#Review - Nature of Frost by Jus Accardo #YA #Fantasy #Romance

Series: Omen of Ice # 2
Format: Kindle, 363 pages 
Release Date: January 13, 2025
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance

A dying kingdom on thin ice…

Not so long ago, druid Keltania Tunne thought she knew the world—and her place in it. Magic was all but dead, and the kingdom torn apart. Then she was sent to the court of the Winter Fae and charged with the protection of Valen, the icily arrogant prince who some believed would bring about the destruction of them all…

Instead, he brought magic.

The greed for magic nearly destroyed their world, and its return could plunge them all back into chaos—or unite the estranged fae courts…if they move quickly.

Now, Keltania and Valen must navigate the temperamental fae, their insidious secrets, and an enemy who would cleave the kingdom in two in the name of vengeance—all the while hiding the truth of their connection.

Its magic. Its remarkable power. And its ability to crush their hearts in two.

But no one knows that Valen struck a secret bargain with their enemy...and soon, everyone in the land will face the consequences.

Nature of Frost is the second and final installment in author Jus Accardo's Omen of Ice duology. This story focuses on two main characters: Valen Frostreaver and Keltania Tunne. Keltania spent her whole life training to be an Aphelian, one of the few druids left descended from the nearly mythical Aphelian who helped save everyone by giving up most of her magic to a fae she loved. Tania is one of the more skilled fighters to come along. Her ability and cunning make her the ideal candidate to become a Fae protector. 

Valen is the heir because of who his mother was, and the fact that he is likely the only one in the entire court who was born with magic. Magic is slowly drained from him to keep up the lies built upon for generations. Not so long ago, Keltania thought she knew the world—and her place in it. Magic was all but dead, and the kingdom was torn apart. Then, she was sent to the court of the Winter Fae and charged with the protection of Valen, the icily arrogant prince who some believed would bring about the destruction of them all. Instead, he brought magic. 

The greed for magic nearly destroyed their world, and its return could plunge them all back into chaos—or unite the estranged fae courts if they move quickly. Now, Keltania and Valen must navigate the temperamental fae, their insidious secrets, and an enemy who would cleave the kingdom in two in the name of vengeance while hiding the truth of their connection. It's magic. It has remarkable power. And its ability to crush their hearts in two. But no one knows that Valen struck a secret bargain with their enemy...and soon, everyone in the land will face the consequences. 

The story is told from both Keltania and Valen's points-of-view, and they each have the knowledge and folklore of their people to draw from. The druid and fae histories are linked but with disparate histories passed down, particularly since the fae are basically immortal and some witnessed the Great Drain and the war or are only a couple generations removed from it, while the druids are many, many generations removed. There are definitely quite a few unexpected twists in the story. 

While some elements seemed easy to guess, many left me completely shocked. The banter between Tania and Valen is so incredible. Valen and Keltania are very good for each other as they are opposites and balance each other. Tania is persistent, courageous, strong, and fierce. Valen has a lot of secrets and an unfortunate childhood, which explains a lot about why he tries to be cocky, charming, and glib about what happens around him. I would definitely recommend this series from the beginning. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Omen of Ice by Jus Accardo #YA #Fantasy #Romance

Series: Omen of Ice (#1)
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: August 1, 2023
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance

Serpent and Dove meets These Hollow Vows in this all-new YA fantasy series about a druid and the Fae royal she’s been tasked to protect.

When a spell goes wrong, linking the life force of 18-year-old druid Keltania to the Fae royal she's been tasked to protect, the two must embark on a dangerous trek through a violent wilderness.

Betrayal, stolen magic, and lies taint their journey as they work to break the magic linking them together before it consumes them both.

 

Omen of Ice, by Jus Accardo, is the first installment in the authors Omen of Ice series. This story revolves around two key characters: 18-year-old Keltania Tunne, and 19-year-old Prince Valen of the Winter Fae Court. Keltania has spent her whole life training to be an Aphelian, one of the few druids left descended from the nearly mythical Aphelian who helped to save everyone by giving up most of her magic to a fae whom she loved. Tania is one of the more skilled fighters to come along. Her ability and her cunning makes her the idea candidate to become Fae protector.

Tania's first job is to guard Valen, nephew to the king of the Winter Court, who is potentially the heir to the throne. Valen, who has survived numerous assassinations attempts, doesn’t want her protection, but when a spell goes wrong, linking her life force to each other, the two must embark on a dangerous trek through a violent wilderness in order to unravel the spell, along with a kelpie named Daroose, and uncover secrets about themselves, and the truth about what really happened years ago between a famous druid, and a King of the Winter Court which led to the destruction of the courts.

Unlike Valen, Keltania was raised to take her job as Aphelian Druid seriously which means putting up with Valen's escapades, and the hidden dangers that lurk below the surface at the court. Valen is the heir because of who his mother was, and the fact that he is likely the only one in the entire court who was born with magic. Magic that is slowly being drained from him in order to keep up the lies that have been built upon for generations. Even though Valen has his load of secrets, the relationship between the two characters grows as the connection between them solidifies making it possible for Tania to use his power, as well as her own. 

