Seeker of the Crown by Ruth Lauren

Prisoner of Ice and Snow Book 2. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781681191331
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Valor risks everything to protect her friends in this second book in a thrilling fantasy series that's Percy Jackson meets Frozen.
'One month has passed since Valor broke her twin sister Sasha out of jail. But the girl who imprisoned her to begin with - Princess Anastasia - has gone missing. The queen, desperate to find her daughter, asks Valor and Sasha to track Anastasia down and bring her home.
But just as the girls and their friends embark on the search, the queen also vanishes, throwing the realm into utter chaos. If Valor can't restore order, she risks getting sent back to prison . . . and tearing her newly reunited family apart once again. She must rely on people she can't quite trust, as well as her own instincts, to protect the people she holds dear.' (Publisher)
I could not put down Prisoner of ice and snow, the first book in the series and this was no exception. I found myself going to bed early to read as much of it as I could before I fell asleep. It is fast paced, and I loved the descriptive language that Lauren so cleverly intertwines into the story. Despite this book being a sequel, it could in fact be read as a stand-alone.
It is a great read for fantasy readers starting from age 10 and up. Valor is an incredibly strong lead character and I love the fact she is female. The plot is complex and continually twists and turns. There is certainly no sexism in this book with both male and female characters taking on the roles of archery, guards, royalty and hunters. This is a welcome companion to the first book and a must read.
Kathryn Schumacher