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karireyn's review against another edition
4.0
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.
Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?
...I was really intrigued with this book-to start off with I immediately felt like it was going to be along the lines of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" but was pleasantly surprised that although it had some of the same elements it was it's own unique store. I felt like Lia's inner dialogue kind of jumped around a bit but I was happy with the pace of the novel as a whole. I'm intruged to see how Lia's relationship with Adam comes about in the next book, we all know something is going to happen there. And will Cole make an appearance again? Better yet will we see where the gate leads? I'm excited to get my hands on the second book....
She saves his life.
Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.
But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.
Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?
...I was really intrigued with this book-to start off with I immediately felt like it was going to be along the lines of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" but was pleasantly surprised that although it had some of the same elements it was it's own unique store. I felt like Lia's inner dialogue kind of jumped around a bit but I was happy with the pace of the novel as a whole. I'm intruged to see how Lia's relationship with Adam comes about in the next book, we all know something is going to happen there. And will Cole make an appearance again? Better yet will we see where the gate leads? I'm excited to get my hands on the second book....
mamap's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book. Harsh. I'm a little torn. I think it's pretty well done, but I do like my stories to have happy endings. This is more about principle than comfort. I'm old and selfish and I like comfort.
The details regarding the world they live in are lacking, but the need to help a fugitive is obvious. It's all the same story - fleeing the oppression - one would decide to help regardless of the difficulty.
The details regarding the world they live in are lacking, but the need to help a fugitive is obvious. It's all the same story - fleeing the oppression - one would decide to help regardless of the difficulty.
emeryrachelle's review against another edition
5.0
This is a series review.
(Note: there are also two novellas, Brewer and Fugitive, that take place between books four and five. I am totally buying them, but since I haven't done so yet, they're not included in this review.)
I have finally found an author who measures up to the marvels of Cidney Swanson. Surprisingly - or perhaps not? - she, too, is an indie author. Other similarities between the two: their breathtaking book covers drew me in where the back cover copy left me skeptical. Both women focus more on series than standalone novels. Finally, both write in forms of the speculative genre, be that science fiction or dystopian.
Of course every book has flaws. The Frost books had a few typos, and the fourth book had a couple of minor inconsistencies with the rest of the series. (Example: a book referred to as The Winter Parables in the other books was called The Snow Parables in book four. Not a huge deal.) The author kept mixing up peak/peek and, more commonly, pour/pore. The first book got a bit sensuous, but that actually faded out for the most part. (Not the romance - definitely not! - but the toeing-the-line-between-okay-and-not.) There was one random curse word in one book, which I think just missed editing. (Today's cursing didn't really fit the story world.) Other than that, though, the writing was spotless. Glorious vocabulary, a perfect blend of showing and telling, a strongly designed story world, unique and individual characters...
Speaking of characters, they're basically the heart of these books, and most definitely the best part(s). Whether you like a person or not, you come to love the author's brilliant depth and voice for each unique person, no matter how small their role. Who can Lia trust? Why is he acting like that? What does she want? Everything comes down to motivation, just as it should, and the motivations here are not lacking.
There is a love triangle that develops a little less than halfway into the series... but oh, how beautifully it was written. I have never seen a triangle so masterfully done - for a Hunger Games and Matched fan like me, that's saying something. This series leaves those books in the dust. Both boys are equally matched to the girl and both would be great choices, emotionally and logically. Both of them have lives outside the girl. No matter what, the triangle is neither pushed too far aside as to become pointless, nor honed in on to the point where it becomes irritating. Lia keeps her head through everything. In fact, she's probably the strongest, most sensible heroine I've met.
Actually, Lia's strength of mind annoys me sometimes. It was worst in book four, if I remember correctly. In her attempt to protect those she loves and stay true to her loyalties, she doubts anyone who has ever not been on her side. At least four times she had absolutely no faith towards characters that were clearly (to me, anyway) not as evil as she made them out to be. As Gabe eventually points out, "Is there anyone you do trust, Lia?" (That might not be the exact quote.) At least the other characters were both as aware of and annoyed by this major trust issue as I was.
I wish I could tell you about everyone in this book. Ann, the soft and sweet best friend. Gabe, the mysterious fugitive. Adam, the unreadable loner. Jonn, the crippled but capable twin. Ivy, the irritating younger sister who grows oh-so-much. Borde, the strange scientist. Korr and Gordon and Raine and the Mayor and Claire and Cat and Stone and Everiss...
Some character-driven stories are a bit lacking in the plot department, but nobody will ever be able to accuse the Frost Chronicles of this. The twists! The turns! The development! While I sort-of agree with another Amazon reviewer - the fifth book felt like it lacked something in plot - the majority of the storyline was just stunning. I laughed, I cried, and I never knew what was coming. Seriously. As a writer, I've gotten used to finding every book I read a bit predictable. I've learned to distinguish what's coming up before the average reader. We talk about that in my writers' group a lot. But even though there was enough foreshadowing and hints laid out beforehand, I got my predictions shockingly wrong. Every. Single. Time. This person's the bad guy! That place is where they'll end up! He's going to die! She's going to turn out to be this big secret thing!
I'm surprised I never got annoyed with the *BUZZZ you're wrong!* moments. I guess I was too enthralled with what actually ended up happening to care that I had no idea where it was going. Each book in the series gives enough answers for you to feel like the book ended, but leaves enough questions to pull you right along to the next book. If I had an issue with any of the books' setup, it would have to be the openings. They never picked up exactly where the last book left off, and they felt a bit abrupt. It was hard to get into the first couple of books. It got easier with each book. The last book had a prologue, which none of the others did. I liked it, but it didn't seem to quite fit the flow of the series - I'd prefer if it were just chapter one.
The last book was also the only one with an epilogue, but that fit perfectly. Without that epilogue, the entire series would be left incomplete. After such a long ride with these characters, it was nice to ease out of the story world. All loose ends are tied together. The epilogue's almost entirely telling, but it works. It's like the older Grimm or Anderson fairy tale style, back before showing was a thing, or like when someone tells you a story orally. Even though it broke all the writing rules, the epilogue was probably one of the best part of the series.
The Frost Chronicles, my lovely readers, are a glorious example of escape reading with morals. I may or may not be experiencing book hangover... and my expectations for modern teen literature have certainly been raised impossibly higher. Traditional publishing's got nothing on Kate Avery Ellison.
I won a free copy of the first ebook of this series through LibraryThing. Upon my request, the author supplied the other four ebooks for free in exchange for a single series-wide review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
(Note: there are also two novellas, Brewer and Fugitive, that take place between books four and five. I am totally buying them, but since I haven't done so yet, they're not included in this review.)
I have finally found an author who measures up to the marvels of Cidney Swanson. Surprisingly - or perhaps not? - she, too, is an indie author. Other similarities between the two: their breathtaking book covers drew me in where the back cover copy left me skeptical. Both women focus more on series than standalone novels. Finally, both write in forms of the speculative genre, be that science fiction or dystopian.
Of course every book has flaws. The Frost books had a few typos, and the fourth book had a couple of minor inconsistencies with the rest of the series. (Example: a book referred to as The Winter Parables in the other books was called The Snow Parables in book four. Not a huge deal.) The author kept mixing up peak/peek and, more commonly, pour/pore. The first book got a bit sensuous, but that actually faded out for the most part. (Not the romance - definitely not! - but the toeing-the-line-between-okay-and-not.) There was one random curse word in one book, which I think just missed editing. (Today's cursing didn't really fit the story world.) Other than that, though, the writing was spotless. Glorious vocabulary, a perfect blend of showing and telling, a strongly designed story world, unique and individual characters...
Speaking of characters, they're basically the heart of these books, and most definitely the best part(s). Whether you like a person or not, you come to love the author's brilliant depth and voice for each unique person, no matter how small their role. Who can Lia trust? Why is he acting like that? What does she want? Everything comes down to motivation, just as it should, and the motivations here are not lacking.
There is a love triangle that develops a little less than halfway into the series... but oh, how beautifully it was written. I have never seen a triangle so masterfully done - for a Hunger Games and Matched fan like me, that's saying something. This series leaves those books in the dust. Both boys are equally matched to the girl and both would be great choices, emotionally and logically. Both of them have lives outside the girl. No matter what, the triangle is neither pushed too far aside as to become pointless, nor honed in on to the point where it becomes irritating. Lia keeps her head through everything. In fact, she's probably the strongest, most sensible heroine I've met.
Actually, Lia's strength of mind annoys me sometimes. It was worst in book four, if I remember correctly. In her attempt to protect those she loves and stay true to her loyalties, she doubts anyone who has ever not been on her side. At least four times she had absolutely no faith towards characters that were clearly (to me, anyway) not as evil as she made them out to be. As Gabe eventually points out, "Is there anyone you do trust, Lia?" (That might not be the exact quote.) At least the other characters were both as aware of and annoyed by this major trust issue as I was.
