This book was so good. I was bit hesitant as I’m not familiar with the author but after the first chapter I was pretty much hooked. I liked how we saw the perspective from both groups and got well fleshed out characters. Ngl, the ending left me confused but this book was so satisfying I’m ready for the next one. It’s book like these that I hope to discover when I pick up new authors. I highly recommend everyone check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Rebellions aren’t born. They are forged. ⚔️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It took me a bit to get into the story, but it 100% had to do with me not being in the right mindset, because once I got about 25% of the way through, I couldn't put it down. The heists and the rebellion were so captivating that it absolutely snared my interest. I very quickly got attached to the characters, and there were times I was really worried about my boy Ax. I'd love to get some of the other characters' POVs as the fight continues in the second book. (Which I can't wait to read!)

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Twenty pages in, I was hooked—no question about it. The worldbuilding dazzles, the plot pulls you in, and the rhythm flows with a confidence rare for a debut. There’s real promise here, and this author is absolutely one to watch.

That said, it’s a book of contrasts. The prose has polish, the pacing hums along—but the emotional depth never quite keeps pace. The characters read as a little naive, their dialogue more informational than alive, leaving relationships that skim the surface rather than sink in.

It leans more YA than adult fantasy in tone and execution—simple, occasionally too much so—but it’s undeniably engaging. Despite its flaws, I tore through it and will be first in line for the sequel. The potential is sharp, bright, and waiting to unfold.

First of all, this cover is stunning! I love the simple yet bold design, it immediately caught my attention. Now to the story, I enjoyed this epic fantasy debut. The world building was great and really immersed you into the world of Kerti. It was interesting to see both sides of the conflict with both Veyre’s and Ax’s POV. From the book description I was expecting more of Zea’s POV as well but it was only the Prologue. I would’ve liked to learn more about her and the Truth Seekers. I’m interested to see where the story goes in the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

4 star - a brilliant debut novel.
"And if Heroes are born to be executed, then tyrannies are doomed to forge the very weapon that will destroy them.” Veyre, daughter of a Protecter, has to uphold her honor as a soldier. And Ax, a street-smart thief who's in debt and so works with rebels.

This was creatively written and the ideas are explored in a refreshing manner. The themes within this novel are relevant to today's times- even the fragile, brokered truth. The revolt against the dictating regime was carefully thought out; the unmasking of propaganda, how difficult it is to fight for your beliefs an controlling environment, and the necessary evil. The heists and rebellion were well-paced and overall an immersive worldbuilding and plot that kept me engaged.

The alternating perspectives opened my eyes to how revolts can look depending on the perspective. The disparity in motivation between the two parties gave the audience bits and pieces of understanding in the overarching storyline. Character-wise, it was done quite well with genuine characters who each had their own individual dreams, hopes, and drive- which made for a range of cast and interesting dynamics.

Despite the fleshed-out individuality each character displayed, the dialogue lacked the lively, back and forth of a typical conversation, rather a more informational device to convey tidbits of information for the plot. The conversations resulted in relationships being explored less, remaining a surface (sometimes deeper) level of depth in dynamics. However, there were an infrequent amount of progressions that felt illogical, so perhaps because of this, the emotional depth didn't feel complete as other parts of the story.

The ending was slightly confusing, but overall it was a pleasant read. The excution and writing was effectively simple, so it leaned more towards the genre of Young Adult than Fantasy. There is politics in this book that readers should be conscious of, but also rebellion, fights, and cute romance.

Rebellions aren’t born. They are forged. 🔥

If you love:
👥 Gripping Multi-POV
⚔️ Tyranny & Rebellion
🎭 High-Stakes Heists
🏰 Immersive Epic Fantasy
❤️ Found Family Feels
…then In Ice We Steel by Ayleen Kyrstin is the book for you!

We’re taken to Kerti Island, where the regime hoards all knowledge and power. The story follows three unforgettable characters whose paths are destined to collide: Zea, a brilliant scholar-prisoner ready to burn her chains; Ax, a thief drowning in debt but fighting to protect those he loves; and Veyre, a soldier whose loyalty is cracking under the weight of her conscience. Together, their secrets could shatter an empire.

