This book was so good!!! Many of these Ya fantasy books are becoming the same and have an expected plot line. This one was finally a bit different. The romance, and the story, and even the character flaws made Ruby seem realistic and likeable. Can't wait to read the sequel!

I really enjoyed this book. The book started off a little slow but it is expected when it is the start of a series. This is the story of Fire vs. Ice. You meet Ruby who is a Fireblood but in the land of Frost King. She is the chosen one but doesn't believe it and is not ready to fight. During this first book we see her rise up and learn what she needs to fight the king. Does she have what it takes to take down the King and also find the love she needs to go on. I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review Frostblood by Elly Blake! Ruby is Fireblood, (can build heat and flame within her body and can expel both), and loses her mother in an attack on their home. Ruby is taken as a prisoner because Firebloods are persecuted. She spends some time in prison, then is released to go with Frostblood (can build cold and frost within their bodies and can expel both) people and taken to Forwind Abbey. The abbey catches on fire and one of the monks blames Ruby, so she runs away. Arcus, a mysterious resident of the abbey, finds her in the woods, alone, lost and with no horse. He takes her back to the abbey and she makes an agreement with Brother Thistle and Arcus that she will stay and help them if they explain their purpose to her. They finally have mutual trust and their backstories unfold gradually. This adventurous tale comes to life full of action and intrigue in a beautifully described fantasy world. I enjoyed the depth of the characters and how the explanation of the Frostblood world unfolded - 5 stars! I am anxiously looking forward to the sequel, Fireblood which is scheduled for publication September 2017.

From time to time I always enjoy looking for a new YA series to start. I received an email from Netgalley about this book and it interested me so much that I thought it would be the next YA series that I'd try. I really enjoyed this through most of the book but for me the events towards the end of the book really lessened my enjoyment. In fact the ending seemed so wrapped up to me that I don't see how or why this would continue as a series.

Ruby was a really good character to follow and I enjoyed reading about her. I liked that her eventual romance with Arcus did not overwhelm the plot. She was going to get her revenge and nothing was going to stop her.

Ruby was definitely the bright spot of this book but events towards the end just left me a bit bored. Everything just works out too easily and everything is pretty much wrapped up at the end. I will not be continuing on with this series unfortunately.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

So, this book is... strange.

I'll elaborate. The story kind of has three parts. The first third is kind of a set up of who Ruby is and her set-up. Then there are all the events that happen at this abbey, then there are all the shenanigans that happen in the Frostblood palace and the arena fights.

The first third is some really good setup. I really enjoyed that part of the book. It happened all at once and felt both a little slow and a little rushed. Her short time in prison was kind of rushed, and we don't actually get to really see that much of what we are told happened to her. Though it is expressed that it's the same thing daily, so maybe the author didn't really feel the need to write more than one scene of them torturing her with ice water.

When we get to the abbey, that's when things start to feel a little cliche to me. She get's training, there's one monk who doesn't trust her at all, and decides to put them all in danger in efforts to keep them all safe, very cliche. A budding romance between our MC and a mysterious Frostblood... also very cliche and something that I felt kind of came out of nowhere. They can barely stand each other, we never hear her express that she finds him attractive in any way, then suddenly she is confessing feelings for him. It was just very cliche and almost caused me to stop reading.

But, then we get to the arena fights and the book picks up a lot, and things start to get really interesting. The story becomes fast paced and the writing improves here as well. The plot becomes more than just another "star-crossed lovers" story. Something that is over told to the point where it no longer holds any weight.

The ending was, fine. It didn't really feel like it ended smoothly. It was almost a jarring ending for me, I wasn't sure if it needed another chapter or one less chapter. If the sequel is on NetGalley, I'll request it, but beyond that, I don't know if I am excited enough about this book to care to seek out the sequel after it comes out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown for providing an e-ARC for review!

FrostBlood does invite comparisons to other YA series like Ember in the Ashes and Maria Snyder's Poison Study series, but Elly Blake definitely has a unique writing voice that will distinguish her from others in the field. Frostblood's protagonist, Ruby Otrera -- one of the last firebloods living in frostblood lands -- also will appeal to a younger YA audience (occasional graphic violence aside). Ruby's decision-making skills often leave much to be desired, but it feels more authentic to a 16/17-year old thrust into an impossible, life or death situation than some other YA fantasy protagonists. Overall this is a strong first entry in what looks to be an exciting new series!