I wish I could tell you about everyone in this book. Ann, the soft and sweet best friend. Gabe, the mysterious fugitive. Adam, the unreadable loner. Jonn, the crippled but capable twin. Ivy, the irritating younger sister who grows oh-so-much. Borde, the strange scientist. Korr and Gordon and Raine and the Mayor and Claire and Cat and Stone and Everiss...
Some character-driven stories are a bit lacking in the plot department, but nobody will ever be able to accuse the Frost Chronicles of this. The twists! The turns! The development! While I sort-of agree with another Amazon reviewer - the fifth book felt like it lacked something in plot - the majority of the storyline was just stunning. I laughed, I cried, and I never knew what was coming. Seriously. As a writer, I've gotten used to finding every book I read a bit predictable. I've learned to distinguish what's coming up before the average reader. We talk about that in my writers' group a lot. But even though there was enough foreshadowing and hints laid out beforehand, I got my predictions shockingly wrong. Every. Single. Time. This person's the bad guy! That place is where they'll end up! He's going to die! She's going to turn out to be this big secret thing!
I'm surprised I never got annoyed with the *BUZZZ you're wrong!* moments. I guess I was too enthralled with what actually ended up happening to care that I had no idea where it was going. Each book in the series gives enough answers for you to feel like the book ended, but leaves enough questions to pull you right along to the next book. If I had an issue with any of the books' setup, it would have to be the openings. They never picked up exactly where the last book left off, and they felt a bit abrupt. It was hard to get into the first couple of books. It got easier with each book. The last book had a prologue, which none of the others did. I liked it, but it didn't seem to quite fit the flow of the series - I'd prefer if it were just chapter one.
The last book was also the only one with an epilogue, but that fit perfectly. Without that epilogue, the entire series would be left incomplete. After such a long ride with these characters, it was nice to ease out of the story world. All loose ends are tied together. The epilogue's almost entirely telling, but it works. It's like the older Grimm or Anderson fairy tale style, back before showing was a thing, or like when someone tells you a story orally. Even though it broke all the writing rules, the epilogue was probably one of the best part of the series.
The Frost Chronicles, my lovely readers, are a glorious example of escape reading with morals. I may or may not be experiencing book hangover... and my expectations for modern teen literature have certainly been raised impossibly higher. Traditional publishing's got nothing on Kate Avery Ellison.
I won a free copy of the first ebook of this series through LibraryThing. Upon my request, the author supplied the other four ebooks for free in exchange for a single series-wide review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
shelvesofsecrets's review against another edition
5.0
This book was awesome! I love the cover and loved Lia, but most of all I loved the setting. The Frost is a cold, inhospitable land where people live in a tightly regulated society and live in constant fear of Watchers. I'm a huge fan of dystopians and Kate Avery Ellison did a great job creating hers. I love the idea of the quota system and the intense fear of outsiders. I also loved how the reader got to see the layers of the society peeled back for a better view of the inner workings.
I also loved the characters. Lia was an incredibly strong female lead, willing to sacrifice it all for the people she cares about. I also liked that you could see some growth in more minor characters, like Ivy and Ann. I feel like Gabe could have maybe had a bit more development, however. I would have liked to get to know a bit more about him and his past!
Overall, I really loved Frost and can't wait to read more from Kate Avery Ellison! This was definitely a book I didn't want to end!
I also loved the characters. Lia was an incredibly strong female lead, willing to sacrifice it all for the people she cares about. I also liked that you could see some growth in more minor characters, like Ivy and Ann. I feel like Gabe could have maybe had a bit more development, however. I would have liked to get to know a bit more about him and his past!
Overall, I really loved Frost and can't wait to read more from Kate Avery Ellison! This was definitely a book I didn't want to end!
joyousreads132's review against another edition
4.0
Ms. Ellison’s Frost surprised me in a way that self-published books rarely do. With an interesting premise, spine-tingling ambiance, and a group of characters sure to hold you entranced, this slight novel left me wanting to harass her and demand she gives me the next one. STAT.
The Gist:
A dystopian tale of a community sequestered from the rest of the world.
Monsters lurking in the forest.
A repressive, military government outside of their wall.
And a futuristic gate to what seems to be the path to freedom.
Lia Weaver, an orphan left in charge of her siblings is used to making difficult decisions for her family. But when she suddenly found herself harboring a Farther criminal, the choices she had to make was made even more difficult by her unusual attraction to the boy. Gabe's appearance not only brought danger to her family but secrets that will destroy everything she's ever known about the "safe" life of Frost. In the end, her choice will lead to inevitable heartbreak.
