Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy) (edition 2012)

This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup

**I received a copy of this book for the tour but that did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: 4.5 stars Well, I couldn’t wait to jump right back into to Logan’s arms this series. I have all the love for these books and they get better and better. If you love Mythology you must, must, must read these! This one was action packed. I was biting my nails from the beginning and the stress didn’t stop until I read the last page. And yes, that is a good thing!

In the last book, Dark Frost, Gwen was essentially forced into freeing the evil god, Loki. Now the fate of the world was on her shoulders, but to intensify the situation Gwen was arrested by the Protectorate on bogus charges. But she wasn’t arrested on a normal day, it was her first date with Logan UNF Quinn (yes, one of my favorite fictional males to date). While the real threat is still out there, Gwen must also prepare to defend herself for the trial of her life. She has the backing of her boyfriend and friends, but nothing is as simple as that. I sat down and buckled up for the ride.

One of the reasons I adore this series is because of the heroine, Gwen Frost. She is kick-ass and has a good head on her shoulders. I’d really want to be friends with her in real life. Not to be outdone, is the Spartan, Logan, aka the manwhore at Mythos Academy…but he has seen the light and only has eyes for Gwen. Yes, I was ready for some loving!!

I also adored so many of the secondary characters in this series. Not only would I want Gwen for a friend in real life, but her friends as well. I think it’s hard to write successful likeable supporting characters, and Ms. Estep does this so well. As much as I loved Daphne, Kenzi, Oliver, Carson and Alexei, my favorite is Vic. Hands. Down. I found myself always laughing when he said anything! He is pure awesome!!!!

Twists and turns and double crossings: oh how I love them. We all knew there was an insider once Gwen started putting two and two together, but who it was the next mystery. This person was eventually revealed and it really did fill in so many holes, but at the same time made me feel sad because there had been so many pointless killings. Who was it? I’m not telling but I bet you won’t guess!

Ok, so I have to give some constructive criticism on this, right? Well, I guess I would have liked some more kissy time with Gwen and Logan. This installment just didn’t have time for it though *cries*. I understand that, but I am a total sucker for romance and wish that some moment (or a long moment) could have been stolen. Sadly, I think I will have to wait for the dust to settle before they have a chance for some smexy time.

The ending was heart wrenching, I was so upset!! Gwen is a stronger person than I would be. I don’t know how I will make it to the next book!! If you love Mythology I can’t rec this series enough. You won’t be disappointed. Stop by later today for the Crimson Frost Blog tour- today’s stop features an excerpt and a chance to win a copy of this book! ( )

Cover Impressions: This cover is kind of boring. We have Gwen's often mentioned violet eyes as a focal point but I am not a fan of the dragon? Griffin? in the background. I am also annoyed by the portrayal of her snowflake necklace. The description in the book is of a delicate diamond tipped snowflake - yet the one in the cover image looks like it was picked up at the dollar store.

The Gist: Still reeling from the escape of Loki and Gwen's brush with death at the hands of his reapers, her safe haven at Mythos Academy is shattered by the appearance of the Protectorate. Suddenly Gwen is being accused of the unthinkable and she must defend herself or face execution.

Review:
I read Crimson Frost right on the heels of finishing the first three books in this series. In the beginning, I cut Gwen quite a bit of slack. In series like these you often find a deeply flawed (and often annoying) main character whose experiences force her to grow as a person and gain some confidence in her abilities. However, Gwen just seemed to get more irritating as the books continued. I kept wanting her to grow up a little, but she never does. She is unable to piece together even the most obvious of clues and spends a lot of the book whining about her circumstances. She never stands up for her self and is incredibly self-centered. The other characters serve only to rescue Gwen, or to listen to her moan. Despite including several interesting mythologies, the only characters we really get to see in action are Spartans, Valkyries and, occasionally, Amazons. Why even bother mentioning the other types of warriors if you never plan to use them?

The plot itself is very predictable - partly because Gwen has to be beaten over the head with multiple clues before she will clue in to what is going on. I often found myself skimming pages because I had already figured out the plot twists and was waiting for Gwen to catch up. The action also ground to a halt every time that we came into contact with one of the villains. They seemed to all be suffering from some strange compulsion to spend pages explaining plans and facts that the reader has already figured out. It is almost like a satire of every action movie where the villain takes an inordinate amount of time to reveal every detail of his nefarious plot - except in the Mythos Academy novels, it isn't funny.

