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Ilyon Chronicles #5
Bitter Winter
Already struggling with a harsh winter and the threat of food shortage, a catastrophic event leaves those in the Landale camps reeling. Just when things couldn’t get much worse, camp members fall ill with the same devastating sickness that’s sweeping across the country.Determined to gain the cure, Jace sets off to Valcré. However, there are only two sources—the queen, or a powerful gang of smugglers who have made the dangerous city their home. When Jace gains audience with the gang leader, he finds the price of the cure is steeper than any of them imagined, forcing him to make an impossible choice—betray his conscience or let those he loves die.
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2018
117 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Jaye L. Knight
11 books715 followersJaye L. Knight is a hopeless romantic with an active imagination and an AuDHD brain that fuels her stories with twists, adventure, and heart. She weaves tales of faith, courage, happily-ever-afters, and the power of God’s love to light the way even in the deepest darkness. When she’s not crafting fantasy, she dabbles in contemporary romance as Jaye Elliot.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
December 19, 2018
YES HERE I AM UPDATING MY REVIEW AGAIN. I know I'm not usually this indecisive and I apologize :-P Just, bear with me, fellas.
This is possibly my favorite of the whole Ilyon series. I love Bitter Winter so much and so deeply, I was really afraid that trying to put down those emotions into word form would 'spoil' them or otherwise weaken them.
But . . . I'm a writer, aren't I? Putting my emotions into words without diluting them is my JOB DESCRIPTION basically; and I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. :-P So here I am again, to unleash all my ranty, fangirly thoughts upon you. BE PREPARED FOR THE DELUGE.
(and possible spoilers??? I'm tryin' real hard not to spoil anything but if you're the dead-set-against-knowing-anything-about-the-book type, you might want to avoid this review.)
Bitter Winter is Jace's story, probably more so than any other Ilyon book thus far. I knew that going into it, and I knew that meant I'd love it; because Jace is without question the most "me" character in the Ilyon universe. Like myself, he has an *ahem* Difficult Past that's left him with some fairly deep scars, not the least of which being a crushing sense of his own unworthiness for Anything Good Basically. Plus a whole boat-load of fears and anxieties and mistrustfulness and can anyone say #relatable content???
Pretty much every time Jace has been onscreen, in all five books, I've found myself nodding my head like "yup. been there. done that." This book was no exception. This book is Jace's personal quest to save his loved ones from certain-death-by-sickness-and-starvation . . . and his ultimate realization that God is the one Who's sovereign over life and death. That sometimes, God WILL take our beloved friends and family home to Him, far before we think we're ready for it. That sometimes, it's part of God's plan that we experience grief and loss; not because God is an angry vindictive God Who desires our pain, but because there's a meaning--and a hope--in human suffering that we can't yet fully understand. "My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord."
Why does this theme resonate with me so deeply?
Because last year, one of my siblings attempted suicide. Another sibling nearly died from a different, equally serious medical emergency. Mind you, all this hit within a few short months. Death cast a pretty long shadow over our house last year, and I'm not exaggerating when I say these were some of the toughest, grimmest days of my whole life. 2017, you SUCKED, and I hope you're happy now. *sticks out tongue in very immature fashion* *but is crying on the inside*
I didn't know how to deal with it all; so I kinda buried it. Tried not to shed any more tears than I could help, tried not to let anyone know I was THIS close to falling apart. (I'm known for doing that. :-P)
Fast-forward to the present day.
Enter Bitter Winter, and enter my beloved Jace crying over loved ones whom he knows he can't save or shelter with his own human power.
THERE WERE MANY MANY EMOTIONS, PEOPLE.
*sobs*
In every way, tone and theme and character development and plot arc, Bitter Winter embodies so much of my own heart and soul . . . it's uncanny. I love the quiet, dark atmosphere. I love the snow that muffles the sounds of the camp and wraps everybody in a blanket of chills. I love the grim, determined way everyone knuckles down to Deal With Things. I love that it's a wintertime survival story (those are my jam). I love the subdued cuteness of Jace and Kyrin. <33333 I love the scattered little moments of trust and affection between Kyrin's brothers. I love Jace and Holden being Bros™. I love Daniel muddling through learning how to be a king.
I honestly think this is the best book in the series thus far and I'm so, SO happy I got a chance to read it. (And review it. Even though, y'know, I said I wouldn't. :-P)
Original thoughts:
Look, I know I promised you guys a full review, but I'm not going to be able to give you a full review.
All I can say is . . . this book stole my breath and brought me to tears, not just once, but over and over again. It helped heal the wound left in my soul from a loved one's suicide attempt last year. It was painful, and beautiful, and perfect.
It is a story about bitterness and a story about hope. Please, read it. All of you. <3
This is possibly my favorite of the whole Ilyon series. I love Bitter Winter so much and so deeply, I was really afraid that trying to put down those emotions into word form would 'spoil' them or otherwise weaken them.
But . . . I'm a writer, aren't I? Putting my emotions into words without diluting them is my JOB DESCRIPTION basically; and I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. :-P So here I am again, to unleash all my ranty, fangirly thoughts upon you. BE PREPARED FOR THE DELUGE.
(and possible spoilers??? I'm tryin' real hard not to spoil anything but if you're the dead-set-against-knowing-anything-about-the-book type, you might want to avoid this review.)
Bitter Winter is Jace's story, probably more so than any other Ilyon book thus far. I knew that going into it, and I knew that meant I'd love it; because Jace is without question the most "me" character in the Ilyon universe. Like myself, he has an *ahem* Difficult Past that's left him with some fairly deep scars, not the least of which being a crushing sense of his own unworthiness for Anything Good Basically. Plus a whole boat-load of fears and anxieties and mistrustfulness and can anyone say #relatable content???
Pretty much every time Jace has been onscreen, in all five books, I've found myself nodding my head like "yup. been there. done that." This book was no exception. This book is Jace's personal quest to save his loved ones from certain-death-by-sickness-and-starvation . . . and his ultimate realization that God is the one Who's sovereign over life and death. That sometimes, God WILL take our beloved friends and family home to Him, far before we think we're ready for it. That sometimes, it's part of God's plan that we experience grief and loss; not because God is an angry vindictive God Who desires our pain, but because there's a meaning--and a hope--in human suffering that we can't yet fully understand. "My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord."
Why does this theme resonate with me so deeply?
Because last year, one of my siblings attempted suicide. Another sibling nearly died from a different, equally serious medical emergency. Mind you, all this hit within a few short months. Death cast a pretty long shadow over our house last year, and I'm not exaggerating when I say these were some of the toughest, grimmest days of my whole life. 2017, you SUCKED, and I hope you're happy now. *sticks out tongue in very immature fashion* *but is crying on the inside*
I didn't know how to deal with it all; so I kinda buried it. Tried not to shed any more tears than I could help, tried not to let anyone know I was THIS close to falling apart. (I'm known for doing that. :-P)
Fast-forward to the present day.
Enter Bitter Winter, and enter my beloved Jace crying over loved ones whom he knows he can't save or shelter with his own human power.
THERE WERE MANY MANY EMOTIONS, PEOPLE.
