Adorned in Ice

By: Kylie Wiggins

Narrated by: Kate Fraser

Fear was not for the weak but for the intelligent who knew they were up against an unpredictable foe.

Eliza Hawke, the ice-wielding Princess of Keruna, has been married off to Will, the earth-wielding Prince of Mineros. The cruel and unfeeling place that is Mineros cares about power over anything else. As Eliza's days of forced betrothal go by, Will leaves his mark with bruises and veiled threats. Yet, through Eliza's misery, she finds solace within the Princess of Mineros, Nissa.

Nissa, is a beam of light even on Eliza's darkest days. It is not until Will's coronation is almost in his grasp, Eliza and Nissa hatch a daring plan of escape. If the Prince is allowed control over the largest army in Catalina, then all will surely be lost.

As the two fight desperately to unite the kingdoms in their war against the Prince, a tale of danger and betrayal unfolds every step of the way.

©2024 Conquest Publishing (P)2024 Conquest Publishing

Nice debut

Adorned in Ice is a nice debut. The story is a bit dark and deals with physical abuse and royal politics in a magical world, with a bit of romance thrown in. The writing was good, but the plot felt a bit rushed at times and I wanted more time devoted to the relationship between Eliza and Nissa. It went fairly quickly to instalove, where I would have liked to see more depth. It ends on a cliffhanger, and it did leave me wanting to know what will happen next, so kudos to that.

The narration wasn’t the best I’ve listened to and there were some mispronunciations, but the tone matched the story. Overall the audiobook gets 3.5 stars from me rounded up, and I’ll definitely give the next installment a go.

I totally have no reason to be partial

I love this book... not because I wrote it or anything. Really, truly I am not partial at all.

An overall enjoyable listen

It felt cozy, as if I was immersed in a world and followed along a journey of self discovery and healing. Details about the world including the magic system and its politics were revealed naturally and in an easily digestible way. By starting with an action scene, I became immediately drawn in and invested in the main character.

Interestingly, the author was able to address the complex issue of abuse in a way that seemed authentic, without the story seeming overly dense. In a very believable and psychologically sound way, the author was able to share the effects of abuse, including the inner turmoil experienced, the perceptions of others, and even how the cycle of abuse can be perpetuated.

Given the length of the book, character development was a focal point. For me, at times, relationships seemed to develop too quickly, although the story suggests some passage of time and relationship building that occurs off page. Also, the narrator mispronounced a couple words to my ears, one that was said repeatedly throughout the book.

Overall though, and especially considering this was a debut novel, it was an enjoyable read.

Note: a copy of the book was provided in exchange for an honest review.