Scan barcode
kingawoj's review
5.0
I first picked up this book because the title and gorgeous cover drew me in. It is a Nutcracker retelling, but as I have not read/seen the Nutcracker, I cannot say how similar or different it is to the original storyline. However, this book was amazing. I stayed up late trying to finish it, it had me so hooked. The worldbuilding in this book is just enchanting and the love story between Klara and Jaemis just draws you in. You really get a sense of all the emotions and events the characters go through, from their amazing adventures and battles, to heartache and despair to falling in love. This book has it all.
justpieisfine's review
4.0
I really loved this nutcracker retelling. I ld love to listen to it as an audiobook because I think it would be phenomenal. I loved the world, the characters and everything. It was a bit long and I hope the errors are corrected in it but still a great story.
Stars: 4
POV: dual
HEA?: yes
Cliffhanger?: no
Tropes: retelling, fantasy, nutcracker, slow burn
**I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**
Stars: 4
POV: dual
HEA?: yes
Cliffhanger?: no
Tropes: retelling, fantasy, nutcracker, slow burn
**I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**
hedgehognerd's review
3.0
3.5 star read for me.
I loved the cover of this book, and I requested an E-ARC before even reading what the story was about. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the E-ARC.
I enjoyed the nutcracker retelling with a nice bit of smut on the side. The story was enchanting and the romance was very sweet, I like the whole fated mates troupe but felt that this was a little rushed.
The book could have been shorter but I enjoyed the vivid world building, cast of characters and elements of magic along the way.
A good escapism read for December.
I loved the cover of this book, and I requested an E-ARC before even reading what the story was about. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the E-ARC.
I enjoyed the nutcracker retelling with a nice bit of smut on the side. The story was enchanting and the romance was very sweet, I like the whole fated mates troupe but felt that this was a little rushed.
The book could have been shorter but I enjoyed the vivid world building, cast of characters and elements of magic along the way.
A good escapism read for December.
piperkitty's review
4.0
A Curse of Frost and Fate
by Verika Sloane
Pub Date :17 Dec 2021
Publisher :BooksGoSocial
Genre :Romance
There were fights, dances, adventures, love, and losses.
Reading it made me feel like I was in a forest, a castle, an old manor house. The characters were a lot of fun and the wonderful creatures I've only briefly met were very interesting.
I loved this story and just wanted to love it even more. If I could pick out a few stains left on me, I'd give it 4 stars. The story was great, piecemeal, and while some dragged out for me, I couldn't put it down...but I'm glad it's over. For a Nutcracker lover since childhood, it was fun to see the story in this new way.
That's why I think I'm in Terrane now, waiting for the chance to travel to more magical realms.
This book was engaging and interesting, but it was riddled with grammatical and spelling errors and was far too long – rather too long. The story is sweet, and by the end, I was eager to find out where the characters managed to end up, but it was unbelievably frustrating to read.
by Verika Sloane
Pub Date :17 Dec 2021
Publisher :BooksGoSocial
Genre :Romance
There were fights, dances, adventures, love, and losses.
Reading it made me feel like I was in a forest, a castle, an old manor house. The characters were a lot of fun and the wonderful creatures I've only briefly met were very interesting.
I loved this story and just wanted to love it even more. If I could pick out a few stains left on me, I'd give it 4 stars. The story was great, piecemeal, and while some dragged out for me, I couldn't put it down...but I'm glad it's over. For a Nutcracker lover since childhood, it was fun to see the story in this new way.
That's why I think I'm in Terrane now, waiting for the chance to travel to more magical realms.
This book was engaging and interesting, but it was riddled with grammatical and spelling errors and was far too long – rather too long. The story is sweet, and by the end, I was eager to find out where the characters managed to end up, but it was unbelievably frustrating to read.
lschneds's review
3.0
I went into this book excited! The plot isn't a retelling I had really encountered before, and the first jump in was engaging and had me interested. The characters were enjoyable, but I wish there was a bit more relationship/feeling build up rather than instalove/lust. Which they had in spades, but it didn't seem to be very balanced with the pace of the plot. The plot itself could have been a bit more condensed. There was quite a few times where it seemed to just slow and drag unnecessarily. That being said, I still enjoyed the book, it was a different read which was refreshing!
cortanasreadingnook's review
Thanks to Verika Sloane and Netgalley for the eARC on Netgalley. I started this book with high expectations but unfortunately, it let me down. DNF at 11%. I did not like the extreme info-dumping and unnecessary details from the beginning. I wanted so much to get invested into this but sadly, I couldn't. A lot of the reviews for this book share the same sentiments as mine, and I don't really think this novel has a strong plot and sensible characters.
raven168's review
3.0
All in all, this was only just good for me. It wasn't bad by any means, but it also didn't suck me in at all and make me want to keep reading. While some of the characters were interesting (the watchers in particular) I just never found myself caring all that much about what happens to them. I can't say anything about it being a spin on the nutcracker though because I've never read or seen it.