*sobs*
In every way, tone and theme and character development and plot arc, Bitter Winter embodies so much of my own heart and soul . . . it's uncanny. I love the quiet, dark atmosphere. I love the snow that muffles the sounds of the camp and wraps everybody in a blanket of chills. I love the grim, determined way everyone knuckles down to Deal With Things. I love that it's a wintertime survival story (those are my jam). I love the subdued cuteness of Jace and Kyrin. <33333 I love the scattered little moments of trust and affection between Kyrin's brothers. I love Jace and Holden being Bros™. I love Daniel muddling through learning how to be a king.
I honestly think this is the best book in the series thus far and I'm so, SO happy I got a chance to read it. (And review it. Even though, y'know, I said I wouldn't. :-P)
Original thoughts:
Look, I know I promised you guys a full review, but I'm not going to be able to give you a full review.
All I can say is . . . this book stole my breath and brought me to tears, not just once, but over and over again. It helped heal the wound left in my soul from a loved one's suicide attempt last year. It was painful, and beautiful, and perfect.
It is a story about bitterness and a story about hope. Please, read it. All of you. <3
January 4, 2019
Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for violence and romance
Best for Ages: 15 and up
It’s taken me a long time to write this review, not because I haven’t wanted to, but because life has been busy. This book was one of my favorite books this year.
So many books today campout on either a Hallmark version of the world (very nice and happy, but not realistic) or the dark, dirty side of life (which gets very depressing very fast).I think the reason that these books mean so much to me is they are so true to life while being a good escape. the joy and pain are all mixed up, sometimes God intervenes in incredible ways and sometimes tragedy happens.
This story builds on everything that has happened in the books that came before. The winter is horrible, everyone is struggling to find warmth and enough food. The resistance faces both some wonderful gains and tragedy.
The hard thing a series like this is that to really give a full blown review, I’d have to give spoilers to someone who hasn’t read the previous books. So let me give you just the bullet points.
~ The characters are growing and changing (those that aren’t dead)
~ The romance in this book was sweet. A couple mentions of being excited about enjoying the privileges of marriage but it was done in a realistic, yet not dirty way. The fact is mentioned then life goes on.
~ Your heart will break when tragedy strikes. I nearly cried myself.
~ Your heart will soar as hope rises out of the ashes.
~ While an allegory, it will put in mind so many things that the Bible talks about.
~ This book does have a satisfying ending.
I highly recommend this book to those who like this series, non-magical fantasy, and stories with a realistic mix of hardship and hope.
Best for Ages: 15 and up
It’s taken me a long time to write this review, not because I haven’t wanted to, but because life has been busy. This book was one of my favorite books this year.
So many books today campout on either a Hallmark version of the world (very nice and happy, but not realistic) or the dark, dirty side of life (which gets very depressing very fast).I think the reason that these books mean so much to me is they are so true to life while being a good escape. the joy and pain are all mixed up, sometimes God intervenes in incredible ways and sometimes tragedy happens.
This story builds on everything that has happened in the books that came before. The winter is horrible, everyone is struggling to find warmth and enough food. The resistance faces both some wonderful gains and tragedy.
The hard thing a series like this is that to really give a full blown review, I’d have to give spoilers to someone who hasn’t read the previous books. So let me give you just the bullet points.
~ The characters are growing and changing (those that aren’t dead)
~ The romance in this book was sweet. A couple mentions of being excited about enjoying the privileges of marriage but it was done in a realistic, yet not dirty way. The fact is mentioned then life goes on.
~ Your heart will break when tragedy strikes. I nearly cried myself.
~ Your heart will soar as hope rises out of the ashes.
~ While an allegory, it will put in mind so many things that the Bible talks about.
~ This book does have a satisfying ending.
I highly recommend this book to those who like this series, non-magical fantasy, and stories with a realistic mix of hardship and hope.
January 28, 2023
~Original review~
5 stars 🌟
Ohh myyyy gooooshhh. This book. So good. I really don't have anything intelligent to say, I'm just internally fangirling so hard right now. Bitter Winter made me smile, cry, it stressed me out, and then at the end I was making weird noises and squealing and bouncing around and basically just acting like a crazy person. Also I need to point out that this cover is gorgeous. I NEED BOOK SIX!
~~~~~~~~~~~
~2023 review~
Still 5 stars 🌟
I love this book so much 😭😭
5 stars 🌟
Ohh myyyy gooooshhh. This book. So good. I really don't have anything intelligent to say, I'm just internally fangirling so hard right now. Bitter Winter made me smile, cry, it stressed me out, and then at the end I was making weird noises and squealing and bouncing around and basically just acting like a crazy person. Also I need to point out that this cover is gorgeous. I NEED BOOK SIX!
~~~~~~~~~~~
~2023 review~
Still 5 stars 🌟
I love this book so much 😭😭
December 15, 2018
3.5 stars.
Bitter Winter starts out with a bang, picking up right where book 4 left off. There are several sweet moments between the characters in the first few chapters, then, WHAM, Knight rips your heart out. She's very good at that. ;)
Jace plays a starring role in this book, more so than I remember from the rest of the series. And to be honest, I actually liked that. Some know that I am *not* a Jace fangirl, and I was never really was able to relate to him as a character that much in the rest of the series, but his storyline in this book was very well done. The scenes in Valcre as Jace had to make his difficult choices were very compelling and incredibly well done.
The reappearance of all my favorite characters, such as Trask, Daniel, Marcus, and the rest of Kyrin's family, was loads of fun, and I loved getting into some of their POVs. And the ending was very happy, even if
This story is intense. But I felt like it lacked a lot of the intensity that made the other books in this series so fabulous. There were definitely nail-biting moments, but overall, I felt like the story fell a little flat in comparison. Honestly, with all the hype, I was surprised that Probably my other main issue with this book is the multiple POVs. While I enjoy getting into other POVs than just the main characters, as I mentioned above, I felt like there were too many in Bitter Winter. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and which POV I was in.
But all in all, despite the above-mentioned issues, I still greatly enjoyed Bitter Winter and am very much looking forward to book 6!
Bitter Winter starts out with a bang, picking up right where book 4 left off. There are several sweet moments between the characters in the first few chapters, then, WHAM, Knight rips your heart out. She's very good at that. ;)
Jace plays a starring role in this book, more so than I remember from the rest of the series. And to be honest, I actually liked that. Some know that I am *not* a Jace fangirl, and I was never really was able to relate to him as a character that much in the rest of the series, but his storyline in this book was very well done. The scenes in Valcre as Jace had to make his difficult choices were very compelling and incredibly well done.
The reappearance of all my favorite characters, such as Trask, Daniel, Marcus, and the rest of Kyrin's family, was loads of fun, and I loved getting into some of their POVs. And the ending was very happy, even if
This story is intense. But I felt like it lacked a lot of the intensity that made the other books in this series so fabulous. There were definitely nail-biting moments, but overall, I felt like the story fell a little flat in comparison. Honestly, with all the hype, I was surprised that Probably my other main issue with this book is the multiple POVs. While I enjoy getting into other POVs than just the main characters, as I mentioned above, I felt like there were too many in Bitter Winter. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and which POV I was in.
