Monday, July 23, 2012

Frost Tour Stop: Review & Giveaway

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Frost
Kate Avery Ellison
Series: Frost, #1
Release date: April 18th 2012

 

In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.

She saves his life.

Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.

But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.

Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?

*A copy was provided by Kate Avery Ellison for review purposes*

Original and… cold! This book is cold! Snow, ice, frost – it’s a very chilly, dreary setting that, coming from Canada, I can easily relate to. I know how it feels to be snowed in after a storm. To be constantly cold during a storm (even though my house is sweltering). So although the characters could have been fleshed out, and the plot intensified, the setting is very vividly depicted, and it’s clearly an incredibly unique premise that has a lot of potential. I think the book may have simply been too short.

This first book in The Frost Chronicles feels like one big long introduction. We’re placed in a notably eerie, well built world in which we’re portrayed an isolated village surrounded by deep forests where deadly creatures come out at night. It’s not safe to go out once the sun has set – ever. This gloomy setting is made worse by the fact that they unable to leave their town, because beyond the forest are the Farthers – vicious humans living in a cruel advanced society. The brilliant detailing skillfully describes the colourless, depressing state of their world, as well as how their community is managed with quotas and rations. It’s fascinating and well thought-out, getting me to feel the cold, the hopelessness, the uneasiness. Though well built, the book is missing electricity. I easily felt the hardships, but I can’t say I was very perturbed by the events that occurred in the story. I kept waiting for the big moment when I would feel emotionally invested, the moment when things go from story building, to suspenseful and thrilling – neither came in full force. I wouldn’t call the suspense nonexistent, it just wasn’t to the depth I was hoping for. This isn’t helped by the slow pacing; three quarters of the book in, I was still wondering of the plot’s intention.

The characters, while not unlikeable, are not all-together remarkable. In exception to our main character Lia who is a strong, solid female lead, determinedly taking charge of her family’s well being after her parent’s death, I felt the characters lacked a bit of charm; their personalities hazy, failing to come to life completely. I felt the same in respect to the romance. It lacks the necessary chemistry to believe in the deep attraction they apparently feel for each other. Fortunately for me, the romance makes sparse appearances.

With intriguing developments towards the end, I’m certainly curious about the story’s procession from this point on. The plot may not be mind-blowing, but the telling is very effective to give the setting an expressive feel. With a few more pages it could have been less of a “beginning only” novel. However, with a large potential, Frost is perfect for those who love their books dark and ominous.

3 Hot Espressos

When I was six years old, I dreamed up my first story–the tale of a hidden, prehistoric island complete with violent winter monsoons and vicious, man-eating dinosaurs. It was my first taste of storytelling, and it was like a drug. Making up stories became my passion, and I’ve never stopped since.  This is me! I’m now the author of several novels and short stories, and you can find more about my work in the tabs at the top of this blog.  I live with my husband and two cats near Atlanta, GA.

This post is a part of:

Giveaway
For the blog tour, Kate Avery Ellison is offering copies of Frost for giveaway. 10 ebook copies and 2 signed copies are up for grabs!

Giveaway for the ebook copies are open internationally
Giveaway for the signed copies are open to US addresses only.
Ends July 31st, 2012
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter

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Giselle

Canadian blogger, wife, mother, coffee lover, and sarcastic at heart! She has had a love for all things bookish since before Amazon and eReaders existed *le gasp*. You can also find her organizing tours and other fun things at Xpresso Book Tours.

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59 Responses to “Frost Tour Stop: Review & Giveaway”

  2. Nick

    Awesome review, Giselle. I’ve seen this book on GR, but it never really caught my attention for some reason. Sounds like it’s got some solid world-building that I will really enjoy. It’s really too bad that the characters are not too memorable. At least the main character looks like someone strong.

  5. Dana

    My favorite book is hard to choose it is Harry Potter which one I can’t decide but more recently I loved Divergent!

  6. Amy

    Great review. I totally get what you mean about the cold thing. New England winters can be brutal too. Glad that the setting is really great in the story. I prefer better characters, but it still sounds good. As for favorite book. I don’t think I could choose just one. Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout or Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry at the moment I think.

  7. Eileen

    Great review! 🙂 I’m sorry you didn’t think the plot was too special, but it looks like you liked it in the end. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway as well and my favorite book would have to be The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. I think everybody knows how obsessed I am with the Iron Fey at this point 😉

  12. Meg K.

    Great review! I read FROST a few weeks back, and I know what you mean when you say that the characters weren’t particularly particularly remarkable. The plot was quite hazy in the beginning, too, which didn’t really work well for me.

    Thanks for the honest review, Giselle. 🙂

  13. Alexa

    Ooh, this actually sounds chilly! When I read it, I was thinking about how easily I get chilled during winter – so I can’t imagine living in this world. Sounds interesting though!

  15. Katie @ BlookGirl

    Ooh. The premise for Frost sounds SO good! I really want to read it now. I’m sorry to hear that the first book was a bit disappointing, but it sounds like there are plenty of reasons to continue the series, and hopefully the second book will be fabulous!

    Great review, muffin 🙂

  16. Shane

    Wonderful review. I love the cover and the plot, too bad it wasn’t wow-amazing. I understand what you mean about the characters failing to come alive. There wasn’t much depth to them. Its definitely hard for authors to make characters pop i know that now.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  17. Molli @ Once Upon a Prologue

    My FAVORITE book? Oh wow. Probably…oh man. As of right now, probably it’s actually three: The Hunger Games trilogy.

    Great review, Giselle! I’m really curious about this one. The world building and premise sounds absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to check it out for myself!

  21. Camille Picott

    I’ve seen other reviews of this book, and I have say that I am really intrigued. The setting is so unique and that aspect of it sounds really well done. Nice review!

  22. Ashley @ Book Labyrinth

    Hmmm, too bad about the characters and that it felt like so much of an introduction, because the world itself sounds fabulous. I love when a setting seems so visceral… despite the sweltering heat here I can almost feel the shivers just by reading your comments on the cold.

  23. Mel - Thedailyprophecy.

    I hate cold, but I do like the sound of this book. The deadly creatures lurking in the woods after the sun set, that’s cool. Pity that the characters were just ‘okay’, but I think I will give this one a shot 🙂

  24. Rebecca (Kindle Fever)

    Great review, Giselle! I felt almost the same as you did in most cases. I think you actually point out what I couldn’t really put my finger on was missing in my review. While I did come to really like her little family and Gabe, it was definitely like a long introduction! After the ending though, I really want to find out more about the world, with hopefully, a bit more action mixed with it.

  25. Danny

    I really like cold – I like winter, one of my favorite seasons…. So, just for this I think I’d love this book 🙂 But, also I like dark! I am a little sad about the characters that you mentioned. I am truly a character driven reader so this could be a problem..

  27. Holly Bryan

    First, I want to say thanks for the honest review! I get a weeeee bit skeptical when reading a blog where every single review is an unabashed “love!” That’s why I know I can always trust what you’re saying 🙂 I definitely still want to read this though, I looked at the synopsis on Amazon the other day and I’m *very* intrigued! And I *really* want to read Kate’s novel “The Curse Girl” too.

    Second, why do you have to ask such hard questions?! Phew!! Favorite book is really a tough one… but two of my most favorite books ever are Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Those are two books I have read over and over and over again. (Though I must admit the book that I’ve read the most, ever in my life…that would be Flowers in the Attic. Yes, I know!!! But I LOVE(d) that book and it would make me bawl even after the hundredth time!!)

  30. Auggie

    Oh geez. Favorite book? I just can’t answer that question. I can say, though. My favorite series is “Sookie Stackhouse”!

  35. Candace

    I just saw another review for this today and that person had similar feelings about it but it sounds really interesting. The concept of it all is fascinating.
    My favorite book? Hmmm… Kushiels Chosen by Jacqueline Carey. Its the 2nd in the series but my favorite.

  36. debbie johnson

    I read so much I have a ton of favorite books. I can’t wait to read this book so maybe I can add it to my list of favorite reads.

  38. -Ria xo

    This sounds awesome! Whilst the characters weren’t amazing for you, Lia sounds like somebody I’d like!

    And, OMG. This cover. It’s so beautiful, and so… cold! Which, from what I’ve gathered from your review, totally fits the book.(:

    Thanks for a wonderful review and giveaway, Giselle! [New follower via GFC(:]

  42. cambria

    Wow, this sounds like a really unique story! I think I might give it a try based on the setting and the vivid world you said it had. It sounds so intriguing and like nothing I have read before. Thanks for the review!

  47. Book Sake

    Hmmm, I’m not sure how I feel about the characters as you described them. I need them to either be the best thing about the story or to have a story so amazing it doesn’t matter if they are a little behind.

    – Jessica @ Book Sake

  52. vivalabooks

    It’s so hard to pick one, but I really love Divergent by Veronica Roth! And, thanks so much for this giveaway! This book sounds really good!

  58. Raphael Temple

    Thanks for hosting this giveaway!

    Currently my favourite book is The Hunger Games (not very original, huh?) but it’s a book I can re-read and enjoy just as much every time. 🙂