T2T: Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Summary:

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back -- if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her -- until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

Review:

Ice was a magical and spellbinding novel from the very first page to the last.

The world Sarah Beth Durst created in this novel was simply amazing, I loved the idea of Munaqsris and atmosphere she created for them around it. Plus, she described everything in such vivid detail that was never too much or too little.

Further more, I adored (and envied at times) the love that Bear and Cassie shared, even if it was a bit strange. Since, it was just so real and wasn't that usual  love at first sight thing that you tend to get from Young Adult novels. Instead it was something that both worked towards achieving  by turning from slight enemies to friends to finally something romantic. Also, I adored how it was shown that both would go the end of the world for the other no matter what.

As I kind of mentioned above, Sarah's writing was so easy to get caught up in. Since, there was always a new twist, turn, or character added that simply changed everything around, leaving this to be one story that was a absolute pain to have to put down. 
 
In all, Ice was a fantastic story that I hope everyone will have the chance to read because it really is that great. 
 
Grade: A
 
Ice is now out!
 
* Source: Publisher in exchange for review for blog tour. Thanks Simon and Schuster!

This review was part of a Traveling To Teen Tour, to find out more about past and future tours as well as contests, please visit the website. Also, as you can tell, this post is a bit late. So, Yan, please do  forgive me for that.