*Thoughts* Truth be told, this story was entertaining. Tania is the serious character, Valen is the playboy who has a deeper truth to his character than just someone who seems not to care. He has a sense of duty and responsibility. He willingly endures pain to keep his court and its people thriving. Yet, it is Tania who opens his eyes to other possibilities, and on their shared journey, they both get more than they could ever imagine leading to a curious ending which is an obvious set up for the sequel. 

Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Alpha by Jus Accardo #YALIT #SyFy

Series: An Infinity Division Novel (#3)
Format: E-Galley, 304 pages
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction

The final book in the Infinity time travel series is full of action, romance, and an intricately designed roller coaster plot.

Sera is the obsession of a killer chasing a ghost.

G is a soldier with too much blood on his hands.

Dylan lost the only person he ever loved—and will stop at nothing to get her back.

In a whirlwind chase that takes them back to where it all started, Sera, G, and Dylan will have to confront their demons—both physical and mental—and each other, in order to win their freedom.

Alpha is the third and final installment in The Infinity Division trilogy by author Jus Accardo. The Infinity Division was introduced in the first book where those working for Infinity have discovered the ability to jump to different dimensions. In each dimension the characters all exist, but lead very different lives from one world to the next. Alpha continues where Omega left off and Infinity began. The first two books featured Cade, Kori, Noah, and Ashlyn. Now, the author wraps up the story by featuring two characters we've met in Omega. 

Sera and G are this books narrators along with series anti-hero Dylan. Dylan has taken Sera away with him because he believes she is actually Ava, the girl he loved, the girl who lost, and the girl that set off this entire series in the action packed first installment. G and Sera had fallen into a deep trust of the other while captive together. Both were experimented on, had their memories erased, all thanks to the demented mind of one Cora Anderson. The same Anderson who ripped Sera away from her home, her life, and used her as a science experiment, while G was being groomed to become a super soldier.

The book starts out with Sera and Dylan staying one step ahead of the combined forces of G, Cade, Noah, Kori, and Ashlyn. In this world, there are an infinite number of worlds. Sera is another version of Dylan's Ava who he lost to an accident on his world. Sera doesn't remember anything about the life before she was taken by Cora and experimented on, but she does know that Dylan is shattered and broken thanks to Ava's loss. Does that make Dylan a more sympathetic character knowing what triggered him into being a sociopathic serial killer? Not even close.

For G, the frustration of not being able to catch Dylan and save Sera has increased his chances that he will lose his temper and do something that he can never return from. He is a former soldier. He is super enhanced and ready to tear someone apart. Throughout the book, he fights an inner demon that wants to crush anyone who gets in his way. His relationship with Cade was cordial enough, but he has no use for Noah, who on another world, is actually his brother. G has some curious storylines, especially since he can put two and two together for Sera. That is where the twists actually come from which lead to an action packed finale.

A final note on Dylan. I've hated Dylan from the first moment I met him in Infinity. He is a devious character hell bend on exacting revenge on innocent people who he blames for the loss of the woman he was hoping to marry. He lashed out at those who had nothing to do with Ava's situation, including Kori, and for that there really is no forgiveness. People will read this and interrupt that I don't believe in giving characters second chances. Without spoiling anything, Dylan has choices throughout this story to do so. 

In the end, Cade and Kori are definitely my favorite couple, while G and Sera are a close second place. The romance between G and Sera was definitely more emotional and their backstories only amplified it. I felt a deeper connection with G and Sera than Noah and Ash. I am not a fan of the ending. The author goes from 2 weeks, to one month, to 6 months, to 3 days into the future. This is the result of having 6 characters and you have to wrap up your story in such a way that nobody is left behind and readers don't bombard you via tweets, or emails, asking WHY!?!?!?! I do have to add to future readers of this series or those who jumped into this book first; read the books in order as they were released. You need to get to know Noah, Cade, Kori, Ashlyn, Dylan, Sera & G. You have to know where they have been, to understand where they will be going, or possibly ending up.   

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

#Review - Omega by Jus Accardo #YALit #Science Fiction @entangledpub

Series: The Infinity Division # 2
Format: Kindle, 320 pages
Release Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

The second book in the Infinity time travel series is full of action, romance, and an intricately designed roller coaster plot.

One mistake can change everything. Ashlyn Calvert finds that out the hard way when a bad decision leads to the death of her best friend, Noah Anderson.

Only Noah isn’t really gone. Thanks to his parents’ company, the Infinity Division, there is a version of him skipping from one dimension to another, set on revenge for the death of his sister, Kori. When a chance encounter brings him face-to-face with Ash, he’s determined to resist the magnetic pull he’s felt for her time and time again. Because falling for Ash puts his mission in danger.

But there’s more going on in Ash’s alternate universe than either of them knows: a mysterious project called Omega. A conspiracy spanning multiple Earths and revolving around none other than Ash. Its creators would do anything to keep Omega secret… Anything.

