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Frost and Nectar #2
Ambrosia
After the Seelie king Torin nearly froze me to death, I plunged through a portal into my true home. Turns out, my hometown is a wild Unseelie kingdom known as the Court of Sorrows. When Torin follows me and sees my new horns, he quickly realizes that his intended bride is an enemy of his realm. In fact, his name for my kind is "demon."
But even if I have the horns of an Unseelie, I'm not welcome here, either. Queen Mab and her monstrous soldiers are delighted to torment us, accusing me of being a traitor. If we want to get out of the Court of Sorrows with our lives, the only hope we have is to stay as close to each other as possible--even if it means fleeing in horseback and sharing a bed. Every moment is bittersweet, since it could be our last--and Torin is condemned to kill anyone he loves.
But even if I have the horns of an Unseelie, I'm not welcome here, either. Queen Mab and her monstrous soldiers are delighted to torment us, accusing me of being a traitor. If we want to get out of the Court of Sorrows with our lives, the only hope we have is to stay as close to each other as possible--even if it means fleeing in horseback and sharing a bed. Every moment is bittersweet, since it could be our last--and Torin is condemned to kill anyone he loves.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2023
4175 people are currently reading
17002 people want to read
About the author
C.N. Crawford
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C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.
We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.
CN Crawford’s books are perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, K.F. Breene, and Laura Thalassa.
Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).
To join C.N. Crawford's fan group and chat to the authors, Click here.
To stalk on instagram, Click here.
For a free standalone novel, Sign up here.
C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.
We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.
CN Crawford’s books are perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, K.F. Breene, and Laura Thalassa.
Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).
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February 23, 2023Bonus Epilogue for those who wanted more!
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February 23, 2023
It was good, although I enjoyed book 1 more.
The writing in this book felt so rushed; the plot didn't really feel rushed (until the end), but the writing felt really rushed. Every single sentence had something happening to the point where it was confusing.
I felt like Ava and Torin were prisoners forever, and I was getting so bored of it. They were in an endless cycle of escaping, being recaptured, and then having like 5 chapters from each of their POVs suffering in a prison cell alone withering away with nothing to do but think. I honestly had to force myself to keep reading at about 50% because I was bored. Then the last 10-15% of the book is incredibly rushed because 400 things happened at once.
I still have no idea what happened at the end to fix the frost or who killed who between Moria, the dragon, and the evil witch who can see the past (and wth happened to her sister aka the unseelie witch who could see the future?), and the whole Mab ending didn't really sit well with me either.
Also, I didn't really care about the Shalini POV. Her POV chapters frustrated me because some of them were completely pointless or like 3 pages where everything was really rushed. I actually think I would have preferred a POV from Orla, or at least some closure with Orla where she explained at the end why she followed Moria initially, Moria's betrayal, and her personal aftermath after the big ending. I also have no idea who the banshee was that was referenced randomly 3 times in this book. It was referenced in passing and never brought up again, and I have no idea what to do with that information.
I will say, I REALLY appreciated that the author put a quick summary recap of what happened in Frost (book 1) at the beginning of this book. I was not going to re-read Frost and was just going to hope for the best when I picked this up, and I'm sure being able to re-read that summary at the start helped my reading experience.
Overall, it was good. I don't regret reading it, but I didn't think this book was as exciting as book 1, and the ending left something to be desired because it was all so fast. It was a good enough read, but it was nothing special.
The writing in this book felt so rushed; the plot didn't really feel rushed (until the end), but the writing felt really rushed. Every single sentence had something happening to the point where it was confusing.
I felt like Ava and Torin were prisoners forever, and I was getting so bored of it. They were in an endless cycle of escaping, being recaptured, and then having like 5 chapters from each of their POVs suffering in a prison cell alone withering away with nothing to do but think. I honestly had to force myself to keep reading at about 50% because I was bored. Then the last 10-15% of the book is incredibly rushed because 400 things happened at once.
I still have no idea what happened at the end to fix the frost or who killed who between Moria, the dragon, and the evil witch who can see the past (and wth happened to her sister aka the unseelie witch who could see the future?), and the whole Mab ending didn't really sit well with me either.
Also, I didn't really care about the Shalini POV. Her POV chapters frustrated me because some of them were completely pointless or like 3 pages where everything was really rushed. I actually think I would have preferred a POV from Orla, or at least some closure with Orla where she explained at the end why she followed Moria initially, Moria's betrayal, and her personal aftermath after the big ending. I also have no idea who the banshee was that was referenced randomly 3 times in this book. It was referenced in passing and never brought up again, and I have no idea what to do with that information.
I will say, I REALLY appreciated that the author put a quick summary recap of what happened in Frost (book 1) at the beginning of this book. I was not going to re-read Frost and was just going to hope for the best when I picked this up, and I'm sure being able to re-read that summary at the start helped my reading experience.
Overall, it was good. I don't regret reading it, but I didn't think this book was as exciting as book 1, and the ending left something to be desired because it was all so fast. It was a good enough read, but it was nothing special.
April 16, 2023
*Edit: I read it!!!! So f*cking good!!! CN Crawford always smashes it!
