It's the Chronicles of Narnia meets Harry Potter. This fantastic winter tale is the perfect blend of classic portal fantasy and the magic world co-existing with our own. It's a beautiful reminder of what is truly important in life." I slid into the chamber where amber light danced along every surface from the candle on the coffee table, and I dragged a chair across the rug Sylvia told me she found in the Middle East, biting my lips when the chair leg caught a tassel and ripped it right off. My father used to roll his eyes at Sylvia’s collections and had always found excuses to leave the room to avoid my aunt. It was one of the memories that came easily in this house.

Hoisting my book bag from the slush, I followed the animal in long strides, imitating the chimney across the street with my puffs of visible steam. I consumed this book like fast food, though my tastebuds still tingle with the delectable flavours each character added to the fair. It created a veritable feast for my soul and imagination as I slipped into this world of snow and ice created by Jennifer Kropf, drawn irresistibly down the snow-covered streets of Waterloo. She paints her uncharted world so magnificently that you are left yearning for more as your heart races along with this swift-footed, iridescent adventure of sweetness and high stakes.Past their rippling current, I noticed a store wedged between a luxury clothing boutique I could never afford to shop in and a barber shop. The new store fit like a puzzle piece, nestled snugly into the alley between the two buildings. Um… A dozen images flashed through my mind at once: smiling rabbits, sparkling birds, tree-sized people, a human-swallowing snow-tornado. But I forced my cheeks to move out of the way for a smile, otherwise my grandma would know something was wrong. I got distracted. I’ll apologize at some point, I promised, though she and I both knew I probably wouldn’t. A Soul as Cold as Frost instantly transports you into a magical world that the whole family will adore. Fans of Chronicles of Narnia will be thrilled with this new wintery adventure." - Nikki Mitchell, author of Nightshade Forest Helen receives a glass ball on the street from a girl she doesn’t even know. And all of a sudden, strange things start happening. Her eyes are now able to see a whole different fantasy world. A boy named Zane then explains what the glass ball is. And he warns her that her life is in danger. A witch with a soul as cold as frost will be coming for both it and Helen’s life, with everything she’s got in her power.

After sitting on it: 3.5 ⭐️ Overall really enjoyed, would recommend. Cute and creative take on your traditional fantasy plot arc that gives loose Narnia/COTR (rated G) vibes. I enjoyed the characters and this world but wanted more details. I enjoyed this story as both a reader and a writer. I couldn't help but admire the author's handiwork and made quite a few mental notes of how I might approach my own writing. I really liked Jennifer Kropf’s short story in the book Enchanted Waters. And since that was a prequel to this book, I decided to give this one a go.

eBook Details

I propped myself up on my elbows, ready for some sort of appropriate Canadian apology, but the person dropped to a knee, and I stilled, eyeing the gray knit scarf covering the lower half of their face.

The setting is enchanting, the characters endearing, the magical creatures downright fabulous and the narrative a delight. Antique streetlamps illuminated downtown, prismed in every direction like hovering confetti. Carols blared from the speakers of a newspaper stand whose buzz-like radio sound muddied the familiar melody of Jingle Bells and swallowed most of the other noise in the street. Buildings hosted glassy bouquets of scarlet, green, and gold ornaments, but it was difficult to enjoy the splendour of the season in this bitter flash-freeze. Other times, I got lost in the descriptions. Particularly during action sequences. Sometimes I legitimately had no clue what was going on.Open my…what…? I got the strangest impulse to turn and run—a nervous reaction to her husky, outlandish blabbering and harsh features.

Beautifully written, and wonderfully layered, with Christian symbolism skilfully woven throughout, this first in series is a wonderful wintry tale perfect for a cold snowy night. My one real gripe is Helen herself, our allegedly book-smart heroine who keeps bumbling in huge ways for over half the book. I wanted to like her more then I did, as she has a relatable story—but her inability to listen to Zane even in the simplest things irritated me quite a few times. (Stop waving the orb around and hold still!) She does grow, mind you. I just would’ve liked to see her smarts a few more times early on. This is a cute Christmas-themed fantasy with lots of Christian elements woven in that are subtle and sweet. The themes of faith and truth are well explored and tug at the heartstrings. Overall, the world and its characters are fun and magical. However, it's not immersive enough. The only upside in the whole mad seeming scheme? A handsome mysterious boy who's been following her around with a warning on his tongue, determined to protect her - Zane. Jennifer Kropf has a poetic style of writing that slides like hot chocolate down the throat, warm and gooey in a good way. There is an abundance of adjectives throughout that occasionally distracted me from the action but otherwise the writing is solid. Her prose is ideal for a Christmassy read, strongly reminiscent of Narnia, with solid world-building and vivid settings.The longing for Book 2 is real. After finding out that there's a larger, more sinister villain behind it all (I'm getting shivers just thinking about it!), I feel like I need more of the characters and more of this world that Jennifer has created!