Weekend Reads #91 – Frostblood by Elly Blake

Happy Saturday y’all! I feel like I disappeared on you the last couple of days. I’ve been busy picking out things for the new house and haven’t had much chance to read or blog or well do anything. I did manage to read finish two books this week though and one of them I wanted to share with you today. Frostblood by Elly Blake hooked its teeth into me and wouldn’t let go until it was finished. While I had an ARC of the book, I also purchased an audio copy so I could read on the go. If you enjoy audio books, I highly recommend listening to this one. The narrator is amazing!!! The characters just came to life and I found myself entranced. If you enjoy dystopian fantasy, I highly recommend you grab this book ASAP.

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I received this book via Netgalley, My Book Shelf. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Frostblood by Elly Blake
Series: The Frostblood Saga #1
on 2017-01-10
Length: 384 pages
Reviewing eARC, Audiobook from Netgalley, My Book Shelf
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2017 New Release Challenge, Audiobook Challenge 2017, COYER Blackout

The frost king will burn.

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Frostblood by Elly Blake is an action-packed, exciting read! Following the story of Ruby, a young Fireblood living in the Frost King’s territory, Frostblood is full of deception, revenge, and rebellion. Personally once I started the story, I couldn’t set it down. Despite having an ARC copy, I wound up buying an audio copy as well so I could take my reading on the go.

Ruby is an easy character to emphasize with and easy to follow her story. She has lived her life in the shadows, hiding her true nature as a Fireblood. In the kingdom of Frost, her ability is outlawed. She must live, never using her abilities, which as she ages becomes increasingly harder to control. When soldiers come to take her, knowing what she is, her mother is killed and her village razed. Her semi-peaceful life of hiding is over and an ember of revenge burns in its place. She now lives to kill the general and king who killed her mother, that is if she survives the prison.

A mysterious pair of powerful Frostbloods come to her rescue, breaking her out of the prison. Arcus is cloaked in mystery. He tells her little of his past, he always wears a cloak shielding his face, and he can be a little cruel during his training with Ruby. Frost and Fire are truly at odds with one another and it comes out in the characters Ruby and Arcus. Their banter brings levity to the story. They get under one another’s skin. Yet they become friends though shared grief. The other Frostblood is Brother Thistle, who was once a powerful general in the Frost King’s armies. I like him. He’s like a wise Yoda 😀

The plot slowly builds and the book is clearly split into two parts. During part one, Ruby is training and learning to use her gift, plotting her revenge. Then she is captured by the Frost King and forced to fight in his gladiator-style arena, putting her gift to good use. While the first part of the book is slow without much excitement, the second part is violent and gory. Ruby is pitted against Frostbloods, Frost animals, and people the king deemed as traitors. King Rasmus is an interesting villain. While his character is absent most of the book, he is still feared. When Ruby finally confronts him, she sees something in him that makes her pause.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! I fell in love with the world and characters. Ruby is a strong character, even when she is a bit naive, and I love the relationship that built between her and Arcus. If you enjoyed Red Queen or you like YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. And as a note of interest if you like audios, I LOVED the audio of this book. The narrator is fantastic!

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