But all in all, despite the above-mentioned issues, I still greatly enjoyed Bitter Winter and am very much looking forward to book 6!
December 14, 2018
4.5 stars
A beautiful, powerful story of love, sacrifice, and faith (and JACE). I read it in three days -- the quickest I've read a book all year. Like with Exiles and Samara's Peril, I can guarantee that Ilyon fans won't be disappointed with Bitter Winter
CHARACTERS
JACE. KYRIN. EVERYONE. *fangirls*
As with a lot of sequels, I was excited but nervous at once to be reunited with the Ilyon group. Excited because I care about them so much, but nervous because I still wanted them to evolve and grow as people.
My expectations in that regard were definitely fulfilled,
With the exception of the beginning, the story is mainly about Jace. Therefore, having the other characters stay relatively static didn't bother me at all. Jace's struggles were truly the heart of the story, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking at once to watch what he went through. Yet I'm so glad that he DID struggle in this story, as it reintroduced the rawness that made the first three books so powerful. In addition, it put a new, much-needed perspective on his relationship with Kyrin that was so fitting.
PLOT
The plot takes a bit to get going; while the first part of the story is quick, there is a part that felt "saggy." The stakes were being well established and the tension was rising, but I wish more had been happening (hence the .5 deduction from my rating). I admit that that may have been because I was waiting for the fireworks to start coming later in the story.
And they did. REALLY DID. *zips mouth closed*
In all, the suspense of waiting for "the thing" to happen kept me turning the pages quickly. The ending was also handled well and expanded on the theme more <3
The one thing I wish is that there was a greater sense of impending doom in the last pages. Book 6 will be the finale, but this ending sort of felt final
ANYTHING ELSE?
- there's a lot more kissing/romantic relationships than in the last books. It's kept appropriate, but I did get a teensy bit exasperated at times, specifically with Trask and . I love how Trask and Anne's marriage is portrayed, but they seemed to go through the same scene three times (I know, I'm nitpicky :P ).
- lots of POV changes. A bit picky, but it interrupted the flow of the story a bit.
- Characters enter a bar and . I wouldn't say the book is any darker or mature than Samara's Peril, though.
- Did I mention I love the theme? ;) Literally dropped my Kindle and gaped at the screen when I realized what was happening. The subtly was so powerful <3
In sum, if you're an Ilyon fan...YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. It's powerful and heartfelt, and even if you've never read the Ilyon Chronicles before, it's worth a read!
***I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A beautiful, powerful story of love, sacrifice, and faith (and JACE). I read it in three days -- the quickest I've read a book all year. Like with Exiles and Samara's Peril, I can guarantee that Ilyon fans won't be disappointed with Bitter Winter
CHARACTERS
JACE. KYRIN. EVERYONE. *fangirls*
As with a lot of sequels, I was excited but nervous at once to be reunited with the Ilyon group. Excited because I care about them so much, but nervous because I still wanted them to evolve and grow as people.
My expectations in that regard were definitely fulfilled,
With the exception of the beginning, the story is mainly about Jace. Therefore, having the other characters stay relatively static didn't bother me at all. Jace's struggles were truly the heart of the story, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking at once to watch what he went through. Yet I'm so glad that he DID struggle in this story, as it reintroduced the rawness that made the first three books so powerful. In addition, it put a new, much-needed perspective on his relationship with Kyrin that was so fitting.
PLOT
The plot takes a bit to get going; while the first part of the story is quick, there is a part that felt "saggy." The stakes were being well established and the tension was rising, but I wish more had been happening (hence the .5 deduction from my rating). I admit that that may have been because I was waiting for the fireworks to start coming later in the story.
And they did. REALLY DID. *zips mouth closed*
In all, the suspense of waiting for "the thing" to happen kept me turning the pages quickly. The ending was also handled well and expanded on the theme more <3
The one thing I wish is that there was a greater sense of impending doom in the last pages. Book 6 will be the finale, but this ending sort of felt final
ANYTHING ELSE?
- there's a lot more kissing/romantic relationships than in the last books. It's kept appropriate, but I did get a teensy bit exasperated at times, specifically with Trask and . I love how Trask and Anne's marriage is portrayed, but they seemed to go through the same scene three times (I know, I'm nitpicky :P ).
- lots of POV changes. A bit picky, but it interrupted the flow of the story a bit.
- Characters enter a bar and . I wouldn't say the book is any darker or mature than Samara's Peril, though.
- Did I mention I love the theme? ;) Literally dropped my Kindle and gaped at the screen when I realized what was happening. The subtly was so powerful <3
In sum, if you're an Ilyon fan...YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. It's powerful and heartfelt, and even if you've never read the Ilyon Chronicles before, it's worth a read!
***I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2019
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Ilyon Chronicles and all Jaye's other works. They are comfy, old friends that I revisit often. So, I am quite predisposed to adore Jaye's works.
BUT.
Bitter Winter was a complete loss of potential in my opinion. And beyond that, as a book, it was simply not enjoyable and quite difficult to read. Had this been any other book that wasn't a part of a series I cared about, I would not have finished. Here's why:
Bitter Winter was completely out-of-place in the story line. Exiles ended with all the big pieces and people coming together. We hit Bitter Winter and all of the momentum is DEAD.
We went from the ante being raised to a high fever pitch where both the readers expectations and the flow of the story-line demand that our hero's and heroines level up to the next stage. Before this has just been a resistance, but now? It is war! Except that it isn't.
Bitter Winter was a complete detraction from the overall story-line. It had few places that advanced our characters and story in an important way for a big picture of the series. And all the places we did advance could have easily been woven in and accomplished in a story-line that fit our place in the series much better.
And even if Jaye wanted a book focused on the plot points of Bitter Winter, a standalone or novella would have been a much better format for that. I still wouldn't have liked it or enjoyed it, but it wouldn't have taken so much away from the overall story.
For such a short book, it was extremely long. And painful. Part of the problem, in my opinion, was that everyone everywhere was miserable. There was no reprieve at all.
Jace's POV was extremely intense. But in a very different way than ever before. I didn't find it enjoyable at all. Usually I can't wait for Jace's POV to make their appearances but it wasn't like that in Bitter Winter.
And while him having some of his old emotional foes resurface made sense, that could easily have been woven into a book without creating a story where it was literally the largest plot point. Especially when that story doesn't aid the overall series hardly at all.
Then beyond Jace, anytime we are back in Landale we are just seeing the same scenes OVER and OVER again. "Kyrin's getting worse. Is she gonna die?" We see that scene over and over again and there is nothing new. It is so monotonous and miserable.
I did like getting to see Daniel mature a bit and getting to see his and Balen's interaction, but goodness sake, we didn't need a plague and starvation to spur that on.
Michael's death. To me this was the greatest insult of the book. It was completely unnecessary. All that it accomplished was to destabilize the General's emotions/beliefs, which could have been done just as easily with a near death injury or maiming that would have been quite dramatic enough. Instead, the Altair's had another hellish experience where we had to watch them experience all the same things we've watched them experience before.
By actually killing Michael, Jaye destroyed one of her most interesting and compelling new characters. Michael had this fire inside of him, this protectiveness that I was getting very excited to experience. He was loaded with potential in so many ways.
