more upper YA. It's not NA, but it definitely reads easy for an adult and you can still connect with the main characters who are 18 and 19 years old.
I liked Keltania who was raised to be an Aphelian Druid and took her duty and honor very, very seriously. In the beginning you're a little worried that her perception of the world is very skewed because of her upbringing and while she's devoted, it's not a "religious" devotion. It's more a way of life and history of honor rather than a cult or religious thing. When she's sent to become the Aphelian Guard to the King of the Winter Court's nephew (and heir), Valen, things definitely get interesting for her.
Valen has a lot of secrets and an unfortunate childhood, which explains a lot about why he tries to be cocky, charming, and glib about what happens around him. He also does NOT want an Aphelian Guard and at first tries to get Keltania to leave. After a time, though, they end up forming a bond despite their opposites attract situation.
Valen and Keltania are very good for each other as they are opposites and balance each other. There is some great banter and Valen made me smile a lot with his charming personality. Keltania I enjoyed her "can do" attitude, but also her voice that tried to get Valen to realize he is more than what he thinks of himself.
The story was well-paced and had some great action. About the middle half of the book is an adventure, which is something I was not expecting. They meet and pick-up some beings along the way, which added to the story and the adventure. This was definitely my favorite part of the book.
Once you get to the end, the reveals and twists just hit you one after another and I was gasping through a few things. The end was a little poignant with Keltania's and Valen's personal relationship, but the end doesn't leave you on a cliffhanger. It really left you at a breather before the story has a new problem (that's not just the one we already know about!). I am definitely interested to see what happens in the next book and see how Keltania and Valen navigate their duties.
Omen of Ice releases on August 1
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the free ARC.
July 20, 2023
This book is written with dual POV and Keltania (Tania) is the badass female main character. She is a Druid who has been training her entire life to become a bodyguard for a Winter Fae. Long ago, the Fae and the Druids worked together during times of war and now the Druids train to protect their Fae counterparts to honor their history of partnership together. It is the highest honor among her kind.
Valen is the sassy male main character that Tania has sworn to protect. He does not want her around and tries to get rid of her. He is the spoiled and pampered nephew of the Winter Lord, Orbik, or so we are told. Valen is also the only Fae left with any magic after a war hundreds of years ago destroyed magic and humanity.
Tania and Valen set off on a quest and we meet plenty of other interesting characters along the way.
I really did enjoy this book… Until the end.
Once it reaches its climax and all the characters come together, everyone just stands around talking. Seriously, there is so much info dump in the end, the book should have been much longer to weave the necessary info through more action. The characters are doing their best to explain every instance of betrayal and foreshadowing in this chapters long history lesson.
That being said, I couldn’t put the book down and I will read the next book whenever that comes out!
Valen is the sassy male main character that Tania has sworn to protect. He does not want her around and tries to get rid of her. He is the spoiled and pampered nephew of the Winter Lord, Orbik, or so we are told. Valen is also the only Fae left with any magic after a war hundreds of years ago destroyed magic and humanity.
Tania and Valen set off on a quest and we meet plenty of other interesting characters along the way.
I really did enjoy this book… Until the end.
Once it reaches its climax and all the characters come together, everyone just stands around talking. Seriously, there is so much info dump in the end, the book should have been much longer to weave the necessary info through more action. The characters are doing their best to explain every instance of betrayal and foreshadowing in this chapters long history lesson.
That being said, I couldn’t put the book down and I will read the next book whenever that comes out!
February 16, 2024
Omen of Ice
by Jus Accardo
Omen of Ice #1
Fantasy YA
Scribd (Everand) Audio
Ages: 16+
After training for most of her life, druid Keltania has finally got her assignment. She is to be the bodyguard to the heir to the fae's throne, Valen. But at court, she finds that he does not want her, and the stories about the Winter Fae and their court were exaggerated.
There is a reason Valen doesn't want her following him around everywhere. He is hiding two secrets: one from his people, and the other from everyone. But the rumors of one of his secrets have already spread, and now the people either want him dead or to use him.
But one day Valen discovers a third secret, one that could shatter the fae's and druid's alliance, and he knows if he tells Keltania, he could lose her.
The chapters are split between Keltania and Valen as they relay the events from their points of view, which overlaps as the next character picks up from where the other left off. I did like the story, Keltania came across as very naive, and as intended Valen was very self-centered, while he did have a reason, I felt his actions were overdone.
For a person trained as a bodyguard, Keltania made mistakes that should've gotten her fired, but the only punishment was what she said to herself.
The two secrets Valen was hiding were interesting, and keeping them hidden was understandable, but the third that he discovered, I figured it was going to happen at the first mention, so there was no shock.
