Cover Image: The Ice Whisperers

The Ice Whisperers

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Member Reviews

I wanted to love this wintery adventure more than I did. I'm not sure what exactly didn't click for me, but I was a little disappointed.

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This is so magical and atmospheric. It is such a unique story and was much darker than I was expecting. A perfect winter read.

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This was a fast paced read for me. While I rarely read middle grade nowadays this was enjoyable in the moment. But I don't think it is overall memorable. However I'm aware I'm not the target audience. I think younger people will enjoy reading Bela's adventure. Seeing it all unfold in the world.

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Perfect for young readers who enjoyed the Frostheart series, set in icy landscapes and full of adventure, this is a super upper middle grade fantasy. Lots of great description and world building, and a lovely relationship between the sisters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

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The theme of time played such a crucial role in this book and it was executed really well, making this an enjoyable and engaging read for me! I loved learning about the characters and was hooked till the end. I hope to read more from this author!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

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The Ice Whisperers is an adventure and danger-filled story of sisterhood and separation.

Taking place across two timelines, The Ice Whisperers tells a story of two parts that is set both 40,000 years ago and in 1910. Our two lead characters Ren-ya and Bela live in each of these times but, in spite of the distance between them, they have a special connection. When Bela is summoned to Siberia to live with her uncle after the tragic death of her mother, she begins a journey through time into an mystical, icy world that is threatened by the cruel ambitions and scientific experiments of her uncle. In spite of their differences, she and Ren-ya must work together to unlock astonishing family secrets and discover more about who they are.

Helenka Stachera has created an imaginitive and exciting story that builds its characters and settings brilliantly. I particularly enjoyed the gothic atmosphere of Bela's life in Siberia and the magical otherworldlyness of Ren-ya's prehistoric world. The connection between the two girls and the choices that they have to make are relateable and involving.

Parts of the story were darker than I expected and I don't feel that The Ice Whisperers is for quite such a young audience as its (beautiful) cover implies. But for older middle grade readers, there is loads to enjoy and I would recommend it to book lovers who enjoy slightly scary, adventurous stories that are full of surprises.

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A thrilling tale of two sisters. They are world’s apart and are shocked to discover that each other exists. However, when put to the rest they are found to be strong and loyal. A gripping tale with twists and turns, perfect for those that love clam stories, icy environments and a little bit of magic too.

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I was so excited when I received approval as the premise of the book sounded really good but when I began to read it I found that the story was not that easy to get into but when i paired it with the audio book it came to life.. i did like Bela as a character but felt that she took everything at face value without questioning like when she found out about her sister. Ren-ya was not very nice but in my view did grow in character. I just could not get past the age gap between the sisters and how people could go through to the other world but without much explanation. I did not care for the Uncle. Then you had the reveal which could of been mind blowing but wasn't Don't get me wrong the world building was good but the actual story needed more work. The book would of got 2 stars but I gave an extra star because of the narrator of the audiobook

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'An epic icy adventure with a warming tale of sisterhood at its heart' - Maria Kuzniar

'Every way I look at it, I love this book from the crystalline brilliance of its surface to its tender, glowing heart' - Zillah Bethell

A chilling magical adventure about two sisters born 40,000 years apart, perfect for fans of The House With Chicken Legs and The Wild Way Home.

When Bela's mother dies, she is summoned to deepest Siberia to stay with an uncle she's never met. Exploring his strange scientific workshop, she uncovers a secret she was never meant to find - a doorway that opens to an icy land, frozen in time and full of legends come to life.

But this frozen land is in danger, and it's up to Bela to find a way to save it. To succeed, she must join forces with the impossible: a long-lost sister she never knew she had, born 40,000 years before . . .
A great middle grade ice adventure!!

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A magical tale of love, acceptance, and bravery.

The way the relationship between the two sisters developed was wonderful too, and finishing the book left me satisfied. It took me a little while to get into it at first, but it was definitely worth it!

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I loved the premise of this story, two sisters separated by time and spiritual space, the baddie being closer to them then they first believed and a thrilling race against time to save everyone they love.

The imagery is beautiful, the characters are well rounded and likeable (the good ones anyway) and it has echoes of The Wild Way Home and The Wolf Princess.

A brilliant read for this time of year

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The Ice Whisperers starts 40,000 years in the past with a girl called Ren-ya. Her people were trying to escape the fearsome ‘white eyes’.
Fast forward to Poland, 1910 and we meet Bela. She’s lost both her parents: her mum has recently passed away and her dad went missing on an expedition, presumed dead. She must now live with her uncle whom she doesn’t know much about.
To make matters worse, Bela has an unusual skill - she can taste what people are thinking and feeling, but she can’t talk to anyone about it because it wouldn’t be accepted. Bela is determined to find out what happened to her dad and before long, hers and Ren-ya’s worlds collide.
I found the story gripping and gasped out loud in a few places, particularly earlier on in the book. I liked the relationship between Bela and Ren-ya as they tried to work out how to get along together. They’re very similar in a lot of ways, both determined but also quite stubborn, and being from different time periods, they had much to learn about each other’s way of life.
The book was serious at times and covered some sensitive subject matters. It is suitable for Year 5 and up but you may want to exercise caution, depending on the child. Definitely one for fans of Frostheart!

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I love wintery middle-grade stories and this one drew me in immediately with a stunning cover. With a sprinkling of mythology thrown in too, I knew I was going to enjoy this snowy adventure.