For example, Michael's relationship with Jace would have been such an amazing one to discover. We've seen him become brotherly with his peers, and be kind and warm to Meredith, but we never got to see him grow closer to Kyrin's little brothers.
It would have been so amazing, but instead, we only get to hear (not experience or feel) their relationship in distant and vague third-person memories. And to compound the problem, we see almost all of the emotional fallout surrounding Michael's death from Jace's POV. How am I supposed to feel or appreciate Jace's sadness over losing a "little brother" when I never felt their camaraderie, never experienced their growth?
Perhaps, had the rest of the book been different (more joy, more intrigue/excitement, more depth) Michael's death would have been forgivable. Had it been at a different time and with different context it could have been meaningful. But it wasn't meaningful to me. There was no purpose or redemption to me and that made it awful.
Jaye did not leave herself in a good position to finish the series well. There is a heck of a lot that needs to be covered to finish up the Ilyon series well. When I thought the 5th and 6th book were gonna be devoted to the conclusion of the Ilyon saga I wasn't worried. But now that there is only one book left to tie up all the loose ends, finish character arcs, and bring Ilyon together? I don't know how I'm gonna be satisfied and happy with the end of the story with the limited amount of time that we have left. And that scares me, because Ilyon matters a lot to me. It's inspired me. It's touched me. It's been an amazing journey and I really hope it'll be an amazing end, but I don't know if Jaye has left herself enough time.
I love Ilyon. I love Jaye's writing. But to me, Bitter Winter was riddled with both writing, plotting, and story issues. It held an unneccesary amount of emotional pain and was a severe misuse of the time left in Ilyon.
I still believe in Jaye, but I am nervous to get my hopes up for the last book as I don't know if it can be what I hoped it would. I guess time will tell!
BUT.
Bitter Winter was a complete loss of potential in my opinion. And beyond that, as a book, it was simply not enjoyable and quite difficult to read. Had this been any other book that wasn't a part of a series I cared about, I would not have finished. Here's why:
Bitter Winter was completely out-of-place in the story line. Exiles ended with all the big pieces and people coming together. We hit Bitter Winter and all of the momentum is DEAD.
We went from the ante being raised to a high fever pitch where both the readers expectations and the flow of the story-line demand that our hero's and heroines level up to the next stage. Before this has just been a resistance, but now? It is war! Except that it isn't.
Bitter Winter was a complete detraction from the overall story-line. It had few places that advanced our characters and story in an important way for a big picture of the series. And all the places we did advance could have easily been woven in and accomplished in a story-line that fit our place in the series much better.
And even if Jaye wanted a book focused on the plot points of Bitter Winter, a standalone or novella would have been a much better format for that. I still wouldn't have liked it or enjoyed it, but it wouldn't have taken so much away from the overall story.
For such a short book, it was extremely long. And painful. Part of the problem, in my opinion, was that everyone everywhere was miserable. There was no reprieve at all.
Jace's POV was extremely intense. But in a very different way than ever before. I didn't find it enjoyable at all. Usually I can't wait for Jace's POV to make their appearances but it wasn't like that in Bitter Winter.
And while him having some of his old emotional foes resurface made sense, that could easily have been woven into a book without creating a story where it was literally the largest plot point. Especially when that story doesn't aid the overall series hardly at all.
Then beyond Jace, anytime we are back in Landale we are just seeing the same scenes OVER and OVER again. "Kyrin's getting worse. Is she gonna die?" We see that scene over and over again and there is nothing new. It is so monotonous and miserable.
I did like getting to see Daniel mature a bit and getting to see his and Balen's interaction, but goodness sake, we didn't need a plague and starvation to spur that on.
Michael's death. To me this was the greatest insult of the book. It was completely unnecessary. All that it accomplished was to destabilize the General's emotions/beliefs, which could have been done just as easily with a near death injury or maiming that would have been quite dramatic enough. Instead, the Altair's had another hellish experience where we had to watch them experience all the same things we've watched them experience before.
By actually killing Michael, Jaye destroyed one of her most interesting and compelling new characters. Michael had this fire inside of him, this protectiveness that I was getting very excited to experience. He was loaded with potential in so many ways.
For example, Michael's relationship with Jace would have been such an amazing one to discover. We've seen him become brotherly with his peers, and be kind and warm to Meredith, but we never got to see him grow closer to Kyrin's little brothers.
It would have been so amazing, but instead, we only get to hear (not experience or feel) their relationship in distant and vague third-person memories. And to compound the problem, we see almost all of the emotional fallout surrounding Michael's death from Jace's POV. How am I supposed to feel or appreciate Jace's sadness over losing a "little brother" when I never felt their camaraderie, never experienced their growth?
Perhaps, had the rest of the book been different (more joy, more intrigue/excitement, more depth) Michael's death would have been forgivable. Had it been at a different time and with different context it could have been meaningful. But it wasn't meaningful to me. There was no purpose or redemption to me and that made it awful.
Jaye did not leave herself in a good position to finish the series well. There is a heck of a lot that needs to be covered to finish up the Ilyon series well. When I thought the 5th and 6th book were gonna be devoted to the conclusion of the Ilyon saga I wasn't worried. But now that there is only one book left to tie up all the loose ends, finish character arcs, and bring Ilyon together? I don't know how I'm gonna be satisfied and happy with the end of the story with the limited amount of time that we have left. And that scares me, because Ilyon matters a lot to me. It's inspired me. It's touched me. It's been an amazing journey and I really hope it'll be an amazing end, but I don't know if Jaye has left herself enough time.
I love Ilyon. I love Jaye's writing. But to me, Bitter Winter was riddled with both writing, plotting, and story issues. It held an unneccesary amount of emotional pain and was a severe misuse of the time left in Ilyon.
I still believe in Jaye, but I am nervous to get my hopes up for the last book as I don't know if it can be what I hoped it would. I guess time will tell!
January 9, 2026
How can you trust God when there is so much suffering?
This book seeks to answer that question as their camp is discovered for the first time and a deadly disease sweeps through camp. Jace seeks a cure in the capital city, and when the lord who has it won't comply with their negotiations, Jace questions whether he will have to travel a dark road to cure everyone he loves.
This was a roller coaster ride of emotion. I found myself despairing as much as Jace, and understanding why he doubted and was willing to do anything to help those he loved. To say the character development was on point for this book would be an understatement. After all, Jace isn't the only one to grow in this book-Daniel was, too. The prince's character arc was a bit more subtle, but it was nice to see him develop into a leader.
The plot isn't as much action as suspense-wondering whether your favorite characters will live or die, grieving when certain ones did die, and then wondering if the cure would be distributed in time. That made this book (and its page count) easier to read and finish. I look forward to reading the last book in the series!
This book seeks to answer that question as their camp is discovered for the first time and a deadly disease sweeps through camp. Jace seeks a cure in the capital city, and when the lord who has it won't comply with their negotiations, Jace questions whether he will have to travel a dark road to cure everyone he loves.
