Frostfire
by Amanda Hocking
Series: Kanin Chronicles (#1)
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin on January 6, 2015
Format: Paperback, 321 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Jacket copy:
Bryn Aven has never fit into Kanin society. Her blond hair and blue eyes set her apart as an outsider - a half-blood unable to hold a respectable rank. But she's determined to prove herself as a loyal protector of the kingdom she loves. her dream is to become a member of the King's elite guard, and she's not going to let anything stand in her way . . . not even her growing feelings for her boss, Ridley Dresden. A relationship between them is strictly forbidden, but Bryn can't fight her attraction to him. And she's beginning to think he feels it, too.Meanwhile, there's an attack on the kingdom - one that will test Bryn's strength like never before. Finally, she has the chance to confront Konstantin Black, the traitor who tried to kill her father years ago. It's up to Bryn to put a stop to him before he strikes again. But is she willing to risk everything to protect a kingdom that doesn't accept her for who she really is? And when her mission brings her closer to Ridley, will she be able to deny her heart?
So, after hearing quite a lot about this book and seeing it on multiple reading lists, I decided to get my own copy at Barnes & Noble the other day. I think what really allured me into buying it (well, actually my mom bought it for me - thanks, mom!) was the gorgeous cover. I'm sorry, I know how the saying goes, but I'm a sucker for pretty covers . . . we all are.
At first, diving into the realm of Kanin was a bit confusing for me. Only after reading the book did I find out it was a spin off of Amanda Hocking's popular Trylle Trilogy. Unfortunately, I never read the series, and so it took me some time to get used to the storyline and setting. However, I made a stop at the library today and just so happened to come across the entire trilogy - all three books in one! I had to check it out.
After getting used to Kanin and the vocabulary that came along with it (changelings, Skojare, Omte, Vittra, etc.) I tried to focus on the storyline, but I didn't feel as if there really was one. I mean, Bryn, the main character, spends the majority of the storyline hunting down the mysterious character Konstantin Black, who attempted to murder her father a few years back. However, the reader never really gets to find out the driving force behind Konstantin's actions. I suppose the reason will be slowly unraveled over the course of the series, but I feel as if Frostfire didn't have enough content in it. When I flipped to the final page of the book, I couldn't believe it! I thought for sure something would happen. I felt as if there were no climax or ending.
Besides the mystery of Konstantin Black, another main storyline that runs throughout is the relationship between Bryn and Bryn's love interest, Ridley Dresden. Again, this was another area of the book that I felt was missing content. Ridley came across to the reader as an interesting character, however, the reader never had the chance to really fall in love with him with Bryn. I hope that in the following books of the Kanin Chronicles, the author will further develop not only her storyline, but also her characters more.
Even still, with the lacking portions of the book accounted for, the main plot interested me as it was different and new. And so, even though Frostfire did not live up to my standards as a book, I will give the world of Kanin another chance. I plan to read the next installment in the series, and hopefully, I, as a reader, will receive more out of the chronicles. Perhaps I was unable to fully immerse myself in Frostfire since I did not previously read the Trylle Trilogy. Although, once I finish the trilogy, I will be sure to write a review on the blog to share how it went.
Frostfire wasn't all disappointing, and for that reason, I believe it deserves a peach rating of three.
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