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A review by leah_reads
A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey
3.0
2.5*
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
*Thank you, Bloomsbury*
Ohhhhh it was so hard picking a rating for this book. It was a toss up between 2.5* or a scrape into the 3* zone. I've decided to go with 2.5* though, unfortunately. I really thought I was going to love this book. I didn't hate it at all, but it took me so long to read (4 days is a long time for me) and I just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. I didn't find the premise of this book particularly interesting - I kept waiting for something exciting to happen. I was starting to get into it more towards the end where all of the action starts, but it all fell a little flat for me. I felt like the book needed a little more oomph. I feel really sad about this because it sounds absolutely amazing and has earned some really great ratings too! I think it's another one of those cases where it's a 'it's not you, it's me'.
Even though I didn't really like the way the book was told, I still really enjoyed the layout of it. I love reading about the era that it's set in and all of the different worlds that existed. It was great reading about the rich side of society: the ball, etiquette etc. It was very Jane Austen in that sense. With the blend of magic I thought it was going to be a definite winner for me (even though witches aren't my favourite within the supernatural/ paranormal world). I really loved the world building and a few of the characters. Gretchen is one of the girls that is striving for equality so I absolutely loved her. She was so tough, feisty and funny. I liked Penelope too. She was feisty but loved the things that came with being an upper class woman. I didn't like Cormac (love interest) or the main protagonist Emma though. I found them frustrating and Cormac was just horrible!
I think all I can sum up of the book in this review is that I just feel really sad about it. I really wanted to love this book - it sounded amazing and just like my cup of tea. Unfortunately though, it wasn't. It all felt a little bland and fairly boring in places. So many sections could have been developed further (The Sisters, Emma's mothers past, Moira's character) and I'm struggling to see where the next book in the series will go. It was all tied up at the end of this one (a little too nicely) so I am curious to see where the author will go with it. I feel disappointed, a very conflicting read.
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
*Thank you, Bloomsbury*
Ohhhhh it was so hard picking a rating for this book. It was a toss up between 2.5* or a scrape into the 3* zone. I've decided to go with 2.5* though, unfortunately. I really thought I was going to love this book. I didn't hate it at all, but it took me so long to read (4 days is a long time for me) and I just felt like it wasn't going anywhere. I didn't find the premise of this book particularly interesting - I kept waiting for something exciting to happen. I was starting to get into it more towards the end where all of the action starts, but it all fell a little flat for me. I felt like the book needed a little more oomph. I feel really sad about this because it sounds absolutely amazing and has earned some really great ratings too! I think it's another one of those cases where it's a 'it's not you, it's me'.
Even though I didn't really like the way the book was told, I still really enjoyed the layout of it. I love reading about the era that it's set in and all of the different worlds that existed. It was great reading about the rich side of society: the ball, etiquette etc. It was very Jane Austen in that sense. With the blend of magic I thought it was going to be a definite winner for me (even though witches aren't my favourite within the supernatural/ paranormal world). I really loved the world building and a few of the characters. Gretchen is one of the girls that is striving for equality so I absolutely loved her. She was so tough, feisty and funny. I liked Penelope too. She was feisty but loved the things that came with being an upper class woman. I didn't like Cormac (love interest) or the main protagonist Emma though. I found them frustrating and Cormac was just horrible!
I think all I can sum up of the book in this review is that I just feel really sad about it. I really wanted to love this book - it sounded amazing and just like my cup of tea. Unfortunately though, it wasn't. It all felt a little bland and fairly boring in places. So many sections could have been developed further (The Sisters, Emma's mothers past, Moira's character) and I'm struggling to see where the next book in the series will go. It was all tied up at the end of this one (a little too nicely) so I am curious to see where the author will go with it. I feel disappointed, a very conflicting read.