Reviews of Frost

After reading 'The Curse Girl' by this author, I was determined to read everything else that she gets out. So it was with immense pleasure and anticipation that I jumped on the opportunity to read this novel for a review.

It did not disappoint!

I found this novel to have a really interesting plot and mass of characters. It was quite an original but familiar plot. Original because you have a village living in what appears to be quite a harsh winter environment, where creatures in the night could easily end your life. Those creatures themselves are very curious though there is not a lot of information about them and what they are exactly, but the fear they inflict in the villagers is palpable.

As to the remainder of the story, it is not so original, but very entertaining nonetheless. I enjoyed the build up of the relationship between Lia and Gabe and am glad that this book is a part of a series.

Really really wish that book 2 was published already, because I definitely would have jumped straight into it to find out what happens next.

Lia's descriptions paint a detailed picture of her world and the people/creatures within. I was easily absorbed into the short but engaging story. It's a perfect addition to my favorite dystopian stories, with all the deception I've come to love to read about, haha. The characters were well-developed, and I thought the story moved at a good pace and kept things interesting. Not to mention that the writing was quite beautiful without being overdone. My only complaint would be the abrupt ending, but it is perfectly set up for a second book. Here's hoping a Frost sequel is part of Ms Ellison's quota! :)

This story was very, very interesting and very, very good. One can see the world a frozen land; where most people work their fingers off and few are privileged. Lia is head of the household since her parents were killed. Her small family consists of her older brother, who had an accident when he was a child has left him unable to walk, and her younger sister, whom is very ditzy and likes to dream and wonder off. They have been told all their lives to stay out of the forest after dark and to keep the flowers close when they go out and Lia must go out very often. She must go into town to deliver her quota and exchange for supplies. They also have been told that “Fathers” are dangerous and “Watchers” are worst. But when ditzy finds a hurt Father in the woods one day while daydreaming, she wants to help him and therefore recruits Lia to help. I love dystopian stories and this is a very good one, I am looking forward to reading the next one. However, with Frost ending the way it did, I can’t wait to see what’s Kate has in mind.

Frost by Kate Avery Ellison belongs with books like Matched and Under The Never Sky. I got this book from a LibraryThing giveaway, and I had high hopes. Honestly, the cover had me convinced that this book was professionally published, though I didn't see any mention of a publisher on the Smashwords page.

Lia Weaver lives in the Frost, a monster-filled forest next to the mountains. Her parents were killed by the Watchers, monsters that live in the forest, and she now has to struggle to keep their farm and her siblings together. To stay independent they have to meet their quota of yarn for the townspeople, and they receive supplies in return. If they don't meet quota they will be split up and the farm will be abandoned.

Then one day Lia's sister goes off into the woods alone and finds a Farther, someone from the totalitarian empire far south of the frost, bleeding to death in the cold. Against all reason and against the strict rules of the community, Lia brings him home and nurses him back to health. Lia has to figure out how to get him to a place called "the Gate," and keep the townspeople from knowing that he's even there. But she doesn't even know what "the Gate" is.

One thing I liked about this story is that even though it is a very standard love story (heroin nurses the savage foreigner to health, while falling into a forbidden love), it has elements that make it much more believable. Lia is a survivor and it isn't in the "I'm a badass" kind of way. Lia is torn between how easy it would be for her to get married and leave the farm,and keeping her family safe. Doing so would mean her sister would be sent to very harsh labor and her brother might not be taken care of at all because he was lamed in an accident when he was six.

When she meets the Farther, there isn't just the feeling that she has to do this because he's a human being. Noble as that is, it's the reason everyone does this in every forbidden love dying man romance. That is there, but the real reason is love at first sight, though she won't admit it to herself. Why do I think this is better than the way everyone else does this? I'm quite honestly sick of the hate leads to love cliché (though it's kind of in there as well), and though love at first sight is also a cliché, it's kind of gone out of style. "I hate you. No. I love you" is now en vogue. This at least gives some motivation, and makes the love story less ridiculous. it almost seems natural. I don't want to read a book and have a romantic story arc smashed in when two characters have simply been insulting and horrible to each other for most of the book.

The world is well-developed, and I felt like I understood how everything worked. Last names told you what the person did in town. the idea of ribbons and flowers as protective charms against the Watchers stayed consistent, and was used nicely through all of the action scenes.

I highly suggest this book and I'm giving it 4 stars.

Lia Weaver has lost her parents and is trying to follow the rules of her society, keep her brother and sister feed, and together. When finding a stranger in the woods that is injured and in need of help Lia takes him home to care for him. Struggling with the decision of what is right, following the rules that society puts down or helping somone in need. This was a very good book, you could empathize with Lia and her struggle to do what needed to be done to survive and grow.