Omega, by author Jus Accardo, is the second installment in the author's The Infinity Division series. When last we saw our time traveling duo of Noah Anderson, and Cade Granger, they had been joined by Kori Anderson who's father is in charge of the Infinity Division. After coming face to face with the villainous Dylan Granger, who has made it his mission to kill every version of Kori in every world, Kori has no choice but to join Noah and Cade where ever Dylan leads them. They eventually land in a world where criminals are removed and transported to another dimension.

In Omega, Noah and Ashlyn Calvert become the main narrators of this story, while Cade and Kori take a back seat, but not altogether missing. They still have important parts to play when it comes to capturing and stopping Dylan. In this book, we explore the idea of what a constant really is. Simply explained, a constant is an unrelated person who shows up in multiple realities. For Noah, Ash is his Constant, just as Kori is apparently Cade's. For Noah, he tends to be a gigolo. Where ever he finds that world's Ash, he has fun, and then moves on to the next version of Earth where he also scouts out whether or not there is an Ash living in it. 

But, this Noah hasn't met anyone like this Earth's Ash. Ash lives in a bizarro world where you are shoved into three categories: Top Tier, Middle Tier, and Bottom Tier. There are also three levels which can lead you to success, or being swallowed up by two houses which caterer to two different ideologies. Ash is considered to be a Bottom Tier who was taken in by this world's version of Noah and his brother Corey's parents Cora & Karl Anderson. Ash's world gets turned upside down after she is accused of killing Noah, and later is blacklisted. Ash & Noah have an intense sexual that just can't be denied. 

In the end, this story pretty much bridges the first books plot line with the third installment in the series. It spends more than enough time building the relationship between Ash and Noah and then diving further into Ash's life. I say that because most of this story isn't about chasing people around, aka Dylan, or facing the lunatic known as Cora. There's plenty of humorous stories involved within this story. Like the names of the various Earth's they've explored, including Monkey world, and Vegan World, and Wolf World, and the exploits at each stop. There are two other characters introduced as well, but I am unsure if that means they will be the primary focus of the next book, or part of the larger group effort to chase down and finally stop Dylan. We shall see, won't we?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Saturday #Review - Infinity by Jus Accardo #YALit #Science Fiction

Series: The Infinity Division # 1
Format: Kindle, 320 pages
Release Date: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA, Science Fiction

Nobody said being the daughter of an army general was easy. But when her dad sends a teenage subordinate to babysit her while he’s away… That’s taking it a step too far.

Cade, as beautiful as he is deadly, watches Kori with more than just interest. He looks at her like he knows her very soul. And when he saves her from a seemingly random attack, well, that’s when things get weird.

Turns out, Kori’s dad isn’t just an army general—he’s the head of a secret government project that has invented a way to travel between parallel dimensions. Dimensions where there are infinite Kori's, infinite Cade's…and apparently, on every other Earth, they’re madly in love.

Falling for a soldier is the last thing on Kori’s mind. Especially when she finds herself in a deadly crossfire, and someone from another Earth is hell-bent on revenge…

"There are three things Kori knows for sure about her life:

One: Her army general dad is insanely overprotective.

Two: The guy he sent to watch her, Cade, is way too good-looking.

Three: Everything she knew was a lie.

Now there are three things Kori never knew about her life:

One: There’s a device that allows her to jump dimensions.

Two: Cade’s got a lethal secret.

Three: Someone wants her dead.

Infinity is the first installment in author Jus Accardo's The Infinity Division series. 17-year old Kori Anderson is something of a rebel. She really doesn't get along with others. But, as an artist, she loves to defile public property with her artwork. She's been caught doing hard core tagging. Kori, as you have surmised, has a penchant for getting herself into trouble. Call it acting out if you will after losing her mother a few years before. 

Add that to some very interesting inner dialogue, and you have the strange tale of Kori Anderson. To top things off, Kori is the daughter of an Army General who is currently stationed at Fort Hannity Army Base in Welb, New York. (My mind immediately went to Fort Drum which is about 30 miles from the Canadian border). Kori's father travels a lot for work, but he has been keeping a very interesting secret. A secret that comes at Kori quickly and without warning in the form of Dylan, who somehow knows her name and decides to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse that has consequences for everyone involved. 

A game that has its routes in another place altogether. Noah Emeal and Cade Granger are two characters that are sent by her father to keep her out of trouble, and keep her safe. They really don't know what they have to deal with until they get the whole Kori affect. Now that someone apparently wants Kori dead, secrets about a group known as The Infinity Division and her father's real job come tumbling out. The whole idea that there is someone who wants to kill me part of this story unless he gets what he wants, more than pulled its own weight against what the Infinity Division is supposed to be about; parallel earth's. 

The Infinity Division has the ability to jump from place to place. As you would imagine, there is a bit of romance in this story. That romance sits on the shoulders of Kori and Cade. In one way, this romance made me a bit uncomfortable for reasons that have nothing to do with abuse, but the fact that they are from two different worlds, and are apparently in love in almost every single parallel Earth's. Have you ever read Claudia Gray's Firebird series? If so, you will most likely enjoy this series as well.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo