A Soul as Cold as Frost: a twist on Christmas and winter characters

 A Soul as Cold as Frost by Jennifer Kropf is the first book in the Winter Souls series. Sixteen year old Helen Bell knows tragedy. She knows what it is like to be bullied and fight for all she has. She thought she was prepared for anything, however, she wasn’t ready for what was coming next. When a strange girl gives her a crystal orb, Helen’s eyes are opened to the realm of Winter, a world that intersects with the real world. A world where monarchs rise and fall and the name of The Dead King is forbidden to be spoken. Helen is summoned to The Crimson Court to participate in The Quarrel of Sword and Bone, a traditional duel to the death performed in front of one thousand witnesses, with the deranged Queen, a queen with a cold soul. She must find a way out or die in the wintry world. 

I saw this book come highly recommended on BookTok and other sites. I was intrigued by the premise of a series that “blends action and warm Christmas traditions” with “new and grittier versions of famous characters out of holiday legends, folklore and myths.” I was excited to start reading this story as the opening prologue was poetically written. However, I was quickly lost and bored. While I get that as a first book in the series, there would be a lot of world building going on; however, it felt disjointed. I also didn’t believe Helen as a 16 year old. She acts more like a child, than a teen. The book is marketed as a young adult novel; however, it doesn’t read like it. Overall, I was disappointed as it was not the story I was expecting. However, if you enjoy fantastical stories, you may want to try A Soul as Cold as Frost. 

A Soul as Cold as Frost is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook