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The Briar Sisters #1
Summer's Snow
Only the strongest of blooms arise from the blood-flecked snow.
At only 21, the Briar twins have already known much tragedy. Nic and Misha’s mother died in childbirth, then their father was taken by disease thirteen years later. Now the four faerie kingdoms are gathering together to celebrate a century of peace.
During the week of celebrations, Misha is reunited with Julian Warin, the prince she is in love with after years of letters between them. Meanwhile, Nic finds herself caught between the kind and handsome Evander Shaw who she’s always admired, and August Warin, Julian’s elder brother, who challenges and infuriates her at every opportunity.
But as the twins near their 22nd birthday and taking their rightful place on their parents’ throne, tensions are rising among the fae. Not all are happy with the part-human Briars ascending into such power, coveting their magic for their own—even those closest to them. By the end of the celebration, Misha and Julian go missing and Nic is attacked, forced to flee her home and into the dark woods to survive.
In the race to find her missing sister before she is murdered for her heart, the core of magic in all faeries, Nic seeks out August for help, the two allying to find their missing siblings before it’s too late. But she and Misha’s betrayer is still searching for Nic, lurking closer than she might believe.
If she’s not careful, Nic may lose her own heart first.
The first novel in a trilogy following the Briar Sisters, a series that reimagines Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, taking the heroines from helpless damsels to fierce warriors. Summer’s Snow features strong female protagonists, the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood, Sapphic fairy godmothers, and slow-burn dislike to lovers romance. This novel is perfect for readers who enjoyed the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES series by Sarah J. Maas, FOR THE WOLF by Hannah Whitten, and THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black.
*BONUS: The hardcover edition of SUMMER'S SNOW features a special case cover and extra chapter from the point of view of the love interest.
At only 21, the Briar twins have already known much tragedy. Nic and Misha’s mother died in childbirth, then their father was taken by disease thirteen years later. Now the four faerie kingdoms are gathering together to celebrate a century of peace.
During the week of celebrations, Misha is reunited with Julian Warin, the prince she is in love with after years of letters between them. Meanwhile, Nic finds herself caught between the kind and handsome Evander Shaw who she’s always admired, and August Warin, Julian’s elder brother, who challenges and infuriates her at every opportunity.
But as the twins near their 22nd birthday and taking their rightful place on their parents’ throne, tensions are rising among the fae. Not all are happy with the part-human Briars ascending into such power, coveting their magic for their own—even those closest to them. By the end of the celebration, Misha and Julian go missing and Nic is attacked, forced to flee her home and into the dark woods to survive.
In the race to find her missing sister before she is murdered for her heart, the core of magic in all faeries, Nic seeks out August for help, the two allying to find their missing siblings before it’s too late. But she and Misha’s betrayer is still searching for Nic, lurking closer than she might believe.
If she’s not careful, Nic may lose her own heart first.
The first novel in a trilogy following the Briar Sisters, a series that reimagines Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, taking the heroines from helpless damsels to fierce warriors. Summer’s Snow features strong female protagonists, the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood, Sapphic fairy godmothers, and slow-burn dislike to lovers romance. This novel is perfect for readers who enjoyed the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES series by Sarah J. Maas, FOR THE WOLF by Hannah Whitten, and THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black.
*BONUS: The hardcover edition of SUMMER'S SNOW features a special case cover and extra chapter from the point of view of the love interest.
460 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2023
252 people are currently reading
14127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
February 21, 2024
Holy shit I'm finally done. Did I read the same book as everyone else rating this 4 and 5 stars? Are you sure??
This is so obviously a debut, and I hate to be mean to first-time authors for a multitude of reasons, but my god. Does it show. The writing? I kept telling my friends that it was mid—at first because of the blandness. Then it just got worse cause that wasn't the half of it. That isn't even the case. It's just pure bad. Sentences that are clunky, outright use the wrong words, forget whole ass words in sentences. The semantics of writing in this book were just nonexistent. This book desperately needed editing and revisions—several rounds of it, and it is so glaringly obvious. It feels like the author rushed out another copy-paste fae book with a hate to love premise while it's hot on the market and was just done with it. How did no one proofread this?
World building wise, it felt like there was very little to work with. You get some idea of a war centuries ago that we learn through stilted dialogue between underdeveloped, borderline flat, two-dimensional characters, and that there's a treaty keeping the peace. There's the usual half-baked nonsense about lands in each cardinal direction. Only none of those places are ever truly visited, so you don't really learn anything about them other than the bare minimum—their royalty. Most of the book is spent in a castle, while the other half is spent in a silly little oversized cabin, so there's not much to explore.
With that type of story, I personally feel it's important to have a character driven arc and, of course, that was nonexistent. The characters here are all so dull. We have little miss ice princess who has, maybe, 2% development throughout the whole book. The other main character is the twin, who I just. I don't understand why she was a pov character. Her chapters amounted to nothing. Her chapters added nothing to the book except to make the whole thing much, much slower paced than it needed to be. Side characters were interesting for about two seconds, but many of them weren't fully fleshed out for me to care about them, let alone differentiate between them.
And speaking of slow, this shit was DRAGGING. The plot kicked in HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK. Literally! 50% mark was when it finally got interesting. I want to give the benefit of the doubt that the first half was setting the stage, providing necessary insight into character relationships and world building, and I'll give it that. You do get to see how deeply the twins care about their family. But it dragged. It dragged chapter through chapter, and as I'd mentioned, it already had unnecessary ones added because of the other twin's pov. Once again—what the fuck. What was the point? It was mindless fluff for no fucking reason. The love interest in those chapters read like a soggy cardboard.
And then the second half was equally questionable. You have a very brief stint in the middle of the book, and then the latter half continues to drag. It's just training and some attempt and furthering the main romance. Weeks are literally passing by with nothing of note happening. More characters are introduced in this half, but none of them make any sort of lasting impression to make me care. And what gets me is that the second half is only one pov character, which further cements the uselessness of the two pov storytelling at the start.
I know this whole rant makes it seem like I hated this book. I did. I read it and kept reading it because I genuinely wanted to like it. It's a retelling; it has the overused trope of hate to love that I, unfortunately, ignore many red flags over. Reviews mentioned found family and an interesting magic system. It became increasingly obvious that I wouldn't like this early on, but I kept hoping it would get better. It just didn't.
Honestly, my biggest complaint will remain with the writing. It is so hard to find a real voice in these characters. It's flat and dull and you can't feel any life in it. It needed deep, deep revisions and multiple read throughs. I can't emphasize how lazy it makes the writer seem by ignoring all of that and publishing it as is. (I know that's hypocritical of me considering how scattered this review is, lol.)
Romance wise, I'm beyond caring. I was never behind the ship, but I was intrigued by the love triangle that happened early on. I think love triangles can be done well when authors don't have an obvious bias towards one interest—and lo and behold, that's exactly what happened. Of course, readers go into this knowing who's going to be the real love interest, but the personality change of the first one to make the other sound more appealing is a choice. Development wise, it was okay. There wasn't enough angst. There wasn't enough depth that made me want to see them together.
The only thing I thought that was done well was the real show of grief and trauma. It was a lasting presence in the book, and it was a necessary addition to it. I... can't think of any other positives.
Overall, bro. I just needed to vent. I had so many thoughts about this book, and I am eternally mad that I still am not the type of person who is good at eloquently writing them out. But I've said my piece, so if there's anyone who disagrees, talk to a wall. I am not listening.
This is so obviously a debut, and I hate to be mean to first-time authors for a multitude of reasons, but my god. Does it show. The writing? I kept telling my friends that it was mid—at first because of the blandness. Then it just got worse cause that wasn't the half of it. That isn't even the case. It's just pure bad. Sentences that are clunky, outright use the wrong words, forget whole ass words in sentences. The semantics of writing in this book were just nonexistent. This book desperately needed editing and revisions—several rounds of it, and it is so glaringly obvious. It feels like the author rushed out another copy-paste fae book with a hate to love premise while it's hot on the market and was just done with it. How did no one proofread this?
World building wise, it felt like there was very little to work with. You get some idea of a war centuries ago that we learn through stilted dialogue between underdeveloped, borderline flat, two-dimensional characters, and that there's a treaty keeping the peace. There's the usual half-baked nonsense about lands in each cardinal direction. Only none of those places are ever truly visited, so you don't really learn anything about them other than the bare minimum—their royalty. Most of the book is spent in a castle, while the other half is spent in a silly little oversized cabin, so there's not much to explore.
With that type of story, I personally feel it's important to have a character driven arc and, of course, that was nonexistent. The characters here are all so dull. We have little miss ice princess who has, maybe, 2% development throughout the whole book. The other main character is the twin, who I just. I don't understand why she was a pov character. Her chapters amounted to nothing. Her chapters added nothing to the book except to make the whole thing much, much slower paced than it needed to be. Side characters were interesting for about two seconds, but many of them weren't fully fleshed out for me to care about them, let alone differentiate between them.
And speaking of slow, this shit was DRAGGING. The plot kicked in HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK. Literally! 50% mark was when it finally got interesting. I want to give the benefit of the doubt that the first half was setting the stage, providing necessary insight into character relationships and world building, and I'll give it that. You do get to see how deeply the twins care about their family. But it dragged. It dragged chapter through chapter, and as I'd mentioned, it already had unnecessary ones added because of the other twin's pov. Once again—what the fuck. What was the point? It was mindless fluff for no fucking reason. The love interest in those chapters read like a soggy cardboard.
And then the second half was equally questionable. You have a very brief stint in the middle of the book, and then the latter half continues to drag. It's just training and some attempt and furthering the main romance. Weeks are literally passing by with nothing of note happening. More characters are introduced in this half, but none of them make any sort of lasting impression to make me care. And what gets me is that the second half is only one pov character, which further cements the uselessness of the two pov storytelling at the start.
I know this whole rant makes it seem like I hated this book. I did. I read it and kept reading it because I genuinely wanted to like it. It's a retelling; it has the overused trope of hate to love that I, unfortunately, ignore many red flags over. Reviews mentioned found family and an interesting magic system. It became increasingly obvious that I wouldn't like this early on, but I kept hoping it would get better. It just didn't.
