(Beasts of the Briar, #5) Frozen by Stardust by Elizabeth Helen review

 

Frozen by Stardust by Elizabeth Helen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

The overarching storyline that runs throughout this series, again in this book, is fantastic. Hands down, so deeply thought out, planned out, and put to paper. Each book just gives the story and series a deeper level, with more turns and twists, and for me, it's one of the more intricate and detailed storylines that does not just fizzle out but burns hot throughout each book.

I could not count how many layers this thing has, and each book, while following the story, also feels like a puzzle piece fitting into this huge puzzle, but also feels like a whole part all on its own, and that just really wows me and blows my mind. I really loved the book, as I have with those before this one, and each time I read a book in this series, I am left with overwhelming breathlessness at how much it swooped me up and carried me away. There is nothing I can really fault about the level of work, magic, and wonder put into creating such an overwhelming world that seems boundless and endless with each book.

Now let's move on to nitpicking, lol.

This book does not lack in emotional depth and moments that make you feel like your own heart and soul are being sucked out of your body and stomped on by a herd of angry goats. Well, this book does all that and more, yay lol. There are many moments in this book that made me want to curl up and cry or reach into the book and give someone a hug or, more often than not, throat punch a certain person or two. The book, like the rest of the series I have read so far, really knows how to get your heart going in good and bad ways, and it all makes for a great read.

One of the harder parts of the book was getting through Farron's POV. Don't get me wrong, the authors did a bang-up job showcasing the change in him, but this Farron's mental state, inner monologue, and actions at times gave me the heebie-jeebies and even the ick at times. I struggled because of the change and was holding out and praying he would go back to what I knew of him from before. It did make reading his chapters harder, or parts where he had more of a focal role, because I was just screaming, it's like the invasion of the body snatchers, someone get him back, lol.

Dayton in this book, I mean, I have to say, over the course of this series so far, my heart has really gone out to him. Like, can he not catch a break? I mean, he had happiness for a moment, and then something else happens, and I just want to wrap him in a hug and get him to counselling at this point. It's been a horrible roller coaster, but even with what he's been through, he's trying so hard to hold onto who he is and not lose himself, and I loved that in this book.

Caspian and Keldarion took centre stage in this one, and seeing the two of them and getting a better understanding of their past and what is going on inside of them really gave you a clearer picture of things. I have to say, at times I wanted to headbutt Kel and Cas because they are very much like cat and dog at times, but it also made me sigh and laugh, and poor Rose is stuck as the go-between.

I really loved the ending of the book. While there is still a cliffhanger vibe, it did not leave me broken as much as the last book, but before the end, an event happened that had me screaming and cursing Sira out. She really makes me wild at times. Overall, the book was amazing, but I did struggle now and then with Farron, as I said, and it made me lag more than I should while reading the book.

There is so much to love about this book and the series so far as a whole, and it's really hard to say, "This is why I loved it," because it's everything. It all works in tandem with each other.

The spice did not stand out as much to me in this book. Please don't get me wrong, it's hot, very detailed, and fits with the story, but given this book is massive and the ongoing plot, the story dominated and had me hooked, making the spice feel small compared to it at times.

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