Early Review – Shadow Frost (Shadow Frost, Book 1) by Coco Ma (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: October 1, 2019
ISBN-13: 978-1982527440
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Shadow Frost trilogy
Source: eGalley from Netgalley.com
Rating: 4/5 stars
“In a world of magic, nothing is ever as it seems.
In the kingdom of Axaria, a darkness rises.
Some call it a monster, laying waste to the villagers and their homes.
Some say it is an invulnerable demon summoned from the deepest abysses of the Immortal Realm.
Many soldiers from the royal guard are sent out to hunt it down.
Not one has ever returned.
When Asterin Faelenhart, princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the mysterious demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. With the help of her friends and the powers she wields — though has yet to fully understand — Asterin sets out to complete a single task. The task that countless trained soldiers have failed. To kill it.
But as they hunt for the demon, they unearth a plot to assassinate the princess herself instead. Asterin and her friends begin to wonder how much of their lives has been lies, especially when they realize that the center of the web of deceit might very well be themselves. With no one else to turn to, they are forced to decide just how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect the only world they have ever known.
That is, of course, if the demon doesn’t get to them first.”
I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review. This is the first book in the Shadow Frost trilogy and I really enjoyed this adventure fantasy.
This story jumps between a number of different characters. The initial character we meet is Asterin, a princess of Axaria, who has strange magic powers. She discovers that her magic powers may be what helps her kingdom destroy a terrible demonic beast that is plaguing the kingdom. She ends up going on a journey with some of her guards and friends to complete the task.
I loved the adventure, magic, demons, and action in this story. There is some romance in here too to balance things out nicely. I really enjoyed all of the characters and the dialogue. I loved the magic and the history behind the different types of magic. This was an incredibly engaging read that I breezed right through.
My only complaint with this story is that it jumps between different characters very quickly. This worked well for the story and was done in a way that never got confusing. However, it made the story feel kind of sloppy and the whole thing felt a bit “ad lib” and not well planned out.
Overall it’s been awhile since I read a fantasy I really got into and enjoyed! I loved the magic, adventure, intrigue, and romance in this book, but did think that the story was put together a bit sloppily. Still don’t let that stop you! This is a very engaging and fun fantasy adventure. I would recommend to those who enjoy adventure fantasy with some romance.
