I thought this was a good start to what could be a great fantasy. It fell short when it did not take much convincing to have the the main character follow the handsome stranger to a different realm. There needs to be more back story maybe, maybe she has heard of stories told to her as child? Who were her parents, were they maybe killed? I have lots of questions, maybe answered in the second book.

Ryleigh believes her life to be cursed, nothing seems to go right for her, losing her parents then grandmother dies. She must find a way to support her younger sibling before she is taken from her. When an earthquake happens after a job interview, her life suddenly is pulled into mysterious realm. This kingdom is falling apart and she may be the only one to save it with the help of Jackson. Jackson is a Death Dealer a warrior of the kingdom but also the son of a king. He does not understand why he chooses for the Ryleigh to live and come with him to the kingdom but he feels there is more to this girl then he ever imagined.

The art work for the cover is beautiful, it is what drew me to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for copy of this story for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing me with a copy, all thoughts are my own!

3/5 stars

Realm of Ice and Shadow is an entertaining story, but it just wasn't for me. I liked the main idea of different realms and everything, but I couldn't connect with the characters, and the story felt rushed all the time. However, I think this book is perfect to pass the time if you want to read something magical and romantic that doesn't take long to read.

I really liked the idea of the book, but the delivery was not right.
The description of the world, as well as of the characters was insufficient, and the whole plot felt rushed. Some plot twists were absolutely obvious and it just made me angry

*slight spoiler* that the MMC find justification instead of realizing who is the traitor and then prises the FMC for not trusting him, while it was so obvious he was not a decent person. *end of spoiler*

There are also loose threads and some actions are not justifiable in any way, especially the last interaction between brothers (I do have a theory and it may be confirmed in the next book, but it annoyed me a lot)

Again, I enjoyed the idea of the book, so I'll give it 3 stars, but it needs some work to become polished.

*Spoiler describing the main idea of the book*
The MMC comes from a different real and when he can't kill the FMC in order to bring her to his realm he decides that there must be an explanation why he couldn't do it and another way to transport her to his home. She's actually from that realm and that's how she can travel to that world. That's the idea I liked, but I feel like she trusted him too easily and just decided to abandon her life in order to save another world, a world that she knows nothing about and doesn't feel really curious. Actually, her sister seemed more interested and more mature, which was another weird thing.

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy from NetGalley in exchange of my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Ryleigh has experienced hardships in her life and tries to maintain a suitable lifestyle for her young sister, Mia. On a not-so-simple morning, Ryleigh tries to land a job to be able to afford life but things took a quick downhill from there. Prince Jackson, from another realm, was sent to kill her due to their prophet’s statement. The problem is that Prince Jackson has to pass this final assignment to be ordinated as a Death Dealer. Things took a downhill for him as well. Both characters explored their abilities to make a better choices than what were given and expected of them.

This book is a quick and easy read.

3 stars

It was action packed and fast paced so you won't get bored. It has a very sweet romance and siblings relationship that you will love. There were several twists and turns which kind mind boggled me. One minute one is traitor another minute some else..I could predict few things, I don't know why characters could buy i would love to read the second book. I loved Ryleigh and Mia.

I hope to continue with the series but wont be a high proiority to get to when the next releases

3 stars

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. While some of the concepts were really interesting, I found that the main characters fell a little too quickly. The serious case of insta-love really threw off the reading experience for me, but if you are a reader that doesn't mind that element than this very well may be a book for you. The world building concepts were interesting and I think it would be a very fun read for people that like a main characters that fall hard and a world building concept in which worlds live kind of parallel to each other without generally meeting unless one has an ability to create "doors" to these other worlds, so to speak. I enjoyed the world building aspect, the romance aspect just threw me out of the story.

Leigh Stratton's Realm of Ice and Shadow tells the tale of Ryleigh and Jackson as they work together to save Jackson's dying world. The description promises adventure and trials, but this story left much to be desired. From page 1, I felt like I was being rushed. Reading that first page, I felt that I was missing huge parts of information and had to double check that I was reading book 1 of a series. I had no idea where I was, in what age/time and who these people were and why I should care about them. We are immediately thrown in to Jackson and Mia's world with their given stakes, but I felt that it was all talk with little action.

This story has much potential and promise. Fantasy aims to take the reader out of their own reality and into a world unlike theirs. With some world building and groundwork, Realm of Ice and Shadow can be a great fantasy epic.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Realm of Ice and Shadow follows Ryleigh, a seventeen year old with a young sister she’s desperate to protect and keep by her side after her family passes. Except her whole world turns upside down during a job interview when an earthquake destroys the building and sends her to the hospital where she meets Jackson. Jackson is the Prince and a Death Dealer to the realm of Cymmera where he’s been temporarily exiled. Ryleigh is the key to his banishment ending and potentially the answer to save his dying realm.

While the book was relatively predictable, it was a still a very enjoyable YA fantasy to read. I think it was a tad rushed and could’ve used more world-building. But what we do see is super fascinating and I can’t wait to see how the author expands on the plot and world in the sequel. The magic system of portals is really cool and adds a unique twist as the characters travel from Cymmera and the human realm. The characters were really fun to read about, and their romance was sweet though a bit fast for my preferences.

Overall, the book is full of twists and turns and would definitely appeal to fans of YA fantasy.

I love a good fantasy novel, absolutely one of my favorite genres.
Unfortunately this book needs a lot of fine tuning to get a better rating.
Better world development, better character building, etc.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Review: As a final test to assure his ascension from student to Death Dealer graduate, Prince Jackson must leave his home of Cymmera and portal to the human realm to assassinate and collect a particular human target. All past human targets have been chosen by visions, all have been male, and all have turned future warriors of Cymmera. But Jackson has been assigned to bring back a harmless looking teenage girl. The first female. But why?

I was immediately drawn to the intriguing title, magical cover, and enticing description. The promising premise and the setup of the story were why I chose this book. The earlier chapters set up the stakes, not only the risks for Jackson, but for Ryleigh and Mia as well.

I would have loved to see more descriptions about the world of Cymmera. I have more questions and curiosities about how this place looks and feels. I am hoping book two will show more details of that world.

The pacing is where I struggled as a reader. There were action parts I would have liked to see expanded (in regular world: the earthquake at the office building and the conflict at Ryleigh and Mia’s house), while there were parts that could have been condensed (Jackson’s trial in Cymmera which began and paused several times over the course of the novel and diluted the tension). Sometimes lengthy conversations seemed separate from the larger conflicts and priorities taking place in Cymmera (siege, war, and death).

I believe this book could have been exceptional with more development.
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher, for the digital copy in exchange for review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2.7 rounded up to 3/5.

"Realm of Ice and Snow" by Leigh Stratton, the first installment in the Kingdom of Cymmera series, presents a plot that holds immense potential, yet falls short of delivering a truly captivating experience. The cover art and the intriguing blurb successfully draw readers into a world of mystery, but the execution leaves much to be desired.

The narrative centers around seventeen-year-old Ryleigh Donnovan, a girl who believes her life is cursed, and her unexpected entanglement with Jackson Maynard, a would-be Death Dealer in the Kingdom of Cymmera. The story takes a compelling turn when Jackson fails a crucial test and faces banishment from his realm, leading to a joint quest with Ryleigh to save his dying kingdom.

While the sisterly bond between Ryleigh and Mia adds a heartwarming element to the story, the overall narrative suffers from a lack of descriptive depth. The world, characters, and the magic system remain underdeveloped, leaving readers craving a more immersive experience. Descriptions are barely there, and crucial aspects of the plot are left unexplored, creating a sense of detachment from the story's potential richness.

The narrative feels stagnant, with characters that appear to be passive observers rather than active participants in their own tale. The plot, despite its promising premise, lacks momentum, leaving readers wanting more engagement and progression. Key elements that could elevate the narrative, such as world-building and character development, are unfortunately neglected, hindering the overall impact of the story.

In conclusion, "Realm of Ice and Snow" has the foundation for an engaging fantasy adventure, but its execution falls short of expectations. With a lack of descriptive details and a plot that fails to evolve, the potential for a truly immersive reading experience remains unrealized. Despite the promising sisterly love between the protagonists, the novel ultimately leaves readers longing for a more vibrant and fully realized world.

Thank you for sending, and thank you to the author and publisher.

I really enjoyed the plot / storyline. It was a fun fast paced read.
With that being said, I did feel some aspects felt rushed. I would have loved some more character growth & world building in this book! I am definitely hoping for a second book to continue the story.

I believe this was marketed as YA, but really it is a middle grade book. That is necessary to understand since the story doesn't have a whole lot of depth or inner monologues from the characters. Its a lot of plot point to plot point and things are glossed over very quickly.

That being said, this was a unique story that was fast paced and I enjoyed reading. I likely won't continue the series as I didn't really feel connected to the characters - but it was an easy read.

I have mixed thoughts about Realm of Ice and Shadow.

First off, I really enjoyed reading it. The plot was really fast, and I was very intrigued by the premise of the book. However, the plot may have been a bit too fast in the sense that almost everything felt like it needed more explanation.

The characters were decent, and I enjoyed following them. However, they were also SUPER cliche YA fantasy characters. Their motivations did not seem well-thought-out, and the romance between the two main characters was wayyyyyyy too fast and kind of dumb. I could not understand why they liked each other. In fact, it almost seemed like the guy literally fell in love with the girl upon seeing her, and then no explanation was given about it.

