A Breath of Frost is the first book in Alyxandra Harvey's The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy. Set in the early 1800's, it features three debutante cousins, Emma, Gretchen and Penelope, who discover their secret family legacy, and open the gates to the Underworld, after Emma accidentally breaks a keepsake given to her by her mother. As murderous witches and hellish beasts threaten the magical community, the girls must embrace their legacy to end the deadly chaos.

While each of the cousins is involved in this story, the focus of this first book is on Emma. It is she who stumbles across murdered classmates, she who the Order targets, and she who must solve her mother's riddles to banish the terrifying Greymalkin sisters. I liked Emma, who is not complex but not stereotypical either. Though all three girls seem to be rather casual in their acceptance of their new world order, I'm grateful not to have to endure lady like fainting and fluttering. There is romance for Emma as well with Cormac Fairfax, a young man without magic but who works for the Order and is determined to protect her.

I enjoyed the world building, Harvey establishes the novel well blending the historical with the supernatural. There is some contemporary interpretation of historical detail, like language and behaviour, which purists may be peevish about but didn't really bother me. Witches are amongst my favourite paranormal elements and I liked the variety of magics Harvey created including spells, charms and innate abilities.

I do think the novel was overwritten though and could have been pruned by at least 50 pages without detracting from the atmosphere, plot or characters. There was some scene repetition and the pace was a little uneven, but there was also some good action and a couple of twists.

I have to admit I wasn't really expecting much from A Breath of Frost, I didn't think much of a previous book I had read by the author, but I am glad I gave this a chance because despite its flaws it is overall an entertaining and engaging read.