“All of us have someone we’re ready to sacrifice anything for… Someone we’re willing to protect, no matter the cost. And most of the time, others don’t realize the lengths we’re willing to go. Sometimes, we don’t even realize it ourselves, until the moment it matters most.”

This. Was. A. Masterpiece! Flawless pace, wonderful worldbuilding, a unique magic system. I honestly just want the whole wide world to read this book, it’s just so good!

We have badass princesses who kick ass in both things magic and with weapons. We have loyal friends who would go far and beyond for each other. We have humor in spades, and wit, and dialogues that just dare you to not laugh your head off while reading them. We have action, and intrigue, and betrayal of the worst kind. A dilemma that leads to separation – and which I so hope will be resolved in the next book (I get Luna’s attitude, but even a blind person could see Asterin was in a tough spot, and you can’t convince me she wouldn’t do the same for her man).

Speaking of Luna’s man, we have all kinds of couples and types of romance in this story. We have those who just click together naturally like they’re the parents of the group of our heroes. We have the couple who’s like shy and yet startstruck (well, at least one of them was, Orion is just… shameless, bless his heart). We have the character who’s not exactly a fan of relationships for herself after having her heart broken. And we have that couple we all root for – the one where both sides just keep pulling each other’s hair in a bratty way of showing affection!

This book was just a true shipper’s paradise. There is no way you won’t like at least one of the characters, or ship them with someone in the team. I personally liked all of them. Though I gotta say, Rose was my top favorite, and Orion came in close second – that man had game, y’all! I was so afraid he was gonna create a love triangle with his mere presence there, but I was so pleasantly surprised! My little fujoshi heart just sang multiple hallelujahs for this boy’s existence, thank you so much for blessing the literary world with his creation, Coco Ma!

I’m not going to get into more details of the story, because this is one of those times where you have to read it for yourselves, and talking about it would snuff the joy out of it. Trust me, it’s that good! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: sure, some books really get you going when you’re halfway through them, but with some others, like this one, you just know from the get-go! No wonder it got on my TOP READS list.

P.S.: I really want the author to give it a serious thought and create a gaming system or something for the magic of her universe for RPGs. Hell, I’m volunteering to create a subclass just for DnD, no joke!
P.P.S.: How the heck does someone create something as top tier as this at such a young age?!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

A review of this title is avaliable through Goodreads - and later through my blog. The Goodreads link is available below!

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. While I liked a lot of aspects, there were some things I disliked, and overall, I just didn't feel strongly enough about the book to really warrant adding an in-depth review to the blog.

This is a bit of a slow burn, but if you stick with it, there is a good pay off at the end that makes you want to pick up the sequel ASAP. An interesting plot with great characters and some stellar world building, Shadow Frost is a pretty predicatable read that sets up what is sure to be a great trilogy. Don't give up on this one because the final scene makes up for everything!

DNF @ 50%
I was very excited for this book but unfortunately, it did not work out for me. I did not like the writing all that much which put me off and then, followed by the plot that couldn't hold my attention for too long at a time, I eventually gave up with this book.

I feel that if thecharacters were a bit better developed and had more of a role to play, I may just have stuck with the book to see where it goes and have eventually liked it!

"Shadow Frost" was an interesting book, with good characters and a great writing style, Unfortunately, not much happens until the last 25% of the book. I wasn't shocked by anything that is revealed in the course of the story. However, the finale made me interested to pick up the sequel to see what happens.

I didn't originally know that this was a loose retelling of a fairytale. It's the best kept secret on Goodreads I've ever seen! Out of all the Snow White retellings I had been reading lately this by far is one my favorites. I liked the world, though the beginning felt complicated, I got used and invested into it. There were also quite a few characters, but they were all really well developed. My only critique is the character shifting throughout was a little hard to follow. We would be with one character's conscious and then shift to another without any awareness that it happened. The ending had a few twists that I wasn't anticipating. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

I enjoyed the story but didn't like the characters and thus couldn't completely connect to the story but it's a good one overall.

I apologize for the delayed response. I did not particularly enjoy this book, and actually was unable to finish it. I am sure that many readers would really like it, but I was unable to really dive into the story..

I absolutely loved the story of this novel. It draws you in, and keeps you interested throughout the whole thing. Coco Ma also did a wonderful writing job, which delighted me. The thing I couldn't quite connect with was the characters. They felt predictable and I had a hard time getting invested in them.