This year is already shaping up to be one of my best reading years. I’ve read 8 books so far and I have not been disappointed. Frostblood is the book you’re going to hear about and will become an instinctive recommendation to anyone and everyone you know because it’s epic.

How I love this book, let me count the ways:

World Building. A blend of dizzying and addictive folklore mixes with myth and elemental magic. The stories of the gods and goddesses are sweeping, dark, and have that campfire-tale quality that sucks you in and refuses to let go. Wow. These stories themselves would make an amazing companion for the series. I’d love to have a collection. And they keep coming. They’re a solid foundation that keeps giving as the story progresses. There are layers of world building. The first is myth, the second is this terrifying world of witch-hunt style persecution and violence. AND then a gladiator-like battle in an area. I don’t know what else you could possibly want, this is all sorts of epic.

Ruby. As a main character, she’s unexpected. Filled with doubts, insecurity and yet, thirsting for revenge, she’s not the typical heroine. Her drive is largely to pay back those who destroyed her world and make them suffer. That vehement determination is something else. At the same time, her heart is tested. She learns compassion and to care in new and surprising ways. Everything that Ruby is is tempted. Darkness beckons her and she must decide between darkness and light. That conflict is written so well. She truly wars within.

Arcus. There’s some serious star-crossed lovers going on here. He’s not what you’d picture as a love interest. Cold, dismissive, scarred, and gruff. He’s not your typical flirty hot guy. He’s got an air of mystery, but for the most part her’s serious, seems much older than his years. Arcus will grow on you. His focus, the way he fights through his icy exterior, how he doesn’t know how to process his emotions…I mean, he’s the kind of character you tilt your head to the side, raise an eyebrow and examine-a puzzle.

Romance. It’s soft, subtle, and hits hard when it does. There’s definitely a love-hate, comparative fight against the attraction. It’s spirited, intriguing, and the banter, yes, give me more of that. Fire and ice. Who knew it could be so steamy? 😉

Secondary characters. Everyone in the abbey left an impression. From the good guys to the bad ones. The presence is there. The adrenaline high. No one can be fully trusted. A character who had a fairly important part, Marella, was a wishy-washy, almost forgettable character despite her pretty regular appearance near the end of the book. Rasmus!!! OMG. Yes. A complex villain with a twisted and heartbreaking background. I felt for him. The revelations about his character are short, blunt, and leave you reeling. His evil is there. He’s vile, violent, and glorifies others’ pain, but whether he would truly be that way without the influence of the throne leaves him questionable. And for some strange reason, he’s oddly sexy, maybe even more so than Arcus. I only wish he was present sooner.

The Arena. Flashbacks to Gladiator. “Are you entertained?” I certainly was. The mythical and beastly creatures, it was a rush.

The story leaves room for a sequel and I cannot wait. The resolution was hard to come by. There was a great level of uncertainty that the good would win. I loved that.

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frostblood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind. So when her mother is killed for protecting her and rebel frostbloods demand her help to kill their rampaging king, she agrees. But Ruby's powers are unpredictable, and she's not sure she's willing to let the rebels and an infuriating (yet irresistible) young man called Arcus use her as their weapon.

All she wants is revenge, but before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to take part in the king's tournaments that pit fireblood prisoners against frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Fast-paced and compelling, Frostblood is the first in a page-turning new young adult three-book series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies—but together create a power that could change everything.

Review:

I am not usually a big YA reader, but I was super intrigued by the blurb for this one that I had to pick it up.

With that said, I saw a lot of people compare it to other YA books...well I am not going to do that since I don't read a lot of them. I found it a very thrilling and action-packed. The mythos of the frostbloods and the firebloods was engaging and I liked the uniqueness of the mythos. Ruby was great, she had her moments of doubt and weakness, but when the time came she was a fighter. Of course there was a little romance with Arcus, who is not all he seems. Very much on the sweet side, okay for the younger reader. My favorite part was when Ruby was captured and held by the frost king and what she goes through in order to go through with the plan to kill the king. The ending was particularly tension filled and ends with a little cliff hanger. This is the first book in this new trilogy. I cannot wait to see what happens and for someone who is picky about the YA they read it says a lot.

4Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

Fire and Ice combine in FROSTBLOOD. I found it both entertaining and frustrating, full of action and low key scenes and most of all great characters to lead you to the end.

