*Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review this book ahead of its release date. All opinions are my own.*


When I first heard about the acquisition of this novel, I just had to follow its progress, from all stages right up to the cover reveal, which did not disappoint. I knew right away that this was going to the book for me.

Set in the icy world of Layce where winter is eternal, trucker Sylvi accepts a job from a famous smuggler in order to get to her friend, who'd run away to join a rebellion. The world-building around this frozen land puts you right in its icy clutches. It's cold, and it's relentless. Along for the ride are two foreigners, Kyn and Hyla who become more than just a job to Sylvie, and a spirit called Winter who may or not be the protector Sylvi thinks she is.

This book throws you right into the action and leaves you in mystery right off the bat. Why did Lenore leave Sylvi to join the rebels? Who is this spirit Winter and why does Sylvi not want to call upon her magic to aid her? The info trickles in slowly, which can be frustrating to some people. For myself, I did not get a sense of urgency from Sylvi on why she cared so much about rescuing her friend and why she thought she was in so much danger that she'd risk her life offseason to get to her. A lot of aspects f the book happened too gradually and I could not get a sense of things as early on as I wanted to.

Sylvie, as a character, was what I look for in a heroine. Fierce, flawed, and intelligent. But as I stated above, I felt as though I missing something from her. Maybe some emotional inner monologue that would have tied me to her plotline to rescue her friend. I did not feel as connected ot her as I wanted to be.

The side characters were enjoyable especially Kyn. The different races were unique, though I wished I had a little bit more time with them. The writing was top-notch and put me right there in the snow and chilly winds

WINTER, WHITE AND WICKED sets itself apart from YA fantasy in its magic system and its setting. I look forward to the sequel.