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justanothernerdling's review against another edition
5.0
Hey, all!
I just finished reading Shadow Frost, by Coco Ma! This was sent to me by Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley as an eARC. This will be published in October 2019. The fact that this is an arc does not alter my opinions.
Before I even start reviewing this, take 2 minutes and pre-order this. It is worth it, I promise.
The first thing you should know about this book, is that it's written by Coco when she was 15, and is being published just a year after she graduated high school. I've spoken with her and she is SUCH a ball of human sunshine! I am honoured to be able to share this book! I'll also be getting a physical ARC, so I'll be all over sharing this!
Shadow Frost was such a smooth read. The writing made sense for the story, and the characters felt real. There was confusion and name-calling and stubbornness and laziness and none of them felt like a holier-than-thou Mary Sue. Even Asterin just felt like a normal teenager who just so happened to be able to control various elements. It was really refreshing to read characters like this - it was somewhat akin to Percy Jackson. Characters were relatable, which made it all the more fun!
One of my favourite characters was Harry. I won't spoil a thing aside from the fact that he's a cinnamon roll and I wanna go in the book and hug him.
Coco also did a good job depicting all kinds of relationships! There was a great cousin dynamic, a series of strong friendships, a (sorta insta-lovey but I shipped it right away so I can't judge) romance, and no love triangles! I thought there would be for a bit, but it ended up being something I couldn't anticipate.
I loved the magic in this book - it had relatively clear rules, straightforward abilities and creative detours. Nobody overused their magic - it was simply a part of who these characters were, and I was all in for that!
Shadow Frost has a plot that keeps moving, almost dancing with the reader. When you believe it to go one way, it takes you another, that only feels more clever. It's also super well-organised: a detail I liked was that, at times, shifting POVs described one thing, from two points of view. It gave a 3D feel to the plot, if that makes sense!
And that ending! Shadow Frost punched me in the feels at the end - so many bombs were dropped! I always thought I knew what was happening, and it would shift! Aaa so good!
There were a few things I would just tweak - Quinlan's overuse of the word 'brat' is one I can think of now. He's not the best insulter, but it also does add to his charm.
That's it for now! I could keep talking about this for a long time - I can't wait to meet other people who have read the book!
I'm giving it 4.5/5 stars!
overlookingcovers's review against another edition
2.0
TW: Massacre scene
I tried. I tried so hard to like this book. I received this book at Bookcon in 2019 and I was so excited because the author was so sweet and she personalized the book to me- all things that make a bookworm happy. Unfortunately, it didn’t entertain me. I think if it came out in the early 2010s then it would have been a hit. Just like The Selection was a hit and Divergent- all novels I enjoyed then but would probably not now.
I found the plot lacking and the romance so pushed that it was definitely #instalove in my opinion. Asterin, the main character, was completely unlikable. And I’m not sure if the conflict that happened at the end was supposed to make me hate her more or if I was supposed to agree with her, which I didn’t. I found myself liking the secondary characters so much more, especially Luna and Eradic. To be honest, I think the book just had too many characters for me to care about any of them enough, plus, I believe the fact there were too many characters made for too much of a complicated storyline that went absolutely no where since they all had sub storylines that the author was trying to cover but not executing fully. I will admit, I give points for creativity and the ending was pretty good, if not confusing, but alright- just not enough for me to give it more than two stars. I hate that I didn’t like it but I’ll bring it to the charity shop in a few days and I hope it finds a good home.
I tried. I tried so hard to like this book. I received this book at Bookcon in 2019 and I was so excited because the author was so sweet and she personalized the book to me- all things that make a bookworm happy. Unfortunately, it didn’t entertain me. I think if it came out in the early 2010s then it would have been a hit. Just like The Selection was a hit and Divergent- all novels I enjoyed then but would probably not now.
I found the plot lacking and the romance so pushed that it was definitely #instalove in my opinion. Asterin, the main character, was completely unlikable. And I’m not sure if the conflict that happened at the end was supposed to make me hate her more or if I was supposed to agree with her, which I didn’t. I found myself liking the secondary characters so much more, especially Luna and Eradic. To be honest, I think the book just had too many characters for me to care about any of them enough, plus, I believe the fact there were too many characters made for too much of a complicated storyline that went absolutely no where since they all had sub storylines that the author was trying to cover but not executing fully. I will admit, I give points for creativity and the ending was pretty good, if not confusing, but alright- just not enough for me to give it more than two stars. I hate that I didn’t like it but I’ll bring it to the charity shop in a few days and I hope it finds a good home.