Ruby was easy to like and I found her to be pretty strong in character. She isn't the most adept when it comes to her skills, but she did a good job of trudging through. She fought for herself and those worthy of it. Arcus is frustrating and comes off cruel, but give it time and get to know him. There is definitely a love/hate thing going on between him and Ruby for a while. Ruby has a temper and Arcus has secrets he is trying to hide which makes for some pretty explosive scenes. The sweetness comes out and the passion is just as explosive as the conflict between the two.

Let's talk about the world. It was well built and the explanations were point on in helping me imagine everything as the story progressed. I found the story to be exciting and original. I have seen a lot of reviews comparing FROSTBLOOD to other stories, but I found it to be pretty original.

I enjoyed reading FROSTBLOOD and look forward to the sequel.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! You will not get one complaint from me except that I wish the story did not end! I am dying for more!

When I picked this book up it was because of the cover. It immediately caught my attention and screamed “action packed fantasy” at me. I had to get my hands on it.

The minute I started reading FROST BLOOD I knew it was going to hook me till the very last page. I could not stop reading and when I did put the book down it was all I thought about. I could not wait to get back to it and finish reading. Elly Blake takes you on one hell of an adventure!!! My emotions while reading this book were all over the place. I laughed, I screamed, I swooned, and just about bit all my nails off waiting to see what would be the outcome. Though some parts were predictable, I was still very happy with where the story went and how it all went down. I truly hope there is more from Elly Blake. She managed to keep me entertained from the beginning to end with Ruby and Arcus.

The Relationship between Ruby and Arcus was one of my all time favorites! A romance does blossom between the two, but it is not immediate. Their relationship actually starts off bumpy; a love and hate relationship for sure. I also love that Blake does not take away from the story filling the pages with romance. Ruby's journey is just beginning, while Arcus has already lost so much and been through so much. I don’t think there is ONE character in this book that I did not like.

I honestly don’t know what else to say except that this book was everything I LOVE in a Young Adult fantasy book. It has lots of twist and turns, romance, action packed, strong characters… it has it all! It’s definitely one I recommend everyone adds to their 2017 list of AMAZING books to read!

I really enjoyed this book. I am actually quite surprised by how much I ended up liking it. When I decided to read this book, I wasn't really sure if it was my kind of book. I found out pretty quickly that it was in fact my kind of book. It was an incredibly exciting story set in a interesting world. I am so glad that I decided to read this book.

This book started out really strong. When we first meet Ruby, we learn that she is a Fireblood and that she has been hiding that fact from others for her entire life. Being a Fireblood is dangerous where she lives because they usually don't live for very long after discovery. Ruby has never had an opportunity to really learn how to use her gift or to even test the strength of her power.

I liked Ruby almost immediately. She starts the story out in such an impossible situation and quickly proves to be a survivor. As the story moved forward, there were times that I thought I liked her a bit less. Some of her actions while at the monastery seemed a bit immature at times but she is a seventeen year old in a horrible situation so I think it was justified. By the end of the book, I absolutely loved her. She proved to be incredibly brave and had an amazing strength to her character.

Ruby wasn't the only great character in this story. Arcus was awesome. He always seemed to have a much larger story to tell and I enjoyed his quiet strength. The Brothers at the monastery were great and there were even a few people at the king's court that seemed like they might actually want to help Ruby.

I really enjoyed the way that the story was written. My interest was captured from the very beginning. The pace of the story did slow down a bit during much of the first part of the story but that was where we learned about the world and Ruby's abilities. Once the second half of the book started, I couldn't put the book down. Everything I thought would happend didn't and I wasn't sure how things would work out in the end. I also really appreciated the fact that even though this book is the first of a new series, it came to a nice conclusion.

I would highly recommend this book to others. It is a fantastic story that is filled with excitement. I am really very excited about the fact that this is the beginning of a new series. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series just as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via NetGalley.

I’m so excited to have a new YA Fantasy series to look forward too. I must have a love for girl power because I get such enjoyment finding series where a young woman comes along with powers and save the day. I hate to give too much description for stories like this. I’m a reader that wants to dive in without knowing what’s going to happen , so all I’m going to say is the storytelling by this author was vivid, imaginative and it completely sucked me in. It’s going to be a long wait until September for the next book! ARC provided by NetGalley.

Magic, frost, fire, bloody battles, dark dungeons, and the dark desire for revenge merge together to form a read which ensnares and holds the tension until the very end.

Ruby doesn't want much out of life; she simply enjoys living in the small village with her mother, and to practice the talent she was born with--fire magic. Even this, she does quietly in corners where no one can see. But as a fireblood, this is too much. Her mere existence is enough to sentence her to death. When someone sees her, the frostblood soliders come, and everything Ruby holds dear is destroyed. Brutally. Now, she has one goal--to get revenge.

Ruby is a girl on a mission to survive and get revenge, and this is a goal she keeps in front of her the entire story. But unlike many tales with strong female characters, Ruby is a natural born fighter. She has fire magic but has basically no idea how to control or use it. And she battles and works on this the entire way through, which helps to make her a character to really cheer on. She's also not a 'stupid' character. Although she does find herself in sticky situations, it's not due to her own stupidity or lack of planning, but rather, she usually acts on solid thoughts and common sense.

The world around Ruby is rich. There's enough familiarity in the life and scenes for the reader to gain a good footing before the fantastical elements take place. There's magic, but there's also quite a few 'normal' characters. This raises the stakes and makes it easier to fever for Ruby and the others when danger arises. The other characters come to life with their own personalities and traits, and it's hard not to get emotionally touched along with Ruby when these friends are threatened.

The plot centers on Ruby and her struggle to find a way to stop the Frostking's tyrannic rule. Although this leads through many action and fight scenes, there's also a romantic plot, which holds its own. There's a slow building of trust and friendship, which flowed well with the surrounding circumstances. At least, at first. The romance does start to dominate the plot in the middle, but then, as Ruby's revenge tilts back into full swing, it gets shoved hard to the side. Although it all circles around back nicely into a full-tension ending, this hiccup did pull me out for a bit.

The ending is as epic as hoped for. About half of the plot is wrapped up, leaving the rest to be answered in the upcoming books.

Summed up, this is an exciting read packed with magic, romance and adventure. I can definitely recommend it to YA fantasy fans.

A dazzling tale of a land where fire and frost inspire devotion and fear. Ruby has lost everything and traded it in for vengeance. Will she be able to control fire within?

Brilliant worldbuilding and a refreshing take on a magical universe. I will definitely follow this series!

Excellent! This was my introduction to frost vs fire stories in YA literature, and I loved it! Great story, great characters, this book completely kept me entertained - and I am well out of my YA years. I particularly enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, but the whole book was very good. For a debut novel, I thought this was especially well plotted and well written, and I will most definitely read more of this series. A few uneven spots here and there, but for the most part - Excellent! Many thanks to Netgalley, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Teens & YA for an advance copy of this fast, fun read! 4.25 stars!

“The book says that a west wind will blow when the child of light is born, a powerful Fireblood who will fight the darkness and destroy it forever”

And what if the tweets of @DystopianYA aren't inspired by books like this, but instead books like this are inspired by the tweets of @DystopianYA?

So, Frostblood is being published today and if you ask me if I recommend it my answer would be something like: HAHAHA NO.

Why? Just imagine a place where all the young adult tropes meet to create a story. That's Frostblood.

• A "special" girl who has a power that she never desired but that is the only one that can save them all ✔
• Meet a tough, handsome and "mysterious" young man ✔
• That forces her, for her sake (always is for her sake), to live in a place surrounded by her enemies ✔
• Where she will train to destroy the evil king ✔
• While she train they will discover that, strangely, she has an ability to do things that take decades of practice for others ✔

“It’s remarkable that you can do that with so little training.”

• May be possible that she is "The Chosen One" of whom the old prophecy speaks of? ✔
• The "mysterious" young man hides a dark secret (so dark that it is evident from the second chapter) ✔
• The "special" girl and the "mysterious" young man are natural enemies, so of course they hate each other ... until they realize that they actually love each other? ✔

“I sensed on some level that he was as lonely as I was, and maybe he didn’t have to be. Maybe I didn’t have to be.”

(Yep, sure, that's love)

• And just when they realize their feelings, the "special" girl is kidnapped by the King who knows how "special" she is ✔
• But instead of killing her (because that would be way too easy), he decides to entertain himself by sending the "special" girl on deadly challenges (so that everyone in the kingdom realise how special she is, because that's the most intelligent thing to do when you want that everybody thinks that YOU are the best) ✔✔✔

Now that I think about it, this is basically A Court of Thorns and Roses, but with Frostbloods ("mysterious" young man, the King and everybody else) and Firebloods ("special" girl) instead of faeries and humans.

