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The Outliers Chronicles #1
Frozen Heart
A decade surviving on her own. Three days with the enemy. Can love conquer all?Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside.But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both- the blizzard and the Affinity- makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared?
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2012
About the author
Annabelle Blume
9 books39 followersAnnabelle is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author. That is, when she's not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner.
She's also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.
She's also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 27, 2012
The first half of Frozen Heart chills your blood, while the second warms your heart.
My favorite line, “Just because we don’t run away doesn’t mean we’re mindless drones…”
Cressenda lives alone in an ice age, a post-apocalyptic world where memories of a Green Age still linger. If freezing to death isn’t enough, she must battle giant snarly beasts made from genetic experiments, avalanches, Reapers, falling icicles, and last but not least: The Affinity: a controlling, totalitarian government that matches people in order to improve low birth rates. Phew! That’s a lot.
While trading in town, a thief grabs her bag. She knows she shouldn’t follow him, but her anger gets the better of her, and she draws attention to herself. By a stroke of luck, the handsome, guard that reads her key card is a sympathizer, and doesn’t report her. She’s just about to leave when a blizzard warning erupts over town, and her only chance is to follow the guard home, leaving her vulnerable to everything she’s ever feared.
Annabelle Blume creates an intriguing sci fi world. I loved reading about Cressenda’s resourcefulness. She’s lived alone with her two sled dogs for ten years, and she knows how to hunt, cook, fight Reapers, and even build a solar panel. Beckett was a mystery to be unraveled, and my heart went out to him as I learned his tragic story. The heat between them steams up their icy world. Frozen Heart is a sci fi, dystopian novel with a blazing romance at its core.
My favorite line, “Just because we don’t run away doesn’t mean we’re mindless drones…”
Cressenda lives alone in an ice age, a post-apocalyptic world where memories of a Green Age still linger. If freezing to death isn’t enough, she must battle giant snarly beasts made from genetic experiments, avalanches, Reapers, falling icicles, and last but not least: The Affinity: a controlling, totalitarian government that matches people in order to improve low birth rates. Phew! That’s a lot.
While trading in town, a thief grabs her bag. She knows she shouldn’t follow him, but her anger gets the better of her, and she draws attention to herself. By a stroke of luck, the handsome, guard that reads her key card is a sympathizer, and doesn’t report her. She’s just about to leave when a blizzard warning erupts over town, and her only chance is to follow the guard home, leaving her vulnerable to everything she’s ever feared.
Annabelle Blume creates an intriguing sci fi world. I loved reading about Cressenda’s resourcefulness. She’s lived alone with her two sled dogs for ten years, and she knows how to hunt, cook, fight Reapers, and even build a solar panel. Beckett was a mystery to be unraveled, and my heart went out to him as I learned his tragic story. The heat between them steams up their icy world. Frozen Heart is a sci fi, dystopian novel with a blazing romance at its core.
August 7, 2012
I read this book, and it was a really nice short dystopian read. If you like the novels Matched by Ally Condie, you'll like this novella. Not only was it where there a very good plot, it had an erotic scene that was written to perfection, although I am not a big fan of erotica, it was one of the reasons I liked it because other people think it's alright to put an erotic scene every other paragraph, which tends to get tiring to the average reader. It's not as strong as an erotica novel should be, but it's a very good start for a debut author. I really liked this novel, I am very glad I got the opportunity to read it and I look forward to reading more of Annabelle's work.
August 31, 2012
I brought this novella on the plane with me when I flew to California and I have to say, reading it made the time fly by. Before I knew it, I was at the end of the story and looking for more.
Im not one to give spoilers in reviews, so I will stay away from anything too specific, but will say that I loved the descriptions and Ms, Blume really did a spectacular job of describing the dystopian world Cressenda lives in. I was hooked from the first page, and really enjoyed the interactions between her and Beckett as the story unfolded. The romance developed nicely and I never felt any lags in the story or action. A really stellar read.
I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
Im not one to give spoilers in reviews, so I will stay away from anything too specific, but will say that I loved the descriptions and Ms, Blume really did a spectacular job of describing the dystopian world Cressenda lives in. I was hooked from the first page, and really enjoyed the interactions between her and Beckett as the story unfolded. The romance developed nicely and I never felt any lags in the story or action. A really stellar read.
I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
October 2, 2012
I love to hear stories of how couples fell in love, especially those with rough beginnings. In Frozen Heart, I found myself rooting for Beckett and Cressenda all the way from their first unconventional meeting inside the amazing frozen world Annabelle created, to their HEA... Well done Annabelle!
July 9, 2012
I'll review this one as soon as my hand stops hurting so much!
This is a really short story and that was the main reason this book receive only 3.5 stars… for me, it seems that we could see more from these characters as well as their background.
Meet Cressenda, or Cressie, one of the fewest people to live and survive outside Affinity, an oppressive regime. She has lived with her sled dogs in the snow wilderness for the last 10 years and every once in a while she might come to Affinity to exchange goods and supplies. When she goes to town to get some supplies, her world will shift and be completely new.
She met Beckett, a guard of the Affinity, that is handsome, sweet and completely good. He helps Cressie and her dogs to escape the blizzard and the Affinity and in doing so, he stared to develop feelings for her and her for him.
When I was reading, I thought something was missing with the story…I tried to think about it and even now I don’t have any idea what it was… maybe I wanted a longer story, who knows!
But it was really sweet. The first part of the book was really good and had me dying to read the rest of the book.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This is a really short story and that was the main reason this book receive only 3.5 stars… for me, it seems that we could see more from these characters as well as their background.
Meet Cressenda, or Cressie, one of the fewest people to live and survive outside Affinity, an oppressive regime. She has lived with her sled dogs in the snow wilderness for the last 10 years and every once in a while she might come to Affinity to exchange goods and supplies. When she goes to town to get some supplies, her world will shift and be completely new.
She met Beckett, a guard of the Affinity, that is handsome, sweet and completely good. He helps Cressie and her dogs to escape the blizzard and the Affinity and in doing so, he stared to develop feelings for her and her for him.
When I was reading, I thought something was missing with the story…I tried to think about it and even now I don’t have any idea what it was… maybe I wanted a longer story, who knows!
But it was really sweet. The first part of the book was really good and had me dying to read the rest of the book.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
September 20, 2012
Rich description, lots of tension and a couple you definitely want to root for. Would love to know what happens next.
July 20, 2012
Cressenda is a woman of about 26 years old who is what's called an Outlier because she does not live within the rules of the Affinity, a type of government. Outliers are treated as if they are violent threats to society, so if caught, any Outlier would be put into a work camp. The world in which she lives is in an Ice Age, and Cressie needs provisions for her and her two dogs to survive, so when she is in need of things, she heads to the Collective where there is a Trade Path where she can trade various goods that she collects, makes, grows in order to get what she needs.
It's in the Trade Path that she meets Beckett, an Affinity Guard, who when he learns of her 'Missing Person' status, should have immediately taken her into custody but doesn't. Now Cressie is unsure as to why and whether she can even trust him.
I found Frozen Heart to be a very interesting and unusual read. For one thing, the world in which Cressenda lives in, as I said, is in an Ice Age. The population is dwindling and the Affinity takes it upon themselves to Match people, which basically means that if you live within their control, you can't choose who you will marry. They will choose for you based on genetics. That's the primary reason that Cressie is an Outlier. Her parents didn't want the Affinity to control her life so they raised her to be able to fend for herself outside of the Collective.
I really enjoyed the interaction between Beckett and Cressie, though she doesn't immediately feel comfortable around him. Beckett has his story to tell which explains why he's so willing to help Cressie out despite the fact that it puts him in danger as well.
Now although I thought the story was really good, I found that the beginning was a bit slow for me. Maybe part of that reason is because it wasn't until about 13% of the way into the book did I find out what Cressie's name was, and the book is told from her perspective. Apart from her dogs though, she lives alone and has no one else to talk to. So it's her narration or her speaking briefly to herself or her dogs. However, you do learn a bit about her past and the world she lives in, so it is important for building up the story. And then, of course, when the book ended I wasn't ready for it to end. I'm so hoping that there will be a sequel because I really would love to know what happens next. There has to be more because I say so. :P
So yeah, I want more! I guess I will just have to wait patiently and see what Annabelle writes next!
** I received an eARC copy of the book from InkSpell Publishing for review.**
It's in the Trade Path that she meets Beckett, an Affinity Guard, who when he learns of her 'Missing Person' status, should have immediately taken her into custody but doesn't. Now Cressie is unsure as to why and whether she can even trust him.
I found Frozen Heart to be a very interesting and unusual read. For one thing, the world in which Cressenda lives in, as I said, is in an Ice Age. The population is dwindling and the Affinity takes it upon themselves to Match people, which basically means that if you live within their control, you can't choose who you will marry. They will choose for you based on genetics. That's the primary reason that Cressie is an Outlier. Her parents didn't want the Affinity to control her life so they raised her to be able to fend for herself outside of the Collective.
I really enjoyed the interaction between Beckett and Cressie, though she doesn't immediately feel comfortable around him. Beckett has his story to tell which explains why he's so willing to help Cressie out despite the fact that it puts him in danger as well.
Now although I thought the story was really good, I found that the beginning was a bit slow for me. Maybe part of that reason is because it wasn't until about 13% of the way into the book did I find out what Cressie's name was, and the book is told from her perspective. Apart from her dogs though, she lives alone and has no one else to talk to. So it's her narration or her speaking briefly to herself or her dogs. However, you do learn a bit about her past and the world she lives in, so it is important for building up the story. And then, of course, when the book ended I wasn't ready for it to end. I'm so hoping that there will be a sequel because I really would love to know what happens next. There has to be more because I say so. :P
So yeah, I want more! I guess I will just have to wait patiently and see what Annabelle writes next!
** I received an eARC copy of the book from InkSpell Publishing for review.**
June 23, 2012
This review was first posted on Books for YA.
After I read the synopsis of this book, I was really curious(more like intrigue) about the story so I immediately request to review the book.
Frozen Heart was set in a dystopian world wherein the Green Age(years where plants and animals were still abundant) was just a thing in the past while the Ice Age continues to numb the existence of humanity. Besides scarcity of food supply and malnutrition, procreation is also one of the major problems of their government and their solution is by matching people who has strong gene pool to a compatible bearer.
So this are my thoughts about this. It was a good read but I think it could still be improved. I really wanted to give this a four happy face but there are so many things that is stopping me for doing so.
First of all, the characters were a little inconsistent on how they act and feel. Cressie, for instance, gave her trust easily to someone she just met only for 3 days and most especially to someone she considered as an enemy.
Secondly, the plot is quite weak. It only focuses on the character conflict of Cressie. Whether to trust Beckett or not or whether she would gave up everything and try to live in the Affinity for Beckett. The external or plot conflict was nonexistent. I didn't see anything in the plot that would make things complicated for them. No strict guards, no entering or escaping problem,, no chasing scenes, nothing that would make me excited or nervous to what will happen next.
And Lastly, the ending is a bit abrupt and there's no epilogue to explain anything. I know that this is supposed to be shorter than a novel because it was a novella but that doesn't mean the ending should be left hanging in mid-air.
But all in all, it was good but could be better if it has more external conflict and a stable characters.
After I read the synopsis of this book, I was really curious(more like intrigue) about the story so I immediately request to review the book.
Frozen Heart was set in a dystopian world wherein the Green Age(years where plants and animals were still abundant) was just a thing in the past while the Ice Age continues to numb the existence of humanity. Besides scarcity of food supply and malnutrition, procreation is also one of the major problems of their government and their solution is by matching people who has strong gene pool to a compatible bearer.
So this are my thoughts about this. It was a good read but I think it could still be improved. I really wanted to give this a four happy face but there are so many things that is stopping me for doing so.
First of all, the characters were a little inconsistent on how they act and feel. Cressie, for instance, gave her trust easily to someone she just met only for 3 days and most especially to someone she considered as an enemy.
Secondly, the plot is quite weak. It only focuses on the character conflict of Cressie. Whether to trust Beckett or not or whether she would gave up everything and try to live in the Affinity for Beckett. The external or plot conflict was nonexistent. I didn't see anything in the plot that would make things complicated for them. No strict guards, no entering or escaping problem,, no chasing scenes, nothing that would make me excited or nervous to what will happen next.
And Lastly, the ending is a bit abrupt and there's no epilogue to explain anything. I know that this is supposed to be shorter than a novel because it was a novella but that doesn't mean the ending should be left hanging in mid-air.
But all in all, it was good but could be better if it has more external conflict and a stable characters.
July 27, 2012
Frozen Heart is a well-written short story that I would consider as an adult dystopian romance. It takes place in the "'Ice Ages" were the lands have permanently frozen over, humans are scarce and everything must be rationed and modified by the government, called the Affinity. The "Green Age" was long ago, that stories of a time were the lands were full of green grass, crops, animals and people were free to choose where they wanted to live and who they wanted to marry, are told and passed on as though they were fairytales.
Cressenda is one of the few lucky ones that was born out of love. Her parents taught her how to survive in the cold harsh weather away from the Affinity, they knew that one day she would be on her own. At a very early age, their prediction came true. For ten years, Cressenda took care of herself and her two sled dogs. Living a full days worth away from the nearest compound, she knows how to take care of her little family, their home, how to stay as healthy as possible and how to navigate the weather and mountains in order to get to the trade for supplies when she is running low.
On one of her runs, she runs into some trouble and meets Beckett - one of the guards to the Affinity. When he checks her identification, Cressenda knows that he is about to discover that she is an Outsider, she must decide quickly how to get away or she will be arrested. But luckily for her, a surprise snowstorm hits and Beckett offers to take her in until it passes over.
Much to my surprise, there is a lot more to Beckett than I gave him credit for. And the electricity between Beckett and Cressenda can start forest fires.
I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the ending - I felt like it was a bit to abrupt for me, almost like a cliffhanger! I want more! I need to know what happens... hopefully there will be a part two to this.
It is definitely a great quick read to satisfy anyone who is in the mood for a quick romance.
Cressenda is one of the few lucky ones that was born out of love. Her parents taught her how to survive in the cold harsh weather away from the Affinity, they knew that one day she would be on her own. At a very early age, their prediction came true. For ten years, Cressenda took care of herself and her two sled dogs. Living a full days worth away from the nearest compound, she knows how to take care of her little family, their home, how to stay as healthy as possible and how to navigate the weather and mountains in order to get to the trade for supplies when she is running low.
On one of her runs, she runs into some trouble and meets Beckett - one of the guards to the Affinity. When he checks her identification, Cressenda knows that he is about to discover that she is an Outsider, she must decide quickly how to get away or she will be arrested. But luckily for her, a surprise snowstorm hits and Beckett offers to take her in until it passes over.
Much to my surprise, there is a lot more to Beckett than I gave him credit for. And the electricity between Beckett and Cressenda can start forest fires.
I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the ending - I felt like it was a bit to abrupt for me, almost like a cliffhanger! I want more! I need to know what happens... hopefully there will be a part two to this.
It is definitely a great quick read to satisfy anyone who is in the mood for a quick romance.
August 4, 2012
Cressenda lives in the wilderness, alone apart from her two sled dogs, Tonk and Tilo. Every few months she makes the journey to the nearest settlement to trade for items she can’t make or find by herself. The journey is a dangerous one as she faces nature, animal predators and the reapers who track people like her who choose to live off the grid. Her latest trip is fraught with extra danger since she’s left it too late in the season. Winter approaches, she comes across a reaper and when she finally reaches the settlement things don’t go as she plans. If she’s not careful she’s going to end up in the system under Affinity control, and she’ll be forced to marry a strange man with no thought to love.
Frozen Heart is told in first person point of view.
Things I liked about this story:
1. The author hooked me straight in by putting Cressenda in danger and showing the reader how perilous her circumstances were living alone.
2. I sympathized with Cressenda’s plight and willed her to succeed. She was competent, brave, innovative, determined yet she is lonely for human company too. Her loneliness makes her vulnerable. She’s a good, well-drawn character.
3. It was easy to read and the writing pulled me forward.
4. Beckett, the hero is charming and protective and takes chances. He was perfect for Cressenda.
Things I didn’t like about this story:
1. I felt the resolution was predictable, but given the short length of the story this was inevitable. It will be interesting to learn if the author intends to write a follow up or other stories in this series.
Overall, I enjoyed Frozen Heart and will look for more from this author.
Frozen Heart is told in first person point of view.
Things I liked about this story:
1. The author hooked me straight in by putting Cressenda in danger and showing the reader how perilous her circumstances were living alone.
2. I sympathized with Cressenda’s plight and willed her to succeed. She was competent, brave, innovative, determined yet she is lonely for human company too. Her loneliness makes her vulnerable. She’s a good, well-drawn character.
