I received this ARC for review from Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing (thank you so much).


This book was a ride. I feel like this book would make an awesome t.v. show. The twists and turns came out of nowhere.

The magic system in this book was extremely interesting. I love elemental magic. And when you add in shadow as an extra element, it's even more perfect. I also like the fact that there was a limit and no one was so powerful that it got boring.

The dialogue between the characters was hilarious. The way everyone interacted reminded me of me and my group of friends. I wonder how we would have faired with this mission. I highly recommend this book. Coco did an awesome job and I can't wait for the next one. I mean, I hope there's a next one....

In Axaria, there is a beast afoot who is terrorizing the kingdom. Soldiers that have ventured out to destroy the menace have died and whole towns have been destroyed. Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, decides to use her fighting skills and magic for the benefit of her kingdom and defeat the beast. With a small, loyal crew, Asterin sets off into the wilder sections of her kingdom; however, what awaits them is not what they expected. As secrets are revealed, Asterin and her friends find that there is a plot that has been in motion for more than fifteen years and it threatens to kill them all and topple Axaria and the other kingdoms of the world. Putting the pieces together, the group opts to take on the mission of disrupting the plot, enduring countless dangers that may not allow everyone to survive.

In Shadow Frost, Coco Ma works to offer a fantasy-lover’s dream with a slate of memorable characters who wield elemental magic and engage in swordplay. While the characters are all offered motives for their participation in the hunt, these backstories are not given quite enough space to breathe. Much of this is also related to the world building, which, while present, doesn’t offer quite enough detail to boost the character backstories and plot. Because of this, the first three-quarters of the novel suffer from pacing challenges that plague the plot and the characters themselves.

As a YA novel, the instant love romance trope was well on display here. One character falls hopelessly in love with another upon first meeting. This was very apparent to the reader, if not to the character in question, so much so that at times I tended to forget that there wasn’t an established relationship between them. Most likely designed to be an instant-love, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, it didn’t quite work in the way intended. What really didn’t work for me was the tough banter and nicknames. The dialogue came off a bit stilted and calling each other “brat” and “asshole” as pet names just didn’t land.

Overall, the tale was designed to have some unexpected twists; however, due to some heavy-handed foreshadowing and an omniscient narrator, many of these plot devices were predictable as the story picked up speed during the final quarter of the tale. That being said, the culmination of the novel was satisfying, if inevitable.

Much has been said about the fact that Ma will be a published author at the age of fifteen. I, like many others, believe this is commendable. My hope is that as Ma continues to mature her writing follows suit. I am curious where the story is headed and will read the sequel, and hope that like other series I have read, the writing grows with the author, characters, and story arc.

Shadow Frost is a dark, twisty YA fantasy that's officially "unputdownable." I always love a mystery and a monster, and the rich world Ma paints throughout Shadow Frost couples perfectly. A stellar read for your Fall 2019 TBR list!

Dnf'd at 20%. Unfortunately not much has really happened this far into the book. There are a good amount of YA tropes within the first few chapters, but I wanted to give this book a chance because the author was super nice and the cover was really pretty.

I'd like everyone to take some time to appreciate this beautiful cover! I, for instance, love it so much! Even though I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover!
That wouldn't be a problem because, well, I enjoyed the book almost as much as I enjoyed the cover!
I like the way everything was presented and I also liked the construction of the world. Coco Ma did a great job!

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review!

I keep bouncing back and forth between a three and a four for this one. I loved the elemental magic, but the world building was not my favorite and it was a little cliche at times. I, however, am interested in seeing where the story heads.

I really want to give this book more than three stars... but I can't really in good conscience give it more when it's not as good as the books I give four stars too.

Asterin is a magically-talented princess in her realm. When reports of a demon spread throughout the realm, she feels the need to go after it. Her best friend and a few of her guards go with her. While they're out tracking down the demon, they realize that the princess is in danger... and there are several twists.

The plot was interesting. There's a demon stalking the realms! What can be cooler than that? A group of friends are working together to track it down! It reminds me in some ways of the Dragonlance books, which I loved.

