A review by lauren_readsbooks2302
A Curse of Frost and Fate by Verika Sloane
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This...did not tickle my pickle.
A Nutcracker retelling with a Christmassy aspect and some spice had me sold on this story, but truthfully, it fell short for me. Or long, I guess. It was really, really long. Or it just felt that way, but at one point, I wondered if it would ever end.
The world building and the atmospheric feel of the book gave it a touch of magic. I didn't detest the main characters but I didn't love them either. The dual POV did admittedly help a little.
The spice wasn't bad, for what little we got. Certainly a take on the Nutcracker I've not come across until this book.
Also - the title irked me a little. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but the style of title has been done to death at this point. A Court of Thorns and Roses. A Curse of Frost and Fate. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Children of Blood and Bone. They all just blend together in my head whenever I think about them. Sure, they're all different but they certainly aren't unique. Nothing stands out about it for me.
It was the writing that brought this book down to 3 stars for me. It was peppered with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and the misuse of certain words and phrases that had me scratching my head and wondering if I was the one in the wrong. The book needs heavily edited. A quarter of it could be cut out and the rest needs a good spell check and a thorough reread to correct the little mistakes. They just cheapen a book.
All that being said - if you want a twist on the Nutcracker that you've maybe not seen before, give this book a read.
A Nutcracker retelling with a Christmassy aspect and some spice had me sold on this story, but truthfully, it fell short for me. Or long, I guess. It was really, really long. Or it just felt that way, but at one point, I wondered if it would ever end.
The world building and the atmospheric feel of the book gave it a touch of magic. I didn't detest the main characters but I didn't love them either. The dual POV did admittedly help a little.
The spice wasn't bad, for what little we got. Certainly a take on the Nutcracker I've not come across until this book.
Also - the title irked me a little. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but the style of title has been done to death at this point. A Court of Thorns and Roses. A Curse of Frost and Fate. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Children of Blood and Bone. They all just blend together in my head whenever I think about them. Sure, they're all different but they certainly aren't unique. Nothing stands out about it for me.
It was the writing that brought this book down to 3 stars for me. It was peppered with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and the misuse of certain words and phrases that had me scratching my head and wondering if I was the one in the wrong. The book needs heavily edited. A quarter of it could be cut out and the rest needs a good spell check and a thorough reread to correct the little mistakes. They just cheapen a book.
All that being said - if you want a twist on the Nutcracker that you've maybe not seen before, give this book a read.