And as if the formulated writing, stereotyped characters and mediocre romance were not enough, I enter Goodreads and discover that it's gonna have TWO unnecessary continuations. Because of course that it had to be a trilogy!

Points for originality: ABSOLUTE ZERO.

Isn't this a gorgeous cover? I looked into this book because of it.

In reading other reviews of Frostblood, this book was compared to the movie, Frozen. I may be one of the few remaining people on the planet who hasn't seen the movie, so I can't offer any comparisons. The world-building is fantastic and fascinating and the author lays some groundwork in explaining the history between frostbloods and firebloods. The characters are very relatable and the way some of the monks welcome Ruby and offer help in spite of the general feelings and attitudes toward firebloods highly admirable.

Did I like this book? Yes - it held my interest and contained some unexpected twists near the end. That being said, there seem to be several other books out there with similar story lines and many of the plot developments were expected. But the twists made a difference for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

A story of an empire of frost and another of fire with mythological and fantasy elements, I read Frostblood over winter break and it didn't leave a lasting impression. I am a fan of YA Fantasy, especially book with a Fire and Ice theme (for obvious reasons). I was hoping for a male hero similar to Julie Kagawa's Ash in Arcus, but it wasn't quite there for me. He remained aloof and grumpy throughout most of the book which made the romance off putting. Main character Ruby seemed heavily scarred by her past and completely uneducated and unsure of her abilities.

So as not to spoil, I enjoyed the last few chapters where she grows into her role a bit more fully but am disappointed that the force is largely extrinsic, I'm hoping both main characters grow into who they are by the second book of the series. As a reader, I got a bit lost by the storyline as it jumped between two settings and the history was complicated. I will read book two of the series, and enjoyed Frostblood, but it was not enough to wow me. I'm looking for something unique. There is so much potential in this series. I'm excited to see what the future holds for this author.

My Review:

Elly Blake’s exciting debut novel Frostblood tells the story of a young woman named Ruby Otrera. Ruby is what is known as a Fireblood, which means that she possesses unique magical abilities that center on fire and heat. Rather than celebrate her powers and use them as she would wish to, however, Ruby has been raised to conceal and suppress her fire. Why? Because the land Ruby lives in is ruled by Frostbloods. Frostbloods possess similar magical abilities to Firebloods; their powers are just ice rather than flame-based. The Frostbloods also have a king who has a fierce hatred of Firebloods and wants to see them all destroyed. Thus it is for Ruby’s own protection and survival that her family has never encouraged her to use her magic.

That all changes, however, when the Frost King sends men to Ruby’s village because they suspect a Fireblood is living there. When someone betrays Ruby and reveals her to be the Fireblood, the King’s men end up killing Ruby’s mother when she stands in their way to protect her daughter. In her anguish, Ruby unleashes her fire power on those who murdered her mother and ends up arrested and taken to prison. Her stay in prison, however, is short-lived because a band of rebel Frostbloods come and break her out on the condition that she join them on their mission to kill the ruthless Frost King. They believe that she alone, with her unique fire powers, can successfully complete this mission. Because she desperately wants revenge against the man whose orders got her mother killed, Ruby agrees to be their assassin. The rest of the novel follows Ruby as she first learns to master her powers in preparation for her mission and then later as she finds herself captured and imprisoned by the Frost King and forced to participate in his deadly tournaments, all the while biding her time and hoping for an opportunity to destroy him before he destroys her.



What I Loved about Frostblood:

One of the favorite parts of Frostblood was the use of Fire vs Ice. Fire and ice imagery has always appealed to me so as soon as I saw that the magic in Frostblood was based on these elements, I knew I had to read the book.

As soon as I started reading and watching the Frostbloods and Ruby the Fireblood wield their magic, I was immediately captivated. The magic Elly Blake has created in her Frostblood world is not only mesmerizing and darkly beautiful, but it also vividly brings to mind one of my all-time favorite poems (quoted below for those who haven't read it):

“Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire. I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate.

To say that for destruction ice. Is also great.

And would suffice.”

--“Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost

Aside from the incredible use of the fire and ice imagery, I also loved the epic fight scenes that Blake gives us when the Frost King captures Ruby and forces her to participate in his tournaments. The competitions are truly badass. They are basically death matches between Firebloods and Frostbloods, but really can be between anyone or anything the King sees fit to pit against each other for his own amusement because at various times, we see him pit champions against ferocious animals and other assorted beasts. The fights are sick and often pretty graphic, but they are also a pure adrenaline rush to read. When I read them, especially the fights where Ruby was a participant, I kept envisioning gladiators fighting in the Colosseum in Ancient Rome.



Where I was Conflicted:

As much as I enjoyed these elements of Frostblood, there were still a few areas where I was conflicted. Surprisingly enough, the main character Ruby is one of them. I really did like Ruby. She’s spunky and shows great determination against seemingly impossible odds, and I also had tremendous sympathy for her since her mother was murdered right in front of her. As much as I liked her though, I did think she was a little cliché at times. The feistiness and fiery temper seemed a somewhat predictable description for someone who basically has fire running through their veins.

I also found her frustrating. She’s supposed to be mastering her powers and admittedly isn’t making great progress with her training, but yet she keeps letting herself get distracted by the mysterious Frostblood named Arcus. I won’t go so far as to call it love at first sight since they seem to hate each other when they first meet, but considering what she is preparing to risk her life to go do, there is definitely way too much flirtation going on. In that sense, she reminded me of Mare from Red Queen, who I also wanted to throttle for being more focused on her potential love interest than on her mission.

Speaking of Arcus, in some ways I actually found him to be a more compelling and less predictable character than Ruby. Although he starts out as seemingly cliché with his frosty and arrogant manner, we soon learn (and so does Ruby) there’s a lot more to Arcus than initially meets the eye. He’s much more human and vulnerable than the rest of his Frostblood counterparts seem to be. I don’t want to give too much away about Arcus since he does play a major part in the novel’s climax, but I will say that as much as I disliked the flirting at inopportune moments early in the novel, the more I got to know more about Arcus, the more I liked him and the more supportive I felt toward his budding relationship with Ruby. The gratuitous flirting definitely still irritated me, but overall I was very intrigued by the idea of the two of them together, especially since he’s a Frostblood and she’s a Fireblood and they should be mortal enemies.

I think where I was actually most conflicted about this book is that while I thoroughly enjoyed it, I still wished it had been more of a unique read. Maybe I’ve just read way too many YA fantasy novels recently, but throughout my reading of Frostblood, I kept thinking “Wait, didn’t Mare in Red Queen go through that too? Wait, this reminds me of Britta in Ever the Hunted who is scorned because of her magical powers”, etc. It’s still a great read that I would recommend to pretty much any YA fantasy lover; I just wish Ruby had been more of a standout from all of the other YA heroines. To Blake’s credit though, she does start to introduce a more unique element towards the end of the novel – the fact that Ruby does seem to have a bit of darkness within her. We start to see it early on in Frostblood in her intense need for revenge against those who killed her mother, but that darkness takes on an entirely different dimension in the closing chapters of the story. I thought it was fascinating to see a heroine grapple with such an inner darkness and I’m really hoping that Blake will continue to explore this aspect in the second novel of the series. I think that’s the more unique angle that would really take this series to the next level for me.

Who Would I Recommend Frostblood to?

I’d recommend Frostblood to anyone who likes a fast-paced YA fantasy read. Frostblood was a quick and easy read for me. I was able to knock it out in just a couple of days and, even though, I wished for a little more originality at times, I was still entertained by the story the entire time. I think readers who are newer to the genre would especially enjoy it, especially if you enjoyed books like Red Queen or Ever the Hunted.

Rating: 3.5 stars

4.5 rounded up because it's my favorite read of the year so far (but it's only 1/9, don't get too excited).

Here's the thing, lots of people are much better are reviewing YA Fantasy than I am. I enjoy reading it, but I'm not particularly well-versed in its vernacular. All I know is that when I find a book that I devour in one sitting, it's a winner. So, Frostblood is a winner.

17 year-old Ruby is an untrained Fireblood in a land ruled by Frostbloods. When she finds herself alone, imprisoned and on the run, Arcus is the mysterious hooded Frostblood who saves her. He's cold while she's passionate. He's regimented while she's wild. Yet, they need each other if they're going to take down the evil Frost king.

This novel reminded me at times of the Grisha Trilogy with a nod to Elsa from Frozen. I mean that as a compliment. There were weak spots (the reveal was quite easy to predict) but the rest was too fun to read so who cares?

I can't wait for the rest of the series.