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Available
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Publication
Kensington Books (2011), Kindle Edition, 385 pages
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: The new girl at a school for mythical warriors is out to solve her classmate's murder in the New York Times bestselling author's YA fantasy series debut.My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy�??a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword. Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. That kinda puts us on the verge of death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Now I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why �?? especially since I should have been the one who… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Truly_Bookish
I love mythology so when I saw that Jennifer Estep, successful and established adult urban fantasy author, was writing a YA book about kids at a boarding school who are descended from gods, I knew I had to read it. I am so happy to say that Touch of Frost did not disappoint!
The story is told in the
Another thing thing I really liked about Touch of Frost is that the author includes lesser known Greek mythology (Spartans and Amazons) and other varied mythologies like Norse and Celtic. There are also mentions of Persians, Samurais and Ninjas! I cannot wait to see where Estep takes this series.
The plot for Touch of Frost is tightly written and the book is well paced. While Touch of Frost may not be appropriate for younger teens, older/more mature teens and adults, especially those who enjoy urban fantasy, will love this book. I am happy that I won't have to wait very long to find out what happens next. The sequel, Kiss of Frost, comes out on Nov. 29.
Content: Sex, profanity, violence, underage drinking and drug use.
The story is told in the
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first person so we really get to know our main character, Gwen Frost. I love her! She is witty and snarky and always trying to be brave and help others. We go along with Gwen as she uses her ability (she can touch an object to see where it has been) to solve the murder of the school’s biggest mean girl. The story is very entertaining and the secondary characters, Logan, Daphne and Gwen’s grandmother, are really well written as well. I wanted to get more of Logan in the book and I can’t wait to find out more about him in the sequels.Another thing thing I really liked about Touch of Frost is that the author includes lesser known Greek mythology (Spartans and Amazons) and other varied mythologies like Norse and Celtic. There are also mentions of Persians, Samurais and Ninjas! I cannot wait to see where Estep takes this series.
The plot for Touch of Frost is tightly written and the book is well paced. While Touch of Frost may not be appropriate for younger teens, older/more mature teens and adults, especially those who enjoy urban fantasy, will love this book. I am happy that I won't have to wait very long to find out what happens next. The sequel, Kiss of Frost, comes out on Nov. 29.
Content: Sex, profanity, violence, underage drinking and drug use.
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LibraryThing member renkellym
Summary: After her mother is killed by a drunk driver, Gwen is sent to Mythos Academy, a boarding school for teens who have powers bestowed upon them by gods and goddesses. Gwen doesn’t have any amazing talents like her peers—she only has psychometry, the ability to touch things and see visions
My thoughts: Touch of Frost is a light read that incorporates mythology in an interesting way. Boarding schools for magical teens are no stranger to YA, but Mythos Academy has a fresh feel to it because it focuses so heavily on mythology. The incorporation of said mythology is by far the most fascinating aspect of Touch of Frost.
The mystery in Touch of Frost is not difficult to predict, unfortunately, which made for an antsy last 150 pages. You know—that feeling where you know the answer to the puzzle, but you have to wait for the characters to figure it out on their own. It doesn’t help that Jennifer Estep teases the reader, having Gwen say things like, “I know there’s something wrong with this situation, but I just can’t put my finger on it!” Hair-pulling ensues.
Gwen is a likable character, but she seems too hung up on the fact that people don’t notice her. It’s obvious to the reader why this is (she has no confidence), but Gwen never really grows out of being uncomfortable in her own skin, and she comes off as a bit whiny. Still, Gwen is selfless and has a genuine care for everyone around her—traits that make her character a bit more interesting.
The other characters around Gwen aren’t too interesting (the love interest, Logan, is a typical bad-boy with a soft side) with the exception of Daphne, a popular girl who has a crush on a band geek. Her evolution (or should I say devolution?) into a nice girl is heartwarming, and she offers Gwen something key—friendship.
Touch of Frost is a good read for those looking for a healthy dose of fun. It has boarding school drama, mean girls, and teenagers with crazy awesome powers. The story is at times predictable, but those who enjoy lighter murder mysteries will enjoy it nonetheless.
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relating to whoever touched them last. But when the most popular girl in school is killed right in front of her eyes, Gwen finds herself tangled up in a murder mystery. My thoughts: Touch of Frost is a light read that incorporates mythology in an interesting way. Boarding schools for magical teens are no stranger to YA, but Mythos Academy has a fresh feel to it because it focuses so heavily on mythology. The incorporation of said mythology is by far the most fascinating aspect of Touch of Frost.
The mystery in Touch of Frost is not difficult to predict, unfortunately, which made for an antsy last 150 pages. You know—that feeling where you know the answer to the puzzle, but you have to wait for the characters to figure it out on their own. It doesn’t help that Jennifer Estep teases the reader, having Gwen say things like, “I know there’s something wrong with this situation, but I just can’t put my finger on it!” Hair-pulling ensues.
Gwen is a likable character, but she seems too hung up on the fact that people don’t notice her. It’s obvious to the reader why this is (she has no confidence), but Gwen never really grows out of being uncomfortable in her own skin, and she comes off as a bit whiny. Still, Gwen is selfless and has a genuine care for everyone around her—traits that make her character a bit more interesting.
The other characters around Gwen aren’t too interesting (the love interest, Logan, is a typical bad-boy with a soft side) with the exception of Daphne, a popular girl who has a crush on a band geek. Her evolution (or should I say devolution?) into a nice girl is heartwarming, and she offers Gwen something key—friendship.
Touch of Frost is a good read for those looking for a healthy dose of fun. It has boarding school drama, mean girls, and teenagers with crazy awesome powers. The story is at times predictable, but those who enjoy lighter murder mysteries will enjoy it nonetheless.
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LibraryThing member babsji
I picked up this book because 1) I like her Elemental Assassin series, and 2) Amazon had a free prequel chapter thingy in their ebooks that peaked my interest. This book looks to be the start of another good series this one aimed at the YA audience. As long as the characters don't get too whiny
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(I'm thinking of you Bella!) I'll stick with it for awhile. Show Less
LibraryThing member claydragon
This review refers to the e-arc I received
I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin books, so when I heard that she was starting a new series (Mythos Academy), but this time for YA, I almost passed on it, but I'm glad now I didn't.
The concept of the series is pretty good. The book
The story centers on a teenage girl named Gwen. She has the give of psychometry, which means she gets psychic impressions from the things she touches. Gwen and her family are Gypsies, and after the death of her mom, Gwen is enrolled in the Mythos Academy, a school for teenagers with special gifts. The halls are filled with Amazons, Spartans, and other teen warriors. Gwen though feels out-of-place, she's a Gypsy, she's no warrior and she certainly doesn't come from the same type of background the other kids do.
Gwen doesn't have things easy, she doesn't fit in, and doesn't understand why she's there, and when she asks why she doesn't get a straight answer from anyone including her beloved grandmother. Things seem to go from "bad" to even worse when she discovers the body of the seemingly most popular girl in school, dead in the library. Afterwards though she is even more shocked to see that no one seems to be sad for the dead girl, the other kids seem more interested in whos going ot be prom queen now that she's dead than in who killed her and why. So, Gwen decides to play Nancy Drew and see what she can find out using her powers. The results are somewhat astonishing, but Estep does set the book up nicely for the ones to follow.
I really enjoyed this book, way more than I thought I would at first and therefore I would recommend it and I'd also give it 4 1/2 stars.
I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin books, so when I heard that she was starting a new series (Mythos Academy), but this time for YA, I almost passed on it, but I'm glad now I didn't.
The concept of the series is pretty good. The book
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uses simple language which allowed me to focus on the story and drew me in. I'm now anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.The story centers on a teenage girl named Gwen. She has the give of psychometry, which means she gets psychic impressions from the things she touches. Gwen and her family are Gypsies, and after the death of her mom, Gwen is enrolled in the Mythos Academy, a school for teenagers with special gifts. The halls are filled with Amazons, Spartans, and other teen warriors. Gwen though feels out-of-place, she's a Gypsy, she's no warrior and she certainly doesn't come from the same type of background the other kids do.
Gwen doesn't have things easy, she doesn't fit in, and doesn't understand why she's there, and when she asks why she doesn't get a straight answer from anyone including her beloved grandmother. Things seem to go from "bad" to even worse when she discovers the body of the seemingly most popular girl in school, dead in the library. Afterwards though she is even more shocked to see that no one seems to be sad for the dead girl, the other kids seem more interested in whos going ot be prom queen now that she's dead than in who killed her and why. So, Gwen decides to play Nancy Drew and see what she can find out using her powers. The results are somewhat astonishing, but Estep does set the book up nicely for the ones to follow.
I really enjoyed this book, way more than I thought I would at first and therefore I would recommend it and I'd also give it 4 1/2 stars.