My thoughts:
I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOOOVED THIS FANTASY. It was utterly addicting and so fast-paced. You know it's good when you’re finishing the book at 2 AM, bargaining for "just two more chapters..."
The multi-POV structure had me completely hooked. Seeing the rebellion from opposing sides, the soldier, the thief, and the scholar gave the story so much depth. You truly understand why each character thinks and acts the way they do.

Ayleen Kyrstin has a true gift for writing characters. She makes you love them, gives their lives purpose, and isn’t afraid to rip them away!!

Veyre is INCREDIBLE. I loved her internal conflict between duty and what she knows is right. My heart lit up every time her chapter came around. Her storyline is intense and full of the unexpected.

And Ax completely stole my heart. An orphan from nothing, his struggle to choose between his dream and the fight for justice, all while protecting Emre, had me fully invested.

My only wish? I was desperately hoping for a meeting between the two main POVs! Seeing their separate journeys has set up an explosive interconnection that I KNOW is coming in book two and I cannot wait to read it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⁄5 — An absolute must-read. Truly an amazing debut epic fantasy!!

Thanks Netgalley, Bright Forge Press and Ayleen Kyrstin for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

An epic novel about taking back your world from leaders who control every inch of their people's lives, Ax and Veyre live in an unjust world. One where things are powered by steam, people starve on their streets, and more so, one where anyone can take anything from anyone no matter how long it took them to build it. Because money isn't power in this world, corruption is. And once I started it, I couldn't put it down.

With a beautiful red cover that symbolizes the end of the book, Ax is a thief with his little adopted brother not because he wants to, but because that's what he has to do to survive. That doesn't mean he doesn't like his job, though. But after a mob boss called The Bulldog sends a mob after him to collect what's owed, they threaten that he'll be sent to the brothels to become a slave if he can't pay. This motivates them to not only run away, but to join the rebels that are fighting with their own blood to change the way that their world works.

Veyre, on the other hand, is a peacekeeper in this horrible world. Taking down anyone who doesn't follow their beliefs with ease, they use weapons called thunder guns seemingly to decide gods wrath. And anyone who hasn't been blessed, trying to use these guns, has a death curse put on them simply for touching them. And she's determined to take down the resistance with her commander father, to do the only thing that she knows as write in her world. But after her only friend in the world is killed by one of their own, she's forced to rethink being a peacekeeper altogether. And even more so when she's forced to kill an innocent man. But everything changes when she's kidnapped by the rebels for ransom, because she knows deep in her bones that her father will never pay to get her back; after all, she's nothing more than a soldier fighting for her country.

A very exciting and bloody story, it kept me captivated from the very beginning. The characters themselves are so strong despite their hard lives, determined to fight for what's right even though it may not be what others around them want. Absolutely heart wrenching at times, If you're looking for something full of blood, guts, and war, this is something you're going to want to grab as soon as you can. My favourite character of course was Ax, and I loved getting to see him bloom with his new family, even though he was fighting for his life throughout most of this book.

In Ice We Steel is a great novel, and I have a feeling that the series will continue to get stronger. The discourse on the dangers of propaganda in society and the way that leaders can sow fear with misinformation was uncanny. Both main characters - Ax and Veyre - made me want to root for them. The “savior” of the movement was a distinct and likable character as well. I think that the book gets better as it goes along. The second half is quite suspenseful and fast-paced, which I appreciated. Some of the dialogue could have been developed better to come across as more natural. I also would have liked it if the two main characters from opposing camps had ultimately met and reckoned with each other in a significant way. Perhaps that will happen in later books. I also think it would have been helpful if the author returned to the unique character in the opening of the book, even to briefly touch on her experience. I appreciated the moments when things didn't go according to plan because it kept me wanting to read more late into the night. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and seeing how this series matures.

Let me start by saying, the cover is drop-dead gorgeous. The book also highlights the beauty, sharing something common with the cover. Zea and Ax were everything, and to read about them was an immense joy. The slow-burn take on the relationship was a perfect one, since it crafted the perfect root for this relationship to flourish on. I liked the nuanced way of highlighting real-world problems in this book, and I am a big fan of that! Overall, a stellar book, and one that I would recommend. More thoughts to come closer to its release.