How have I not commented on this book yet? Honestly l, I’ve committed a cardinal sin. Frost was top TIER, and based on Ambrosia’s cover alone, I know this book is going to be the sh*t. Readying myself for what I know will be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
How have I not commented on this book yet? Honestly l, I’ve committed a cardinal sin. Frost was top TIER, and based on Ambrosia’s cover alone, I know this book is going to be the sh*t. Readying myself for what I know will be one of my favorite reads of 2023.
October 6, 2025
This wrapped up the duology nicely, I think had each book had an extra 100/200 pages I would've enjoyed it more but with that being sad this was a wonderful easy read and a fun concept.
February 22, 2023
I’m sorry but when the Shalini chapter popped up in the middle of a major plot point i was done. Girl why
February 21, 2023
Not worth it
It stated ok but honestly I regret reading it. It was really predictable and not in a good way. For some reason we also got Shalini’s perspective and it took me a minute to remember who she was. It also ended on her perspective as the epilogue which didn’t really make sense to me or add anything to the story. I enjoyed the first one but this ruined it for me.
It stated ok but honestly I regret reading it. It was really predictable and not in a good way. For some reason we also got Shalini’s perspective and it took me a minute to remember who she was. It also ended on her perspective as the epilogue which didn’t really make sense to me or add anything to the story. I enjoyed the first one but this ruined it for me.
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July 22, 2023
After the first book, I was not sure if I wanted to pick this second and final book up, but I’m glad I did. While several things broke my immersion in Frost, I was surprised that I could completely disappear into Ambrosia. Maybe it was because the first book played with some common tropes and plotlines that were rather predictable while this one was less so. Maybe it was also because it is more firmly a fantasy, almost exculsively set in the Fae realms. It was really a lot of fun to find out whether the Seelie court was good and the Unseelie court evil, or if they were both evil or both good. The answer was not as white and black and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I also enjoyed the addition of a third PoV next to Ava’s and Torin’s. Shalini, Ava’s human friend who accompanied her to the trials (for whatever reason), serves to show us how horribly things went wrong in Faerie during Ava and Torin’s absence. Her love interest, Torin’s guard/friend Aeron, doesn’t get that much page time and I actually would have loved to have a sex scene between them. Why? Because Aeron had sworn a vow of chastity as a guard and it could have been fun to see Shalini pop his cherry.
Speaking of sex, there was this one scene in the beginning, where Ava and Torin share a bed, which really reminded me of Rhys and Feyre staying at that inn in ACOMAF. I know from experience the “one bed trope” can be done horribly wrong, but in those two cases I’m a fan.
As for rating, it is really hard for me as the two books actually feel like one long one – Book 2 neatly picks up where book 1 left off (with a cliffhanger). But I guess it makes sense to split it into a duology because, for one thing, 600-page books tend to scare people off and, for another, it is more lucrative. To me, it is really a disservice to rate them separately, though. If this had been one book, I would have easily given it 4 stars. As separate books, Frost is a 3.5-star read (rounded down for GR) and Ambrosia a 4-star one for me. (I seem to be an exception though: most people seem to prefer the first book.)
All in all, I would recommend these books to anyone who likes the premise – just pretend this duology is actually one long book. And don’t be discouraged by the fact that it totals around 600 pages – it’s a really fast and easy read.
I also enjoyed the addition of a third PoV next to Ava’s and Torin’s. Shalini, Ava’s human friend who accompanied her to the trials (for whatever reason), serves to show us how horribly things went wrong in Faerie during Ava and Torin’s absence. Her love interest, Torin’s guard/friend Aeron, doesn’t get that much page time and I actually would have loved to have a sex scene between them. Why? Because Aeron had sworn a vow of chastity as a guard and it could have been fun to see Shalini pop his cherry.
Speaking of sex, there was this one scene in the beginning, where Ava and Torin share a bed, which really reminded me of Rhys and Feyre staying at that inn in ACOMAF. I know from experience the “one bed trope” can be done horribly wrong, but in those two cases I’m a fan.
As for rating, it is really hard for me as the two books actually feel like one long one – Book 2 neatly picks up where book 1 left off (with a cliffhanger). But I guess it makes sense to split it into a duology because, for one thing, 600-page books tend to scare people off and, for another, it is more lucrative. To me, it is really a disservice to rate them separately, though. If this had been one book, I would have easily given it 4 stars. As separate books, Frost is a 3.5-star read (rounded down for GR) and Ambrosia a 4-star one for me. (I seem to be an exception though: most people seem to prefer the first book.)
All in all, I would recommend these books to anyone who likes the premise – just pretend this duology is actually one long book. And don’t be discouraged by the fact that it totals around 600 pages – it’s a really fast and easy read.