amarylissw's review against another edition
1.0
While this is a good novel for a 15-year-old, it’s a terrible novel overall. It kinda feels like it was published for the novelty of being written by someone so young rather than its own merits. It has no sense of pacing or structure, a lot of unnecessary telling, and very little sense of actual writing craft. The characters didn’t act in believable ways at all and there were so many scenes I eye-rolled at because they read like poorly written fanfiction.
alexperc_92's review against another edition
4.0
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Review can also be found on *Milky Way of Books*
It's been a while since I read a YA fantasy with such a BADASS princess! Asterin is amazing as also her gang, both human and....ahem...not quite; Luna, Rose, Orion, Quinlan, Eadric, Harry, the horses which seem to have a mind of their own, Amoux (the sword).
The villain on the book seemed to give Darkling vibes for me and yet Asterin defied Mother and society to fight ith her magic and save her kingdom. This was a really good read and you are going to enjoy it if you prefer something fast-paced and highly entertaining.
It's been a while since I read a YA fantasy with such a BADASS princess! Asterin is amazing as also her gang, both human and....ahem...not quite; Luna, Rose, Orion, Quinlan, Eadric, Harry, the horses which seem to have a mind of their own, Amoux (the sword).
The villain on the book seemed to give Darkling vibes for me and yet Asterin defied Mother and society to fight ith her magic and save her kingdom. This was a really good read and you are going to enjoy it if you prefer something fast-paced and highly entertaining.
katmystery's review against another edition
2.0
I often hear that YA is cliche, derivative, and shallow, but I rarely read a book I believe meets these parameters. This book was like street vendor ice cream: colorful enough to draw you in, but after your first bite, you realize it's just ice dolloped with cheap syrup. But you still eat it, because, come on, it's ice cream!
It was interesting enough to keep me reading. The descriptions were the best part- very glittery and nice- but the confusing pacing, two-dimensional characters, and constant shallow banter made this difficult to get through. Still, the familiar cliches of YA fantasy were charming, and I enjoyed guessing all the plot twists as they came. All in all, the experience was fun.
This one was a miss for me, but a quick enough read to help with my reading challenge. Onward!
It was interesting enough to keep me reading. The descriptions were the best part- very glittery and nice- but the confusing pacing, two-dimensional characters, and constant shallow banter made this difficult to get through. Still, the familiar cliches of YA fantasy were charming, and I enjoyed guessing all the plot twists as they came. All in all, the experience was fun.
This one was a miss for me, but a quick enough read to help with my reading challenge. Onward!
storiedadventures's review against another edition
4.0
Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures
This was so fun! I really liked the sassy main character, Asterin. She was head strong but with a willingness to change if needed. I liked the love interest, he had a tragic backstory which was typical BUT I still like it. And the writing was soooo good for a first timer!
I didn't like the almost ending. It got a bit boring which was hard because the beginning and middle were so strong! And the very very end was a surprise.
I can't wait for book 2!
This was so fun! I really liked the sassy main character, Asterin. She was head strong but with a willingness to change if needed. I liked the love interest, he had a tragic backstory which was typical BUT I still like it. And the writing was soooo good for a first timer!
I didn't like the almost ending. It got a bit boring which was hard because the beginning and middle were so strong! And the very very end was a surprise.
I can't wait for book 2!
edarcys's review
3.0
Good plot. I liked the story, the worldbuilding. It follows the basic idea of any other YA feisty princess tale but in an enjoyable way.
Great descriptions. Initially, in the first few chapters, I though this would be an overly flowery style: "Gusts of snow lashed at barren rock, the bitter wind howling with the fury of a thousand souls forever damned." Descriptive and lyrical but SO hyperbolic. Fortunately that calmed as the story progressed, but stayed descriptive enough to be easily visualized and lushly imagined.
Painful interactions. Possibly because this book was the product of a 15 year old with minimal life experience? The characters didn't seem to know how to interact with each other. Flirting was awkwardly depicted, sometimes as violence, sometimes with sudden and jarringly anachronistic pet names. Major characters developments, like Orion's possible love interests, were thrown out in a single, seemingly unnecesary sentence. Conceptually great, meh implementation.
