Reviews with content warning for Gore - Frost

the way that i blew through this y'all!

i haven't read The Selection, but from what i understand it's basically that but *make it fae*

when i picked it up i wasn't sure how much i'd like it, but i was cackling so much at the first few pages alone i got immediately sucked in. the FMC Ava is spunky and hilarious, the prince Torin is actually a pretty standup MMC, and the competition is fierce. while there are tons of laughs, there's also danger and mystery (with a touch of violence). the buildup and chemistry between Ava and Torin is everythinggggg i was literally screaming NOW KISS at my kindle.

i could see the reveal/twist coming most of the book, but i still enjoyed it.

i'm immediately sprinting to book 2.

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doubletherazzle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated

3.25

Fantasy where the bachelor meets hunger games and not mad about it. The writing isn’t fantastic and I caught a few editing issues and I’m sure there are plot holes if you think too hard about it, but I liked the story and the tropes - dark broody misunderstood MMC, mysterious feisty strong-willed MFC

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meghansarmiento97's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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ariel790's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Requires the Sequel

I am torn between rating this book a 3 or 4. The main character's motivations are shallow, her past purposely left frustratingly vague. Her relationship with Torin is clearly an enemy to lovers trope that is painstakingly slow to develop and is mostly a tease. Left in a complete cliffhanger. Most goodies promised for the sequel. Yet I wanted to keep reading and still want to follow these characters to the next tale. The world in which the characters live is messy, and complicated. The characters themselves are interesting and their drama promises intrigue. I want to praise the author for these developments. For this, I want to put a 4.

I think I will go with a 3, after writing this all down. The story is purposely left incomplete in order to do a second book. Thus leaving me as a reader unsatisfied and dependent on getting my Ava and Torin fix with a secondary purchase. I, unfortunately, am not made of money, and have to carefully deliberate each purchase. Especially in the current economy. So, it will be some time, most likely, before I can pick up the next. Even though at the moment I really, really want to. This is a testament to the author's writing and storytelling, but use of shameless tactics. As it sits with book one, the story is incomplete. There is not a satisfying conclusion or tie up of at least some events. Majority of what Ava "discovers" by the end didn't take much investigative work and was known, as the reader, before the first half. It needs more. So as a stand alone, yes a 3 rating will do. With its sequel (or sequels?) together, most likely higher.

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rumsey_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

2.5

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madravingintrovert's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is an urban and high fantasy setting crossover with elements from The Selection beautifully woven in. They also incorporate the vicious fae setting masterfully but keep it restrained enough that there isn't blood and gore and dismemberment at every turn. The ending was a little predictable but I am still excited to see where they go with the story in book 2. There are several sexual-ish scenes/fantasies but nothing overly done.

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lotte5322's review against another edition

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4.5

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maaikereadsbooks_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Many thanks to Victory Editing and C.N. Crawford for the advanced copy of Frost via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.

Frost is the first book of Crawford’s new Frost and Nectar duology. This story mixes contemporary life with classic ‘medieval’ style Fae tropes. One trope which Crawford does not follow, however, is referring to Fae as males/females rather than men/women. This isn’t something I’d actually ever sat down to think about but, as ‘Fae’ are definitely one of my main wheelhouse topics, I’ve realised this is one of my big bugbears. Fae aren’t human, therefore shouldn’t be, to my mind, women or men, but females and males.

This book is a quick, fun read, with a bit of teasing, slow-burn spice which puts it in the ‘new adult’ category which continues to sit awkwardly between the ‘no sex please’ young adult and ‘sex is boring now’ full-on grown-up books. There’s swearing, there’s sass and there’s humour, but there’s also a good dash of blood, violence, and death.

Whilst nothing spectacular happens in the book, and the ending is pretty predictable, the conundrum posed at the beginning of the book is a clever one and overall, it’s a good read which draws you in, and it can easily be read over a weekend for someone who has the time and inclination!

I’ll definitely be reading the second book, Ambrosia, when it comes out (currently due January 2023).

Tropes: forbidden love, marriage pact, unknown identity

Spice: 2/5

Trigger warnings: Alcohol, Blood/Gore, Cheating, Death, Death of a family member, Guns/weapons, Violence

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