As an adult who thought they were exhausted by Frozen, I was hooked by this book from the first chapter. Calonita delves deeper into the world of Arendelle.

This is a great continuation of the 2nd film. I loved the character development and getting to spend more time with my favorite snowman, Olaf.

I'm a Frozen superfan, so I definitely had to read this book! And I'm happy I did! Overall, a great novel for Frozen fans, and Disney fans!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

This book seemed very cute. It switched between views in each chapter which I felt made it not as enjoyable as it could have been. It still had all of our beloved characters.

This book takes place before the wedding of Anna. Fun easy read.




*reposted on blog

I liked this story spin and I enjoyed how it continued the Frozen franchise. This is a fun book! And think it will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

This was a very intriguing and original mystery involving the characters from the movie Frozen. Lots of fun. I definitely think parents should note the story is recommended for ages 8-12 as it may be a little too intense for younger children.

I enjoyed this book based on the Disney Frozen series. It was wonderful to revisit some of my favorite characters and find out more of what happened to them after Frozen 2.

I loved Frozen II: Dangerous Secrets by Mari Mancusi, so I had high hopes for Polar Nights. However, it fell flat for me. I could not get into the story. I didn't enjoy the characters I've grown to love so much. It was just a really rough book for me. However, Disney fans, Frozen fans and young children may love this book.

In November of 2013, Austin’s Mari Mancusi took her preschooler to see the newest Disney movie to hit screens.

Millions of people plunged into the world of “Frozen” along with them. But for Mancusi, who’s written more than 30 books for young readers, the moment became a springboard into a different avenue of publishing.

On July 19, she and co-author Jen Calonita unveil “Frozen: Polar Nights: Cast Into Darkness” (Disney, $15.99), Mancusi’s second title in the “Frozen” universe. The pair will discuss the book July 20, virtually via BookPeople.

Writing a novel like “Polar Nights” isn’t simply penning a story featuring famous characters. It’s part of a publishing system known as intellectual property, or IP for short. An author writing IP gets hired by the company that owns the rights to the characters to write a specific story featuring those characters.

It’s a guaranteed audience if the characters are well-known. And publishers increasingly are seeking out accomplished authors for IP work. Jason Reynolds, the national ambassador for Young People’s Literature, wrote the “Miles Morales” Spider-Man reboot. New York Times bestselling young-adult author Samira Ahmed is writing a planned five Ms. Marvel comic adventures in tandem with the new television series. There’s a lengthy roster of celebrated writers creating Star Wars IP, including Daniel José Older, Justina Ireland and Cavan Scott.

“I think (companies) realize there are stories to be told, and expanding out the universe is a great moneymaker, but you have to do it right,” Mancusi said in an interview. She’s written several series, including “Blood Coven Vampire,” “Scorched” and “Camelot Code,” as well as standalones like 2020’s “Dragon Ops.”

“You can’t just slap a ‘Frozen’ cover on something … If you tell good stories that go beyond the IP, then you’re going to build a new readership.”

Mancusi is an avowed “Disney adult” who first deepened her love for the company while working at the Disney Store in college. She’d written original books for Disney-Hyperion, the company’s independent publishing arm, and auditioned for another Disney IP book before the “Frozen” call came.

“I honestly believe part of it is because I am such a big ‘Frozen’ fan, and my editor … sees me cosplaying as Elsa or posting pictures of my daughter singing ‘Let It Go,’” Mancusi said. Her love for the film is evident on TikTok, where her video teasing “Polar Nights” has racked up more than 106,000 views.

Her first IP title was “Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr,” a prequel about Anna and Elsa’s parents. “Polar Nights” marks Mancusi’s first collaborative writing experience. Co-author Calonita is also the author of multiple series (“Royal Academy Rebels,” “Lost Legends”) and a fellow Disney devotee.

“It’s a big responsibility,” Mancusi said. “Because I am a fan, I actually care about these characters and I also care about the fandom that loves these characters as much as I do. Sometimes, their definition of what they believe the characters are may differ from what the studio sees as the characters. I feel like I’m bridging the gap in a way – taking what the fandom loves and taking what the studio wants, and trying to bring it into a coherent story that everyone can enjoy.”

Mancusi and Calonita worked with Disney editors and filmmakers to hone an approved plot outline: Elsa and Anna discover the truth behind the legend of the draugr, a fearsome creature that the sisters worry has appeared in Arendelle to create storms and steal memories.

“It’s a lot different than writing a story of my own, where if I want to veer off track halfway through, I pretty much have the freedom to do that – change the ending, whatever. Here, you have to get permission … so if I want to change something major, I have to go back and say, ‘Hey, I think this would work better’,” Mancusi said. That said, there was plenty of latitude in crafting the finished novel.

“I was surprised at the amount of freedom they gave me,” she said. “I’m a huge lore junkie, and to be able to create and build lore behind one of my favorite franchises was really a great opportunity.”

Getting Elsa and Anna’s voices exactly right on the page was also important. And Mancusi wanted to ensure that even if readers weren’t massive “Frozen” fans, they would find things to enjoy in the story, such as the theme of sisterhood.

In the new "Frozen" book, Anna and Elsa learn the truth behind the legend of the draugr, a fearsome creature that the sisters worry has appeared in Arendelle to create storms and steal memories.
Mancusi also has “New Dragon City,” a standalone adventure novel, coming out in October with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She loves the flexibility of writing non-IP work, but is passionate about the value of books that champion fandom.