This book gave me high expectations for a new series with elemental magic that seems to be lacking in the YA world. Unfortunately I was underwhelmed and it did not resonate the way I wanted. The MC Asterin, had me excited and expecting badassery like that of my favorite second in ToG with te same name but lacked all te luster to put her on top of my high expectation list. It was a solid 2.5-3 star read but i probably will not continue the series.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

This young adult fantasy story brought me to my knees. It captivated me instantly and I could not put it down. There is magic laced throughout this story and I loved it.

The world-building in this book was very thorough. The magic system in this book is element-based so it isn't the most original, but it worked and I enjoyed it. The author's writing style really makes everything more vibrant.

This book has such a compelling ensemble cast. The author makes you fall in love with each and every character. The characters have a lot of depth and I loved their distinct personalities. The author really brings them to life.

The romantic aspect of this book was very satisfying. The romance doesn't dominate or overwhelm the story but it adds to it.

Overall, this book is a breath of fresh air. This is an enchanting story with characters that fly off the pages and into your heart. I cannot wait to see where the story will lead in the next book in this series!

Shadow Frost was interesting, engaging, and written really well. I enjoyed it a lot and wouldn't mind reading it again.

Ambitious and intriguing, especially from a debut author, Shadow Frost hits upon several of my favourite things: broody boys, elemental magic, and sassy heroines. Unfortunately for me I feel as if it was trying to be a lot more than what it is, especially considering that what it is could have been exceptional. We sped through a bit of relationship development when it would have been nicer to take it a bit slower, and we got about a thousand twists to the story when perhaps there should have been fewer, more dramatic ones. Overall, a sold debut and I look forward to continuing the series.
3.5*

From a refreshing author Coco Ma, a graduate of Juilliard (ooooh!), comes such a light, easy, and entertaining read, with clear and logical plot development, captivating my attention until the very (hanging!) end. No, there’s no way you can read this as a stand-alone. You can try to resist picking up Book #2 (God Storm), but you’ll fail miserably, trust me. I marked God Storm as “Want-to-read” on my shelf right after I finished this one and then immediately searched NetGalley for a copy.

Shadow Frost is an exciting novel with a more fun feeling rather than thriller-y, mostly because the group members are so companionable. Like, honest to God ‘they could be your friends’ despite being fierce and experienced warriors. They flirt with each other too! Probably just like your real friends. The result is a mostly jolly atmosphere that clashes with the ominous task they’ve undertaken, which was hunting down a demon plaguing the Kingdom of Axaria. However, the book isn’t without its hold-your-breath moments, one of which was utilised near the end (and climax) of this instalment. It serves as an excellent development point of the book and its characters, abruptly changing the whole aura of the series.

Seasoned YA fantasy readers can probably tell that Shadow Frost is a debut, not because it was bad writing. In fact, it was excellent! I only say this due to the feeling I get from Coco Ma’s writing; The style feels like it has so much potential, in the way that it actually gives me the feeling of hopefulness and endless possibilities much like what I almost constantly felt at 18-19 years old. Apparently, I’m not alone in feeling this. Other words used to describe this effect in reviews I’ve read is ‘eager’, ‘hopeful’… Well, you get the idea. I truly feel optimistic about Coco Ma’s writing career.

One thing that has major room for improvement is the characters’ individualities. Considering the book utilises multiple POVs, I think it’s important for the characters to have more distinct voices. I kept having to reread the previous paragraphs because I missed who was talking and I can’t tell simply from the characters’ dialogues. In terms of their physical characteristics and backgrounds, the variety’s there but just not their inner voice or essence, so to speak.

Giddily (but patiently) waiting for the release of God Storm in October this year! I’m so glad book releases aren’t affected by the CoVid-19.

Content warning(s): Violence, death, explicit curses, physical & emotional child abuse

I ended up not finishing this book, it just wasn't for me. There wasn't really anything wrong with it. I just couldn't get into the magic system or the characters.

The first in a brilliant fantasy with epic characters--Asterin is a total badass! The romance was a bit dull but the ending was a huge shock. Loved loved loved! Coco's writing was beautiful and flowed so seamlessly! A great talent!
(Amazon would not allow me to post a review for some reason!)

This novel is one of the best I’ve read this year! The characters are so dynamic yet relatable. I loved the flow of the story. It held my attention the whole time.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.

I absolutely hate it when I cant finish a book so I finished it.. I fell in love with this books cover, then the blurb sealed the deal for me. But this was just a disappointed read.