Klara is more or less a normal girl who finds herself in anything but a normal situation. Targeted by some crazy dude who controls mice for reasons unknown (until the end), Klara ends up being transported to a completely different realm. One filled with magic and things from fairy tales. For a while, she's not even convinced it's anything but a dream.
Jaemis is a fallen, cursed prince. He was away trying to save a princess he was friends with (not knowing to do so would transfer her curse to him) when his kingdom was overtaken by the mouse king and his parents thrown into the dungeons. Since then dark magic has plagued the kingdom and darkness continues to creep over the lands. Before the curse overtakes him, Jaemis is determined to free his parents if nothing else. But a chance overhearing of the usurper's plans is going to change everything.
Jaemis and Klara first encounter each other in Klara's parent's home. Jaemis had followed the mouse king and they fought, but Klara gets caught up in it all. Only to wake the next day thinking it was all in her head. Later, Klara gets pulled from her world and lands next to Jaemis who is currently fighting a bunch of the mouse king's minions. From there the two of them travel together trying to figure out why Klara is so important to the enemy and how they will get her sent back home before she destroys the balance there. You would think that this sets up the story for quite a bit of excitement. And I guess it occasionally does. But so much of the story is just slow. And while I am not a huge fan of fated mates, I wouldn't have minded a whole lot here. The problem was that Jaemis was so determined to not find any happiness that even their relationship was tediously slow. Which is unfortunate.
On this journey we meet a bunch of other people of different kinds, Jaemis nearly drowns for some self discovery, Klara finds out she has elemental powers, and of course these two obviously start falling for the other. When the finale starts, Jaemis is so easily fooled by an obvious trap. Then Klara also gets fooled by an obvious trap. Up until that point I did not consider these two people stupid, but boy did I after these events. All ends up well enough for them in the end though. That is until their happy together is literally snatched from them when Klara is abruptly pulled back to her own world. Where she wallows in despair at having lost the greatest love of her life. Until she finally realizes why she was brought back when she was and how she can still save Jaemis's life. I'm not sure how much I liked the very end. While it was expected that Jaemis and Klara would find themselves back together, and I did hope that Klara's parents were able to reunite with their best friends, I don't know how I feel about Klara's siblings now being involved. On one hand, I get it. They're family. On the other, I didn't really like them and they were never a part of it before so why should they be now.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Klara is more or less a normal girl who finds herself in anything but a normal situation. Targeted by some crazy dude who controls mice for reasons unknown (until the end), Klara ends up being transported to a completely different realm. One filled with magic and things from fairy tales. For a while, she's not even convinced it's anything but a dream.
Jaemis is a fallen, cursed prince. He was away trying to save a princess he was friends with (not knowing to do so would transfer her curse to him) when his kingdom was overtaken by the mouse king and his parents thrown into the dungeons. Since then dark magic has plagued the kingdom and darkness continues to creep over the lands. Before the curse overtakes him, Jaemis is determined to free his parents if nothing else. But a chance overhearing of the usurper's plans is going to change everything.
Jaemis and Klara first encounter each other in Klara's parent's home. Jaemis had followed the mouse king and they fought, but Klara gets caught up in it all. Only to wake the next day thinking it was all in her head. Later, Klara gets pulled from her world and lands next to Jaemis who is currently fighting a bunch of the mouse king's minions. From there the two of them travel together trying to figure out why Klara is so important to the enemy and how they will get her sent back home before she destroys the balance there. You would think that this sets up the story for quite a bit of excitement. And I guess it occasionally does. But so much of the story is just slow. And while I am not a huge fan of fated mates, I wouldn't have minded a whole lot here. The problem was that Jaemis was so determined to not find any happiness that even their relationship was tediously slow. Which is unfortunate.
On this journey we meet a bunch of other people of different kinds, Jaemis nearly drowns for some self discovery, Klara finds out she has elemental powers, and of course these two obviously start falling for the other. When the finale starts, Jaemis is so easily fooled by an obvious trap. Then Klara also gets fooled by an obvious trap. Up until that point I did not consider these two people stupid, but boy did I after these events. All ends up well enough for them in the end though. That is until their happy together is literally snatched from them when Klara is abruptly pulled back to her own world. Where she wallows in despair at having lost the greatest love of her life. Until she finally realizes why she was brought back when she was and how she can still save Jaemis's life. I'm not sure how much I liked the very end. While it was expected that Jaemis and Klara would find themselves back together, and I did hope that Klara's parents were able to reunite with their best friends, I don't know how I feel about Klara's siblings now being involved. On one hand, I get it. They're family. On the other, I didn't really like them and they were never a part of it before so why should they be now.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
battyaboutbooks's review
3.0
What if your favorite childhood story, one of magick and romance, was real? On Christmas Eve, Klara finds herself whisked away to the magical world of Galindria, cursed by darkness in this present-day retelling of The Nutcracker. She believes Prince Jaemis (cursed by Mogran the Mouse King), the realm of magick he calls home, and the fae creatures she meets all to be a dream; one inspired by her favorite ballet and perhaps a bit too much to drink. Still, she can't deny the instant connection she feels when the cursed prince enters her life; a connection that could spark her biggest adventure yet.