The first half of this book was dull and frustrating. Jennifer Estep is the queen of the re-cap. She feels the need to repeat (often in a very close to copy - paste fashion) nearly every detail from every book. I know what you are saying: but recapping is great for those who don't read the series back to back and yes, I agree. However, the repetition that bothers me is of innocuous points that do nothing to further the storyline. For example, in every single book she feels the need to remind me that the library is more hangout that place of work and that students go there to hook up, even going so far as to remind the reader that Gwen regularly finds condoms in the stacks. I DID NOT NEED TO READ THAT FOUR TIMES!

All of that being said, I think that I am mostly upset by this book because it has so much potential. The world that Estep has created is unique and interesting. I love novels that re-work and combine different mythologies. I enjoyed the side characters whenever they got a (brief) moment in the spotlight and sometimes found myself longing for the series to follow Daphne instead of Gwen. I also keep getting the feeling that this series is being stretched too thin. It could have been well developed and wrapped up within three or four books but, based on the plot progression thus far, is more likely to take nine or ten. Unfortunately, I think I will be getting off on this stop - that is, unless the next book promises more Logan and Daphne, less Gwen and some closure on a few underlying issues.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, talk of hooking up/sex
Violence: Swordplay, lots of death
Inappropriate Language: Whore, Slut, Bitch, Pissed, Ass
Substance Use/Abuse: underage drinking, talk of marijuana use. ( )

Source: e-ARC via NetGalley

This is such a fun series. It's one part Harry Potter, with the boarding school for the kids with special powers, and the Professsor McGonagall like character of Professor Metis. It's one part Buffy the Vampire Slayer, given the library and its Giles-like keeper, Nikamedes, plus the abundance of fight scenes. And it's a little bit Vampire Academy. In this book, Gwen feels a little Rose Hathaway to me -- she's accused of wrongdoing and feels that the whole world is against her. If you enjoyed any or all of these books and are looking for a fun, fast-paced read, you should definitely check this series out. Jennifer Estep weaves mythology from all around the globe into one pan-mythological world.

In Crimson Frost, I thought that Gwen and Logan's relationship -- which has proceeded with glacial slowness over the course of four books -- might finally move into high gear. But just as they're finally going on a real date, poor Gwen gets approached by the Protectorate and told she's being accused of freeing Loki.
There's a theft of jewels from the library early in the book. Though I did guess the identity of the person responsible for that -- a major new villain who is allied with Vivian, the murderer of Gwen's mother -- there was a very surprising plot twist that I did not see coming at all. Poor Gwen. Let's just say that I can see that there will be a book five in this series! Which is great, because I think that YA could use more books like these -- pure escapist fun, plenty of friendship and girl power, and just a hint of romance.

Read the full review and come discuss and win great YA books on my blog, YA Romantics!

****See Review over at Paranormal Haven**** ( )

If you have read the previous books in this incredible series, you know that Gwen was tricked into freeing Loki (the big baddie) by Loki’s very own champion. Because of this, Gwen is facing the fallout that this has had on Mythos Academy and is arrested by the Protectorate. Gwen is put on trial and is quarantined to the school until she is either found guilty or not guilty. This makes it a little difficult to prove her innocence but with her faithful allies including her love interest Logan, maybe she stands of chance. The biggest obstacle in their relationship this time around is that Logan’s dad is the leader of the Protectorate and is NOT a fan of Gwen and her gypsy heritage. He also truly believes that she is not Nike’s Champion. Gwen starts to fear that the Protectorate has been infiltrated and is not so sure she has a chance at a fair trial.

Just another great addition to an already amazing adventure. Gwen and Logan of course seem to always have something that gets in the way of the growing relationship (getting arrested on your first date can put a damper on things). I liked how this time we got to learn a little more about Logan so if you are a super fan of Logan, this one is for you! Another great aspect is we are seeing more of the world that Estep has created. The Protectorate is first introduced and we witness the inner workings of their so called “judicial system.” There is also the characters that we have grown to love such as Metis, Nickamedes and Gwen’s grandmother and a few new ones, including my new favorite, Alexei.

Estep as always, throws the twists and turns that as a faithful reader, have come to love. If you haven’t tried this series yet and you love YA urban fantasy, then I highly suggest you start with the first book Touch of Frost (books should be read in order). For me, I will have to wait patiently for the next book in this series, Midnight Frost, due out in July.

(Book provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review) ( )