3. It was easy to read and the writing pulled me forward.
4. Beckett, the hero is charming and protective and takes chances. He was perfect for Cressenda.
Things I didn’t like about this story:
1. I felt the resolution was predictable, but given the short length of the story this was inevitable. It will be interesting to learn if the author intends to write a follow up or other stories in this series.
Overall, I enjoyed Frozen Heart and will look for more from this author.
August 21, 2012
Background: Cressie lives with her sled dogs in the wilderness, escaped from society and an Outlier, trying to stay alive and not be captured by the Affinity. Upon a trip into the Trade Post, Cressie is confronted by a guard of the Affinity who finds her out but does not turn her in. Now she must decide what she makes of the situation, is he trustworthy, and why does she have these feelings for someone she barely knows.
Review: I received an e-copy of this book for a blog tour, and have had it for a while. I did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Cressie was a strong female character and this short read, almost a novella, really immerses you from page 1. Beckett the male character is interesting and hard to gauge, but this made for a more interesting plot. Cressie is thrown into turmoil as she must decide on emotions or wellbeing when she realizes she has feelings for Beckett, but needs to get back to her life and safety in the wild. On that note, this is not a YA read, I think it is geared more toward adults, due to sexual content in some places and that threw me off a bit, but not in a bad way, I just wasn’t prepared. I loved the interaction Cressie has with her two dogs, and how they play with her, it was adorable.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and entertaining. I think that it could have used more plot building when it came to explaining the Affinity, and maybe even needed a bit more pertaining to the Cressie/ Beckett relationship… but overall, good read.
Review: I received an e-copy of this book for a blog tour, and have had it for a while. I did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Cressie was a strong female character and this short read, almost a novella, really immerses you from page 1. Beckett the male character is interesting and hard to gauge, but this made for a more interesting plot. Cressie is thrown into turmoil as she must decide on emotions or wellbeing when she realizes she has feelings for Beckett, but needs to get back to her life and safety in the wild. On that note, this is not a YA read, I think it is geared more toward adults, due to sexual content in some places and that threw me off a bit, but not in a bad way, I just wasn’t prepared. I loved the interaction Cressie has with her two dogs, and how they play with her, it was adorable.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and entertaining. I think that it could have used more plot building when it came to explaining the Affinity, and maybe even needed a bit more pertaining to the Cressie/ Beckett relationship… but overall, good read.
August 1, 2012
I really liked this story. Having it set sometime in the future, in a Dystopian setting, was pretty cool. We learn that Cressenda has basically been on her own, away from the Collective, away from the control of the Affinity for the past ten years. She has lived away in isolation, in a winter wilderness, since she was around sixteen years old. I think there's a good amount of background info for Cressenda, as I understood and got a feeling of what she went through as a child, in her young teenage years, and what's it like to be living on her own, well not completely alone, as she has two sled dogs :) But, she might be in trouble, as she runs into Beckett, who is this Guard of the Affinity, and you would see he and Cressenda as enemies. Well, Cressenda is on guard herself, when she actually has to stay at his cabin, due to a crazy blizzard. For three days they stay under the same roof, and you just have to find out what happens those three days; it's something not to miss!
What I also enjoyed was that these two characters are really the main ones we follow throughout, and Blume really keeps us entertained through her excellent writing. The characters, well Cressenda and Beckett were well developed, including their feelings and passion.... I really enjoyed this different kind of futuristic read, and if there was a second novel to this one, that would be wonderful, just mentioning ;)
What I also enjoyed was that these two characters are really the main ones we follow throughout, and Blume really keeps us entertained through her excellent writing. The characters, well Cressenda and Beckett were well developed, including their feelings and passion.... I really enjoyed this different kind of futuristic read, and if there was a second novel to this one, that would be wonderful, just mentioning ;)
October 31, 2012
A short dystopic novella,
Frozen Heart
does not disappoint! I really enjoyed the story and it's fast pace! Ms. Blume did an exquisite job of world-building and character development. As a reader you are thoroughly engrossed in Cressenda's world...feeling her loneliness and the longing for her once happy life before the Affinity arrived.
The Affinity is a sort of government division that controls everything...what you eat, where you live, how you dress and if you are not apart of the Affinity you are considered an outlier and face serious charges if you are caught and brought to trial.
Brock, an Affinity guard discovers that Cressenda is an outlier. In an effort to protect her,he shields her from the powers that be and hides her at his home until things die down. They get to know each other and one thing leads to another and...bow-chica-wow-wow! You know the rest!