March 1, 2023
Fabulous read!!!! Book 2 of the Frost and Nectar series Ambrosia hit the ground running!!! When the newly turned unseelie Ava and seelie fae king Torin end up in unseelie queen Mab's kingdom the Court of Sorrows their both on the run from her and the many horrible creatures that lurk their. If Torins caught he will be put to death but only after enduring terrible torture! Queen Mab has been waiting a long time for her revenge after Torin sent a assassin to kill her years before! Instead they killed her son. But their is more to her story not only did they kill her son but they took something very precious from her and made her the monster that she is! And Ava if caught won't fair any better. Because of her love for Torin she is now a enemy of the unseelie court. Ava's magic hasn't manifested yet.But if she wants to save herself and her lover she must dig deep down and prove herself fit to be queen of fae and Torins chosen. Their is a lot going on here and the pace is fast. Full of angst, passion,betrayal, revenge and finally true love. Ava and Torin can no longer fight their fate and it leads to stolen moments of steamy passion. C.N. Crawford wrapped their story up nicely and even wrote a special epilogue on how things turned out a few years down the road. Crawford is a amazing storyteller and pulls you in with strong characters both main and secondary. I truly enjoyed even the villains of this story and especially Mab's son Morgant!!! turns out he wasn't such a dick after all! And he did redeemed himself. Until next time Luv's💕💋
February 20, 2023
idk
Idk how to feel. I loved book 1 and waited so long for this to be released today however, it fell short.
Idk how to feel. I loved book 1 and waited so long for this to be released today however, it fell short.
April 17, 2023
I had fun reading Frost. Torin and Ava had chemistry, Shalini was an awesome friend and wingman, and the magic system was interesting. Also it was a fae version of The Bachelor, which was entertaining. Ambrosia unfortunately lost everything that made Frost fun.
I felt like the pacing was really off. Things would happen very quickly and then it would drag and then it would be ok and it just kept jumping around, which was really frustrating. It made it hard to connect to the story. I was glad Shalini got some POV chapters, so we could see what was happening in the Seelie court in tandem to what was happening with Ava and Torin, but some of the things that happened felt unbelievable. I feel like this story should have been done over two books or something to make it feel less rushed and forced. The overall plot and direction the story took was not bad, but the execution of it was very disappointing. Also the epilogue fell so very flat.
Edit: They released a bonus chapter on their website and why this wasn't the actual epilogue is beyond me. It's so much better than the one in the book and actually has a happy ending. 🤦🏼♀️
I felt like the pacing was really off. Things would happen very quickly and then it would drag and then it would be ok and it just kept jumping around, which was really frustrating. It made it hard to connect to the story. I was glad Shalini got some POV chapters, so we could see what was happening in the Seelie court in tandem to what was happening with Ava and Torin, but some of the things that happened felt unbelievable. I feel like this story should have been done over two books or something to make it feel less rushed and forced. The overall plot and direction the story took was not bad, but the execution of it was very disappointing. Also the epilogue fell so very flat.
Edit: They released a bonus chapter on their website and why this wasn't the actual epilogue is beyond me. It's so much better than the one in the book and actually has a happy ending. 🤦🏼♀️
June 13, 2023
The highly anticipated second book of Frost and Nectar was for me a bit of a let down honesty.
I know I know.
Trust me I was beyond excited for this book but as I came to the last page all I could think about was Moria and Queen Mab.
Hear me on this haha. Don’t judge me!
I know Moria was supposed to be our villain but honestly I felt for her, and could completely rationalize how extreme she became. She lost her sister, the only ray of sunshine and good thing in her life.
And not just gone but KILLED.
I don’t care if it was a curse at the end of the day he still killed her and then lied about it. Yes I know he couldn’t talk about it but if I was in Moria shoes and I knew my beloved sister was killed I would want justice. Except he’s the freaking king so of course she needs to try and win the crown. Therefore hating Ava. All she wanted was the truth, the constant gaslighting made her go crazy. And in the end she never got an once of sympathy. All she wanted was justice. ( this is such a heroine moment like gosh she deserved more)
I felt for her because Ava killed so many Fae in the Unseelie court. (Did they not have family?) but because she’s the heroine she can kill for a love one and it be justified. Same with Torin. And Ava knew what happened with her sister, and didn’t even try to comfort her. COME ON. Ava your husband has done some shit, he needs to own up to it and deal with the consequences.
Ok my last villain Queen Mab.
She lost her daughter, thought she saw her infant get killed infront of her of COURSE she’s going to kill his parents! I mean really?! Really. I would expect nothing less from a mother. Especially when she goes to create peace with them. Then she has one of her sons killed out of nothing! All because Torin couldn’t do some digging about what happened. It’s not like Queen Mab was hiding that information. And Ava couldn’t really even understand that, or feel a shard of feelings for Mab.
Did Torin even apologize at all? It was his own peoples fault.
I felt sorry for them too much, that it made Ava and Torin more of the villains to me. They just wanted each other to be saved and their friends that anyone outside their circle were deemed insignificant.
I’m probably going to get hate for this haha.
But I would still recommend this series! The writing was excellent and I enjoyed the world building. I was just too much of a sucker for our villains.
I know I know.
Trust me I was beyond excited for this book but as I came to the last page all I could think about was Moria and Queen Mab.
Hear me on this haha. Don’t judge me!
I know Moria was supposed to be our villain but honestly I felt for her, and could completely rationalize how extreme she became. She lost her sister, the only ray of sunshine and good thing in her life.
And not just gone but KILLED.
