by Jill Criswell
Date Published: August 6, 2019; Blackstone Publishing
From Goodreads:
Burn brightly. Love fiercely. For all else is dust.
Every child of Glasnith learns the last words of Aillira, the god-gifted mortal whose doomed love affair sparked a war of gods and men, and Lira of clan Stone knows the story better than most. As a descendant of Aillira and god-gifted in her own right, she has the power to read people's souls, to see someone's true essence with only a touch of her hand.
When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland--one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun--Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith. He confides in her that he's been cursed with what his people call battle-madness, forced to fight for the warlord known as the Dragon, a powerful tyrant determined to reignite the ancient war that Aillira started.
As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira's life, for Reyker's soul, and for their peoples' freedom has only just begun.
THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER OF Beasts of the Frozen Sun
by Jill Criswell
by Jill Criswell
Years ago, I journeyed to Iceland and fell in love with its stark landscapes and Viking heritage. Inspiration struck when I toured the Saga Museum in Reykjavík: there was an exhibit about the legend of an Irish princess who was kidnaped by Viking invaders and taken as a slave to Iceland. I got an image in my head of a girl standing on the coast of Ireland, watching Viking longships come ashore, filled with terror and awe. “That,” I said to myself, “is a story.”
That idea became my debut novel, Beasts of the Frozen Sun. When the time came to create the cover, my designer (the amazing Kurt Jones at Blackstone) asked what I was envisioning. I explained that image I’d had all those years ago, and he got to work. When he sent me the design he’d come up with, I almost cried. It was beautiful. It was perfect. More than getting the call from my agent that Beasts had sold, more than talking to my publishing team about plans for the book, seeing the cover for the first time made it feel real. Seeing the cover was confirmation that what I’d been dreaming of for years was finally happening—Lira had been brought to life.
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I can't remember the last time I've obsessed over a book this much. Even my recent The Wicked King obsession pales in comparison to what I feel for this book. And considering I'm already pretty obsessed with Holly Black's TWK, that says a lot. (My less than coherent review can be found here if you'd like to check it out.)
That's it. That's all I got. For all the feelings and the what the f*cks and the overall emotional rollercoaster ride this book evoked in me, I have no idea how to properly put into words what this book is. How good it is. How utterly BREATHTAKING. This is grip the edge of your seat personified (book-ified?)
It was just an ordinary day of me routinely checking new DRCs to request/download on Edelweiss+. Until I saw this book. I'm not gonna lie, if it wasn't for that gorgeous cover I don't think I would have grabbed the chance and read this. But someone must have been looking out for me because after seeing the cover, I immediately went to read the short description and I just knew. I KNEW I had to read this. It was love at first sight. (And every page since I fell in love with it even more.) And when I started reading and was barely halfway thru, I was already planning on reading it again.
'It was no small thing to touch a man’s soul. To trace the essence of his being, know him as no one— not his mother, brother, or lover— ever could.'
“I won’t let you leave me.”
“I know.”
'It was no small thing to touch a man’s soul. To trace the essence of his being, know him as no one— not his mother, brother, or lover— ever could.'
“I won’t let you leave me.”
“I know.”
I won't tell you much. I want you to experience firsthand the ingenuity and brilliance that is this book. Because holy shit. HOLY. SHIT. This is everything I love about reading. This. THIS is why I read.
At 18% I wanted to be a part of this terrifying, bloody, brutal world. (I'd probably not survive all the deaths but still.) That scene with the sparkflies at 33%, my heart. MY HEART. *sigh* At the 42% mark, I was already dreading the ending. Literally every page was either life or death. And I was scared for my babies Reyker and Lira. I was kind of surprised with how things with Quinlan turned out. This is honestly my notes for that scene at 57%.. "WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT!" I am all for this seemingly blooming beautiful bromance. Yes please!
"This was the threshold of something. A beginning. An ending. A choice. Once made, there would be no unmaking it. I pushed through it, stepping into the unknown. My lips parted, awaiting his, unable to form the words surging through me. Yes. Please. Finally."
'It was all things, all at once, and I was lost in it. The strangest part was that I sensed him— his consciousness— floating there beside me. Watching me drown in him. Feeling everything I felt.'
"This was the threshold of something. A beginning. An ending. A choice. Once made, there would be no unmaking it. I pushed through it, stepping into the unknown. My lips parted, awaiting his, unable to form the words surging through me. Yes. Please. Finally."
'It was all things, all at once, and I was lost in it. The strangest part was that I sensed him— his consciousness— floating there beside me. Watching me drown in him. Feeling everything I felt.'
If you've read Mary Pearson's The Remnant Chronicles, you'd love to hate/loathe/murder Draki. He reminds me a lot of the Komizar, only the former is a lot more ruthless, unforgiving and a total psycho. Eathalin was just adorable. Garreth surprised me in a lot of ways. I loved that he was such a protective big brother. I do wish there were more Reyker chapters. He's so broken and tormented over his past and how it made him what he is now. My heart goes out to him.
'The wolf must be kindhearted, and the deer must be brave.'
'The wolf must be kindhearted, and the deer must be brave.'
With solid, intricate world-building, mesmerizing writing, a complex cast of characters and heart-melting us against the world romance, Beasts of the Frozen Sun is sure to ensnare you from start to finish. You'd wish it didn't have to end.
Reminiscent of Julie Kagawa and Kristin Cashore's high stakes writing, this is definitely a must-read!
I received an e-arc via Edelweiss+ to read and review. Quotes cited may change in the final print.
Jill Criswell is a writer of Young Adult Historical Fantasy. She was born and raised in the swamps of northeastern Florida. She earned degrees in English and Psychology and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida.
Her greatest passion, besides reading and writing, is traveling the world; she’s visited fifty countries across six continents, falling in love with places like Iceland, Namibia, and Cambodia. She works as a university English teacher and lives in South Carolina, near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and daughter (who is named after a volcano in Iceland).
Start Date: August 14th, 2019
End Date: August 28th, 2019
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