As for the audio, I didn't mind the female narrator, but the male, he spoke way too softly, and his overly dramatic laughs and noises were irritating. I imagined Valen as an outspoken loud male, not the husky whispering want-a-be the narrator was coming across as.
Overall, I liked the story. It was a simple read, kept to the plot, and the romance wasn't graphic, instead sweet and simple, though there could have been some more backstory about Keltania and her childhood. There were bits and pieces, but not enough to make the reader really understand her life and what she was taught.
Valen's life was the typical heir, so there wasn't much need for depth in his upbringing.
I think readers 16+ would enjoy this simple fantasy read.
3 Stars
by Jus Accardo
Omen of Ice #1
Fantasy YA
Scribd (Everand) Audio
Ages: 16+
After training for most of her life, druid Keltania has finally got her assignment. She is to be the bodyguard to the heir to the fae's throne, Valen. But at court, she finds that he does not want her, and the stories about the Winter Fae and their court were exaggerated.
There is a reason Valen doesn't want her following him around everywhere. He is hiding two secrets: one from his people, and the other from everyone. But the rumors of one of his secrets have already spread, and now the people either want him dead or to use him.
But one day Valen discovers a third secret, one that could shatter the fae's and druid's alliance, and he knows if he tells Keltania, he could lose her.
The chapters are split between Keltania and Valen as they relay the events from their points of view, which overlaps as the next character picks up from where the other left off. I did like the story, Keltania came across as very naive, and as intended Valen was very self-centered, while he did have a reason, I felt his actions were overdone.
For a person trained as a bodyguard, Keltania made mistakes that should've gotten her fired, but the only punishment was what she said to herself.
The two secrets Valen was hiding were interesting, and keeping them hidden was understandable, but the third that he discovered, I figured it was going to happen at the first mention, so there was no shock.
As for the audio, I didn't mind the female narrator, but the male, he spoke way too softly, and his overly dramatic laughs and noises were irritating. I imagined Valen as an outspoken loud male, not the husky whispering want-a-be the narrator was coming across as.
Overall, I liked the story. It was a simple read, kept to the plot, and the romance wasn't graphic, instead sweet and simple, though there could have been some more backstory about Keltania and her childhood. There were bits and pieces, but not enough to make the reader really understand her life and what she was taught.
Valen's life was the typical heir, so there wasn't much need for depth in his upbringing.
I think readers 16+ would enjoy this simple fantasy read.
3 Stars
September 13, 2023
This had a lot of potential but fell flat for me. I liked the Druid/Fae dynamic, but the romance in this book (1.5 🌶️) gave me whiplash and is too much eye rolling a thing? Also eerily similar to other fae books out there (violet eyeballs, strongest magic in a generation…👀). Kept reading for Daroose.
dnf
February 28, 2025DNF at chapter 10
This book just wasn't worth it for me to finish reading. I can see the appeal for it but it's so stereotypical and not new to me that it was cringy for me to read :(
This book just wasn't worth it for me to finish reading. I can see the appeal for it but it's so stereotypical and not new to me that it was cringy for me to read :(
February 23, 2026
Still the Worst Read of My Life.
It took me sixteen months to finish this book because it was so tedious, that reading it was like pulling teeth. The only reason why I was even able to finish it at all was because I forced myself to bring it with me to my routine hospital visits.
Ok, so what’s wrong with Jus Accardo’s “Omen of Ice”? Let me count the ways.
1) Unoriginal plot that’s been reused and recycled to death, resurrected, and then killed again: a royal (in this case—a fae prince) who is supposedly an orphan, is raised by an uncle (the king) with an agenda and his sketchy wife. The prince has hidden powers that are practically extinct, which the king uses to do his bidding. Then, the prince discovers that his guardians may not be as good as they seem to be. Wow, so original.
2) Unlikable and unremarkable female love interest with a stupid first name (Keltania), whom the author tries really hard to make us like her without giving us any reason to. She’s unlikable, bland, and you fail to see why the fae prince falls for her, but wait—she’s a human with the ability to tap into fae magic! She’s intriguing because she’s like no other humans! Yawn.
I’m not saying that protagonists have to be likable in order for us to root for them, but a boring plot with boring characters, not to mention inadequate world-building, leave us with nothing but a book that makes us wonder, “But why? Why did this need to be published?”
And the MMC (whatever his name is) is so unattractive in personality, deeds, and appearance (he has a low ponytail).
3) Inadequate world-building: you can read the entire book and still don’t know what the world looks like, its culture, etc.
4) Fanfic-quality writing: it’s all very “first I did this, then I did this” in style. You know, very play-by-play. Oh, my God, it’s so boring.
It reads like a bad fanfic written by an 8th grader. No offense to 8th graders because I—too—was once an 8th grader who wrote fanfics that I’d rather not think about.
5) Juvenile and under-developed writing. I don’t mean juvenile as in having a youthful voice; I mean juvenile as in being unready to be a published author. I don’t need flowery prose; simple and precise prose are just as good from a competent writer, especially when it’s stylized and intentional. This is just the work of poor storytelling.
Also, we’re told that Keltania is a badass warrior, but we never see it demonstrated. We’re told that the prince is a womanizer and player, but we’re never shown it, and I can’t imagine any woman wanting him. But I guess if you’re a prince, that’s enough, so…🤷🏻♀️
6) Awful out-of-time and out-of-place dialogues that break readers’ immersion. Imagine reading a bad group chat on Discord; that’s how our characters communicate. So many modern-day-America slangs and verbiage.
7) It fails as a romance and fantasy. It isn’t romantic enough to be a romance, because an effective romance is swoon-worthy and inspires love in readers, and it isn’t a fantasy because it just isn’t, primarily due to poor world-building.
8) At the end of the day, this book doesn’t know what it wants to be, or what age group it’s for. Also, “When a fae falls in love, it’s forever”? Sounds suspiciously familiar.
I got this book in an Owlcrate box, and it was so painfully clear that not one person back at headquarters read it, because no reader would want to put their credibility and integrity on the line by recommending it to anyone, unless they’re incentivized to do so. Think of all of the amazing works released from the last few years; this book had no business being in a book box.
This was THE book that made me log into my Owlcrate account and unsubscribe. I had been receiving mediocre books in that box, but this was the one that inspired me to close out my subscription.
I have read countless books in my life, but this one takes the cake for being the worst one I’ve ever read.
It took me sixteen months to finish this book because it was so tedious, that reading it was like pulling teeth. The only reason why I was even able to finish it at all was because I forced myself to bring it with me to my routine hospital visits.
Ok, so what’s wrong with Jus Accardo’s “Omen of Ice”? Let me count the ways.
1) Unoriginal plot that’s been reused and recycled to death, resurrected, and then killed again: a royal (in this case—a fae prince) who is supposedly an orphan, is raised by an uncle (the king) with an agenda and his sketchy wife. The prince has hidden powers that are practically extinct, which the king uses to do his bidding. Then, the prince discovers that his guardians may not be as good as they seem to be. Wow, so original.
2) Unlikable and unremarkable female love interest with a stupid first name (Keltania), whom the author tries really hard to make us like her without giving us any reason to. She’s unlikable, bland, and you fail to see why the fae prince falls for her, but wait—she’s a human with the ability to tap into fae magic! She’s intriguing because she’s like no other humans! Yawn.
I’m not saying that protagonists have to be likable in order for us to root for them, but a boring plot with boring characters, not to mention inadequate world-building, leave us with nothing but a book that makes us wonder, “But why? Why did this need to be published?”
And the MMC (whatever his name is) is so unattractive in personality, deeds, and appearance (he has a low ponytail).
3) Inadequate world-building: you can read the entire book and still don’t know what the world looks like, its culture, etc.
4) Fanfic-quality writing: it’s all very “first I did this, then I did this” in style. You know, very play-by-play. Oh, my God, it’s so boring.
It reads like a bad fanfic written by an 8th grader. No offense to 8th graders because I—too—was once an 8th grader who wrote fanfics that I’d rather not think about.
5) Juvenile and under-developed writing. I don’t mean juvenile as in having a youthful voice; I mean juvenile as in being unready to be a published author. I don’t need flowery prose; simple and precise prose are just as good from a competent writer, especially when it’s stylized and intentional. This is just the work of poor storytelling.
Also, we’re told that Keltania is a badass warrior, but we never see it demonstrated. We’re told that the prince is a womanizer and player, but we’re never shown it, and I can’t imagine any woman wanting him. But I guess if you’re a prince, that’s enough, so…🤷🏻♀️
6) Awful out-of-time and out-of-place dialogues that break readers’ immersion. Imagine reading a bad group chat on Discord; that’s how our characters communicate. So many modern-day-America slangs and verbiage.
7) It fails as a romance and fantasy. It isn’t romantic enough to be a romance, because an effective romance is swoon-worthy and inspires love in readers, and it isn’t a fantasy because it just isn’t, primarily due to poor world-building.
8) At the end of the day, this book doesn’t know what it wants to be, or what age group it’s for. Also, “When a fae falls in love, it’s forever”? Sounds suspiciously familiar.
I got this book in an Owlcrate box, and it was so painfully clear that not one person back at headquarters read it, because no reader would want to put their credibility and integrity on the line by recommending it to anyone, unless they’re incentivized to do so. Think of all of the amazing works released from the last few years; this book had no business being in a book box.
This was THE book that made me log into my Owlcrate account and unsubscribe. I had been receiving mediocre books in that box, but this was the one that inspired me to close out my subscription.