When her mother dies, Bela is sent to live with her uncle in Siberia. But her uncle has a workshop full of strange, cruel experiments and Bela stumbles upon a secret that she never could have imagined. Finding herself in a beautiful, desolate land of ice and snow, Bela meets Ren-ya, a girl her own age who also happens to be her sister… born 40,000 years before Bela! Together, Bela and Ren-ya must overthrow the evil that haunts Ren-ya’s homeland and forge an unbreakable sisterly bond.

The book is accompanied by beautiful illustrations from Marco Guadalupi and they add a really lovely dimension to the story. The simple, charming style lends itself perfectly to the narrative and propel it along its magical course.

Bela comes from a time and place where women are dismissed, ridiculed and neglected. She knows to immediately challenge these narrow-minded views and never doubts that her mother deserved much better treatment than she got. I got really frustrated listening to Krol’s explanation of Bela’s mother’s fate and held out hope that there was a chance for her daughter(s) to avenge her.

Both Bela and Ren-ya have the ability to taste what I would call auras. As soon as they enter a room or new place, they can taste the vibe and emotion that it holds. I don’t think I’ve ever met a character who has this power before and I was really intrigued. It’s an ability that helps out both girls a lot and I was really intrigued about its origins. I can only assume that their mother shared the same power and that it comes from the ancient magic at the heart of the tribe.

There is some bits of mythology in the book too, which I really appreciated. Ren-ya’s world is set in prehistory, which I know so little about. I would have loved more of this aspect weaving through the story, as a sign that some of the oldest, magical things on Earth are ever-present. Eagle, Crow and Raven are fascinating characters and I wanted more of them, their history and relationships.

Bela and Ren-ya seem like complete opposites when they meet. Ren-ya feels that Bela is a very sheltered, sensitive soul (which she is) and Bela is shocked by Ren-ya’s savagery. Stachera does a great job of slowly growing the sisters’ relationship and it was lovely to watch. Much of the book is actually about the girls coming to understand each other and realising they have a lot more in common than they initially thought.

The Ice Whisperers is a whimsical, compelling story that stretches across miles and miles of magical landscape. With themes of sisterhood and belonging, it’s quite dark at times and ventures deep into unknown history. A unique fantasy with wonderful, feisty characters.

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I quite enjoyed this original story. It was really descriptive and was heavy on the world building. A bit too heavy for me but that's my own personal preference.

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3.5 stars. Interesting premise, good world creation but I thought it fell a bit flat at times. I enjoyed it but it wasn't as memorable as I was expecting - the pace of the relationship between the sisters didn't seem quite right. The scenes in the cave with the terrifying hiding being were spooky and well drawn.

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This book is a story of two sisters, born thousands of years apart. When Bela is sent to live with her Uncle after the death of her mother she is utterly miserable and it doesnt improve when she gets there. She really struggles to find out what is going on in the old house but when she does she finds out she is in danager. She flees to try and find out what happened to her parents.

I really enjoyed this story - it was a great childrens/young adult book. I really enjoyed the beautiful illustrations in this book too they really added a lot to the story. This was very easy to follow even when it alternated between the two characters. Bela was a very brave character and its always good to have a strong female main character. I also really enjoyed the history of Bela's people. A great read for both young and old.

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I saw this book while looking at netgalley and the premise hit me as something that seemed unique and one that made me want to know more.

The family relationships in this is sewn seemlessly and you feel every moment of belonging that the characters are looking for.

I will be recommending this to people who like frozen and Frostheart because this is a great middle grade polar fantasy that we often are looking for in the world, and it does it very very well. I cannot wait to read more from this author who was new to me, but now I really want to read more.

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‘The Ice Whisperers’ successfully brings together fear, mystery, friendship, betrayal and so many other elements as the main character takes a journey from Poland in 1910 to the ancient spiritual world. Stachera’s writing evokes the atmosphere and surroundings perfectly and the two sisters are equally frustrating and yet likeable.
This will definitely appeal to those children and young teenagers who like their reading to be a little fantastical and yet also, somehow, quite believable. This would be a lovely book to read with a child at bedtime or as a group reader in school.
Thank you to Puffin Books (Penguin Random House Children’s) and NetGalley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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A lovely little story about adventure, magic, sisterhood, and family; by the good and the bad.
Bela is a 13 year old girl, unloved, hidden and seen as a shame upon her family. One day, she is summoned to her uncles estate. She hopes to find out about her parents, who she never knew. This path leads her into an adventure she never even dreamed she would ever have and sister she never knew she had.
What makes this story different to others that I have read is the fact that it mixes theories from our world about prehistoric humans and adds elements of magic and otherworldliness to it. I really enjoyed that aspect of it and feel like children would enjoy that element too, especially if they have an interest in prehistoric things like mammoths and dinosaurs.

This book is perfect for children and I know I would have loved to have read this when I was young.

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A story set in two worlds, one in Poland in 1910, the other in a spirit world 40,000 years in the past.

After her mother’s death, Bela is sent to live with her uncle in Siberia. She is disappointed when it is not the home she was hoping for. Her uncle is a strange, cold man and Bela senses that he is not to be trusted. One of the aspects of the story I particularly liked was Bela’s ability to “taste” people’s emotions and feelings. In an attempt to find out the truth about her mother, she is transported to the past, where she meets her sister, Ren-ya, a hunter.

Much of the focus of the book is on the relationship between the two girls, and the way they start to work together. Initially Ren-ya seems to be the stronger of the two, but Bela has other abilities, which become more important as the story progresses.

This is a very enjoyable read, for 10 to 12 year olds. Some of the scientific concepts were a little involved, so whilst a younger reader might enjoy the adventure, they might not appreciate all the detail. I liked the references to female education, particularly at the end of the book. Bela makes me think of the young Marie Curie!
Thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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