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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
This book was so bland! None of the characters had any charm, they weren't realistic at all and only ever said blatantly obvious things which fustrated me to no end! The storyline was so lacking, I was trying to get into it but then just like that it was finished and nothing worth mentioning had happened nor had anything been explained. I have my suspicions that queen Mina is the villian and Konstantin, who fell in love with her, is doing her bidding... I'll be suprised if I'm were wrong! Big disappointment!
I enjoyed this more than any of the books in the Trylle trilogy. Frostfire was written well but not amazing yet still exciting to read.
The characters were not as pronounced in the Trylle but had interesting qualities that I liked.
Bryn was more fun to read from than from Wendy in the Trylle trilogy, I believe. Bryn is more of a focused and determined girl (woman, maybe? I'm not sure what to call her) who doesn't live very freely. Sometimes that seriously annoys me. She believes she can't fall in love because of her career, she is a lower rank so therefore she can not make a change, and since she is a "half blood" (Skojare and Kanin) she is worthless. Bryn just needs to live a little and not be such a workaholic.
Frostfire had a few similarities to the Trylle trilogy but quite different too. It felt like I was constantly comparing this book to the Trylle trilogy, mainly because I was hoping it would be better. I can see some improvement in the writing but the important thing is I enjoyed this book.
I probably would of rated a book like this more of a 3 star rating but I think a reason I bumped this up is because I can visualize the setting. It takes place in Minnesota where is so freakin cold and in the book, there is mentions of the cold. I don't know, I guess I just find it easier to place the setting when I live near it.
So, yeah this book was overall good and I know I didn't get very deep into it but I just wanted to say a few thoughts. Frostfire is a easy and quick read and I definitely recommend (after you have read the Trylle trilogy, of course).
The characters were not as pronounced in the Trylle but had interesting qualities that I liked.
Bryn was more fun to read from than from Wendy in the Trylle trilogy, I believe. Bryn is more of a focused and determined girl (woman, maybe? I'm not sure what to call her) who doesn't live very freely. Sometimes that seriously annoys me. She believes she can't fall in love because of her career, she is a lower rank so therefore she can not make a change, and since she is a "half blood" (Skojare and Kanin) she is worthless. Bryn just needs to live a little and not be such a workaholic.
Frostfire had a few similarities to the Trylle trilogy but quite different too. It felt like I was constantly comparing this book to the Trylle trilogy, mainly because I was hoping it would be better. I can see some improvement in the writing but the important thing is I enjoyed this book.
I probably would of rated a book like this more of a 3 star rating but I think a reason I bumped this up is because I can visualize the setting. It takes place in Minnesota where is so freakin cold and in the book, there is mentions of the cold. I don't know, I guess I just find it easier to place the setting when I live near it.
So, yeah this book was overall good and I know I didn't get very deep into it but I just wanted to say a few thoughts. Frostfire is a easy and quick read and I definitely recommend (after you have read the Trylle trilogy, of course).
I haven't read any of Amanda Hocking's books before, so I was cautiously optimistic for Frostfire. While the world-building was fascinating, the character development fell short. In spite of Eileen Stevens's best efforts to infuse personality in her narration, I was left bored and wishing for better editorial decisions from the author.
The novel is more telling than showing. For example, we're told that all the troll races are beautiful, but the Skojare are the most beautiful of all. I can't help think, "By whose standards?" because Skojare are an exclusively blonde-haired, blue-eyed race. I certainly didn't need the word "beautiful" as a preface to every single introduction of anything Skojare, especially considering how inbred their population is.
I was constantly told what to feel instead of being allowed to feel it, and that worked against the romance. I don't believe Bryn and Ridley have ANY chemistry as a romantic pairing even if half the novel is dedicated to trying to tell me otherwise. There's nothing to test their compatibility because as much as they're forced together, they're never together when calamity strikes; Bryn is always facing danger alone or with a tertiary character. The conversations between the two aren't any better, often ending in arguments and Ridley saying some form of, "You're right, but we're gonna do things my way (because I'm your boss)." At best, they belong as friends and close colleagues.
There were also many things that bugged me about the pacing, such as the dissemination of information being offbeat, perhaps with the assumption I had previous knowledge of this world. Then there is Konstantin, not a strong enough antagonist to carry the conflict of the story, the hints at him being a pawn too heavy too soon. This, along with the romance-that-shouldn't-be, caused the middle of the novel to drag with filler. It left the climax weak and the ending feeling like the true climax, pushed off to create a cliffhanger into the next book of the series. Highly disappointing.