I have read countless books in my life, but this one takes the cake for being the worst one I’ve ever read.
September 27, 2023
1.5 out of 5 stars
I don't think I've been as disappointed with the fantasy I've been reading this year until this book (okay maybe one other time, but that was on me). I really wanted to like this because the premise of a druid guarding a Fae prince gave me a Jude and Cardan type of vibe. Tania and Valen being connected and forced to travel together was also a fascinating addition. The magic system was interesting too. But then all the things that started to annoy me--the stereotypical caricature of side characters, the obvious red herring villain, the ACTUAL villain reveal, the poorly executed revelation of Derriga's true history, the predictable plot twists--added up and turned this book into an eye rolling adventure of the stupidest proportions.
I hated that a majority of the plot hinged on the two main characters refusing to talk to each other about SOME REAL IMPORTANT THINGS. I hated that the story hinged on how everyone around Valen was untrustworthy and out to manipulate him in some way, and yet BOTH the main characters must have forgotten this because suddenly they're trusting half the people around them--even though earlier evidence shows that NO ONE SHOULD BE TRUSTED, NOT EVEN THOSE CLOSEST TO YOU. I absolutely hated that there is no rhyme or reason for the main characters' decisions at the end--just...no, this is not necessary. Either end things, move on, or find a way to be together, wth was this fudgery about political reasoning?! STOP OPENING CANS OF WORMS IF YOU'RE NOT GOING FISHING.
Don't even get me started on the plot twist at the end. I am so done with that dumpster fire. And the deus ex results thereafter.
I've added a star for the pages and pages of chapters that didn't have Liani crying in the scene (I swear that was all she did in the first few chapters), or, you know, didn't have Liani, period. I've added another half star for Valen's magical ability and the shapeshifting kelpie. That's it.
I don't think I've been as disappointed with the fantasy I've been reading this year until this book (okay maybe one other time, but that was on me). I really wanted to like this because the premise of a druid guarding a Fae prince gave me a Jude and Cardan type of vibe. Tania and Valen being connected and forced to travel together was also a fascinating addition. The magic system was interesting too. But then all the things that started to annoy me--the stereotypical caricature of side characters, the obvious red herring villain, the ACTUAL villain reveal, the poorly executed revelation of Derriga's true history, the predictable plot twists--added up and turned this book into an eye rolling adventure of the stupidest proportions.
I hated that a majority of the plot hinged on the two main characters refusing to talk to each other about SOME REAL IMPORTANT THINGS. I hated that the story hinged on how everyone around Valen was untrustworthy and out to manipulate him in some way, and yet BOTH the main characters must have forgotten this because suddenly they're trusting half the people around them--even though earlier evidence shows that NO ONE SHOULD BE TRUSTED, NOT EVEN THOSE CLOSEST TO YOU. I absolutely hated that there is no rhyme or reason for the main characters' decisions at the end--just...no, this is not necessary. Either end things, move on, or find a way to be together, wth was this fudgery about political reasoning?! STOP OPENING CANS OF WORMS IF YOU'RE NOT GOING FISHING.
Don't even get me started on the plot twist at the end. I am so done with that dumpster fire. And the deus ex results thereafter.
I've added a star for the pages and pages of chapters that didn't have Liani crying in the scene (I swear that was all she did in the first few chapters), or, you know, didn't have Liani, period. I've added another half star for Valen's magical ability and the shapeshifting kelpie. That's it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
“Death to protect the one you love. It’s the oldest fairy tale around.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
“Omen of Ice” by Jus Accardo was the August @OwlCrate YA selection. OwlCrate has been knocking it out of the park with their selections recently (at least since I joined the sub) so I was excited to read this though the description wasn’t of a book I’d pick up on my own.
To begin, this book seems on the younger side of YA. The writing, the dialogue, the narrative, all very YA. If you are looking for world building and complex characters, it will not be with “Omen of Ice”. The characters are very much ‘what you see is what you get’, and for a YA book and this story, it works. The characters were likable, and seemed like typical teenagers/young adults. I really enjoyed the inclusion of Druid mythology and culture. The book was interesting in the slang incorporated and a lack of formality between characters even from the start, which I believe is what the author intended for the characters. (I read some complaints about that and wanted to clarify - it is intentional for the characters and relationship development.) The story was predictable as certain lines or character impressions stand out throughout the book. With predictability is also a level of comfort, so for some this may be great while others may not enjoy that aspect. It was a fast read, again with the younger side of YA writing and the story seemed consistently paced.
