Review: Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

Book Three of the Arcana Chronicles

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Rating: 2 stars

Source: Pre-ordered copy

Summary (from Goodreads):

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions 

Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory 

Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned 

There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first...?

What I Liked:

I am so disappointed, you all. With the book, but also with the fact that I really, REALLY wanted to love this one. I loved Poison Princess, and enjoyed Endless Knight, but this one fell flat (unfortunately). I mean, a ton of people are loving the book... but me (and Nereyda), not so much.

Evie has left Death and his luxurious life, in order to rescue Jack from the Lovers. She reunites with Selena and several other Arcana, in order to storm the Lovers' camp. They rescue Jack... but then Death reappears. Death, Jack, and Evie must leave the other Arcana in order to find the Lovers (who were not defeated when Evie and the other Arcana rescued Jack). All the while, Evie is seriously confused as to who she should "choose". 

The ending - I actually REALLY like one particular aspect of the ending, but I feel like that won't stick (because the author would neverrrrrrr - unfortunately for me). I so hope that one thing sticks, but I won't. But I like the ending right now.

Overall, I was never bored during this book, which is a plus. I like the progression of the ARCANA-related story, to a point. I feel like Evie is no closer to figuring out how to stop or end the game than she was in the first or second books, but otherwise, I liked the story. Minus the romance. But I'll get to that.

Actually, I'll get to that now.

What I Did Not Like:

The romance. The love triangle. The fact that this book was basically unnecessary. Ugh ugh ugh. Deep breaths. Here I go.

I. Hated. The. Romance. In. This. Book. Okay, fair, I knew that there would be a love triangle from book two. Even in book one, you could *kind of* tell that there would be a love triangle in this series. Kind of. But book one was "Jack's" book. Book two was "Aric's" book.

Aric = Death, by the way. No one be confused.

In this book, Evie is very and truly confused. She has no idea who to choose. She thinks she loves them equal. She has this endless (hehe) connection with Aric, but Jack was her first love. That's what it comes down to, in her mind - those two things. Evie will kiss one and kiss the other (in book one, two, and this one). She will let both of them touch her. What. What. What.

Honestly, let's be real. How often does this happen? You're getting it on with TWO guys at the same time (not at the same moment, but in the same period of your life), they both know that the other exists, you have equally strong feelings for both... really? Is this realistic? Someone please tell me. Love triangles to THIS DEGREE don't exist in real life, in my opinion. At the same point in time, you love two people that much? Really? I don't believe it. 

Aric and Jack fight over Evie all the time. Most of the time, she is RIGHT THERE, and DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING, until after like five minutes. Are you kidding me?! They're saying, she'll choose me, she's my wife, she's my girl, she was with me, blah blah blah, IN FRONT OF YOU, and you let it go on for like five minutes. They're discussing you like you're a camel and you're just going to let that happen!? Are you kidding me?!

And for the entire book, Evie's like, just DOESN'T KNOW what she wants to do about the romance. She keeps saying, let's focus on the issue at hand, or, I can't think about that right now, or, this is more important. Which is fair, but it sounds like a bunch of excuses and bs, in my opinion.

I HATED Evie in this book. I'm at that point where I think she doesn't deserve either boy, because that would be too much reward for her. I loveeee Aric, and I want him to get a semi-happy ending. Unfortunately, all he wants is Evie, and I want him that have what he wants... but on Evie's side, a life with Aric is too good for her. I honestly wouldn't mind one of the other Arcana offing her. LOL. She's so selfish - she has both men believing that she loves them (which she thinks she does), and she refuses to make up her mind. Instead of torturing them both, let them BOTH go, or pick one, or something! Honestly, you just seem like a cruel b**** to me.

I haaaaaaaaaaaated Jack in this book. LET ME TELL YOU. He is a MORTAL, yet he wants to go toe-to-toe with Aric. Do you know how many times Jack has threatened Aric saying, "my gun, your skull" or "I will kill you" or something along those lines. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Aric is an IMMORTAL BEING, not to mention the DEATH Arcana... he's hundreds of years old, has a ton of experience in combat and weaponry... you're this measly mortal boy, you PALE in comparison to Aric.

I liked Jack in Poison Princess, thought he was a child in Endless Knight, and I definitely think he's an immature teenage adolescent in this book. The author tries to make him seem more grown and leader-like and manly or something, but I thought that whole thing was HILARIOUS because it just proved to me how not-for-Evie Jack is, how stupid and inexperienced and petty and a**hole-ish Jack is. Because he has NO CLASS.

Didn't like the romance, Jack, Evie... let's talk about how this book is SOOO NOT NECESSARY. Like, you can skip this one pretty much. It's all about Evie's decision - Aric or Jack. She vacillates during the ENTIRE novel. The Arcana story plot does not seem as important as the love triangle. I would skip this book, honestly. Perhaps book four will blow our minds. Maybe it won't. But this one certainly didn't.

I think I'm just going to stop here. You want more "not likes"? Check out Nereyda's review at Mostly YA Book Obsessed.

Would I Recommend It:

Okay, if you're invested in the series, then sure, read the book. If you haven't read the series, definitely WAIT until the fourth (and hopefully final) book is published. I LOVED Poison Princess and Endless Knight, so two of the three published books so far are winners... and I LOVE the Arcana story. But I hatehatehate the romance, or how the author is spinning the romance. It's not cute. It's not sexy. I'm not amused. But I loveeee the Arcana story/plot thingy.

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars. I'll read the fourth book. If I found out that there will be more books in the series involving Evie's story after the fourth book (so far, there are only four total), then I'm going to reconsider that decision. I'm not interested in a love triangle lasting more than two books. The decision should be made BY the third book. Ugh ugh ugh. End review.

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