Monday, October 10, 2016

#Monday Review - Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch #YALit #Fantasy @seesarawrite @BalzerandBray

Series: Snow Like Ashes # 3
Format: Hardcover, 496 pages
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.





Frost Like Night is the third and final installment in author Sara Raasch's Snow Like Ashes trilogy. As the story picks up, Queen Meira of the Kingdom of Winter, has escaped thanks to the help of Rares Albescu, a member of the Order of the Lustrate. We also get our first look at one of the more secretive countries called Paisly. Paisly is a country that doesn't have a King or a Queen. The order, who have been around for centuries, controls the country while keeping an eye out for someone with similar goals as theirs.

Rares and his wife Oana have one simple goal for Meira; Meira needs to learn how to control her magic in order to stop Angra from changing the world with his impure magic. Decay has swayed everyone from Theron, to other regents in Primoria and Angra won't stop until he has Meira under his control. Meira has known for awhile now that to defeat Angra, she would have to have her own Tris moment. In other words, she must throw herself on her own sword, and if she gets lucky, she'll take Angra and his filthy magic with him. 

Meira as a character grows leaps and bounds this time out. She understands that magic is her tool she needs to shut down magic once and for all. She needs to put away her past, and stop dwelling on the things she can't control. Even though Meira wears a heaven burden on her shoulders, she's not really alone. She has allies in Mather, and Ceridwen who have their own storylines that go along with Meira's. Let me say that I really liked out the story sussed out where Mather, Sir, and Meira are concerned. After all these three characters have been through, they really needed to be able to trust that Meira knew what she was doing.

I am happy that Ceridwen is given equal storyline along with Mather. I am not happy with the loss of life, and the number of characters who don't get to see their own happy endings, but thus is the challenges of fighting a war without having any consequences. I really loved Rares and his wife Oana. They've waited for years to see an end to magic, and now that Meira has come along, there is finally a hope for their future. I also loved Mather's Children of the Thaw. 

I know I am repeating myself from the previous installment, but these kids are definitely the bees knees and deserved their chance to fight for their country alongside Mather, Meira, and Sir. I am also going to jump on the bandwagon by saying that I am happy how the romance played out. I wasn't a fan of a certain characters, and while I do feel a bit for him, I don't hold water for those who jump feet first without first understanding the horrifying gravity for what they about to unleash.

If you are curious about the narratives, Meira's is first person, while Mather and Ceridwen's are third person. Sometimes, and it's only fair, Meira gets back to back chapters before we see one from Mather or Ceridwen's. Frost Like Night is filled with intrigue, action, betrayal, sacrifice, deaths, and romance. I would say that it is almost better to wait for all three books to be released before reading them. That way the wait between books doesn't negate remembering what happened in the previous installment. 

 





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