Audiobook Review: Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole

Dead of Winter
Arcana Chronicles #3
Author: Kresley Cole
Narrator: Emma Galvin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia | Fantasy
Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes
Released: January 6th 2015
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio

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 frozen and perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on The Lovers and the vast army they command. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them once and for all 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?

I re-listened to Poison Princess and Endless Knight before shoving my ear buds in and losing myself in Dead of Winter’s audio book for the first time. I've read and listened to this series so many time as it’s one of my all-time favourites, and the audio versions never get old.

Dead of Winter was a great audio addition to the series. Emma Galvin, the narrator, has been come a familiar voice to me through this series and she suits this series perfectly. How she portrays everyone, specifically Evie, Jackson, Matthew and Aric is on point and I find myself connecting to the series all the more because of Emma’s narration.

Listening to the audio was just as exciting as the first time I read the book. Jack makes me fall more in-love with him every time I revisit this series, and in the audio books, he melts my heart. I may just be madly in-love with him. I'm a sucker for Jack's accent, and also Aric's because they're so well done. So it's understandable for me to be partial to the audio books where I can actually listen to the hotness rather than just read it. It adds more dimension. *sighs happily*

The progression in Dead of Winter is almost shocking. In a good way. Jack's character really shines here, we see him blossom into the person he was always meant to be, and a better side of him is shown. However, he still has his issues. Jack wouldn't be Jack if he didn't, but I don't hold them against him. He's still learning, and I understand why he does what he does. The majority of the time it's to protect Evie.

As for everyone else: Evie's still the same girl at heart but I wouldn't mess with her. She's seriously kick ass with her arcana powers. In book 4, we're definitely going to see her with her full powers unleashed, something she's been holding back to avoid hurting people. And Aric, I'm still undecided with him. I love that we get to see him more in Dead of Winter, and I can't fault his presence. After lifetimes of loneliness, the company he has is treasured and he's blossoming into a better version of himself.

And as I write this review, I'm listening to Dead of Winter for the second time because I can't get enough of it.

You can read my book review for Dead of Winter here.

Listen to an excerpt from Dead of Winter audio below: