More like 3.5 stars; but not sure it was good enough to be a true 4 stars. The main reason for the lower rating is that I got really annoyed by the ovMore like 3.5 stars; but not sure it was good enough to be a true 4 stars. The main reason for the lower rating is that I got really annoyed by the over saturation at the halfway point with the two main romances. Given there is so much politically happening, and relationships (like father/daughter) far more interesting than the love interests to elaborate on; I was just over the angsty teen romance fast.
Read in Order You will want to read book 1 first to understand book 2. There is a decent recap (without being an info dump) at the beginning that reminded me what I had read over a year ago in book 1. As Vine Eater picks up the next day, after the climax battle in Frost Eater, it is probably even worth reading these back to back (something I rarely recommend due to concerns about getting bored).
Magic System As with book 1, I really like the magic system in this fantasy world. I do still struggle with the consuming of feathers, rocks, ice, dirt, etc. as ‘fuel’ for said magic. Carol Beth Anderson adds a new level to the magical system and elaborates on a concept she has eluded to before regarding a ‘well’ of magic. This is probably my fave part of this middle novel. I do wish we had a bit more lead-up and foreshadow to the use of this ‘well’ and the people directly affected by it (I can’t say who as it’s a huge plot point). Regardless I do think the idea makes logical sense and, for me, that is most important.
My Exclusive Publisher Rant Apologies to those who have read this rant of mine before. But I feel I have to say it when it comes to good books only signed to Kindle/Amazon for ebook distribution. I will continue to be frustrated by until Amazon stops monopolizing the publishing industry. Carol Beth Anderson is a great YA author and deserves a larger audience; and a major publisher. But she remains exclusive to Amazon. Meaning that a large majority of readers (myself included if I didn’t have an eARC) cannot access the book on their preferred device. I cannot stress how much market is lost by authors who restrict themselves to Kindle only. In both Australia, UK, and Canada the Kobo is the top selling ebook. It cannot handle Kindle formats. Few authors that are exclusive ever make it huge. I truly believe this is because of their lack of accessibility to a large swath of readers.
Overall If you read book 1 and enjoyed it then I suspect you will enjoy this second novel of the trilogy. Sadly I have found out I don’t have an eARC as expected of the last book in this trilogy; and without a kindle or device that is reasonable to read on with the kindle app I’m left with no option but to probably not read the final novel. I’m bummed about this but not so much that it’s worth ordering paperbacks at this point. Maybe at some point I will but for now this will be my last visit to this land (unless that exclusive publishing deal stops).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the author via BookSprout. This is an honest and unbiased review....more
This is the beginning of, what looks like it will be, an epic YA fantasy series from Carol Beth. Once I got past some of the cheesy points of The FrosThis is the beginning of, what looks like it will be, an epic YA fantasy series from Carol Beth. Once I got past some of the cheesy points of The Frost Eater I really enjoyed it. You just have to get past the way our characters got their magic and a few other nuances that felt awkward to me. But hey, there are dragons! So get past the initial cheesiness and it pays off. Plus you get to look at this gorgeous cover.
Cheesy at First The opening chapter feels like a scene from Frozen. No joke, our leading teen girl “eats ice” and can produce pretty snow and ice magic, just like Elsa. She’s even a princess just to put the icing on the cake. But here’s the thing... once I got over the way our magic users “fuel up” (by eating certain items) I loved the magic. It’s interesting, unique, and yet familiar so it took me very little time to slide into the magical lore. I really like that the magic runs out; like your strength and stamina do. Which brings me to cheesy issue number 2. These people are Earth humans... whom got magic in a way they aren’t sure of and live on a different planet than Earth. I’ll leave more of the details out for you to discover on your own; but essentially the construct is this is a post-apocalyptic human existence with a lot of fantastical magical twists. The human/Earth connection felt unnecessary to me. The history is mostly irrelevant in book one but maybe it plays a part in the future books? I’d have preferred Anderson just built her own world and didn’t include humans or Earth at all.
Great Series Start There is a lot of story to tell here still. We get a semi-end; but it does lead into a cliffhanger for book two (out Sept 2020). A lot is unknown about why certain magic works, what caused major past events and a multitude of other things. I assume, and it feels like, Anderson has a plan and will reveal more and more as the series moves on which is very exciting!
Characters I was really enamoured with all of our characters; but I held a personal preference for the manly guard that is one of our four teenage main characters. We get glimpses of events and thoughts from each POV; but the majority of the story is told via our lead princess. There was a moment where I felt like pieces of The Frost Eater were reminiscent of A Curse So Dark and Lonely (which I loved); however, these are teen characters and there is more of a YA basis and feel here. Additionally the romance story is far from the main focus.
Romance & Plot The Frost Eater is definitely in the YA/teen genre. So be prepared for our characters to have multiple love interests, first kiss excitement and all that teenage lust/love stuff. Thankfully the romances aren’t the core story; they are more of a driver for a couple plot points and flow naturally given the close proximity and deadly circumstances our characters find themselves in; never mind a lack of people and friends our princesses age to interact with. The actual plot is politically driven and Anderson keeps the reader guessing who is involved throughout. None of the instances felt convenient (my usual complaint with YA books) and everything doesn’t go “as planned” which is important to me in a story; because nothing goes as planned in real life. Additionally Anderson ensures to have details another sustainment of life including bathroom needs, food, water, sleep, etc. No one is seemingly indestructible and injuries don’t heal magically (until they are healed with magic, lol); and there isn’t really a replacement for sleep. This attention to detail makes the story feel more real for me and I appreciate that Anderson gives them a place throughout.
Overall The Frost Eater is a solid YA fantasy choice. Especially given it’s an indie book. I’m surprised that Anderson hasn’t been picked up by a major publisher as she has a number of series that are well done and deserve to sit on a shelf next to today’s hyped YA fantasy picks. Although as I write that I realize she has perhaps kept herself indie to keep some control; but I’m speculating. If the introduction and way our characters fuel up their magic was a little less cheesy this could just reach a five-star rating. As always four-stars from me means it’s a solid read and I would recommend it to others with small caveats; in this case our Frozen start has to be pushed through, but otherwise I believe most will enjoy this series introduction. It’s definitely worth the $0 price on KU! And quite affordable in other formats making it well worth trying out to see if it’s for you. I’m now counting down the days to September 2020 for book 2!
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the author via BookSprout. This is an honest and unbiased review....more
Mel (Epic Reading)
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