Frost & Shadows: The War of Miracles

by Jessie Vallée

Seventeen-year-old Emma has been on the run her whole life. Born Gifted, with a powerful connection to Winter, she has dedicated her life to avoiding the Institute, the worldwide organization that oversees all who are born Blessed with powers.

Separating the Gifted from their families, the Institute protects the world against Cursed creatures, those born with an insatiable hunger to devour the energy of all Gifted.

When Emma is forced to join the Institute, she's eager to test her warrior prowess but reluctant to use her power to defend an organization she's been taught to hate.

While patrolling the Institute borders, Emma encounters Dimitri, a young Cursed man unlike anyone she's ever met. Dimitri's full control of his hunger is not nearly as shocking as his unfathomable connection to her.

But when the Institute is attacked by mysterious forces, every long-held conviction and belief will need to be called into question, and its members must turn to those they have labeled as traitors to save them all. Can Emma prevent a war, or will the world fall to chaos?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

338 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2023

Reviews

[Israh Azizi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world in Frost and Shadows is vivid and well-written. I appreciated the descriptions of nature and animals. Emma is a passionate and resilient FMC. She is fully in tune with her powers from the beginning which is something rare that I’ve noticed. Usually characters have to learn to wield their powers but she is very adept at controlling hers. I liked her confidence and her dedication to her friends and loved ones is admirable. The rivalry between the Cursed and the Gifted fascinated me. I would love to learn more about the history between the two groups.

If you are a fan of Strong FMCs, the Found Family trope, and the Soulmate trope, definitely give this book a read.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought this one had a lot of promise and potential, but there were some things that didn’t quite work for me.
First, I wanted more world building and explanations. I wanted to see more of the magical creatures, and I wanted to see more of the different types of Gifts that people have. I liked the little bits of normal life in the Institute, but I wanted a bit more. I also wanted more explanations over the Cursed and the Gifted in general, as well as the soulmates bond. I felt like it was glanced over with minimal explanation, and it made it hard for me to fully get behind this plot point.
I also feel like the timeline could have been extended to really demonstrate the friendships developing between Emma, Aria, Jimmy, and Mirabel. Emma is only at the Institute for about a week but she’s already made these amazing friends whom she’s only talked with once or twice and they’re willing to sacrifice their lives for her. It needed more development for me to believe in the strength of these friendships. Especially considering Emma is wary of the Institute (supposedly).
I found Emma a strong character, but she was also a bit contradictory of herself at times. In the beginning she’s rushing to defend her mom, but then quickly flips to just going along with the Guardians because her mom asks her to. It felt strange, and it didn’t fit the character I’d begun to know.
I thought the bond between Emma and Dimitri was really interesting, and I liked that they could communicate telepathically. I thought it seemed a little insta-lovey, but it was also sweet.
The pacing was a bit off at times. In the beginning it was pretty slow, and I had to force myself to keep reading, but then it picked up a lot in the middle. I found the bit battle scene really well written, but I was a bit confused that this climactic moment came about with 60 pages still to go in a relatively short book. I also found the writing style easy to follow along with, and it definitely sucked me into the story. The descriptions of the setting were fantastic. There were some awkwardly formal phrases sometimes when people were talking with a strange mix of “I am” and “I’m” one sentence after another. I found Emma oddly formal at times, and it just threw me off.
Overall I thought this was a solid start to a fantasy series with a lot of potential. It reminded me of both The Mortal Instruments and Vampire Academy but it seemed a bit younger.

[bee 🍉 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frost and Shadows was such a fun ride to be on. I knew from the very first chapter that this was going to be a book and a universe that I was going to fall in love with.

The magic system was so cool and I found myself not wanting this book to end. It’s unbelievable the amount of thought and detail the author put into this.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’m going to have to wait for the second book now because I definitely need more and I’m excited to see what comes next in this series.

Thank you to Jessie Vallée for providing me with an ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emily | EMVZ.woodandbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Do you really think I need a scholar to tell me that? I already know that you are a perfect and rare Blessing. And I plan to always cherish you."

⚔️ Soulmates
⚔️ Insta-Love/Friendships
⚔️ Forbidden Love
⚔️ Grumpy x Sunshine
⚔️ Academic Setting
⚔️ Magic
⚔️ Found Love
⚔️ Strong FMC, 1st person POV

Fast, easy read. Great character dynamics. Emma and Dimitri relationship is well written.

Only wished it was more of a slow burn of romance and the friendships were built up over a longer period of time. Everything happens fast, especially once it picks up, which is good in some ways and others not so much.

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thank you to the author for an eARC copy. This is my honest opinion.

