A Breath of Frost

“I don't like that term,” another student frowned at her. “We shouldn't call one another names.”

This is a sweet little book.

Okay, so maybe the fact that debutants are being killed, their bodies unnaturally frozen, with Emma finding them, isn't so sweet, but this is about girl power. Not in the sense of girls going out in tight leather and kicking butt. Nope. This is girl power, in the sense of friendship - and girls being great regardless of if they prefer embroidery or sword fighting.

Try this truncated conversation:

“He called me fat.” (Penelope)
“Think how embarrassed he'll be when I wrap his smalls around his fat head.” (Emma in response.)
“I hope he wakes up swollen like a balloon.” (Gretchen in response.)

Sadly, it's not often that I come across a book with girls that are so tightly knit as these three cousins are. That just makes it all the more awesome when I do. These girls would do anything for each other and the other girls at the academy are pretty awesome too. Sure, you've got the typical ‘mean girl' - but even she seems mild compared to the way girls like this usually behave. I can't help but think that this book is about friendship first and foremost.

“I can't let you risk yourself for me,” she murmured.
He narrowed his eyes. “And if I said those words to you?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I'd kick you,” she admitted.
“And as I can't kick you,” he returned, brushing his mouth along the side of her neck until she shivered, “I'll have to get my vengeance another way.”

There's romance in this book. At first I was like ‘noooooo' - but then I got to deal with Cormac a little more. I got to listen to him talking to Emma. He's not what he first appears. I thought he was a typical jerkass/badboy young man for the girls to swoon over. Instead, he is a character with depth and conviction and he's not pushing Emma away (well, originally trying to anyway) for no good reason - and it doesn't take him long to realize there's really no reason to push her way. Interestingly enough, he never proclaims that he's doing it all for her. And I really don't think he was.

“Why should you imagine I would think less of you because of something you have no control over?”

I gotta admit, I love Emma and Cormac together. While the other two cousins dot get romance in this book, the second in the series is Gretchen's story and I imagine the third will be Penelope's.

As I tell you have much I love the characters, are you wondering about the plot. Yeah, so was I to be honest. If the plot would have been a bit tighter, I think this would have probably gotten five stars from me. As it was, just that little bit was missing. The mystery was somewhat obvious after a certain point. I tried to not think about it much, but during one conversation I went ‘oh no - please tell me I'm wrong'. Yeah... About that. I wasn't. So, if you're wanting a deep mystery you might be a bit disappointed.

I recommend this book highly if you want a character rather than plot driven story - rather, don't mind a story whose plot is a little weak - and/or want to read about a solid friendship between three girls and a sweet romance.

(Originally posted on my blog: http://pagesofstarlight.blogspot.com/)

El Extraño Gato del Cuento

Si hay algo que siempre dejé claro es que la magia y yo nos tenemos manía, aunque debo decir que exageré un poquito en ese afirmación, si han leído la trilogía de Gemma Doyle de Libba Bray quizá les pueda dar un ejemplo de qué tipos de libros sobre magia me gustan. A Breath of Frost es un libro que primero se me negó, pero Danielle de Barclay Publicity movió sus influencias y Bloomsbury cayó ante mis encantos :D Más o menos.

Disfruté completamente del libro. Siempre he sido una persona solitaria así que leer sobre estas amistades largas, o como en este caso primas, es un tema que me seduce por lo extraño que es para mí.

Alyxandra Harvey nos lleva por un mundo extremadamente seductor, me encantó que estuviera narrado en tercera persona, porque no se centra así en un solo personaje, aunque en su mayoría es con Emma a quién vemos día a día, pero cuando pasa a los otros personajes, es... No sé como explicarles esto sin darles un enorme spoiler. Son pedacitos de información que nos va dando y que entre ellos no comparten, hacen que en la última tercera parte del libro (¿hice mis divisiones bien?) ya sepamos quién es el que está detrás de todo el enredo, pero ellos no, porque lo que a nosotros como lectores nos lleva a descubrirlo, son detalles en apariencia menores, lo que me pareció completamente fascinante. Te sientes un una obra de teatro, gritándole a los actores “¡¡ahí está el malo!!” “¡¡No, ve por allá!!”. Amé eso.

Y los personajes son geniales, hay una enorme cantidad de donde escoger quién será tu favorito, de las primas mi favorita es Gretchen, una badass total. Aunque Penelope también me encanta, ¡y Emma! ¡Y Moira! ¡Es difícil!

Y Cormac... suspiro Solo diré: Cada vez que alguien diga “Keeper”, Cormac me tiene que dar un beso.

Reseña Completa: El Extraño Gato del Cuento