But... there are things that kept me from loving this book. The first thing that I find odd is that Asterin's mother presents her with two guards from another country, out of the blue, and she's supposed to just be okay with that? It seemed odd to me. Is there some foreign exchange program going on? No. Despite this odd occurrence, Asterin accepts this as normal.

Some of the relationships in this book develop a little too quickly to be realistic, and even then, for most of the book, the chemistry doesn't seem that believable. I think that's my biggest problem with this book: it doesn't seem believable. The characters don't behave like I'd expect them to.

That being said, the magic was pretty cool, and I didn't dislike the book. There are just many other books that are much better. This is the author's debut, and she did write this book when she was fifteen years old, so I would definitely consider giving her future books another chance. I don't know whether I will continue with this series (there are a lot of books out there competing for my attention) but I am interested in seeing other books from her.

Going into this I genuinely didn't know what to expect, and after reading it I am in LOVE!

I'm so excited to read more of the series! Thank you so much for providing an ARC!

Shadowfrost is the story of a princess on her journey to slay her demon while so much is at stake.

The Characters and the romance were well written. I loved every character and especially Asterin and Quinlan with their whole Asshole-Brat romance. Luna and Eadric had an amazing healthy relationship.

The gray characters had amazing twists that made them more amazing.

Though some twists we're predictable , Coco Ma has captured my attention so much.

Shadow frost is best for
-Fantasy lovers
-Young adult fantasy lovers.

I thank NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy for review.

This beautiful cover gave me life! I loved every single main character. They were all absolutely unique. Asterin is absolutely amazing! Seriously LOVE fantasies with strong female leads! This book is fast paced and exciting, and I'll be recommending it to everyone!

Shadow Frost is about a badass princess Asterin and the quest to defeat a monster who is killing innocent people. The plot is pretty simple but what really sucks in a reader is the subtle elemental magic, the narrative, the twists and turns but the most captivating thing about the book is the depiction of the characters (atleast for me).
The story was a roller coaster ride. You like some things and you don’t like somethings, but you enjoy it anyway.
Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for the eArc.

Welcome to this book review,
I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
This book was a wild and amazing ride.
There are so many great things about this book, multiple POV's, great magic, intriguing world and elemental magic which I am always a big fan of.
I loved all the different point of views, which is unusual for me since I am usually really annoyed or have a growing hate for a character. There were strong woman who weren't presented as weak or lesser because of the problems and dilemmas the had or were facing. The writing style was also really enjoyable.
While those aspects were great, there were a couple of things that made bottered me, the way the relationships developed so quickly felt un-organic to me, I was also annoyed with the way the story completely changed directions in the middle of the story, And while I really enjoyed most of the plot twist, a lot of them felt like fillers to a story that wasn't sure where it was going. I didn't see how some of the plot twist added to the story, it seemed as if it didn't matter when or if they happened at all.
That being said, it was a great debut novel and I am definitely curious to see where the next book in this series will take us.
Recommended for sure, it has a very unique take on elemental magic and strong characters that really help you discover the world at a lovely pace,
-Bookarina

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher for the early copy via Netgalley.

Shadow Frost was one of those books I went into with no expectations. I read the synopsis a couple months ago and completely forgot what it was about.

It is a high fantasy young adult following Asterin and several of her friends: Luna, Orion, Eadric, Rose, Quinlan, and Harry. There's deceit, there's betrayal, there are lies, and there is danger and romance. All things that make a great book. However I never really was fully invested in the story until a little after halfway, so I had a hard time up until then.

After halfway we have a ton of action and it gets super interesting. In fact if the first half was more like the second half I'd have been quite a bit more interested.

The book is left open to potentially continue the story in the future, but could also be read as a standalone.

I do recommend this book if you don't mind watching friendships blossom or are ready to read the first half of the book with very little action but a HUGE payout the second half.

I was unable to get into this book and had to DNF. I am not sure if it was the writing style or the fact that the formatting was so off. I intend to read this when it publishes though so hopefully I will like it better then.