4.5 stars rounded up ✨️

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing audio book full of adventure, fights and friends. I loved Emma, the FMC, and how she found her calling as well as finding her soul mate. The story also has some political elements that the friends had to content with, which made it interesting to read.
I loved the author’s writing style, character development and also descriptions of their surroundings - not too much but just enough to make it fantastical and real.
Also loved the voice actress reading the book; great intonation so listening on high speed was easy!

I can’t wait for the next one.. at least I hope there’ll be one!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a creative, enduring story with an interesting magic system. If you like the trope - found family, soul mates and you also love magic - this is the book for you. Emma, is a strong female character and she only continued to improve. When she is given the chance to attend the Institute, a school for gifted, she can’t deny. But she isn’t quite prepared for all that comes next!

Honestly, this is a read that just made me feel all warm and tingly on the inside! The world created in this book was absolutely unique and captivating. I truly enjoyed this book, the writing had a nice flow throughout which kept me engaged. Read this book, it will not disappoint!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this earc of Frost and Shadows: The War of Miracles for an honest review!

Things I loved:
*unique magic system
* found family & friendships
* Emma and Dimitri's relationship
*grumpy x sunshine
* Emma's Winter gift and powers were giving me Frozen vibes ❄️

Great for fans of YA fantasy romance in an academic setting with beautiful scenery!❄️

[Emma Carnicom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fun, easy, action packed story with compelling characters. I adored the relationship between Emma and Dimitri and how their connection grew over the course of the story. This book took magic to a new level and blended it with the love of old tradition and made something new.

[Books.of.steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a great debut. It had so many key points to make it awesome: badass FMC, a supportive and caring MC, a premise I haven't seen done this particular way and what stood out the most to me was the writing. It was so well written and well versed it felt extremely refreshing compared to the some of the books I've read these past couple years. It was also fun to know the cities mentioned in the book and it made me connect with it more. This book had a fast pace, action packed scenes and good character development. If you like YA fantasy with lots of action, insta love/soulmate, magic and mystery this is definitely for you. Can't wait to see where this book will lead us in terms of series or if it'll stay a standalone.

[Dusti · Rating 4 out of 5]

You guys!!! The absolute chokehold this book would have had on teenage Dusti.
My lovely friend @jvalleeauthor sent me an ARC of Frost of Shadows: The War of Miracles and wow. It’s giving vampire academy while also being a completely new magic system and it’s in CANADA! The description of the animals and landscapes was incredible. I’m so proud of you Jessie and can’t wait to purchase a copy for my shelf!

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frost & Shadows: The War Of Miracles is a beautifully written fantasy novel set mainly in Northern Ontario, Canada. Emma Davis is a 17-year old girl who was born Gifted. She has a connection to powerful and fierce frost spirits as well as to Winter. Some people are born Blessed, while others might be born Cursed. It is said that those who are Gifted have been blessed by the angels whereas demons are responsible for those who are Cursed. The Institute of Blessed Gifts is an international organization that "collects" gifted children from their families as soon as their gift presents itself. They then assume responsibility not only for raising the child but also educating them, training them, and ensuring they're properly placed for employment.

Emma's mother concealed her gift as she did not want her daughter taken away. When she was a child, The Institute retrieved her sister, Emilia, and the family never had contact with her again. Emma's mother didn't want that life for her daughter so they moved around a lot to avoid detection. Emma honed her gift without The Institute, and trained daily to get faster and stronger.

After Emma's mother fell ill, she contacted The Institute (unbeknown to Emma) to let them know about her daughter. Much to Emma's surprise, The Institute showed up at her door; they came to collect her. Emma went willingly as her mother didn't want her to be alone. She wanted her to find community among people like her.

Emma had to learn to let her guard down and let people in, but she met some new people and made some wonderful new friends: Aria, Jimmy and Mirabel. She also enjoyed the learning opportunities and connecting with people who could help her push her skills further.

One day, while on patrol, Emma noted five Cursed animals heading her way. She quickly went into action to protect her fellow students and easily took down four of them. She was about to take down the fifth when a Cursed human removed that last threat. There was something about this individual that felt comfortable. She knew to keep her distance from Cursed beings as they feed on the Blessed; it boggled her mind how she could feel so at ease with this man.

As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. When she felt him again, she rushed to locate him. She found out his name was Dimitri and he was connected to shadow spirits and the Night. When Guardians from The Institute located her, she lied and tried to protect Dimitri. She didn't see him as a threat and wanted to ensure they didn't execute him for having the misfortune of being born Cursed. Doing so cast her as a traitor, meaning she too would be executed. But Dimitri protected her and they ran. Emma didn't want to run, but she needed to figure out how to convince The Institute that he wasn't a threat.

When a coordinated attack on The Institute occurred, Emma and Dimitri rushed to their aid. They subsequently set out to discover who was behind the attack, with a little help from their friends.