There were also a few editing errors in my copy, and the chapters are pretty long. Most of the book felt like a huge YA cliche, between the characters and the writing style. There was a lot of convenient worldbuilding exposition/info-dumping since the main character girl doesn't know anything about the world.

Technically, Realm of Ice and Shadow is dual-POV, but it was difficult to tell whose perspective it was sometimes. The POVs were pretty much the exact same wording, writing style, etc. I will say, though, this book is very clean in terms of both curse words and romance. I was very impressed by that.

Overall, it was a super quick read, and I enjoyed my time reading it. I read almost 75% of it in one day in a few hours. However, a large portion of the book needed more explanation, and it was very cliche. I have not decided if I want to continue with this series or not.

**Thank you to The Independent Book Publishers Association for giving me an Advance Review Copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! These thoughts are entirely my own.**

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this ARC.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but the whole thing felt rushed. Almost like everything happened within a single day. Some more world building, more magic, and a better split up of the dual POV would help this book a lot. Very quick easy read. I felt like this book wanted to have angst but it missed its mark.

Not sure if I'll pick up the second book.

This was a fast-paced fantasy that made it an easy read. However, due to how fast-paced it was, a lot of details were lost. The main plot was interesting, but it wasn't executed well.

There wasn't much world building, which I can handle, but the characters weren't given proper time to grow. They didn't grow as individuals, staying pretty stagnate the whole book. The relationships were also rushed, which was disappointing. One moment, the two main character met, and then the next, they had feelings for each other. There weren't those important stepping stones in a relationship.

If the plot had been explored more in depth, it would have been 10 times better. We skimmed over most of the details. It was also like we were skipping from one bullet point to the next without explanation. Especially towards the end when we seemed to easily defeat one of the main enemies.

Overall, I really did enjoy the concept, but the book needed to be twice as long to fully dive into more detail. I feel that it could be an amazing fantasy if only it was developed more, I'd even consider reading the next book.

I really wanted to love this book, the description really interested me and rushed to read this, but was left disappointed. The world building is non-existent in this book, I don't mind little world building if the plot is a fast paced and we have no time to think, but I found it slow with long chapters and predictable. (it could have been such a great book with the story if it was double the pages!) The characters felt like every other average fantasy book and not enough substance to remember them.#

not a book I will continue unfortunately. A generous two star.

Thank you net galley, publishers and author for providing an e-book for exchange for an honest review - all views are my own,

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger. Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom.

I think my review of this book might echo some of the other ones that I've seen, but I was pretty disappointed by it. I think the two things that stood out to me and made me want to read the book was the pretty obvious similarity in cover, title, and author name to Shadow and Bone. I thought it would be pretty cool and a fun YA fantasy read, but it was written with middle grade writing, which isn't inherently a problem, but it is if that's not what it's marketed to be. Additionally, in order for a fantasy to be successful, it needs to have actual world building and exposition. I feel like from the first chapter we're thrust into the action of it all with no building and no introduction or conception of the characters at all. I also don't really know why it's so popular as of late to have a multi-century old protagonist and a protagonist that is a literal minor be the mmc and the fmc. an ick from me personally.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review 2.25/5

Realm of Ice and Shadow is a fast-paced YA fantasy book that follows Ryleigh and her sister Mia, as well as Jackson. There is travelling between our world and the kingdom of Cymmera, which is slowly dying.

I enjoyed the plot a lot. While a bit predictive, I did think it was quite interesting. There are some really great action scenes, and I found it hard to put down the book when we were in the thick of the action. The story moves very quickly.

I also really enjoyed the sisterly love between Ryleigh and Mia. It's sweet, and having siblings I can relate to Ryleigh always putting her sister first and wanting to protect her. Jackson was fun, I really liked his POV. However, I found the characters' actions and behaviours weren't always consistent. Similarly, the way the characters talk was a bit inconsistent. Sometimes, the speech would feel very formal and then back to super casual. It made it hard to grasp what kind of universe is set here. And, it didn't really make sense for Ryleigh considering she lives in our modern world.

Cymmera also sounded like a really interesting world. I enjoyed the little bits of history and lore. However, I wanted more. There's a good amount of info-dumping instead of actually experiencing the world. There's also a lot going on in a very short time frame, so we just don't get to explore this universe as much as I'd like. I want to understand how magic works, what's available in that world, why is the evil man evil, etc.

Another thing I wish could be improved is the lack of descriptions. I'm a visual reader (books play like movies in my head), and I was having a hard time picturing what was happening. I honestly can't remember what the characters even look like.

There are a few elements of the story I wish were further developed. But, I still had some fun reading this. If I was younger (12-15) I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more.