I am hovering around 3-3.5 stars for this book. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t something I would recommend to most of my friends due to the age-range and writing. (It’s also not a book I would reread, but I will keep for my young daughter in case she loves fantasy like her mother does as she gets older🤞🏻.) I think this is a good fantasy book for ages 13-17 readers.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
“Omen of Ice” by Jus Accardo was the August @OwlCrate YA selection. OwlCrate has been knocking it out of the park with their selections recently (at least since I joined the sub) so I was excited to read this though the description wasn’t of a book I’d pick up on my own.
To begin, this book seems on the younger side of YA. The writing, the dialogue, the narrative, all very YA. If you are looking for world building and complex characters, it will not be with “Omen of Ice”. The characters are very much ‘what you see is what you get’, and for a YA book and this story, it works. The characters were likable, and seemed like typical teenagers/young adults. I really enjoyed the inclusion of Druid mythology and culture. The book was interesting in the slang incorporated and a lack of formality between characters even from the start, which I believe is what the author intended for the characters. (I read some complaints about that and wanted to clarify - it is intentional for the characters and relationship development.) The story was predictable as certain lines or character impressions stand out throughout the book. With predictability is also a level of comfort, so for some this may be great while others may not enjoy that aspect. It was a fast read, again with the younger side of YA writing and the story seemed consistently paced.
I am hovering around 3-3.5 stars for this book. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t something I would recommend to most of my friends due to the age-range and writing. (It’s also not a book I would reread, but I will keep for my young daughter in case she loves fantasy like her mother does as she gets older🤞🏻.) I think this is a good fantasy book for ages 13-17 readers.
July 12, 2023
OMEN OF ICE is an enthralling YA fantasy. Keltania has spent her whole life training to be an Aphelian, one of the few druids left descended from the nearly mythical Aphelian who helped to save everyone by giving up most of her magic to a fae whom she loved and starting the Great Drain, the disappearance of magic from the fae. Now, Aphelians train from childhood to serve as guards for the fae.
Keltania has been given her first job, to guard Valen, nephew to the king of the Winter Court, who is potentially the heir to the throne and hiding a big secret. Though Valen does not want a guard, as the attempts on his life seem to keep escalating, he sees the value in keeping Keltania around. However, when a sigil seems to go awry, things will become even more dangerous for both of them if they are unable to fix it.
What I loved: This was such an entertaining and fast-paced read. The story is told from both Keltania and Valen's points-of-view, and they each have the knowledge and folklore of their people to draw from. The druid and fae histories are linked but with disparate histories passed down, particularly since the fae are basically immortal and some witnessed the Great Drain and the war or are only a couple generations removed from it, while the druids are many, many generations removed. The mythology in the story was unique and really fascinating.
The story begins with Keltania adjusting to life at court and her work as a guard, which is not to simple but when it seems that Valen has a large target on his back. However, it soon turns into an adventure story with a perilous journey, unexpected dangers, and surprises along the way. I really enjoyed this part of the story as it deepens the world-building and keeps the book moving quickly.
There are definitely quite a few unexpected twists in the story. While some elements seemed easy to guess, there were many that left me completely shocked - and I loved the surprises. This ended up being quite the unexpected read with both Valen and Keltania learning that the things they knew to be true were much more complex and sometimes completely formed by the lies of the past. The romance between them was slow-building but potent, and it was easy to cheer for them together, even as they resist the pull between them. There is an element that grows during the story that made this even more intriguing, but I won't give details to leave out spoilers.
There is a lead in to the next book at the end along with some big twists that mean the next book will likely be filled with some additional character development as they react to it. Both Keltania and Valen have been formed by the people who raised them with high expectations for what they would become. In the course of the story, they each begin to question these and form their own plans, gaining independence with some small coming-of-age type elements.
Themes around sacrifice, abuse, mental illness, mythology/history, politics, power and corruption of power, and trust and lies were really thought-provoking. This is a series that I am definitely interested to continue and cannot wait for the next installment!
Final verdict: OMEN OF ICE is an engaging YA fantasy with plenty of adventure, romance, and twists to keep readers on their toes. Highly recommend picking this up! I think this would work well for fans of THE WINTER DUKE, THESE FEATHERED FLAMES, and THE LIAR'S CROWN.
Please note that I received an eARC. All opinions are my own.
Keltania has been given her first job, to guard Valen, nephew to the king of the Winter Court, who is potentially the heir to the throne and hiding a big secret. Though Valen does not want a guard, as the attempts on his life seem to keep escalating, he sees the value in keeping Keltania around. However, when a sigil seems to go awry, things will become even more dangerous for both of them if they are unable to fix it.
What I loved: This was such an entertaining and fast-paced read. The story is told from both Keltania and Valen's points-of-view, and they each have the knowledge and folklore of their people to draw from. The druid and fae histories are linked but with disparate histories passed down, particularly since the fae are basically immortal and some witnessed the Great Drain and the war or are only a couple generations removed from it, while the druids are many, many generations removed. The mythology in the story was unique and really fascinating.
