“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good fright…”
What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a past of letting those he’s meant to protect die? What if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you gained the ability to see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?
Helen Bell is a student with a past she’d rather not remember and a high school social life that doesn’t exist. Almost everyone she passes either forgets she’s there or doesn’t notice her in the first place. Though it’s hard to live like a shadow, she survives by focusing on her studies.
Until the day everything changes.
When a strange encounter leaves Helen able to see a species of invisible people among us, naturally she assumes she’s going delusional or is getting ill from the cold Canadian weather. But when a young, handsome Winter guardian appears to aid her in a crisis, and a train horn starts blasting over the city in a search to hunt her down, she finds herself in the middle of a war where nothing is quite as it seems, and what’s “right” isn’t always right.
What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a past of letting those he’s meant to protect die? What if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you gained the ability to see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?
Helen Bell is a student with a past she’d rather not remember and a high school social life that doesn’t exist. Almost everyone she passes either forgets she’s there or doesn’t notice her in the first place. Though it’s hard to live like a shadow, she survives by focusing on her studies.
Until the day everything changes.
When a strange encounter leaves Helen able to see a species of invisible people among us, naturally she assumes she’s going delusional or is getting ill from the cold Canadian weather. But when a young, handsome Winter guardian appears to aid her in a crisis, and a train horn starts blasting over the city in a search to hunt her down, she finds herself in the middle of a war where nothing is quite as it seems, and what’s “right” isn’t always right.
“No matter what happens,” her Winter guardian warns as creatures all down the street begin to shriek and freeze in place, “Don’t move a muscle…”
Zane Cohen is a young, retired Patrolman. Even though he craves mischief and would rather play tricks on snow rabbits than get dragged back into the guardian life, he finds he can’t help himself when he meets Helen Bell. She’s not suitable to play the games of the Rime Folk. If she’s not careful, she’s going to get herself killed. And he shouldn’t care, but…
But a long time ago, he believed in an ancient “Truth”. This same Truth begins calling Helen’s name across the snow, forcing her to make the ultimate decision to either run back to her empty life, or do the unthinkable—to face off with the Snow Queen in The Quarrel of Sword and Bone; a match that takes place in a Winter arena before one thousand witnesses and will likely mean certain death.
So, the retired Patrolman becomes not so retired after all.
Zane Cohen is a young, retired Patrolman. Even though he craves mischief and would rather play tricks on snow rabbits than get dragged back into the guardian life, he finds he can’t help himself when he meets Helen Bell. She’s not suitable to play the games of the Rime Folk. If she’s not careful, she’s going to get herself killed. And he shouldn’t care, but…
But a long time ago, he believed in an ancient “Truth”. This same Truth begins calling Helen’s name across the snow, forcing her to make the ultimate decision to either run back to her empty life, or do the unthinkable—to face off with the Snow Queen in The Quarrel of Sword and Bone; a match that takes place in a Winter arena before one thousand witnesses and will likely mean certain death.
So, the retired Patrolman becomes not so retired after all.
A Soul as Cold as Frost is Jennifer Kropf's debut novel, ideal for fans of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms by Meredith Rusu and Ashleigh Powell.
Book Facts:
*The Winter Souls Series is an adventure for ages 10+, loved by teens and parents alike.
*This series contains a Christian allegory.
*A Soul as Cold as Frost was rewritten, reimagined, and reformatted with illustrations by Kyannah Durocher in 2024 for a better reading experience.
MY THOUGHTS
The worldbuilding was great, and the characters were fully fleshed out and interesting. Main character Helen was likable. I appreciated her resiliency and determination as she was thrust into a dangerous and strange situation. I thought she handled herself really well, all things considered.
I enjoyed visiting Winter, learning the lore, and meeting all the different Folk.
I loved that this story focused on the true meaning of Christmas! What a fantastic allegory! It was so meaningful and impactful. I’m so glad this is the beginning of a series! I’m eager to read more!
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
4.5 STARS
