FrostFire

Frost is a girl who has always been scared of killing her friends. She finds two kinds of love, and she also finds herself. It's one of the best Young Adult books I've ever read. A journey to become the person you were meant to be. That's the moral of the story. There are no words good enough to describe it.

Daughter (age 17) is enjoying reading this.

the book was in excellent condition, but the writing itself was less then spectacular.

Frostfire is a book with a PULL. It's one of those too rare books that pulls you in and makes you forget the world around you actually exists. It's a thrilling tale with plenty of action, fantasy and romance, and once again Marriott shows off her amazing skill at universe building.A skilful storyteller, Marriott lures us into this world of Frost, a 17-year-old girl living in a world that isn't our own, who has battled her whole life with something she calls "the Wolf". Accused by many of being possessed by a demon, Frost has known since the age of 8 that if her blood is spilled, an uncontrollable rage will take over her body that she is unable to control until it's all over. Many times Frost has narrowly escaped being punished for the actions she cannot control with death, but each time she has managed to escape. But not this time.Now, Frost has been captured by the beautiful Captain Luca and his best friend and lieutenant, the dark and surly Arian. Frost is held hostage high up in the Subira mountains where she soon learns Luca leads a troop of soldiers, planning for the day when they will attack their enemy, the evil Constantin. This is a man whose enjoyment of the suffering of others knows no bounds and who is now responsible for the slavery of the dark-skinned people in the country of Ruan, where this story is set. Frost will do anything to stop this slavery and when kind-hearted, optimistic Luca gives her the chance to become one of those who will bring down Constantin, she seizes the chance.What ensues is a captivating story told in the midst of beautiful scenery and it is ultimately a story of love and betrayal. Frost has only ever been treated with fear and hatred, and Luca's acceptance of her is not one that she finds easy to accept. The romance that blossoms is not without its bumps in the road, not least because of "the Wolf", but both characters feel so genuine and so easy to love that every bump for them feels like a mountain of heartbreak for the reader. Their love is so enthralling that even the love-triangle sub-plot, which has become so cliché since Twilight, seems to melt so easily into their romance and come so naturally for the characters that it added to the story rather than distracting from it. The same could be said for the sub-plot where the girl is torn between the good brother and the bad brother, reminiscent of The Vampire Diaries. After all, this is neither Twilight nor TVD and a comparison to either would only insult Marriott's beautiful storytelling. Any readers desperate for a heroine who stands up for herself and fights along with the men will love Frost; likewise anyone who wants to read about a hero who doesn't try to shield his girl from all the world's evil, but trains her to fight and use the many skills she has already acquired, will love Luca, and perhaps Arian too.There's no insta-love here, either. Frost falls in love gradually as the book progresses, and as readers we're pulled along with her, caught up in these feelings of desire, fear and confusion. It can't be said that she always acts selflessly, but after almost losing everything she had come to care about she realises the crucial difference between infatuation and love. This is a lesson many teenage heroines could do with learning. (Bella are you listening?!)Don't be fooled into thinking this is the story of a love-sick teenager, though. Yes there's love, but also friendship, touching customs of a world not our own, realistic battle scenes, death, meaty characters with hidden pasts... FrostFire has a bit of everything. But the main theme of this book is finding yourself. Frost finds herself in the most unexpected way, and with a little help she may even come to accept the demon she has been battling her whole life.It has to be said, Zoe Marriott writes like no one else. Her ability to create new worlds, and characters that feel tantalisingly real, feels generally unrivalled in the current YA fiction market. Her books are worth picking up if you haven't read her already (and if you have, there's no debate about whether or not to read FrostFire), and don't worry if you haven't read Daughter of Flames as this is a companion novel, not a sequel. But if you like your heroines tough, your heroes worthy, and your books unforgettable, FrostFire is for you. The only drawback you'll find here is being able to find something to read afterwards; the FrostFire comparisons will inevitably be there and there can only be one winner.

The blurb of Frostfire cannot express the ride this novel will take you on. If you read it around people they may wonder why you have gone from laughing hysterically to sobbing into your hanky within no time at all - and yeah, definitely have a hanky to hand.The three main characters are some of the most developed and three dimensional characters I have read about in a long time. Frost is simultaneously a very strong character, who has pulled herself through a lot, and at the same time such a very weak and fragile person. She is not a heroine that you always agree with - sometimes you just want to give her a shake - but you do always empathise with her. Frost's history is revealed to the reader slowly and with each revelation we become more awed at her strength. Frost is forced to undergo a massive emotional transformation and you are rooting for her all the way.Luca and Arian are just as developed, although we never delve into their minds. My loyalties to the two men just kept switching until I decided that I just love them both equally.One character experiences something that completely changes their entire personality for a time, and the reader is left shaken as the foundations that they are relying on are smashed apart and we are wondering if they can ever be rebuilt. As a reader I was completely wrong-footed as I did not see it coming. This, of course, added to the amazingness of the story but it also makes you wonder what it takes change a person completely, and whether this change is permanent.The novel fearlessly tackles all different types of love; friendship, family (the difference between blood and family), hero worship, love built simply from having somebody try to understand you ... but most of all, what is real love. When Frost first begins to fall in love the reader completely supports it and falls in love along with her. It is not until almost the end of the novel that we realise that what we first thought of as love was mainly hero worship and a feeling of security that has never been felt before. The true love is built up over the course of the book and kind of hits us in the face with a frying pan of emotion.The book is full of kick-ass heroines (not just Frost) and heroes and packed with action. But it is the underlying story of friendship that binds the narrative together and will have you in tears. If you want thrilling fight scenes alongside your romance, and fully developed characters then you'll enjoy this book!It is not necessary to read Daughter of the Flames before reading this book, though it is set in the same world. However, I would definitely recommend all of Zoe's other books, especially Shadows on the Moon.

Another excellent book by Zoe Marriott, set in the same world as Daughter of the Flames but peopled with different characters including the heroine, Frost, who is cursed with a condition she calls `the wolf' that causes her to break out into a battle frenzy if she sees her own blood spilt in anger which causes her to attack anyone in sight, even her nearest and dearest and the beautiful, golden, perfect Luca who may prove to be her salvation or may make things unimaginably worse... There are fantasy elements - Frost's Wolf, and the intervention of the gods - but the whole story is firmly grounded in the realities of the author's world and there are no easy solutions. And at least on character we have invested a good deal in dies...but there is resolution and reconciliation at the end. A book I can thoroughly recommend.

I really love the worlds that Zoe Marriott creates. I've read her other books, and while Shadows on the Moon is still my favourite this is a definite second place! It's always a good sign when the moment you finish a book you just want to start reading it all over again, because you don't want to walk away from the world its built around you. Great characters, an interesting love triangle, and a kick-ass heroine. If you like Zoe's other books, you won't be disappointed. If you haven't read them before, then try them! :)

This now officialy my favourite book ever, and I've read ALOT of books. Heart wrenching and true, I feel and close with the characters as they each take on their struggles. I love Frost as a person. She is strong, a fighter, not a simpering loved up girl as in many other fantasy noveld. What more can I say, read and continue to read it, you will not regret it. Oh and Zoe, please write even more fantastic books such as ForstFire and Shadows on the Moon they actually make me cry with emotion!