The story begins with Keltania adjusting to life at court and her work as a guard, which is not to simple but when it seems that Valen has a large target on his back. However, it soon turns into an adventure story with a perilous journey, unexpected dangers, and surprises along the way. I really enjoyed this part of the story as it deepens the world-building and keeps the book moving quickly.
There are definitely quite a few unexpected twists in the story. While some elements seemed easy to guess, there were many that left me completely shocked - and I loved the surprises. This ended up being quite the unexpected read with both Valen and Keltania learning that the things they knew to be true were much more complex and sometimes completely formed by the lies of the past. The romance between them was slow-building but potent, and it was easy to cheer for them together, even as they resist the pull between them. There is an element that grows during the story that made this even more intriguing, but I won't give details to leave out spoilers.
There is a lead in to the next book at the end along with some big twists that mean the next book will likely be filled with some additional character development as they react to it. Both Keltania and Valen have been formed by the people who raised them with high expectations for what they would become. In the course of the story, they each begin to question these and form their own plans, gaining independence with some small coming-of-age type elements.
Themes around sacrifice, abuse, mental illness, mythology/history, politics, power and corruption of power, and trust and lies were really thought-provoking. This is a series that I am definitely interested to continue and cannot wait for the next installment!
Final verdict: OMEN OF ICE is an engaging YA fantasy with plenty of adventure, romance, and twists to keep readers on their toes. Highly recommend picking this up! I think this would work well for fans of THE WINTER DUKE, THESE FEATHERED FLAMES, and THE LIAR'S CROWN.
Please note that I received an eARC. All opinions are my own.
December 21, 2024
Okay, this author is OFFICIALLY on my radar now! Wow, this was INCREDIBLE! The fae romantasy I was craving! It was so unique. I loved the magic, the creatures, and the world! Highly recommend!
December 20, 2023
This one was alright. I didn't love the author's writing style and it felt a bit rushed. I didn't connect well to the main characters, but the story was pretty interesting.
August 6, 2023
Kaltania has spent her life training to be an Aphelian (AKA a boss lady bodyguard to a fae). Now that she’s officially been inducted as a druid, Kaltania is sent to the Winter Court to meet her new charge.
Valen strange for a fae and doesn’t quite fit in with his uncle or the rest of the Winter Court. His unusual violet eyes are just the tip of the iceberg. Valen is certain about one thing, though—he doesn’t need an Aphelian guard. Especially considering what happened to the last one.
This is the first book in a new fantasy series about druids and fae. I found it to be fast-paced and interesting. I really liked Kaltania and her commitment to keeping Valen safe right from the beginning. Valen has so many secrets and constantly has to keep himself in check. It was fun to see him slowly open up to Kaltania. The magic system is well-developed and compelling. I don’t what to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that I’m very interested to see what happens next!
NOTE: This book ends with a cliffhanger. Book 2 has not yet been announced.
Romance Steam Rating: Hot Cocoa [2 out of 5] (Kisses Only)
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy ebook.
Valen strange for a fae and doesn’t quite fit in with his uncle or the rest of the Winter Court. His unusual violet eyes are just the tip of the iceberg. Valen is certain about one thing, though—he doesn’t need an Aphelian guard. Especially considering what happened to the last one.
This is the first book in a new fantasy series about druids and fae. I found it to be fast-paced and interesting. I really liked Kaltania and her commitment to keeping Valen safe right from the beginning. Valen has so many secrets and constantly has to keep himself in check. It was fun to see him slowly open up to Kaltania. The magic system is well-developed and compelling. I don’t what to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that I’m very interested to see what happens next!
NOTE: This book ends with a cliffhanger. Book 2 has not yet been announced.
Romance Steam Rating: Hot Cocoa [2 out of 5] (Kisses Only)
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy ebook.
August 15, 2023
4.5 stars
I can’t get over how good this book was! I was completely engrossed in the story and didn’t want the book to end.
This YA fantasy had everything I love including mystery, magic, action, and a little romance. Keltania has spent her entire life training to be the guardian of the Winter Fae. Unfortunately, when she finally meets her charge, Valen, the crown prince of the Winter Court, nothing is as she expected. She quickly realized that everyone is hiding something making her job difficult.
The banter between Tania and Valen is so incredible, I constantly had a smile on my face as I was reading. I really loved both their characters and how they each grew as the story progressed. I also can’t stress this enough, but neither of them was annoying, which I find is often the case in YA novels (especially the FMC). But I truly loved them both and couldn’t get enough, especially as their relationship started to evolved into something a little more sweet and romantic (but no spice).
There were so many twists and developments that I did not see coming. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to be released because I need to know what happens next.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I can’t get over how good this book was! I was completely engrossed in the story and didn’t want the book to end.
