“REBEL, BRAVE AND BRUTAL perfectly compliments WINTER, WHITE AND WICKED.”

Review by Erin Phillips

The gripping sequel to Winter, White and Wicked that boasts the thrills of Mad Max: Fury Road and the icy magic of Frozen

Sylvi Quine, the best rig driver on Layce, has braved the dangers of the Shiv Road to save her friend and learned the truth of her power over Winter. Now, she’s joined the rebels working to take down the Majority. Her magic could change the course of their fight, and she agrees to meet the king of Paradyia to offer an exchange: the healing powers of the Pool of Begynd for his army.

The journey won’t be easy. To get there, Sylvi will have to navigate the Kol Sea, crossing through Winter’s storms and swarms of her Abaki—all while outrunning the Majority, who have sent their best Kol Master to track her down and bring her in, dead or alive.

But she isn’t traveling alone. Mars Dresden knows Sylvi is the key to freeing Layce, and demands she train like it. Kyn, the boy with stone flesh and a soft heart, is bound to Sylvi in more ways than one, a connection that both hurts and heals. And Lenore, Sylvi’s best friend, insists the Majority pay for what they’ve done to her parents. Even though her crew believes in her, Sylvi’s still learning to use her power, and Winter’s whispers are constant.

Will she be able to control Winter when it matters most? Or will this be the end of the rebellion?

REBEL, BRAVE AND BRUTAL perfectly compliments WINTER, WHITE AND WICKED. While I did miss the Sylver Dragon for the first half of the book, we get a bit of time back with the rig which was very fun.

“I’m not asking you to be perfect. I’m asking you to grow.”

My favorite part of this book was Sylvi’s relationships with Mars and Kin. Leni was a fun addition to the gang, but Hyla can never be replaced! I also enjoyed learning more about Maree Vale and the history of Layce, as I remember having questions about both (and their relationships with Bygend and Winter) in Book 1.

“Sometimes truth is a dagger, straight to the heart.”

I also really loved the themes and how well this story illustrates how sin lies and twists truth and fights digits for control, all under the guise of friendship or comfort; it built perfectly upon book one! The ending was my favorite part, as it is a slow-build to the climax. Truly, the ending was the best part though. And it was really cool to see how the author’s faith shone in the story so clearly and yet subtly.

Definitely a duology that I would recommend to lovers of gritty fantasy, unique worlds, and complex characters.

Content Ratings:

6. Strong action/gore (most action sequences describe blood loss and the injury to a clear picture, albeit brief and infrequent). 

2.  Mild content (holding hands and mild kissing).

2. Frequent substitute cursing (commonplace "craps" etc. and/or book-specific words).

Other Trigger Warnings:

N/A

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