Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
YA Fantasy. 304 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Fighter. Emissary. Long-Lost Daughter.
Brighid has one mission as she returns to the north: to warn her people of the oath that binds them. But the mountains are treacherous, and snow comes early, leaving her on death’s doorstep—until she has an unexpected encounter that not only reveals a secret about her past, but also brings new allies into her life.
Meanwhile, the healer Kaeden must come to terms with the awakening of his Eldaran power. With winter approaching and the war on hold, he ventures to the White City to uncover his heritage. As he walks the ancient halls of his people’s birthplace, he discovers not all adversaries are across the battle line. He must navigate political opponents while searching for a way to stop those of his kind who have turned to the darkness.
Yet even the bitterness of winter cannot keep Brighid and Kaeden apart. A connection has been forged between them, and their bond might be the one thing that could save the Nordic people and end the war.
My Review:
I love Morgan Busse’s books. I love the heart of her stories and the creative premises she uses to draw out those heart truths. This is the sequel to Winter’s Maiden which introduced us to some really intriguing characters.
I felt like the pacing of this book was much more chill than the first one (see what I did there 😉 I’ll see myself out). It wasn’t slow as in not engaging – I was still very engaged and found it hard to put down. But the whole book felt almost like…like taking a long, deep breath. It was like we hibernated for the winter along with the characters. The war paused so there weren’t as many battles as the first book, but the characters still dealt with intrigue, survival, and the inner wrestlings that make me really excited to see what’s going to happen in the final book.
We got to spend some closer time with the bear clan, which was a lot of fun. One of my favorite parts of the first book was the distinct cultures of the Nordics and the nuance between the five clans, the clanless, and even the southern cultures outside of Nordica. So it was a treat to dig in deeper with the bear clan and a little with the wolf clan, too. We also got to see one of the southern cities to contrast their customs and priorities with the Nordics. And Kaeden sought to learn more about the Eldaran traditions and purposes, too. So, lots of really fun culture and worldbuilding in this one!
I loved watching both Brighid and Kaeden grow through the winter and the sprinkling of promise for future potential to be fulfilled. There were some great side characters in this one, too – both returning ones and new ones. Treyvar is shaping up to be one of my favorites, too. Selma also seems to be someone to keep an eye on. It was fun seeing Brighid meet and train with new countrymen and to see a glimpse into what life growing up with a clan may have been like.
Overall, a great sequel, and I’m excited to see how this comes to an end! No swearing, some fantasy violence, and a subtle, clean romance. Busse digs into themes of home, patriotism, obedience to God’s design, communication, humanity, survival, and more. Suitable for teens.
More
Book 1 in the Nordic Wars is Winter’s Maiden (5 Stars)
Book 2 is Winter’s Chill (4 Stars)
Book 3 is TBD
This trilogy should be read in order!
On GraceBought
See my thoughts on the previous book in the series below!
If you liked this book, try:
Heart of Ice, The Midnight Blizzard, and The Kiss of Deception