With this being an audiobook, I'd like to commend Eileen Stevens on her narration, which was the prime reason I gave this novel a try. She was given the difficult task of infusing flavor into something bland, where words like "refuse" and "job" got repeated so many times I wanted to yell "I got the point." Stevens started a bit weak with the male voices, causing me to laugh at how awkward Konstantin sounded, but she got significantly better as the story progressed. Ultimately, I see Frostfire as a 2-star novel boosted to 3-stars with Stevens's talent.
{Check out this review at Entropy Alarm Reviews}
The novel is more telling than showing. For example, we're told that all the troll races are beautiful, but the Skojare are the most beautiful of all. I can't help think, "By whose standards?" because Skojare are an exclusively blonde-haired, blue-eyed race. I certainly didn't need the word "beautiful" as a preface to every single introduction of anything Skojare, especially considering how inbred their population is.
I was constantly told what to feel instead of being allowed to feel it, and that worked against the romance. I don't believe Bryn and Ridley have ANY chemistry as a romantic pairing even if half the novel is dedicated to trying to tell me otherwise. There's nothing to test their compatibility because as much as they're forced together, they're never together when calamity strikes; Bryn is always facing danger alone or with a tertiary character. The conversations between the two aren't any better, often ending in arguments and Ridley saying some form of, "You're right, but we're gonna do things my way (because I'm your boss)." At best, they belong as friends and close colleagues.
There were also many things that bugged me about the pacing, such as the dissemination of information being offbeat, perhaps with the assumption I had previous knowledge of this world. Then there is Konstantin, not a strong enough antagonist to carry the conflict of the story, the hints at him being a pawn too heavy too soon. This, along with the romance-that-shouldn't-be, caused the middle of the novel to drag with filler. It left the climax weak and the ending feeling like the true climax, pushed off to create a cliffhanger into the next book of the series. Highly disappointing.
With this being an audiobook, I'd like to commend Eileen Stevens on her narration, which was the prime reason I gave this novel a try. She was given the difficult task of infusing flavor into something bland, where words like "refuse" and "job" got repeated so many times I wanted to yell "I got the point." Stevens started a bit weak with the male voices, causing me to laugh at how awkward Konstantin sounded, but she got significantly better as the story progressed. Ultimately, I see Frostfire as a 2-star novel boosted to 3-stars with Stevens's talent.
{Check out this review at Entropy Alarm Reviews}
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before I started reading this book, I wondered if I had to have known a little bit about the Trylle series in order to understand the workings of this "world" Hocking has created. Fortunately, as a first time reader into the land of the Kanin and Trylle, it seemed understandable enough.
The world building
I think this was the most fascinating and probably my favourite part of the book. Initially, I saw huge parallels to the fantastical world that was created in [b:Graceling|3236307|Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)|Kristin Cashore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331548394s/3236307.jpg|3270810]. Even the sound of the blurb on the book made me think of it, one of my personal fantasy/adventure favourites. So Frostfire truly had something to live up to for me.
What broke away and made this world so unique to me was that it was still set in today's modern world. Like, what? Magic and tribal wars...set in the woods in the prairie provinces of Canada? Kings and Queens ruling over rustic city capitals like Doldastam, which reminded me of the grand palace and city in [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335819760s/7896527.jpg|11138426]. It was the strangest idea, yet somehow it unfolded into such a delicious way to deliver central themes in the story.
I'm still kind of grasping at the amazing way Hocking managed to put this wonderful world and its history in a way that intertwined with modern day human society. Honestly. Mind blown.
The characters
I liked Bryn well enough. She was a tracker, someone who went out into the "human world" to bring back changelings, people of her kind that were put into the human world so they could get their trust fund from their host families before returning to Doldastam. She was independent and worked hard for her career. I just didn't like her near-obsessive attitude towards her job sometimes. Like, talk about being consumed by it.
Family was an important aspect in the story too. Bryn worked with her father, the Chancellor or appointed voice of the people, as well as with the royals occasionally. That's what drove her to hunt down the traitor who nearly killed her father prior to the story's timeline. I liked that her parents were more than just very miniscule secondary characters, but that they actually had big roles to play.
And that brings me to the one aspect that I DID NOT like.
The romance....Wait, what romance?
Honestly. What romance? I was expecting some sort of forbidden love to actually DEVELOP. It was just Bryn discovering her feelings for Ridley. I liked him, I truly do. And of course, through their mild flirting, I'm sure he likes Bryn too.
But hello! Nothing REALLY happens. He's dating another girl, and Bryn sure as heck doesn't want to put anything in jeopardy with her career. She freaking flipped out on one of her best friends for getting pregnant and having to not work for a while. That was totally not her call to yell at her friend for "letting that [pregnancy] happen to her".
