The Winter King is coming, bringing four months of deathly cold. This god-king rules through his Aldormancy, and the high Aldor’s word is law. In Christine Cohen’s The Winter King, the dead walk the forest, ravenous wolves wait to devour wanderers, and winter stores are quickly depleted. Cora only wants to survive the winter, but at every turn she is waylaid by misfortune, which the Aldor says is the Winter King’s will. The Winter King could save Cora, but she has a secret: she hates the Winter King. She’s convinced he’s not the loving god the Aldor says he is, and she believes she can prove it—if she lives long enough. The Winter King is everything a fantasy lover wants: adventure, political intrigue, and a little bit of romance. Rich with allegory yet avoiding overt preachiness, this story is a must-read.

Best for: Young adults and fans of allegorical fantasy.

Discern: Torture, starvation, death, and undeath.