Sacrifice by K. M. Shea
Fairy Tale. 254 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Sacrifice: the thrilling conclusion to the Snow Queen series!
Rakel, once feared and exiled for possessing magic, is now hailed a hero. Leading resistance forces against the Chosen—an army of magic users that invaded her homeland—she is granted everything she has longed for: acceptance, a home, and the love of her friends. But the battle for her country has just begun.
The Chosen’s powerful leader, Tenebris Malus, has come north to aid his army. His troops pillage the villages and cities they cannot hold, and Rakel’s brother—the King—refuses to rule. Most troubling of all, Rakel—who has always loved her magic—sees great similarities between herself and the deadly Tenebris.
However, not all is lost as the Chosen Colonel Farrin Graydim questions his loyalties to his leader, and the attraction he holds for Rakel.
Can Rakel’s overcome her doubts and defeat Tenebris? Will Farrin choose to follow his heart or his loyalties?
THE SNOW QUEEN: SACRIFICE is a story of magic, love, and friendships. It takes place in the same world as the TIMELESS FAIRY TALES series, but occurs centuries prior.
My Review:
This is the daring sequel to K. M. Shea’s Heart of Ice and the conclusion to the duology. You know, I very much like the Snow Queen story. It isn’t one that’s commonly told and, even then, it isn’t typically a very happy story. Shea managed to maintain aspects of the fairy tale that make it the Snow Queen, but she used them to create a really cool world and a cast of characters who maintained hope and light where many Snow Queen stories get lost in the dreary dark.
I really enjoyed the plot of this sequel. Not only did we build up to an appropriate climax, but there was a satisfying resolution as well. I tell you what! In the aftermath of the climax, I was wound tight! Shea had me near tears! I can be at peace with the way things ended, though there was one cheap shot thrown in that kind of disheartened me. Anywho, the whole story was engaging and well-paced. I read most of it in a day and found myself trying to puzzle out the solution to their problems before Shea’s solutions revealed themselves. An engaging story line and a satisfying end to the duology.
We saw a really cool array of characters, both returning as well as a few new ones, in this book. I loved seeing the relationship between Rakel and Farrin kind of bloom a little. I loved getting to see more of Farrin’s background, where he’d come from. Tenebris proved to be a formidable foe–though, to be honest, I’d have liked to see more of his backstory. And, come to think of it, whatever happened to Sunnira? There’s a story there–where those two came from and how they rose to power, why they searched out the mirror, etc. Anywho, Rakel is surrounded by a beautiful family of characters that just warmed my heart. Kai is precious and I adore him completely. Steinar, oh Steinar, he just melts my heart into a giant puddle. I would have loved to delve deeper into that man’s character. I loved Halvor and Oskar, their devout loyalty and honor. Even Phile kind of made me smile with her fierce loyalty and quirky personality. Snorri and all of the nifty magic users really worked to make the story itself magical. The characters were the most heart-warming part of the whole tale, I think.
This story had just as much variety in setting as the first. I did find my bearings a little difficult to maintain, but the book was pretty clear about which cardinal direction we were moving to and from for the most part. I wasn’t bored with the landscape, though I did kind of miss Rakel’s ice castle! I had hoped we’d see it again. I really enjoyed how each different village and city felt unique and different, but all part of the same nation. I loved the vivid descriptions of the winter and that slippery time in between winter and spring. Well-done!
I only found one error in the book, but it was minor and easily dismissed. The writing was otherwise well-done. The story was well-paced, and all issues were addressed, neatly tied up by the end. Overall, a pleasing read and I would certainly recommend it! I look forward to trying out more of Shea’s work.
There was some mild violence–they are fighting a war–but none graphic and all very appropriately handled, in my opinion. There was no foul language. There was some very sweet, very mild romance, but nothing more explicit than a kiss. There were some allusions to slavery and a rather merciless, hateful villain, but I’d feel comfortable giving this to a pre-teen.
More:
Book 1 in the Snow Queen duology is Heart of Ice (4 Stars)
Book 2.5, Snowflakes, is a companion anthology of short stories (4 Stars)
I have read and reviewed the above on Goodreads, so check out the links for more info. This series should be read in order.
On GraceBought
If you missed it, check out my review on the first book and stay tuned next week for my thoughts on the companion anthology!