What a promising first couple of chapters this is!

I don’t usually prefer an omnipresent writing style, but the author has written this so well, including portions of detail in between events or dialogue, that the pacing remains strong and kept my interest.

We don’t learn too much about the FMC in these opening chapters, but what we do learn is most definitely intriguing.

The setting is beautifully descriptive and genuinely made me shudder from imaginary cold.

I am very intrigued to see what happens from the rest of the story and more from this author in the future.

This is an excellent first book in a fantasy series about a village who are sacrificed up onto a ledge in the mountains to serve as food for the “glacians”

Dawsyn manages to escape with the help of a hybrid glacian and so follows a romance of enemies to lovers between the two as they attempt to evade capture and imminent death.

The end lands on a cliff hanger that leaves way for book number 2.

It was hard to judge this based on the first two chapters alone.
The world building was great, the characters seem like they’re going to be interesting, but I felt like I needed more content to judge the prose, plot development, etc.
I liked what I read, and I’ve added this to be TBR to read it fully and will then make a full judgement.

It's hard to give feedback based on 2 chapters. They didn't knock my socks off but I was intrigued enough to add ledge to my wishlist

As a person that has already read the first 2 books in this series, it was so fun to revisit the first two chapters in this book. I love how you are immediately dropped into the frozen terrain of the Ledge and introduced to how amazing Dawsyn is. With this little teaser sample, I think readers would be eager to finish the book. Be sure to check this one out!!

The cold is not alive.

Wow, as a reader that has read this book, I had forgotten how well the first two chapters drew me in and led me to not being able to stop. This sample drops you into the world Stacey created from the first page and immerses you into the frozen terrain of the Ledge. This little snipped would definitely leave me wanting more!! The way Stacey details life on the Ledge and the terrain of where Dawsyn lives brings a chill down my spine every time. With the tease of the Selection, readers would be eager to see where this story goes and what adventures lie in wait for Dawsyn.

Only read the sample and so excited to see how this goes, I wouldn’t be able to give an honest review based on 2 chapter unfortunately.
Unable to really comment further sorry. But it is on my TBR

Thanks netgalley for the 2 chapter arc sample

I didn’t realize this was a sampler when I requested it! But this story seems so cool. I can’t wait to read more! I loved the characters and the world

What a beginning!
Beautiful written, and vivid descriptions, I adore the writing style in this. Definitely be continuing the novel.
Very interesting start!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC sample to review voluntarily.

I received the first two chapters to review, and colour me intrigued! I’m not usually a fan of present tense written stories, but this one flows well and creates such a hostile environment straight away! (In the best way).
The concept, from what I’ve read, seems Hunger Games-esque and is interesting enough that I want to read the whole book

I want to thank NetGalley and Angry Robot for providing me with an egalley sampler of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I did not have an expectations going into this sampler. I don't often pick up books that are TikTok sensations because they don't always meet my reading criteria. But this one has a great premise. Totally different from other fantasy books I've read.
The first two chapters give you a good idea of how the world is built for this book. You see the scenery, though you aren't completely understanding why things ended up the way they did (obviously build on in the latter parts of the story).
Having actually read this entire story (and the second book) I will say the reader needs more than just two chapters to get into this story. This book starts off a bit slow but is totally worth the read once the story actually gets going. If given only the first two chapters of the book to rely on, I don't think I would continue to read the story. But having read the actual book, I understand sometimes things start off more slowly and build.
I really like Dawsyn's character. In this snippet of the story you see her survival instincts and how those are important to where she lives and who surrounds her. She doesn't allow herself to get too close to anyone (good thing since the people of her village keep getting taken by the monsters that live across the chasm). But the idea of survival is what is most important for the readers to understand. The violence that happens, the background of how cold it is, the ways in which the characters exist to survive definitely shines through in this sampler.
If you love a good fantasy with well fleshed out characters, a rich background of interesting world building, monsters you could not fathom to exist, and a slow burn romance, jump into this series and see where it takes you!

I was nervous at first finding out this ARC was just a sample of the first two chapters. After diving in I can honestly say that I'm thoroughly impressed how quickly drawn in I was. Dawsyn was so swiftly drawn to life it amazes me. The author did a beautiful job at painting a vibrant picture and putting the readers right there on the Ledge with Dawsyn. With just a taste of this world left on my tongue. I share wonder in what comes next. What will happen come selection day? What fate lies in Dawsyns hands further down the line? What happens after being chosen by the Glacians? I’m thrilled to read the rest of the book and learn more about how the story unfolds.

I enjoyed the two chapters a lot. I will definitely be picking up the full book. The writing was beautifully done and the world was captivating.

I am reviewing a 2 chapter sample - which is admittedly not much to go off, but I could definitely see myself picking this up (in winter only, it’s not a summer book). I do hate the name of the FMC though, reminds me of Dawson’s Creek unfortunately!

I just read Netgalley’s two chapter sample of the book. The writing drew me in immediately but the dialogue was a little stiff. I will definitely be continuing the series.

I don't know, 3.5/5? The beginning was so sharp and detailed about life on the Ledge and that's what hooked me! Then things unraveled QUICKLY. I normally love when stories have that zoomed-out effect. Start small, open the world to something bigger, normally with a broader and more in-depth plot. That gets me every time and doesn't make me feel suffocated in the environment. This story STARTED that way and didn't quite stick the landing. We were forced to believe in a (very short) relationship between main characters (see forced proximity and enemies to lovers tropes that are rarely done well IMO). It wasn't believable, the characters emotions and choices weren't believable, and that makes the story entertaining but also fragile. Our main character is believed to be strong-willed, capable, and independent with some actions, but then caves when our MMC cradles her or carries her.

I was not invested enough to finish this book as quickly as I should have, but was very into the ending. I do love when authors throw wrenches into plans and no character is safe. But I'm hoping it's not just a "let's kill off a character for drama" in place of "this death has a purpose". Because of that, I'll definitely read the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy!

Some books immediately catch your attention and I think Ledge could be one of those. I love being thrown into a book and catching up on the worldbuilding later (if it's done properly). So I can definitely see myself adding this book to my never-ending tbr.
One thing that did bother me slightly (and this is just my preference) is that it's written in the present tense. But again, if the story continues as strong as it started, it really wouldn't bother me at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Stacey McEwan for allowing me to read and review a 2 chapter sampler.

"The Ledge does not reward the meek". Man this books starts off strong.

Ready to continue on! I'm very interested in understanding the Ledge and Chasm more. The start has a very "Maze Runner" feel.

In this preview, you jump right into the bleakness of existence for Dawson. All there is for her to do is try and survive..

I’m these first few chapters, I was captured by the details put into the story! You’re able to get a perfect image of Dawsyn’s existence, but it was never overdone.

I’m glad this book is already out because I will be immediately going to order it!

As a debut novel, it isn’t so bad. The beginning was really well written and interesting. It kept a really nice pace and Dawson is awesome. However as the story develops it kinda falls apart around her getting taken. The world development just ain’t there. The romance is very tropey and just didn’t have anything extraordinary to it unfortunately.