Honestly, my biggest complaint will remain with the writing. It is so hard to find a real voice in these characters. It's flat and dull and you can't feel any life in it. It needed deep, deep revisions and multiple read throughs. I can't emphasize how lazy it makes the writer seem by ignoring all of that and publishing it as is. (I know that's hypocritical of me considering how scattered this review is, lol.)
Romance wise, I'm beyond caring. I was never behind the ship, but I was intrigued by the love triangle that happened early on. I think love triangles can be done well when authors don't have an obvious bias towards one interest—and lo and behold, that's exactly what happened. Of course, readers go into this knowing who's going to be the real love interest, but the personality change of the first one to make the other sound more appealing is a choice. Development wise, it was okay. There wasn't enough angst. There wasn't enough depth that made me want to see them together.
The only thing I thought that was done well was the real show of grief and trauma. It was a lasting presence in the book, and it was a necessary addition to it. I... can't think of any other positives.
Overall, bro. I just needed to vent. I had so many thoughts about this book, and I am eternally mad that I still am not the type of person who is good at eloquently writing them out. But I've said my piece, so if there's anyone who disagrees, talk to a wall. I am not listening.
January 13, 2023
Rating: 3.5✨
Spice: 1.5 🌶
Before starting, I would like to thank the author for an opportunity to read this as an ARC. Like always, this review is voluntary and honest!
So, I enjoyed this book, mostly after the second half begun. I feel like this is a really good introduction to the author's writing and her series and I have a good feeling about how it'll go from here.
Nic, I liked the depth of her character, would have maybe liked to see a bit more into who she is behind those wall she keeps up, and I liked seeing her development so far. I liked the build up of her character as well as the book progressed. She is fierce and likes to make others think she has a heart made of ice, but honestly? She has a heart of gold!
August, I enjoyed reading about him as well. He is such a cinnamon roll who others see as dangerous and ruthless. He is so caring when it comes to his family, his seven, and Nic. Loved seeing the slow burn between him and Nic and of course, THEIR BANTER! It had me giggling at times, especially when he listed off his nicknames for Nicole.
Misha and Julian, they're both likable characters and I liked what we saw of them so far. However, I feel like I need to see more of them to say more about them both. But their relationship is precious and heartwarming. They are so devoted to one another and will protect each other at all costs.
There are additional characters that will steal your heart and make you smile. This book also has the one bed trope, the "who did this to you trope" and the found family trop, which I LOVE.
Now some things that I feel could improve: The writing was one I was iffy with. But that is a personal preference, so don't let that be a deciding factor. I do feel like more editing was needed, some grammatical errors, which could have been missed, but also some repetition of certain parts that kind of threw me off at first.
I do believe this author did so well with her debut book and I truly did enjoy it. I also do think this author has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to read her future books.
If you love books that include the tropes I mentioned above, this book is FOR YOU! If you love books that involve mating bonds, this book is for you. If you love books with warrior, badass heroines, this book is for YOU ♥️
Spice: 1.5 🌶
Before starting, I would like to thank the author for an opportunity to read this as an ARC. Like always, this review is voluntary and honest!
So, I enjoyed this book, mostly after the second half begun. I feel like this is a really good introduction to the author's writing and her series and I have a good feeling about how it'll go from here.
Nic, I liked the depth of her character, would have maybe liked to see a bit more into who she is behind those wall she keeps up, and I liked seeing her development so far. I liked the build up of her character as well as the book progressed. She is fierce and likes to make others think she has a heart made of ice, but honestly? She has a heart of gold!
August, I enjoyed reading about him as well. He is such a cinnamon roll who others see as dangerous and ruthless. He is so caring when it comes to his family, his seven, and Nic. Loved seeing the slow burn between him and Nic and of course, THEIR BANTER! It had me giggling at times, especially when he listed off his nicknames for Nicole.
Misha and Julian, they're both likable characters and I liked what we saw of them so far. However, I feel like I need to see more of them to say more about them both. But their relationship is precious and heartwarming. They are so devoted to one another and will protect each other at all costs.
There are additional characters that will steal your heart and make you smile. This book also has the one bed trope, the "who did this to you trope" and the found family trop, which I LOVE.
Now some things that I feel could improve: The writing was one I was iffy with. But that is a personal preference, so don't let that be a deciding factor. I do feel like more editing was needed, some grammatical errors, which could have been missed, but also some repetition of certain parts that kind of threw me off at first.
I do believe this author did so well with her debut book and I truly did enjoy it. I also do think this author has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to read her future books.
If you love books that include the tropes I mentioned above, this book is FOR YOU! If you love books that involve mating bonds, this book is for you. If you love books with warrior, badass heroines, this book is for YOU ♥️
Read
February 20, 2024DNF. Unfortunately there's not enough originality here to keep me interested. The writing is very VERY new and could use another round.
February 22, 2023
SnowWhite but SO MUCH MORE!
This story isn't about beauty, jealousy, and the cliche beauty obsessed evil stepmother. This book fits into the category of New Adult Spicy Fantasy Romance, the sub-genre that I can't get enough of. Especially the stories that touch on darker mental health themes with a sizzling Fae romance love interest and Princess DIANA vibes!!
