Thursday, October 17, 2019

Review: Shadow Frost by Coco Ma (@CHAOSFORCOCO, @BlackstoneAudio)


Shadow Frost
Author: CoCo Ma
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Shadow Frost Book #1
ISBN:  1982527447  
ISBN13: 9781982527440
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

IN THE KINGDOM OF AXARIA, a darkness rises.

Some call it a monster, laying waste to the villagers and their homes.
Some say it is an invulnerable demon summoned from the deepest abysses of the Immortal Realm.
Many soldiers from the royal guard are sent out to hunt it down.

Not one has ever returned.


When Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the mysterious demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. With the help of her friends and the powers she wields — though has yet to fully understand — Asterin sets out to complete a single task. The task that countless, trained soldiers have failed.

To kill it.

But as they hunt for the demon, they unearth a plot to assassinate the Princess herself instead. Asterin and her companions begin to wonder how much of their lives have been lies, especially when they realize that the center of the web of deceit might very well be themselves. With no one else to turn to, they are forced to decide just how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect the only world they have ever known.

That is, of course… if the demon doesn’t get to them first.

From young author Coco Ma comes a dazzling new tale of adventure, power, and betrayal, weaving together a stunning world of magic with a killer cast in an explosive, unforgettable debut.

SHADOW FROST was an entertaining read, with a wide cast of characters and a world that was more vast than I could have imagined.

There are quite a few characters in SHADOW FROST that are a big part of the story. Some seem inconsequential and end up being way more important to things than you thought. There is a bit of a romance involved. For a bit, I thought there would be a love triangle, but thankfully that does not happen.

There were some crazy and shocking twists thrown at us. I didn't see them coming, and the consequences of the events that preceded them surprised me.  The world was easy to get lost in and the pace flowed nicely.

There were some small things that I wished would have been better with SHADOW FROST. I wish there would have been some more character development before everyone became such close friends. I also felt like the age of the characters wasn't always represented with their behavior. There were few cringe worthy romance moments, but knowing the author wrote the story at 15 kinda makes me understand the way some things played out.

My issues with the story weren't strong enough to put me off the story. I am definitely interested in reading more.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

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