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LibraryThing member ABookwormsHaven
I read the summary for this book and immediately knew it was a book I needed to get my hands on. Mythology is one of my great loves, especially Greek mythology, so I was especially excited to get my hands on a book focusing on a school where the students are all descendants of ancient myths. The
At the heart of this book is an ancient battle that everyone at Mythos Academy has been training to fight for. The war is between the gods and goddesses of the Pantheon (the good guys) and Loki, god of mischief, and his Reapers of Chaos (the bad guys). Loki wants to rule over everyone including: gods, goddess and mortals. The Pantheons goal is to not let that happen. The students at Mythos are caught in this battle and trained to fight against Loki, should he rise up again. Therefore students come to school armed not only with pens and paper, but with swords and daggers as well. Gwen gets involved when a student in her class is murdered and she is the one who discovered the body. She is determined to find out who did it, because she is convinced that foul play is involved.
There is a little romance peppered into the novel, but it not the focus of the story. Gwen has a crush on this boy, Logan Quinn, who happens to be a decedent of the Spartans. He has a reputation at school of being a ladies man, so she tries to keep her distance from him. However, they keep running into each other inadvertently throughout the novel and their interactions are ones I quickly came to forward to because of their amusing banter. Gwen’s inner monologue about Logan also kept me entertained; her initial description of how tough Spartans were had me laughing out loud:
“One of the things that Spartans were known for was their ability to pick up any weapon – or any thing- and automatically know how to use and even kill someone with it. Seriously. Logan Quinn was the kind of guy who could stab me in the eye with a freaking Twizzler.”
Tell me that image does not make you chuckle and cringe all at the same time? This brings me to my next point, Gwen’s way of speaking. I was a little worried at the beginning that the dialogue was going to be too juvenile, but that fear quickly dissolved as I continued reading and I fell easily in step with Gwen. She had me laughing at multiple times during the book at her inner thoughts. She is a bit of a loner, so she does not interact with her classmates as much, but definitely has her own opinions about them. She was quite comical in a nerdy type of a way which really spoke to me. Being a nerd myself, I enjoyed all her comic book references and her love of super heroes. I can easily relate to this passion and it just made me love Gwen more.
Overall, Touch of Frost is a fantastic first novel in a new young adult fantasy series. It has just a little bit of everything, engrossing new mythology, intriguing mystery, and a touch of romance that all blend together to make an irresistibly new series. I am looking forward to December when the next book Kiss of Frost is released.
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story is told from Gwen Frost’s point of view; she is a new student at Mythos Academy and often feels like the odd girl out because she is the only Gypsy attending the school. All the other students have warrior backgrounds such as, Valkyries Amazons, Vikings or any other ancient myth you can probably think up and Gwen feels like her abilities just don’t match up to her classmates. Gwen has the ability to read objects and tell what the person they belong to was feeling or thinking while touching it as well as a mini history of the object. She also gets readings off people when she touches them and can see their thoughts or events that have happened in their life. It is a cool ability to possess, but it often leaves her alone since people tend to not like others knowing all their secrets.At the heart of this book is an ancient battle that everyone at Mythos Academy has been training to fight for. The war is between the gods and goddesses of the Pantheon (the good guys) and Loki, god of mischief, and his Reapers of Chaos (the bad guys). Loki wants to rule over everyone including: gods, goddess and mortals. The Pantheons goal is to not let that happen. The students at Mythos are caught in this battle and trained to fight against Loki, should he rise up again. Therefore students come to school armed not only with pens and paper, but with swords and daggers as well. Gwen gets involved when a student in her class is murdered and she is the one who discovered the body. She is determined to find out who did it, because she is convinced that foul play is involved.
There is a little romance peppered into the novel, but it not the focus of the story. Gwen has a crush on this boy, Logan Quinn, who happens to be a decedent of the Spartans. He has a reputation at school of being a ladies man, so she tries to keep her distance from him. However, they keep running into each other inadvertently throughout the novel and their interactions are ones I quickly came to forward to because of their amusing banter. Gwen’s inner monologue about Logan also kept me entertained; her initial description of how tough Spartans were had me laughing out loud:
“One of the things that Spartans were known for was their ability to pick up any weapon – or any thing- and automatically know how to use and even kill someone with it. Seriously. Logan Quinn was the kind of guy who could stab me in the eye with a freaking Twizzler.”
Tell me that image does not make you chuckle and cringe all at the same time? This brings me to my next point, Gwen’s way of speaking. I was a little worried at the beginning that the dialogue was going to be too juvenile, but that fear quickly dissolved as I continued reading and I fell easily in step with Gwen. She had me laughing at multiple times during the book at her inner thoughts. She is a bit of a loner, so she does not interact with her classmates as much, but definitely has her own opinions about them. She was quite comical in a nerdy type of a way which really spoke to me. Being a nerd myself, I enjoyed all her comic book references and her love of super heroes. I can easily relate to this passion and it just made me love Gwen more.
Overall, Touch of Frost is a fantastic first novel in a new young adult fantasy series. It has just a little bit of everything, engrossing new mythology, intriguing mystery, and a touch of romance that all blend together to make an irresistibly new series. I am looking forward to December when the next book Kiss of Frost is released.
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LibraryThing member fayeflame
Um hell to the freakin yes!
Touch of Frost is definitely one of my favorite YA urban fantasy books out there.
Gwen is a very dynamic character. She’s an outcast,she feels like she isn’t as strong as her classmates(who are literally Spartans, Amazons, Vikings, Valkyries etc) and NOW...lets just
As for her friends...I didn’t trust Daphna at first. But the once snotty, follower, Valkyrie grew on me. She shown true friendship for sticking by Gwen's side. So I feel like Daphna has truly redeemed herself. She ditched those backstabbing wannabes and finally when for the guy of her guys, the adorable “band geek” Carson .and LOGAN...totally HOT and gosh, he can be annoying in a sexy bad boy way. Jennifer knows how to keep the tension going and they haven’t even kissed yet! lol *fingers crossed* for things to pick up between Logan and Gwen.
I really enjoyed the plot and the world building,I don’t know if I’m over thinking this but I’m still looking for the bigger picture in all this. Champions vs. Reapers. What if The mythical(and evil) god Loki gets loose...would everything end in world destruction...? Hopefully I’ll learn more in the next book.
Touch of Frost is dangerous and exciting. This one of those books you can’t put down.
I can’t wait to read more about Gwen, learn more about Mythos, and see some serious reaper ass kicking in Kiss of Frost!
Touch of Frost is definitely one of my favorite YA urban fantasy books out there.
Gwen is a very dynamic character. She’s an outcast,she feels like she isn’t as strong as her classmates(who are literally Spartans, Amazons, Vikings, Valkyries etc) and NOW...lets just
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say I’ll be expecting great things from her. Once she brushes off her swordsmen skills, of course. Gwen had it in her the hold time, she’s a hero for sure.As for her friends...I didn’t trust Daphna at first. But the once snotty, follower, Valkyrie grew on me. She shown true friendship for sticking by Gwen's side. So I feel like Daphna has truly redeemed herself. She ditched those backstabbing wannabes and finally when for the guy of her guys, the adorable “band geek” Carson .and LOGAN...totally HOT and gosh, he can be annoying in a sexy bad boy way. Jennifer knows how to keep the tension going and they haven’t even kissed yet! lol *fingers crossed* for things to pick up between Logan and Gwen.
I really enjoyed the plot and the world building,I don’t know if I’m over thinking this but I’m still looking for the bigger picture in all this. Champions vs. Reapers. What if The mythical(and evil) god Loki gets loose...would everything end in world destruction...? Hopefully I’ll learn more in the next book.
Touch of Frost is dangerous and exciting. This one of those books you can’t put down.
I can’t wait to read more about Gwen, learn more about Mythos, and see some serious reaper ass kicking in Kiss of Frost!
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LibraryThing member sithereandread
TOUCH OF FROST, by Jennifer Estep, is the first book in the Mythos Academy series. Gwen Frost is a Gypsie in a school full of mythological warriors. She is an outcast and one day stumbles upon a dead body of one of the Mythos students. She launches her own investigation with dangerous consequences.
I really loved this book! Estep created a school full of mythological warriors who were training to protect humans from Chaos. Gwen's mother died previous to this book and she was recruited to attend Mythos. She has no idea why and keeps to herself since she did not grow up believing in the mythology as the rest of the students did. I loved Gwen's 'voice'. She was awkward, snarky, and totally into bad-boy Spartan Logan just as much as I was! I loved following her on the journey to figuring out who killed one of the popular girls.
I enjoyed getting to explore Gwen's gift too. Her ability to touch an object and feel emotions from all those who have touched it before was pretty awesome. Although it did limit the amount of touching of other humans, especially Logan.
Even though this book was pretty long at 350 pages, it definitely flew by and only touched the tip of the iceberg in the story as a whole. I am very anxious to read the next book! With a cast of characters that are well-developed and interesting and a plot that will keep your eyes glued to the pages, this book is not one to miss!
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Along the way she makes two friends and learns more about her heritage then she ever bargained for.I really loved this book! Estep created a school full of mythological warriors who were training to protect humans from Chaos. Gwen's mother died previous to this book and she was recruited to attend Mythos. She has no idea why and keeps to herself since she did not grow up believing in the mythology as the rest of the students did. I loved Gwen's 'voice'. She was awkward, snarky, and totally into bad-boy Spartan Logan just as much as I was! I loved following her on the journey to figuring out who killed one of the popular girls.
I enjoyed getting to explore Gwen's gift too. Her ability to touch an object and feel emotions from all those who have touched it before was pretty awesome. Although it did limit the amount of touching of other humans, especially Logan.
Even though this book was pretty long at 350 pages, it definitely flew by and only touched the tip of the iceberg in the story as a whole. I am very anxious to read the next book! With a cast of characters that are well-developed and interesting and a plot that will keep your eyes glued to the pages, this book is not one to miss!
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I am a big fan of Estep's Elemental Assassins series and was excited to see that she was writing a YA series. This is the first book in Estep's new young adult series, Mythos Academy. There are currently three books contracted for this series, but Estep hopes to write 4 or 5. The second book, Kiss
Gwen Frost has just started at Mythos Academy and is having trouble fitting in. She is surrounded by Romans, Amazons, Valkyries, and Spartans...all strong warrior types. Gwen's only power is the ability to get feelings and thoughts from objects people have touched. When a girl is murdered in the campus library where Gwen works, the powers that be at Mythos Academy blame the Reapers of Chaos; but Gwen thinks there is more to it and starts secretly investigating. Her investigation gets her into a lot of trouble and introduces her to a destiny she never knew she had.
This book takes a bit to get going; for the majority of the book Gwen only has her touch ability to rely on. Gwen is a great character who is very down to earth, and seems to balance school and family well. Gwen has trouble making friends and is a loner at heart. Gwen's potential love interest, Logan, seems like an interesting character...but you just don't learn much about him or see him much in this book.
Most of the book is about Gwen sneaking around trying to figure out what really happened with the girl that was murdered in the library. So this was an urban fantasy with a lot of mystery thrown in. The setting is neat too, Mythos academy is an interesting place. I wish that the powers of the other races there had been expanded on a bit; all of the other races are faster and stronger. There is some mention of other elemental and healing abilities, but it is never talked about in depth and as a reader we never really learn how this relates to the specific races.
I loved some of the stuff that happened towards the end of the book and am really looking forward to seeing what Gwen does in her new place, with her added power. Not to mention the training session planned between Gwen and Logan...I am sure those will be very very interesting. The book ends well, with the main mystery resolved and a lot of things dangling for the next book.
Overall this was a solid YA urban fantasy. I enjoyed the characters and the setting; loved how mythology is tied into this story. It is kind of like a young adult mythological Harry Potter. I am hoping that the characters' powers will be expanded on in future books and I am also hoping we will get to know Logan better. I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series, Kiss of Frost, when it releases. Fans of young adult urban fantasy should check out this book, as should fans of mythology based urban fantasy.
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of Frost, is due out Dec. 2011. This was a great start to a fun new mythology based series. I loved Gwen as a character and loved how mythology was tied into the story. I recommend checking out the prequel, First Frost, if you want the back-story behind the incident with the girl and her hairbrush which is referenced a number of times in this book.Gwen Frost has just started at Mythos Academy and is having trouble fitting in. She is surrounded by Romans, Amazons, Valkyries, and Spartans...all strong warrior types. Gwen's only power is the ability to get feelings and thoughts from objects people have touched. When a girl is murdered in the campus library where Gwen works, the powers that be at Mythos Academy blame the Reapers of Chaos; but Gwen thinks there is more to it and starts secretly investigating. Her investigation gets her into a lot of trouble and introduces her to a destiny she never knew she had.
This book takes a bit to get going; for the majority of the book Gwen only has her touch ability to rely on. Gwen is a great character who is very down to earth, and seems to balance school and family well. Gwen has trouble making friends and is a loner at heart. Gwen's potential love interest, Logan, seems like an interesting character...but you just don't learn much about him or see him much in this book.
Most of the book is about Gwen sneaking around trying to figure out what really happened with the girl that was murdered in the library. So this was an urban fantasy with a lot of mystery thrown in. The setting is neat too, Mythos academy is an interesting place. I wish that the powers of the other races there had been expanded on a bit; all of the other races are faster and stronger. There is some mention of other elemental and healing abilities, but it is never talked about in depth and as a reader we never really learn how this relates to the specific races.
I loved some of the stuff that happened towards the end of the book and am really looking forward to seeing what Gwen does in her new place, with her added power. Not to mention the training session planned between Gwen and Logan...I am sure those will be very very interesting. The book ends well, with the main mystery resolved and a lot of things dangling for the next book.
Overall this was a solid YA urban fantasy. I enjoyed the characters and the setting; loved how mythology is tied into this story. It is kind of like a young adult mythological Harry Potter. I am hoping that the characters' powers will be expanded on in future books and I am also hoping we will get to know Logan better. I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series, Kiss of Frost, when it releases. Fans of young adult urban fantasy should check out this book, as should fans of mythology based urban fantasy.
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LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
I really enjoy mythology, especially twists on the normal stories. When I read the description of Touch of Frost, I was really excited because it seemed like I book I would really enjoy. Although there were some aspects of the novel that I really liked, there were others that I liked, uh... not so
Gwen is a "gypsy", along with the other women in her family, and because of that, she has a strange magical power. Gwen doesn't really know why she is a gypsy, or what it means, she just has always known that that is what she is. After her mother's death, she is transported to Mythos Academy, a school made up of kids with otherworldly powers - supposedly decedents of the Greek gods, but Gwen isn't so sure she believes all of it. After a student's death, Gwen decides to start looking for answers... Although her search may bring her closer to the truth, inevitably, that means closer to unimaginable dangers.
Okay, so I liked the plot. Although it did take about 100 pages for the pace to pick up, I was interested in what was going to happen next. The ending - showdown. It was highly entertaining and I will definitely be on the lookout for the sequel, Kiss of Frost, coming in December.
My problem with this novel was that although I cared about the plot, I didn't really care about the characters. Maybe that's not fair to say... I did care about some of the characters, but not the ones that I normally would, or should for that matter. Truthfully, I didn't really care what happened to Gwen. It wasn't that I didn't like her or that she annoyed me, I just didn't connect with her. I don't know why, there just seemed to be something missing in her development. She didn't seem to really change at all. Although she learned more about her self, none of it seemed to really effect her. It was if she always subconsciously knew the strange things she was about to find out (trying not to spoil), so she didn't seem realistically phased by it.
I'm hoping I'll like Gwen more in the next book, because I'm really interested to see where the plot goes next.
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much.Gwen is a "gypsy", along with the other women in her family, and because of that, she has a strange magical power. Gwen doesn't really know why she is a gypsy, or what it means, she just has always known that that is what she is. After her mother's death, she is transported to Mythos Academy, a school made up of kids with otherworldly powers - supposedly decedents of the Greek gods, but Gwen isn't so sure she believes all of it. After a student's death, Gwen decides to start looking for answers... Although her search may bring her closer to the truth, inevitably, that means closer to unimaginable dangers.
Okay, so I liked the plot. Although it did take about 100 pages for the pace to pick up, I was interested in what was going to happen next. The ending - showdown. It was highly entertaining and I will definitely be on the lookout for the sequel, Kiss of Frost, coming in December.
My problem with this novel was that although I cared about the plot, I didn't really care about the characters. Maybe that's not fair to say... I did care about some of the characters, but not the ones that I normally would, or should for that matter. Truthfully, I didn't really care what happened to Gwen. It wasn't that I didn't like her or that she annoyed me, I just didn't connect with her. I don't know why, there just seemed to be something missing in her development. She didn't seem to really change at all. Although she learned more about her self, none of it seemed to really effect her. It was if she always subconsciously knew the strange things she was about to find out (trying not to spoil), so she didn't seem realistically phased by it.
I'm hoping I'll like Gwen more in the next book, because I'm really interested to see where the plot goes next.
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
I find myself in awe while reading this book. Amazing from the very first word, I adored this book. I could not get enough of it. I loved the characters, the plot and especially the school!
One things I adored about this book is the great story line as well as the character development. The story
Ms. Estep captured the reading with a character no one sought out. Gwen is fresh and young. Has a lot to learn and is someone everyone can relate too.
The characters in this book were great! I loved the new friendships form and the love that is sought after. Gwen finds friends in the most unlikely places. She also becomes someone she never thought she be. I adore that Gwen is real. She is not a faker and has an attitude that make me laugh.
Now the love interest. I am a big romance junkie. Ms. Estep wrote a love interest that is sooo good that it is maddening! I am hooked! I loved that Ms. Estep hooked the reader into a love that is developing, but not quite there. She weaved the love interest where you want it to go on, but just not yet. I like that Logan is a tough guy and is holding back. I know that Gwen is going to get him to sing like a canary once she gets him wrap around her little finger. It 's only a matter of time.
You must read this book! The characters are fresh and amazing. Plot line is addicting and non-stop action. Plus, you want Logan, cause I know I do. I mean, who doesn't want a hot spartan? Highly addictive and very engrossing, Touch of Frost is a book that I want to read over and over again.
*cursing/ sexual activity*
One things I adored about this book is the great story line as well as the character development. The story
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line has a new girl, not popular and always kept to herself. She find herself in a new school, who she barely thinks she is nobody. WRONG! I loved that the author created such a flawed character to become something more.Ms. Estep captured the reading with a character no one sought out. Gwen is fresh and young. Has a lot to learn and is someone everyone can relate too.
The characters in this book were great! I loved the new friendships form and the love that is sought after. Gwen finds friends in the most unlikely places. She also becomes someone she never thought she be. I adore that Gwen is real. She is not a faker and has an attitude that make me laugh.
Now the love interest. I am a big romance junkie. Ms. Estep wrote a love interest that is sooo good that it is maddening! I am hooked! I loved that Ms. Estep hooked the reader into a love that is developing, but not quite there. She weaved the love interest where you want it to go on, but just not yet. I like that Logan is a tough guy and is holding back. I know that Gwen is going to get him to sing like a canary once she gets him wrap around her little finger. It 's only a matter of time.
You must read this book! The characters are fresh and amazing. Plot line is addicting and non-stop action. Plus, you want Logan, cause I know I do. I mean, who doesn't want a hot spartan? Highly addictive and very engrossing, Touch of Frost is a book that I want to read over and over again.
*cursing/ sexual activity*
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LibraryThing member jasmyn9
Gwen Frost is a gypsy. What does that mean? It means that she comes from a family with strange magic-like powers. In her case, she can seen the history of items and people just by touching them. It means that her power turned her life upside down and led to the death of her mother. It means that
But she needs to come to terms with the fact that her life will never be normal again. It all begins when the most popular girl in school, a Valkyrie named Jasmine, is brutally murdered in the school library. Gwen feels that like she is the only one that seems to wonder what really happened and may have found a use for her power after all, except now it doesn't seem to be working the way it should.
I loved Gwen. She was upset and lonely, but there was always a good reason for her emotions and actions. There was no random brooding moments. Throughout the story she begins to feel more like she belongs in some ways, and like she belongs less in others. She finds friends and allies in unusual places and she becomes quite the detective...her mother would be proud.
The mystery itself was quite engaging. The hints to solve it were scattered expertly throughout the story and it all linked up very nicely at the end with an ending that was suprising only in the fact that you didn't figure it out sooner. I will definitely be adding the next book to my wishlist.
4/5
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she has been uprooted from everything she know and sent to Mythos Academy, a school for the decendants of ancient mythical beings such as valkyries and Spartans, where magic and destiny are commonplace. But Gwen doesn't fit in. She just wants to go back to her old school and her old way of life.But she needs to come to terms with the fact that her life will never be normal again. It all begins when the most popular girl in school, a Valkyrie named Jasmine, is brutally murdered in the school library. Gwen feels that like she is the only one that seems to wonder what really happened and may have found a use for her power after all, except now it doesn't seem to be working the way it should.
I loved Gwen. She was upset and lonely, but there was always a good reason for her emotions and actions. There was no random brooding moments. Throughout the story she begins to feel more like she belongs in some ways, and like she belongs less in others. She finds friends and allies in unusual places and she becomes quite the detective...her mother would be proud.
The mystery itself was quite engaging. The hints to solve it were scattered expertly throughout the story and it all linked up very nicely at the end with an ending that was suprising only in the fact that you didn't figure it out sooner. I will definitely be adding the next book to my wishlist.
4/5
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LibraryThing member TheBookLife
I love books that are set around mythology and this one was especially cool, because it incorporated all different types of mythology, not just the currently popular greek mythology. Gwen's magic, psychometry, was really cool and maybe a little scary. Being able to know details about someone or
There is so much craziness going on in this world with all of the different Gods and mythologies, and the Chaos War with Loki and his Reapers. I don't know about you, but being at the center of a war between good and evil Gods, seems like the most dangerous place you could be. Mythos is a place were all these warrior kids learn and hone their skills and are seemingly protected from bad things, but not everyone there is on the side of good and figuring out who is the enemy doesn't seem too easy. The mystery in this one wrapped up nicely, as far as Jasmine's death and everything surrounding that, but there are plenty of things that just had the surfaced scratched and I can't wait to find out more. This was a phenomenal read with plenty of action and wit. Vic is the best kind of comic relief! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes mythology, weapons, magic, boarding schools, badass warriors and hoodies :0) Also, I would like pink sparks to come from my fingers, that is all.
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something just by touching it would be crazy intimidating for me. Gwen handled it by mostly ignoring people. Of course, as with any good story about a magical loner, you never get to stay invisible and alone for long. As Gwen starts investigating what really happened to Jasmine Ashton, she has to enlist the help of mean girl Valkyrie Daphne, but we start to find out that there might be more to Daphne than her mean girl antics. Honestly, I didn't like Logan at first, he was too cocky for me, but he definitely grew on me the more he popped up in the story. All I want now is to learn all of the secrets he swears Gwen doesn't want to know. Cocky guys bother me to no end, but mysterious and cocky guys get my full attention!There is so much craziness going on in this world with all of the different Gods and mythologies, and the Chaos War with Loki and his Reapers. I don't know about you, but being at the center of a war between good and evil Gods, seems like the most dangerous place you could be. Mythos is a place were all these warrior kids learn and hone their skills and are seemingly protected from bad things, but not everyone there is on the side of good and figuring out who is the enemy doesn't seem too easy. The mystery in this one wrapped up nicely, as far as Jasmine's death and everything surrounding that, but there are plenty of things that just had the surfaced scratched and I can't wait to find out more. This was a phenomenal read with plenty of action and wit. Vic is the best kind of comic relief! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes mythology, weapons, magic, boarding schools, badass warriors and hoodies :0) Also, I would like pink sparks to come from my fingers, that is all.
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LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff
As usual Jennifer writes a fantastic story that has you hooked from the very first paragraph and doesn't let you go until the very last sentence
Tons of Estep's trademark quirky humour laced with fun pop culture references (Bonus points for mentions of Buffy, Xena and Karma Girl)
Love Gwen and her Grandmother - Estep always writes kick ass heroines
Logan is hot - he's up there with Finn in my bad boy book boyfriends
Yummy sounding food - had to make the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll she mentions, drooled every-time she mentioned it
Great dialogue with tons of witty and snarky comments
SPOILER - Love the developing relationship between Gwen and Daphne
Dying to read the next book in the series coming out at the end of November
Need to get a job at the Library - what a creative and funky sounding library (but the Librarian is a jerk -- how about a hip fun Librarian named maybe either Rayment or Porter who has some kick ass skills & snappy comebacks)
The Not So Good Stuff
I totally took off points for the character of Nickamedes the Librarian since he is an uptight jerk Librarian (and we know how I feel about negative librarian references LOL)
Some repetitive mentions of plot points - Estep is definitely doing less of this, but I do still notice (I think its because I am sensitive to this - I get the point don't knock me over the head with it) This actually might be helpful to more reluctant readers - just a heads up
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"So far, Professor Metis had been pretty vague about what exactly the chaos was, and I hadn't exactly been paying rapt attention to all the mumbo-jumbo magic stuff. But I was guessing it involved death, destruction and blah, blah, blah. I'd much rather read the comic books that I had stashed in the bottom of my messenger bag. At least they had some basis in reality. Genetic mutations could totally happen."
"At least, that's what Nickamedes, the head librarian, claimed. I just thought he liked the free slave labor and bossing me around."
"I wouldn't say hate, exactly. You're kind of like fungus, Gwen. After a while, you just start growing on people."
"So I'm mold. Wonderful. So why don't you just scrub me off and go sit with your Valkyrie friends like usual?"