A first in series is always tricky as there are characters to introduce and a world to create. Here the author has chosen for her debut to foray into young adult territory with a magic system based on elemental powers which is a very exciting concept. To further expand it she includes Gods who might or might not meddle and then of course there are the main protagonists and somewhat topically there are six of them ! So if a story with an ensemble cast appeal to you then prepare to become completely enamoured. No these characters are no rag tag bunch of misfits but the author is clearly trying to offer her readers some diversity and the possibility of romance. All of this whilst good battles evil trying to not just save the kingdom but actually unravel the mystery of just who and why so many are dying.
It would be remiss of me to ignore the characters who you will follow and you will I’ve no doubt enjoy getting their points of view.
Aesterin is the plucky, princess who realises she still has a lot to learn about her abilities.
Luna is the loyal lady in waiting who has never understood why her magic feels stifled .
Orion is the fierce somewhat cheeky, guardian protector who bravely risks everything for those he loves.
Eadric is the strong , silent type staunchly performing his duty whilst sweetly courting Luna.
Rose has secrets , is perhaps the most focused of all but she’s also full of surprises .
Quinlan is a veritable powerhouse who struggles to be taken seriously .
Lastly we meet Harry who undeniably has a sweet nature but he should never be underestimated !
Happily there’s no triangles here although I did feel that there were romantic overtures earlier on that made me cringe and showed the youth and inexperience of the author . That having been said it was the overall plot and mystery that consumed this reader and the idea of these characters hunting down a demon played out very well. There are twists galore thrown into this story as it barrelled towards the end with final scenes that leave this reader immediately wanting more .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This a well put together plot and storyline in the YA sword/sorcery/intrigue/coming of age adventure and quest line. There's enough turns and twists and nuances for all ages while being palatable enough for anyone to read. I would continue the series to see where the individuals that survived the first installation endup. It starts with a princess and those around her in a situation where things aren't quite what they seem and a quest to kill a demon. What is ire important are the dems we all carry and how to deal with them. Would recommend. (less)

I'm super impressed by the author's ability to write this at fifteen!! I was impressed by the scope of this fantasy novel - worlds and characters abound. While we learn all about the fantasy world created by Ma, the characters really come into their own. A solid debut.

The reviews for this book are showing a downward trend, and so I am removing it from my “to read” list for 2019. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

DNF 20% - 2/5 Stars.

Taken from my mini-review blog post that can be found here https://trufflereads.com/2019/08/24/the-dnf-game-should-you-or-shouldnt-you-my-recent-dnf-mini-reviews/

Can I just how disappointed I was, just so disappointed because I LOVE the concept of this book. Who doesn’t freaking just love elemental magic and royalty and being a super bad-arse, arse-kicking warrior princess who can do elemental stuff like — it sounds perfect to me.

Unfortunately, it was the execution that makes me drop this book from the depth of my kindle library. The plot and character introduction were rushed, everything just felt rushed and wasn’t developed out properly. One second a character is your enemy then suddenly they’re your friend and then your love interest and now you get chapters with their point of view – there was no consistency or character development. The plot itself felt like it came out of nowhere, in not a great way either.

I just wish I’d gotten so much more, granted that I did only read the first 20% of it, I could see these anomalies from the start but kept trying to get into it. I don’t know how much ARCs get changed before publishing in this instance but from my editing university knowledge, it’s likely not to be much.

I honestly think that this book could be absolutely astounding if it got some really good structural editing to really bring out the best in the characters, to give them life, flavour and development and have them on amazing quests to save their world. The author of this book is also hella young at only 19 years old so I look forward to reading her future work cause if that doesn’t scream potential, IDK what does.

I received a copy through Netgalley for Review.

I'm giving this one a 4/5
Shadow Frost by Coco Ma is a wild ride! Complex characters, nice world building, a well thought out magic system. A little snarky romance, evil demons, meddling immortal gods.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. It didn't quite set me over the edge to give it a 5, but it's a very solidly well written fantasy.

Princess Asterin Faelenheart isn't everything her mother would like her to be.
She's got a herd of personal guards, and an overbearing Guardian there to protect her, mostly from herself. She wields swords, picks locks and can kick ass just as well as any elite solider. Not to mention she's not bad at magic either, although she can't completely control it-yet.
Everything around her is about to unravel and it will shake the foundations of everything she believes to be true.