Mariella Hunt

I’m usually a fast reader, but Winterspell changed that.

It had me reading slowly on purpose to make the book last. I knew from the first page that it would be a beautiful tale; its eloquent writing first drew me in, but the book kept getting better.

Clara is a fantastic main character, walking us through dark situations in a frightening new world. We feel her anger and dread. We root for her to put aside the fear she’s lived with for most of her life.

Something else that blew me away was the world building. From the snowy tundra of Mira’s Ring to Anise’s Summer Palace, everything was so vivid. Fittingly enough, even the beautiful places had a darkness to them.

This land is corrupted and suffocating under Anise’s reign. We want Nicholas to get his throne back. But even the protagonists had a certain darkness to them. It made them real and lovable in the end.

I hesitate to tell you everything and spoil the magic. Read the book and go on this adventure with Clara! If you ask me, this book gets five stars; it lets us relive the beloved tale in a new, breathtaking way.