Summer's Snow is an incredibly subversive Snow White retelling! The main characters Nic & Misha are not just beautiful rather than soon will be powerful and unstoppable but the queen isn't jealous of their beauty. The twins most praised quality is their powerful heritage that will be claimed soon on their 22nd birthday as they are expected to reach their full fae abilities.
I LOVED Nicole, King August and the SEVEN so much! She's fierce, strong, and a badass. And he's the Grumpy cold blooded King who trusts no one. The chemistry between them is electric and the banter is top notch. I lapped it all up like a starving beast!
THIS BOOK has a little bit of everything; vengeance, betrayal, smoldering romance, curses, GRIPPING enemies to lovers tale, friendships, suspense, mystery. And the ending is SO adrenaline pumping!! It should appeal to all fans of writers such as Holly Black and Sarah J Maas. Guys READ this book NOW and let's gush about it together!!!
This story isn't about beauty, jealousy, and the cliche beauty obsessed evil stepmother. This book fits into the category of New Adult Spicy Fantasy Romance, the sub-genre that I can't get enough of. Especially the stories that touch on darker mental health themes with a sizzling Fae romance love interest and Princess DIANA vibes!!
Summer's Snow is an incredibly subversive Snow White retelling! The main characters Nic & Misha are not just beautiful rather than soon will be powerful and unstoppable but the queen isn't jealous of their beauty. The twins most praised quality is their powerful heritage that will be claimed soon on their 22nd birthday as they are expected to reach their full fae abilities.
I LOVED Nicole, King August and the SEVEN so much! She's fierce, strong, and a badass. And he's the Grumpy cold blooded King who trusts no one. The chemistry between them is electric and the banter is top notch. I lapped it all up like a starving beast!
THIS BOOK has a little bit of everything; vengeance, betrayal, smoldering romance, curses, GRIPPING enemies to lovers tale, friendships, suspense, mystery. And the ending is SO adrenaline pumping!! It should appeal to all fans of writers such as Holly Black and Sarah J Maas. Guys READ this book NOW and let's gush about it together!!!
April 12, 2023
3.75 stars for me!!
Overall I loved the characters, the plot, and all the details that went into the world, magic, and concepts. It was such a beautiful magical story
My one thing was that I did feel like the book as a whole was a bit slow for me personally. It took me a bit to get into and some parts had me sucked in but I would’ve preferred a faster pace throughout.
But really great writing and development:) <3
Overall I loved the characters, the plot, and all the details that went into the world, magic, and concepts. It was such a beautiful magical story
My one thing was that I did feel like the book as a whole was a bit slow for me personally. It took me a bit to get into and some parts had me sucked in but I would’ve preferred a faster pace throughout.
But really great writing and development:) <3
July 30, 2023
Well.. that was definitely a first draft. 2 stars because at the start it had so much potential
November 7, 2022
Captivating. This book has all of the emotions wrapped into perfect pages. Nic, the main character, is intelligent, talented, witty, etc. Her passion for her family throughout the book is heartwarming and deadly. Misha, Nic’s twin sister, is the picture of beauty and sunshine.
Let me tell you about the world building in this book. FANTASTIC. I felt as if I was in the pages, living through the characters. With every new turn of a page, I was right there wondering and daring to go further.
12/10 I loved this book. I’m so excited to see what’s to come next!
Let me tell you about the world building in this book. FANTASTIC. I felt as if I was in the pages, living through the characters. With every new turn of a page, I was right there wondering and daring to go further.
12/10 I loved this book. I’m so excited to see what’s to come next!
February 11, 2023
Holy. Heaven. This review is a long time coming — I received an arc from the author which I’m eternally grateful for. This book took me by surprise in the BEST way. So much so, I had to sit on this review in order to do it justice.
Carly manages to build this incredible, delectable world that has you craving for more. The world building is phenomenal, beautiful and so fun to follow. Her characters are on a different level. Strong FMC’s are my favorite thing in there world, and Carly wrote some of the best ones to date here.
This retelling of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty was done so perfectly. Her writing was dreamy as she built a world with slow burn love, found family, fated mates and so much more.
I’m currently still processing how wonderful this book was and how lucky I am to have gotten early access to it. It’s out now and the author has an Etsy shop to order a hardcover from which I will be doing as soon as I convince my boyfriend book buying bans are lame.
Carly manages to build this incredible, delectable world that has you craving for more. The world building is phenomenal, beautiful and so fun to follow. Her characters are on a different level. Strong FMC’s are my favorite thing in there world, and Carly wrote some of the best ones to date here.
This retelling of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty was done so perfectly. Her writing was dreamy as she built a world with slow burn love, found family, fated mates and so much more.
I’m currently still processing how wonderful this book was and how lucky I am to have gotten early access to it. It’s out now and the author has an Etsy shop to order a hardcover from which I will be doing as soon as I convince my boyfriend book buying bans are lame.
March 14, 2023
I was so honored to have the privilege from Carly of reading this as an ARC! This book had me ensnared the entire time! Nic and Misha are both so different but such resilient characters, I think it is so important seeing women portrayed in that light. August is literal perfection, there is no way not to love him! The storyline is phenomenally written and planned out, the authors writing style and tone kept the story following in a clear, concise, and engaging flow. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough, it is absolutely fabulous. I will definitely be recommending this to my book club, and I can't wait for the next book!