The Review:
This short novel has a little bit of everything - all tied up in one seamless, well crafted work. But to some readers they may think it too sparse with too little of a background on how the world came to be. The author rarely offered any explanations, expecting the readers to use their imagination. In some novels, this may be something that I wouldn't have been able to overcome, but in Frost, I hardly noticed it. There was something about Kate's writing that made it seeem all too familiar - like I've been in its world before. That doesn't mean, however, that Kate wrote something unoriginal.
The suspenseful ambiance did not diminish throughout the book. And when you throw in some charged romantic tension between characters, the rush to read faster, to find out what happens next, amplifies to a frantic anticipation.
The combination of an antiquated and the seemingly futuristic worlds didn't feel too contrived. Though, I must say that the monsters in the woods seemed a little out of place for me. Kate was also a little vague as to the nature of these beasts; ergo, I wasn’t clear on why the aversion to snow blossoms.
Verdict: I think the beauty of this book is the minimalist way with which Kate opted to tell this story. If I have any misgivings about this book, it’s only that it is way too short, in my opinion.
The Gist:
A dystopian tale of a community sequestered from the rest of the world.
Monsters lurking in the forest.
A repressive, military government outside of their wall.
And a futuristic gate to what seems to be the path to freedom.
Lia Weaver, an orphan left in charge of her siblings is used to making difficult decisions for her family. But when she suddenly found herself harboring a Farther criminal, the choices she had to make was made even more difficult by her unusual attraction to the boy. Gabe's appearance not only brought danger to her family but secrets that will destroy everything she's ever known about the "safe" life of Frost. In the end, her choice will lead to inevitable heartbreak.
The Review:
This short novel has a little bit of everything - all tied up in one seamless, well crafted work. But to some readers they may think it too sparse with too little of a background on how the world came to be. The author rarely offered any explanations, expecting the readers to use their imagination. In some novels, this may be something that I wouldn't have been able to overcome, but in Frost, I hardly noticed it. There was something about Kate's writing that made it seeem all too familiar - like I've been in its world before. That doesn't mean, however, that Kate wrote something unoriginal.
The suspenseful ambiance did not diminish throughout the book. And when you throw in some charged romantic tension between characters, the rush to read faster, to find out what happens next, amplifies to a frantic anticipation.
The combination of an antiquated and the seemingly futuristic worlds didn't feel too contrived. Though, I must say that the monsters in the woods seemed a little out of place for me. Kate was also a little vague as to the nature of these beasts; ergo, I wasn’t clear on why the aversion to snow blossoms.
Verdict: I think the beauty of this book is the minimalist way with which Kate opted to tell this story. If I have any misgivings about this book, it’s only that it is way too short, in my opinion.
corvinaq's review against another edition
3.0
This YA book was a surprise, not bad at all! The beginning is dynamite, and a really creepy setup. The author does a great world-building of the dystopian society and barren frozen forest the heroine lives in. There's an excellent sense of suspense for the first 2/3rds of the book.
These are the positives, some negatives are that it's a short book, some parts (such as the end) feel rushed, and both the love interest AND villain are sloppily developed.
But it's a 3 starred rating for a promising premise and better than expected atmospherics.
These are the positives, some negatives are that it's a short book, some parts (such as the end) feel rushed, and both the love interest AND villain are sloppily developed.
But it's a 3 starred rating for a promising premise and better than expected atmospherics.
tartbarbie's review against another edition
5.0
I received this from the Kate Avery Ellison to read and review. The story is set in the winter in a small community that lives in the Frost as the area is called. Lia is the main character, she's had to take over raising her little sister and caring for her crippled brother after her parents are murdered. Most of the community lives in a safe little town while a few live outside the town those are farmers. It's a unique world, where during the daylight the people in the town are free to move about but during the night these creatures called "Watcher" come out and kill anyone who they find they are drawn to people with electronics. That's why it's a simple farmingish community, each family has a quota of goods they are required to provide for the better of the town. When a stranger shows up hurt who happens to be the community's enemy Lia saves his life and changed her life forever.
I couldn't put it down there is so much in such a short time in the book it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's a very descriptive story, I felt like I could see the snow. I was nervous because this is a new genera for me but I was pleasantly surprised how drawn in I was. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who was the bad guy and I had a hunch but I was also blind sided. I love a good blind side when I'm reading a book with a little suspense in it. I liked the tiny twist of romance too. I'm looking forward to a future books in the series.
