SPARTAN FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: "Spartan Frost"
Series: Mythos Academy #4.5
Author: Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: June 25, 2013

Summary

Logan Quinn, Spartan and boyfriend of Gwen Frost, has left Mythos Academy. He blames himself for the latest attack by the Reapers of Chaos and the near death of his friends. The events of that day still haunt his nightmares, and Logan is determined to protect his friends, even if it's from himself.

But just because Logan is back home doesn't mean that the Reapers are taking the day off.  When the Protectorate learns of a local Reaper hideout, Logan is ready to go with them and get revenge.

My Impression

I was surprised when I found out that this novella was being published.  I was checking Jennifer Estep's website to see when Midnight Frost will be released when I saw the announcement.

This novella takes place two weeks after the events of Crimson Frost and is told from the perspective of Logan Quinn.  I really enjoyed this novella (more than I enjoyed the other novellas in this series).

Even though Gwen has used her psychometry magic on Logan in previous books, this is the first time that we really get to see Logan's perspective.  Whenever Gwen "flashes" on Logan, we learn about his feelings for her, but this novella gives us an insight into how the Reaper attack really affected Logan. For the first time in the series, Logan doubts himself, and I like that his experience really got the chance to be shown instead of explained/summarized in the rest of the series.

I also liked that some of the events in this novella foreshadow the events at the beginning of Midnight Frost, though I didn't realize it at first.

Though this novella had a complete arc, I would have loved it to be longer.  It's a common complaint, but I really would have enjoyed reading more about the inner workings of Logan Quinn's mind and his relationship with his dad.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I am pretty in love with this series, so, naturally, I must read every new story as it appears.

My Rating: Four Stars
Genres: Mythology, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?

Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

CRIMSON FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: Crimson Frost

Series: Mythos Academy #4

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

Loki is free and Gwen blames herself for his release; after all, the Reapers wouldn't have gotten the Helheim Dagger if Gwen hadn't found it.  While the Reapers are helping Loki to regain his strength and start the second Chaos War, Gwen has to accept her destiny: to be the one to kill Loki.

But Gwen doesn't just have to worry about the Reapers trying to kill her and her friends.  Gwen has been accused of being a Reaper and she must prove her innocence to The Protectorate, the Pantheon's police force, or die for her supposed crimes.  For once Gwen must follow all the rules at Mythos Academy, because one wrong step could only convince the Protectorate of her guilt.  It's times like these when friends show their true colors, and Gwen needs all the friends she can get.

My Impression

I really liked the spin that this book took.  While I have to say that I hated the Protectorate on a moral level because of their accusation that Gwen is a Reaper, I loved what they did for this series.  Before this point, there haven't been any characters that have truly questioned Gwen's actions besides herself.  And while I knew that their accusations were clearly false because I have read about all of Gwen's actions, I think it was important that she be questioned and that she really has to prove herself.  This book and the Protectorate do three things:

1. They show Gwen who her real friends are.  As news spreads of her supposed crimes, many people at Mythos Academy are hostile towards Gwen.  While she has been mostly ignored by many of her peers or blown off as "that Gypsy girl", it was good to learn which people actually trust Gwen, and which characters we might be seeing more of as their friendship with Gwen grows.
2. They show that you can't trust everyone.  Gwen lives in a world where Reapers hide in plain site; Jasmine even mentioned in Touch of Frost that there are students and teachers are Mythos Academy that are Reapers, and yet there are very few times that Gwen, or anyone, actually questions whether the people they are sitting in a classroom with are actually Reapers.  While Gwen is a trustworthy person, no one has ever doubted that she is telling the truth, but in her world, blind faith in a person can get you killed.
3. They force Gwen to accept her previous actions.  While she has made some mistakes that have ultimately led to the release of Loki, she has made every decision with the intent to defeat the Reapers and stop Loki.  Gwen constantly doubts herself and in order to prove her innocence, she first has to accept that she is a good person and that some things that happened were out of her control.