February 23, 2023
Let’s be honest. Nowadays, every author is trying to emulate ACOTAR. And we eat it up!
I picked out this book looking for something similar to ACOTAR (romance, fantasy, good world-building) and I got what I asked for. What this book also had that I really enjoyed was different perspectives between Misha and Nicole. It was nice to get a break from the stereotypical storyline of Nic to see what Misha was up to.
It’s a retelling of Snow White, but very loose, which I appreciated. I honestly didn’t even put together until writing this that the Seven = the seven dwarves!
I’ve yet to find a super well-written villain and this book doesn’t have one either. She’s an evil stepmother who wants power, which does align with the retelling of Snow White. I want a dark motive that goes beyond wanting power, where the villain is truly terrifying.
All in all, good characters with cool powers, great lore, decent world-building, and an intriguing storyline.
I picked out this book looking for something similar to ACOTAR (romance, fantasy, good world-building) and I got what I asked for. What this book also had that I really enjoyed was different perspectives between Misha and Nicole. It was nice to get a break from the stereotypical storyline of Nic to see what Misha was up to.
It’s a retelling of Snow White, but very loose, which I appreciated. I honestly didn’t even put together until writing this that the Seven = the seven dwarves!
I’ve yet to find a super well-written villain and this book doesn’t have one either. She’s an evil stepmother who wants power, which does align with the retelling of Snow White. I want a dark motive that goes beyond wanting power, where the villain is truly terrifying.
All in all, good characters with cool powers, great lore, decent world-building, and an intriguing storyline.
July 25, 2023
nah, this was SO GOOD ???!!!
this was the first book in a while that really made me feel something. i need the second book immediately !!
this was the first book in a while that really made me feel something. i need the second book immediately !!
August 14, 2023
2.5*
I definitely had issues with this book, but I’m giving it some leeway since it is by an indie author (and therefore it hasn’t gone through the rounds of editing that a traditionally published book would). My biggest issue was how slow it was. The first 50 pages were fun as we got to know the characters, world, and magic system, but then it dragged until the halfway point. Things start picking up, but then quickly slowed down again until the last 50-100 pages. Also, I love a slow burn, but this one was too slow 😭 If the sequel was focusing on August and Nic, I’d be fine with it, but it won’t be, so I would have liked more of that. I found the secondary characters to be very two dimensional and didn’t really care about them. I also found a lot of the things that happened in this book to be a bit too convenient for the characters… I might check out the sequel since I think the author has potential, but we’ll see!
I definitely had issues with this book, but I’m giving it some leeway since it is by an indie author (and therefore it hasn’t gone through the rounds of editing that a traditionally published book would). My biggest issue was how slow it was. The first 50 pages were fun as we got to know the characters, world, and magic system, but then it dragged until the halfway point. Things start picking up, but then quickly slowed down again until the last 50-100 pages. Also, I love a slow burn, but this one was too slow 😭 If the sequel was focusing on August and Nic, I’d be fine with it, but it won’t be, so I would have liked more of that. I found the secondary characters to be very two dimensional and didn’t really care about them. I also found a lot of the things that happened in this book to be a bit too convenient for the characters… I might check out the sequel since I think the author has potential, but we’ll see!
January 15, 2023
Carly, you legend, thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. This story is like diving into a dreamy, faerie aesthetic Pinterest board full of everything that makes a fantasy romance girly’s heart come alive: strong fmcs, fated mates, found family, fairytale retelling (Snow White and Sleeping Beauty), Darcy and Elizabeth energy, slow burn tension, “who did this to you”, one bed trope, nightmare x comfort, and a scene on a roof under the stars.
It’s not particularly fast-paced, it almost feels like a badass fae version of the five-hour Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice, but in a nice way. You really feel the growth of the main character, especially the found family storyline. I really enjoyed it.
Congratulations on such a wonderful debut.
4⭐️ 1.5🌶️
It’s not particularly fast-paced, it almost feels like a badass fae version of the five-hour Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice, but in a nice way. You really feel the growth of the main character, especially the found family storyline. I really enjoyed it.
Congratulations on such a wonderful debut.
4⭐️ 1.5🌶️
March 22, 2024
4.5⭐️ - I think this is the highest rating I've given to a book in a long time.
If you loved ACOTAR’s fairytale retelling, ToG’s world building, if you love powerful FMCs, if you love romance and unique magic, this is your next favorite read!
Beautifully written, Summer's Snow hooks you from the get-go and keeps you enthralled through every twist and turn
If you loved ACOTAR’s fairytale retelling, ToG’s world building, if you love powerful FMCs, if you love romance and unique magic, this is your next favorite read!
Beautifully written, Summer's Snow hooks you from the get-go and keeps you enthralled through every twist and turn
April 2, 2023
Eh…
Booktok can’t be right all the time.
Booktok can’t be right all the time.
