When will the second book be released?

A full five on five!
This is how fantasy should be. I loved this book. I have some parameters for a good book, especially fantasy and this debut novel from the author checks almost all these. I am trying to break down the things I liked below-
* narration/storytelling/literature- the narration was pretty perfect. Words were swiftly knitted.
(Mild spoilers below)


* world buildup- there is a mortal realm and immortal realm, and gods and king and queens.
* magic- magic is strong and flourishing. I liked the fact that magic was like air or water in that realm, not any forbidden or dying out thing. And that quote- "In a world of magic, everything is possible"
* battle scene/description- flawless battle scene and there was a fair amount of the description of the battle, (which I like very much)
*strong protagonist- the protagonist girl was brave and bold but not that much stupid( which they often are) and most of all, without inner dilemma. I can't take drama or self confusion from protagonists. I really can't.
*cool guys: yeah, there were three. And they ended up finding their (apparently) true partners, early enough in the first book
*romance- there was decent romance, not too overboard or whole chapters describing romantic crap.
(More Spoilers ahead )
* shadow/shapeshifter- a shapeshifter who is cool and good, not evil.
* dark magic - and people who practice forbidden dark stuff.
* friendships and strong female characters.
* beautiful palaces and decorations
* a map

The things I didn't like( more spoilers)-
1. I didn't like guys entering the princess's bedchamber, Come on, she is a princess!
2. Extra jealousy between Orion and Quinne, that was annoying in the first chapters.
3. No definite description or drawings of the stones family tree or description of the powers of the different house.

Overall, a good book. This is going to be the fantasy of the year. Thanks to the publisher for providing an arc through NetGalley

Shadow Frost follows Asterin, the Princess of Araxia, and her band of friends who are determined to hunt down a demon that has been terrorizing the kingdom. Of course, on their journey, more trouble brews and not everything is as it seems.

This novel did some really great things but at the same time also left me with a bitter aftertaste. The six main characters had distinct personalities and fun interactions (at least in the beginning - a little more on that later), easily warming their way into my heart. Ma gave them each a backstory, and I felt the characters were treated with equal importance. On the other hand, their backstories did feel a little flimsy at times. The magic system was also pretty cool and well thought-out. It's based on nine elements, and in order to access the magic of that specific element, the user needs to be holding the corresponding elemental stone.

Unfortunately, the novel was also pretty run-of-the-mill in terms of plot, predictable, and oftentimes cheesy. I found the motivations of the villain poorly executed and stale. <spoiler>The fact that she did all that and became unstable over a guy had me rolling my eyes. </spoiler> And while I did love the characters and their interactions, it was starting to get a little old when they kept saying/doing the same things over and over (Asterin and Quinlan). There are also a lot of character inconsistencies that felt like it was there more for the sake of either angst/conflict or "feels."

Overall though, while I had a bit of a mixed reaction towards Shadow Frost, I did enjoy the majority of it. The writing was also well done in a technical sense - simple and to-the-point, so I'm sure Ma will only improve from here.

*Thank you, thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this fantastic book!*

Shadow Frost is a story of a beast. A beast as dark as shadows from the depth of hell. A beast who knows nothing but death and destruction. Countless soldiers lie on the losing end of its talons, but a princess and five unexpected volunteers set out to bring an end to its reign, to save a kingdom. Each wielding an affinity; water, ice, wind, fire, illusion. In the deep dark abyss of the forest, they hunt.

A story of a princess and heir-to-the-throne, Asterin Faelenhart, who fights a beast to protect her kingdom, Axaria. It is about her guardian, Orion, who would strike down anyone to safeguard his future queen, his best friend. It is about Luna, her lady-in-waiting, her friend, a trapped vault of mystery. A girl who would follow her queen-to-be to the world's end, and she just might get the chance to. This is a story about affinities of the earth, of the water, and of the flame. This story is about a beast that stalks in the night and hides in the shadows and will tear you limb for limb. This story is about so many more wonderfully written and beautiful characters. It is well thought out and well executed and should definitely be in your TBR.

Here’s what I loved:

Can we just start with Coco Ma was 15 when she wrote this? Like seriously. We are in for so much in her future as a writer and I truly cannot wait. ALSO, can we focus on the fact that Ms. Ma herself has hinted on more Shadow Frost projects in the future! Like what?!! Yasss! Let’s go save Orion! So, let’s really dive into this masterpiece. It was a semi-long book but never felt that way. It kept me interested all the way through.

