Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles, #3) in Audiobook Junkies

Aug 13, 2014 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, audio-2015

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

This audiobook was #4 on my most anticipated reads of 2015 list, so it’s with a heavy heart that I give it 3-stars. The dystopian universe created by Kresley Cole in THE ARCANA CHRONICLES that I’ve come to adore was dwarfed by this series’ love triangle, and the plot whittled down to Evie’s boy toy choice. Now, perhaps I’m slightly bitter because she didn’t go with the team that I was rooting for, but in the end that really didn’t seem to matter because the author threw Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

This audiobook was #4 on my most anticipated reads of 2015 list, so it’s with a heavy heart that I give it 3-stars. The dystopian universe created by Kresley Cole in THE ARCANA CHRONICLES that I’ve come to adore was dwarfed by this series’ love triangle, and the plot whittled down to Evie’s boy toy choice. Now, perhaps I’m slightly bitter because she didn’t go with the team that I was rooting for, but in the end that really didn’t seem to matter because the author threw another cliffhanger at us making the heroine’s decision moot.

My primary fascination with these novels stemmed from the world-building’s link to Tarot, and so far we’ve met new cards in every installment, until DEAD OF WINTER. Ok, that’s not entirely accurate because The High Priestess and The Emperor threw their lot in with the rest, and we also learned more about The Lovers and The World’s abilities, however these elements were so microscopic in comparison to the drama between Evie / Jack / Aric that I barely took note of them. I did enjoy the flashbacks to what happened to Death and the Cajun post ENDLESS KNIGHT, but again, I needed more.

This story was all about the love triangle which just plain sucked because the trio wound up working together for the better part of this book, and that in turn lead to angst, angst, and more angst. Subsequently, all of the originality was siphoned out of this series in favour of the biggest Young Adult trope of them all. In the past, I’ve liked the apocalyptic flavour of THE ARCANA CHRONICLES, yet this latest installment was no longer about surviving Baggers, cannibals, and the game, but rather what boy Evie Greene’s heart belonged to. Yes, that quagmire was solved, except no, not really.

Emma Galvin’s narration was like a lighthouse in a storm because without her delivery to keep me listening, I most likely would have finished this audiobook in a week instead of two days. I enjoyed the intensity with which she performed this tale, and the slower pace at which she reads this series definitely draws you in. Jack piles on the French in this novel, and that was unfortunate because Galvin’s mastery of that language really leaves something to be desired, but she tried her best, and this particular shortcoming is only noticeable to francophones, so I let it slide.

DEAD OF WINTER could have been a grand conclusion to THE ARCANA CHRONICLES; instead there will be a book 4. ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Aug 19, 2015 Kathy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, coyer-summer-2015, audio-books

4.5 Star Book Review
5 Star Audio Book Performance

Dead of Winter is the third book of The Arcana Chronicles and I love this series!

You must read the other books in order to follow the story, so my review will be short and spoiler free! As much as I love this series Dead of Winter only gets 4.5 Stars because there was too much focus on the love triangle between Evie, Jack and Aric. The struggle that Evie is having of choosing between Jack and Aric was too much of a distraction from the main story. ...more

Like · see review

Jul 18, 2015 Kathy rated it really liked it

Shelves: rereads, 2022, audiobooks-challenge-2022, 2022-tbr-list

4.5 Stars Book Review
5 Stars Audio Book Performance

Dead of Winter is the third book of The Arcana Chronicles and I love this series!

You must read the other books in order to follow the story, so my review will be short and spoiler free! As much as I love this series Dead of Winter only gets 4.5 Stars because there was too much focus on the love triangle between Evie, Jack and Aric. The struggle that Evie is having of choosing between Jack and Aric was too much of a distraction from the main stor ...more

Like · see review

May 26, 2016 Melanie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-stars, 4-star-narration, young-adult, z-2016, z-2016-audiobook, dystopian

My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

I’ve really enjoyed this series since I started listening to Poison Princess two years ago (I was late to the party, but that ended up working in my favor). This has been an exciting dystopian following Evie and the other Arcana as they learn more about their powers and play the game until there is only one left (I feel like I should see Christopher Lambert or Adrian Paul saying “There can be only one.” many times in My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

I’ve really enjoyed this series since I started listening to Poison Princess two years ago (I was late to the party, but that ended up working in my favor). This has been an exciting dystopian following Evie and the other Arcana as they learn more about their powers and play the game until there is only one left (I feel like I should see Christopher Lambert or Adrian Paul saying “There can be only one.” many times in this series. LOL).

This story picks up pretty much where the previous book ends. Evie is going after Jack, she is going to save him from The Lovers before their torture drives him mad. She snuck away in the night from Aric (Death). When she gets back to the camp, she learns he has made quite the name for himself. Several of the Arcana are getting along quite well there, thanks to Matthew.

Here’s where the story goes all wrong and finally starts to read like the YA story that it is. Aric shows up and Evie can’t decide who she is in love with, Jack or Aric. Yep, the dreaded love triangle of YA has reared its ugly head. The majority of this story is the three of them on a mission to save The Archer from The Lovers. OMG, the angst. It is big in this one. Evie goes back and forth several times. Jack and Aric are at each other’s throats. It is everything I hate about YA. Yeah.

All of that being said, I still have enjoyed this series. We did learn more about other Arcana. There is still some good action. We even get to meet some new Arcana. It was just such a small amount and was overshadowed by the love triangle that it makes me very disappointed in this story. Oh, and to top all of that, it ends on a big ol’ cliffhanger (hence why I waited so long to listen to this book. I waited until we got close to the next book’s release. See why coming late to this party worked in my favor.). I do plan to listen to book four when it is released, however, if it doesn’t go back to more of the first two book storyline and less love triangle type angst, I’m done.

Narration
Emma Galvin continues to do a bang up job with the narration of this series. I love her voice of Matthew, who is hard to follow with his weird incoherent babble. I thought she did a great job voicing Jack with his Cajun accent. I loved her voice of Aric too. I think she is one of the main reasons I was able to finish this story. If I were just reading the book, I probably would’ve set it down and walked away. ...more

Like · see review

Oct 22, 2017 Judy Hall rated it liked it

Shelves: gods-and-mythology, ya-fantasy, books-read-in-2017, post-apocalyptic

Evie has escaped Death and the luxuries he offers and is determined to reach Jack. She knows he needs her, but she doesn't realize how bad it is. When she arrives at the Fort he has built, she discovers that he has been captured by the Lovers. With the help of the other Arcana in the fort she sets out to rescue him, still determined that an alliance is possible to end the game.

This book returns somewhat to the "road trip" story line, with Evie traveling with the two men who love her. I like her ...more

Like · see review