I couldn't put it down there is so much in such a short time in the book it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's a very descriptive story, I felt like I could see the snow. I was nervous because this is a new genera for me but I was pleasantly surprised how drawn in I was. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who was the bad guy and I had a hunch but I was also blind sided. I love a good blind side when I'm reading a book with a little suspense in it. I liked the tiny twist of romance too. I'm looking forward to a future books in the series.
raeanne's review against another edition
4.0
Frost: Fantastic YA Paranormal With A Hint of Dystopian Looming Sadly, this book was stuck on my to-read shelf until I won a giveaway through LibraryThing's Member Giveaway Program,in order to give an honest review. This is one of those books.One of those, "Why didn't I read this sooner?!?"
Pros:✔ pacing✔ mystery✔ tension✔ the romance wasn't all consuming,✔world building,✔character development,✔atmosphere (I felt frosty and heard the snow crunch)✔ beautifully written,✔ loved the internally strong, and externally brave heroine with her varied support characters,Cons:✖ the dystopian/post apocalyptic feeling wasn't there (felt more medieval/paranormal though I’m hoping/thinking in the next books this won’t be an issue)✖ could see some things coming ahead of time✖ tight focus on these events without depth into the bigger picture (yet..and this was done on purpose due to the naive and sheltered first person narrative but it can be a drawback for some)
✖ cliff hanger (but not a major rage inducing one)✖ wish it was longer✖unanswered questions that I better get the answers to in the next book
Okay, so those last twoaren't really cons. :) There’s a lot in this compact book but it’s not light on plot or development or world building. It’s setting up for bigger and better things and I can’t wait to see where it goes. I loved the character progression and development. I’m really curious to find out more about this world and how our characters fare.Sure, I could see certain things happening from a mile away but I wasn't itching with irritation because the pace was great and I was enjoying the ride.
On Writing & the Quotes to Prove It:
I loved the writing and style. Seriously, it’s keep tight yet descriptive as needed.This is the opening,
It was cold, the kind of cold that made bones feel brittle and hands ache. My breath streamed from my lips like smoke and my feet made wet, crunching sounds in the snow as I slipped through the forest.
Then there’s this on page 20 about fear,
Most of the time fear was just like a rat in my belly, gnawing and gnawing a hole in the same place day after day whenever I let it. But now the rat had turned into a lion, and it was tearing me apart from the inside out.
And I love the paragraph about the blue wing on page 75, that starts with “Why does it live in a place that could kill it?”
As for the Romance Aspect:
For those of us dismayed, queasy and downright bored at the prevalence and focus on YA romance in books not in the romance genre (sometimes to the detriment of other great elements of a book) I say this, don't worry. The romance is relevant but not dominating. Nothing is sacrificed to make it work and doesn’t obliterate everything in it’s wake. Lia has reasons other than just quickly growing love for the things she does.
Okay, the love is quick but NOT the insta-ramen-noodle love where she sacrifices everything because he’s sooooo hot and she drools over him like an idiot. It’s more of naturally occurring event when two people from different places are thrown into a dangerous situation. It's not all consuming and they don't make a huge stupid mistake over it. I would have been SO pissed if the ending was changed to accommodate a fairy tale romance ending.
Thankfully, that didn't happen. The romance was one of those things I knew was coming and am happy with the way it was handled. I mean finding a hot stranger and saving his life, when all you've know is your own small village is a situation where I could see falling in love with said stranger. Sure, it went to love quick but really there's no room for crushes and dating. It's official courting and marriage in their world, in their situation, in their fight for survival. It’s really all or nothing.
That One Thing:
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a flaw for me, since I loved the book as is. However, for those looking for dystopian/post apocalyptic/end of the world as we know it feeling or atmosphere, you aren’t going to find it here. As it is in this book, our main setting country is medieval, maybe colonial, like with looming threat of an industrialized country and the paranormal monsters fluttering in between.
We don't really get even a hint of fallen city/country/time or big disastrous past until the very, very end. And even then, it’s just a hint. It could go a different way. So I’m going with paranormal with a sci-fi twist for now.
However, as we delve more into this world and learn more how this world works and how it came to be I have a feeling this aspect is going to get stronger. I’m hoping it gets stronger. My guesses as to the continuing story arc from the ending certainly leads me down that direction but I can’t be sure until I read the next book, Thorns.