4.5 Dewey's (Only cuz I'm picky about stereotypical Library characters)
I borrowed this from Natasha, since I haven't yet recieved the copy that I pre-ordered (must get off my ass and rectify that)
Jennifer's books always make me hungry, usually for something Pumpkin related - so in honor I have made a Pumpkin Cheesecake Roll - hopefully yours tastes as good as Grandma's
Grandma's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll (From Grandma's Desserts)
Cake
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375. Using a jelly roll pan, line with parchment paper. Get a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer until thick. Add flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Continue mixing until all ingredients are combined. Pour evenly into pan. It will be very thin.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, use a toothpick to make sure it is done.
Turn cake onto powdered sugar towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake in towel, starting with the narrow end. Cool on wire rack. For best results, cool for at least 3 hours.
Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.Carefully unroll the cake and remove the towel. Take spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture and place them on the cake.It makes it easier to spread, and doesn't tear the cake. Spread evenly across the cake, making sure to get to the edge. Roll cake back up the way it was originally rolled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place in fridge for at least one hour.
As usual Jennifer writes a fantastic story that has you hooked from the very first paragraph and doesn't let you go until the very last sentence
Tons of Estep's trademark quirky humour laced with fun pop culture references (Bonus points for mentions of Buffy, Xena and Karma Girl)
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Intriguing storyline with plenty of twists and turnsLove Gwen and her Grandmother - Estep always writes kick ass heroines
Logan is hot - he's up there with Finn in my bad boy book boyfriends
Yummy sounding food - had to make the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll she mentions, drooled every-time she mentioned it
Great dialogue with tons of witty and snarky comments
SPOILER - Love the developing relationship between Gwen and Daphne
Dying to read the next book in the series coming out at the end of November
Need to get a job at the Library - what a creative and funky sounding library (but the Librarian is a jerk -- how about a hip fun Librarian named maybe either Rayment or Porter who has some kick ass skills & snappy comebacks)
The Not So Good Stuff
I totally took off points for the character of Nickamedes the Librarian since he is an uptight jerk Librarian (and we know how I feel about negative librarian references LOL)
Some repetitive mentions of plot points - Estep is definitely doing less of this, but I do still notice (I think its because I am sensitive to this - I get the point don't knock me over the head with it) This actually might be helpful to more reluctant readers - just a heads up
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"So far, Professor Metis had been pretty vague about what exactly the chaos was, and I hadn't exactly been paying rapt attention to all the mumbo-jumbo magic stuff. But I was guessing it involved death, destruction and blah, blah, blah. I'd much rather read the comic books that I had stashed in the bottom of my messenger bag. At least they had some basis in reality. Genetic mutations could totally happen."
"At least, that's what Nickamedes, the head librarian, claimed. I just thought he liked the free slave labor and bossing me around."
"I wouldn't say hate, exactly. You're kind of like fungus, Gwen. After a while, you just start growing on people."
"So I'm mold. Wonderful. So why don't you just scrub me off and go sit with your Valkyrie friends like usual?"
4.5 Dewey's (Only cuz I'm picky about stereotypical Library characters)
I borrowed this from Natasha, since I haven't yet recieved the copy that I pre-ordered (must get off my ass and rectify that)
Jennifer's books always make me hungry, usually for something Pumpkin related - so in honor I have made a Pumpkin Cheesecake Roll - hopefully yours tastes as good as Grandma's
Grandma's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll (From Grandma's Desserts)
Cake
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375. Using a jelly roll pan, line with parchment paper. Get a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer until thick. Add flour, soda, powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Continue mixing until all ingredients are combined. Pour evenly into pan. It will be very thin.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, use a toothpick to make sure it is done.
Turn cake onto powdered sugar towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake in towel, starting with the narrow end. Cool on wire rack. For best results, cool for at least 3 hours.
Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.Carefully unroll the cake and remove the towel. Take spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture and place them on the cake.It makes it easier to spread, and doesn't tear the cake. Spread evenly across the cake, making sure to get to the edge. Roll cake back up the way it was originally rolled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place in fridge for at least one hour.
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LibraryThing member pollywannabook
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Myths and mystery and mean girls all converge in Jennifer Estep’s magical TOUCH OF FROST, the first book in her new paranormal YA series, Mythos Academy. It reads like Veronica Mars meets The Percy Jackson series, which of course means I loved
Protagonist Gwen Frost, a ‘gypsy’ who possess touch magic, is exactly the kind of character I love to discover in YA. She’s believable as a teenager in high school but has a maturity about her that makes her relatable to readers of all ages. She transfers to Mythos Academy and gets lost among a sea of privileged ‘warrior whiz kids’—the descendants of Greek and Norse mythology heroes. But Gwen doesn’t let her outsider status get to her. She hires out her touch magic talent to track down missing objects and make a buck in the process, she even ends up with a few unlikely friends.
I was a little leery at the first chapter which introduced a few cliché fashion obsessed mean girls, but almost immediately, Estep began to twist the characters and add layers of interest that made them anything but cliché. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated this. Several mysteries are also thrown in, and while Gwen doesn’t solve all of them in TOUCH OF FROST, it’s obvious that they won’t be forgotten in the books to come.
The mix of modern day with mythology has been done before, but not like this. TOUCH OF FROST gives us an extremely likeable and levelheaded female protagonist, the ultimate bad boy romantic lead, and an epic battle between good and evil. It’s fantastic fun from start to finish and I’m counting down the days until the next Mythos Academy book, KISS OF FROST, is released on November 29, 2011.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex. References to molestation. A scene of mild sensuality. Prevalent crude sexual dialog. A character overhears a girl giving a guy oral sex.
Myths and mystery and mean girls all converge in Jennifer Estep’s magical TOUCH OF FROST, the first book in her new paranormal YA series, Mythos Academy. It reads like Veronica Mars meets The Percy Jackson series, which of course means I loved
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it.Protagonist Gwen Frost, a ‘gypsy’ who possess touch magic, is exactly the kind of character I love to discover in YA. She’s believable as a teenager in high school but has a maturity about her that makes her relatable to readers of all ages. She transfers to Mythos Academy and gets lost among a sea of privileged ‘warrior whiz kids’—the descendants of Greek and Norse mythology heroes. But Gwen doesn’t let her outsider status get to her. She hires out her touch magic talent to track down missing objects and make a buck in the process, she even ends up with a few unlikely friends.
I was a little leery at the first chapter which introduced a few cliché fashion obsessed mean girls, but almost immediately, Estep began to twist the characters and add layers of interest that made them anything but cliché. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated this. Several mysteries are also thrown in, and while Gwen doesn’t solve all of them in TOUCH OF FROST, it’s obvious that they won’t be forgotten in the books to come.
The mix of modern day with mythology has been done before, but not like this. TOUCH OF FROST gives us an extremely likeable and levelheaded female protagonist, the ultimate bad boy romantic lead, and an epic battle between good and evil. It’s fantastic fun from start to finish and I’m counting down the days until the next Mythos Academy book, KISS OF FROST, is released on November 29, 2011.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex. References to molestation. A scene of mild sensuality. Prevalent crude sexual dialog. A character overhears a girl giving a guy oral sex.
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LibraryThing member edspicer
You would love this if you are into the greek gods and their descendants. This book contains humor, adventure, mystery, and of course romance. You would totally fall in love with teh main character for her sarcastic, witty, and caring personality. Q5P5 AHS/Kelly S
LibraryThing member DamarisGCR
I really don't even know where to begin. A Touch of Frost to me was just okay. It was one of those books that I was super excited to read, only it was just an okay story.The world that Jennifer Estep takes you into is fantastic. It was very believable and the characters are very easy to like. The
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main character Gwen is funny, smart, daring and very nosy. Gwen has the power to see things and feel things by simply touching them and/or it. Gwen's story is a really sad one and you can't help but feel sorry for her. I really liked Gwen, though I did feel that at times she talked way to much. The story is told from her point of view and it was just a lot of talking. I found myself losing interest at some points, but not enough to put the book down. I also feel that a lot of things in the story was repeated a lot. There was plenty of suspense and humor though, for me to continue reading and finish the book. I really liked the chemistry between Gwen and Logan, but I just wish there was more of it. It really wasn't a back and forth relationship, which made me SUPER happy, but nothing really happened between the two even though you can feel the chemistry. It was obvious that Logan was into Gwen. Overall, I feel that A Touch of Frost is more of an introduction to the next. Jennifer Estep did a lot of explaining and introducing in this book and it felt more like an opening to me. A lot does happen in the book and Gwen's life changes, but it still felt like it was explaining the world and how everything works. I am curious to see what will happen next in Kiss of Frost now that everything has been explained and put into motion. Plus, I need more of Logan. He's just yummy!3 out of 5 Stars! Show Less
LibraryThing member YABReviews
Gwendolyn aka Frost, aka Gwen, has experienced some hardships in her life. The hardest being the death of her mom, who was hit by a drunk driver. After that, everything changed: Her school, friends… Her grandmother, Grandma Frost, decided that it was time she went to Mythos Academy. Mythos
Gwen is a gypsie. More specifically, she has the gift of psychometry, meaning she can touch objects and see things about them. This comes in handy when she is trying to find things for others students. That is what she mainly uses it for at the beginning of the book. Also works well for finding out secrets. She is a second year student at Mythos. She not only has her studies, she also works at the Library of Antiquities. Even for this “strange” school, abnormal things start to happen. First, one of popular girls, Jasmine Ashton, is murdered in the Library. What is even stranger is the fact that it doesn’t seem to affect anyone. Gwen is determined to figure out what happened to Jasmine because secrets are her thing.
During that time, however, she keeps bumping into the Spartan, Logan Quinn. He is the labeled as the deadliest guy in the school. Spartans can kill you with anything. That is their gift. He has the reputation of signing mattresses of girls that he has slept with in order to keep them straight. Why is she running into him (literally)? What is happening at the academy? Is Gwen really safe there and does she belong?
I had read the synopsis of this book a while ago and wanted to read it. The opportunity just never presented itself until now and I’m glad it did. I like the whole mythology angle of this book. It not only covers the usual Greek and Roman mythology, but there are others as well. It seems as though Loki has been brought up a lot in recent books/movies. Overall, it is a really good book with an interesting plot.
Cover:
The cover features Gwen Frost. You can see her signature purple eyes. You also see part of the architecture and what looks to be gargoyle. I like how the “t” in Frost is made up of the sword instead of the font for the rest of the word.
I Liked:
•Gwen Frost. She is the main character. After going through her mother’s death, she is sent to Mythos Academy and feels as though she doesn’t belong. She has no friends. She is not über strong or super-fast like the other students. She definitely doesn’t have a weapon or know how to use one. Even still, she sticks to what she knows, psychometry, to solve mysteries. Even though Jasmine wasn’t very nice to anyone, she still tries to find out who murdered her in the library and cares when nobody else does.
•Daphne Cruz. The book starts out with Gwen and Daphne in the bathroom where Gwen is talking to Daphne about a missing bracelet. Daphne is part of the popular crowd. Even though she doesn’t really acknowledge Gwen, I still like her character. She is there for Gwen when she needs her, even though it is against her will. (She is a Valkyrie, so it isn’t TOO much against her will.)
•All the different students. Amazons, Valkyries, Romans, Vikings, Spartans and Gypsies…Oh my. They make for a stimulating book. There are some others mentioned in the book, but those are the main ones.
•”Logan freaking Quinn.” He is a Spartan that keeps running into Gwen or vice versa. He doesn’t have a good reputation at Mythos, but he is one of the cutest. The relationship between Logan and Gwen is hot and cold.
I Did Not Like:
•Jasmine Ashley. She is the resident bad/evil person. She is the girl who is the most popular in the school and because of that, she treats everyone else poorly. No wonder people didn’t care that she was brutally murdered on the academy campus.
•Morgan McDougall. She is one of Jasmine’s best friends and takes up her position after Jasmine is murdered. She (and Jasmine) are Valkyries.
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Academy and it’s students are described in Kiss of Frost as “the descendants of ancient warriors, and they are at the academy to learn how to fight and use weapons, along with whatever magic or other skills they might have.” These students include the following: Amazons, Valkyries, Romans, Vikings, Spartans and Gypsies. Gwen currently doesn’t have any friends at the Academy. All the students who go there are rich and spoiled.Gwen is a gypsie. More specifically, she has the gift of psychometry, meaning she can touch objects and see things about them. This comes in handy when she is trying to find things for others students. That is what she mainly uses it for at the beginning of the book. Also works well for finding out secrets. She is a second year student at Mythos. She not only has her studies, she also works at the Library of Antiquities. Even for this “strange” school, abnormal things start to happen. First, one of popular girls, Jasmine Ashton, is murdered in the Library. What is even stranger is the fact that it doesn’t seem to affect anyone. Gwen is determined to figure out what happened to Jasmine because secrets are her thing.
During that time, however, she keeps bumping into the Spartan, Logan Quinn. He is the labeled as the deadliest guy in the school. Spartans can kill you with anything. That is their gift. He has the reputation of signing mattresses of girls that he has slept with in order to keep them straight. Why is she running into him (literally)? What is happening at the academy? Is Gwen really safe there and does she belong?
I had read the synopsis of this book a while ago and wanted to read it. The opportunity just never presented itself until now and I’m glad it did. I like the whole mythology angle of this book. It not only covers the usual Greek and Roman mythology, but there are others as well. It seems as though Loki has been brought up a lot in recent books/movies. Overall, it is a really good book with an interesting plot.
Cover:
The cover features Gwen Frost. You can see her signature purple eyes. You also see part of the architecture and what looks to be gargoyle. I like how the “t” in Frost is made up of the sword instead of the font for the rest of the word.
I Liked:
•Gwen Frost. She is the main character. After going through her mother’s death, she is sent to Mythos Academy and feels as though she doesn’t belong. She has no friends. She is not über strong or super-fast like the other students. She definitely doesn’t have a weapon or know how to use one. Even still, she sticks to what she knows, psychometry, to solve mysteries. Even though Jasmine wasn’t very nice to anyone, she still tries to find out who murdered her in the library and cares when nobody else does.
•Daphne Cruz. The book starts out with Gwen and Daphne in the bathroom where Gwen is talking to Daphne about a missing bracelet. Daphne is part of the popular crowd. Even though she doesn’t really acknowledge Gwen, I still like her character. She is there for Gwen when she needs her, even though it is against her will. (She is a Valkyrie, so it isn’t TOO much against her will.)
•All the different students. Amazons, Valkyries, Romans, Vikings, Spartans and Gypsies…Oh my. They make for a stimulating book. There are some others mentioned in the book, but those are the main ones.
•”Logan freaking Quinn.” He is a Spartan that keeps running into Gwen or vice versa. He doesn’t have a good reputation at Mythos, but he is one of the cutest. The relationship between Logan and Gwen is hot and cold.
I Did Not Like:
•Jasmine Ashley. She is the resident bad/evil person. She is the girl who is the most popular in the school and because of that, she treats everyone else poorly. No wonder people didn’t care that she was brutally murdered on the academy campus.
•Morgan McDougall. She is one of Jasmine’s best friends and takes up her position after Jasmine is murdered. She (and Jasmine) are Valkyries.
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LibraryThing member MrsMich02
Had forgotten that I tried unsuccessfully to get this in a member giveaway awhile back. Anyway, story turned out a little better than I expected. Pretty obvious where the big bad's reveal was going about halfway through. It was nice to see a new elemental added to the standard gallery of heroes. I
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do have to say was a little disappointed to see a similarity between the sword Vic and the sword featured in Laurell K. Hamilton's old story Nightseer and featured in a short story in her Strange Candy anthology. Talking and literally blood-thirsty swords, yuk. Anyway, willing to give the next story, Kiss of Frost a shot. Show Less
LibraryThing member BrandisBookMusings
Touch of Frost was a very interesting read. The thing I most enjoyed was not just the traditional Greek/Roman myths, but that many culture's myths were mixed to make this unique world. I have always had a soft spot in my reading heart for "boarding school" books and add to that the fact that this
The story as a whole was very good, but judging by the cover I wasn't expecting it to be for "older" teens. By that I mean the sexual content. It wasn't excessive and I believe that it plays a role in the story showing what kind of world her classmates have grown up in. The story line overall reminded me a little of Oh. My. Gods. by Terra Lynn Childs (this isn't a bad thing), but on a more grown up level. This is a unique and very enjoyable start to a series that I am sure many will love.
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is a school for warriors...amazingness is abudant! The main character is Gwen Frost. She is a nerd who loves comics and wears hoodies 24/7...she's awesome! Gwen is a character who feels the need to right injustices and she is more sympathetic or more human than her fellow classmates. There is a lack of self assurance in Gwen that I believe many people experience at least once in their lifetime. She has these amazing abilities and a caring heart, but never sees herself being quite as good as those around her. As for Logan (the main guy in the story), I think I've just found another bad boy crush! He is certainly a naughty boy, but I have a feeling he is hiding something. Daphne was the other character I found very likable. She adds just the right touch of airiness, self assurance, and snobbery to counteract Gwen. The story as a whole was very good, but judging by the cover I wasn't expecting it to be for "older" teens. By that I mean the sexual content. It wasn't excessive and I believe that it plays a role in the story showing what kind of world her classmates have grown up in. The story line overall reminded me a little of Oh. My. Gods. by Terra Lynn Childs (this isn't a bad thing), but on a more grown up level. This is a unique and very enjoyable start to a series that I am sure many will love.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This is a fun, easy read that spent a lot of time on world-building and characters but not so much on the plot.
Opening Sentence: “I know your secret.”
The Review:
Mythos Academy is a school designed to train the descendants of mythology to be
Estep’s characters are likable, even if they’re not unique. The conversation really keeps the character development growing throughout the novel, revealing these geniuses to be funny as well as smart. We have the classic story of popular boy falling for unpopular girl, but there’s a lack of resolution between the characters as Estep sets the story up for the rest of the series. Maybe it’s just because I’m a Happily Ever After addict, but I really hated the way Logan, the popular and sexy Spartan on campus, kept jerking Gwen around. Even knowing that the author made Gwen feel that way intentionally, I still felt a little bit cheated out of a good love interest. Except for the attractive part. Make note: Spartan warriors are definitely attractive.
Unfortunately, the story takes a while to take off. The beginning is filled with Gwen’s repetitive what-if thoughts, guilt, and angst and there are times when Gwen’s repetition is really annoying. It’s difficult for the reader not to start doubting Gwen’s intelligence when she’s being blind to all the proof that the myths are real. She has the power of psychometry and she uses it, but she refuses to believe that she belongs at Mythos Academy. This feeling is brought about by the epic talents her peers eventually begin to display, which shows the students to be ferociously powerful. However, Gwen’s witty and smart, she’s a comic book fanatic, a nerd and she develops through the story into a worthy heroine. She has a touch of insecurity, but doesn’t feel the need to fit in with the crowd. Gwen’s not perfect. All of these things make her very easy to relate to and make her perspective an easy, enjoyable read.
Once you reach the second half of the book the plot gets going and makes up for the slow introduction to this world and Gwen’s inability to accept this new reality. The story follows Gwen’s investigation into Jasmine’s death, the popular girl whose bloody body Gwen found in the Library of Antiquities. With the Bowl of Tears missing, Gwen puts her psychometry to good use trying to put together the pieces of this mystery. Granted, the mystery–like the characters–isn’t exactly unique, but it does make for a great start to this new series. It was a fun; entertaining book–and really, what more can you ask for in a novel? I enjoyed reading Touch of Frost and can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!
Notable Scene:
“So” the Valkyrie said, cracking open the lid on her Perrier. ”This is where you eat lunch. All the way back here. What are you? A vampire who’s afraid of sunlight or something?”
Vampires? Were vampires real, too? I wondered, but I didn’t want to look stupid and ask, especially since I didn’t know what Daphne was doing here in the first place.
“Yeah,” I said in a guarded voice. “You caught me. I’ve got this whole superhero thing going on, so I sit way back here to keep the paparazzi and rabid fans at bay.”
Mythos Academy Series:
1. Touch of Frost
2. Kiss of Frost
3. Dark Frost
FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of Touch of Frost. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This is a fun, easy read that spent a lot of time on world-building and characters but not so much on the plot.
Opening Sentence: “I know your secret.”
The Review:
Mythos Academy is a school designed to train the descendants of mythology to be
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warriors. Gwen is enrolled by her grandmother and feels very out of place. Not only is she definitely not a warrior, but she has trouble believing most of the supernatural gifts of her fellow students. They’re being trained to prevent the Second Chaos War, but Gwen doesn’t understand what a she’s doing there. Estep’s characters are likable, even if they’re not unique. The conversation really keeps the character development growing throughout the novel, revealing these geniuses to be funny as well as smart. We have the classic story of popular boy falling for unpopular girl, but there’s a lack of resolution between the characters as Estep sets the story up for the rest of the series. Maybe it’s just because I’m a Happily Ever After addict, but I really hated the way Logan, the popular and sexy Spartan on campus, kept jerking Gwen around. Even knowing that the author made Gwen feel that way intentionally, I still felt a little bit cheated out of a good love interest. Except for the attractive part. Make note: Spartan warriors are definitely attractive.
Unfortunately, the story takes a while to take off. The beginning is filled with Gwen’s repetitive what-if thoughts, guilt, and angst and there are times when Gwen’s repetition is really annoying. It’s difficult for the reader not to start doubting Gwen’s intelligence when she’s being blind to all the proof that the myths are real. She has the power of psychometry and she uses it, but she refuses to believe that she belongs at Mythos Academy. This feeling is brought about by the epic talents her peers eventually begin to display, which shows the students to be ferociously powerful. However, Gwen’s witty and smart, she’s a comic book fanatic, a nerd and she develops through the story into a worthy heroine. She has a touch of insecurity, but doesn’t feel the need to fit in with the crowd. Gwen’s not perfect. All of these things make her very easy to relate to and make her perspective an easy, enjoyable read.
Once you reach the second half of the book the plot gets going and makes up for the slow introduction to this world and Gwen’s inability to accept this new reality. The story follows Gwen’s investigation into Jasmine’s death, the popular girl whose bloody body Gwen found in the Library of Antiquities. With the Bowl of Tears missing, Gwen puts her psychometry to good use trying to put together the pieces of this mystery. Granted, the mystery–like the characters–isn’t exactly unique, but it does make for a great start to this new series. It was a fun; entertaining book–and really, what more can you ask for in a novel? I enjoyed reading Touch of Frost and can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!
Notable Scene:
“So” the Valkyrie said, cracking open the lid on her Perrier. ”This is where you eat lunch. All the way back here. What are you? A vampire who’s afraid of sunlight or something?”
Vampires? Were vampires real, too? I wondered, but I didn’t want to look stupid and ask, especially since I didn’t know what Daphne was doing here in the first place.
“Yeah,” I said in a guarded voice. “You caught me. I’ve got this whole superhero thing going on, so I sit way back here to keep the paparazzi and rabid fans at bay.”
Mythos Academy Series:
1. Touch of Frost
2. Kiss of Frost
3. Dark Frost
FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of Touch of Frost. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member ShaEliPar
Touch of Frost was an enjoyable paranormal read with a great mystery and a fun new twist on mythology.
I've always been a huge fan of mythology so the idea of Mythos Academy; an elite school for the descendents of Amazons, Valkyries and Spartans was a well developed and unique one. I loved learning
I liked the MC Gwen a lot. I think she's easy to relate to if you've ever felt like an outsider or had to be the new kid at school. Gwen is independent, smart and cares deeply for her family. She also has a great sense of humor, always poking fun at people especially herself. My only complaint with Gwen is that I wish she had been more confident in her gypsy gift and herself. She keeps seeing all this crazy stuff happen around her and sometimes to her, but then just lets it go because she can't figure it out. This becomes more frustrating by the fact that Gwen already knows the answer but can't grab onto what it is.
The supporting cast of Daphne, Logan, and Professor Metis all help bring out a new side of Gwen and its fun to see her explore all these different relationships. Professor Metis tries to help Gwen be more comfortable with her abilities, while Logan adds a bit of intrigue with his bad boy ways. However, its Daphne who surprised me the most. She's much more then the mean girl she appears to be and had easily won me over by the end of the novel.
I think the murder mystery side of the story was well paced and featured a few surprise twists, some which I never saw coming. In fact I only figured out the mystery shortly before its reveal, which is actually a bit late for me.
A few themes do get repeated several times throughout the novel, most notably Gwen's feelings about her gypsy gift and how it landed her at Mythos. While it's a bit distracting I don't think it hurts the novel to much. Instead, it just kind of slows down the pacing for a bit.
I think a Touch of Frost will definitely appeal to any fan of paranormal, mythology or mystery books. Its a great start to a fun new YA series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Kiss of Frost.
I've always been a huge fan of mythology so the idea of Mythos Academy; an elite school for the descendents of Amazons, Valkyries and Spartans was a well developed and unique one. I loved learning
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about the school, its history, and all the different myths that tie into it.I liked the MC Gwen a lot. I think she's easy to relate to if you've ever felt like an outsider or had to be the new kid at school. Gwen is independent, smart and cares deeply for her family. She also has a great sense of humor, always poking fun at people especially herself. My only complaint with Gwen is that I wish she had been more confident in her gypsy gift and herself. She keeps seeing all this crazy stuff happen around her and sometimes to her, but then just lets it go because she can't figure it out. This becomes more frustrating by the fact that Gwen already knows the answer but can't grab onto what it is.
The supporting cast of Daphne, Logan, and Professor Metis all help bring out a new side of Gwen and its fun to see her explore all these different relationships. Professor Metis tries to help Gwen be more comfortable with her abilities, while Logan adds a bit of intrigue with his bad boy ways. However, its Daphne who surprised me the most. She's much more then the mean girl she appears to be and had easily won me over by the end of the novel.
I think the murder mystery side of the story was well paced and featured a few surprise twists, some which I never saw coming. In fact I only figured out the mystery shortly before its reveal, which is actually a bit late for me.
A few themes do get repeated several times throughout the novel, most notably Gwen's feelings about her gypsy gift and how it landed her at Mythos. While it's a bit distracting I don't think it hurts the novel to much. Instead, it just kind of slows down the pacing for a bit.
