Followed By Frost (ARC Review)

Followed By Frost | Charlie N. Holmberg

Published by: 47 North, September 22nd 2015

Genre: Adult, (NA?), High Fantasy

Pages: 244

Format: Ebook

Source: 47North, via Netgalley

Seventeen-year-old Smitha has the wealth, status, and beauty that make her the envy of her town—until she rejects a strange man’s marriage proposal and disastrous consequences follow. Smitha becomes cursed, and frost begins to encompass everything she touches. Banished to the hills, hunted by villagers, and chilled to the very core of her soul, she finds companionship with Death, who longs to coax her into his isolated world. But Smitha’s desire for life proves stronger than despair, and a newfound purpose gives her renewed hope. Will regrets over the past and an unexpected desire for a man she cannot touch be enough to warm Smitha’s heart, or will Death forever still it?

I LOVED The Paper Magician so I jumped at the chance to read this book, and it didn't let me down. It started off and I wasn't so sure about it - I didn't really like the MC, what I thought was the love interest was creepy and just felt wrong, but I was interested in the curse and I liked the whole nomad, wandering woman thing. This book really came to life when Smitha met Prince Imad and left her homeland to bring her snow (a curse to her own people, a gift to Imad's) to the desert. And Smitha felt to change completely as a person, which at first was strange and unrealistic, despite three years having passed, but then I just didn't care because I liked the person she'd become.

Part of this book, especially the parts in the desert towns, were what I wanted from Fire and Thorns, which just didn't satisfy me. Followed By Frost was enthralling and unique, I didn't know what was coming next, and it was a perfect slow burn of a book. It took its time, and in that time built an amazing world and made me fall so hard in love with the characters. I felt for Smitha and her constant cold, and I loved Lo (oh Lo, let me count the ways I love thee) as much as she did, feeling her heartbreak when she couldn't have him. And the world building was so subtle but detailed that I felt I could see the places Smitha went, from the harsh mountains to the castle carved into sandstone, and even the background characters felt genuine and authentic.

I probably have small niggles, like the story wrapping too perfectly, and her curse breaking seeming a bit convenient, but I do not care. I loved this story, I ADORED the characters, and I'll forgive everything else. PLUS the love interest was a MOC, and most of the characters in this book were POC too! (Sadly not the main character...) And it felt like the desert kingdom (whose name has completely slipped my mind) was based on a middle eastern country instead of that cardboard cut-out medieval English-ish world most high fantasies are nowadays.

Everything works in this book's favour, and it's one of my favourite fantasy books I've read this year, so just read it.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world-building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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Saruuh Explores NA: Reign of Shadows (Review)

Descendants: Reign of Shadows | Melissa Wright

Published: July 30th 2014

Genre: NA, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 220

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Brianna can see her future, but it's the past that haunts her. Plans laid in place centuries ago are threatening not only her and her sister, but all of the Seven Lines. As the shadows plot their way to old rule, the visions shift again. Her power has led to some hard choices—and the occasional stab wound—but this set of futures holds nothing but darkness.

Unable to bear the idea of losing the footing they've so recently gained, she turns the soldiers of the Seven. But with shadows hidden among the ranks, can she overcome the path they've set in place, or is she blindly following their lead?

This is by far one of my favourite series of all time. And certainly my favourite indie author. Melissa Wright has written one of the best urban fantasy series I have ever read. I'm in love with the Descendants.

Reign of Shadows introduces us to a whole new threat, one that has been watching and waiting all through the events of Bound By Prophecy and Shifting Fates, and builds on the lore of the Shadows we first saw in book two. I didn't completely understand what they were in the second book but I have a better understanding of them now. As far as I know it, Shadows are the all-powerful beings that created the Seven Lines -Aern, Logan etc. I thought they were pretty cool. I liked the suspense of knowing they were coming, of being built up for destruction and the end of all things. I was really disappointed with the end though - it felt rushed after all the build up and the waiting. The Shadows went down much quicker and easier than I expected, and I lost track of what was happening a couple times during the climax. It was quick, and I wish it was slower, longer, the tension drawn out, but I'm still pretty happy with the end we got.

This book builds on my love of the characters, and introduces a new character for me to hate with a fiery passion (Callan needed to leave for 90% of this book, even if he was "protecting" Brianna.) Aern and Emily are super cuties and I love them, and the moments we got between them in this book, however quick and rare, I adored. (I wish there were more Aern/Emily moments in this! Actually I just want another 3 books of Aern/Emily moments!) Logan and Brianna continue to be adorable and everything I love. The way they support and strengthen each other, the absolute trust between them, the belief in each other - I love them.

The plot was probably the weakest of the three books, but there was still plenty of action and drama and danger to keep me turning pages at a rate of knots. Just wish there'd been a bit more romance and a longer ending! 

Sad to see the series end but I loved it from beginning to end! Read this now!

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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Saruuh Explores NA: Shifting Fate (Review)

Descendants: Shifting Fate | Melissa Wright

Published: December 20th 2013

Genre: NA, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 214

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

According to prophecy, Brianna Drake was born to save the world. The trouble is, she doesn't have the slightest idea how. Her visions should have given her the answer, but they’re beginning to shift, making the danger too unpredictable, even for a prophet.

If she can just help her sister restore their hidden powers, she might be able to stop what’s coming. But an old enemy returns, and he’s got plans for Brianna and her visions.

What neither of them knows is that fate has given a stranger one chance to find her. He was trained to protect the chosen—but if he fails, the future will crumble.

You know how books suffer from second book syndrome? How the plot is drawn out to boring and the characters go a little flat and not much happens? Shifting Fate is not one of those books. It's full of action and danger, consequences and prophecy.

Shifting Fate picks up right where Bound By Prophecy left us, but from Brianna's point of view. I wasn't sure about that at first but she really grew on me. I ended up loving her as much as Emily, and admiring her bravery in the face of physical weakness even more. Melissa Wright really knows how to write female characters. AND male characters. I didn't think you'd ever get me to love someone more than Aern. But Logan. Damn, he's got that noble, duty-bound soldier thing going on, along with being blonde (you know I love blondes) and having a heart of mushy gold when it comes to Brianna. They almost killed me with their moments. "Is it now?" If you mean me crying over these precious characters, yes, it's now.

The only thing that kept it from being one of my all time favourites, like the first book, is that I didn't completely understand the Shadow thing. I'm guessing that's gonna be explained more in the next book but I couldn't grasp the meaning in this one. That's really my only issue, and it's pretty small in relation to the book.

A compelling, romantic sequel from Melissa Wright, who continues to astound me with her incredible Descendants series.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Come back on Thursday to read my review of the next book - Reign of Shadows!

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Saruuh Explores NA: Bound By Prophecy (Review)

Descendants: Bound By Prophecy | Melissa Wright

Published: April 15th 2013

Genre: NA, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 252

Format: Ebook

Source: Free on Amazon

Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.

What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do.
Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn't care about the prophecy, or realize what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn't the only one who’s in danger.

Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make. 

WOW. So I am seriously kicking myself for this whole avoiding NA because I think they're all crappy written erotic romance thing. This book, THIS BOOK, is insane. It is so good. Bound by Prophecy is the realisation of every promise New Adult made it the beginning: it's the same as any YA or Adult book, just in a different age bracket. It's not loaded with sex, problematic relationships, flimsy ladies and macho men. It's perf. Let me tell you why.

The fantasy! It's not entirely unique but what Melissa does with it is. The paranormals in this series have the power of sway. Compulsion, control, whatever you wanna control it - they can touch someone and control them. And what does the main villain do with that power? Well he wants to control the whole human race with it. Obviously. It's the MCs job to stop this guy - his brother - before a pretty terrible prophecy comes to pass and the villain causes the enslavement of one species and the end of another.

The characters! Aern, the MC, is a guy. I dig male POVs for some reason. But Aern is the polar opposite of what I expected from NA. I thought he'd be the Extreme Alpha Male, or the Hot Badass, maybe the Tortured Asshole. He's none of these types, none of the bad boy tropes. He's honest and driven and good. He's a genuine good boy, not a bad boy. (and maybe he's pretty badass and super hot but he's not That Guy.) Holy hell I love him. His protective (over-protective?) streak was something I could quickly identify with. I fell hard.

And Emily, the love interest, turned out to be more than just a love interest! It's a New Adult miracle!! She was integral to the plot, a hella strong character, and I thought her distrust of Aern was pretty realistic in the beginning. Even when she began warming to him, it felt natural.

Here's one of my favourite things about Bound by Prophecy: it doesn't force the romance. There isn't a single kiss until the end of the book. Aern and Emily have chemistry, a connection, but there are more important things going on and they know it. I expected at least one obligatory sex scene but when it didn't come I was pretty shocked - NA without sex? Astounding. Who would have thought a NA book could be anything but erotic? (Literally everyone who got excited for the NA age bracket before it blew up with romance.)

My one gripe? The next book is from a different POV and I need MORE of these babies. Hopefully it won't hinder my Absolute Adoration of this series any, since I'm already fair fond of the next MC (and hoping the love interest is Logan, the only guy in this, aside from Aern, I actually trusted.)

I read this in one sitting, in four hours, and I loved it so much I had to get the second book right away. Bound by Prophecy is an instant favourite. BRB getting all Melissa Wright's other books.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Come back on Tuesday to read my review of the next book - Shifting Fate!

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Saruuh Explores NA!

I've been thinking about wanting to experiment with reading NA, specifically genre fiction, for a while now. I have a knee jerk reaction where I'll automatically pass over a book marked NA, possibly because 99% of them seem to be college erotica/mindless romance and I'm judging them all by that standard. But I have this looming feeling that I'm missing out on something awesome. I want to find some good NA genre fiction (fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi - especially sci-fi) so if you have recommendations, please leave a comment below or tweet me @luxguardians. 

Saruuh Explores NA is a reading project to stop me being so judgmental about the NA age bracket, and to give a chance to some books I'd usually dismiss. I'm hoping I'll find some gems but expecting disappointment, so it should be interesting to see how it turns out. 

My first Saruuh Explores NA review should be up in March. I don't know what I'm reading yet but I'm pretty excited for and dreading it all the same. Again, if you've read and loved a NA fantasy or sci-fi book, please let me know.

~Saruuh