This was a roller coaster ride of emotion. I found myself despairing as much as Jace, and understanding why he doubted and was willing to do anything to help those he loved. To say the character development was on point for this book would be an understatement. After all, Jace isn't the only one to grow in this book-Daniel was, too. The prince's character arc was a bit more subtle, but it was nice to see him develop into a leader.
The plot isn't as much action as suspense-wondering whether your favorite characters will live or die, grieving when certain ones did die, and then wondering if the cure would be distributed in time. That made this book (and its page count) easier to read and finish. I look forward to reading the last book in the series!
August 23, 2025
This one was a little different from previous installments of The Ilyon Chronicles! I enjoyed the change, but also wished that Kyrin could have had more page time.
Jace’s struggles around holding onto his faith were very relatable. 🥺 The resolution felt…a little too easy? But overall, another solid book in the series!
Jace’s struggles around holding onto his faith were very relatable. 🥺 The resolution felt…a little too easy? But overall, another solid book in the series!
May 28, 2023
Love, love 👏👏
July 17, 2018
Privileged to be part of the beta team this time. Full review to come upon publication. For now let it suffice to say ... don't stop reading now!
May 18, 2024
4 Stars ✨
“What an incredible thing. Mortals could mess things up so terribly, yet Elôm could still use their mistakes to bring about good.”
What a book. Every installment of this series surprises me , but I was not prepared for this one. The name of it Bitter Winter… should have been a clue. My heart broke a million times, as my found “book” family went through their hardest trial yet. I will admit, the ending totally made up for it though. I enjoyed most of the book, even the hard stuff. But this one for me felt like a filler book before the end. It was pretty short and not a whole lot happened as far as action. Still a fantastic part of the series. Looking forward to reading the last one and seeing how everything wraps up. Gonna miss these characters so much!!
“What an incredible thing. Mortals could mess things up so terribly, yet Elôm could still use their mistakes to bring about good.”
What a book. Every installment of this series surprises me , but I was not prepared for this one. The name of it Bitter Winter… should have been a clue. My heart broke a million times, as my found “book” family went through their hardest trial yet. I will admit, the ending totally made up for it though. I enjoyed most of the book, even the hard stuff. But this one for me felt like a filler book before the end. It was pretty short and not a whole lot happened as far as action. Still a fantastic part of the series. Looking forward to reading the last one and seeing how everything wraps up. Gonna miss these characters so much!!
December 24, 2018
You already know I love Jaye's books. This is no exception. Ilyon just keeps getting better and better. They're struggling with a harsh winter, food rationing, and more, but Jace is happy in spite of it because things are going well between him and Kyrin and he's almost ready to propose. But we all know that when things are looking great at the beginning of a book, something really terrible is about to happen. Catastrophe strikes, somebody dies, and people start getting seriously ill. So of course the happiness is gone. You knew it would be. Things get so desperate. I don't want to give spoilers on what Jace almost does, but goodness. It was such a terrible choice he had to make. And he almost didn't make the right one. But either way, there could be terrible consequences.
He gets to see Timothy and Aaron again, and meet the girl Aaron likes. I have to say, amid all the awful stuff happening, that bit was awesome. Where they all see Lacy and Jace and Holden are like "You like her." That escalated quickly. But that's another story.
Jace has a lot of hard lessons to learn in this book. It's heart-wrenching. It's powerful. And it leads to my favorite chapter to date in all the Ilyon books. It's what we've all been waiting for. I can't give this book enough love. It's just. so. good. Read it now. Unless you haven't read previous books, because they do need to be read in order. But read Ilyon. You won't regret it.
He gets to see Timothy and Aaron again, and meet the girl Aaron likes. I have to say, amid all the awful stuff happening, that bit was awesome. Where they all see Lacy and Jace and Holden are like "You like her." That escalated quickly. But that's another story.
Jace has a lot of hard lessons to learn in this book. It's heart-wrenching. It's powerful. And it leads to my favorite chapter to date in all the Ilyon books. It's what we've all been waiting for. I can't give this book enough love. It's just. so. good. Read it now. Unless you haven't read previous books, because they do need to be read in order. But read Ilyon. You won't regret it.
January 8, 2019
I loved this book.
The characters are my fave.
I was impressed with how few people died.
That scene with Kyrin and Kaden was my favorite in the whole book. <3
Thanks Jaye. :)
The characters are my fave.
I was impressed with how few people died.
That scene with Kyrin and Kaden was my favorite in the whole book. <3
Thanks Jaye. :)
December 16, 2018
*sobs happily*
Full Review:
https://thrivinghope.wordpress.com/20...
Full Review:
https://thrivinghope.wordpress.com/20...
May 28, 2023
Loved this soooo much!!!!
August 19, 2022
reread 2022
read this embarrassingly fast lol. excited for the next one! hopefully it'll be released soon :). the ending makes me very happy.
original review - 2019
yea, i read this in the space of about four hours. 0-0. #sendhelp. or actually, please send me the next book. bc idk how i can wait.
/ 3.5 stars
my main problem with this series is that i'm not a fan of the writing style. so much of the book is telling rather than showing. instead of being inside character POVS, it seems more like an omniscient narrator is telling us what the characters are feeling, doing, etc.
but despite ^^, i thoroughly enjoyed "Bitter Winter" & am anxiously awaiting "Daican's Heir" (accidentally typed that as "Daican's Hair" & laughed at it for five minutes xD).
read this embarrassingly fast lol. excited for the next one! hopefully it'll be released soon :). the ending makes me very happy.
original review - 2019
yea, i read this in the space of about four hours. 0-0. #sendhelp. or actually, please send me the next book. bc idk how i can wait.
/ 3.5 stars
my main problem with this series is that i'm not a fan of the writing style. so much of the book is telling rather than showing. instead of being inside character POVS, it seems more like an omniscient narrator is telling us what the characters are feeling, doing, etc.
but despite ^^, i thoroughly enjoyed "Bitter Winter" & am anxiously awaiting "Daican's Heir" (accidentally typed that as "Daican's Hair" & laughed at it for five minutes xD).
March 7, 2019
Wow!
Loved it
Loved it
Loved it
Everything was so good! Except the length of course I only wish it was longer!
Amazing continuation of the story. And eep! Some things we’ve all been waiting for (ahem) finally occurred...
age suggestion: I’m going to say fifteen solely because of the rest of the series. This one was totally fine but previous ones do have a bit of content intended for more mature audiences.
Happy reading!!
Loved it
Loved it
Loved it
Everything was so good! Except the length of course I only wish it was longer!
Amazing continuation of the story. And eep! Some things we’ve all been waiting for (ahem) finally occurred...
age suggestion: I’m going to say fifteen solely because of the rest of the series. This one was totally fine but previous ones do have a bit of content intended for more mature audiences.
Happy reading!!
Want to read
August 22, 2017I like that title! :D
June 27, 2024
This book was incredible. After waiting so long for it, the much anticipated fifth book, I plowed through this in two days.
Honestly, this book is one of my new favorites of the series. The emotion that was in here was amazing, and the characters just perfect.
In most of the books, I liked Kyrin's part the most, but in this one, Jace's part was the best. He's faced with decisions that could affect him the rest of his life and struggles deeply with them. The temptation was done so realistically that I felt the pain of it as he deliberated.
