The Basics:
The Book: Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West
How long is it? 456 Pages
Will Be Published: July 25, 2025 wherever you buy books (Instead of my usual bookshop.org link, I’m going to send you over to Liesl’s website, where you can find pre-order links for several places, content warnings, and a really cool map of Adria)
The Genre: Adult Romance/Fantasy (Standalone-ish, but part of the Sirens of Adria series)
I received an advanced copy from author Liesl West.
What It’s About (Via Goodreads):
A kingdom on the edge.
A monster in the depths.
And a bond that could rule or ruin…
Princess Nahlani of the Brine would rather master her siren magic than endure the responsibilities of court. So, when she’s threatened with an arranged marriage to a land-bound prince, Nahla flees—only to swim into the icy domain of the cruel Frost King.
King Aethan rules a Rime in ruins, his cold exterior concealing an unspoken a curse that turns him into a bloodthirsty, unpredictable threat to his own people. The siren spy in his waters doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be safer behind bars…
Determined to escape her new captor, Nahla’s magic sparks a forbidden alliance. Unaware of the bond she’s formed with the kingdom’s most feared creature—the fabled clawbeast—Aethan moves her from prison to palace.
But as the truth of the beast unravels, so does the distance between Nahla and Aethan, leaving them to confront a dangerous and undeniable attraction.
Part of the Sirens of Adria series, Of Rime and Ruin is a fantasy romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
What I Thought:
I loved Of Song And Scepter, and when I saw that West was looking for ARC readers, I knew I had to apply for the arc, and I am so glad I was approved for, because this book was so good!
I loved Nahla and Aethan so much! You don’t need to read Of Song And Scepter first, even though both books are set in the same world, since both stories are stand-alones, and focus on two very different couples. I think Of Song And Scepter is a great book, and you should read it, but you’ll still know what’s going on if you skip it.
I loved this take on Beauty And The Beast, and I loved that we not only had Nahla and Aethan narrating, but the Beast as well. This version is dark and icy, with an interesting mystery to boot. I didn’t see the resolution to the mystery coming, but I liked seeing how that got resolved and how it came together. Lucas was awful, and he is definitely the Gaston of this story, if you’re looking for parallels to the movie. I wasn’t surprised by his role in things by the end of the book, but I’d be curious to see if it’s something I’d notice if I’d re-read it again. I did like the nods to the movie, as well, and it really makes me want to go watch the movie!
I loved Nahla, and I was rooting for her the entire book. I don’t blame her for wanting to escape, and though things were rough in Rime, I’m also glad it worked out for her. I also loved how Aethan defended her when her family was acting completely awful. Aethan was interesting and I was surprised to see that Aethan and the beast was more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation. While it strays from the movie, I thought it was really cool, because there are these two sides to him that he needs to reconcile. Granted, I’ve never read Jekyll and Hyde, so I’m not the best source, but I thought it was a great take on the Beast. I really liked Aethan as well, and I definitely understood why he thought Nahla was a spy. Obviously, he changes his mind about her by the end of the book, but his initial distrust made a lot of sense to me. I especially loved them together, and I loved seeing them fall in love.
My Rating:
I loved this book so much, and it is a 5 star read for me! If you love mermaids, magic, and Beauty And The Beast, this is the book for you!
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Reading Books With Coffee 