I began this book thinking it would be yet another generic rebel princess story, but I was delightfully wrong. I was hooked from the first chapter and dug out little pockets of the day to read this. I love the twists of this book and how unique the characters were. They all had titles; the beast, the queen, the princess, the guardian, but they all developed into so much more. They were genuinely and carelessly human and it was beautiful. I cared about them and their relationships. Each character felt relatable for the most part and I really did love all of the main cast.

Orion being the princess’s guardian and her best friend was literally the best thing ever. No weirdness of titles and positions were added, and nobody really gave her a hard time about it, except once. Maybe this is how modern kingdom would be, maybe they already are.

THE ENDING! A cliffhanger letting me know more books will be needed to finish the story makes me a series-ly happy girl!

What made me cringe:

It was so good. So very good. Here's why I took out a star: Sometimes the characters *cough*Asterin*cough* had very pouty preteen-ish moments that included stomping and kicking. I don’t remember these being a part of my life at 16-17, it often popped me right out of the story. It did not feel like an authentic reaction on the part of the character. I might have gone about it differently.

With that being said, have you seen the cover? Did you read this review? She’s basically already a prodigy. You are so missing out if you haven’t put this book in your TBR. Stare at the cover. Learn everything you can about the beast. Then get ready to erase it all and begin again.

Coming October 1, 2019 to a store near you!

I don’t know what to say... this book was beyond brilliant.
And Coco Ma was only 15 when she started writing this? I just can’t wrap my mind around it...

The book is filled with magic, intrigue, drama and even some romance, so there’s something for everyone.

A full review will be up on my blog soon.

*I was sent a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic debut that had me enthralled from the very first page. I fell in love with the cast of characters. I was so shocked when I saw that the author wrote this book when she was 15 as it was so incredible. I would highly recommend this to any fantasy reader and hope it eventually becomes a series because I would love to read more from these characters 🤞.

This book was what I needed to break out of my fantasy reading slump!

Shadow Frost is Coco Ma’s YA Fantasy debut novel, set to release October 2019. If you haven’t already marked your calendars for this release, I highly suggest you do! I may or may not have devoured this book in one sitting.

There are so many things I’d like to say about this book! From the intricacy of its world, to the magic system, but I refuse to spoil this for anyone so I’m going to settle on the fact that I loved, I mean loved, every character in this book. Every female protagonist in this book is strong and independent, but are not without their flaws. Watching them grow and develop throughout the book was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in a long time.

As with every great book, there are lots of unexpected twists and turns and to be honest, I have no idea what to expect when the second book releases! Yes, I’m (im)patiently waiting for the next book already because everyone knows I have no chill, and I need the next book, now!

I recommend this book to everybody, everybody! So mark your calendars, I know I have because I need to own a physical copy of this glorious book!

A massive thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for giving me a digital ARC of this book, and congratulations on a stunning debut, Coco Ma.

Thank you to Netgalley for my eBook ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Guys, stop what you're doing and pick up this little morsel. I cannot fit in this review how much you will love this book. See for yourself the earth moving story that Coco Ma has presented readers.

In the land of Axaria lives Asterin, a princess with multiple magical abilities. She is a rarity among magic users in her ability to call upon many elements and bend them to her will. She is hard headed and loves her people greatly, so when she hears of a Demon terrorizing her land she sets of with her friends old and new to track down a kill this Demon and end the blight it has caused.

Orion, Asterin's long time Guardian, is playful with her while training her to be able to handle herself should trouble ever find her. He is more than a brother, but has never crossed into a romantic relationship with her. His reasons become quite clear to us early on in the book, but who could resist his smug, sarcastic ways?

Luna, Asterin's hand-maid, has no memory of where she comes from or who her family is. She feels like she possesses power that has yet to manifest itself or is blocked by some sort of barrier(In this world, magic can come later with age, or if a certain memory is unlocked or tapped in to). She feels useless to Asterin when it comes to helping her train magically as she currently cannot wield any of the elements. She is romantically involved with the Captain of Asterin's Elite Guards, Eadric Covington.

Eadric, Captain of Asterin's Elite Guard is tasked with composing a twelve person(6 males, 6 females) unit that will guard Asterin and carry out any tasks that she deems necessary. Some are skilled with fighting skills, while others have a more espionage-ish background. Eadric loves Luna and would do anything for her. He is also weary of any newcomers to the palace. He takes his job and assignments overly serious.

Rose, a fighter sent by the freshly coronated Queen of the far away land Eradore, in hopes to help slay the Demon. Her Queen sent her and her cousin, Quinlan after having a prophetic dream of the Demon spreading to their land if Asterin is unable to defeat it. She often likes to hide her face, but is an excellent healer and great at hand to hand combat.

Last but certainly NOT least, my sweet little cinnamon roll, Quinlan. He is everything a great romantic interest should be. He pushes Asterin to embrace her full potential and to not rely on anyone else's power but her own. He trains her in the elements she doesn't possess to try to spark her ability to wield them, this leading to many opportunities for them to converse and get to know each other on a deeper level. Quinlan is torturously reserved, but Asterin is able to break through all his walls and show us the incredible being hidden inside.

There are of course other characters who help make this book great, but you'll have to find them for yourselves. This book seriously has something for everyone. Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Mythology, Action....it has something for every kind of reader and moves at an excellent pace. You get to know the characters and the world as you experience it with them, something that I know I really enjoy. It's hard to get into something when you don't even know the characters well enough to know how all the world building ties into their piece of the story. This book is the best I've read so far this year. Do yourself and this book a favor and pick it up. You will not be disappointed!

I absolutely loved this book.
I still cannot believe Coco Ma was 15 when she started it.

It's a YA Fantasy set in a land where everyone has at the very least one magical power. Princess Asterin and her friends set off to hunt a demon that's plaguing the land, amidst many secrets and plots, and discovering her own powers.

With Shades of Sarah J Maas and Leigh Bardugo to it, it was an incredibly enjoyable read and I couldn't put it down.

My full reveiw can be found here : https://thebibliobookwolf.wordpress.com/2019/04/11/shadow-frost-review/

15?!?! She wrote this when she was 15?!?! I adored this book and the characters Ma created! The action was thrilling, the world was vivid, and the characters were unique. Simply put...this was everything I want in a YA fantasy novel. Since this was an open ending, I am crossing my fingers for a sequel. I will be adding this to the purchase list and to my reader's advisory!

Wow! What an amazing story! Totally blew my mind. Asterin, princess of Axaria, must travel to the edges of her kingdom to slay a demon that is slaughtering her people, with six of her friends. They discover along the way the web of deceit that has been cast over them and they struggle to figure out what is true and what is false. Asterin is forced to make some impossible decisions along the way.
The book kept me up late at night wanting to see what was going to happen and when I couldn’t read it I was itching to get back to it. I adored this book and really got to know the characters well. The world and its magic system was well thought out and explained and the foundation for a strong story arc was laid. I’m really excited to see where this goes, how our friends do, and who turns up next. I highly recommend this, five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First glance at the reviews and description of this book made me want to read it, but gosh, it ended up being a tough one to get into. Regretfully, it wasn’t until page 217 that I felt it picked up and I decided to finish it.

What bothered me the most (up until the middle of the story) was the banter between Quinlan and Asterin and Quinlan and Orion. The dialogue was rather juvenile and I grew rather tired of the arguing between them. (I thought I was going to hit my head against the wall if Quinlan called Asterin “brat” one more time.) So much focus was on these three characters not getting along, I felt I really didn’t know or care about some of the others, particularly by the end when I should have felt something stronger for them—which was a bummer. (Really neat names, though!)

Some scenes stand out more for me than others do. The scene by the lake, without giving away any details, was very good. I became engrossed in what was happening. Also, the last 100 pages or so were absolute page turners! However, the “practice fighting” scenes in the beginning were a bit too dragged out for me. I did like the plot twist at the end. Sometimes plot twists leave me feeling completely duped, but the final events unraveled well in this one. The writing itself was far greater than the dialogue, in my opinion.

All in all, this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, but because it picked up the pace so much in the second half, I’m going to give it a 3.5. I’d even be willing to read the sequel (which, I’m assuming will happen based on how the story ended).

I do want to add that I’m utterly impressed with the author, Coco Ma. What a triumph! According to her bio on NetGalley, she wrote this book when she was 15. She’s accomplishing things most writers can only dream of accomplishing throughout a lifetime. And despite my list of grievances and nitpicking about the book, if she wrote this at 15 (FIFTEEN!!!!!!), I can’t wait to see how her writing will only further develop over time. She’s going to have an incredible career!

I couldn't get into this. The formatting was also jumbled in places making it hard to read. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Shadow Frost but it wasn't for me.

Wow what can I say? I’ve just read Shadow Frost by Coco Ma, and I loved it! The storyline had twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, which I found refreshing, I have found some recent books to be predictable.

The story was full of magic and intrigue throughout, I liked the whole tier of powers you could have. Some people could only tap into one, whereas others could wield multiple. Very interesting concept.

I liked how the book came from varying perspectives, and points of views. Where I enjoyed the majority of the characters, each with a backstory of their own, adding a fantastic depth to the overall story.

Now I love a good romance, yes I said it. I do! I love them, and this story has a simmering romance that keeps me reading to find out if anything happens. You’ll have to read to find out!

Overall a fantastic read. I loved it! Five Stars.

If I were to describe this book in a few words, they would be: deception, love, magic strength, and respect.

In a kingdom where her mother is anything but kind and loving, Princess Asterin Falenhart finds she is omnifinitied, a possesser of an affinity of all nine elements. And when a demon begins to rage through Axaria, Asterin volunteers to destroy it.

Comparable to Ash Princess, Shadow Frost is a highlinght in this year's debut novels. A story of love, deception, royalty, and magic, Shadow Frost is without a doubt a must-read for lovers of YA dark fantasy!

DNF at page 103. I wanted to love this but I was struggling to stay interested in the characters and story. The magic system was intriguing but it failed to hold my attention. I may try again when the physical copy becomes available in stores.

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma was the kind of book I dreamed about reading. It had a rebellious and determined mc that kept me smiling, an unexpected love interest that warmed my heart, and an inspiring and diverse group of people with the same purpose: find and kill the demon responsible for all the mysterious deaths.

The story begins with a cryptic message. One where a dark and deadly creature is being released to wreak havoc upon the lands. There's villainous work at play that needs to be extinguished and there's one stubborn female who's more than willing to take on the task: Princess Asterin Faelenhart. She's been trained in combat her entire life with the help of her dear friend and protector, Orion. She also knows that her magic can help her people. When she asks the queen to allow her to leave and find the demon, the queen insists that she gathers a group of people to assist on her mission.

Soon, a lady-in-waiting, a royal guardian, an expert guardsman, and two new additions to the princess's protection detail are on their way to fight against the darkness. Secrets are uncovered. Truths are revealed. Relationships become strained.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this book was the relationships built between the characters. They all have their weaknesses and they're not afraid to show and except them. It takes some characters longer than other to accept their true selves, but it doesn't take long. There was plenty of 'awe!' moments, along with plenty of 'ugh!' moments, but that was what made this book so realistic and enjoyable!

I can't wait until this is published so I can buy myself a copy!!
A big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma is in its bones a good book. It had a spunky protagonist, a close group of friends, a dire darkness, a new set of gods with their own internal mythology, a handsome love interest, LGBTQ+ representation and no love triangles. However nothing was really expanded upon, and I felt like it just tried to check a bunch of boxes. The more I think about the story the more I think that this would have been something I enjoyed when I was younger, but as an adult this was not particularly the story for me.

The book is awesome and the characters are amazing. There are so many unexpected twists in the way and reading it felt truly amazing. I enjoyed reading it very much.

Thought this book sounded utterly fascinating, and to be honest, it was not even close. Some of the problems I had was the writing and dialogue. The careless phrasing for a princess in the time frame mixed with the world that they were supposed to be in didn't make sense. It's frustrating to have today's verbage mixed in with an old time setting, it just doesn't add up and is annoying to read. The other thing that didn't add up was the careless way the rules of the palace were so inconsistent, some things had to be followed, while the next page there's a total stranger hanging out in the princess' room. Also, who in their right mind automatically trusts nearby kingdoms. It was just an alright book that lacked character progression and storytelling. This was not an enjoyable read, it seemed like it was written trying to mesh other books the writer had read into a "new" story. None of the characters had depth, and the story fell flat for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

**2.5 stars**

This book was a bit all over the place.

“Shadow Frost” tells the story of a young princess ready to fight for her kingdom against that of a demon bound to a witch known simply as ‘The Woman’ as they tear through town after town killing anyone unlucky enough to cross their path, but soon, the princess finds that the threats are a little closer to home and if she’s not careful she might find something waiting for her in the shadows.

This book has an odd way of doing the POV where there’s a variety of switching, which is fine, but no way to know one has taken place until you get a little bit into it which was confusing at times. I also had no idea this was a fairy tale retelling until about 65% of the way in which isn’t necessarily bad but with the plot a little all over the place it didn’t help that that was something that dragged on a bit before becoming clear what it was trying to be.

The characters themselves were fine I feel like they would have moments of being great before becoming rather childish with a lot of time given to less important things that screamed middle school angst and then it only got worse from there with strange character choices made in the climax of the book which in and of itself had a lot of things going on as it tried to do exposition for a characters backstory in the middle of a fight that kept getting stalled in order to amp up drama that was doing fine on its own.

This was a rather disappointing read but I do think I’ll probably be in the minority there which is fine I never want people to not enjoy something but for me this wasn’t anything I’ll remember.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**