When A Fae Falls In Love, It's Forever

I recently finished reading Omen of Ice by Jus Accardo. This is book #1 in The Omen of Ice series. This was OwlCrate's August book.

*POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT* Rating: 4/5 stars

"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."

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 the 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 romance felt natural and not forced, which I find unfortunately quite rare for books like these. The twists in the end were unexpected and exciting, the characters were nuanced and enjoyable.

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.

I loved the atmosphere. The beautiful and creative fantasy world was so easy to get engaged in. There were multiple points where I felt like I was really there. I’m actually impressed at how many people, places, creatures, and lore fit into that one book. I would definitely want to read more from that world.

I felt like the ending may have been a bit rushed. I think it could have benefited from a couple more chapters so the ending matched the pace of the rest of the book better. But I am excited for book #2.

It was a fast read, again with the younger side of YA writing and the story seemed consistently paced. I enjoyed it, but it isn’t something I would recommend to most of my friends due to the age range and writing.

Check out Omen of Ice, and take on the curse of the winter fae. Don't forget to check out book #2 in the future.

Happy Reading :)