I just wanted to hug Kyrin and Ekk, her at the end was so awesome!!
The supporting characters in this book had a chance to shine really well. Kaden in particular as he looks out for his family. Timothy was amazing!
I was only sad that it was so short (It felt shorter than the rest) but I appreciated the author not drawing out the book.
There is not much more I can say without spoilers, but this did not let me down at all. I cannot wait for book six!
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
Honestly, this book is one of my new favorites of the series. The emotion that was in here was amazing, and the characters just perfect.
In most of the books, I liked Kyrin's part the most, but in this one, Jace's part was the best. He's faced with decisions that could affect him the rest of his life and struggles deeply with them. The temptation was done so realistically that I felt the pain of it as he deliberated.
I just wanted to hug Kyrin and Ekk, her at the end was so awesome!!
The supporting characters in this book had a chance to shine really well. Kaden in particular as he looks out for his family. Timothy was amazing!
I was only sad that it was so short (It felt shorter than the rest) but I appreciated the author not drawing out the book.
There is not much more I can say without spoilers, but this did not let me down at all. I cannot wait for book six!
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
February 20, 2019
Wow, here we are in the second-to-last book of the Ilyon Chronicles. It’s been an adventure following this series and getting to know Knight’s rich fantasy world with its myriad of characters. Bitter Winter has been the shortest, and in some ways the most focused book of the series so far. This is more of a winter survival story than an action story, which probably is a good “calm” before the storm of the final book. But that’s not to say that this book is any sort of a break from worrying about our friends in the Landale camp, since Miner’s Fever and a brutally hard winter has put every one of their lives in danger.
Things I Liked:
• Winter survival is always exciting to read about. No matter how good these people are with weapons and strategy, they’re tested from a new angle by the forces of nature. The threat of starvation greatly increases the tension in the camps while the sickness looms, and this brings out the strengths and weaknesses of the characters and forces the leaders to step up and innovate.
• I appreciated how difficult Jace’s choice really was at the climax. I’m pretty sure anyone would have struggled with that choice, and it actually made Jace feel strong, not weak when he did. It didn’t feel like Alex Avery was being at all unreasonable according to his own morality—and Avery didn’t necessarily feel evil either. This all made for a pretty satisfying moral dilemma.
• The General’s story is getting some page-time. I knew he was going to be important eventually. It adds a lot of personal meaning to the conflict when there are family members on both sides. And we’re getting hints that the guy has some humanity—possibly redeemability? I’d like to see how this turns out.
• I’d like to see how this turns out. There’s a lot set up at this point. It’s hard to believe there’s only one book left. It’s bound to be exciting, with all that’s led up to it. You can bet I’ll grab it the moment it’s out.
Things I Didn’t Like:
• There are at least SEVEN couples in this series. Do I need to say I’m not a romance person? Is that even relevant? SEVEN?! How are we supposed to be invested in that many love-stories? Sorry. I can’t.
• Non-stop crying characterizes the mood of this book. Characters cry constantly. And I mean almost the whole cast. I should have been keeping track, but I’m going to guess that there are tears in 80% of the chapters. It could easily be more than that. I understand that these people are going through hard times, but it isn’t necessary for readers to be forced to watch every time a character breaks down. It takes the power out of it, in my opinion.
• Writing style might be responsible for why the above issue bothered me so much. Has Knight’s writing been this repetitive for the whole series, or am I just starting to notice it, having read so much? How many times does Kyrin smile kindly? Or warmly? Or offer an encouraging smile? Or a loving one? (Actually, I get the funny feeling that Kyrin’s whole personality has been replaced by a smile.) Many times a character’s actions will do just fine betraying their emotional state, but then the author feels the need to switch to telling us what the character is feeling and why, in case we didn’t guess.
• Do single characters matter? This is kind of minor, but how come a character’s single status seems to make them exempt from getting page-time? Or is it that main characters are exempt from being single?
Things I Thought Were Weird:
• Marriage traditions. Okay, I think I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: why are the marriage traditions in Ilyon basically identical to ours? The order of the ceremony, the white dress, the exchange of rings, the wording of the vows…none of this is in the Bible. Not only are these traditions particular to probably US/UK weddings mainly, they’re also relatively modern. It wasn’t even traditional for brides to wear white until Queen Victoria did it in 1840, as far as I know.
A quick and fairly intense addition to the Ilyon Chronicles. I can’t wait for Diacan’s Heir!
Things I Liked:
• Winter survival is always exciting to read about. No matter how good these people are with weapons and strategy, they’re tested from a new angle by the forces of nature. The threat of starvation greatly increases the tension in the camps while the sickness looms, and this brings out the strengths and weaknesses of the characters and forces the leaders to step up and innovate.
• I appreciated how difficult Jace’s choice really was at the climax. I’m pretty sure anyone would have struggled with that choice, and it actually made Jace feel strong, not weak when he did. It didn’t feel like Alex Avery was being at all unreasonable according to his own morality—and Avery didn’t necessarily feel evil either. This all made for a pretty satisfying moral dilemma.
• The General’s story is getting some page-time. I knew he was going to be important eventually. It adds a lot of personal meaning to the conflict when there are family members on both sides. And we’re getting hints that the guy has some humanity—possibly redeemability? I’d like to see how this turns out.
• I’d like to see how this turns out. There’s a lot set up at this point. It’s hard to believe there’s only one book left. It’s bound to be exciting, with all that’s led up to it. You can bet I’ll grab it the moment it’s out.
Things I Didn’t Like:
• There are at least SEVEN couples in this series. Do I need to say I’m not a romance person? Is that even relevant? SEVEN?! How are we supposed to be invested in that many love-stories? Sorry. I can’t.
• Non-stop crying characterizes the mood of this book. Characters cry constantly. And I mean almost the whole cast. I should have been keeping track, but I’m going to guess that there are tears in 80% of the chapters. It could easily be more than that. I understand that these people are going through hard times, but it isn’t necessary for readers to be forced to watch every time a character breaks down. It takes the power out of it, in my opinion.
• Writing style might be responsible for why the above issue bothered me so much. Has Knight’s writing been this repetitive for the whole series, or am I just starting to notice it, having read so much? How many times does Kyrin smile kindly? Or warmly? Or offer an encouraging smile? Or a loving one? (Actually, I get the funny feeling that Kyrin’s whole personality has been replaced by a smile.) Many times a character’s actions will do just fine betraying their emotional state, but then the author feels the need to switch to telling us what the character is feeling and why, in case we didn’t guess.
• Do single characters matter? This is kind of minor, but how come a character’s single status seems to make them exempt from getting page-time? Or is it that main characters are exempt from being single?
Things I Thought Were Weird:
• Marriage traditions. Okay, I think I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: why are the marriage traditions in Ilyon basically identical to ours? The order of the ceremony, the white dress, the exchange of rings, the wording of the vows…none of this is in the Bible. Not only are these traditions particular to probably US/UK weddings mainly, they’re also relatively modern. It wasn’t even traditional for brides to wear white until Queen Victoria did it in 1840, as far as I know.