November 19, 2023
4.5 / ⭐️
1.0 / 🌶️
***No Spoilers***
“𝐼 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒶 𝓁𝒾𝑒 𝓈𝑜 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝓊𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝐼 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝓅𝓈”
More people should read this book, I unexpectedly really enjoyed it! I ordered from the author’s Etsy and it came signed with two gorgeous character bookmarks and stickers (which I absolutely loved) ❤️
Summer’s Snow is a Snow White & Sleeping Beauty “retelling” with a Fae twist ~ it follows powerful twin sisters who would do anything for each other. I adored Nic and Misha’s relationship. We get to see both of their POVs in the first half of the book and while I was slightly disappointed we didn’t get more Misha in the last half, it was due to the events happening within the plot so it was understandable. I’m looking forward to seeing how their characters will progress in book two 👀
My biggest critique was that the first half seemed really slow, so it took me a bit to get into it. However, I thought the world-building was done well which makes up for it and once the main conflict occurs, be prepared to feel a tsunami of emotions 😩
We can’t forget about one of Nic’s love interests ~ August. I love that he made her tea every morning because it reminded me of my husband, who spoils me by making my coffee every day 🥰
Last but not least are the Seven. Y’all know I LOVE a good found family trope and I thought this was such a cool take on the seven dwarves (I’m assuming) as they all had different abilities and backgrounds -fae, witches, etc.
Here's what to expect in Summer’s Snow:
✨Snow White/Sleeping Beauty with a Fae twist
✨FMC to MMC “Who did this to you?”
✨Only One Bed
✨Dislike to lovers
✨Touch her and 💀
✨Elemental/Fae/Witch Magic
✨Mythical Creatures
✨Prophecies/Riddles
✨Nightmare comfort (FMC & MMC)
✨Badass sapphic fairy godmothers
✨Fated Mates
✨Found Family
If you like any of the above and want to support an indie author, pick this one up asap because book two ~ Fall’s Thorns ~ is set to release 2/28/24 and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
1.0 / 🌶️
***No Spoilers***
“𝐼 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒶 𝓁𝒾𝑒 𝓈𝑜 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝓊𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝐼 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝓅𝓈”
More people should read this book, I unexpectedly really enjoyed it! I ordered from the author’s Etsy and it came signed with two gorgeous character bookmarks and stickers (which I absolutely loved) ❤️
Summer’s Snow is a Snow White & Sleeping Beauty “retelling” with a Fae twist ~ it follows powerful twin sisters who would do anything for each other. I adored Nic and Misha’s relationship. We get to see both of their POVs in the first half of the book and while I was slightly disappointed we didn’t get more Misha in the last half, it was due to the events happening within the plot so it was understandable. I’m looking forward to seeing how their characters will progress in book two 👀
My biggest critique was that the first half seemed really slow, so it took me a bit to get into it. However, I thought the world-building was done well which makes up for it and once the main conflict occurs, be prepared to feel a tsunami of emotions 😩
We can’t forget about one of Nic’s love interests ~ August. I love that he made her tea every morning because it reminded me of my husband, who spoils me by making my coffee every day 🥰
Last but not least are the Seven. Y’all know I LOVE a good found family trope and I thought this was such a cool take on the seven dwarves (I’m assuming) as they all had different abilities and backgrounds -fae, witches, etc.
Here's what to expect in Summer’s Snow:
✨Snow White/Sleeping Beauty with a Fae twist
✨FMC to MMC “Who did this to you?”
✨Only One Bed
✨Dislike to lovers
✨Touch her and 💀
✨Elemental/Fae/Witch Magic
✨Mythical Creatures
✨Prophecies/Riddles
✨Nightmare comfort (FMC & MMC)
✨Badass sapphic fairy godmothers
✨Fated Mates
✨Found Family
If you like any of the above and want to support an indie author, pick this one up asap because book two ~ Fall’s Thorns ~ is set to release 2/28/24 and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
March 20, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a beautifully written retelling of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Absolutely stunning. I got so lost in the characters and story that I completely forgot a few times that it was a retelling and was genuinely surprised by some of the twists that called back to the original fairytales, which I didn't think was possible (but I love it)!
The relationships in this book were some of the most realistic I think I've read in a long time - from our two main sisters, to the friends-to-lovers couple and the enemies-to-lovers couple (this book has go it all!)
I also loved the magic system in this book and how beautifully the writer described what was happening around them. The whimsicalness of it all reminded me a lot of The Cruel Prince series.
There were some parts that dragged a little bit for me pacing wise, but I prefer more fast-paced books in general, and even the parts that were slow were enjoyable to read. Looking forward to book 2!
***Disclaimer for my clean reader friends: there are two explicit/spicy scenes in this book that are confined to a chapter each, but they are easy to skip over without missing anything vital to the story (that's what I did and I was able to follow along well enough).
This was a beautifully written retelling of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Absolutely stunning. I got so lost in the characters and story that I completely forgot a few times that it was a retelling and was genuinely surprised by some of the twists that called back to the original fairytales, which I didn't think was possible (but I love it)!
The relationships in this book were some of the most realistic I think I've read in a long time - from our two main sisters, to the friends-to-lovers couple and the enemies-to-lovers couple (this book has go it all!)
I also loved the magic system in this book and how beautifully the writer described what was happening around them. The whimsicalness of it all reminded me a lot of The Cruel Prince series.
There were some parts that dragged a little bit for me pacing wise, but I prefer more fast-paced books in general, and even the parts that were slow were enjoyable to read. Looking forward to book 2!