I don't want give away any spoilers, but I will say that I loved the budding romance between the two! It was sweet and heartfelt. AWWWW...I love a good love story =) And the cover! I thought it was beautiful in its simplicity...it's what attracted me to the book initially. The only bad thing I can say is that I wanted more!
Frozen Heart was an exceptional read full of action, suspense and a wonderful plot that is sure to excite! If you enjoy dystopia, this book is a definite MUST!
The Affinity is a sort of government division that controls everything...what you eat, where you live, how you dress and if you are not apart of the Affinity you are considered an outlier and face serious charges if you are caught and brought to trial.
Brock, an Affinity guard discovers that Cressenda is an outlier. In an effort to protect her,he shields her from the powers that be and hides her at his home until things die down. They get to know each other and one thing leads to another and...bow-chica-wow-wow! You know the rest!
I don't want give away any spoilers, but I will say that I loved the budding romance between the two! It was sweet and heartfelt. AWWWW...I love a good love story =) And the cover! I thought it was beautiful in its simplicity...it's what attracted me to the book initially. The only bad thing I can say is that I wanted more!
Frozen Heart was an exceptional read full of action, suspense and a wonderful plot that is sure to excite! If you enjoy dystopia, this book is a definite MUST!
February 3, 2013
Cressenda lives with her two sled dogs, Tonk and Tilo, out in the icy wilderness far from the Collective. She’s an Outlier, a Missing Person and if she’s caught (Reaped) she’ll be sent back to the Collective to a work camp and Matched against her will. For ten years, ever since her parents were Reaped when she was 16, she’s been on her own. Surviving. Every trip to the Trade Path in the Collective runs the risk of getting caught, but she has to get supplies every few months and it’s time to make another trip. How much longer will her luck hold out?
I was sucked into this story right from the start. It’s a short well-written dystopian story about a strong woman and a strong man in an impossible hopeless situation. The world building is excellent without wading through a lot prose. Sparse yet effective wording made me feel as if I was right there living in that desolate world. So much so that it was a shock when the story ended and I found myself sitting in my office chair, feet up on my desk, A/C and fans running to beat the 100º heat and wondering why I wasn’t traveling on a sled behind Tonk and Tilo speeding off into my future.
I will most definitely read more by Annabelle Blume. Bring it on!
*The publisher provided this story to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.
I was sucked into this story right from the start. It’s a short well-written dystopian story about a strong woman and a strong man in an impossible hopeless situation. The world building is excellent without wading through a lot prose. Sparse yet effective wording made me feel as if I was right there living in that desolate world. So much so that it was a shock when the story ended and I found myself sitting in my office chair, feet up on my desk, A/C and fans running to beat the 100º heat and wondering why I wasn’t traveling on a sled behind Tonk and Tilo speeding off into my future.
I will most definitely read more by Annabelle Blume. Bring it on!
*The publisher provided this story to me for review. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.
September 15, 2012
Set sometime in the future, in a Dystopian setting Frozen Heart will take you on Caessenda’s journey to survive and who knows maybe she might even find love.
Cressenda is what they call an Outlier because she does not live within the rules of the Affinity. Outliers are treated as if they are dangerous threats, so if caught, any Outlier would be put into a work camp. When a routine trip to the Trade Path goes wrong Cressenda meets Beckett, an Affinity Guard, he soon learn of her Missing person status. He should have taken her but he doesn’t. When a snow storm warning goes off Cressenda knows she has to leave and now so she can beat the incoming storm. Beckett knows there is no way she can beat that storm and offers her a place to stay. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free after the storm blows over?
I liked about the book is that Annabelle paints a great picture, I loved the plot and how the book is set in an ice age. I thought that part was great it’s so different from the other dystopian books I’ve read.
I think the only thing that I really thought needed work was the story went by so fast at time almost rushed. For a girl who trusts no one she falls for a guy in 3 days but other than that it was a wonderful read and I hope there is more to come.
Cressenda is what they call an Outlier because she does not live within the rules of the Affinity. Outliers are treated as if they are dangerous threats, so if caught, any Outlier would be put into a work camp. When a routine trip to the Trade Path goes wrong Cressenda meets Beckett, an Affinity Guard, he soon learn of her Missing person status. He should have taken her but he doesn’t. When a snow storm warning goes off Cressenda knows she has to leave and now so she can beat the incoming storm. Beckett knows there is no way she can beat that storm and offers her a place to stay. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free after the storm blows over?