I think a Touch of Frost will definitely appeal to any fan of paranormal, mythology or mystery books. Its a great start to a fun new YA series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Kiss of Frost.
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LibraryThing member taleofnight
Gwen is part of a long line of gypsy's. She can see the history of any object just by touching it, whether she likes it or not. After her mother dies in a car accident, a stranger shows up and tells her it is time for her to learn how to control her magic and go to Mythos Academy.
I love anything
I had a few problems with the story. First, I got annoyed with Gwen a little. She constantly reminds you that she doesn't believe in all this myth and magic that is going around her. Even when the girl next to her has pink sparks flying out of her fingers, she still doesn't believe in it. The denying became a little too much after the first half of the book.
The other thing was the writing itself. So many things are repeated to the point that I was getting mad. Gwen reminds us what her mothers name was about 10 times, or what the color someones eyes were. Eye color must be some important factor, because it's mentioned about every other page. It got to the point where I was thinking that the author thought the person reading wasn't capable of remembering.
But other than that, I did actually enjoy the story. I'm just having trouble seeing past those two problems.
I love anything
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with mythology, so I was really excited when I read the concept for this story. All though the mythology was toned down a bit, you still get enough to understand what is going on. I had a few problems with the story. First, I got annoyed with Gwen a little. She constantly reminds you that she doesn't believe in all this myth and magic that is going around her. Even when the girl next to her has pink sparks flying out of her fingers, she still doesn't believe in it. The denying became a little too much after the first half of the book.
The other thing was the writing itself. So many things are repeated to the point that I was getting mad. Gwen reminds us what her mothers name was about 10 times, or what the color someones eyes were. Eye color must be some important factor, because it's mentioned about every other page. It got to the point where I was thinking that the author thought the person reading wasn't capable of remembering.
But other than that, I did actually enjoy the story. I'm just having trouble seeing past those two problems.
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LibraryThing member Candacemom2two
Starting this book I was a little afraid. Would it really be original enough? I had read so many great reviews of this book, but could it still let me down in it's lack of originality? No way! Okay, so some parts of it didn't feel so original, but I really feel like the author took her own spin and
Gwen- Now that is a character I really loved. I loved her spark, her wit, her snark. She was just endearing. We saw her weakness's but we saw her strengths, we watched her grow and I'm sure we'll see loads more growth in the next book. She was definitely someone I would want to be friends with.
I loved the tension between Gwen and Logan. You really feel the sexual frustration between them, they are attracted to each other but there are all these obstacles and the banter between them was delicious. I seriously can't wait for more of those two and hopefully see the HEAT rise a notch {I suspect we will}.
Lots of kick butt action and tense moments in this book but the mystery of things also made it impossible to put down. Twists and turns kept me guessing and never really being able to predict how things may go. A few times I had a good idea and would only be partly right.
Overall this was a great read. I'm a huge fan of Gwen and Logan now and am eager to see more of them, but am also anxious to see where things go in the next one. I've already bought Kiss of Frost (book #2) and can't wait to read it!
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created something different.Gwen- Now that is a character I really loved. I loved her spark, her wit, her snark. She was just endearing. We saw her weakness's but we saw her strengths, we watched her grow and I'm sure we'll see loads more growth in the next book. She was definitely someone I would want to be friends with.
I loved the tension between Gwen and Logan. You really feel the sexual frustration between them, they are attracted to each other but there are all these obstacles and the banter between them was delicious. I seriously can't wait for more of those two and hopefully see the HEAT rise a notch {I suspect we will}.
Lots of kick butt action and tense moments in this book but the mystery of things also made it impossible to put down. Twists and turns kept me guessing and never really being able to predict how things may go. A few times I had a good idea and would only be partly right.
Overall this was a great read. I'm a huge fan of Gwen and Logan now and am eager to see more of them, but am also anxious to see where things go in the next one. I've already bought Kiss of Frost (book #2) and can't wait to read it!
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LibraryThing member squirrelsohno
Sometimes there are things where you read them or watch them or listen to them and you cannot quite figure out why you liked it as much as you did. For me, TOUCH OF FROST is one of those books. Many of my fellow bloggers had issues with this book. Several did not finish it. Meanwhile, I loved it. I
TOUCH OF FROST follows Gwen Frost, a loner/outcast who has recently come to Mythos Academy in Cypress Mountain, NC (aside: Cypress Mountain = Biltmore Forest, NC, no?), a school for Vikings, Valkyries, Amazons, and Spartans, among other supernatural creatures. They’re training to be warriors and defend the world from Loki and his Reapers, and poor Gwen doesn’t fit in yet again. Gwen’s gift is psychometry, reading the history of an item (or person) with just a touch. When a popular classmate is murdered and an artifact stolen, Gwen is the only one who cares to investigate.
So, what does TOUCH OF FROST have? Superpowers, mythology, an academy for teenagers born to be warriors, an outcast girl with a taste for comic books, and a murder mystery. And it also is not the most thought-provoking or original or anything story on the block. What it does have going for it is a fun story that is quick to read and amusing. And if you know me, you would know I am a big fan of quick and amusing and fun. This won’t be for everyone – if you are looking for something completely serious, you will be disappointed. TOUCH OF FROST is a fun book that you will devour with its wittiness, cute scenes, hot love interest (Logan Quinn is a very interesting bad boy that I can’t wait to get to know better), and great narrator in Gwen.
It isn’t the most original plot ever and does rely on tropes often, so I cannot give it a full 5 stars in actuality. But since I don’t give half stars, I will be rounding this up to five. It’s enjoyable and fun. If you are in the market for a fun read with mystery, romance, and intrigue, you should check out TOUCH OF FROST. It’s probably right up your alley.
VERDICT: While not very original, TOUCH OF FROST makes up for its cliché plot with fun characters, a great bad boy love interest, and a narrator you can’t help but root for. Definitely pick this one up.
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know where people are coming from when they cite several issues with the book – an unclear plot, choppy dialogue, cliché characters and settings. For some reason, my love of this book and the fact I find it an ooey gooey fluffy pile of goodness transcended those issues and I came away from reading Jennifer Estep’s first foray into young adult fiction feeling very, very happy.TOUCH OF FROST follows Gwen Frost, a loner/outcast who has recently come to Mythos Academy in Cypress Mountain, NC (aside: Cypress Mountain = Biltmore Forest, NC, no?), a school for Vikings, Valkyries, Amazons, and Spartans, among other supernatural creatures. They’re training to be warriors and defend the world from Loki and his Reapers, and poor Gwen doesn’t fit in yet again. Gwen’s gift is psychometry, reading the history of an item (or person) with just a touch. When a popular classmate is murdered and an artifact stolen, Gwen is the only one who cares to investigate.
So, what does TOUCH OF FROST have? Superpowers, mythology, an academy for teenagers born to be warriors, an outcast girl with a taste for comic books, and a murder mystery. And it also is not the most thought-provoking or original or anything story on the block. What it does have going for it is a fun story that is quick to read and amusing. And if you know me, you would know I am a big fan of quick and amusing and fun. This won’t be for everyone – if you are looking for something completely serious, you will be disappointed. TOUCH OF FROST is a fun book that you will devour with its wittiness, cute scenes, hot love interest (Logan Quinn is a very interesting bad boy that I can’t wait to get to know better), and great narrator in Gwen.
It isn’t the most original plot ever and does rely on tropes often, so I cannot give it a full 5 stars in actuality. But since I don’t give half stars, I will be rounding this up to five. It’s enjoyable and fun. If you are in the market for a fun read with mystery, romance, and intrigue, you should check out TOUCH OF FROST. It’s probably right up your alley.
VERDICT: While not very original, TOUCH OF FROST makes up for its cliché plot with fun characters, a great bad boy love interest, and a narrator you can’t help but root for. Definitely pick this one up.
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LibraryThing member ethel55
Gwen knows she's a gypsy, she knows has the gift of knowing about something when she touches it. She doesn't know why her grandmother agreed to send her to Mythos Academy, a place filled with warrior whiz kids as Gwen herself says. Mythos is filled with a variety of warriors, from Romans and
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Spartans, to Amazons and Valkyries. They are all descended from more of the same, and cart around their weapons as easily as a laptop. Gwen's definitely lonely, and that doesn't seem like that's going to change until a body is found in the library and Gwen figures someone needs to check into it. I liked some of the touches Estep used in the first of this new series. From the colored sparks of light coming from some of the girls fingernails, to the perfect classification as band geek Carson as a Celt(they have a supposed gift of music), you could tell she enjoyed making this new world. Show Less
Awards
RITA Award (Finalist — Young Adult Romance — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011-07-26
Local notes
Gwen Frost attends Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.