Title: Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles #3)
Author: Kresley Cole
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions
Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory
Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned
There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first...? 

My Thoughts: 
Evie has sure come a long way since Poison Princess. She was just so utterly weak and lacking in survival instincts in the first book, but after everything she's endured and overcome since the Flash, you wouldn't recognize this former cheerleader anymore. And I totally love it! As the tarot Empress, Evie possesses terrifying powers that include poison and regeneration, but she has still barely scratched the arsenal at her disposal and the range of her abilities continues to grow.

After struggling so hard to accept her role as one of the Major Arcana and the terrible acts she committed in her past lives, Evie is finally ready to embrace her destiny in Dead of Winter. In the months that Evie has been living in Death's isolated fortress, Jack has risen as a leader among the human survivors, founding Fort Arcana and building his own army to counter the Azey, led by the sadistic twins Violet and Vincent, known as the Lovers. Evie must convince Jack and Death to somehow work together and launch an attack against their cruel enemies before it's too late to stop them.

The unlikely trio must once again set off into the post-apocalyptic nightmare they live in, but their journey is further complicated by Evie's very torn personal feelings towards both men. Evie has fallen in love with both Jack and Death for very different reasons and can't imagine life without either of them. Death has seen the best and worst sides of Evie in the many reincarnated lives they've shared, but Jack's raw passion always makes her feel so very alive. Evie doesn't know how she could possibly make a decision.
 
I thought the Arcana Chronicles was a trilogy, I really did. Now imagine my surprise when Dead of Winter ended on a major cliffhanger! As I anxiously read those last 50 pages, I kept wondering how loose ends could possibly be tied up as the novel certainly didn't seem to be moving towards a finale. It didn't even occur to me that there could be another book after Dead of Winter. I can't believe Kresley Cole could stab a dagger into our hearts and then leave us hanging like that! I need the next book. Right. Now.

Kresley Cole's Dead of Winter is an explosive, heart-pounding continuation of the Arcana Chronicles. The progression of this series, from Evie's character growth to the complex world-building of an endless battle between the Major Arcana, is absolutely stunning. I loved every moment of Dead of Winter and will be waiting with breathless anticipation to learn what happens next.