***Disclaimer for my clean reader friends: there are two explicit/spicy scenes in this book that are confined to a chapter each, but they are easy to skip over without missing anything vital to the story (that's what I did and I was able to follow along well enough).
August 11, 2023
This book was WAY better then I was expecting it to be. The author could use an editor because there were some simple spelling mistakes. For being her debut novel it was very great! Its a retelling of two popular fairy tails; Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. The stories are different enough from the original, and there are some added elements of intrigue that make it a must read. Its a slow burn romance, and I am a sucker for this sort of thing. The slow burn was *chefs kiss.* In my opinion I don’t think the author grasps how to write a intimate scenes. (Specifically for the couple Nic and August). I didn’t feel like the scenes were romantic and edging towards cringy. I wish the author had written more vulnerability and honesty before taking the next step. I will admit that I am a helpless romantic so that could just be a “me thing.” I loved the book and will definitely be reading book two. For those of you looking for a good fantasy romance I would recommend giving this book a try.
January 12, 2023
Twin sisters, Nic and Misha Briar, have known nothing but loss and love. Years after their parents death’s and being raised by their sapphic aunts, the twins’ 22 birthday and the celebration of the Blood Treaty is coming quick. On the night of the celebration, Misha and her lover Julien go missing. Nic is forced to join forces with the king of the North, August. The two work together in order to find her sister and his brother.
I loved this book!! Nic and Misha are bad ass, powerful women. August is a true king with piercing silver eyes and lightening power, iykyk 🤤 Summer Snow had so much heart, loss, and love. It’s truly about the love of family, vulnerability, and trust.
Tropes: fantasy (fae/witches), Snow White retelling, Sleeping Beauty Retelling, Sloooow burn, dislike to lovers, friends to lovers, betrayal, one bed trope, who did this to you
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️
I loved this book!! Nic and Misha are bad ass, powerful women. August is a true king with piercing silver eyes and lightening power, iykyk 🤤 Summer Snow had so much heart, loss, and love. It’s truly about the love of family, vulnerability, and trust.
Tropes: fantasy (fae/witches), Snow White retelling, Sleeping Beauty Retelling, Sloooow burn, dislike to lovers, friends to lovers, betrayal, one bed trope, who did this to you
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️
August 30, 2023
I really like this fairytale retelling. It was a combo of Snow White and sleeping beauty as sisters which I’ve never read before. Loved the drama with their evil stepmother overthrowing them and trying to kill them and their gay aunts (fairy godmothers ;) ). I liked how the magic system was mixed with the traditional fairy tale. It gave it a fresh take so it didn’t feel like you were just reading something you already knew. And the epilogue was good too. I’m hoping we also get some
Beauty and the Beast inspiration too in the sequel considering how that ended.
Beauty and the Beast inspiration too in the sequel considering how that ended.
August 21, 2023
So so so good. Cannot wait for book 2. This book was a great fantasy with badass woman characters both evil and less evil haha slow burn on the romance but it was burning so well haha I hope to see more of these same characters in book 2 although I hear it’s from the twin sisters perspective!! Aaaah already ready for the tv adaptation of this story 🔥
August 28, 2023
Dnf 78%
I have found better quality literature on wattpad and inkitt
This reads as a fairytale and while I do understand that it’s inspired by fairytales, it feels very plain, primitive, basic.
The decision to write it in 1 person pov with two main characters and abandoning it after a while was definitely an interesting choice. Why not write it in 3rd person pov from the start?
The dialogue is a cringefest especially when characters were talking about their feelings. It felt very forced and unnatural.
All the characters lack personality. If not for situational clues you would not have been able to tell them apart.
Also readers are not stupid. You don’t have to repeat 7 times that full extent of their powers would awaken when they turned 22. Or that they love their aunts very very much and their aunts love them very very much too. We get, okay? Telling us twice was enough.
There is too much exposition. Just too much.
This book just feels like a child getting unlimited access to all the candy in the shop. Like author could not choose what to add to their world and main character so they just grabbed everything and mashed it together.
I have found better quality literature on wattpad and inkitt
This reads as a fairytale and while I do understand that it’s inspired by fairytales, it feels very plain, primitive, basic.
The decision to write it in 1 person pov with two main characters and abandoning it after a while was definitely an interesting choice. Why not write it in 3rd person pov from the start?
The dialogue is a cringefest especially when characters were talking about their feelings. It felt very forced and unnatural.
All the characters lack personality. If not for situational clues you would not have been able to tell them apart.
Also readers are not stupid. You don’t have to repeat 7 times that full extent of their powers would awaken when they turned 22. Or that they love their aunts very very much and their aunts love them very very much too. We get, okay? Telling us twice was enough.
There is too much exposition. Just too much.
This book just feels like a child getting unlimited access to all the candy in the shop. Like author could not choose what to add to their world and main character so they just grabbed everything and mashed it together.
January 20, 2024
Easily one of my top reads for this year. Highly recommend reading this book! Had me kicking my feet and screaming the whole way through. It has many lovable characters and amazing banter!!! Please do yourself a favor and read it.
