Amber and I are BACK this September for a fun new readalong! We're about to start our monthly discussion for our August YA book, Omen Of Ice by Jus Accardo!
As a reminder, from now on, our monthly discussions will be both here on the OwlCrate blog AND on The Nest! Go check out Amber's discussion that will be full of fun extras like bookish charades, shelf scavenger hunts and coloring pages!
On each day we'll read a section of Omen Of Ice, both on the blog and in The Nest's group, and then discuss in the comments our theories and predictions. This means there will be spoilers for each section! Beware!
Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for chapters 1-5 of Omen Of Ice, so make sure you read or are finished this section before continuing.
The aesthetic...the vibes...the baby blues. Team curation has outdone themselves with this edition!
Chapter One:
We meet our main character, Keltania and her cousin, Alainya at their sacred ceremony to become protectors of the Winter Fae, their long-time allies. Each is initiated with magical runes and becomes a sworn protector. This is because a thousand years ago, a great war between the Fae Courts and Druids raged. A Druid priestess, in love with a Fae Lord, gave him all her magic and his burned out. The land was saved but the Winter Fae no longer wield magic, and now a small group of humans are trained to protect them.
The next morning Keltania travels with some Winter Fae to their lands and learns that a kernel of magic has kept it blooming and wintery.
Kel learns that she's to protect a member of the royal family, Valen, Lord Orbik's only nephew. They arrive at the castle and Keltania worries that Valen may turn out to be a handful. 
Chapter Two (Valen):
Valen returns to the castle and is asked to go to his Uncle Orbik and Aunt Liania as they have news. He's distracted by a pretty fae girl who wonders what he could possibly have need of Val for during a party. But Valen knows that his uncle needs something. 
Chapter Three (Keltania):
Keltania dresses for the party and speaks with Kopic, the Winter Fae that escorted her to court. He asks about her sigils and provides her some advice on how to navigate court.
She's brought to Lord Obrik and Lady Liani who ask Kel her name, to which she responds simply with her title: Aphelian. She refuses to provide them another name and Lady Liani mocks her slightly.
It's then that Valen comes to see his Uncle and meets her. Obrik introduces Valen to Kel and explains that she's his guard. He mocks her before loosely apologizing while Obrik insists harshly that Valen accepts Kel as his protector.
Keltania asks to speak with Valen and she follows them. He tells her that he does not need a protector and asks her if she will leave or if he could pay her to leave. As they're arguing, they're attacked by someone, one of Valen's old tutors. Kel beats him back but makes a mistake and is almost harmed before Valen freezes their attacker.
Kel is shocked. Valen has magic. 
Chapter Four (Valen):
Valen makes his way back to his rooms while Keltania follows. She asks him questions about his magic, including who taught him. Valen finds all her questions annoying and dodges them. Kel asks him where she's to stay and Valen responds that she can pick any room in the east wing.
Kel chooses a closet.
They say goodnight. 
Chapter Five (Keltania):
Kel wards the east wing and then returns to her room where she finds it's been de-closetified with a cot and some clean clothes. She changes, eats some food and thinks about her assignment as Valen's guardian.
The next morning Kel leaves her room and appreciates the view of Valen's physique, he promptly teases her over this but then she explains she was looking at a sigil tattooed onto his chest, over his heart. It's a ward against love and Kel is surprised that he has it.
Valen explains that he cannot risk someone manipulating him through love and that when a Fae falls in, love it's forever. It was also not his idea.
Keltania uses her ward magic to trace a mark onto Valen that will ensure that his heart will restart once if stopped. Valen flirts and teases Kel as she does this, and suggests that she change out of her sleep clothes.
I think we ALL know where this is going...
Questions:
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📖What did you think of the story of Aphelian and Servis? -
❄️Would you like to go to the Winter Court? -
💔Why would someone want Valen to have the heartbreaker sigil?
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