Crimson Frost

Mythos Academy #4

by Jennifer Estep

For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes--the most hideous face I'd ever seen. No matter how hard I tried to forget what had happened, I saw him everywhere I went. It was Loki--the evil god that I'd helped set free against my will.

I should have known that my first official date with Logan Quinn was destined to end in disaster. If we'd gotten into a swordfight, or been ambushed by Reapers, I'd have been more prepared. But getting arrested mid-sip at the local coffee hangout? I didn't see that one coming. I've been accused of purposely helping the Reapers free Loki from his prison--and the person leading the charge against me is Linus Quinn, Logan's dad. The worst part is that pretty much everyone at Mythos Academy thinks I'm guilty. If I'm going to get out of this mess alive, I'll have to do it myself. . .

"An amazingly addictive new series."--Fresh Fiction

Praise for the Mythos Academy series

"Kiss of Frost has just as much ass-kicking as the first book in the series." --Good Choice Reading

"Lots of twists and turns and a surprise ending will leave the reader breathless!" --RT Book Reviews on Kiss of Frost, 4 Stars

"A great start to a new young adult paranormal series." --Night Owl Reviews on Touch of Frost

"It has literally mystery, romance, mythology, boarding schools. What could be better?" --Simply Nerdy Book Reviews on Touch of Frost

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Magic

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 24, 2012

About the author

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferEstep.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-....

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Happy reading, everyone! 😎

Reviews

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Headdesk Alert!

Next to him, I pretty much faded into the background. The most interesting thing about my wavy brown hair was how frizzy it was today. You might look twice at my eyes, which were an unusual shade of violet, but the only thing special about me was the necklace I wore.

STOP IT, Jennifer Estep. I'm begging you. We're on book 4 now. Gwen's self-judgment isn't even in the realm of 'oh, it's kind of endearing to see how normal and self-conscious she is' anymore. By now, it's crossed over into the realm of straight-up annoying.

Moving on. Now that I got the little vent off my chest, I am ready to proceed with the rest of my happy review.

Crimson Frost took the tension up yet another notch. I honestly didn't see how Logan and Gwen's situation was going to keep from going stale, but this story brought it. I can't divulge any big details, but I will congratulate Estep for figuring out how to shake things up without adding a blasted love triangle. Well played, author. Well Played.

Between the addition of a new dark, brooding, Russian guardian-type named Alexei (those of you who know of my obsession know that this is an immediate win in my book), as well as the expansion on the "evil" side of the food chain, there were plenty of new people to help handle the adventures this crew got into.

The props are getting even better. Not that anything will ever top Vic the talking sword, but I was into the ideas behind the protective gryphon statues and snakes who could inject a venom which worked as a poisonous truth serum. The magic bag of tricks keeps expanding in such a fun way. I love how there's new twists and turns around every corner!

The showdown scene at the end was epic. I foresee future books playing to our emotions, but in that torturous kind of way that's actually good because it gets you involved in what's going on. Everything has changed and no one is immune to the fallout. This kind of thing makes me want to stay tuned.

I love these characters. Still. I'm seriously vibing on Nickamedes right now. No need to rehash, but when the story and the characters are both working in my favor, I am less likely to complain loudly about the weak areas (the repetitiveness of details is and will probably always be an issue with this author from what I can see). The good more than outweighs even the "headdesk" bad moments (still confused over why so many characters have 'purplish' eyes?).

"I know that look. What are you up to, Gwen?"
"What makes you think I'm up to something?"
The Valkyrie snorted. "You're breathing, aren't you?"

I'm happy that this series doesn't seem to take forever between installments because I will be anxiously awaiting book 5!

This book was provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Darlalala · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEFORE READING:
Crimson is the color of blood, right? uh oh.
Oh it has a cover! The necklace is so pretty :)

AFTER READING:
Oh there was a LOT of blood involved, all right. Even Gwen's. Who do you think hurt Gwen? Dun dun dun.. Nope I am not going to spoil it but what the frak I wasn't expecting that! Another round of applause for Ms. Estep
I like Crimson Frost because Gwen can actually kick some serious butt in here like a real Champion does. Although she still needs her friends' help, she can hold her own even while fighting the greatest warrior at Mythos. Oh who could that be?

Moving on, the addition of Alexei is cool. I kinda like him although it took a little more time for me to warm up to him. Also, a new kind of warrior was introduced. A Bogatyr. Wait did I spell it right? Well it sounds like that so yeah.
And Oliver! He's so adorable! He's like Kurt Hummel from Glee. With awesome fighting spartan skills.

Logan and Gwen : They’re official! When Logan called Gwen his ‘girlfriend’ I was squealing like a little schmuck . Then they have a couple of makeout moments which are not racy at all!

Moreover, Ms. Estep let us have a peek at the Fresco and Gwen’s mission in the next book involves the images contained in such Fresco. It serves as a guideline or map or something. So yeah, awesome.

What I dint like: :
Gwen’s monologues! Dang they were dragging. Mostly they’re just things she’d been monologuing (excuse me for lack of proper word) since book 1. How the menu is so high end blah blah blah. We’re in book 4, we already know that.

Gwen calling Logan “Spartan” as if he doesn't have a name.

That’s it! I love it especially at the end where all shit hit the fan. Fight scene was wonderful! Gwen is a proof that winning a fight does not depend on brute force alone and the opponent need not be killed.

[Emily Elizabeth]

Is it January yet?!

ETA: NEW DATE!
December 24, 2012 - Merry Christmas!

[Experiment BL626 · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my review of book 3, I declared that the series officially sucked. Crimson Frost is book 4, and I expected that suckiness to continue. And it did for the first half of the book, and then OMG... it actually turned — sssh, careful I don’t want to scare away this feeling — *whisper* it actually turned things around and got GOOD! You read that right, good. G-O-O-D! Say it loud, say it proud. Goooood!

The first half of the book

The last book was so bad it crushed my motivation, despite my friend’s encouragement, to read the next book, Crimson Frost. I would pick up Crimson Frost, read a page, immediately put it down, and read another book. It was only because I was really bored and resolved to clear my NetGalley reviews queue that I finally scrounged up some ugly clump of motivation to read Crimson Frost.

OMFG was the first half of the book aggravating. It was bad enough that Gwen was a pathetic excuse of a heroine, but when the Protectorate, the magical government, finally deigned to show up they turned out to be a pathetic excuse of a law organization. Where the fuck were these people in book 1? I could forgive their absence in about book 1 because nobody knew how bad things were going to go. But then what about book 2? And book fucking 3? Where. Were. They? End-of-the-world terrorists have hit the school and tried to kill a bunch of students, particularly Gwen, especially Gwen, Multiple fucking Times and you don’t even send at least an investigator?

When they finally show up in book 4, they arrested Gwen and announced to the entire school that she was a suspected Reaper. They openly and loudly accused her of belonging to those end-of-the-world terrorists who have been terrorizing the students and their families since forever. You know, those people who murdered their loved ones, sometimes right in front of their faces, making for some traumatic memories and shit. What the ever lovely fucking hell? Let me break it down by the number of how WRONG what happened there:

+ 5 reasons to rage

1) Gwen was already an outcast at the school. The Protectorate just effectively cemented her social status. What is with Young Adult fictions’ irrational and perpetual desire to ostracize their protagonist? For fuck’s sake, Gwen was already a special snowflake. Making her out to be like Jesus is over the top.

2) Gwen is a minor. Shouldn’t there be some laws protecting minor’s identity in an on-going investigation? Not to mention the preclusion of a death sentence if she is found guilty. Do the Protectorate simply not give a shit if the accused is a child or an adult? So many ethical issues there that I was shocked to stupor.

3) How is announcing Gwen is a suspected Reaper to the entire school going to help the investigation? What fucked up law enforcement protocols were the Protectorate following? Is suffering your peers’ homicidal rage part of the punishment for being accused? Do the Protectorate believe guilty until proven innocent? Was the Protectorate so primitive in the science of law enforcement that they have no idea that a secret investigation would make the process go faster, smoother, and more productive? How the hell have these people managed to conceal the magical world from the humans all this time?

4) Recall that Gwen is a special snowflake, particularly that she is Nike’s Champion. Nike is the Greek goddess of Victory, and out of all the deities across the world she is the only one who defeated Loki. Yeah, I’m pretty sure a Champion wouldn’t be a Reaper, especially not a Nike’s Champion. By pretty sure, I mean absolutely sure if the sarcasm was too subtle there. If being Nike’s Champion is not a sign of innocence, that Gwen is the chosen one to defeat Loki once and for all, I don’t know what is. Admittedly, I could understand why the Protectorate would need proof but the fact that Vic the talking sword, which only a Nike’s Champion can wield, is in Gwen’s possession should have been all the proof that they needed.

5) Speaking of Nike, helloooooo! Your Champion is in fucking trouble. Some serious fucking trouble. What the hell are you currently doing that you can’t make an appearance for a few seconds and tell it straight to the Protectorate that Gwen is innocent? I get the trial by fire, adversity builds strength and character, blah blah blah, but this was unnecessary. Nike is not doing herself a favor by having someone she picked as Champion die by the hands of people that are supposed to be on her side. You do not endear your followers by treating them like diapers; you’re supposed to be the good guys. Honestly, I’m beginning to become racist against the deities and think Loki is not the only one who needs to be done away with once and for all.

In sum, for the first half of the book, Gwen sucked. The Protectorate sucked. Last but not least, Logan should quit calling Gwen “Gypsy girl” because it’s not endearing; it’s aggravating. Use her fucking name, Logan. Her name is Gwen; use her fucking name.

The last half of the book

I did not expect the last half to be good, but it was. Shy of great as a matter of fact. I loved that Gwen took action of her own initiative to rescue herself, that she was not going to let herself become a Joan of Arc repeat. She investigated. She acted with caution unlike the last book where she did not whatsoever and ended up being like one of those characters from a teenage horror movie who you yell at for being a dumbass and give little pity when they inevitably die due to their dumbassness. Though there were moments when she wanted to pull a Lone Hero act, she thankfully did not and trusted her friends to help her investigate, provide backup in battles, etc.

There was teamwork. There was fucking teamwork. Hallelujah! You don’t know how rare it is for a YA protagonist to work in teams out of their own free will, who depend on their friends, who don’t wait till the end when things are desperate and bad to finally accept some goddamn help when the protagonist realizes that their special snowflake status ain’t gonna save the day. Gwen was actually honest and cooperative with her friends from the start of troubles.

Moreover, Gwen was finally kicking some ass. Okay, I admit it was illogical how she suddenly turned from an amateur warrior to a competent one who was on equal footings with the Reapers who have been warriors their entire lives. She hasn’t mastered her powers whereas the other Reapers have yet she was able to kick their asses. However, at this point I’ll take what I can get. Gwen had her ass kicked book 1 through 3; it’s wearisome and pathetic. The heroine’s fighting skills were based on cracked logic in book 4, but at this point I’ll accept it, embrace it even, if it meant not having the heroine be the bad guys’ favorite punching bag.

+ my favorite scene

I actually have a favorite scene in the series now, I kid you not. It is the scene when Gwen and Logan were battling to death at the end. Gwen have been through a couple of near-death events now, but this one I finally felt all the feelings. I finally felt enough to be wowed.

In Conclusion

I rate Crimson Frost 3-stars for I liked it. Series, you have achieved redemption. Don’t fuck it up.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I think that this series seems to get better and better with each book. As this book opens, Gwen is finally out on a date with Logan when she is taken into custody to stand trial for letting Loki go. Of course, she is innocent but will she be able to prove that to everyone else? I was glued to my headphones eager to see how things would work out for Gwen.

I was pretty worried about Gwen in this book since the odds really seemed to be against her. To make matters worse, the leader of the crew putting her on trial is none other than Logan’s father along with his stepmother. She has a guard assigned to her but is allowed to go to classes until the trial is over and she is not treated well by the other Mythos Academy students. There are some pretty big revelations in this book along with a mystery that kept me guessing. I love the fact that this book is full of action but still focuses on the friendships between this group of students.

Tara Sands continues to do a fabulous job with the narration of this series. I really enjoy the various character voices that she uses which helps to pull me into the story. I think that she has a very pleasant voice that is easy to listen to for hours at a time. I am confident that her narration added to my enjoyment of this book.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. This is the fourth book in the Mythos Academy series which I would definitely recommend reading in order since each book builds on the events from previous books. This book had everything that I was looking for and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.

Initial Thoughts
I really enjoyed this audiobook! Gwen is on trial for setting Loki free. Of course, she is innocent but the question is how can she prove that to everyone else? Some of the students at Mythos Academy are harassing Gwen and things look pretty dire. I enjoyed watching Gwen and her friends figure out how to save the day once again.

Book source: Purchased

[Lina Lovegood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wieder sehr gut, deshalb 4,5 Sterne

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay okay okay, ich muss zugeben, den Plottwist am Anfang habe ich wirklich nicht kommen sehen, aber ich fand alles was damit einherging unglaublich spannend! Die ganze Dynamik, die sich dadurch in dem Buch ergeben hat und einfach die Spannung und das Mitfiebern haben mir unglaublich gut gefallen, ich hätte echt nicht damit gerechnet, dass mich die Reihe noch so sehr überraschen kann! Ich liebe alles an der Reihe und habe die Charaktere sehr in mein Herz geschlossen. Und ratet was ich als nächstes lese? Es gibt nur eine richtige Antwort!

[Μαρία Γεωργοπούλου · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I read the last book, Dark Frost, and even longer still since I read the first two at the frenetic insistence of a super fan (you know who you are), but, for a couple of reasons, I’ve always thought of the Mythos Academy series as dumb fun, not great but not unenjoyable either. Crimson Frost though, I think this series has finally found its stride - this is the first book that hasn’t gotten just a lukewarm reaction from me, because, let’s face it, the best book in the series so far deserves way more than just that.

Why? Because now with Loki on the loose and the fate of the world at stake, Jennifer Estep has really upped the ante - and it shows. The first book was really just a murder mystery, granted a murder mystery at a super special boarding school, but still a murder mystery, and the following books, while building up new stories on top of that, really didn’t start off by immediately putting Gwen in a tough situation like she gets into within the first chapter of Crimson Frost. This is a book that really forces Gwen to be on her toes the entire time - from the second she’s arrested and accused of helping Loki, she has to focus on proving her innocence and then stopping Loki, and I really appreciate that focus not only because it gives her way less time to neurose over the social ins and outs of Mythos Academy, the kind of stuff that dragged in the other books, but also because it really helped improve the overall flow of the story with far fewer interruptions. (Don’t worry, she still has plenty of scenes with Logan though, although he still apparently wears blue, weirdly enough.)

I’ve said before one of the unique things about this series is the supporting characters, particularly Daphne, because Gwen and Daphne are such different characters it’s really cool to see two friends like that. Sure, there’s a huge focus on Gwen because of the nature of the plot so there’s not as much focus on Daphne and Gwen’s other friends as I'd like, but even though I’m not sure how believable it is that almost the entire student body turns on Gwen the moment she’s accused of being a Reaper (sure, she hasn’t been popular to begin with, but that is some major hate) or that an accused Reaper would be allowed to wander around the campus like Gwen is, Daphne and Gwen’s other friends show up more than enough that their response to the accusations only makes the whole group seem even more awesome. And not just Daphne or Oliver or Carson or Vic who’s still the coolest weapon around, but even longtime characters like Morgan McDougall, Estep sure has a way of surprising me through even the most seemingly minor characters, she really stepped it up from the earlier books.

I wasn’t surprised by the overall plot - with Vivian Holler, Loki’s Champion still out there and up to no good, it’s easy to guess who’s behind Gwen’s troubles, but Estep adds enough twists and turns that’s it’s not immediately obvious what Vivian’s and Loki’s game is exactly, so part of Gwen being on her toes is actually showing off her street smarts by figuring out their exact scheme. It goes without saying Gwen’s not the same kind of clueless investigator she’s been in the past, she’s able to connect the dots as well as anybody given what she knows, and then pass it to a group she trusts, so even though it feels like things are only getting started, it also feels like everything’s really coming together, especially the ending. (Oh, and unlike the previous books, remember not to skip the bonus materials at the end, let's just say there's a very important letter in there.)

That doesn’t mean my criticisms of Dark Frost have all gone away though; something about Gwen’s tendency for long internal monologues with the same descriptions, rehashy explanations of old plots, and shallow and pretty generic explanations of the mythology for the fourth book in a row still bothers me and gives me the impression that the books are kind of ‘dumbed down’ with the story being told (by Gwen) instead of really being shown. But I think I can finally see why the Mythos Academy books have been so well received in certain quarters, I might criticize but I have to admit Jennifer Estep’s writing is also what makes these books so accessible. Maybe I’m just now getting used to it, but I think I’m finally appreciating that these are the elements that make these books one of the easiest paranormal fantasy series to dive into (or dive into again, in my case), everything’s explained right there. And for once, besides Gwen’s introductions of the myth setting that’s probably the same word for word book to book, I did see some pretty unique research too, a few well placed explanations on placards and name drops from Maat and Apate that, bottom line, helps the mythology fit into the story way better than it has in the past.

So. Best book so far? I definitely think so. Especially since I'm gonna have to take back a lot of what I've said about the previous books. What the hell, 4 stars.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 stars for the first half and 4 stars for the second half.

I'm not sure if it's because I read the first three books back-to-back, but I am really struggling with this one.

The first third was about everyone wrongly accusing Gwen of being Loki's Champion and causing all this trouble, and she kind of wallowed in self-pity about how unfair it was, yet, she did nothing and didn't even really try to speak out to defend herself. What happened to the no-nonsense girl that put up with Logan and all that crap thrown at her before? It frustrated me, and it annoyed me.

A third of the way through, finally, there was something going on, but it was the exact same thing - and attack in the library where an artifact was stolen.

And I think I remember her doing this before, but I'm getting a bit annoyed with people being referenced as "the Spartan" or Valkyrie or Amazon or etc. I understand that Logan calls Gwen "Gypsy Girl" as a nickname, but the first-person narration constantly distinguishes the kind - almost to the point of discrimination, but not really? I don't know, it's starting to get to me.

It also didn't help that the reason I liked the other books so much was because I got to know Gwen's friends. They were a good support system for her, and in this book, the only character that was slightly highlighted was Alexei, but he was so stoic of a character, that it was really hard to get much on him. I just wish there was more of Logan or Daphne or Oliver.

The last third of the book was when the story started to pick up - becoming more of the series that I had enjoyed so much. It wasn't hard to figure out who the Reaper of Chaos was and who was behind everything. When things seem too easy or too convenient, that is the time to get suspicious.

But that was when Gwen returned to being the determined character I liked all along - and her thoughts went from thinking things were unfair to actually doing something about it. Instead of being frustrated with her, I started admiring her again for the tough decisions she had to make.

It was also when I was able to get more of the meat of the story - who was involved, why, the meaning of the artifacts, the explanation of the background that lead up to that moment and how everything began to fit together. And of course, the action.

Once again, Estep has created a great story involving the battle between the two gods and the champions serving them, using the mythical tools available to them. I just wish the whole book had been more about that than how unfair it was that Gwen had been blamed for everything.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well!!!! Another fantastic installment from the brilliant Jennifer Estep!!!

Gwen Frost is fighting for her life in this book, right from the beginning it is a "Bloody Hell" wrapped up in "Seriously?" and "FFs"!!!

My heart went out to Gwen in this book, she struggles to clear her name throughout as the Reapers close in to create another Chaos War. Right by her side, as always, are her friends Daphne and Carson, Oliver and Kenzie - and another joins in the group - eventually!

I loved the story, loved hating some new characters and as always, loved the way Gwen and Logan are becoming closer... What I didn't expect was the way the book ended and it just makes me want to quickly pick up the next one and find out what happens.... NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NOW!!! I find myself in the 'waiting game', patiently waiting for the next installment... I really can't wait, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!!!

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cover & Title - 4 out of 5
Favorite character - Gwen

I love this series so much, i could not wait to read this. I actually did a little dance when i got the ARC!
Was i disappointed? Hell no, exactly the writing and level i was expecting!
This author, wow, words fail me. She manages to pull me into a story so that i actually feel i am part of it. I am ducking when gwen ducks, cringing when gwen does! I was completely connected to everything that was happening.

This is a fantastic book, a great addition to the series, i would recommend this to everyone and anyone!

[Colleen Houck]

Another great read. If you're into mythology, mystery, and mayhem, then this is the series for you. Really like how the series is coming together. Also like the new characters. On to the next one.

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's fucking Christmas Eve and I'm thinking that I'll die becouse of books. I'll have a stroke or something could you belive that I'm reading a book and not singing carols or eating dinner with family? I'm so fucked up I cried at the end of this book! Gosh, I think I need appointent with shrink. I was even picturing how this one could go.

Doctor: "What's your problem, hon?"
Me: "I like to read books"
Doctor (looking at me astonished): "And what's wrong with it, hon? Reading is good entertainment"
Me: "I read a lot"
Doctor: "I still don't see a problem"
Me: "I prefer reading than living"
Doctor: "huh. I feel confession is coming"
Me: "I don't have a social life becouse I read, I have fictional boyfriends and belive in magic. I actually cried when I reached eleven years old and didn't get a letter from Hogwart, when I was fourteen I used to sleep with open window waiting for Edward to come get me. But you know what it did not happened! DIDN'T. And now I'm crying like a bitch coz Logan left Gwen and it doesn't mean he'll be mine !!!!! Do you see a problem?
Doctor: Yes, now I see. Patrycja I can see a lot of more appointments coming, will be talking in early future.
Me: "No shit Sherlock"


So, yeah I'm mental, but I still think Crimson Frost is way much better than holidays!

[Lei · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my freak god they need to jst release the freking book already i can NOT wait another week let alone a few months and i read the review and i as stunned honestly shocked staring at the screen and yeling WHY to the gods of book releases then i really got up and hit my head repeatedlyagainst the wall. they tell you that logans dad is arresting gwen and then they just say...oh sorry you can't read the rest you'll jjust have to wait a few months so sorry, i want to strangle someone. other than that i though all the other books were really good and i am stll really mad that crimson fost won't be out for anothr few months i know i need to stop ranting but i mean really you just expect me to just let the release date go and say oh i i'll just sit and waut like a good little girl. you have got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!! other than that i can't wait to see what happens next in crimson frost. but i almost forgot....i didn't like how in the book the only part you can read the guys come and they arrest her or are at least aabout to...but where is logan in all of this. i mean really a person would think that your freaking girlfriend getting freaking arrested was more important than some stupid spill on some stupid shirt. !!!!!!! but i am really looking forward to crimson frost xD

[Gabrielle Viszs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je ne savais pas si j’allais continuer la série, parce que je dois bien avouer que j’avais eu un peu de mal avec le deuxième et le troisième. D’ailleurs ce livre, c’est une de mes amies qui me l’a prêté (d’où les photos différentes de ce que je fais habituellement, mdr). J’ai hésité avant de l’entamer et je dois admettre qu’elle a bien fait de me pousser. Dans ce quatrième tome, après quelques péripéties des précédents récits (des combats à mort), nous retrouvons Gwen qui a un rendez-vous galant avec Logan, sauf qu’il ne se passe pas du tout comme elle l’aurait souhaité. Après la gaffe de la boisson renversée sur le pantalon, elle se retrouve en pleine ligne de mire de toutes les personnes qui sont dans le café pour une raison : elle se fait arrêter par le Protectorat, une police particulière pour les personnes comme Gwen (magie et compagnie). Et pas de bol, pour combler le tout, papa Logan fait partie des hommes qui sont venus la récupérer. ET le summum ? Oui, parce qu’il faut bien encore cumuler un peu tout cela, elle se retrouve au banc des accusés devant toute l’école par ces mêmes personnes qui la montrent du doigt, comme une tueuse, une criminelle, une moins que rien, bref une partisante de Loki ! Bah voyons, comme si le lecteur ne savait pas que c’est faux, mais pour les élèves, le doute s’installe. Et ce doute, c’est ce qui va faire beaucoup de mal à Gwen.


Elle a ses amis certes qui la croit innocente de tout ce qui lui est reproché par une personne cachée dans l’ombre (mais si vous avez lu les précédents, vous saurez sans avoir le nom de ce personnage) mais le reste de l’académie va la voir comme l’ennemi public numéro 1. Cela va au-delà du harcèlement, parce que les élèves vont la voir comme celle à abattre, celle qui faut nuire et faire disparaître. Chacun d’entre eux ou presque a perdu un être cher dans ce qui est une immense guerre contre Loki, alors si les adultes responsables la montrent du doigt, c’est qu’elle n’est pas innocente, pas vrai ? Dans ce tome on parle beaucoup de harcèlement aussi bien entre les élèves que la manière de faire des adultes qui sont soi-disant responsables. Normalement, on ne montre pas du doigt une personne tant que les preuves ne sont pas formelles, pas vrai ? Alors ici c’est tout le contraire, nous avons des hommes et femmes qui n’hésitent pas à dire le pourquoi Gwen est arrêtée sans possibilité de répondre. Très sympathique et c’est là que cela fait mal. Dans ce lot, nous avons le père de Logan et plus nous avançons, plus nous comprenons certains points sur le fait qu’il n’aime pas certaines personnes dont Gwen. Et d’ailleurs son opinion n’intéresse que certains élèves qui n’attendaient que cela : pouvoir lui jeter les pires horreurs voire la maltraiter physiquement. Bien entendu elle a ses amis qui sont présents, mais pas h24, ce qui est parfois un avantage et une malédiction.

Une haine qui enfle et rend la vie impossible à Gwen qui va avoir malgré tout un espoir : celle des visions de sa grand-mère qui semble lui apporter une fin heureuse, mais à quel prix... Un prix difficile aussi bien pour elle que pour Daphné, Logan, Oliver et tous ceux qui l'entourent dans le bon sens. Être capable de faire don de sa vie n'est pas donné à tout le monde et en avoir juste l'intention peut faire des ravages. La championne de Nike n'a qu'à faire attention et surtout elle va enfin ouvrir les yeux sur les gens qui l'entourent parce que le mal est partout et il est bien plus près qu'elle ne peut le croire. La surprise ne l'a pas été pour ma part, à savoir je voyais déjà venir l'un des grands méchants de ce tome, par contre celle qui va avec cette surprise, je ne m'y attendais pas le moins du monde. C'était fourbe, inattendu et surtout prémédité depuis si longtemps... Pour un Dieu quelques années ce n'est rien, mais avec la fin de ce tome, je peux vous assurer que Loki va devoir attendre encore un peu. Normal me diriez-vous sinon la série se terminerait dans un bain de sang... Enfin un peu plus que ce que nous avons eu jusque là.

Un quatrième tome qui redonne de l'action et plus de complots. Il montre les véritables sentiments des gens en cas d'obstacles et franchement certains ont vraiment dans la tête un petit pois... Le cauchemar de Gwen devient celui des autres avec ce que l'auteure avait prévu et la scène finale est très intense. Les faucheurs se cachent de moins en moins et montrent toute la ténacité et l'envie d'obtenir la "résurrection" de leur Dieu, pour une vengeance en somme. Les combats sont détaillés et la psychologie prend plus de place ici, surtout dans les ressentis de Gwen vis-à-vis de ce qu'elle subit. Elle a de bons appuis, mais malgré tout se sent seule et c'est compréhensible. Je pense que ce tome m'a particulièrement touchée, car je fais partie de ces adultes qui sont présents pour chaque cas de harcèlement dans mon établissement, alors je ressens ce qu'elle a ressenti. Le retour d'un vilain dans ce tome était couru d'avance et je dois dire que je suis déçue des adultes qui sont aveugles, sourds et butés ! Comme quoi nous n'avons pas la science infuse pas vrai ?

En conclusion, un tome qui apporte pas mal d'aspect plus psychologique. Le harcèlement sous toutes ses formes prend la place. Les ressentis sont plus forts et les combats toujours aussi impressionnants. Nous en apprenons plus sur la famille de Logan, du pourquoi son père est ainsi également. Et puis la fin ne justifie pas forcément les moyens, mais la fin de ce tome nous donne envie de savoir ce qui va vraiment arriver à Logan, Gwen et tous les autres, surtout qu'un nouveau a fait son apparition dans ce tome et il semble bien vouloir rester. N'empêche, c'est facile de bourrer le crâne des personnes sans avoir de vraies preuves, comme quoi la parole n'est pas suffisante, loin de là. Petite mention spéciale à Vic, je l'adore et j'aimerais bien connaître son histoire aussi. Affaire à suivre donc.

https://chroniqueslivresques.eklablog...

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick review:

Cover: New Girl?
Rating: PG-13
Thumbs Up: 3.5
Overall: By the end I’m pissed
Characters: Well Written
Plot: How to get out of a jam when your being railroaded
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Alexei

SUMMARY (50 words or less)
Yeah, I’m beginning to think that we are being strung along. Enough already with Logan. I’m annoyed. What kept me going was the promise of something happening. I mean the stars aligned. Yet again, nothing. Sigh, and Gwen continues not to figure things out when the hints are so clear.

For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:

http://mybookboyfriend.blogspot.com/2...

Audio Review
Tara Sands continues to do an great job.

[Keziah]

Yes!! I knew it wouldn't be a trilogy. It's just too good. I read the books in record time.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this the same cover model? Kinda doesn't look like the same one. (Yes, I'm one of those people who bugs out about these things. Don't judge me!)

4.25 stars. Review to follow.

[Anni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan<3 :D


Ich mag die Mythos Academy sehr gerne und das Cover ist einfach nur der Wahnsinn. Allerdings muss ich sagen, dass alles nach einem bestimmten Schema abläuft und meistens leider sehr vorrausschaubar war. Trotzdem ist der Schreibstil nach wie vor sehr gut, ich mag die Geschichte und die Charaktere!

4/5

[Elizabeth Drake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cover Impressions: This cover is kind of boring. We have Gwen's often mentioned violet eyes as a focal point but I am not a fan of the dragon? Griffin? in the background. I am also annoyed by the portrayal of her snowflake necklace. The description in the book is of a delicate diamond tipped snowflake - yet the one in the cover image looks like it was picked up at the dollar store.

The Gist: Still reeling from the escape of Loki and Gwen's brush with death at the hands of his reapers, her safe haven at Mythos Academy is shattered by the appearance of the Protectorate. Suddenly Gwen is being accused of the unthinkable and she must defend herself or face execution.