April 25, 2023
so so good
I really really loved this book I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait for the next book to come out
I really really loved this book I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait for the next book to come out
August 24, 2023
I wish I could give this a 4 1/2 stars because it’s a really good book, it only was a little slow to start with
May 24, 2023
Hartnäckig am Anfang aber definitiv gut
January 27, 2023
I was an ARC reader for this book, and just by the cover I was intrigued. I knew from the marketing around the book that this was a Snow White retelling, but I'm here to tell you that it is actually so much MORE!
When I first started, I have to admit I was on autopilot. The FMC is a total badass, great fighter and has a run in with an entitled male. I was thinking, okay we've seen this before. But I was so wrong! Yes the FMC is a badass, but there is so much more going on here. The story dives heavily into the FMC's relationship with her twin sister, who is also a kind and ferocious character herself. The magic system is both familiar and unique, and I love that you can tell the author did her research into other mythical creatures that dwell in her world. The AUNTS, my goodness I not only love their relationship with each other, but also how much they love the twins.
There are themes in this book that coincide with just about any new fantasy romance novel you read today, but there are also fresh and exciting themes at play that you as a reader do NOT want to miss. Do yourself a favor and enjoy the read. I'm also SO ready for book two which is giving me a mix of beauty and the beast or sleeping beauty vibes. Either way, I can't wait to read!
When I first started, I have to admit I was on autopilot. The FMC is a total badass, great fighter and has a run in with an entitled male. I was thinking, okay we've seen this before. But I was so wrong! Yes the FMC is a badass, but there is so much more going on here. The story dives heavily into the FMC's relationship with her twin sister, who is also a kind and ferocious character herself. The magic system is both familiar and unique, and I love that you can tell the author did her research into other mythical creatures that dwell in her world. The AUNTS, my goodness I not only love their relationship with each other, but also how much they love the twins.
There are themes in this book that coincide with just about any new fantasy romance novel you read today, but there are also fresh and exciting themes at play that you as a reader do NOT want to miss. Do yourself a favor and enjoy the read. I'm also SO ready for book two which is giving me a mix of beauty and the beast or sleeping beauty vibes. Either way, I can't wait to read!
February 2, 2023
I want to start this review off by thanking Carly for sending me an ARC of her debut book, it's such an honor!!! Next I want to say.... well. freaking. done. This was such an enjoyable and easy read that had me captivated from the beginning!
Summer's Snow is a Snow White AND Sleeping Beauty re-imagining starring the Briar twins, Nicole and Misha Briar. The world building is fantastic because I never once felt lost or confused (unless I was supposed to) and I felt like I was able to grasp everything as its intended. The book was slow in the beginning, but definitely not boring as I was easily engaged the entire time. Personally, I'm a fan of slow and detail-filled beginnings, because it builds a sort of anticipation for when the ball is about to drop - and halfway through the book we're gifted with that delicious turn of events. I was equally shocked as much as I was expecting it - and the way the rest of the book had me on my toes just waiting to see how everything would play out is the kind of reading experience I live for. Not to mention another aspect that had me absolutely living... the delicious TENSION between two of the MCs. Were there moments that had me giggling and squealing? YES.
If you're a fan of the following tropes:
- one bed
- found family
- friends to lovers
- enemies to lovers
- "who did this to you"
- "touch her and you will be *unalived*"
then you need to add this to your TBR pronto.
Lastly, the way Carly was able to write and meld two different beloved fairy tale stories into one re-imagining was done brilliantly. I can't wait to see what's in store for book 2! Like... actually can't wait I want to read it now.
Summer's Snow is a Snow White AND Sleeping Beauty re-imagining starring the Briar twins, Nicole and Misha Briar. The world building is fantastic because I never once felt lost or confused (unless I was supposed to) and I felt like I was able to grasp everything as its intended. The book was slow in the beginning, but definitely not boring as I was easily engaged the entire time. Personally, I'm a fan of slow and detail-filled beginnings, because it builds a sort of anticipation for when the ball is about to drop - and halfway through the book we're gifted with that delicious turn of events. I was equally shocked as much as I was expecting it - and the way the rest of the book had me on my toes just waiting to see how everything would play out is the kind of reading experience I live for. Not to mention another aspect that had me absolutely living... the delicious TENSION between two of the MCs. Were there moments that had me giggling and squealing? YES.
If you're a fan of the following tropes:
- one bed
- found family
- friends to lovers
- enemies to lovers
- "who did this to you"
- "touch her and you will be *unalived*"
then you need to add this to your TBR pronto.
Lastly, the way Carly was able to write and meld two different beloved fairy tale stories into one re-imagining was done brilliantly. I can't wait to see what's in store for book 2! Like... actually can't wait I want to read it now.
August 17, 2023
LOVE. Favorite book I read this year. I can’t wait for the next one.
August 12, 2023
3.5 — Beginning was rough, started off very cliche just kind of uncomfortably jumping from one trope to the next way too quickly, a lot of things like Mischa’s romance did not get buildup at all, so it seemed to me like it would’ve been better to just start with them already together. Anyway after the beginning it picked up and I wanted to keep reading. It is definitely a smoothie of things you’ve seen before, even apart from the fairy tale inspo. Lots of ACOTAR and CC stuff from SJM is reused. But I don’t mind that really. Ultimately, I just hope the second book isn’t majority from Misha’s perspective, because she is soooo boring omg.
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