I don’t care if it was a curse at the end of the day he still killed her and then lied about it. Yes I know he couldn’t talk about it but if I was in Moria shoes and I knew my beloved sister was killed I would want justice. Except he’s the freaking king so of course she needs to try and win the crown. Therefore hating Ava. All she wanted was the truth, the constant gaslighting made her go crazy. And in the end she never got an once of sympathy. All she wanted was justice. ( this is such a heroine moment like gosh she deserved more)
I felt for her because Ava killed so many Fae in the Unseelie court. (Did they not have family?) but because she’s the heroine she can kill for a love one and it be justified. Same with Torin. And Ava knew what happened with her sister, and didn’t even try to comfort her. COME ON. Ava your husband has done some shit, he needs to own up to it and deal with the consequences.
Ok my last villain Queen Mab.
She lost her daughter, thought she saw her infant get killed infront of her of COURSE she’s going to kill his parents! I mean really?! Really. I would expect nothing less from a mother. Especially when she goes to create peace with them. Then she has one of her sons killed out of nothing! All because Torin couldn’t do some digging about what happened. It’s not like Queen Mab was hiding that information. And Ava couldn’t really even understand that, or feel a shard of feelings for Mab.
Did Torin even apologize at all? It was his own peoples fault.
I felt sorry for them too much, that it made Ava and Torin more of the villains to me. They just wanted each other to be saved and their friends that anyone outside their circle were deemed insignificant.
I’m probably going to get hate for this haha.
But I would still recommend this series! The writing was excellent and I enjoyed the world building. I was just too much of a sucker for our villains.
February 21, 2023
DNF at 55%. I found the first book in the series entertaining. But this is just terrible. This has 0 plot. The characters are bland, 0% growth.The writing is barely palatable. It’s quit unfortunate because the story had some potential.
May 20, 2023
✨2.5✨
This was underwhelming. Book one was amazing, but this one isn't. I felt like so much plot was crammed in 350 pages. This is like a book held at gun point! Finish writing this book in 350 pages or die lmao
This was underwhelming. Book one was amazing, but this one isn't. I felt like so much plot was crammed in 350 pages. This is like a book held at gun point! Finish writing this book in 350 pages or die lmao
November 5, 2022
Preemptive 5 star review because I loved the first book! Can’t wait to read the second!
February 1, 2024
3.5 ⭐
I honestly think this duet is the perfect beginner Fantasy / Romantasy duet to read! It's super easy to follow and is great on Graphic Audio. I laughed a little during the spicy scenes, but whatever 🤣
I really enjoyed the FMC in this! She's fiesty and has a great attitude and she made me laugh several times with her "fuck it" mentality.
✨forbidden
✨enemies to lovers
I honestly think this duet is the perfect beginner Fantasy / Romantasy duet to read! It's super easy to follow and is great on Graphic Audio. I laughed a little during the spicy scenes, but whatever 🤣
I really enjoyed the FMC in this! She's fiesty and has a great attitude and she made me laugh several times with her "fuck it" mentality.
✨forbidden
✨enemies to lovers
April 26, 2023
Book: Ambrosia
Author: CN Crawford
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️️
Age recommendation: 16-30+ Years
My feelings:
I love this author. I legit read anything they write.
Gods, Ava. Are you trying to boil us alive? Is this hell?”
Now there is always no spice in anything they write, but im always ok with it cause the storyline is always really good.
“In Faerie, I will freeze anyone that I love, Ava. I will kill anyone that I love. That’s what Queen Mab cursed me with. And that’s why you can’t come with me, my changeling.”
This is a young adult fantasy novel. We do get one single sex chapter but honestly is very very very PG. I would allow my 13 year old to read this book.
“I would tear my own kingdom apart for you if it meant we could be together.”
Now lets talk Mcs: I love the way Mcs are written by this author. The women are always strong and open minded, they learn to adapt to situations easily. The males are always arssholes at first but fall in love with the female and change they way they see the world and others in it for them.
“Ava, you have made me thoroughly undone in every possible way. I am returning to my kingdom a ruined man. But with you, I don’t think I have a choice. You’re a command I can’t refuse.”
I love how Torin released he loved her and just jumped in head first the second the cursed was lifted. Total Swoon!
Author: CN Crawford
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️️
Age recommendation: 16-30+ Years
My feelings:
I love this author. I legit read anything they write.
Gods, Ava. Are you trying to boil us alive? Is this hell?”
Now there is always no spice in anything they write, but im always ok with it cause the storyline is always really good.
“In Faerie, I will freeze anyone that I love, Ava. I will kill anyone that I love. That’s what Queen Mab cursed me with. And that’s why you can’t come with me, my changeling.”
This is a young adult fantasy novel. We do get one single sex chapter but honestly is very very very PG. I would allow my 13 year old to read this book.
“I would tear my own kingdom apart for you if it meant we could be together.”
Now lets talk Mcs: I love the way Mcs are written by this author. The women are always strong and open minded, they learn to adapt to situations easily. The males are always arssholes at first but fall in love with the female and change they way they see the world and others in it for them.
“Ava, you have made me thoroughly undone in every possible way. I am returning to my kingdom a ruined man. But with you, I don’t think I have a choice. You’re a command I can’t refuse.”
I love how Torin released he loved her and just jumped in head first the second the cursed was lifted. Total Swoon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2024
3.5/5
This was disappointing :(
This was disappointing :(
January 8, 2024
Someone needs to resuscitate me because I think finding out that this was only a duology just might be my 13th reason. 😭🥲
August 26, 2023
this is exactly the pacing series needs.
not a chapter wasted, no endless info dumping or internal monologuing. i was totally riveted through the whole book, racing to the next page to find out what would happen to Ava and Torin.
some things were a bit predictable but not everything, and it was still enjoyable. i love Ava and Torin so much. C.N. Crawford did an excellent job on this duology, and i'll definitely be checking out some of her other books.
not a chapter wasted, no endless info dumping or internal monologuing. i was totally riveted through the whole book, racing to the next page to find out what would happen to Ava and Torin.
some things were a bit predictable but not everything, and it was still enjoyable. i love Ava and Torin so much. C.N. Crawford did an excellent job on this duology, and i'll definitely be checking out some of her other books.
February 21, 2023
I really just can’t with this writing, I get way too bored and skip ahead.
November 14, 2023
4.25 stars★★★★☆
☞ Trigger warnings: **contains spoilers**
The Frost and Nectar series reviews:
#1 Frost: ★★★★★
#2 Ambrosia: ★★★★☆
⋆☾⋆ 2nd book out of 23 reads for my 23 books for 2023 ⋆☾⋆
Ah the day has come. The finale of the Frost and Nectar series . This book is one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I made sure I put this at the top of my 23 books for 2023 list. That's how excited I was, how enamoured I was about this story and its protagonists. The cliffhanger was one of my favourite tropes, the sudden seperation of the main characters and I knew the introduction of a different, new world was going to increase the stakes, angst and danger. Perhaps my expectations were too high, as there wasn't any where to go but fall short of what it promised.
The good parts:
I read this one afternoon. I was convinced it was 200 maybe 250 pages until I checked Amazon and it said 350. I inhaled this like I was starving for oxygen. I had to convince myself to not read this at 1 am and instead start the book the next day and it was an internal struggle that I wasn't sure I would win. I barely prevailed but when I finally got down and dirty within the pages of this book I was on the edge of my seat hoping for the juicy angst, the funny banter and the dangerous situations.
The romance... romanced!!!
I loved it. They came together in the perfect way. I love that he could talk to her and how they fought for each other when push came to shove, considering how they left things I was glad they put that aside to worry about not dying in a foreign land. They worked together, and they realised they were meant to be together regardless of titles and curses.
During there trials and tribulations of this new kingdom, Ava came into her own (and powers) and thank the lord because I was waiting for some hidden chosen one bullshit and it was long overdue!!
Ava said no man needs to rescue me I will rescue myself and him!! Yassss bitch get them!!! I loved this empowering murdery side of her and honestly not a minute too soon because I was getting tired of her being unable to get out of these situations. I wanted her to fight back and fight back bloody and she delivered!!! I knew I could count on her to cut a bitch up.
The lacklustre parts:
Am I crazy? Tell me why I would have tried to make friends with the giant spider? I was like maybe he just wants to say hi and be friends and hang out... The fact they killed him was actually devastating and I don't even like spiders in real life. Who am I if not hypocritical as I would also kill a spider in my vicinity. All I'm saying is it was a missed opportunity to have a furry creepy friend who had a venomous bite and is the size of a large dog.
Without getting into spoiler territory, I just want to say that I don't feel any form of catharsis with the resolution of this story. By half way I had gone back and forth over whether this was the last book in the series of if there was at least one more. I was undecided until the very end, when I read the last chapter and the last sentence. Unfortunately, I still believe that there wasn't any space at the end for any form of reconciliation for most characters. Where were the weepy reunions of loved ones and the tentative meetings of new friendships and allies? Where was the healing of communities after the collective trauma? There was like 2 pages about bridging the gap between the classes by the new ruling class but it felt hollow and weird that it came from someone that I consider an 'outsider'.
Speaking of outsiders my biggest misgiving was Shalini and her characterisation. In Frost, Shalini was a friend who was supporting Ava as she was going through the trials to become the Queen. Fine, we all need a friend, especially during challenging and high risk environments. I wasn't that set on her as a character or as a friend of the main protagonist but I was hoping for at reduced role in this book. Unfortunately, my wish got lost in the ether as Shalini got designated her own chapters throughout this book. Not just one or two but multiples, breaking up the flow of Ava and Thorin's story and making me want to put my head through a wall. There was a running theme of Shalini wanting more with her relationship with the hot bodyguard Aeron but what disappointed me was not this continued in Ambrosia but Shalini doubles down and continues to seduce this man who has a vow of chasity. This man has told her time after time that he has a vow of chasity that he does not wish to break it. She takes this up as a challenge which is firstly, insane, and secondly hugely disrespectful. I get that you think he's hot and wants to jump his bones but the man has told you about this huge boundary he doesn't want to cross but instead of respecting it, she tries to chisel it away with her 'powers of seduction' and hopes he cracks. I don't care if someone has a vow of chasity or not, like power to you but what I cared about was the blatant disregard of a boundary being crossed that made me super uncomfortable reading about it. I personally didn't give a shit about her character but this made me insensed and grossed out. Bro leave that man alone. Let him decide if he wants to break it or not. Big yikes dude.
Also Shalini was obnoxious. I was kind of hoping at the end she went back to the human realm. The fact she stayed and was the last chapter in this book truly sucked ass. Like gtfo of my face Shalini.
Lastly, I think the choice of 'villains' felt a little all over the place. They felt like too many people that everyone needed to defeat. I won't name names because of spoilers but in conjunction with Shalini's point of view, the story felt split, my attention was split and my sense that everything could be resolved waned the longer the story went on. Like bffr with me right now. Someone wasn't a 'villain' because of love but someone was because of the absence of it or something. *sigh* like okay.... next.
I was humming and hawing about whether this was a 5 star or 4 star, and originally it was 5 stars because I loved Ava and Torin and their story but I as I sat in bed thinking about the collective book, the 'villains' and how they resolved it I felt a little off about it being on par with the first book Frost. I decided it doesn't hold the same and I reduced it down but I still love this duology with my whole heart and ass and I wish more people read it!!
Would I recommend this book?
Yesssss please devour it! It's on Kindle Unlimited!! Go forth and read this lovely duology. You will like this duology if you liked Gild, Fortuna Sworn and A Court of Honey and Ash.
Will I re-read this book?
One day maybe. I want hardcovers for my shelf and I want to annotate them. It would be a dream if there were pretty special editions.. I'm going to try and manifest it.
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April 15, 2025
This was a nice ending to book 1. I will say, book one had a bit more to the story than this one, but I still really liked it.
I love Ava and Torin, they are such a sweet couple. The adventure and leaving about the ‘demons’ was so cool! I love a ‘fae folk’ atmosphere which this definitely had.
The only thing about this I didn’t *love* was the tone change, book 1 was fast paced due to the love story and trials, while book 2 was just completely different. I still 100% suggest this series, though!
4 stars ✨
I love Ava and Torin, they are such a sweet couple. The adventure and leaving about the ‘demons’ was so cool! I love a ‘fae folk’ atmosphere which this definitely had.
The only thing about this I didn’t *love* was the tone change, book 1 was fast paced due to the love story and trials, while book 2 was just completely different. I still 100% suggest this series, though!
4 stars ✨
March 3, 2023
I have been disappointed by a CN Crawford sequel once again. 🙃
I'll admit, Frost really wasn't great but it was still very entertaining and I devoured it in a night. The plot was wacky enough to be original and fun and kept my attention the whole time. Ambrosia on the other hand, was absolutely atrocious.
What in the Wattpad-A Court of Mist and Fury-fan-fiction was this?!
No I take that back, Wattpad writers put out more original dedicated fan-fiction than this.
Don't even get me started on how this man is suddenly the most beautiful man she's ever seen just out of the blue? Gorl-
This was just so painfully bad. 🙃 like why did we add a whole new characters pov when this is supposed to be the last book in a duology (or so I thought?)
I can't say I'll be trying this author again 😬
1.5/5⭐ 1/3🌶
I'll admit, Frost really wasn't great but it was still very entertaining and I devoured it in a night. The plot was wacky enough to be original and fun and kept my attention the whole time. Ambrosia on the other hand, was absolutely atrocious.
What in the Wattpad-A Court of Mist and Fury-fan-fiction was this?!
No I take that back, Wattpad writers put out more original dedicated fan-fiction than this.
His voice rumbled through his chest. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
“Ava.” My name on his tongue was a hoarse groan that lit my blood on fire. “I would tear my own kingdom apart for you if it meant we could be together.”
Don't even get me started on how this man is suddenly the most beautiful man she's ever seen just out of the blue? Gorl-
This was just so painfully bad. 🙃 like why did we add a whole new characters pov when this is supposed to be the last book in a duology (or so I thought?)
I can't say I'll be trying this author again 😬
1.5/5⭐ 1/3🌶
May 13, 2023
This sequel wasn't as fun as the first book. The first book was like the fae version of The Bachelor but this one was all over the place and fell short of my expectations. It's been a while since I read this so apologies if my review is a bit short 😅
❌ I feel like so many things happened in this book... but none of them really mattered or were things I particularly cared about. It was exciting because something was always happening, but I was not invested in the story anymore because a lot of it seemed too random.
✅ I appreciate this being a duology and actually having a conclusion.
🆗 The romance... ehhh, was very anticlimactic for me 😴😴
🆗 The twists were predictable for me but I appreciated them anyway because they brought the story together nicely.
Overall, I don't think I can really recommend this series. If the sequel had continued the fun and satirical 'reality tv show' vibes from the first book then I think the series would have been a better end-to-end read. But this one was a lot more serious and sad so it didn't feel like a quick and easy read, which is what I was expecting and looking forward to reading.
❌ I feel like so many things happened in this book... but none of them really mattered or were things I particularly cared about. It was exciting because something was always happening, but I was not invested in the story anymore because a lot of it seemed too random.
✅ I appreciate this being a duology and actually having a conclusion.
🆗 The romance... ehhh, was very anticlimactic for me 😴😴
🆗 The twists were predictable for me but I appreciated them anyway because they brought the story together nicely.
Overall, I don't think I can really recommend this series. If the sequel had continued the fun and satirical 'reality tv show' vibes from the first book then I think the series would have been a better end-to-end read. But this one was a lot more serious and sad so it didn't feel like a quick and easy read, which is what I was expecting and looking forward to reading.
June 12, 2023
While I still enjoyed the book, it was nowhere near as good as Frost.
Things were just a bit too easy and convenient () and big plot stuff () were over with in basically two sentences.
I wanted more than what I got, unfortunately, since book 1 was right up my alley and SO much fun.
3.6/5⭐
Things were just a bit too easy and convenient () and big plot stuff () were over with in basically two sentences.
I wanted more than what I got, unfortunately, since book 1 was right up my alley and SO much fun.
3.6/5⭐
December 25, 2024
Менше романтичної взаємодії між героями, більше екшену, страждань і битв 🥲🫠
Фінал щасливий - дякую хоч за це ❤️🩹
Фінал щасливий - дякую хоч за це ❤️🩹
February 23, 2023
3.25 stars
Plot 3/5⭐️
Spice 1.5/5🌶️
Vibes 3/5👏🏻
Dual 1st person POV - Ava & Torin (& several from Ava's bff, Shalina)
"Ava, I would tear my own kingdom apart for you if it meant we could be together."
I wish I liked this more than I did seeing as how much I loved the first book. The pacing felt a little strange because we got certain days in vivid detail and then there would be several-week time jumps and because a decent chunk of the book they (Ava & Torin) are in captivity so the timeline gets muddy since they can barely keep track of time themselves. There were also too many POV chapters from Shalina, Ava's best friend. She was used to show what was happening in the Seelie kingdom while Ava & Torin were in captivity, but I think shorter chapters from her could've done the same job.
Next, the several curses that seemed to plague the Seelie Kingdom/Torin were broken way too easily and just felt a little anticlimactic. I honestly think this duet could've been made into a trilogy with the 3rd book having a more well thought out battle between Moira and Ava/Torin, more time spent unraveling the curses, and then seeing them rebuild the court and reestablish a relationship with the Unseelie Kingdom. As it was, things were all fine and dandy and they were eating apples and opening the castle to the public only SIX MONTHS later, as if Aeron hadn't said their coffers were empty and their livestock were all dead even BEFORE Torin followed Ava to the Unseelie Kingdom (and subsequently triggered a shit ton of consequences). It was like fixing the curses fixed everything and they could pull gold and animals out of thin air...
But I still loved the banter between Ava & Torin. I wish we got a little bit more spice since book 1 had barely one steamy kiss and a steady increase in tension, but oh well. The tension was still there and I enjoyed them both finally succumbing to their mutual desires.
However, paired with how predictable some of the plot points are, the main conflicts being dragged on and then wrapped up way too quickly, and only 1 real (but quick) spice scene... I'm just a little disappointed with this. I don't do much rereading but I would definitely reread book 1 (Frost) because that was a banger but I prob won't reread this. Would still recommend this duet though if you haven't read it yet.
Plot 3/5⭐️
Spice 1.5/5🌶️
Vibes 3/5👏🏻
Dual 1st person POV - Ava & Torin (& several from Ava's bff, Shalina)
"Ava, I would tear my own kingdom apart for you if it meant we could be together."
I wish I liked this more than I did seeing as how much I loved the first book. The pacing felt a little strange because we got certain days in vivid detail and then there would be several-week time jumps and because a decent chunk of the book they (Ava & Torin) are in captivity so the timeline gets muddy since they can barely keep track of time themselves. There were also too many POV chapters from Shalina, Ava's best friend. She was used to show what was happening in the Seelie kingdom while Ava & Torin were in captivity, but I think shorter chapters from her could've done the same job.
Next, the several curses that seemed to plague the Seelie Kingdom/Torin were broken way too easily and just felt a little anticlimactic. I honestly think this duet could've been made into a trilogy with the 3rd book having a more well thought out battle between Moira and Ava/Torin, more time spent unraveling the curses, and then seeing them rebuild the court and reestablish a relationship with the Unseelie Kingdom. As it was, things were all fine and dandy and they were eating apples and opening the castle to the public only SIX MONTHS later, as if Aeron hadn't said their coffers were empty and their livestock were all dead even BEFORE Torin followed Ava to the Unseelie Kingdom (and subsequently triggered a shit ton of consequences). It was like fixing the curses fixed everything and they could pull gold and animals out of thin air...
But I still loved the banter between Ava & Torin. I wish we got a little bit more spice since book 1 had barely one steamy kiss and a steady increase in tension, but oh well. The tension was still there and I enjoyed them both finally succumbing to their mutual desires.
However, paired with how predictable some of the plot points are, the main conflicts being dragged on and then wrapped up way too quickly, and only 1 real (but quick) spice scene... I'm just a little disappointed with this. I don't do much rereading but I would definitely reread book 1 (Frost) because that was a banger but I prob won't reread this. Would still recommend this duet though if you haven't read it yet.
February 28, 2023
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“If you were raised here, you’d feel pain every time a lie fell from your lips. Though if you loved him, perhaps you would do it anyway. Love burns us, doesn’t it? And that fire makes us strong.”