Review:
I read Crimson Frost right on the heels of finishing the first three books in this series. In the beginning, I cut Gwen quite a bit of slack. In series like these you often find a deeply flawed (and often annoying) main character whose experiences force her to grow as a person and gain some confidence in her abilities. However, Gwen just seemed to get more irritating as the books continued. I kept wanting her to grow up a little, but she never does. She is unable to piece together even the most obvious of clues and spends a lot of the book whining about her circumstances. She never stands up for her self and is incredibly self-centered. The other characters serve only to rescue Gwen, or to listen to her moan. Despite including several interesting mythologies, the only characters we really get to see in action are Spartans, Valkyries and, occasionally, Amazons. Why even bother mentioning the other types of warriors if you never plan to use them?

The plot itself is very predictable - partly because Gwen has to be beaten over the head with multiple clues before she will clue in to what is going on. I often found myself skimming pages because I had already figured out the plot twists and was waiting for Gwen to catch up. The action also ground to a halt every time that we came into contact with one of the villains. They seemed to all be suffering from some strange compulsion to spend pages explaining plans and facts that the reader has already figured out. It is almost like a satire of every action movie where the villain takes an inordinate amount of time to reveal every detail of his nefarious plot - except in the Mythos Academy novels, it isn't funny.

The first half of this book was dull and frustrating. Jennifer Estep is the queen of the re-cap. She feels the need to repeat (often in a very close to copy - paste fashion) nearly every detail from every book. I know what you are saying: but recapping is great for those who don't read the series back to back and yes, I agree. However, the repetition that bothers me is of innocuous points that do nothing to further the storyline. For example, in every single book she feels the need to remind me that the library is more hangout that place of work and that students go there to hook up, even going so far as to remind the reader that Gwen regularly finds condoms in the stacks. I DID NOT NEED TO READ THAT FOUR TIMES!

All of that being said, I think that I am mostly upset by this book because it has so much potential. The world that Estep has created is unique and interesting. I love novels that re-work and combine different mythologies. I enjoyed the side characters whenever they got a (brief) moment in the spotlight and sometimes found myself longing for the series to follow Daphne instead of Gwen. I also keep getting the feeling that this series is being stretched too thin. It could have been well developed and wrapped up within three or four books but, based on the plot progression thus far, is more likely to take nine or ten. Unfortunately, I think I will be getting off on this stop - that is, unless the next book promises more Logan and Daphne, less Gwen and some closure on a few underlying issues.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, talk of hooking up/sex
Violence: Swordplay, lots of death
Inappropriate Language: Whore, Slut, Bitch, Pissed, Ass
Substance Use/Abuse: underage drinking, talk of marijuana use.

[Amelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

ZUR AUFMACHUNG


Ich gebe es auf, was in die Titel und Cover hinein zu interpretieren und sage nur: Sieht schön aus und passt zum Rest. Und gefällt mir noch immer einfach 10 mal mehr als die Originalcover.

ZUM BUCH


Gwen Frost ist mal nicht der Liebling der Schule, sondern im Gegenteil, sie ist verhasst, verschmäht, bewacht und verachtet. Das war mal ein neuer Aspekt, der wie ich finde einen sehr gelungenen Konflikt geschaffen hat. Dass Logans Vater dabei die Fäden in der Hand hat, das macht die Sache für Gwen natürlich auch nicht besser. Und so stürzen wir uns in ein neues Abenteuer, in dem es mal nicht nur darum geht, die Schnitter des Chaos daran zu hindern, Loki zurückzuholen, sondern es steht auch Gwens Leben auf dem Spiel, da sie des Hochverrats angeklagt ist und dieser schließlich mit dem Tode bestraft wird...
Frostglut war wirklich nicht schlecht. Ich glaube jemand, der gerne so etwas wie in den vorangegangenen Bänden noch mal lesen möchte, der ist hiermit genau richtig, denn die Geschichte nimmt wieder an Fahrt auf und endet wie immer in einem großen Kampf um Leben und Tod. Und in diesem Teil haben mich die ganzen Wiederholungen auch deutlich weniger gestört als noch beim Vorgänger, vielleicht hatte das auch damit zu tun, dass deutlich mehr Zeit vergangen ist bis ich Teil vier gelesen habe als noch bei drei. Und das Ende... Dieses ENDE! Ich fand den Konflikt wirklich sehr gut gelungen und mich würde es wirklich interessieren, wie es da noch so weiter geht... Und ich mochte die neuen Charaktere, die vorkamen, auch unheimlich gern =) Dafür hat Jennifer Estep meiner Meinung nach wirklich ein Talent!
Leider, leider kommt da jetzt ein Aber. Aber für meinen Geschmack rutscht Jennifer Estep wie das bei so vielen Autoren, die sehr lange Reihen schreiben, in ein gewisses Schema ab, was mich mit der Zeit dann doch etwas stört. Immer dringt irgendjemand in die Schule ein und versucht etwas von dort zu entwenden und grundsätzlich immer entpuppt sich irgendeine der Figuren als Schnitter des Chaos. Übrigens jedes Mal eine, die bisher noch nicht vorgekommen ist.
Und auch dieses Mal wieder wusste ich vom ersten Moment an, wer es ist. Das war wirklich schade, weil ich glaube, dass es richtig episch geworden wäre, wenn es mal jemand ist, von dem man es nicht erwartet hätte. Eine der Figuren, die Gwen wirklich nahe stehen, jemand bei dem man so einen WAS ZUR HÖLLE- Moment erlebt. Auch war mir persönlich Gwens Verhalten etwas suspekt. Die ganze Schule stellt sich gegen sie, beschimpft sie, bedroht sie sogar und, als alles vorbei ist, ist sie noch nicht einmal wütend?! Ich wäre fuchsteufelswild und würde ins Mikro brüllen "Ich, die Verräterin musste euch mal wieder alle retten, weil ihr hirnlose Idioten seid! Vielleicht denkt ihr beim nächsten Mal ja vorher nach, bevor ihr eure einzige Hoffnung dumm anmacht!" Aber vielleicht ist das ja bloß Ausdruck meines schlechten Charakters, man weiß es nicht ;)

FAZIT


Schreibstil: 4,5 Herzen
Charaktere: 4 Herzen
Spannung: 4 Herzen
Emotionale Tiefe: 3,5 Herzen
Humor: 3,5 Herzen
Originalität: 2 Herzen

Eine Fortsetzung, die nicht schlechter war als die Vorgänger, aber nach dem gleichen Schema abgelaufen ist. Wen so etwas nicht stört, der wird das Buch sicher lieben, ich persönlich hätte mir aber auch mal Abwechslung gewünscht.

3,5 Herzen!

[Carin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Released on Christmas Eve, Gwen Frost’s newest adventure featured battles, love, betrayal, talking swords, plot twists, and a very small dog. While Crimson Frost is certainly the best book in the series, sadly I didn’t like the other books much at all.

The book features one Gwen Frost, a Gypsy (no not that kind) who has magic powers that let her see the memories and feelings attached to things people have touched. Gwen has many friends, all with their own powers, and they fight evil together.

The thing is, the book is well written in the sense of proper structure and the like and it has an engaging story arch, and really all the ingredients for a good book, but sadly it lacks something very important; depth to the characters. They have no personality! The cast goes as such; The witty lead, the pretty but tough besty, the cute nerd, the broody love interest, the evil one, the one-you-think-is-good-but-is-evil, the exasperated teacher, and a handful of more one dimensional characters that fail to invoke any sense of empathy.

The plot follows a beat that you could waltz to its so predictable, but is still interesting, and I did manage to get entertained for a bit. And it is true that the premise is interesting, but it all fails to excuse the horrible characters!

Let's just focus on Gwen; such care is put into describing the outfit of the day that I wish that the same care had been invested in to the wearer. Gwen seems to put much more care into making sure she has a new wisecrack, and less is put into solving the problems she faces. The girl must be brain damaged because I can accurately guess who the villain is and their whole evil scheme by the time that little Gwen is still chasing after her red herring.

I know that this is not what a lot of other book reviewers are saying about this book but this is my opinion, I felt it had the makings of a great story if the characters had more than the emotional depth of a puddle.
I received my copy of Crimson Frost from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my review of the first book, I said this was Percy Jackson for a slightly older crowd.

Now it's degenerated into Harry Potter for a slightly dumber crowd.

The one teacher who doesn't adore Harry/Gwen is holding a grudge left over from his own school day crushes. The benevolent headmaster/mistress is her extra special mentor. The cops of the myth/magic world hold a show trial for our protagonist. There are dark-robed baddies who worship a bad guy who is deformed.

But, unlike Riordan or Rowling, she doesn't really spend a lot of time developing her mythos. She leans heavily on a few basic ideas -- Spartans good at fighting! Amazons strong! -- and throws in mythology and that's it. The action scenes are intercut with long boring exposition paragraphs of dialog. It's not bad, per se, but the series has gone down hill a bit from popcorn books to.... stale, chewy, over-salted, sticky-with-butter popcorn books.

[Kristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the best books! i love how she played on logans and gwens feelings for each other and didnt just make them fall in love and be together at the start she dragged it on which in turn dragged me along because i wanted to know what happens in the end and because they have such good chemistry her her friends enimeies frenemies the creatures everything.

its an amazing read and i couldnt put the boook down i love the new concept and ideas in the book and how it was original and how she played with the readers emotions and made you string along because you cant put the book down its just that captivating!!!

i loved everything about it and cannot wait for this book to come out!

There is NO love triangle thank god but i love the relationships in the book!!

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fourth read: July 2016
Definitely my favorite book in the series, and it never seizes to amaze me just how freaking good it is!

Third read: February 2014

Second read: July 2013

First read: April 2013

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to be back with Gwen at Mythos Academy - I really missed this world. Lots are happening in Crimson Frost and Gwen as always is kicking ass. I will definitely continue with this series soon!

[Emalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the overall story if not for all the repetitions and the really long monologues by Gwen. I can't give it more than 3 stars, but I will definitely read - or listen, since I have the audio books - the next one in the series, because I want to know how the story will progress.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bisher der "schwächste" Band, aber immer noch gut. :D

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

With how bad I thought the previous book in the series was, I wasn't holding out much hope for this story. I have to say though, it surprised me!

With the Harry Potter-esque events of the previous book, I wasn't sure where things could go from here, but we end up with a very revealing plot that does much to showcase Gwen's growth as a character. Sure, she's still annoyingly self-judgemental, but she's on her own for much of this book, and that showcases her growth. She starts to actually believe in herself for this story, and the ultimate showdown at the end of this book shows her moral boundaries on her magic. I found it especially interesting overall, and am eager to read the next book in the series!