A quick and fairly intense addition to the Ilyon Chronicles. I can’t wait for Diacan’s Heir!
December 18, 2018
You will love this book. It may be my new favorite of this series - at least in the top two. This is an amazing, beautiful, deep book. It's just what a story of believers ought to be.
It’s full of tragedy, clinging together, trying to solve issues in one’s own strength, and the all-encompassing, all-sufficient power of God. There are no words to describe the depth and beauty of this book.
I love that character development is a strong element of this series. I love how I still feel like Jace and Kyrin are the same Jace and Kyrin from Resistance, only so much more mature. There weren’t a whole lot of new characters in this book, which I actually appreciate. The cast of characters is so large already, and time spent with our favorites is a joy.
Alex was a refreshing character to get to know. I loved having him in the story – he was not at all stereotypical. I’m quite interested in what he may do next. His goals and motives were very understandable – I appreciated the depth of his motives. He was very well crafted.
The description in narrative sections is a weaker part of the story for me. For me, when the story is shown through the character’s eyes, it immerses me in the story, draws me along, and makes me feel like I’m experiencing, not reading. However, the action, dialogue, romantic, and emotional scenes excelled at this!
Bitter Winter is absolutely cohesive. I loved the flow of the scenes and plot: very natural, easy to read, logical, and appropriate. The description of the emotions connects with me well. Reactions felt very appropriate. High emotion scenes felt real. The author does an excellent job portraying real emotions without being unnecessarily dramatic.
Dialogue feels great to me. I love how I can especially feel Trask and Daniel’s unique voices throughout their POV scenes.
Overall, Bitter Winter is a great length with a great plot and a great message. It’s exactly what a story should be – especially the spiritual flow of Jace’s storyline – so perfect. The ending is so sweetly done and beautiful. It’s everything I hoped it would be. I love how the whole book ties together with the themes when the story begins and in the ending scenes.
Despite one particular sad incident in this book, I love this story. Despite what the author puts the characters through, it’s a beautiful tale. I wish the story could have gone differently for one particular character in this book, but I love this story and all Jace and the others learn through it. I love how the author set up Jace’s choices – set him up so gently and yet desperately that it’s easy to see why it’s impossible. Overall, it’s a tale of love – love that must be sacrificed, love that must to be placed entirely in Elom’s hands.
I especially love what the author is doing with this series. This book in particular has an important message to believers woven throughout its pages. It’s something deep and near to everyone’s hearts – the suffering, the helplessness, the difficulty of surrender, and the need to let God be Lord. This is beautifully shown through Bitter Winter, and it’s what causes this book to rate as one of my favorites in this series so far. I love stories that get down to that personal deep level, and seeing that in Jace – after he’s come so far – was beautiful.
It’s full of tragedy, clinging together, trying to solve issues in one’s own strength, and the all-encompassing, all-sufficient power of God. There are no words to describe the depth and beauty of this book.
I love that character development is a strong element of this series. I love how I still feel like Jace and Kyrin are the same Jace and Kyrin from Resistance, only so much more mature. There weren’t a whole lot of new characters in this book, which I actually appreciate. The cast of characters is so large already, and time spent with our favorites is a joy.
Alex was a refreshing character to get to know. I loved having him in the story – he was not at all stereotypical. I’m quite interested in what he may do next. His goals and motives were very understandable – I appreciated the depth of his motives. He was very well crafted.
The description in narrative sections is a weaker part of the story for me. For me, when the story is shown through the character’s eyes, it immerses me in the story, draws me along, and makes me feel like I’m experiencing, not reading. However, the action, dialogue, romantic, and emotional scenes excelled at this!
Bitter Winter is absolutely cohesive. I loved the flow of the scenes and plot: very natural, easy to read, logical, and appropriate. The description of the emotions connects with me well. Reactions felt very appropriate. High emotion scenes felt real. The author does an excellent job portraying real emotions without being unnecessarily dramatic.
Dialogue feels great to me. I love how I can especially feel Trask and Daniel’s unique voices throughout their POV scenes.
Overall, Bitter Winter is a great length with a great plot and a great message. It’s exactly what a story should be – especially the spiritual flow of Jace’s storyline – so perfect. The ending is so sweetly done and beautiful. It’s everything I hoped it would be. I love how the whole book ties together with the themes when the story begins and in the ending scenes.
Despite one particular sad incident in this book, I love this story. Despite what the author puts the characters through, it’s a beautiful tale. I wish the story could have gone differently for one particular character in this book, but I love this story and all Jace and the others learn through it. I love how the author set up Jace’s choices – set him up so gently and yet desperately that it’s easy to see why it’s impossible. Overall, it’s a tale of love – love that must be sacrificed, love that must to be placed entirely in Elom’s hands.
I especially love what the author is doing with this series. This book in particular has an important message to believers woven throughout its pages. It’s something deep and near to everyone’s hearts – the suffering, the helplessness, the difficulty of surrender, and the need to let God be Lord. This is beautifully shown through Bitter Winter, and it’s what causes this book to rate as one of my favorites in this series so far. I love stories that get down to that personal deep level, and seeing that in Jace – after he’s come so far – was beautiful.
January 4, 2019
Ohmygoodness! What an incredibly amazing book! In true Jaye L. Knight fashion, Bitter Winter was packed with action, love, and heartache. The perfect combination of all three! It had my heart pounding, lips smiling, and tears dripping all the the same time! Full review to come upon publication.
Full Review:
I had an eager-nervousness as I began reading Bitter Winter. Would it be as good as the previous books? Was it possible to love the characters any more than I already did? I soon learned the answers to my questions—yes and yes. Bitter Winter went far beyond my hopes for the book. It was a breathtaking read. I simply could not put it down! At times I was fighting tears nearly as much as the characters themselves. Other times my heart raced with the same adrenaline that urged the characters on. Still more times I hung on every word to find out the fate of the Resistance.
While Bitter Winter was a bit slower paced than the others in the series, that didn't lessen the intensity or sense of danger closing in on the characters. The plot remained gripping all the way through. Even though I enjoy the fast action of the previous books, I was appreciative of the break from the heaviness of the persecution the characters are facing. They still endured trials and tragedy, but I wasn't left feeling quite as heavy-hearted.
Concerning the setting, it remained detailed, realistic, and intriguing. As implied by the title, the setting took on a semi-major role in this novel, to the point of becoming one of two main villains. I thought it was excellently portrayed in this role.
Regarding the characters, Knight has always done a wonderful job of creating realistic subjects that are extremely relateable. They have depth and true personalities, complete with wonderful strengths and genuine weaknesses. I have only one minor complaint—I feel that there are too many characters starting relationships. Even though it may be realistic, considering all the characters have similar backgrounds of persecution for their faith and are dwelling in a small hideout together, it seems that in the first few books there was no or very little romance, while now half the characters have a significant other. Don't get me wrong—I adore sweet romances and wouldn't mind a few, but it does seem like there has been a huge increase in the number of characters in relationships all of a sudden.
All taken into account, I still grant Bitter Winter five stars. Though I felt some areas fell slightly short, others went far above and beyond my hopes so I believe it evens out. :) It kept me flipping pages and very connected with the characters. I'm already eager to reread it. :) Congratulations, Jaye, on another outstanding addition to the Ilyon Chronicles!