Verika Sloane's attempt to create a magical world based on a familiar tale is commendable. The world-building isn't so complex that you get lost, with a blend of familiar fae creatures (like the Sugar Plum Fairy) alongside a few new ones each offering their own interesting histories. Her descriptions of Galindria are beautifully attention-grabbing and engaging--enough that you can fall into the world of Galindria while keeping one foot in reality (much as Klara does at the start of the book).
The romance between Klara and Jaemis, however, feels a bit rushed, even for such a long novel. The couple was more interesting while their sexual tension simmered. Once it reached a full boil, the smut (which was a bit uncomfortable to read, given the word choice) seemed to take over the plot. Once the couple "makes love" (an antiquated term I wasn't expecting to hear from Klara, who became more heart-eyed than heroine with every page), they're too distracted by one another to see the crystal clear answers directly before them. The story dragged on a little too long, especially since the conflict's resolution is blatantly clear early on.
Klara and Jaemis, who grew up in different worlds, did learn how to learn from one another's strengths and perspectives, though. Klara is willing to take adventurous risks in the name of love, while Jaemis never makes the mistake of seeing Klara as a damsel in distress in need of saving.
That being said, the story could have used some restructuring. While the entire plot seemed to drag, the romance was rushed. Everything from the smut to the "I love you's" felt ingenuine, forced. There are a number of word choice mistakes that seem juvenile, and some concepts were over-explained.
If you're looking for a Christmas-y read and a happily ever after, this cute retelling of a classic tale is right up your alley. However, there's plenty of room for growth between the plot and writing style.
Verika Sloane's attempt to create a magical world based on a familiar tale is commendable. The world-building isn't so complex that you get lost, with a blend of familiar fae creatures (like the Sugar Plum Fairy) alongside a few new ones each offering their own interesting histories. Her descriptions of Galindria are beautifully attention-grabbing and engaging--enough that you can fall into the world of Galindria while keeping one foot in reality (much as Klara does at the start of the book).
The romance between Klara and Jaemis, however, feels a bit rushed, even for such a long novel. The couple was more interesting while their sexual tension simmered. Once it reached a full boil, the smut (which was a bit uncomfortable to read, given the word choice) seemed to take over the plot. Once the couple "makes love" (an antiquated term I wasn't expecting to hear from Klara, who became more heart-eyed than heroine with every page), they're too distracted by one another to see the crystal clear answers directly before them. The story dragged on a little too long, especially since the conflict's resolution is blatantly clear early on.
Klara and Jaemis, who grew up in different worlds, did learn how to learn from one another's strengths and perspectives, though. Klara is willing to take adventurous risks in the name of love, while Jaemis never makes the mistake of seeing Klara as a damsel in distress in need of saving.
That being said, the story could have used some restructuring. While the entire plot seemed to drag, the romance was rushed. Everything from the smut to the "I love you's" felt ingenuine, forced. There are a number of word choice mistakes that seem juvenile, and some concepts were over-explained.
If you're looking for a Christmas-y read and a happily ever after, this cute retelling of a classic tale is right up your alley. However, there's plenty of room for growth between the plot and writing style.
veerlenijhoff's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! The only reason it’s 4 stars is because the grammer wasn’t good the entire book. English is not my native language, so I had to read some parts again.
The story is magical! And the romance slow burn! It was a great read!
The story is magical! And the romance slow burn! It was a great read!
andreatorres's review
3.0
3 ⭐️ Nutcracker Retelling
This book was engaging and interesting enough, but it was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors and was entirely too long – unnecessarily so. The story's cute, and by the end I surely was invested in seeing where the characters ended up, but it was extremely frustrating to read.
As I said, this is a re-imagining of the story in the Nutcracker, so there are many similarities, with some new additions to keep it interesting and not too predictable. It was a little spicy, and very much romance filled which I can always appreciate.
Overall, though, it felt like I was reading a very long fanfic – and I usually don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but… it's not good, really.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
This book was engaging and interesting enough, but it was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors and was entirely too long – unnecessarily so. The story's cute, and by the end I surely was invested in seeing where the characters ended up, but it was extremely frustrating to read.
As I said, this is a re-imagining of the story in the Nutcracker, so there are many similarities, with some new additions to keep it interesting and not too predictable. It was a little spicy, and very much romance filled which I can always appreciate.
Overall, though, it felt like I was reading a very long fanfic – and I usually don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but… it's not good, really.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5