by Jackson Pearce
Genre: YA Fantasy
Hardback: 323 Pages
Publication: November 5, 2013 by Little Brown BFYR
Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.
But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.
If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?
I love how threads from the previous books in the series come together in Cold Spell. I’m just realizing that there may have been some in Fathomless; however, I hadn’t realized it before because Fathomless was the first book I read in the series. This is really cool because not only are these pretty cool twists on popular fairy tales, they’re also interconnected.
Ginny and Kai are wonderful characters. While it is kind of (maybe more than a litle) disturbing that they’ve known they love each other since they were seven, which is also basically around the time they first met, and they were planning their wedding at the age of eleven, their romance is sweet and touching. It’s the love of friends that have always viewed each other as family and never expected to be apart, and from the way they talk to each other it’s apparent that they deeply care for each other. It’s not the passionate burning that’s been swarming the YA lit market. Still, it was frustrating at the beginning how Ginny is so willing to give up her own future to be with Kai, believing her future to be with him. That’s why it’s a blessing that Kai gets taken by Mora – because Ginny needs this time apart from Kai, this time chasing him down, to learn that she can live without him and that she has talents of her own. I only wish that she didn’t find it so easy to get away with running away from home. I don’t think it’s a great message to send out.
Mora is also a compelling character. Though she’s the “villain” in this story, she’s also a victim of circumstance. I would have liked to learn more of her story, especially how she’s connected to the ocean girls of Fathomless. There are so many unanswered questions about how the world and the various books are interconnected. I also love the wonderful comrades that Ginny finds over the course of her journey and how they don’t just fade away once they’ve served their initial purpose. No, they stick around to the end with their awesome personalities. I especially love Lucas and Ella. They’re the kinds of people I’d love for friends. They’re so nice and welcoming, and they don’t hesitate to expend their resources or even put themselves in immediate danger to help a friend.
On the whole, this was a solid story filled with dynamic characters. I especially enjoyed watching as Ginny finally takes charge of her own life, maturing into an independent young woman at the end of the novel. The epilogue was a nice touch to show us where the characters are a year later, and the ending was really sweet and brought a smile to my face.
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Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Jenea Whittington says
I haven't read any of the series, from the sounds of this one, I really need to change that. Wonderful review.
Sara Bennett says
I just finished reading Sweetly and I can't wait to grab Fathomless and Cold Spell! This is a great series and I really like how the author keeps the story going from one book to the next without having the same characters (at least in the first two) and making it just like any other series. Nice review!
Crystal says
Thanks Sara! I also love how the series is made up of companion novels that build upon each other. While I like a good series that follows a set of characters, the change of cast in Fairy Retellings makes it unique. I hope you enjoy Fathomless and Cold Spell!