*I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Full Review:
I had an eager-nervousness as I began reading Bitter Winter. Would it be as good as the previous books? Was it possible to love the characters any more than I already did? I soon learned the answers to my questions—yes and yes. Bitter Winter went far beyond my hopes for the book. It was a breathtaking read. I simply could not put it down! At times I was fighting tears nearly as much as the characters themselves. Other times my heart raced with the same adrenaline that urged the characters on. Still more times I hung on every word to find out the fate of the Resistance.
While Bitter Winter was a bit slower paced than the others in the series, that didn't lessen the intensity or sense of danger closing in on the characters. The plot remained gripping all the way through. Even though I enjoy the fast action of the previous books, I was appreciative of the break from the heaviness of the persecution the characters are facing. They still endured trials and tragedy, but I wasn't left feeling quite as heavy-hearted.
Concerning the setting, it remained detailed, realistic, and intriguing. As implied by the title, the setting took on a semi-major role in this novel, to the point of becoming one of two main villains. I thought it was excellently portrayed in this role.
Regarding the characters, Knight has always done a wonderful job of creating realistic subjects that are extremely relateable. They have depth and true personalities, complete with wonderful strengths and genuine weaknesses. I have only one minor complaint—I feel that there are too many characters starting relationships. Even though it may be realistic, considering all the characters have similar backgrounds of persecution for their faith and are dwelling in a small hideout together, it seems that in the first few books there was no or very little romance, while now half the characters have a significant other. Don't get me wrong—I adore sweet romances and wouldn't mind a few, but it does seem like there has been a huge increase in the number of characters in relationships all of a sudden.
All taken into account, I still grant Bitter Winter five stars. Though I felt some areas fell slightly short, others went far above and beyond my hopes so I believe it evens out. :) It kept me flipping pages and very connected with the characters. I'm already eager to reread it. :) Congratulations, Jaye, on another outstanding addition to the Ilyon Chronicles!
*I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 26, 2024
My goodness, this one ripped my heart out and then put it back... but man, what a roller coaster of emotions.
Characters:
We have the same cast as the other books with a few new people, and I have to say...I enjoyed the POVs from Daniel and Jace at lot!
Jace is just so determined and caring and sweet, and his struggle and growth in this book are beautiful!
I also enjoyed Kaden and Liam's POVs, especially Liam's, since we don't get his POV much.
There are so many good characters! Guys, just so many! And all so well done!
Themes:
Trusting God with those we love, realizing that He can take care of them. That we don't have to try and do it through our own poor, because usually when we do try that we make a wrong or foolish decision.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Oh my goodness! Yes! And it's the sweetest and most beautiful and just...my heart! My heart there are couples everywhere and they are adorable!
Overall:
This series is just so good! There's intruige and action and some romance. There's character growth and amazing world building, and I love it!
I love this series! So much!
Recommend ages +14
Characters:
We have the same cast as the other books with a few new people, and I have to say...I enjoyed the POVs from Daniel and Jace at lot!
Jace is just so determined and caring and sweet, and his struggle and growth in this book are beautiful!
I also enjoyed Kaden and Liam's POVs, especially Liam's, since we don't get his POV much.
There are so many good characters! Guys, just so many! And all so well done!
Themes:
Trusting God with those we love, realizing that He can take care of them. That we don't have to try and do it through our own poor, because usually when we do try that we make a wrong or foolish decision.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Oh my goodness! Yes! And it's the sweetest and most beautiful and just...my heart! My heart there are couples everywhere and they are adorable!
Overall:
This series is just so good! There's intruige and action and some romance. There's character growth and amazing world building, and I love it!
I love this series! So much!
Recommend ages +14
January 3, 2019
Winter is not the time to fight wars. Especially winters when game is scarce, the weather bitter, and sickness hovers in the air. Though food supplies are short, Jace, Kyrin, and their friends believe they are safely tucked away from Davira’s wrath in their hidden camps for the winter. But things take a turn for the worst when they are attacked, and sickness follows rapidly on the heels of the attack.
The characters I have come to know and care about through the last four books are all here. I feel like I know them personally and the heartache that flows off the pages of this book seemed overwhelming. Jaye L. Knight does it again. She drew me into a story that moved rapidly (I finished this in two days). Another exciting story in an exciting series. Now I must wait for the next book. (That’s what happens when I read too fast!) But I will wait and look forward to getting the next book when it comes out.
The characters I have come to know and care about through the last four books are all here. I feel like I know them personally and the heartache that flows off the pages of this book seemed overwhelming. Jaye L. Knight does it again. She drew me into a story that moved rapidly (I finished this in two days). Another exciting story in an exciting series. Now I must wait for the next book. (That’s what happens when I read too fast!) But I will wait and look forward to getting the next book when it comes out.
March 10, 2024
Ahhhh!!! This was so so good. And there’s only one book left. I’m so excited…and nervous.
This book was so much fun just seeing our characters. Poor Kyrin! But Daniel is so amazing. And Jace’s growth!! The ending made me tear up. It was so sweet and beautiful. Now for the last book 😳
Content: violence, mentions of taverns and such, some romantic comments between a married couple (very clean and skippable), a few kisses
So good!!!
This book was so much fun just seeing our characters. Poor Kyrin! But Daniel is so amazing. And Jace’s growth!! The ending made me tear up. It was so sweet and beautiful. Now for the last book 😳
Content: violence, mentions of taverns and such, some romantic comments between a married couple (very clean and skippable), a few kisses
So good!!!
July 17, 2018
4.5 stars
*hugs book* So excited for this to release!!
*hugs book* So excited for this to release!!
July 19, 2023
Even though this book is the shortest of the series, it still had tension. Jace is trying to move forward in getting a cabin set up for him and Kyrin for when they get married. But Miner’s Fever sweeps into the camp after a battle.
It doesn’t matter if they quarantine, it seems that at random, people are getting sick. Jace decides he needs to go to the capital to get the remedy for the camp.
This was a page-turner. If I read the synopsis before I went in, I would have thought this might be boring. It wasn’t. I was wondering what would happen in this book due to the title. Again, I didn’t read the synopsis. I jumped in and wasn’t disappointed.
Now I’m going into the final book, wanting to know how it ends yet… I don’t want it to end.
It doesn’t matter if they quarantine, it seems that at random, people are getting sick. Jace decides he needs to go to the capital to get the remedy for the camp.
This was a page-turner. If I read the synopsis before I went in, I would have thought this might be boring. It wasn’t. I was wondering what would happen in this book due to the title. Again, I didn’t read the synopsis. I jumped in and wasn’t disappointed.
Now I’m going into the final book, wanting to know how it ends yet… I don’t want it to end.
December 5, 2018
This was certainly one of Ilyon's more immersive stories. High stakes, dizzying angles ... and sniff, the sweet with the sad. I always read the ending of a book first (I'm terrible, I know) but this one was a must. I had to know. But even so, I was still at the climax not at all sure how on earth *insert a few character names* were going to live to tell the ending's tale.
That ending though ... dawwww
That ending though ... dawwww
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