This YA fantasy had everything I love including mystery, magic, action, and a little romance. Keltania has spent her entire life training to be the guardian of the Winter Fae. Unfortunately, when she finally meets her charge, Valen, the crown prince of the Winter Court, nothing is as she expected. She quickly realized that everyone is hiding something making her job difficult.
The banter between Tania and Valen is so incredible, I constantly had a smile on my face as I was reading. I really loved both their characters and how they each grew as the story progressed. I also can’t stress this enough, but neither of them was annoying, which I find is often the case in YA novels (especially the FMC). But I truly loved them both and couldn’t get enough, especially as their relationship started to evolved into something a little more sweet and romantic (but no spice).
There were so many twists and developments that I did not see coming. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to be released because I need to know what happens next.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2023
“𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭-𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞.”
~ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 (𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞, #𝟏), 𝐛𝐲 @jusaccardo
.
After many RomComs and adult novels, from the beginning of the year until now, it was about time to read a classic YA High Fantasy novel!
So, what better way to revisit the genre than to read a Fae Romantasy, ❄️ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 ❄️ which was the featured book in the August @owlcrate box.
With a fierce, witty, dynamic duo, the book throws us right into action, when Keltania, a Druid, is asked to become the guardian of Valen, the heir of the Winter Court.
Despite Valen being the typical pain-in-the-a$$ kind of Fae, from page 80 onwards, he started growing on me, probably because I got the chance to get to know more about him and what was it that led him take certain decisions.
As for Keltania, I honestly didn’t mind that she also was the typical, classic in a way, female protagonist of a YA Fantasy novel.
It was refreshing to see that both of the main protagonists had flaws, but they were also witty, with a lot of humor and also not afraid to show how vulnerable they could be.
Said from a dual POV, ❄️ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 ❄️ was a really fast-paced, mostly character-driven introduction to a new series that sounds truly promising to me.
If you’re in for a Fae-human romance with a touch of charm and just a handful of -slightly- smutty scenes, action, adventure and a different kind of magic, then I highly suggest you give this one a go!
4 stars for this beauty, because I loved the story, the main characters and the fact that it reminded me why I love High Fantasy so much! ✨
‼️ Trigger warnings: violence, blood, death, anxiety, trauma, familial estrangement, life-changing injuries, hostage situations and alcohol, death of a parent and child abuse. ‼️
~ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 (𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞, #𝟏), 𝐛𝐲 @jusaccardo
.
After many RomComs and adult novels, from the beginning of the year until now, it was about time to read a classic YA High Fantasy novel!
So, what better way to revisit the genre than to read a Fae Romantasy, ❄️ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 ❄️ which was the featured book in the August @owlcrate box.
With a fierce, witty, dynamic duo, the book throws us right into action, when Keltania, a Druid, is asked to become the guardian of Valen, the heir of the Winter Court.
Despite Valen being the typical pain-in-the-a$$ kind of Fae, from page 80 onwards, he started growing on me, probably because I got the chance to get to know more about him and what was it that led him take certain decisions.
As for Keltania, I honestly didn’t mind that she also was the typical, classic in a way, female protagonist of a YA Fantasy novel.
It was refreshing to see that both of the main protagonists had flaws, but they were also witty, with a lot of humor and also not afraid to show how vulnerable they could be.
Said from a dual POV, ❄️ 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐜𝐞 ❄️ was a really fast-paced, mostly character-driven introduction to a new series that sounds truly promising to me.
If you’re in for a Fae-human romance with a touch of charm and just a handful of -slightly- smutty scenes, action, adventure and a different kind of magic, then I highly suggest you give this one a go!
4 stars for this beauty, because I loved the story, the main characters and the fact that it reminded me why I love High Fantasy so much! ✨
‼️ Trigger warnings: violence, blood, death, anxiety, trauma, familial estrangement, life-changing injuries, hostage situations and alcohol, death of a parent and child abuse. ‼️
January 11, 2024
2.5 Stars
The DNF train continues. I decided to put this book down after reading 78% of the story. I was so close to the end of the book but that just shows you how disinterested I was. And after some helpful guidance from my bestie (thank you Karina) I knew there was no point to continue.
I usually don't rate my DNF's but I felt that I read enough of the book to give it my rating. This book was exactly as the rating suggest. Mid. Not good, not bad, just very basic YA Fantasy. It follows a lot of the very popular YA tropes and in my opinion didn't really do anything new or inventive.
I don't read a lot of YA Fantasy any more so if I am going to pick it up I really need to be blown away by the story and that just wasn't the case for this book.
By the time I got the almost 80% of the story I didn't have any interest in the characters or where things were going. I found the plot to be super predictable and over convenient for every problem they faced. Everything they needed in order to defeat whatever problem easily fell in their lap and was so eye rolly for me. I got this book as a special edition from Owlcrate so I really wanted to love it but it just didn't work for me.
