Book Review: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep


Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Kensington Teen (November 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0758266944
ISBN-13: 978-0758266941
Series: Mythos Academy #2
Source: Finished copy provided by publisher
Cover: I think this cover is absolutely gorgeous. I love the snowflakes caught on the girl's long black lashes and near her lips like she's blowing ice. The icy blue and light pink color scheme are beautiful and the little gargoyle on the top of the author's name is too cute. I like this cover a lot better than the first!
First Sentence: "Logan Quinn was trying to kill me."


Mini-Review: A wonderfully light paranormal read, raising the stakes while keeping everything you loved from the first!


Summary:

Logan Quinn was try ing to kill me. My Spar tan class mate relent lessly pur sued me, swing ing his sword at me over and over again, the shin ing sil ver blade inch ing closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes prac ti cally glowed with the thrill of battle... 

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur vive the rest of the semes ter. One day, I’m get ting schooled in sword play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq ui ties decides to use me for tar get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some one at the acad emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

Review:


Utilizing the same intriguing mythology set up in the first, Kiss of Frost is an excellent continuation of Gwen Frost's journey. Filled with the same lovably snobby and equal beautiful Mythos campus, newly found relationships and evolved struggles, Kiss of Frost is an easy read. Gwen's voice is smooth and unique, the story (while at times predictable) is a whole lot of fun and the magic and lore is deepen and richer for it.


I really liked Gwen's character in Touch of Frost and I am really glad to come back to this series and have an even better and stronger voice. A comic book loving, hoodie wearing kid on scholarship among the rich and snobby always made Gwen unique but her ability to adapt and change is what made her incredible. I like that Gwen learned some lessons in book 1 and they stuck around for book 2. She isn't dumb and even though she makes some poor decisions in this sequel, she acknowledges that and has good reasons for choosing what she does. It was nice to be included in on the bad decision making. She doesn't excuse herself but she does what she needs to do and figures out the rest as she goes along.


Watching Gwen's touch magic deepen and broaden into something completely new is another highlight in this book. I like that as Gwen begins to grow and explore her world, so does her magic. It also worked because the entire mythology that Estep set up in the first novel is expanding. All of a sudden there is a much bigger world out there and even some of the teachers are learning new and startling things about the Reapers of Chaos.


The storyline provides something fresh by having the students leave the campus for a weekend trip to a snowy mountainous resort and plucks the school into a place with another Academy and a whole new list of fresh suspects. Though I figured out earlier on who the bad guy was, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how the bad guy did some of the things that he/she was suppose to have done. In that way, it kept me guessing. What I loved about this story is that even though the stakes are raising, the voice maintained it's fun, light quality. Kiss of Frost isn't your dark paranormal YA and in that sense, it is refreshing.


I literally can't write a review without talking about the love interest. Seriously, the fact that it is this far down in the review is almost causing me to break out in hives. If it's possible, Logan is even hotter in this novel. The scenes between he and Gwen literally sizzle off the page and Estep is adapt at amping up the sexual tension. I must say though that the other characters were just as engaging as these two. Gwen's feisty best friend Daphne provides plenty of laughs with her princess pink sparkles and super strength and her nerdy boyfriend is too sweet for words. I also really enjoyed the addition of Logan's friends Kenzie and Oliver. They all made the world come to life.


Kiss of Frost raises the stakes, makes the main character face some new frightening realizations and manages to maintain it's light, fun tone. Stuffed with great descriptions, a likable main character and a fair amount of kissing, Kiss of Frost is one heck of a sequel. Just like Gwen's touch magic allows her to remember images she sees, you will remember Gwen because she will touch you.

Rating: