Title: Of Giants and Ice
Author: Shelby Bach
First published July 24, 2012
346 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781442431478 (ISBN10: 1442431474)
Rating: 4.36
Overview
Haley Parker has always been known as the new girl in school. But when she joins a mysterious after-school program, she realizes that this is unlike any other program she has ever attended.
On her first day, she finds herself battling a fierce giant, and soon she discovers that the stories she thought were only fiction are actually real. As Haley learns more about this magical world, she realizes that she is destined to be a part of a fairy tale of her own.
The Ever Afters series merges classic fairy tale characters with the contemporary realities of middle-grade existence, making it a must-read for all fantasy lovers. Get ready to embark on an enchanting journey with Haley in Of Giants and Ice.
About the Author
Shelby Bach was an avid reader growing up, devouring every book she could get her hands on. She also loved to write, filling up countless notebooks with stories.
Despite her love of books and writing, she was quite accident-prone and often ended up with scraped knees and a need for Band-Aids. These days, Shelby still loves to write, but she’s traded in her notebooks for a laptop.
She currently resides in Portland, OR.
As a side note, Shelby only tends to give books a rating if they make her “Best of the Year” blog post, which means you can expect a lot of five-star ratings about once a year. However, she may also share reviews of books she adores.
Editoral Review
Of Giants and Ice by Shelby Bach is a thrilling adventure novel that will leave readers spellbound. First published on July 24, 2012, Shelby Bach has created a captivating novel that is filled with magic, mystery, and suspense.
The book is intended for a young adult audience and falls under the genre of urban fantasy. The story is set in contemporary New York City, where there is an underground community of magic users known as the Fairy Council.
The main character, Rory Landon, is a Scion, which is a magic user descendant from one of the prestigious families that run the Fairy Council. Rory discovers that she needs to win a dangerous competition against other Scions to find a powerful magic artefact and protect her long-lost mother.
The book’s pacing is expertly crafted, and the author has done an excellent job of keeping the audience engaged by introducing new challenges, characters, and magic elements as the story progresses. The character development is impressive, and readers will find themselves rooting for Rory as she faces numerous obstacles in her quest for the artefact.
One of the book’s strengths is its themes, as it touches upon issues of identity, belonging, and family. These themes are relatable to young adult readers who are struggling with similar issues in their own lives.
Shelby Bach has also incorporated different cultural backgrounds, making the story more diverse and inclusive. The writing in Of Giants and Ice is excellent, and the author has a great command of language, making for very engaging descriptions of the magical world in which the story takes place.
The book also contains a lot of humor, which makes it a fun and lighthearted read. However, one of the book’s limitations is that some of the plot twists and conflicts are predictable, and the storyline may feel too familiar to some readers.
Additionally, some of the secondary characters could have been fleshed out more, as they come across as one-dimensional. Overall, Of Giants and Ice is a great read for young adults who enjoy urban fantasy and adventure novels.
It is also an excellent choice for readers who love stories with strong female protagonists. While it has some flaws, the cons are outweighed by the book’s strengths, such as its writing, world-building, and themes.
Shelby Bach deserves a lot of credit for delivering an immersive and entertaining story that young adult readers will surely enjoy. Therefore, we recommend this book with a four out of five-star rating for its riveting plot, skillfully developed characters, and themes that readers of all ages can relate to.
