Prisoner of Ice and Snow by Ruth Lauren -- Starting on April 1st 2017

[T.J.]

In a thrilling fantasy that’s equal parts Prison Break and Frozen, Valor attempts the impossible—breaking her sister out of prison.

When Valor is arrested, she couldn’t be happier. Demidova’s prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be. Valor’s sister Sasha is already serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family and Valor is going to help her escape . . . from the inside.

Never mind that no one has escaped in three hundred years. Valor has a plan and resources most could only dream about. But she didn't count on having to outsmart both the guards and her fellow prisoners. If Valor’s plan is to succeed, she’ll need to make unlikely allies. And if the plan fails, she and Sasha could end up with fates worse than prison.

This fresh and exciting middle-grade debut effortlessly melds an unforgettable protagonist, a breathless plot, and stunning world-building—and is impossible to put down.

[T.J.]

@ Meaghan: Do you want to reset the start day for this one for early April?

[T.J.]

Since we both haven't started, I'll put this on the calendar for April 1st in case others want to join us.

[Meaghan]

Ah sorry! Thought I had turned on notifications for this! I did finish, but I'll just come back and reply to your thoughts in early April :)

[T.J.]

Cool!
I just started yesterday.

Chapter 1 (5%)
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I like the start -- the quick foreshadowing of the arrest and then the events that led to the arrest.

I have lots of questions, of course. Like why does Valor want to be arrested? Why did her sister steal the music box? What is the significance of the music box? Who are the Magdanskya? Returning the music box might have prevented war, so why steal it?
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 4 (16%)
Questions accumulate.
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Why did Valor's sister, Sasha, steal the music box? And did she really steal it? I suspect a cover-up. Maybe her sister is taking the rap for either Princess Anastasia or Prince Anatol. Prince Anatol has something going on, the way he keeps staring at Valor. And from what I know about Sasha, she doesn't seem the type to want to prevent peace and maybe start a war. Something else is going on here.

And I know it is not Valor's plan to stay in prison, so what's her get-away plan? And now that Feliks has been dragged into her plan, will he be part of the escape? Hope so.

And what is Feliks's back-story? Curious.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 6 (25%)
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Why is Sasha with the most dangerous prisoners? Stealing a music box is no more dangerous than attempting to assassinate the prince. But starting a war may be considered dangerous. That's what this is about, isn't it? I still don't see that Sasha would have motives for starting a war. Sasha's father was a high political advisor -- maybe he is interested in starting a war? I don't see him letting his daughter take the rap for him. One of the royals? The prince was acting suspiciously in Valor's assessment -- watching her when she was taken prisoner. Maybe that's because he thinks she tried to kill him, though.

Someone is trying to prevent Sasha from talking to others, but who?
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[T.J.]

Chapter 7 (32%)
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My question exactly: Who did steal the music box and why?
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[T.J.]

Chapter 8 (38%)
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So Mila is the girl with the eye-patch who helped Valor pass. I hope Valor involves her in the escape.

I agree with Valor that Prince Anatol is interested in finding the music box, but I'm not sure I agree with her assessment as to why. He may be trying to cover up his theft as Valor suspects, or he may be trying to locate the box to prevent a war.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 9 (42%)
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Now Warden Kirov knows that Valor intentionally missed Prince Anatol, the attempted assassination she was convicted of. Of course, Valor needed to save the prince, if she could, but she also blew her cover.
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[T.J.]

Chapter 10 (48%)
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Okay, my suspicions that Princess Anastasia may be behind the music box theft just got stronger with Anastasia's and Anatol's visible fight.

The question is did Anastasia set Sasha up or did Sasha let herself be convicted out of loyalty? Sasha seemed not to know who stole the box, but we don't really know Sasha, do we?

And more importantly, why would Anastasia want war?
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 11 (51%)
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And there's the motive. It's political. Sasha says Anastasia "questioned why Queen Ana was so set on an alliance with Magadanskya and not Pyots'k when Pyots'k could make us so much richer."

What's strange is that neither Sasha nor Valor seem to recognize that this is a clear motive to steal the music box.

I am still not sure about Nicoloai. To trust or not to trust? Hmmmm.

And who stole the pick out of Valor's cell?
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[T.J.]

Chapter 13 (57%)
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Yep. I suspect was the prince who got Sasha moved into general population, not the princess.

I'm hoping that Natalia took the soap from Valor because she also wants in on the escape...
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 14 (62%)
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When Mila says the warden has spies, I suspected it wasn't Natalia, as Valor suspects, or even Nicolai. These two would be the obvious suspects. But who? Katia? Feliks? I never suspected Feliks, but wasn't he put in the cell next to Valor and taken with her? Could he have been recruited? Perhaps the night Valor was arrested? I hope not. I like him. (And I suspect Sasha and Feliks will be a future couple. Valor and Prince Anatol? ;) ).

Katia is also possible. Valor was put into her cell. Maybe she was recruited. She could have taken the pick. I hope it's not her either. I like her too...

And now Natalia is giving Valor the keys? This could be a set-up. But, I suspect not.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Finished
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A cliffhanger? Ooooooooh nooooooo!

What an exciting escape and conclusion, though!

Even though Anastasia's mother appearing just in time to hear her confession is a tad cliche, it was satisfying nonetheless...

...and I did call the Prince's role as the "good guy" pretty early on, but I was happy to be right about that!

But too many questions are left open. Why is Katia shaking her head no? Why don't Katia and Feliks turn themselves in to get pardoned? What do they know that we don't know? Where is Anastasia? Is Natalia really working for Anastasia or is it someone else? (Katia? Feliks?) What is Anastasia up to? Will Lady Olegevna, Queen Ana, Prince Anatol, and the others leave the square unharmed? Will the music box return safely to Magadanskya?

(hide spoiler)]

A fun and exciting read, all in all.