Something I found a bit frustrating in this book is how Gwen still constantly doubts herself.  While some of her moments of doubt are justifiable, such as her role in the release of Loki and murdering Preston, some things that run through her head make me want to shake some sense into her.  There is a moment in the book where she compares herself to Logan, thinking about how amazing, gorgeous, strong, and brave he is, and then she goes on to say that the only interesting thing about her is the necklace that Logan gave her.  I think she has proved herself to be just as strong and brave as Logan and her other friends, and that she has learned a great deal about her power and how to use it.  While she may feel inadequate when she compares looks and weaponry skills, she still has a lot to be proud of and has many interesting things about her.  My hope is that after having to own her actions in this book that she will appreciate more about herself in Midnight Frost.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I fell in love with Gwen's character from the first time I read Touch of Frost, and I can't wait for Midnight Frost's release.

Genres: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Mythology

My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

DARK FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: Dark Frost

Series: Mythos Academy #3

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

It's the beginning of her second semester at Mythos Academy and Gwen already has a lot on her plate. 

Nike has charged her with recovering the Helheim Dagger, an artifact that Gwen's mother was charged with protecting from the Reapers of Chaos.  Gwen has spent most of her winter break searching through her mom's belongings with the hope that her touch magic will reveal some clue about the dagger's location. 

When Gwen and some fellow second year students are attacked by the Reapers of Chaos, Gwen finally meets Loki's Champion.  Though the Champion is masked, Gwen has bigger things to worry about than the Champion's true identity.  The Reapers have a lead on the dagger's location, and if they find it before Gwen does, then they hold the power to break the last seal on Loki's prison and start the Second Chaos War.

My Impressions

I think this is my favorite book in the series so far.  Though I really enjoyed Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost, it feels like those two books have really led up to the events of this book.  Touch of Frost seemed to mostly be about convincing Gwen that the gods do exist and that Loki and his Reapers are determined to bring Chaos back into the world; it was also the book that clearly sets Gwen up to face off against Loki by becoming Nike's Champion.  Kiss of Frost was mostly about Gwen's developing friendships and developing powers; instead of her being just a "Gypsy girl", she gets to discover more of what her touch magic can really do.  It also really sets up her main motivation for wanting to defeat the Reapers - revenge against Loki's Champion.  While this is necessary set up, it was definitely nice to see more of the urgent struggle between the Pantheon and the Reapers.  There was definitely more action, more battle scenes, and more suspense that make this book a really quick (and enjoyable) read.

One thing I really liked about this book was the character development.  While there aren't many new characters introduced in this book, a lot of the old characters grow and I liked being able to see other sides to certain characters (Daphne, Morgan, Logan, Nickamedes), instead of their one steady role in Gwen's life.  It made them seem more real and it made Gwen seem more real because she is the one who notices and recognizes their changes.

Something I struggled with in this book was some of the repetition.  In Touch of Frost we (and Gwen) are introduced to the First Chaos War, Loki, the Reapers of Chaos, the Pantheon, Gwen's Gypsy power, and other such things that were clearly part of the developing plot of the book.  A lot of this information is summarized/restated via Gwen's inner dialogue in Kiss of Frost, and while this felt a bit repetitive, I also thought it was a bit necessary to make sure the concept from Touch of Frost was fully understood and carried over.  However, this is the third book of the series and I didn't need the summary of all of these things and the danger Loki's release poses to the world.  I will admit that I skimmed over this part of the book because I felt like I was reading something I had already read.  Thankfully the summary part is towards the beginning of the book, so I was able to get into the new action rather quickly.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I can honestly say that I am addicted to this series, and I can't wait to see what happens to Gwen next!

Genres: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Mythology

My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

KISS OF FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: Kiss of Frost

Series: Mythos Academy #2

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

Thousands of years ago the god Loki decided he wanted to release Chaos into the mortal world and destroy humanity.  He gathered his followers, the Reapers of Chaos, and used them to gain power.  The gods and mortals determined to save humanity formed the Pantheon, a group with the sole purpose of defeating the Reapers in the Chaos War; led by the goddess Nike, the Pantheon was able to imprison Loki and stop Chaos from spreading.

Gwen has learned first hand that Loki's Reapers remain loyal to the god and are determined to release him from his prison.  Though she succeeded in preventing the Reapers' recent attempt to release Loki, Gwen still has a lot to learn in order to survive as Nike's Champion. Her training is even more important now because the Reapers know Gwen is responsible for their recent failure and revenge is one thing the Reapers are especially good at.