This was a really fun, fast-paced story. The characters and the adventure kept me captivated and engaged throughout. In addition to the beauty of their gifts and the interaction with nature, I loved reading about the relationships which developed between Emma and her found family. I hope the author plans for these captivating characters to have more adventures in the future.

[Hannah Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK TOUR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
•Chosen One
•Soulmates
•Opposites Attract
•Found Family

Jessie did a great job at blending traditional fantasy ideas with modern settings. It was funny seeing normal references mixed with the magic in her world. There’s even a Star Trek reference that made the nerd in me SO happy 😂

“You’re in training?” the new Guardian asks me, incredulous at what he sees.
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t look like there’s a scratch on you.”
“There isn’t.” I turn to leave but stop to say over my shoulder, “You’re late.”

Emma Davis has been training her whole life to take care of the people around her and control her Gift of ice and snow. When the Gifted Institute finally finds her, she isn’t sure what her life is going to be like, or if this is even the right path for her.

She makes friends easily, and impresses the teachers and leaders almost immediately. And when they need someone to take over a shift on the perimeter of the institute, she does.

Little does she know it would change her life forever.

Dimitri has never known love or much joy in his life. Cursed from birth with an insatiable hunger, he was lucky to live king enough to find his own kind of gift with the shadows and night. He’s been alone for a long time, but all that changes when he meets Emma.

Thrown into chaos from that moment on, the two are forced to make choices and decisions that will effect, not only them, but everyone else as well.

This was a great debut novel and I can’t wait to see what else Jessie writes in the future!

Huge thank you to the author and @tbw_booktours for the opportunity to read this and share my honest opinions!

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frost & Shadows: The War of Miracles is my first book from author Jessie Vallee, and I look forward to more. I fell in love with her ability to draw you into the world she created for Emma. Her writing style seemed effortless, and it flowed nicely. She created likable characters and gave excellent descriptions; I could easily see them in my head.

Emma is born gifted and is secretly taught how to use her abilities for all things winter without being detected by the Institute. It isn’t until her mom becomes ill that she believes Emma must be like other gifted youths. I love when Emma arrives at the Institue to begin her physical and magic training. Jessie vividly created a magical place, even creation of the different classes to support her learning journey. I love that when we first met Emma, she already had a firm handle on her abilities and was a force to be reckoned with. Thinking she would only improve from here was exciting, and I looked forward to it.

I loved the unique and creative magic system in the book. It was creative and fun! If you love found family and friendships, this will give you a warm fuzzy. Also, there is an awesome relationship with Dimitri. I did find it a little strange that so many of the other students at the Institute were so open to her arrival and quick to phrase her.

Thank you to Jessie Vallee for gifting me a digital ARC copy of Frost & Shadows: The War of Miracles. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Selina White · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was chosen to receive an eARC from this author*
*This review contains spoilers*


Frost & Shadows was a cute book, if maybe a little cheesy at times. I know I am not the target audience, being a 30 year old woman, but I do enjoy reading YA fantasy as well. The inner dialogue of the 17 year old heroine, Emma, was a little hard to get through, as again it felt a little cheesy and forced. I did, however, like the magic system and the dystopian type feel of the Guardians vs the Cursed.
I wish there had been a little more conflict upfront, as we were told over and over that Emma and her mom were in hiding from the Institution and then by the end of the first chapter, she's already willingly going with them and just completely switched what she grew up knowing. Also her friendships/relationships were literally instantaneous, which I know it's marketed as instant love, but there was no build up or effort placed.
I thought overall the book was fun, and I know the age group of YA readers would enjoy reading it as well. For a debut novel, the author did an admirable job and has a good series to build off of.

[Annika M Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

10/10 COVER
9/10 Scenery
9/10 Description

First, I adore the cover. It is too amazing. I appreciate the dedication that Vallee wrote in the book for me, and I was thrilled to support her Kickstarter endeavor with this book.

The concept of this book is fascinating, and I see a lot of potential with it. Her descriptions are poignant, particularly when it comes to scene and the outdoors. The world itself felt very real, and I felt like I was walking through a new Hogwarts, in a sense, during the first 100 pages.

However, the dialogue took me out of the story quite a bit. It, like much of the rest of the story, was greatly exposition. Showing rather than telling would have aided the beauty of this story's concept. The first 100 pages built up, and then suddenly, every plot point was choppy and jumped about. It was a bit like whiplash.

I greatly admire Vallee, her heart, her descriptive writing, and her dedication to this story and marketing it. As mentioned, I see a lot of potential in this story. I merely feel that it could have benefitted from a heavier editing process.

[library_srf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was chosen to ARC read for this book and it was so fun!
The story follows our heroine who is on the run, hiding her powers from a magical society. Pretty quickly she is caught and forced to go to a magical a school. It was so fun to see her make friends and grow alliances. A dark force threatens the school and she has to fight to save the people she originally hated.
My only disappointment with this book is that I felt the kids at the school were way to trusting of our heroine immediately. She never had to prove herself to them. She shows up to this school and everyone is automatically ready to fall on their swords for her. I felt like if she had to do something to prove herself upon arriving at the school then it would have been more believable.
But overall this story was so much fun and I really enjoyed the good vs evil trope!

