Review: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Series: Mythos Academy #2
Published by K-Teen
Published on: November 29, 2011
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 385
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

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Logan Quinn was trying to kill me.My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practially glowed with the thrill of battle...

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Academy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester. One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gorgeous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in the Library of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I find out that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

In Kiss of Frost, Gwen is starting to make a place for herself at Mythos Academy. She’s made a couple of friends and has a new trick up her sleeve thanks to her evolving Gypsy gift. I enjoyed this book more than the last simply because Frost was no longer all alone. High school is miserable enough to begin with, add in all of the horrible things that Gwen has been through and it becomes downright terrible. She at least deserves a shoulder to cry on so I was happy that she found a new BFF in Daphne. The fact that Frost makes a little headway with Logan certainly didn’t hurt either!

This series has a real epic feel to it which is probably in large part due to the fact that the story deals with gods and champions. As a result, every little thing that the characters do in these books feels important but Gwen herself seems to be the key. Especially after a Reaper proclaims: “Oh, we know all about you, Gwen Frost, and what you’re supposed to do.” All of a sudden, that weird Gypsy girl appears destined to save the world from chaos! Kiss of Frost really ups the stakes and defines this series’ story arc in a big way.

It really became apparent in this novel that Gwen’s gift is also at times, a curse. She flashes on her mother’s death in this installment and I can only imagine how painful that must have been for her. Not only that but the fact that she never forgets any of the memories she gleams from others meaning that those painful images will be with her for the rest of her life. Imagine having to watch your mother die over and over again. That’s a big burden to bare for anyone, let alone a seventeen year old girl. In spite of all the secrets she’s witnessed, I like that Gwen remains a genuinely good person at her core. Once again she does the right thing in a sticky situation even though it will probably come back to bite her (literally) in the butt with big Fenrir wolf teeth.

I’m enjoying the progression of Logan and Gwen’s relationship, as slow as it may be but that’s the Paranormal Romance reader in me talking. I have to keep reminding myself that this is how relationships are in high school; clumsy and awkward. The further I get in this series the more I notice how perfectly suited Jennifer Estep’s clean cut writing style is for YA. She captures the younger POVs beautifully and makes good use of teenagers’ rampant imaginations with her ominous statues and freaky carnival games.

Other than the bad guy being a little too predictable for my tastes, Kiss of Frost weaves an intricate web of mythology, magic and destiny that you won’t be able to resist getting caught up in.

Mythos Academy Series

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