“A lot of people think when someone joins a fandom, it’s just a waste of time, especially kids: ‘Oh, you’re into manga, or you’re into Star Wars, or you’re into Disney, or whatever,’” she said.

But particularly over the past few years when face-to-face contact hasn’t always been possible, forging bonds and community over a shared love of characters is uplifting, she added. It can help people feel less alone, and it can fuel creative fires for conversation or fan art.

“I love these books, because they are a bridge to that kind of community and to bringing people together.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC and audiobook.


Description from NetGalley:
Anna, Queen of Arendelle, has been tirelessly preparing for the Polar Night’s Celebration that is held every year to welcome the time when the sun doesn’t rise in the Polar Circle. She has been working so hard, her fiancé Kristoff suggests she take a night off to visit her sister Elsa, the Snow Queen. Anna loves the idea. Accompanied by Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf, Anna reunites with Elsa in the Enchanted Forest.

After telling spooky stories around the campfire, Olaf swears that one of the creatures of their tales has come to life! Who else is responsible for the sudden onset of storms and the earlier than normal darkening of the skies? Why else is everyone starting to become so forgetful?

Anna and Elsa join forces to determine what is going on. Together they recall Kristoff’s terrifying tale about a princess who turned into a draugr—an undead creature that steals memories in an effort to make others forget the misdeeds it committed when it was alive. Is it possible that Kristoff inadvertently unearthed memories of a draugr, and thus unleashed the monster upon Arendelle? Anna and Elsa must uncover the real story behind the tale before everyone in Arendelle forgets who they are and is cast into darkness forever….

The story felt very natural after Frozen 2. The story is still centered around Anna and Elsa’s love and sisterhood, but now they have to work to save memories of each other and all of Arendelle. THe narrator does a good job, even Olaf is pretty well done. We also get to see a bit beyond the areas already established in the movies. It was a good middle grade book that kept my interest throughout.

Overall: 4/5

Quite a nice story about love and sisters and a mystery. I love how Olaf became 'King' just because. Not that I liked how he became king but he was a king was funny. If you're a Frozen fan, it's for you. I liked it.

I want to start this off by saying that, for the most part, I genuinely adore middle grade books and find most of the ones I read incredibly well written and fascinating. I didn’t feel that with this book. It’s not a bad book. It’s cute. The interactions between characters are nice. I’m always excited to see more additions to Frozen lore. This books just couldn’t keep my interest, though. The writing felt a little flat, and some of the characterization (especially towards the beginning; it got a bit better as the book went on) was off. I’m hoping I’ll find more to appreciate about it as I sit on it, but for now, it’s definitely not a favorite.

This was an entertaining read. I'd really love to see this animated. One of my big reservations about this book is that the real reason the draugr is after Anna and Elsa is kind of obvious way before it is actually revealed, and everyone is so surprised by it. That being said, the draugr is actually my favorite part of this book. Such a hideous creature taken from Norse mythology doesn't seem to be the obvious choice for a book about Disney princesses (excuse me, Queens), but it is fascinating to see that grim and grotesque legend mixed into the book.

I enjoyed this book. We also listened to the audiobook which made this go by quickly. It was a good story, and fun to get in the frozen universe again!

This was such a great book! I loved seeing what happened after Frozen 2. I can’t recommend this enough to fans of Frozen!

The perfect book for all fans of the Disney films Frozen and Frozen 2! Dive back in to the enchanted worlds of Elsa and Anna (and Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven, of course!) and bask in the magic of their sisterhood and as they work together to fight a new monster and restore peace and normalcy. The tone and characterization are faithful to the films, and this book would provide a great basis for the development of Frozen 3, if that is in the cards for Disney in the near future.

I loved it! It is a new story that takes place after Frozen 2. It is original and true to the characters. It is very suspenseful and kept me captivated. A must read for Frozen Fans. It was so fun to read about all the original characters and loved the. We additions too. Thanks to Net galley and Disney Publishing for this amazing ARC!!!!

Disney Frozen Polar Nights: Cast Into Darkness is a fantastic sequel to Frozen 2 in book form. While the story continues and reintroduces us to the characters we've loved from the movies, it also takes our characters on a brand new adventure exploring the world of Frozen deeper than ever before. If you or your children are Frozen fans, you cannot miss out on this sequel that could easily be Frozen 3. Highly recommended!!

As soon as Mancusi and Calonita announced this book on Tik Tok, I KNEW I had to read it! I’ve loved both their previous work as well as I’m a big Frozen fan.

Thank goodness this book lived up to the hype for me! I honestly could read a million Anna and Elsa adventures and be happy.

This takes place two months after the events of Frozen 2 and we get to see how the sisters have adapted to their new roles in life. But then, of course, something happens to have people start losing their memories, which shouldn’t be surprising as they live in a world of magic and all.

So the sisters have to work together while also trying to find healing for some past girls who have a similar story to theirs.

I loved the parallels between Anna and Elsa and the sisters as well as getting both their viewpoints to how they can work together, while still grappling with healing their own past traumas and lost time.

One last thing, I really wonder if this character Red that shows up is related to/inspired by Red from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? To Tik Tok I go to ask!

Loved this sequel to Frozen which surprised me as Disney sequels in either book form or movie form are a miss for me. While I didn't love this one as Frozen's not a top Disney movie for me I did enjoy reading it.