Anyway, the sum of their forbidden romance in this story? One kiss. Whoop-dee-doo. And Bryn flips out (of course) and avoids confronting those feelings. Sighhh. I hope Ridley does something in Ice Kissed, aka book 2.
Oh, and even worse than the lack of romance? I smell a love triangle in the air. I absolutely abhor love triangles. I don't find them necessary to prolong a trilogy and add drama to a relationship. But what's even worse than that? The potential other suitor is most definitely NOT someone I'd approve of to move to that status. Sure, as the story progresses, it sounds like he's more "complicated" than his initial portrayal, but hey! That doesn't right everything he's ever done.
Why do I get the feeling that he may win Bryn over Ridley? I may flip a table or two if that day comes. Just saying.
Last Thoughts
I loved the world building and the actual plot too much to let my disappointment in the romance department hurt my rating. There is a lot of potential for where this story is going. I do think that Amanda Hocking could've extended this story a little longer. She ended rather abruptly at a cliffhanger, but one that was only slightly built up to at the end. I didn't really feel like a whole lot actually happened in Frostfire, strangely enough. The author just set the stage of her wonderfully-crafted world and threw in some tidbits of action. I can't wait to see what happens next (with fingers crossed that it doesn't break my heart or cause some table-throwing action).
Overall Recommendation:
On some level comparable to great titles like Graceling and Throne of Glass, Frostfire delivers a beautiful world of magic and royalty right smack in the present day world, located somewhere in the middle of Canada. Where it lacks heavily in the romance department (and oh boy, I mean heavily), hints of conspiracy and attacks on the children of the Kanin have left me anxiously awaiting for the next installment to the Kanin Chronicles. Hopefully, it'll live up to expectations.
The world building
I think this was the most fascinating and probably my favourite part of the book. Initially, I saw huge parallels to the fantastical world that was created in [b:Graceling|3236307|Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)|Kristin Cashore|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331548394s/3236307.jpg|3270810]. Even the sound of the blurb on the book made me think of it, one of my personal fantasy/adventure favourites. So Frostfire truly had something to live up to for me.
What broke away and made this world so unique to me was that it was still set in today's modern world. Like, what? Magic and tribal wars...set in the woods in the prairie provinces of Canada? Kings and Queens ruling over rustic city capitals like Doldastam, which reminded me of the grand palace and city in [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335819760s/7896527.jpg|11138426]. It was the strangest idea, yet somehow it unfolded into such a delicious way to deliver central themes in the story.
I'm still kind of grasping at the amazing way Hocking managed to put this wonderful world and its history in a way that intertwined with modern day human society. Honestly. Mind blown.
The characters
I liked Bryn well enough. She was a tracker, someone who went out into the "human world" to bring back changelings, people of her kind that were put into the human world so they could get their trust fund from their host families before returning to Doldastam. She was independent and worked hard for her career. I just didn't like her near-obsessive attitude towards her job sometimes. Like, talk about being consumed by it.
Family was an important aspect in the story too. Bryn worked with her father, the Chancellor or appointed voice of the people, as well as with the royals occasionally. That's what drove her to hunt down the traitor who nearly killed her father prior to the story's timeline. I liked that her parents were more than just very miniscule secondary characters, but that they actually had big roles to play.
And that brings me to the one aspect that I DID NOT like.
The romance....Wait, what romance?
Honestly. What romance? I was expecting some sort of forbidden love to actually DEVELOP. It was just Bryn discovering her feelings for Ridley. I liked him, I truly do. And of course, through their mild flirting, I'm sure he likes Bryn too.
But hello! Nothing REALLY happens. He's dating another girl, and Bryn sure as heck doesn't want to put anything in jeopardy with her career. She freaking flipped out on one of her best friends for getting pregnant and having to not work for a while. That was totally not her call to yell at her friend for "letting that [pregnancy] happen to her".
Anyway, the sum of their forbidden romance in this story? One kiss. Whoop-dee-doo. And Bryn flips out (of course) and avoids confronting those feelings. Sighhh. I hope Ridley does something in Ice Kissed, aka book 2.
Oh, and even worse than the lack of romance? I smell a love triangle in the air. I absolutely abhor love triangles. I don't find them necessary to prolong a trilogy and add drama to a relationship. But what's even worse than that? The potential other suitor is most definitely NOT someone I'd approve of to move to that status. Sure, as the story progresses, it sounds like he's more "complicated" than his initial portrayal, but hey! That doesn't right everything he's ever done.