Regressive character development. I started out liking the first two main characters, Asterin and Orion, and enjoyed their interactions. But as soon as the conflict and other characters were introduced, both seemed to become petty and angry and childish versions of themselves. Later scenes showed abrupt or uncharacteristic actions, with little or no exposition to lead up to the choices the character makes ie Orion's interest, Quinian's interest, Harry's loyalty, Asterin's attack on her teammate, Asterin's "impossible" choice, Luna's anger. Overall, there doesn't seem to be much buildup to the character's passionate actions.
Overall it was an easy and enjoyable to read but I felt the characters stopped developing emotionally as soon as they were first introduced, and all actions were driven by plot or physical/magical growth. Any emotional ups or downs - often important in a hero's journey, an angsty YA, and a budding romance - were stilted at best. Although the story contained into a lot of good issues like loss, abuse, loyalty, betrayal, and same sex relationships, they were mostly glossed over or thrown in between action scenes.
Generally I'm underwhelmed. I'm willing to continue reading, just to see where the plot might go. I don't feel compelled to immediately pick up the next book, though.
Great descriptions. Initially, in the first few chapters, I though this would be an overly flowery style: "Gusts of snow lashed at barren rock, the bitter wind howling with the fury of a thousand souls forever damned." Descriptive and lyrical but SO hyperbolic. Fortunately that calmed as the story progressed, but stayed descriptive enough to be easily visualized and lushly imagined.
Painful interactions. Possibly because this book was the product of a 15 year old with minimal life experience? The characters didn't seem to know how to interact with each other. Flirting was awkwardly depicted, sometimes as violence, sometimes with sudden and jarringly anachronistic pet names. Major characters developments, like Orion's possible love interests, were thrown out in a single, seemingly unnecesary sentence. Conceptually great, meh implementation.
Regressive character development. I started out liking the first two main characters, Asterin and Orion, and enjoyed their interactions. But as soon as the conflict and other characters were introduced, both seemed to become petty and angry and childish versions of themselves. Later scenes showed abrupt or uncharacteristic actions, with little or no exposition to lead up to the choices the character makes ie Orion's interest, Quinian's interest, Harry's loyalty, Asterin's attack on her teammate, Asterin's "impossible" choice, Luna's anger. Overall, there doesn't seem to be much buildup to the character's passionate actions.
Overall it was an easy and enjoyable to read but I felt the characters stopped developing emotionally as soon as they were first introduced, and all actions were driven by plot or physical/magical growth. Any emotional ups or downs - often important in a hero's journey, an angsty YA, and a budding romance - were stilted at best. Although the story contained into a lot of good issues like loss, abuse, loyalty, betrayal, and same sex relationships, they were mostly glossed over or thrown in between action scenes.
Generally I'm underwhelmed. I'm willing to continue reading, just to see where the plot might go. I don't feel compelled to immediately pick up the next book, though.
angelaann88's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chllybrd's review against another edition
4.0
I gave it 3.5 stars
SHADOW FROST was an entertaining read, with a wide cast of characters and a world that was more vast than I could have imagined.
There are quite a few characters in SHADOW FROST that are a big part of the story. Some seem inconsequential and end up being way more important to things than you thought. There is a bit of a romance involved. For a bit, I thought there would be a love triangle, but thankfully that does not happen.
There were some crazy and shocking twists thrown at us. I didn't see them coming, and the consequences of the events that preceded them surprised me. The world was easy to get lost in and the pace flowed nicely.
There were some small things that I wished would have been better with SHADOW FROST. I wish there would have been some more character development before everyone became such close friends. I also felt like the age of the characters wasn't always represented with their behavior. There were few cringe worthy romance moments, but knowing the author wrote the story at 15 kinda makes me understand the way some things played out.
My issues with the story weren't strong enough to put me off the story. I am definitely interested in reading more.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
SHADOW FROST was an entertaining read, with a wide cast of characters and a world that was more vast than I could have imagined.
There are quite a few characters in SHADOW FROST that are a big part of the story. Some seem inconsequential and end up being way more important to things than you thought. There is a bit of a romance involved. For a bit, I thought there would be a love triangle, but thankfully that does not happen.
There were some crazy and shocking twists thrown at us. I didn't see them coming, and the consequences of the events that preceded them surprised me. The world was easy to get lost in and the pace flowed nicely.
There were some small things that I wished would have been better with SHADOW FROST. I wish there would have been some more character development before everyone became such close friends. I also felt like the age of the characters wasn't always represented with their behavior. There were few cringe worthy romance moments, but knowing the author wrote the story at 15 kinda makes me understand the way some things played out.
My issues with the story weren't strong enough to put me off the story. I am definitely interested in reading more.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.