ICE LIKE FIRE by Sara Raasch

Before I dive into my actual review, I just need to mention those covers (again.) Because oh my gosh, they are so, so gorgeous (And I’m eagerly awaiting the third book’s title and cover.) Not to mention they’re verrrrrry photogenic. It was seriously hard to only choose three photos to use in this post.

Ice Like Fire is a stunning and exceptional sequel to Sara Raasch’s debut. After the revelations of the previous book (!!!) yeah, okay, I did find this one slower paced than Snow Like Ashes, but neither did that hinder my enjoyment of the book. Meria was just as badass as she was in the first book. The writing is just as glorious as it was in the first book. And just as the first one ended with a jaw-dropping conclusion—so did this one.

“The most powerful magic of all is choice.”

—ICE LIKE FIRE by Sara Raasch

Basically, there’s a much stronger emphasis on politics and worldbuilding in this sequel than Snow Like Ashes—which I was TOTALLY okay with. I loved how Sara Raasch explored and grew on the world she began in the first novel, and I can’t wait to see how everything builds up in the conclusion. As Meria is forced to step into her new role, Ice Like Fire portrayed a much more political aspect that I thought suited the novel well when it came down to the tone/feeling of the story. I also loved how Meria not only took up her new position—but gradually grew into it as the novel progressed. And she was real: she made mistakes, but at the same time was just as strong with her words as she is with her chakram. Just as at the same time, she was still such a loveable character.

The novel is split into Meira’s first person narration and Mather’s third person (past tense) narration, which, I’ll admit, took me back at first, but they’re not jarring: Raasch weaves her story together so well you don’t even notice the changes in perspectives.

“That’s how relationships work—when one person is blind, the other must see for them. When one person struggles, the other must remain strong.”

—ICE LIKE FIRE by Sara Raasch

It’s hard to pinpoint WHAT it was I loved so much about this sequel, but the writing, the characterization—in particular the growth of Meria andhow she stepped up to whatever faced her—but GAH, Ice Like Fire was such, SUCH a brilliant sequel to a stellar debut. (And it’t totally, completely quote-worthy.)

 So, yeah. Like badass characters, fantastical politics, and excellent worldbuilding? You should definitely read this series.

“No one should be forced to be something they aren’t.”

—ICE LIKE FIRE by Sara Raasch

Title: ICE LIKE FIRE

Author: Sara Raasch

Format / Length: Paperback / 483 pages

Publisher / Date Published: Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins) / October 13th 2015

Category / Genre: Young Adult / High Fantasy

| ICE LIKE FIRE on Goodreads |

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans on using the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Jannuari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken Kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception is woven tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter but for the world.

Aaaand, in other reading news: The Library of Souls was a really, really fantastic conclusion to the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series; The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa was also an excellent series finisher (even though I’m so disappointed I won’t get to read about the Iron Fey no longer); and Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray was just as epic and fast-paced as the first in the series.

As the year nears it end, what have been some of your favorite books? And—what did you think of ICE LIKE FIRE? As good as the first?