Why do I get the feeling that he may win Bryn over Ridley? I may flip a table or two if that day comes. Just saying.
Last Thoughts
I loved the world building and the actual plot too much to let my disappointment in the romance department hurt my rating. There is a lot of potential for where this story is going. I do think that Amanda Hocking could've extended this story a little longer. She ended rather abruptly at a cliffhanger, but one that was only slightly built up to at the end. I didn't really feel like a whole lot actually happened in Frostfire, strangely enough. The author just set the stage of her wonderfully-crafted world and threw in some tidbits of action. I can't wait to see what happens next (with fingers crossed that it doesn't break my heart or cause some table-throwing action).
Overall Recommendation:
On some level comparable to great titles like Graceling and Throne of Glass, Frostfire delivers a beautiful world of magic and royalty right smack in the present day world, located somewhere in the middle of Canada. Where it lacks heavily in the romance department (and oh boy, I mean heavily), hints of conspiracy and attacks on the children of the Kanin have left me anxiously awaiting for the next installment to the Kanin Chronicles. Hopefully, it'll live up to expectations.
Good fluff series. Not life changing, and sort of predictable, but interesting enough to read.
3.5 but a nice story with not too many cliches as is common in YA urban fantasy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read! I couldn't put it down and I definitely stayed up way too late finishing it
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Reread 2/22/23
Stars 4.5
Rating: 94%
Stars: 5
Rating: 94%
Recommend: READ TRYLLE TRILOGY FIRST OR FACE SPOILERS IN THE BOOK (and the trylle trilogy is the best maximum Otp's)
ORIGINAL POST ON BLOG: http://lightswillguideyouhomebooks.blogspot.com
In the first book of the companion series of the Trylle trilogy is Fostfire. Frostfire is about a tracker named Bryn from the Kanin tribe. Bryn is a kick-ass character who wants to become Hogdragen. Bryn is half Kanin half Skojare which makes her an outsider with her blonde hair and blue eyes. When a respected Hogdragen attacks her father and her and is now most wanted Bryn has to take him on along with dealing with her feelings for Ridley Dresden.
I really enjoyed this book, but not as much of the trylle trilogy mostly because I love Loki and Wendy, and they are only mentioned. I really wanted them to join forces and have more Loki Wendy time. In this book you learn more of a back-story type of thing with Finn. I do enjoy ridley, but I'm secretly waiting for another Loki to sweep me off my feet like how he came out of nowhere in the second trylle book.
Bryn is hard-working and kind of reminds me of Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy. She is the troll tracker version of Rose. She is a really tough girl and is a great protagonist. The development of the story was great and will definitely read the next 2 which Ice Kissed comes out May 2015 and Crystal Kingdom comes out August 2015. They are coming out so close to each other which is great and the first one is in paperback' so I'm hoping the 2nd and 3rd are too because then they will match my trylle trilogy paperbacks.
Overall Amanda Hocking impressed me and with this first book and is becoming one of my favorite authors and an auto-buy author.
Stars 4.5
Rating: 94%
Stars: 5
Rating: 94%
Recommend: READ TRYLLE TRILOGY FIRST OR FACE SPOILERS IN THE BOOK (and the trylle trilogy is the best maximum Otp's)
ORIGINAL POST ON BLOG: http://lightswillguideyouhomebooks.blogspot.com
In the first book of the companion series of the Trylle trilogy is Fostfire. Frostfire is about a tracker named Bryn from the Kanin tribe. Bryn is a kick-ass character who wants to become Hogdragen. Bryn is half Kanin half Skojare which makes her an outsider with her blonde hair and blue eyes. When a respected Hogdragen attacks her father and her and is now most wanted Bryn has to take him on along with dealing with her feelings for Ridley Dresden.
I really enjoyed this book, but not as much of the trylle trilogy mostly because I love Loki and Wendy, and they are only mentioned. I really wanted them to join forces and have more Loki Wendy time. In this book you learn more of a back-story type of thing with Finn. I do enjoy ridley, but I'm secretly waiting for another Loki to sweep me off my feet like how he came out of nowhere in the second trylle book.
Bryn is hard-working and kind of reminds me of Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy. She is the troll tracker version of Rose. She is a really tough girl and is a great protagonist. The development of the story was great and will definitely read the next 2 which Ice Kissed comes out May 2015 and Crystal Kingdom comes out August 2015. They are coming out so close to each other which is great and the first one is in paperback' so I'm hoping the 2nd and 3rd are too because then they will match my trylle trilogy paperbacks.
Overall Amanda Hocking impressed me and with this first book and is becoming one of my favorite authors and an auto-buy author.