With the end of the term approaching, all of Mythos Academy is anxious to attend the annual Winter Carnival...except for Gwen; she would much rather remain at the academy.  But when it seems as though someone is out to kill Gwen, her best friend Daphne refuses to let her stay unprotected and convinces her that the trip will not only be good for her safety but also for her love life.  However, once the group arrives at the carnival, it is clear that the danger has followed Gwen and someone is definitely out for revenge.

My Impression

Gwen is still the same sarcastic Gypsy who can't sword fight to save her life who I met at the beginning of Touch of Frost.  However, Gwen is now more than that Gypsy girl with psychometry; Gwen is Nike's Champion, gifted by the goddess with touch magic, one of the rarest and most powerful of all magics.  

I loved seeing the struggles that Gwen had to face in Kiss of Frost.  While trying to accept her status as the third wheel to Daphne and Carson's relationship and trying to control her jealousy and anger at Logan's relationship with Savannah, Gwen also has to balance the expectations of her role as Nike's champion with her perception of her own abilities.  Yet no matter how bad Gwen feels about herself at times, she is constantly kind-hearted, which really defines her as a character.  

The same grievance I had with Touch of Frost also applies to Kiss of Frost.  This book also contained many pop-culture references, as well as a reference to "Ashland Asylum", which is another place from Estep's Elemental Assassin series. 

Why I Picked Up This Book

I bought and read this book almost as soon as it came out, because I really enjoyed Touch of Frost, the first book in the Mythos Academy series.

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

HALLOWEEN FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: "Halloween Frost"

Anthology: Entangled

Series: Mythos Academy #1.5

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

Gwen has learned a lot in the two months she has been at Mythos Academy, enough to know that the gods she once thought to be only myth are real and that Loki, with the help of his Reapers of Chaos, is close to escaping his prison and bringing about the Second Chaos War.

But even warriors deserve a break, especially after the discovery of a Reaper at Mythos Academy.  So Gwen and her friends Daphne and Carson decide to celebrate with some Trick-or-Treating, though they quickly discover that evil doesn't take breaks.

My Impression

I thought this was an okay novella.  I liked being able to see Gwen and some of the other characters outside of Mythos Academy and doing something other than studying and training, especially something like celebrating Halloween. Even though it is a novella and is clearly not going to have as complex of a plot as a novel from the series, I didn't feel that I got any new information by reading the novella.  

Why I Picked Up This Book

After reading Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost, I figured I should read the novellas that accompany the series.

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

 My Rating: Three Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

Jennifer Estep Book List

Jennifer Estep is the author of three book series, two intended for adults (Elemental Assassin and Bigtime) and one intended for young adults (Mythos Academy).

Mythos Academy

Gwen Frost is a Gypsy.  Though she's not quite sure what that means, she does know that it's the reason she has a power to touch any object or person and receive vibes off of them.  When an accident causes Gwen to transfer to Mythos Academy, she notices something strange: she isn't the only one with powers.  Not only that, but these other people believe that the gods from mythology are real, and that the god Loki is determined to bring chaos back to the world.

• "First Frost"
• Touch of Frost
• "Halloween Frost"
• Kiss of Frost
• Dark Frost
• Crimson Frost
• "Spartan Frost" (to be released)
• Midnight Frost (to be released)
• #6

Elemental Assassin

• Spider's Bite
• Web of Lies
• Venom
• Tangled Threads
• "Haints and Hobwebs"
• Spider's Revenge
• "Thread of Death"
• By a Thread
• Widow's Web
• Deadly Sting (to be released)
• "Parlor Tricks" (to be released)
• Heart of Venom (to be released)
• #10

For more information about these series, as well as Estep's Bigtime series, visit her website.

TOUCH OF FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: Touch of Frost

Series: Mythos Academy #1

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

Touch of Frost is the story of seventeen-year-old Gwen Frost.  Gwen has always known about her Gypsy gift, the one that allows her to touch an object and see its history as well as the vibes of emotions and memories left behind by others who have touched it.  Gypsy gifts run in her family, but it isn't until she is sent to Mythos Academy that she realizes her family is not the only one with magic.

Mythos Academy is a school for the descendants of ancient warriors, such as the Celts, Spartans, Viking, Valkyries, and Amazons.  Each group comes with their own special ability, and though Gwen is finally around others who understand what it means to have magic, she is the only Gypsy and doesn't seem to possess the raw magic and fighting abilities that her classmates have.