[Trishala Babur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of Frost and Shadows - A War of Miracles by Jessie Valle

I cannot believe that this is the debut novel by the author as the writing, the story setting, the concept and the story line in captivated and keeps you hooked to it. The author describes the settings so well that I feel that I’m present in the world she has created and can actually see her words come to life. The characters are well developed and keep you wanting for more. What I loved the most about the book is that it explores the traditional fantasy setting with such a modern approach and beautifully deals with the age old belief that if you will enough, you’ll always find a way. That you can do anything that you put your heart and soul to.

Guys, if Fantasy is what you enjoy reading, don’t miss out on this Novel. It’s available online on Amazon! ❤️

Rating - 4 / 5

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover photo of the book is really gorgeous and attractive. I was drawn to it when I first opened my ARC copy.

This book is a rollercoaster ride through a world filled with magical creatures. Emma is born gifted with the power of winter and she is not interested in going to a magical institute to learn about her abilities. She tries to avoid it but when her mother falls ill she has no choice but to join the institute.

The first half of the book was pretty emotional with all the mother daughter bonding but the second half was really very interesting. I enjoyed reading the relationship between Emma and Dimitri. They have a great bond with each other. It was really fun to read.

I will definitely recommend this book to all the fantasy lovers.

[Molly Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Frost and shadows by Jessie Vallée was such a fun read! The world was so well done and the story was really well written. The magic system was great, I loved how Emma,the FMC, already knew how to use her powers. Her powers were also so unique and I loved to read about them: The found family was so well done too which made the story so much better. The relationship with Emma and Dimitri was also amazing and entertaining. The only thing I would have liked was too see Emma learn how to use her powers instead of knowing it from the start but I still enjoyed her magic a lot! If you are looking for a YA fantasy read then I think you should give this book a try!

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐✨/5

This was a book I enjoyed. I love the cover and the blurb sounded promising. The main female protagonist was amazing - strong, welding her magic with confidence. She doesn't even feel the need to go to an academy for the magical. She has to though, and finds the bestest of friends there - I totally dig the found family trope. The world building was simply lovely, and so was the magic system. I'm looking forward to exploring more of this world and it's magic from the rest of the series. I loved Emma's soulmate connection to Dimitri, and I hope there is more of the history of the Gifted vs. Cursed in the next book.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessie Vallée's YA novel "Frost & Shadows" is an exciting read that will suck people in from the beginning.

Throwing the reader into an epic world-building where there are gifted individuals and cursed individuals Vallée takes you on a journey that will excite and intrigue.

When our heroine meets a man she should hate with all her being she finds that there are connections to supposed enemies that will shake the foundation of all she's known.

I couldn't recommend this more and it's great for YA all the way to adult readers.

Bibliophilebookstackswithdi on IG

[CozyDreamsStudio · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book,

I did not like the characters in this book. They were always so sure of themselves and annoying know-it-alls. Especially the girl. She knew she was the best and that she could get away with anything. She never worried even a little bit about consequences. It was very unrealistic.

What I did like about this book was the magic. Everyone had slightly different magics and learning all the ways it could manifest was wonderful.

[E.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved this book as an ARC from the Ms. Vallee.

I loved the concept of the story and the characters. The flow was a but slow in places and then sped through some scenes and bits I'd have liked to see more in depth but I did thoroughly enjoy it as a whole.
Some of the gifts are very intriguing and I hope to see some more about them and our lovely bad of friends in book 2.

[N.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my usual genre. It took me a few chapters to get used to the present tense first person narrative style. I am also not accustomed to reading about people with superpowers. However there is an intriguing concept of Blessings and Curses, and a nice redemptive arc for the one who is Cursed. Love wins! Thanks for the new experience.

[Miralis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this author on TikTok and was instantly interested in her WIP, Frost and Shadows. I signed up for an arc and was not disappointed. If you’re interested in YA, fantasy with a bad a$$ FMC, I urge you to check out this book.

Young-Adult
Soulmate
Found family

[Veronica Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good YA fantasy read. Loving reading books that have a strong badass FMC.

[Megan Bowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every minute of this book. It was full of action and magic and love and friendship.

[Riss 🫶🏻☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend for the plot and the great characters written by the author. I loved how quickly I was able to get in the book, the pace is good and it is easy to read.

[Lily-Anne Bradley-Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing debut novel by Jessie Vallée! Her passions for nature and fantasy really show and I was here for it (and for the teen romance). The perfect book for cozy winter vibes ✨️

[Trisha]

I couldn’t get into it