Well, I didn't feel strong at all - in fact, all I felt was extreme boredom while reading Ambrosia, a sequel I had been so looking forward to reading, but was crushed when I saw how disappointing and disjointed the actual writing was. The first book had ended on a surprising twist that I was very much eager to get into - but...it didn't feel like C.N. Crawford wrote this one. The writing style didn't match at all with the previous book - I understand that it's a modern fae fantasy romance, but how many times can you use "fuck in the writing, before it makes you cringe and think how odd it is? Well, that's just me - some might be comfortable with it, but it just threw me off.
Ava and Torin are trapped in the Unseelie kingdom, the Court of Sorrows, where they have to find a way to escape Queen Mab's cruel and twisted torture and return to their world through the portal they fell through. On the other side, Shalini has to find a way to keep Queen Moira from taking over the throne long enough for Torin and Ava to return and restore balance to the kingdom. 🥱🥱
Sadly, I just couldn't get into it - not their struggles, not their heroism, not a bit of anything, really. It was a flimsy plot, at best, with a lot more 'tell than show' for certain moments. Yes, Torin slew 13 soldiers with his sword - show it to me then! Don't just tell me with one sentence! It would have made it a lot more satisfying, rather than have it sound like lazy writing that was just being done for the sake of a conclusion! And did we really need to have the final chapter told from Shalini's point of view?? Like, how does that even make sense?
Honestly, my biggest grievance would still have to be with the writing; there were certain points that the choice of words were so repetitive and dare I say it, cheesy, that instead of being romantic, it made me inwardly groan. Torin and Ava are drawn to each other - their chemistry is palpable with want and desire, but the way it was written did nothing to make me feel their attraction. The continuous usage of words like molten pleasure and liquid desire quickly put out any flames of interest I may have had to see them have their HEA. This one scene in particular just seemed so reminiscent to other familiar fae-related moments that I - well, you be the judge. 😏😏
"Ava, you have made me thoroughly undone in every possible way. I am returning to my kingdom a ruined man. But with you, I don’t think I have a choice. You’re a command I can’t refuse.
Am I being too harsh? Mayhaps - but I can't admit to have enjoyed it - it had the potential to be so much more, but I didn't feel anything for the characters, the world building, the plot. And that's always what makes it a good read or not. 💔💔
“If you were raised here, you’d feel pain every time a lie fell from your lips. Though if you loved him, perhaps you would do it anyway. Love burns us, doesn’t it? And that fire makes us strong.”
Well, I didn't feel strong at all - in fact, all I felt was extreme boredom while reading Ambrosia, a sequel I had been so looking forward to reading, but was crushed when I saw how disappointing and disjointed the actual writing was. The first book had ended on a surprising twist that I was very much eager to get into - but...it didn't feel like C.N. Crawford wrote this one. The writing style didn't match at all with the previous book - I understand that it's a modern fae fantasy romance, but how many times can you use "fuck in the writing, before it makes you cringe and think how odd it is? Well, that's just me - some might be comfortable with it, but it just threw me off.
Ava and Torin are trapped in the Unseelie kingdom, the Court of Sorrows, where they have to find a way to escape Queen Mab's cruel and twisted torture and return to their world through the portal they fell through. On the other side, Shalini has to find a way to keep Queen Moira from taking over the throne long enough for Torin and Ava to return and restore balance to the kingdom. 🥱🥱
Sadly, I just couldn't get into it - not their struggles, not their heroism, not a bit of anything, really. It was a flimsy plot, at best, with a lot more 'tell than show' for certain moments. Yes, Torin slew 13 soldiers with his sword - show it to me then! Don't just tell me with one sentence! It would have made it a lot more satisfying, rather than have it sound like lazy writing that was just being done for the sake of a conclusion! And did we really need to have the final chapter told from Shalini's point of view?? Like, how does that even make sense?
Honestly, my biggest grievance would still have to be with the writing; there were certain points that the choice of words were so repetitive and dare I say it, cheesy, that instead of being romantic, it made me inwardly groan. Torin and Ava are drawn to each other - their chemistry is palpable with want and desire, but the way it was written did nothing to make me feel their attraction. The continuous usage of words like molten pleasure and liquid desire quickly put out any flames of interest I may have had to see them have their HEA. This one scene in particular just seemed so reminiscent to other familiar fae-related moments that I - well, you be the judge. 😏😏
"Ava, you have made me thoroughly undone in every possible way. I am returning to my kingdom a ruined man. But with you, I don’t think I have a choice. You’re a command I can’t refuse.
Am I being too harsh? Mayhaps - but I can't admit to have enjoyed it - it had the potential to be so much more, but I didn't feel anything for the characters, the world building, the plot. And that's always what makes it a good read or not. 💔💔
February 19, 2024
That was…. Disappointing.
I had fun until Shalini’s pov… why would you do that ? I actually didn’t even read the chapters in her pov. Added nothing to the book but boredom.
I finish it but oh. god. that was HARD.
I had fun until Shalini’s pov… why would you do that ? I actually didn’t even read the chapters in her pov. Added nothing to the book but boredom.
I finish it but oh. god. that was HARD.
October 7, 2023
I love the ending to this duology. There’s was action, hidden identities, and romance.
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