When a student on campus dies, most are convinced that the murderer was a Reaper of Chaos, one of the followers of Loki, but Gwen is skeptical.  Though she believes in the magic, she doesn't believe that the gods and goddesses of mythology actually exist, just like she believes there is more to the student's death than there appears.  So Gwen decides to investigate, unaware that as she starts to put the pieces together she will drag herself further into the world of Mythos Academy and the war that is about to start.

My Impression

I have to say, I really loved this book.  Gwen is a very spunky character with a sense of humor that made her very easy to read about.  I was more than willing to follow her on her quest as she struggles to deal with her mom's death, her arrival at a new school where she is the clear outcast, the reality behind her Gypsy gift, and her devotion to discovering the truth.  

I am also a huge fan of mythology, so I enjoyed how Touch of Frost incorporated many different world mythologies outside of Western Mythology, such as Native American and Japanese myth, and was able to mash them together in a very interesting way.  It also doesn't limit the audience to readers who already have a strong understanding of these mythologies since the story is more interested in how they come together.

I know there has been a wave of book series revolving around a person with magical abilities ending up at a school for magic where they discover themselves, and I won't argue that this book fits into this sub-genre of paranormal fantasy.  However, I don't think that is a reason to disregard this book/series, since the material is unique enough and branches away from the use of a school for wizards or vampires/vampire-like people.

I only had a few minor dislikes with this book.  The first is the use of pop-culture references and slang.  Though I understand its usefulness in trying to connect with a modern, young-adult audience, I think it can also lessen the longevity of the book's relevance.  Though references to Wonder Woman and Nancy Drew can appeal to many older readers as well as many future readers, references to Gossip Girl and Veronica Mars will only be understood by a more limited audience.  The second minor thing that I disliked was when it references a restaurant called The Pork Pit.  The restaurant is from Estep's adult Elemental Assassin series, and though I find it interesting when an author has multiple series set within the same universe, the two series are set in VERY different universes, and so I found the restaurant's presence in Touch of Frost to be disarming.

Despite my few minor qualms with the book's references, I really enjoyed the world that Jennifer Estep creates in this novel.  I know that this is a book that I will read multiple times and that it is a series I will anxiously follow until the end.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I heard about this book (I am ashamed to say) through an ad on Facebook.  Normally I disregard the ads that the site tries to cater to my interests, but for some reason the ad caught my eye.  I decided to find a copy of the book and see if, for once, Facebook had actually found something that would interest me.

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

FIRST FROST by Jennifer Estep

Title: “First Frost”

Series: Mythos Academy #0.5

Author: Jennifer Estep

Summary

Whenever someone touches an object, they leave behind a psychic vibe, hints of their memories and emotions; the more attached a person is to an object, the stronger the vibe they leave behind.  Sixteen-year-old Gwen Frost has the Gypsy gift of psychometry, which allows her to pick up these vibes from any object she touches.

Normally Gwen uses her gift to make extra money by finding lost belongings for her classmates, until one day she notices a distressed look on Paige Forrest's face.  Eager to know what could make Paige look so scared, Gwen touches Paige's hairbrush and is horrified by the secret she discovers.

Gwen's vision leads to a terrible accident and suddenly she is enrolled at Mythos Academy, a school for the magically gifted; but Gwen feels there is more to this school than she can see...now she just has to believe in it.

My Impression

I enjoyed this novella.  However, the reason I liked this novella so much is because I had already read Touch of Frost, the first book in the series.  Though Touch of Frost mentions the events leading up to Gwen's arrival at Mythos Academy, it was nice to see the events as she experiences them, instead of just seeing her mental recap. 

That being said, I am not sure if I would have enjoyed this novella as much if it was my first introduction to Gwen and her world.  The plot is sort of slow moving and, since the novella functions much like a prologue to Touch of Frost than a stand-alone story, the ending is rather abrupt and doesn't give much insight into the world of Mythos Academy, Gwen's Gypsy gifts, or what role magic plays in the world.

Why I Picked Up This Book

After reading the first two novels in the Mythos Academy series, I decided I should read this prequel to the series.

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

My Rating: Four Stars

Interested in other books by Jennifer Estep?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.