The DNF train continues. I decided to put this book down after reading 78% of the story. I was so close to the end of the book but that just shows you how disinterested I was. And after some helpful guidance from my bestie (thank you Karina) I knew there was no point to continue.
I usually don't rate my DNF's but I felt that I read enough of the book to give it my rating. This book was exactly as the rating suggest. Mid. Not good, not bad, just very basic YA Fantasy. It follows a lot of the very popular YA tropes and in my opinion didn't really do anything new or inventive.
I don't read a lot of YA Fantasy any more so if I am going to pick it up I really need to be blown away by the story and that just wasn't the case for this book.
By the time I got the almost 80% of the story I didn't have any interest in the characters or where things were going. I found the plot to be super predictable and over convenient for every problem they faced. Everything they needed in order to defeat whatever problem easily fell in their lap and was so eye rolly for me. I got this book as a special edition from Owlcrate so I really wanted to love it but it just didn't work for me.
August 10, 2023
A fantastic first installment in a new series that features fae and druids, OMEN OF ICE is the story of bodyguard Keltania who’s tasked with keeping the prince of the Winter Court safe. He’s ornery and reluctant and dodges her at every opportunity, but once things start getting serious and more dangerous, he and Tania eventually come to same conclusion that they’re safer together.
This book had everything I love in fantasy — mystery, magic, secrets, a bit of romance, and an action with whole lot of danger. The setting was atmospheric and wintry, and it was so easy to get lost in this world. I adored the characters and I loved the chemistry between Tania and Valen. Their relationship is a slow-burn on all fronts, and I love how despite coming from very different backgrounds, they have more in common than they each realize. 4 stars.
*Many thanks to Entangled Teen and MTMC Tours for gifting a copy as part of an Instagram tour.
This book had everything I love in fantasy — mystery, magic, secrets, a bit of romance, and an action with whole lot of danger. The setting was atmospheric and wintry, and it was so easy to get lost in this world. I adored the characters and I loved the chemistry between Tania and Valen. Their relationship is a slow-burn on all fronts, and I love how despite coming from very different backgrounds, they have more in common than they each realize. 4 stars.
*Many thanks to Entangled Teen and MTMC Tours for gifting a copy as part of an Instagram tour.
August 31, 2023
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Omen of Ice, by Jus Accardo, is the first installment in the authors Omen of Ice series. This story revolves around two key characters: 18-year-old Keltania Tunne, and 19-year-old Prince Valen of the Winter Fae Court. Keltania has spent her whole life training to be an Aphelian, one of the few druids left descended from the nearly mythical Aphelian who helped to save everyone by giving up most of her magic to a fae whom she loved. Tania is one of the more skilled fighters to come along. Her ability and her cunning makes her the idea candidate to become Fae protector.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Omen of Ice, by Jus Accardo, is the first installment in the authors Omen of Ice series. This story revolves around two key characters: 18-year-old Keltania Tunne, and 19-year-old Prince Valen of the Winter Fae Court. Keltania has spent her whole life training to be an Aphelian, one of the few druids left descended from the nearly mythical Aphelian who helped to save everyone by giving up most of her magic to a fae whom she loved. Tania is one of the more skilled fighters to come along. Her ability and her cunning makes her the idea candidate to become Fae protector.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
November 20, 2023
More of a 3.5 ⭐️ but I always round up.
So I enjoyed this book. It’s not overly complicated writing but I actually find it refreshing for a fantasy to not be super complicated. I liked that the FMC is the warrior and the MMC is the magic user. I liked the link. I liked the creature description and how the lands were warping from the loss of magic. I feel like a lot went on in this book but not everything was super fleshed out, like a lot of it was told to the characters but at the same time I kind of enjoyed that characteristic of this book. It made for quick and easy reading that I don’t always get in a high fantasy. I do think I’d read the next one, I wanna see where things end up. Highly suggest listening to Lindsey Sterlings Artemis album while reading, it’s nice vibes :)
So I enjoyed this book. It’s not overly complicated writing but I actually find it refreshing for a fantasy to not be super complicated. I liked that the FMC is the warrior and the MMC is the magic user. I liked the link. I liked the creature description and how the lands were warping from the loss of magic. I feel like a lot went on in this book but not everything was super fleshed out, like a lot of it was told to the characters but at the same time I kind of enjoyed that characteristic of this book. It made for quick and easy reading that I don’t always get in a high fantasy. I do think I’d read the next one, I wanna see where things end up. Highly suggest listening to Lindsey Sterlings Artemis album while reading, it’s nice vibes :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2023
I need the next book now!!
December 30, 2024
4.25 stars!!!
January 15, 2026
Actual: 1.5⭐️
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