I liked about the book is that Annabelle paints a great picture, I loved the plot and how the book is set in an ice age. I thought that part was great it’s so different from the other dystopian books I’ve read.
I think the only thing that I really thought needed work was the story went by so fast at time almost rushed. For a girl who trusts no one she falls for a guy in 3 days but other than that it was a wonderful read and I hope there is more to come.
August 13, 2012
This was a very different dystopian about a world that is no longer warm and bright but instead frozen and almost colorless.
Cressenda's world is in an ice age and the human and animal population are almost extinct. No longer do people get married for love but rather they are Matched based on their genetic abilities to bring strong healthy offspring into the world.
Those who wished to escape the fate of being in a loveless life ruled by the Affinity are known as Outliers and they must face the harsh cold world on their own in the tundra. If they are caught they are imprisoned in camps.
Cressenda has been on the run for more than 10 years when she meets a soldier of the Affinity who helps her from being caught by other soldiers and when their two lives are thrown together, everything changes.
Although this was a pretty short read it was a fun one. I really enjoyed the world that Blume created, it wasn't all harsh and cold as it first appeared. Love still existed and was very much real.
I love the whole love conquers all theme.
Overall this was a fun read with some steamy romance scenes.
I give this one 3.5 Stars!
Cressenda's world is in an ice age and the human and animal population are almost extinct. No longer do people get married for love but rather they are Matched based on their genetic abilities to bring strong healthy offspring into the world.
Those who wished to escape the fate of being in a loveless life ruled by the Affinity are known as Outliers and they must face the harsh cold world on their own in the tundra. If they are caught they are imprisoned in camps.
Cressenda has been on the run for more than 10 years when she meets a soldier of the Affinity who helps her from being caught by other soldiers and when their two lives are thrown together, everything changes.
Although this was a pretty short read it was a fun one. I really enjoyed the world that Blume created, it wasn't all harsh and cold as it first appeared. Love still existed and was very much real.
I love the whole love conquers all theme.
Overall this was a fun read with some steamy romance scenes.
I give this one 3.5 Stars!
October 29, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the idea behind it...a world covered in snow and ice, I loved Cressenda and her determination, and I really loved watching her and Beckett's relationship grow (especially the steamy love scenes) I really hope to have a follow up book, or even a prequel though because I feel like I needed more....and that is the only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. I wanted more back story as to HOW the world came to be what it is in the story, how the Affinity came to be, and what is a holo tab?? I loved the story and I wanted it to go on just a little longer, not because it was not well written but because it is going to be one of those stories that I continue to think about now that I am done with it. It is a very fast read and I think I needed just a little more time in that cabin with Cressenda and Beckett! Overall fantastic first book from Annabelle Blume and I really hope to see more from this world she has created!
August 21, 2012
My Thoughts:
Annabelle Blume has created a cold, hard, lonely world for Cressenda and Beckett. Cold, hard and lonely on a variety of levels. The world has changed and they live in an ice-age. The government has created an existence that would challenge the hardiest of people. It is in this world that both Cressenda and Becket live, one on each side of the rules. Each of them believing that they are doing the best they can to live as free as possible.
The characters are dramatic and desperate. We are introduced only to a few people, but they all seem to live on the edge of despair and longing for a better life. The struggles they face are profound and we live them through the words.
This is a heartfelt story of what it means to live free. Reading this story leaves the reader wondering what is freedom, what would you give or do for love, and what would you be willing to do or do without to ensure your freedom and happiness.
Annabelle Blume has created a cold, hard, lonely world for Cressenda and Beckett. Cold, hard and lonely on a variety of levels. The world has changed and they live in an ice-age. The government has created an existence that would challenge the hardiest of people. It is in this world that both Cressenda and Becket live, one on each side of the rules. Each of them believing that they are doing the best they can to live as free as possible.
The characters are dramatic and desperate. We are introduced only to a few people, but they all seem to live on the edge of despair and longing for a better life. The struggles they face are profound and we live them through the words.
This is a heartfelt story of what it means to live free. Reading this story leaves the reader wondering what is freedom, what would you give or do for love, and what would you be willing to do or do without to ensure your freedom and happiness.