Recommend for: YA and Fantasy Lovers
Pros:✔ pacing✔ mystery✔ tension✔ the romance wasn't all consuming,✔world building,✔character development,✔atmosphere (I felt frosty and heard the snow crunch)✔ beautifully written,✔ loved the internally strong, and externally brave heroine with her varied support characters,Cons:✖ the dystopian/post apocalyptic feeling wasn't there (felt more medieval/paranormal though I’m hoping/thinking in the next books this won’t be an issue)✖ could see some things coming ahead of time✖ tight focus on these events without depth into the bigger picture (yet..and this was done on purpose due to the naive and sheltered first person narrative but it can be a drawback for some)
✖ cliff hanger (but not a major rage inducing one)✖ wish it was longer✖unanswered questions that I better get the answers to in the next book
Okay, so those last twoaren't really cons. :) There’s a lot in this compact book but it’s not light on plot or development or world building. It’s setting up for bigger and better things and I can’t wait to see where it goes. I loved the character progression and development. I’m really curious to find out more about this world and how our characters fare.Sure, I could see certain things happening from a mile away but I wasn't itching with irritation because the pace was great and I was enjoying the ride.
On Writing & the Quotes to Prove It:
I loved the writing and style. Seriously, it’s keep tight yet descriptive as needed.This is the opening,
It was cold, the kind of cold that made bones feel brittle and hands ache. My breath streamed from my lips like smoke and my feet made wet, crunching sounds in the snow as I slipped through the forest.
Then there’s this on page 20 about fear,
Most of the time fear was just like a rat in my belly, gnawing and gnawing a hole in the same place day after day whenever I let it. But now the rat had turned into a lion, and it was tearing me apart from the inside out.
And I love the paragraph about the blue wing on page 75, that starts with “Why does it live in a place that could kill it?”
As for the Romance Aspect:
For those of us dismayed, queasy and downright bored at the prevalence and focus on YA romance in books not in the romance genre (sometimes to the detriment of other great elements of a book) I say this, don't worry. The romance is relevant but not dominating. Nothing is sacrificed to make it work and doesn’t obliterate everything in it’s wake. Lia has reasons other than just quickly growing love for the things she does.
Okay, the love is quick but NOT the insta-ramen-noodle love where she sacrifices everything because he’s sooooo hot and she drools over him like an idiot. It’s more of naturally occurring event when two people from different places are thrown into a dangerous situation. It's not all consuming and they don't make a huge stupid mistake over it. I would have been SO pissed if the ending was changed to accommodate a fairy tale romance ending.
Thankfully, that didn't happen. The romance was one of those things I knew was coming and am happy with the way it was handled. I mean finding a hot stranger and saving his life, when all you've know is your own small village is a situation where I could see falling in love with said stranger. Sure, it went to love quick but really there's no room for crushes and dating. It's official courting and marriage in their world, in their situation, in their fight for survival. It’s really all or nothing.
That One Thing:
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a flaw for me, since I loved the book as is. However, for those looking for dystopian/post apocalyptic/end of the world as we know it feeling or atmosphere, you aren’t going to find it here. As it is in this book, our main setting country is medieval, maybe colonial, like with looming threat of an industrialized country and the paranormal monsters fluttering in between.
We don't really get even a hint of fallen city/country/time or big disastrous past until the very, very end. And even then, it’s just a hint. It could go a different way. So I’m going with paranormal with a sci-fi twist for now.
However, as we delve more into this world and learn more how this world works and how it came to be I have a feeling this aspect is going to get stronger. I’m hoping it gets stronger. My guesses as to the continuing story arc from the ending certainly leads me down that direction but I can’t be sure until I read the next book, Thorns.
Recommend for: YA and Fantasy Lovers
katiedoodle's review against another edition
3.0
I found this story to be fairly enjoyable, but I definitely think it would have benefited from being longer. The society the characters inhabited was interesting, and the characters were somewhat underdeveloped, but still compelling at times, (particularly Jonn, in my opinion). However, I think there were some parts that simply didn't ring true to me. For example, whenever the sun is setting, the main character frets over it being almost dark, but she always seems to have plenty of time to deal with various unexpected emergencies during this period of time. Also, sometimes the actions of the characters seemed forced and out of place (e.g., Lia's immediate attraction to Gabe, and the big climax near the end of the story).
Overall I liked the book, and I would like to find out what happens next. Hopefully the rest of the series will be a bit more fleshed out.
Overall I liked the book, and I would like to find out what happens next. Hopefully the rest of the series will be a bit more fleshed out.