November 12, 2012
Frozen Heart drops readers in a unique world from anything we have ever known. Without much detail I was not certain whether this was supposed to be a imaginative world, or if this was supposed to be a futuristic novel. Either way this did not hinder the understanding of this story, and it was an excited read. Crassandra was a independent and strong character. I was impressed with the drive and determination; while living a life of almost complete solitude. The romance that entails was bitter sweet. While not entirely realistic it was easy to let this story carry you away in a cloud of hope. Being so short it proves fast and easy. It was a very nice display of talent from Annabelle Blume, and it leaves me curious if what we will see next from this author.
October 31, 2014
Type and Source of Book:
Paperback won in a Goodreads giveaway!
Thoughts:
Despite being a short book, the story captivated me instantly with the first scenes of Cressenda's world trying to live in the winter in the wild. Her relationship with her dogs, Tonk and Tilo, was so sweet and her quick ability to stitch and tend to a wound one of them gets really showed how capable Cressenda is. Meeting Beckett, the guard, offers her a glimpse of the "other" life she could have - and again, despite their interaction lasting a brief amount of time, the author does a brilliant job of absorbing the reader into the book. Good story.
Paperback won in a Goodreads giveaway!
Thoughts:
Despite being a short book, the story captivated me instantly with the first scenes of Cressenda's world trying to live in the winter in the wild. Her relationship with her dogs, Tonk and Tilo, was so sweet and her quick ability to stitch and tend to a wound one of them gets really showed how capable Cressenda is. Meeting Beckett, the guard, offers her a glimpse of the "other" life she could have - and again, despite their interaction lasting a brief amount of time, the author does a brilliant job of absorbing the reader into the book. Good story.
May 25, 2013
This is a short and sweet post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Romance. It's non-techy, non-explicit, romantic with good worldbuilding and comfortable engaging characters, even the dogs.
I really enjoyed this story and wish it had been longer, not because anything was missing but because I want to know more. It did end a tad abruptly, but I kind of felt it coming.
It was well-written and well-edited. I only saw one typo and it was a transposition of words. The prose was lyrical for me and I loved the dogs.
Altogether this is a terrific short story.
I really enjoyed this story and wish it had been longer, not because anything was missing but because I want to know more. It did end a tad abruptly, but I kind of felt it coming.
It was well-written and well-edited. I only saw one typo and it was a transposition of words. The prose was lyrical for me and I loved the dogs.
Altogether this is a terrific short story.
March 30, 2013
Blume's frozen landscape is as beautiful as it is harsh. This novella was an engaging read that left me needing more. Cressie's parents taught her survivalist skills so that she could escape a loveless, genetically compatible match. In Cressie's world, mankind has destroyed itself and the dictatorship known as The Affinity rules with an iron fist.She finds an unexpected love in Beckett, a Guard, and the two decide to risk everything to be together. Looking forward to the next book.
October 26, 2015
Iam not sure how this book got so many 4 plus stars it was boaring really ill sum it up she loves her dogs ( no problem there every one dose) but 80% of the book revolve around them and her traveling to the place she hates , the book was honistly for a DNF I didn't see any romance in this book at all just because she spend 3 days at his cabin ( arrives late on day 1 has hanky panky day 2 and leaves on day 3 morning ) and she's in love I didn't like it
August 9, 2012
I read this last night and gave myself time to digest it. And it was delicious!!! Artistically written, with a very real grasp of emotion (especially regarding Cressie's pack) and the ability to express it fluidly. The story grabbed a hold of me and still hasn't let me go. I'm hoping for many more adventures from AB.
August 29, 2012
I loved every single moment of this beautifully written story, except for the last two words - The End. It is a heart warming tale of love found under the most unexpected circumstances and I sincerely hope this author continues on with Cressenda's story.
June 18, 2014
Lovely.
Short, no fuss, no muss, just two extremely lonely people.
Sure, more detail would have been better and I did feel that sometimes the writing was a bit unclear and clumsy but I really enjoyed this story.
Short, no fuss, no muss, just two extremely lonely people.
Sure, more detail would have been better and I did feel that sometimes the writing was a bit unclear and clumsy but I really enjoyed this story.
October 4, 2012
Reminded me a bit of Clan of the Cavebear.
March 5, 2015
I loved this book! I've read it so many times and each time its still amazing! You really need to read this book!
April 20, 2014
Short with not much world building. Enjoyable though.
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